Jays at Jays Wireless
MSRP $179.99
“The new u-Jays combine wireless with great sound and timeless style for a killer triple cocktail.”
Avg
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Clear sound signature with excellent stereo imaging
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Simple, elegant design
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Intuitive touch controls that can be locked
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Excellent battery life
Against
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The headband could be more comfortable
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No box included
After Beats took the headphone market by storm a few years ago, it’s become harder to find a set of headphones with a simple, elegant look that don’t seem designed solely to compete with the growing empire of Dr. Drea. However, while many brands have sought to emulate Beats’ fervor for flashy style and bombastic bass, Swedish headphone manufacturer Jays has gone the other way.
A sleek, minimalist pair of headphones without a single exposed hinge or wire, the company’s original u-Jay impressed with ultra-clear sound and classic styling at an affordable price. So how does the new wireless version of the u-Jay hold up? While they offer almost identical looks and sound performance to their wired counterparts, the addition of intuitive touch controls, long battery life, and a 20 percent price drop make the second version of the u-Jays more compelling than ever.
Out of the box
The U-Jays Wireless come in a package very similar to their wired predecessor, laid flat in molded foam inside a slim black box. The branding is Scandinavian minimalism to the core, with broad layers of solid black accented with light streaks of gold. In-box accessories include a 3.5mm cable, micro USB charging cable and instructional materials.
It’s worth noting that while the wired u-Jays came with a drawstring bag, the wireless iteration doesn’t. Also, the u-Jays Wireless’ included audio cable doesn’t come with the same three-button iOS controls we saw on the wired version, but that’s because the added touch controls replicate the same functionality — more on that later.
Features and design
The simple, effortless design we loved about the wired u-Jays is back in almost identical form for the u-Jays Wireless. That’s true of all our favorite features, including the sleek rubberized headband, easy-to-swivel earcups, and perfectly contoured ear cushions covered in soft leather. While we love the all-black option, if that’s too understated for your taste, the u-Jays also come in black and gold, white and gold, and white and silver.
The U-Jays Wireless accurately reproduce any style of music you play.
The only real physical change between the two versions that isn’t specifically for wireless functionality (the company has added a charging port and a power button on the back of the right earpiece) is that the lower part of the headband that marks the stereo sides is painted instead of molded in raised plastic.
In keeping with their similar designs, comfort remains nearly identical between the wired and wireless versions of the u-Jay – overall, the headphones have just enough padding to get the job done. However, the extra weight from the batteries means that the semi-padded headband is a bit more of a nuisance than it was on the wired version. After a few hours of listening, you may need to rest your head for a bit.
The U-Jays Wireless hides its best new feature in plain sight, in the form of an invisible touchpad for playback control. As we’ve seen with many other wireless headphones, the touchpad lets you play/pause music or answer phone calls with a single tap, change songs by swiping left or right, or turn the volume up or down by swiping up or down. The controls work like a charm, with almost no lag between commands and responses.
While the touchpad feature is common these days, Jays is one of the few companies that offers a lock on its touch controls, to limit unwanted commands when you position them on your head or accidentally touch them. It might seem simple, but it’s a very welcome feature that’s also very easy to turn on: simply press the power button twice to enable or disable the lock, at which point a helpful beep will inform you that your settings have been changed.
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
Bill Roberson/Digital Trends
In keeping with the general theme of usability, the headphones also automatically detect when you plug in the audio cable, disabling all power functions to save energy. Battery life is rated at a respectable 25 hours, and in practice we managed to get several days of use out of the headphones before recharging.
It’s also worth noting that the Jays have lowered their overall prices. While the original headphones were priced at over $200, the wireless version is only $180 (while the wired model dropped to $120). While previously competing with better-sounding alternatives from companies like Thinksound, u-Jays are now in a class of their own. The drop in price also makes us a lot less worried about the lack of a carry bag, which we expect to be an integral part of more expensive models.
Set
Setting up the wireless u-Jay is quick and painless. Simply charge the headphones, then press and hold the power button. After the white LED on the bottom of the right earbud starts flashing, find the earbud in the Bluetooth menu of your devices and pair it. From there it’s off to the races.
Audio performance
The same 40mm dynamic drivers heard in the wired u-Jays return in the wireless iteration, delivering the same linear and dynamic sound we’ve come to know and love.
In keeping with u-Jays’ other minimalist tendencies, everything in the sound profile seems simple, if somewhat restrained. They don’t offer quite the same lively and energetic instrument reproduction as headphones like Marshall’s slightly more expensive mid-range headphones, but they make every instrument easy to pick out in the mix.
Like their wired predecessor, the u-Jays Wireless accurately reproduce any style of music you throw at them — no small feat for headphones in this segment.
The sleek, minimalist design we loved about the wired u-Jays is back in full form.
On songs like Kadhja Bonet Remember Rainthere’s a pleasant twinkle of strings over groovy R&B drums and bass, while acoustic songs like Hiss Golden Messenger Dancer’s delay show an intact upper register in vocals. No matter what genre or artist you’re listening to, each song sticks very tightly to the source material, with very little color. While it may not be for everyone, we quite enjoy the hands-free approach to the sound signature, especially refreshing in a world that seems to demand massive bass response — even when the music doesn’t.
Stereo recording is perhaps where the u-Jays Wireless shines brightest. The headphones set hand drums to Sinkane’s Afro beat-influenced song Phone on the outside of a very wide soundstage, where they are joined by trumpet and saxophone lines to create an extremely fun listening atmosphere.
Our example
The new u-Jays Wireless has kept everything we loved about the original, while lowering the price and adding functionality to make it one of the better options in its category. What’s not to like?
Is there a better alternative?
There are several other excellent Bluetooth headphones worth checking out at similar prices, including the excellent Marshall Mid on-ear and Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 over-ear, but even in the company of these good choices, the u-Jays Wireless are not negligible.
How long will it last?
The solid construction and simple design — as well as the fact that the company hasn’t changed much from the previous model — leads us to believe that the u-Jays Wireless will last for years of regular use before they have to be retired.
Should you buy it?
That. With great looks, functionality and a solid overall sound, the u-Jays Wireless are absolutely worth considering, especially if your favorite music doesn’t depend on a massive sub-bass rumble.
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Categories: GAMING
Source: newstars.edu.vn