A Battery Beast if There Ever Was One

In the event you’re going to make a pair of wi-fi earbuds in right this moment’s day and age, you’d higher have one thing to carry to the desk. As I’ve mentioned 1,000,000 instances now (perhaps extra instances than there are pairs of wi-fi earbuds on the planet), the wireless headphones and earbuds market is crowded. That makes a number of pairs redundant, and it makes deciding which of them to purchase a little bit of a puzzle.

Everybody’s priorities are a bit of totally different within the wi-fi earbuds world, however the core tenets sometimes stay the identical: you most likely desire a pair that sounds good, appears to be like first rate, and has options like energetic noise cancellation (ANC). And also you most likely desire a pair with a logical quantity of battery life, too. In truth, perhaps you desire a pair with an illogical battery life. One which has so a lot battery that it’s nearly silly. If that’s what you need, JLab’s $100 Epic Pods ANC have you ever coated.

Battery beast

Once I learn the battery life determine for JLab’s Epic Pods ANC, I assumed it was a typo. The corporate advertises 13 hours of battery life outdoors the case, with ANC turned on. Flip ANC off, and also you’ll get a powerful 16 hours of battery life from the wi-fi earbuds. For the document, I don’t assume that’s a champion-level determine, even when it’s lots. The Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW from 2022 promote 15 hours with ANC enabled, which beats the Epic Pods ANC simply barely. However both approach, titleholder or not, 13 hours is lots, and with the charging case, you’ll get about 50 hours with ANC on (as much as 60 hours with ANC off) altogether between the buds and the case battery.

With some testing, I’m inclined to belief JLab on that determine. As of scripting this, I’ve been taking part in the Epic Pods ANC for almost 3 hours with ANC on at about 65% quantity, and based on the JLab app in addition to the earbuds’ readout while you put them in your ears, the battery is sort of full (I can’t provide you with a proportion as a result of there’s none within the app). If battery life is one in every of your greatest metrics, the JLab Epic Pods ANC ought to be in your radar, particularly as a result of the Epic Pods ANC truly value $50 lower than the aforementioned ATH-CKS50TW from Audio Technica.

Not unhealthy, JLab, not unhealthy in any respect.

Respectable sound, however removed from one of the best

Battery life is all nicely and good, however it doesn’t imply lots if all you need to do is rip the wi-fi earbuds out of your ears as a result of they sound so unhealthy. Fortunately, JLab holds it down within the sound division, too, so I don’t anticipate any annoyed earbud throwing. The Epic Pods ANC didn’t blow me away, however I do assume they punch above their weight class, given the truth that they solely value $100.

Mids and trebles are a spotlight within the Epic Pods ANC, since each are sharp and clear. Listening to a jazz playlist with each previous and new songs (some ballads and a few extra energetic tunes), I used to be glad with the audio high quality. Within the rock style, the Epic Pods ANC shined a bit of brighter, in my view. Listening to one in every of my favourite grungy rock/people bands, Wednesday, the DIY-ish manufacturing and really feel of their older songs actually popped. Guitars had been good and soiled, and all the things sounded just a bit lo-fi.

Behind the JLab sound is definitely a dual-driver setup, which features a 10mm dynamic driver in addition to a Knowles balanced armature, a kind of driver that’s recognized for its compactness and talent to ship an honest quantity of quantity.

The bass within the Epic Pods ANC can be notable, although not significantly standout. I just like the presence within the combine with the default tuning out of the field, however the precise sound and texture of the low finish didn’t precisely impress me. I nonetheless discover equally priced wi-fi earbuds, just like the Soundpeats Air5 Pro+ I just lately reviewed, to ship extra natural-sounding bass that feels enough and nicely blended.

I do assume that, by spending a bit of bit extra, you may get higher sound out of a pair of wi-fi earbuds on this basic value vary, although the battery life on that pair of buds (be it the aforementioned Soundpeats or one thing else) will nearly definitely not be as beastly because the JLabs Epic Pods. Once more, it comes again to priorities. If battery life is paramount for you, then the Epic Pods ANC take the cake. If sound is the primary factor you’re on the lookout for, you might need to contemplate shelling out a bit more cash.

Talking of sound, the microphone high quality can be sturdy. On a short cellphone name, I used to be instructed that it gave the impression of I used to be “speaking proper into the cellphone,” which is an effective signal. Name high quality additionally sounded first rate on my finish, although I did should crank the amount a bit to get to a snug degree.

