Jaybird X2 Review

Jaybird has been dominating the wireless earbud market for some time, with their popularity on Amazon being a good indicator as to the general appeal of their flagship X2.  But popularity notwithstanding, is there good reason to invest $149 in the Jaybird X2?

Jaybird X2 Review

The X2 comes with some basic accessories:  a charging cable, protective case, eartips (both foam and silicon), and clips to hold the buds inside your ear.

Construction seems good, and although a little bulky, the removable clips keep things stable enough for a workout.

The included remote doesn’t seem cheap or liable to break – like it does on cheaper wireless options from other manufacturers.

Specs

Type: In-Ear Style
Noise-isolation: Passive
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Speaker sensitivity: 103 +-2dB At 1KHz
Output 12mW RMS (with level limit)
Total Harmonic Distortion <5% (1KHz, 1mW)
Audio Format: 16-bit Stereo
Codec: Shift™ custom SBC implementation
Response Bandwidth 20-20000Hz
Driver Size: 6 mm

Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth Class 2.1+EDR
Frequency Band: 2.4 GHz
Profiles: Handsfree 1.6, Headset 1.1, A2DP 1.2, AVCRP 1.4

Play Time: 8 Hrs
Standby Time: 250 Hrs
Charging Time: Less than 2.5 hrs
Charging: USB (included)
AC power: DC 5V 1000mA
Type: 100 mAh Lithium Polymer

As you can see from these specs, the X2 offers a standard frequency range, a pretty low impedance (perfect for your smartphone), and a decent amount of volume.  Surprisingly, they’ve also rated the harmonic distortion on these at less than five percent – not all that impressive, but we’ll take it anyway.

Low End

In the low end, the sound is fairly full and deep, with decent detail.  Occasionally, there is some bleeding in the lows, but this is pretty much to be expected with any in-ear wireless model aimed at Joe Consumer.  Bass has some impact and oomph to it, while never going all-out “Dr. Dre” on your ears, so that’s another plus.

Mids

The X2 has some exceedingly accurate mids to it.  Despite the slightest amount of compression, most vocals come through clear and distinct – something we weren’t really expecting for this earphone.

High End

If the X2 has a weak point, it is probably in the high end.  Here, the sound remains fairly detailed, though it leans a little bright at time.  Some notes are more piercing than they should be, resulting in a sound that we detest.  Of course, for most genres this won’t be too much of a deal breaker – female vocals sound fantastic, but this isn’t the headphone you want to pair with a good violin concerto.

Soundstage

The Jaybird X2 has a soundstage that is best described as minuscule.  While most in-ear headphones suck at soundstage to begin with, and most wireless headphones don’t offer much in the way of improvement, the shocking thing about this in-ear wireless headphone is that there is some placement to it…but not much depth.  So while there might be an inkling of soundstage in there, it’s not going to be something to write home about.

Overall Impressions

The X2 isn’t the final word in in-ear wireless headphones.  For the hype, we were definitely expecting more.  However, it’s still a pretty awesome earphone.  With decent construction, a good fit, and okay sound, there’s enough reason to recommend these to lots of people.  While the 8 hour battery life may not seem like a lot compared to full-size headphones, it is highly competitive for an in-ear option.  This, paired with the simple yet durable design make it quite the looker.

Recommendations

If you need a wireless pair of earphones for working out, or if you prefer a sound that is detailed in the lows but doesn’t devote too much attention to the high end, you will love this earphone.

For bassheads there may be other options in the form of the Powerbeats 2, or if you’re a fan of classical music and want a more accurate sound, you could opt for the wireless version of the Klipsch R6.