Jaybird X4 Wireless Sport Headphones Review: Some Tradeoffs

2023-01-10 | Yvonne

Tip: The X4s have plenty of bass and a premium build, but their uncomfortable fit and muddy upper spectrum make them a lackluster choice for commuters and audiophiles.

Jaybird X4 Wireless Sports Headphones: A Review with Some Tradeoffs

Jaybird X4

We like this

High quality, solid construction
Amazing sporty design
Full and bassy sound

The Things We Hate

Uncomfortable, tight fitting clothes
Muddy audio lacking definition
A little too costly

Jaybird X4 Wireless Sport headphones are a sporty, stylish set of headphones that can be used for workouts, as well as everyday listening.

Jaybird X4 Wireless Sport Headphones were purchased by us so that our expert reviewer could fully test it and evaluate it. Continue reading to see our complete product review.

Jaybird X4 Wireless Sport Headphones is the latest product in the X-line. Although the fit and design seemed perfect for morning workouts or morning runs, it didn't appear that this package was made for commuters. You can customize the sound quality of your music with a variety of bells, whistles, and other features. We'll get to that later.

These were largely just smoke and mirrors. This was an attempt by the company to compete in the premium market with other headphones costing $100+. These earbuds would be great if you are looking for Bluetooth headphones for active listening. However, commuters and audiophiles need to steer clear.

The X4 was tested in New York City for a good part of a week. We evaluated their quality and comfort as well as battery life.

Related Reading: Soundcore Liberty Pro 2 Review

Design: Bold and attractive

The Jaybird X4 is clearly designed for outdoor runners. A mostly black pair of earbuds was tested with clear silicone tips, and the housing beneath the silicon tips had a bright lime green/yellow color. Jaybird refers to this as Black Metallic Flash. You can also get it in light gray (Storm Metallic Glacier), and darker gray (Alpha Metallic Jade). It is made of flat rubber and won't get tangled easily. It is decently large (1.5 inches in length and 0.5 inches width) and easy to access with satisfyingly clicky buttons.

While normally the ear tips on headphones are relegated to the 'comfort' category — and don't worry, we'll definitely get to a discussion about comfort — we did find that most of the design charm with these earbuds was lost when you switched from the see-through silicon tips to the solid black foam tips, mainly because you lose the accent color.

They have a richness and fullness that gives electronic music fans a sense of satisfaction.

They were lightweight at only 0.6 ounces (on our scale), and still felt substantial. This is important as you don't want the headphones to be heavy, but they should feel light enough that they won't break in mid-run.

Comfort: Secure, tight, but not too overbearing

These headphones were very comfortable, but we had mixed opinions. The soft silicone wings and the foam tips are both very comfortable from a tactile standpoint. But, because of the size of the tips (either 0.5-inch or 0.3-inch in the foam, and 0.7-inch as the smallest size for the silicon), they created a borderline-uncomfortable seal in your ear. This is likely by design as it helps to reduce outside noise and creates a clear palette for Jaybirds sound quality.

Although we would recommend that you change the tip size, it was not possible to find the right size for eartips. You can try this trick: pull the tips out slightly from your ears at an angle. This will release some of the pressure in the seal. The wings are there to keep the headphones in place and reduce the discomfort. This defeats the point of having a firm, stable workout headset. These will be great for intensive physical activity if you are looking for a reliable fit and don't mind an airtight seal.

Superior build quality and durability. Protected from the elements.

The Jaybird X4's durability is perhaps its most striking feature. Jaybird X4's 18 inch cable has a soft, rugged rubber. It doesn’t tend to get tangled and lasts a very long time. Both the silicone and foam tips feel great, and are both small and sturdy.

When it comes to workout headphones, the other important pillar is their resistance to sweat and elements. Jaybird headphones have an IPX7 rating. This means they can withstand sweat, rain, and other elements. This rating means the device is able to withstand water pressure at faucet levels and temporarysubmersion. However, they can't be submerged for extended periods or at high depths. They also don't have dust resistance (X would indicate if they had dust resistance). These ratings are sufficient to be used outdoors and in heavy activity. However, don't let them get too wet.

Establishment & Connectivity: A seamless, clear connection

Jaybird X4s' Bluetooth connectivity is another area in which the Jaybird X4s ticks all boxes. Although not as reliable as Bluetooth 5.0, the 4.1 protocol works well with the majority of other Bluetooth devices. They can connect using the 2.4GHz band, and most profiles are supported (A2DP/SPP, etc. All of these connections are at Class 2, which allows for distances of up to 33 feet between transmitting device (or headset) and receiver.

These were the best Bluetooth headphones that we tested. They had very few skips or stutters, a lot of clear phone calls and virtually no interference. A set of headphones that works as it should is refreshing.

