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Look Ma, No Wires!


Here is a table taken from JLab's site comparing the Epic Airs to their competitors

JLab Audio contacted me to ask if I were interested in checking out their new Epic Air True Wireless Sport Ear Buds. I said I was because I had been reading about them for some time. I wanted to see how they had tackled the problem of having truly wireless headphones while still retaining connectivity and sound quality​

Accessories:



When I received the headphones I was impressed by the accessories that were included. They came with 8 sets of tips to choose from and even have a triple flange tip with shallow-fit tip. A hard case is included that also charges the headphones.

Features\Build Quality:





The case has a micro usb cord to charge your phone, a micro usb connection to charge the case or you can use the usb connection. The case has a button and 5 led lights to let you know when to recharge the case. You can also use the case to charge your phone. The case allows your headphones to have a 36 hour charge, so the Epic Air last for 6 hours, and the case has a 30 hour charge. The case is sturdy and seems to protect the headphones well. The ports on the case are well protected also. The headphones themselves seem to be built well, they are light and were not distracting when warn. They have ear hooks that hold the headphones in place and also help with the connection to your phone and each other because the antenna are built into them utilizing JLab’s Beacon Signal Technology. The Epic Airs are IP55 sweat proof rated, and I was never worried about them getting damaged, they seemed to work well during my workouts. The headphones also use AptX to help improve the sound quality, making the music sound fuller and more vibrant.

Fit\Controls:



I found to pair the headphones, it was fairly intuitive because all I had to do was turn the power on the right ear bud, it would pair to the phone and then I would power on the left ear bud and that pair to right ear bud. There are included lights on the front of the headphones that show a white light when pairing, and a blue light when paired. I found it was easy to find a proper seal by just rotating the headphone back and forth in the ear canal. The controls were easy enough to use. I just had to tap the left ear bud to start or pause a track. Holding my finger against the left ear bud would lower volume, while putting my finger on right ear bud turned up the volume. Single tapping the right ear bud skipped to the next track while double tapping skipped back. They provided a good seal and blocked out a fair amount of ambient sound. Most people should find a good seal considering all the tips that are included. The ear hooks are pliable and not rigid so they are comfortable. The Epic Airs kept in place while I worked out in the gym doing chin ups, decline chest, running and so on. I did not have to adjust them that much, they just stayed in place. The headphones also had a very solid connection, both outside and inside, I only had one dropout the whole time I used them.


Sound:



For testing, I utilized both my Samsung Galaxy 7 and my wife’s Iphone 7 Plus. I tend to like my Samsung because it plays more sound formats and is not bogged down by ITunes. Over the past week I burned in the headphones and played several albums while listening to the Epic Air at both work and at the gym. I found that the for a bluetooth headphone that they played the music faithfully, and I could discern the different instruments. The Epic Airs had enough bass but they were not muddy sounding nor was the bass overpowering. The soundstage was decent and when listening to the Epic Airs I enjoyed using them. I found myself grabbing the Epic Airs over the other myriad Bluetooth headphones that I had available. Some of the tracks I listened to with the Airs are Shakin’ My Wings(Glenn Hughes and Toni Iommi), Alice in Chains(Check My Brain), Supernova(Ra), Cordeilia(Tragically Hip), No Fly Zone(Pro-Pain), Friend Is A Four Letter Word(Cake) All of the music I listened to sounded great, the Epic Airs were not fatiguing to listen to. I especially liked hearing The Rolling Stones As Tears Go, the acoustic guitar sounded great on the Epic Airs. Interestingly near the end of this review, I tried the largest ear gels and they blocked out the most ambient noise, it really made a difference.

Calls:

I used the Epic Air to receive and make calls and the callers said that I sounded fine and that they could not tell that I had them on the headphones. I also noted that the call quality was decent and I was able to hear the caller. My elderly parents, who always complain that they cannot hear me when I am wearing headphones did not even complain!

Conclusion:


Overall I think the Epic Airs are a great addition to the crowded Bluetooth headphone arena. They stand out to me because of their battery life, sound quality, fit, ease of use, and 30 day money back guarantee. Also not having a wire joining the headphones was nice, nothing touching my neck and I had even more freedom of movement. Give the Epic Airs a try, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.