JayBird Freedom Bluetooth Headphones

Founded in 2006 by Australian Judd Armstrong, JayBird has fought to create the perfect headphone for athletes and music enthusiasts everywhere.  Judd was disappointed in the performance of most headphones and wanted to create a set that would be sweat-resistant and non-restrictive for physical activity. In 2007, JayBird launched their first Bluetooth headset, the JB100 Freedom, which came out to very good critical acclaim.  In 2015, they launched their X2 Model which received excellent praise from critics and also athletes around the world.   Recently, the folks at JayBird launched their latest Bluetooth headset, the JayBird Freedom.  The Freedom is an in-ear sport that uses high-quality injection molded metal parts creating stunning fashionable accents with a premium iconic feel — without affecting signal performance. Bluetooth earbuds have traditionally used all plastic materials, as metal inhibits signal performance, so by changing the manufacturing process, JayBird is trying to give you a better look, better material and hopefully better performance.  JayBird states that the all-metal housing has the added benefit of removing distortion resulting in an incredible sound never before heard in a wireless in-ear bud.  How did the Freedom’s perform during testing? Well, read on for the full review!

Tech Specs:

• Remote control to handle wireless music & calls
• Micro-sized premium metal buds
• 8 hours play time (4 hrs. On-board + 4 hrs. with included charging clip)
• Patented SECURE-FIT with enhanced comfort ear Fins
• My sound app (customize your sound Settings & save them to your buds
• Weight: 5 oz

Design:

We previously mentioned that the Freedom buds are built using metal, which is a stark difference to other earbuds.  The earbuds are still lightweight and also incredibly small and streamlined. JayBird wanted the Freedom to combine style, incredible sound, and increased comfort in the smallest earbud that has ever been produced.  The earbuds weigh in at just under 5 oz and come with a variety of customized fit options that allow you to determine which is the best possible fit for your ears.  The design of the earbuds is quite simple, but what is inside is the most impressive.  The Freedom buds allow you to leave your phone home and sync directly to your smartwatch so you no longer have strap your phone to your body during your workout.  In addition, the Freedom buds feature a multipoint system that enables you to simultaneously pair and connect your buds with two different Bluetooth devices. For example, you can have your Freedom buds connected to your laptop and your phone at the same time. You can listen to music from your laptop and are still able to answer an incoming call on your phone using your Freedom buds controller.  Also, if you a friend or significant other has a pair of Freedom buds you can share music from one device, this is especially fun on a flight if you are sharing a screen and watching a movie.

Sound Quality:

When the Freedom buds first arrived and got hooked up, we were less than impressed with the sound.  They were quiet and did not produce a lot of bass.  Then we read the instructions and realized we were missing a key part- the MySound App.  We downloaded it and proceeded through the setup process and we were off and running with superior sound.  The MySound App eliminates the prescribed sound settings built into your headphones and allows you to take control of your sound.  No longer is it simply volume up or down, you get to customize your experience.  Your customized presets are saved on your Freedom buds no matter what music device they’re paired with.  They do have some presets that you can start with and also can steal from other users.  Overall, the app is fun and you definitely have to download it to get quality sound.  We did have some issues with the app crashing and the app can be confusing but once you get the hang of it, you will love the results.

Comfort:

The thing about comfort and earbuds is it is entirely personal.  It varies from person to person and that is why you need options.  Well, the options you get from the Freedom buds are quite overwhelming because there are so many! The Freedom buds use Premium Comply™ memory foam ear tips which are exclusively designed for Jaybird. Patented silicone ear fins hug into the top, back & lower surface areas of the ear, all essential to lock-in a secure fit for sports.  Also, you wear the buds in different ways as you can the lift the cord off your neck for a liberating workout experience. This allows for your Freedom buds to be used either in the traditional under the ear style for music & calls, or over-ear.  While you do get a lot of options to find your right fit, we think you need them.  It was difficult for us to find the right fit and with so many options it took awhile to lock in the right fit.  Also, the control box rubbed us the wrong way on some runs and bounced off our necks, so you need to mindful of your setup as that got annoying.

Battery Life:

The battery life is advertised at 8 hours but it comes with a unique caveat.   The earbuds come with a mobile charging unit that if charged can clip to the control box and keep you powered up.  So you get 4 hours on the buds + 4 hours on the included charging clip to get your 8 hours.  On our first test, we were disappointed in the headphone battery life as we only got about 4 hours and were expecting 8.  Once we realized our error we made sure to never forget the portable clip.  We never got a full 8 hours between the two but we averaged over 7.5 hours consistently.  It would be nice if the earbuds got some more juice on their own but overall they have good life for Bluetooth headphones.

Value:

Priced at $199.99, the JayBird Freedom earbuds are on the higher end of the sport Bluetooth headphone market.  However, if you are into technology and really appreciate the extra features these offer, then you will be a big fan and the cost won’t matter.  If you are looking for a simple set of headphones, these are not for you.  The Freedom buds come packed with some major technological advancements and to get your value, you need to take advantage of these.  The MySound App, multiport, and device sharing are all great technologies that you will learn to love.

Buy Now: $199 or to learn more, go to: JayBird.com