We’re big fans of JLab’s unique JBuds Frames, a pair of directional speakers that clip onto the temples of your glasses, so you can listen to music on-the-go without covering your ears. The JLab Open Sport brings the same open-ear functionality, but reinforces it with the ability to serve as a more traditional pair of true wireless earbuds that wear directly on your ear.
Just like the JBuds Frames, you can use this as directional speakers that clip to your glass frame’s temples, allowing you to stay completely aware of sounds in the vicinity while enjoying your favorite playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks. Unlike those, each earpiece comes with a detachable hook that you can secure behind your ear, allowing you to wear them like a regular pair of earbuds, so you can listen to music during times you don’t have your glasses on.
The JLab Open Sport comes with two separate directional speakers, each with their own battery and Bluetooth connection, similar to any pair of true wireless earbuds. It comes with two attachments, namely clips that allow you to snap it onto glass frames and hooks that wrap around your ears, allowing you to easily switch from use mode to another. The hooks are flexible, by the way, making it easy to adjust to fit securely in varying ear shapes and sizes. Either way you wear it, it delivers sound via onboard speakers that direct sound towards the ears, albeit sitting closer to the ears when using the hook and farther from them when using the clip.
Since it doesn’t use any in-ear tips that block the ear canals, it doesn’t cancel noises passively, allowing you to hear ambient sounds either way you wear them. This makes it a great option for those who prefer an open-ear listening experience, similar to the functionality provided by true wireless earbuds options like the Bose Sport Open or the Sony Linkbuds.
The JLab Open Sport is equipped with 14mm open-ear drivers that, the outfit claims, deliver sound in a way that’s always safe, ensuring you’ll never have your hearing damaged even when you accidentally turn the volume up too high. They only offer two EQ modes, though, Signature and Balanced, since the open-ear design won’t facilitate the kind of nuanced listening you can get from a more traditional pair of headphones. Each earbud, by the way, comes with its own built-in MEMS mic, so you won’t just be able to listen to music using just one of the earpieces, but also take voice calls using a single unit.
The device comes with seven hours of battery life, with another 17 hours available from the charging case, so you’ve got a full 24 hours of charge on tap. Features include Bluetooth 5.1, multipoint connectivity (so you can connect to two devices simultaneously), and IPX4 waterproofing, so you can wear it to the gym, the poolside, or any other activity where it can get wet.
The JLab Open Sport is available now, priced at $80.