Issues that aren’t as epic

As you will have already gathered from the truth that JLab put ANC within the identify, these wi-fi earbuds have ANC. Having ANC says one thing a couple of pair of wi-fi earbuds these days, however not a ton as a result of it’s a reasonably customary function. What you actually need to know is how good that ANC is, and I’m right here to inform you that it’s… simply okay.

Similar to the sound, I wasn’t tremendous impressed with the ANC on these wi-fi earbuds, however I wasn’t tremendous disenchanted both. I gave them the compulsory subway take a look at, and I bought an honest quantity of noise bleed from the ruckus from the practice. These are removed from one of the best noise-canceling wi-fi earbuds that I’ve tried (that honor nonetheless goes to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds (2nd Gen), however general, they’re about center of the highway, perhaps slightly below. Whereas we’re speaking about ANC, it’s value noting that these wi-fi earbuds even have a transparency mode for while you need to take heed to music whereas nonetheless having the ability to hear your environment. This works nicely sufficient that I used to be truly snug strolling right into a espresso store and ordering with transparency on, which is greater than I can say for plenty of different wi-fi earbuds. It’s not crystal clear, however it’s higher than you’d anticipate from $100 wi-fi earbuds.

From a controls perspective, the Epic Pods ANC function each contact and squeeze controls, which is sort of good because it caters to each preferences. Each work pretty nicely, although I didn’t love the default controls. Fortunately, with the JLab companion app, I used to be capable of assign my most well-liked faucets/squeezes (one faucet for play/pause, two faucets for observe skipping, and three faucets for turning ANC off/on and activating transparency). These aren’t probably the most delicate faucet controls on the planet, however they’re serviceable. I did discover myself gravitating extra to the squeeze controls, if that tells you something.

If there’s one deficiency that jumped out to me in regards to the Epic Pods ANC, it’s the Bluetooth connectivity. I generally had points with them pairing to my iPhone 17 correctly, which was sort of annoying and never a problem I’ve with the overwhelming majority of wi-fi earbuds that I take a look at. Generally, that necessitated that I neglect the wi-fi earbuds in iOS and re-pair them. Not splendid. Bluetooth points are robust to diagnose generally (it might be a problem with my cellphone), however since different wi-fi earbuds appear to work simply effective, I’m going to place the blame on JLab.

There are some good options within the JLab Epic Pods ANC. Wi-fi charging is a pleasant perk, and there are some preset EQs. There’s additionally adaptive ANC, which routinely adjusts noise-canceling ranges primarily based on how loud your surroundings is. To be sincere, there are some options that really feel considerably ineffective. An included “film mode” is sort of unlistenable, for instance, and amplified the background noise of an X-Recordsdata episode a lot that I might solely endure a couple of minutes. There’s additionally a exercise function that may information interval coaching by utilizing an in-app interface to play chimes at predetermined instances, signifying when to work out or relaxation. To be sincere, I can’t see any cause to make use of JLab’s function over free apps like 7 Minute Workout.

There isn’t any in-app listening to take a look at that personalizes the EQ to your listening to, which is a little bit of a bummer, particularly as a result of a number of wi-fi earbud rivals now embrace that function of their companion apps, and so they can generally change the sound drastically for the higher.

Seems-wise, I don’t discover the Epic Pods ANC to be offensive in any approach, although the buds themselves are a bit of on the large aspect. I do like that the within of the wi-fi earbuds’ housing is a bit of clear, so you possibly can see the circuitry. I do not like that the plastic on the charging case is so slick that I discovered myself dropping the case and earbuds on a number of events.

Battery so epic, dude

Actually, there’s lots to love in regards to the Epic Pods ANC. The sound is first rate, the battery life is killer, and whereas the ANC falls a bit of quick and the Bluetooth connectivity might or will not be a bit of finicky, they’re not unhealthy for the worth. You would get cheaper wi-fi earbuds like these made by CMF, however I do assume that JLab Epic Pods ANC are higher throughout for not that rather more cash.

That being mentioned, if sound is your primary precedence and never battery life, there are higher wi-fi earbuds available for barely more cash. So, it’s as much as you to do some soul looking. Do you want 13 hours of battery life with ANC on? Or are you okay with a mean battery (about 6 to 7 hours) with a barely higher all-around expertise?