JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones with Travel Case (Jet Black) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging] | ![JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones with Travel Case (Jet Black) [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41QjxAye4ML._SL160_.jpg)
| Brand: JLAB
Category: CE
List Price: $79.95
Buy New: $29.95
as of 3/10/2010 00:20 CST details
You Save: $50.00 (63%)
New (1) Used (3) from $27.99
Seller: Amazon.com
Rating:  reviews
Color: Jet Black
Media: Electronics
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 1 x 1 x 1
MPN: J3WC-01
Model: J3WC-01
UPC: 812887011105
EAN: 0812887011105
ASIN: B002RWJD7A
Shipping: Eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Ships in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging | | • | Aluminum housing and balanced full spectrum micro drivers deliver a stunning new level of acoustic performance. | | • | Rich, dynamic soundstage with crystal clear highs, deep, full mids, and tight, punchy bass | | • | Includes 4 sizes of soft silicone ear buds for a super comfortable, noise isolating fit, and a sleek, designer travel case. | | • | Gold plated 3.5 mm audio jack for premium, no-loss sound connection to your audio device. |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com Product Description
Amazon.com is happy to offer this item in Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging, a recyclable, easy-to-open alternative to traditional packaging. A Frustration-Free Package comes without excess packaging materials such as hard plastic clamshell casings, plastic bindings, and wire ties. It's designed to be opened without the use of a box cutter or knife and will protect your product just as well as traditional packaging during shipping. This item ships in its own box, without the need for an additional shipping box.
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| Customer Reviews:
 Second Look at the JBuds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones November 10, 2009
M. JEFFREY MCMAHON (Torrance, CA USA)
257 out of 269 found this review helpful
In an earlier review, I mentioned that these high-quality JBuds J3s were too treble-heavy for my tastes, which too much sound in the upper register instead of a balanced sound. Of course, sound is subjective and many may find these $30 J3s worth the money.
I posted this review on Amazon and my blog and got an email from JLab Audio telling me that they were "surprised" by my criticism, that my critique contradicted focus groups and their "overwhelming conclusions." The email also implored me to consider removing my review until I made a more thorough evaluation.
JLab Audio makes similar requests to Amazon reviewers who give their product less than sterling praise. Clearly, JLab cares about their customer feedback and wants evaluations to be both thorough and they also make it clear that the earbuds should go through a breaking-in process, playing the buds through the earphone jack for 24 hours straight.
I want to be fair so I deleted my Amazon review and want to give my evaluation as a "second look," having allowed my J3s to go through the breaking-in process. I am comparing my $30 J3s to the $14 J2s, listening to them through a C.Crane CCR-2, a Sangean WR-2, and an iPod.
For me, the J2s, while not offering the same brightness and dynamic volume as the J3s, are for me the better deal. Simply put, I just find too much treble in the J3s at the expense of other sound range resulting in a less than balanced listening experience. On my CCR-2 radio, I turned the treble all the way down to mitigate the J3's upper end effect. On the Sangean WR-2, the high-end was also too much for me. Same story with the iPod. Now I expect many will be happy with the bright sound in the upper register. It's just too much for me. JLab makes a good product. I bought their original JBuds and still use them as my travel buds and I love them as they're very comfortable. The J2s offer better fidelity than the originals. I use them for my bedside radio. The J3s for me offer too much treble but definitely bring a brightness that many will enjoy.
Update: JBuds contacted me and offered me to exchange my J3s for two pair of J2s. Kudos to JBuds for accommodating my preference for the J2s.
 Amazing improvement even over the J2! November 14, 2009
VictoriaP (Puget Sound, NW)
82 out of 85 found this review helpful
I purchased the J2 earbuds before doing some serious flying beginning in mid-summer, and I was well pleased with the quality on them. My husband kept teasing me about the color--a lovely pink!--and it took some time to convince him to actually give them a listen. When he finally did, he was blown away, and caved on the idea of getting his own. Neither of us are huge audiophiles, but I'm a bit more picky about overall sound quality than he is. I still haven't found a set of iPhone speakers that I'm satisfied with after 2 years of searching.
I came to Amazon to purchase a set of J2's in white, and found that the J3 version had just been released. Reading up, I knew we needed to give these a try instead, and ordered the Titanium Silver for him.
As mentioned both in reviews and by JLab, you MUST allow these earbuds (and the J2 model) to burn in before you're going to get the fullest range of sound. Even so, my husband was utterly stunned the first time he used his new pair. He raved about them so much, I stole them for an hour to compare to my now well-used J2's, and I found improvements all the way around. Even with a fresh out of the box pair that had perhaps a few hours of burn in time, the trebles are incredibly clear, and the bass to my ear is both significantly deeper and clearer in tone. (I'm a bass girl, this was the most important thing for me.) The audible background "hiss" you can hear on older or poorer quality mp3s is even muted.
I bought a new Paparazzi Pink pair for myself that night, and my J2's have been relegated to emergency backup status. With the release of the J3, J2 models are at an exceptional price, but these are so superior that they're well worth the extra money.
Little things:
The new packaging is fabulous; I hope more companies start working with Amazon to switch over to this type of packing material.
The little case provided with the J3 model is a big plus. I have the larger case for travel and this one is way more convenient for daily use. It's small enough to slip into a shirt or jacket pocket.
Four sizes of silicone ear buds will make it much easier to fit for some. I did transfer over mine from the J2 as the material from those feels a bit thinner and I preferred the old color My husband found he was most comfortable using different sizes for each ear, so having the wider variety of sizes worked well for him. His only complaint is that even with the best fitting pair, occasionally he finds the fit to be almost too tight to the point of pressure-induced discomfort. Most of the time, it's not a problem. He did have ear issues as a child and I suspect this may be a factor, as I have had no trouble at all with either model.
