Details: Entry-level earphone from Swedish manufacturer JAYS
Current Price: N/A (discontinued) (MSRP: $70)
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 32 Ω | Sens: 106 dB | Freq: 50-20k Hz | Cable: 2’ I-plug + 3’ extension
Nozzle Size: 3.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock Single flanges
Wear Style: Over-the-ear or straight down
Accessories (5/5) – Single-flange silicone (4 sizes) and foam tips, 4 sets of replacement filters, 3.5mm splitter, airplane adapter, extension cord, and leatherette carrying pouch
Build Quality (3.5/5) – Sturdy plastic housings feature proper strain reliefs though the relief on the 3.5mm plug is a bit hard. The cables are thin but behave well and don’t tangle
Isolation (3/5) – Insertion depth is quite good due to rounded housings, yielding reasonable isolation
Microphonics (3.5/5) – Very low when worn over-the-ear, but still not too bad otherwise
Comfort (4.5/5) – Extremely light housings make them very easy to wear. Flexible strain reliefs allow for easy cord-up use
Sound (3.9/10) – The sound put out by the j-JAYS is dark and warm. Low-end extension is rather average, rolling of smoothly past 35Hz. The bass could be tighter but there’s certainly a good amount of it. The midrange is in balance with the bass but lacks articulation. Clarity is poor and some vocals can sound downright muffled, which is a shame because the tonality is very natural, as good as any mid-range earphone I have heard. The treble is recessed, adding to the warmth of the sound. It is completely devoid of sparkle, but also of harshness and sibilance. Indeed, the j-JAYS are as smooth as earphones can get but the loss in clarity and detail is not a fair trade-off in my book.
Value (5/10) – Though the sound signature of the JAYS is typical of a low-end dynamic IEM, the price tag is not. From the way they are designed and packaged it is obvious that Jays puts user-friendliness first, and I applaud that – the j-JAYS certainly have an upmarket feel and make a beautiful gift. I just wish they had an upmarket sound signature to match.
Pros: Incredibly complete package, very comfortable, user-friendly
Cons: Where’s the clarity? Cable is too short without extension, too long with it