Sound quality: Powerful, bassy and slightly muddled

Sincerely, loved the sound of these headphones. These headphones don't sound terrible... they have a rich, satisfying quality that will bring electronic music fans a sense of satisfaction. However, bass's heavy use seems to obliterate a lot the details.

These headphones tick a lot of boxes: 16-ohm impedance and a 99dB 3 level of speaker sensitivity. They also cover 20Hz-20kHz frequency coverage, which is the full range of human hearing. The 6mm drivers are larger than some of our other Bluetooth buds. But something happens when a headphone presses itself too firmly into your ear — it creates a kind of muffled, 'inside your head' sound. This is how it works: Plug your finger in your right ear, and begin speaking. On your right side, you'll feel a closeness or bassiness. This is the problem we experienced with subjective sound quality. Our perception was not able to handle the sound's perfection.

A few more words before we move on to sound quality. The headphones support Bluetooth compression at the very lowest level, the SBC codec or the slightly higher AAC file preferred by Apple devices. This allows you to stream higher-quality audio files with greater flexibility, as AAC doesn't remove any of it. Jaybird also comes with a Jaybird app, which we will discuss in more detail later. It is powerful enough to customize the sound to your taste.

You can adjust the sound using a combination of presets and a graphic Equalizer (EQ). Our personal favourite was the Warmth preset.

Battery life: Great for average athletes

These headphones' battery life was about average in real-life tests. This was not the worst battery life we have seen. That's pretty remarkable considering the amount of juice that the larger drivers and app integration consume.

Jaybird promises eight hours of music playback per single charge. The amount you listen to, how much time you spend reconnecting and disconnecting, as well as the music genre, will all affect this claim. We were able to get around 8 hours battery life with our basic usage, which is in line with the manufacturer's estimates.

It is important to remember that they will need to be fully charged for two hours, not the fastest time we have seen. A quick 10 minute charge can give you about one hour of use time. This is great if the headphones have died and you are unable to run. Last note, the charging cable here uses a Pogo pin connector instead of the micro USB inputs found in most headphones. You will need to take the Jaybird charger wherever you travel.

Software: Flexible and powerful software

Jaybird's Jaybird X4 Package includes the Jaybird App. Both from our review as well as Jaybird's site, you can see that it is a crucial component. You can sync your buddies quickly and easily from the app. You can also use the Find My Buds function to locate your buds on your smartphone.

The app has a lot of helpful guides and even a Find Your Fit section. If you snap a photo of your headphones, it will show you suggestions for fit adjustments. This feature was a bit awkward for us because you can't take a picture of your ear while not looking.

The Jaybird X4's durability is perhaps its most striking feature.

The EQ section is by far the best feature. Jaybird offers a range of presets, including Warmth and Bring the Bass. Jaybird also provides a setting that allows for extended listening, which reduces volume to prevent ear fatigue. To further personalize the sound, you can create your own presets. This is a powerful tool, but it's unfortunately hampered by the tight fit and sealing of these headphones.

Prices: This is not the most affordable, but it's still a good deal.

Jaybird X4's can be a bit pricey. They feel great and are easy to unbox. These headphones also have a very good battery life which is ideal for athletes who are looking to find reliable headphones. The pouch is easy to open and close, but it will not provide protection like the more portable hardshells. This price should not be confused with excellent sound quality.

Unfortunately, despite Jaybird's best efforts — a really powerful app, sizeable drivers, and good bass response — we just don't feel the listening experience warrants $130. We recommend the Jaybird X3s if price is a concern. They have been reduced in price to accommodate the X4s. The Tarah Pros have a better price-quality ratio.

Competiton: Not quite fitting in with premium brands

The X4 is priced at the same price as the Sennheiser CX Sport and Bose Soundsport. These three brands are renowned for their superior sound quality and have decades of experience in sound technology. The Jaybirds are not as expensive as some other headphones, but they're still affordable.

The Shure or Bose offerings might work better if you are looking for sound quality. We can however confidently state that the Jaybirds feelpremium on the basis of built quality. Although we haven’t had much time with either the Sennheisers nor the Shures, they will probably last you for a very long time.

You can find our top picks for wireless earbuds and our recommendations for best-selling wireless headphones.

Final Verdict

Bluetooth headphones are perfect for use in the gym but not everyday.

You don't need to look any further if you are looking for a pair of reliable running headphones that will not break. You will find superior comfort, better sound quality, and sometimes a lower price on headphones that are designed for daily use.

Specifications

Product name X4
Jaybird Product Brand
SKU 6289926
Prices from $129.99
August 2018, Release Date
Weight 0.6 oz.
Product dimensions 21.5x0.5x0.9in
Color Black Metallic-Flash, Storm Metallic-Glacier, Alpha Metallic-Jade
Battery life 8 hours
Wireless/wireless wireless
3ft Wireless Range
1-year warranty
Audio Codecs SBC, AAC
Bluetooth 4.1

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