For reference, both pair are being used with 1st gen iPhones for music and audiobooks. I use the EQ settings for the iPod function, he makes no adjustments.
Overall, one of the best products I've bought in any category this year!
The new J3s - great fit, stylish, & exceptional sound quality! November 15, 2009
K. McVay (Las Vegas, Nevada)
37 out of 38 found this review helpful
I purchased this item after having the JBuds J2 earphones for a few months and I can say from personal experience that these earphones are extremely improved from its predecessor, the J2s. The new sleek and slim design fits comfortably into the ear and with four different size tips, one surely has to fit. The cord is very durable even though it is slightly slimmer than the previous model. Also, the four different colors JLab Audio offers helps personalize this product towards your individual preference. After "burning-in" the new J3s, I noticed an overall clear, high quality sound. I've tested this with a variety of music and have noticed improved highs and bass as well. Some people have commented that that there is too much treble but I haven't really noticed this. After you do a "burn-in," the sound quality should significantly improve. The sound is perfect for me but I am just your average music lover, not an audiophile. When listening to music with these earphones, I notice instruments I've never heard before on my standard iPod earphones.
These earphones are great for its price and I expected no less from JLab Audio. Although I am not a sound expert, these earphones should live up to your expectations. The J3's deliver exceptionally on many attributes and are definitely superior to other earphones in its price range. The new and improved J3s are worthy of 5 stars for me. I have had no problems with this product so far and the 1 year warranty that JLab offers should hopefully suppress any worry you might have regarding its durability. The mini case these earphones come with is also a wonderful addition. It is convenient, small, and perfect for travel. Whether you are new to JLab products or a returning customer, you should be satisfied with the J3 earphones. I use them every day and just love this product! I am also impressed at the customer service JLab Audio provides. They really do care about their customer and making their products better. Thumbs up to JLab Audio and the new J3's! This is one of the best purchases I have made this year!
J-Buds continues to deliver excellent value November 26, 2009
Joshua P. Mueller (Brooklyn, NY)
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
My first impression of the J-Buds J3 Micro Atomic In-Ear Earphones was that they were surprisingly lightweight, almost delicate. The cord is thinner and has a different coating than one typically sees with most earphones. According to the manufacturer it is supposed to be better in regards to durability and in the week that I tested them, I found them to be quite resilient. They fit very snugly into my ear, which was impressive, as I've often had an issue with previous earphones falling out with the slightest snag. The manufacturer provides four sizes ear cushions rather than the customary three, which is very much appreciated. As was the case with pervious J-Bud models, these required some breaking in time. I let them play for a few hours on both an iPod and iPhone before making my analysis. The J3'sprovide excellent sound isolation; something I take seriously as I primarily use these while riding the subway in New York. Good sound isolation means you can listen to your music at a lower level rather than turning the volume up to compensate for outside sources. It's something I had really enjoyed with the J2 model and is further improved upon here. Those J2s were a comfortable, dramatically inexpensive improvement over the stock headphones provided with Apple's iPod; they had a great range of volume along with that impressive sound isolation but suffered at the high end. I think that JLab Audio attempted to react to that last criticism with this model, which is notably brighter. I can certainly hear items in recordings that I previously could not. It's a pretty crisp sound. Still, while perhaps arguable by another ear, I felt it wasn't a completely balanced a sound. It needs a tab bit more bass. Perhaps that is something that will be achieved with additional breaking in of the model. Still, even with that gripe, you have to applaud JLab Audio's J3's. They are simply a great value for the overall quality they offer at this price point. I found them to be better than the popular Bose In-Ear and just about comparable with the Sennheiser cx300 and Klipsch Image S4, all available at 2-3 times the J3's price.
New to the High-End Earbud Market November 24, 2009
Karen Benson (Birmingham, MI USA)
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
Before using J3's, I had no real conception of the difference between a low-end and high-end earphone. My best set of earphones was a cheap Philips pair that I bought at Best Buy. Therefore, I'll try to cater this review to others considering the transition into the high-end earphone market, who have never owned a well-built earphone.
If you're currently using a low-end earphone, I highly recommend upgrading to the J3's. When compared to low-end earphones, these have several distinguishing features:
- The rubber tips form a seal in your ear to enable high-quality low end frequencies. That is, you can actually hear really deep bass if you're wearing the earphones correctly. In order to ensure correct fit, JBuds includes four rubber tips so you can custom fit them to your ear.
- The materials are much higher-quality - the phones themselves have an aluminum body and the cord feels much stiffer than low-end earphones.
- You can't hear anything outside the earphones. This can be good or bad, depending on how you plan to use them, but for the most part, I would say this is a very positive feature. However, if you move your head around you can hear rustling as the cord rubs on your clothing. I assume this would be typical for any noise-isolating earphone, though.
- The case is very well-designed. It's compact and doesn't crush the earphones if pressure is applied. If you haven't used a round case like this, it might seem awkward trying to fit everything into it. The trick, however, is to lightly wrap the cord around your ring, middle, and index fingers and then put everything in the case.
- These require a burn-in period in order to get the best sound. When I first started using these, the high-frequencies seemed really harsh, but this problem disappeared after a week or so of listening. The change in sound quality is very noticeable after the burn-in period. After a bit of research, it looks like JBuds actually has sounds on their site specifically designed to burn in these earphones.
The frustration-free packaging is very nice. The box that these ship in is about the size of a 3x5 index card and the thickness of two iPods, so everything comes neat and well-organized.
So far, I haven't been able to find any real drawbacks to these earphones. They seem very well built, and the music quality is great. I would highly recommend these.
This is my first-ever Amazon review, so let me know if I've missed anything in the comments.
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