Jaybird X4 wireless sports earphones review
Great sound, excellent durability, and a number of smart features make the X4 a smart buy.
If you were to ask me to suggest a pair that will please most people—no matter their musical tastes or how they intend to use them—i’d recommend Jaybird’s X4 wireless sports earphones ( go. macworld.com/jbx4). Waterproof, lightweight, comfortable to wear, and boasting an adjustable equalizer, the X4 has enough going for them that almost everyone will enjoy owning them.
DESIGN
Weighing just over half an ounce, the X4 is so light that you can forget you’re
carrying them in your pocket. When they’re stuffed in your ears, their minimal heft helps deliver a listening experience that most people will find comfortable for hours. The tail end of the X4’s comfort comes courtesy of the Jaybird’s inclusion of three different sizes of silicone ear caps and three different sizes of silicone ear fins to help keep the X4 in your ears where they belong.
Jaybird uses a soft silicone for these ear caps and fins, and wearing them provides a similar experience to what one can expect from a pair of Bose’s legendarily comfy earbuds. Once I found the right combination of ear fins and caps, the earphones fit incredibly well: No amount of head banging, jogging, or household chores could persuade them out of my ears.
For those looking to use the X4 at the gym or while out on a bike ride, you’ll find that Jaybird’s silicone caps allow enough environmental noise to reach your ears for an acceptable amount of situational awareness. If your plans for the X4 don’t include working out, Jaybird’s still got your back: The earbuds also ship with two pairs of Comply’s crazy comfortable foam ear tips.
Comply’s tips are highly regarded for the amount of passive noise cancellation they can add to a pair of earphones. While wearing the X4 with Comply ear tips, I found I was unable to hear the majority of what was going on in the world around me—an introvert’s dream. As an added bonus, the superior in-ear seal afforded by foam tips over those made from silicone allows for richer low-frequency sound. That means the music you love will enjoy a free bass boost when you’re rocking the Comply tips.
In the past, Jaybird’s X-series earphones came decked out in a glassy black and florescent yellow-green color scheme. This option’s still available to X4 users, but it’s also possible to score a set of these earbuds in blue and gray or metallic green.
No matter which you opt for, they look sharp: Their matte finish, subdued branding, and flat connective cabling gives them a premium appearance
you’ll be proud to sport.
Like most of the earbuds reviewed here, the X4 feature an in-line module containing the earphones’ battery, microphones, and controls. Jaybird’s three-button control scheme is simple enough to use. The X4’s volume buttons do double duty, allowing users to skip ahead or back a track as they listen to music. The middle button powers the earphones on and off or allows listeners to play or pause their music.
A single, sustained click on this central button also lets you create new Bluetooth connections. As the X4 earphones support Bluetooth 4.0, they can pair with two devices simultaneously, such as an iphone and a Macbook Air. I found the X4’s connectivity to be flawless with my audio source sitting next to me while I listened to music, and it remained acceptable up to 10 or 11 feet away.
The X4 come with an IPX7 rating, which means they can be fully submerged in up to one meter of water for at least 30 minutes, so it’s safe to take these earphones out in the rain or sweat all over them at the gym. When you come home, give them a quick rinse in the sink: They’re designed to take it.
The only downside to providing this level of waterproofing is the designers had to remove the charging port. As such, you’ll need to charge the X4 earphones with a proprietary USB charging clip that mates with the buds’ in-line controls. If you lose your charging clip, Jaybird sells replacements for around $5.