JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds ZDNET's key takeaways The JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds are available on Amazon for $22.
They sound amazing, especially for the price.
The JLab app is necessary to get the most out of these earbuds. $29.99 at Amazon
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Some might think noise-canceling is a gimmick and avoid using it on their earbuds. That's a mistake, because noise-canceling technology can make a big difference in earbuds' overall audio quality.
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This is especially true on the low side of things, where bass tends to be dramatically weakened with noise-canceling off. But when ANC is done right, it can turn a mediocre pair of earbuds into something special.
Such is the case with the JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds.
What is noise-canceling?
If you've ever wondered how noise-canceling works, it's simple on the surface, but making it effective can be quite difficult. The technology used in headphones aims to reduce unwanted ambient sounds by generating sound waves that are the exact opposite of the noise. To achieve this, headphones and earbuds use built-in mics and processors to know what noise is necessary and then produce it.
There is a caveat to this. If you're wearing earbuds while being active outside (such as running), I would highly suggest you disable noise-canceling during that period, so you can hear the ambient sounds. You don't want to run out in front of a car because you couldn't hear it. Use the feature with care.
My experience
After unboxing the Jlab Go Pods earbuds, I had to first give them a full charge (as the battery was pretty much dead out of the box). Once the full charge was achieved, I opened the case, unlocked my Pixel 9 Pro, and waited a couple of seconds before Quick Connect did its thing.
I then put them in and fired up Spotify. I Immediately realized what was going on: the ANC was off. So I installed the JLab app from the Google Play Store. Sometimes it ruffles my feathers that an app has to be installed for earbuds, but after doing this for a few years, I'vr come to realize that some devices require the tuning you can get from an app.
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In the app, I turned the ANC on, and immediately the sound changed. Without the ANC on, the midrange was overpowering, the bass was weak, and the highs were muffled. With ANC on, the bass was strong and rich, the mids were subdued (but not overly so), and the highs crisp.
Finally, an app EQ that really works. Jack Wallen/ZDNET
And that was without touching the EQ.
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When I opened the EQ feature in the app, I was really impressed with how sensitive it is. I've grown used to EQ in earbuds app not really having that much effect (especially in the lows and highs), but the JLab app is the exception. The 10-band EQ makes a huge difference, and allows you to finetune the sound to your exact specifications.
The app also includes an interval timer for workouts, which is really handy. The only downfall of this feature is that you have to remember to start it before your workout.
With the earbuds connected to the app, these babies seriously impressed me, no matter what genre of music I threw at them.
As far as soundstage, the JLab Go Pods ANC might not have the widest, but it's not at all shabby. You get enough definition and separation between instruments and voices that each can be clearly heard and placed.
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During my playlist, Rush's "Tom Sawyer" hit, and the earbuds blew me away with a dynamic sound that I couldn't believe was pouring out of a pair of earbuds that only cost $22. You read that right: $22.
I've tested earbuds that cost four and five times as much as the JLab Go Pods ANC that didn't sound this rich and exciting. Granted the "Moving Pictures" album mastering was superior to most, so the track sounds good on just about anything. But this good for $22 is unheard of.
They sound good, but require some EQ tweaking. Jack Wallen/ZDNET
Just remember, this amazing sound was achieved by turning ANC on and adjusting the EQ in the Custom tab. Out of the box, the Jlab Go Pods ANC do sound like a $22 pair of earbuds. Just install the app and adjust as needed, and you'll be as impressed as I was.
ZDNET's buying advice
Twenty-two dollars is a steal for a pair of earbuds capable of producing sound of this quality (after tweaking it through the app). If your budget is tight (or you simply don't want to spend that much on earbuds), don't hesitate to purchase the JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds.
I've tested a lot of earbuds and cannot remember a pair that was this impressive and cost so little. If I could wear traditional earbuds when running, these would be my go-to. Unfortunately, I sweat too much for earbuds of this form factor.
JLab Go Pods ANC earbuds tech specs
Hybrid ANC (active, ambient, talkthru)
Drivers - 10 mm dynamic
Google Fast Pair support
Water resistance - IP55
2 noise-canceling mics
Battery life - 7.5+ hours of play time on a single charge and 26+ hours with the help of the charging case, and 10 10-minute quick charge gives you 5 hours.
Connectivity - Bluetooth 5.4 with multipoint connectivity
Low latency mode