Expert’s Rating
Our Verdict
Jaysis a Swedish headphone company with the destination of creating strikingly designed earpiece with strong audio functioning at affordable prices . If that sound intimate , it ’s because it ’s a similar backstory to that of Jays ’ countryman , Nocs , Maker of the NS200 ( ) I late reviewed . However , Jays has been around longer than Nocs , and where I felt the design and execution of the $ 70 NS200 verged on bland , Jays ’ designs have more obvious flash . Specifically , I tested the company ’s $ 70a - Jays Fourcanalbud headset and $ 100t - Jay Threecanalbuds .
( Three non - headset a - Jays model , the $ 40a - Jays One , $ 50Two , and $ 60Three , propose similar purpose , with sound quality and included accoutrement increasing with price . Likewise , the $ 70t - Jays Oneand $ 90Twoare less - expensive edition of the t - Jays Three that admit few accessories , different finishing , and variations in audio performance . )
Canalbuds like the a - Jays and t - Jays fundamentally split the departure in intent and price between traditional earbuds and in - ear - epithelial duct ( “ canalphone ” ) models . ( See our in - auricle - canal earpiece primer for more detail . ) Since they fit partially in the ear canal , canalbuds block some outside noise and direct to take form an acoustic sealing wax that improves bass performance . However , they do n’t halt as much phone as lawful in - ear - channel models , and , as with those models , get a proper fit can be tricky , the electric cord can acquire unwanted microphonic disturbance in a listener ’s capitulum , and using the headset function can be uncanny due to theocclusion effectof having your auricle plug while talking .
Jays’ a-Jay Four
a-Jays Four
Jays ’ a - Jay Four
The most distinctive element of the a - Jays ’ design is their flat black cables , about the same width and thickness as a fettucini attic , which the fellowship says were chosen to prevent tangles . On the cablegram leading to the veracious - hand headphone is a three - button , Apple - way remote with clit for Volume Up , Play / Pause / Call , and Volume Down ) ; and a mike mental faculty with a black - and - silver gray figure that ’s a nod to the iPhone 4 ’s appearing . The a - Jays ’ earpieces are unretentive , black cylinders with silver-tongued - plastic accents on the back and capped by inglorious , silicone eartips . All the a - Jays ’ black surface have a pleasant rubbery feel . Rounding out the package are five pairs of eartips : extra supererogatory low , extra small , belittled , average , and tumid .
In using the a - Jays , I plant the electric cord pattern performed as advertised — the cables resisted tangling , and even when I intentionally tangled them , the tangles work themselves out with minimal sweat and did not pull into besotted knots . However , I also found the overseas telegram to be heavier than traditional designs , pulling on the earpieces and induce slim soreness ( although the weight never actually dislodged the earpieces ) . Additionally , the beefy cable produce strong microphonics , so between those two proceeds , I do n’t recommend the a - Jays for active use . Otherwise , the inadequate earphone are well-fixed to put in , with a well-to-do , shallow primed and moderate closing off . I particularly wish the remote design , as the buttons are easy to distinguish by pinch ( the mass button are concave , while the center release is convex ) , addressing my most frequent ill about such remote .
Jays’ t-Jays Three
In testing the a - Jays ’ inline microphone , I notice that it was quieter and less detailed than the iPhone 4 ’s internal mike . It was also not quite as natural as the excellent mike in Radius’Atomic Bass 2+mic ( ) . However , performance was still quite beneficial overall , and more than tolerable for taking phone vociferation .
The a - Jays ’ sound will appeal to a lot of listeners — music sounds smooth , full , and relaxed . Bass is heavily emphasise , but this exaggerated low end does n’t go as objectionable as on other basso profound headphone , and it does n’t obscure midrange and dual frequencies . The treble oftenness are comparatively easy to hear but never harsh , which should benefit poor - character recordings . Jays claims that the a - Jays ’ midrange has been tweaked for headset use , and indeed , midrange detail is good than that of the low and high frequencies . However , this also exposes the big drawback of the Four : the unruffled lows and highs mean item is obscured in these areas — cymbals do n’t always pop , and bass part sounds a bit loose and soft . This also reach the headphones strait crowded and miss silence between notes . However , there ’s something to be state for prioritizing a pleasant phone over an accurate one , and if this was Jays ’ goal , the company come through .
I compare the a - Jays to Maximo ’s $ 80iP-595 ( ( ) ) , a long - clip favorite in this price range . The iP-595 provide the distance and definition that the a - John Jay lack , gamy frequency are more marked and detailed ( though sometimes rough ) , and bass is tight . On the other deal , the a - Jays Four almost matched the Maximos in midrange functioning , with fuller vocals , although the iP-595 ’s vocal were clearer . Overall , the Maximos will give you a more exciting and detailed sound , with the Jays offering a politic , more relaxed sound . I also compared the a - Jays to the aforementioned Nocs ns200 , and while the NS200 offers a fleck more space and detail , bass is more tyrannical . In the terminal , the NS200 occupies an uncomfortable midway flat coat between the audio of the a - jay and the iP-595 .
t-Jays Three
Jays ’ t - Jays Three
The t - John Jay lack headset and remote feature , but feature an angled earpiece design that activate the earpieces to nestle in the listener ’s spike , supply a conniption with a deep interpolation and more closing off than that of the a - Jays Four — the paroxysm is close to that of a traditional canalphone . The t - Jays also have a more traditional cable design . However , the cable is quite short , which makes this modeling ideal for use with an iPod shuffle crop to a shirt or an player cache in an branch band . Jays also includes an extension corduroy that give a more formal corduroy duration , but the spare link adds bulk to the overseas telegram . As with the a - Jays Four , the t - Jays Three includes five sizes of eartips , but the Four also include an aeroplane - audio - laborer adapter , a headphone splitter , and an attractive carrying case . These accoutrement are a prissy feeling , although I found the carrying case ’s blueprint made it unmanageable to close once the headphones were inside .
When I first listened to the t - Jays , I noticed an obvious improvement over the a - Jays . The t - Jays wangle to add together item and space without sacrificing the a - Jays ’ politic , pleasant audio . Bass stay potent , but is much tighter , while triplex and midrage are more prominent and elaborate . I again used the Maximo iP-595 for compare : The quality of freshwater bass is similar in both models , though I favour the iP-595 ’s lighter sea bass counterpoise . The iP-595 also has a petty more space overall , along with more point and clarity in the midrange . But the t - Jays meet the Maximo when it comes to gamey - frequence detail , while also eliminating some harshness . I still prefer the iP-595 overall , but both good example sound great . Compared to the the t - Jays , Etymotic’smc3 ( ) , another favorite , has noticeably superior midrange and eminent - oftenness particular , but very light bass balance .
Macworld’s buying advice
John Jay ’ a - Jays Four put up a dandy design , motley ergonomics , and a relaxed , smooth sound . I favor the sound of other headsets in this price range such as Maximo ’s $ 80 iP-595 , that bid more contingent and space , but the a - Jays ’ sound will be a good fit for many hearer , and the headset ’s attractive styling and snarl - detached cord are appealing on their own .
The t - Jays Three offers an attractive design and cracking speech sound ( and a brusque corduroy for those who want that feature ) , but its $ 100 price makes it quite a bite more expensive than the Maximo iP-595 ( not to refer the iP-595 ’s $ 60 non - headset sib , the iM-590 [ ] ) , peculiarly for a non - headset model . Still , it ’s deserving consider .
