JLab JBuds Mini Tones true wireless earbuds review – Big sound in a tiny package

REVIEW – There are more and more occasions that a good pair of earbuds can save you a whole lot of grief. I’m talking about mowing the lawn, power tools, drowning out the gamer sitting behind you, or you just need some quiet study time. Those moments that a nice soothing song and some noise cancellation might save your life. Or at the very least your sanity. The JLab Jbuds Mini Tones true wireless earbuds can really deliver. They have a big sound in a tiny package and enough noise cancelling to overpower the lawnmower. Plus, with the mini tones series, no one will even realize the tiny earpiece is even there.

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Price: $39.99
Where to buy: JLab.com and Amazon

What is it?

The JLab JBuds Mini Tones are very small, wireless earbuds that come in a case with a keyring.

What’s included?

• Charging case
• JLab JBuds wireless earbuds
• Multiple sizes of gel tips
• Charging cord
• instructions

Tech specs

• 6mm dynamic driver
• 20 hz-20kHz Freq response
• 103+/- 3 dB
• Bluetooth 5.3
• Range 30+ ft
• Google fast pair
• 5.5+ hours in each earbud of battery life
• 20+ hours total playtime
• 35mAh lithium polymer earbud battery
• 1.5 hour in case charge for earbuds
• 250mAh lithium polymer battery for case
• 2 hour charge time- case
• Fast charge: 10 minute charging = 45 minutes of playtime
• USB-C

Design and features

I love how adorable these earbuds are! I was given a pair of the mini tones. The tones series is only different in that they try to be more subtle and blend in instead of stand out. The sound is very full and clear. The JLab app is also available to customize your sound and create a more personalized feel. The App is also there to make sure the firmware is up to date.

I’ve also really enjoyed the bean style that goes in my ear instead of hanging down in front of it. I feel that this style really helps to keep the earbuds where they belong. I still have some difficulty with the snugness, and have been trying the different size gel tips that come with the buds. The earbuds tend to get wiggly when I am talking or moving extreme amounts. I like to have the earbuds snug, but don’t love the sound of listening to myself breathe, which I get when the earbuds get too snug.

The noise cancellation is great. To be able to close out the distractions while I am focused on something is worth its weight in gold. I can still hear little things, like you would expect, but the majority of noise is gone. There is also a “be aware” mode. While I can hear more with the be aware mode than I can with the noise cancelling, it still sounds like I’m underwater. It definitely isn’t a passthrough audio, but it isn’t as silent as the noise cancelling. When transitioning from one mode to the other, I can totally hear and feel the difference. However, when I first put the earbuds in, I don’t usually know which mode it is currently set on.

The JLab mini buds have great touch gestures. The interesting part about the touch gestures is that the left ear does one thing, and the right ear does something different. Touch once for volume, right for up and left for down. When you tap twice on the right it is a play/pause feature. Tapping twice on the left is the voice assistant. Press and hold on the left and you switch between movie and music modes. The right side has track forward when you press and hold. Tap three times on the left and you can change the EQ. Tap three times on the right and you choose be aware or noise cancelling modes.

The different taps and gestures wouldn’t be too hard to remember if I wore both earbuds all the time. I feel like I need to have one ear open for the inevitable crazy moments that may involve my children. This doesn’t mean that they won’t work independently, it just makes it a bit more complicated. It makes it a lot harder to control when I only have one in, and can only turn the volume one direction, or need to switch modes. Fortunately, when someone is calling, you can use either bud for any of the actions. Answering is one tap, hang up is two, and just press and hold to reject a call. When placing the earbuds in my ear, I don’t tend to think through where the button is facing, and sometimes when I am readjusting the buds, I end up activating all the button commands. These little guys can make some serious noise. So be careful, it can get really loud.

The JBuds mini earbuds have IP55 rating. I had to look up what that means, because the last thing I need is an exercise item that can’t handle getting wet. The first digit (5) tells you that they are partially protected against dust. So, not invincible, but also moderately protected. The second number (5) means that low-pressure water, such as sweat, rain, or light splashes won’t hurt too much, but dropping them in water will probably cause more damage. So these earbuds aren’t top of the line for protection, but have enough protection that you don’t really need to tiptoe around and be ultra careful. Swimming is probably not on the exercise list for these though.

I had zero problems when connecting these earbuds to any of my devices. As soon as you put the earbud in your ear you’ll hear “Bluetooth connected”, and “battery percentage”. Connecting an additional device is also very simple. It is easiest to turn off the Bluetooth on the device that is already connected, and once it pairs with the new device, you can turn the Bluetooth back on. I currently have them synced up with my phone, iPad, and laptop. I am always amazed at the ability to turn on any of the devices and be able to instantly use these earbuds. I haven’t had any issues with disconnecting or reconnecting. There was one time that my son was using my phone and the earbuds kept going to the sound that he was playing instead of the laptop that I was currently using them on. Every time he switched to a new video the sound would jump back and forth. I finally had to turn off the Bluetooth on my phone while he was using it so I would be able to work in peace.

The battery life has been pretty great also. I don’t tend to listen to anything for longer than two or three hours at a time, and that is really pushing limits for me. I have used these for almost a week without needing to charge the case, and have had really good results. I have read that play time is around 20 hours, and that also depends on frequency and intensity of usage. Another nice factor is that these charge with a USB-C cable. It seems more and more items are using USB-C and I almost always have a USB-C cord with me.

From their website:

JBuds Mini is the smallest true wireless earbud of any major headphone brand. Major headphone brands is defined as a top 10 brand based on Circana/The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, U.S., Annual 2022. JBuds Mini earbud weighs 3.14 grams compared to Apple Airpods 4.28 grams.

These earbuds boast of being a 30 percent smaller earbud, and a 50 percent smaller case. The case is slightly larger than a quarter, and has way more value.

Along with being adorable, easy to use, great sound, and comfortable, these Earbuds are also affordable. I was given a Tones version, and can definitely see the appeal of the blending in and being inconspicuous. My personality usually goes straight for the loud and fun colors, which they have plenty of, but it was nice to get away from my normal and still get such great results. Some fun facts about these earbuds, they can power on without the charging case by pressing the touch sensor for three seconds, and they are compatible with the Google Find My Device.

Final thoughts

If you’re the type of person that walks around with your earbuds in all day and depends on nothing else, these probably won’t be your first choice. If you’re looking for some great sound, comfortable, compact, noise cancellation, that are also affordable and stylish, these earbuds are on par. Great battery, easy to tote around, and charge with USB-C, these are quickly becoming my favorite.

What I like about the JLab JBuds Mini Tones true wireless earbuds

• Compact design
• Affordable
• Easy to use
• Great fit, especially for smaller ears
• Great sound
• Be aware and noise cancellation modes
• Key ring included
• Comes in skin tones, but also available in other colors.
• Easy touch gestures
• Charge with USB-C

What needs to be improved?

• No passthrough audio
• Not fully waterproof

Price: $39.99
Where to buy: JLab.com and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided free of charge by JLab. JLab did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.