Cable-free u-Jays sleeker, more chic

Headphone manufacturers are jumping on the wireless headphone bandwagon, and Swedish brand Jays, known for its stylish, minimalist cans, has followed suit with its first Bluetooth headphones.

The u-Jays wireless is the cable-free variant of the company's popular u-Jays headphones.

Losing the cable, along with the lack of any visible metal, has made them look sleeker and even more chic than the original, which won many style points for its simple yet classy design.

But clean design comes at a price - the u-Jays wireless does not come cheap for on-ear headphones, with its $338 price tag.

However, the balance between style and sound quality makes this a good pick for those who want a sturdy and stylish option.

The u-Jays wireless is designed as a set of lifestyle headphones, and is light enough to rest on your neck the whole day when not in use.

Its sound profile is safe and inoffensive, and there's not much of character to these cans.

Still, it manages to produce a balanced sound signature that errs on the warmside, and which holds up well on the treble and midrange.

While the bass is warm and punchy, it is not overwhelmingly so, making the u-Jays a good choice for most modern pop and rock tunes.

Instrumental parts may get a little muddied up, though, resulting in songs that can sound quite flat and lacking in character.

For example, the vocals on Dire Straits' Sultans Of Swing came through clear and fine. But the clean guitar tones during the solo lacked clarity.

On-ear headphones tend to pinch on my ears after a while of using them, and the u-Jays isn't that different. If on-ear headphones are uncomfortable for you, the u-Jays wireless probably won't be any different.

The u-Jays has the bells and whistles expected of wireless headphones these days, such as a touchpad on the right earcup with swipe controls that allow you to switch tracks or adjust the volume.

The touchpad is very responsive, if a bit too sensitive - when I adjust the headband for comfort, I ended up pausing or skipping songs because my palm happened to brush against the earcup.

Luckily, there is a touch-lock function to prevent that from happening. The function is activated by pushing the power button twice.

It also has an impressive 25hr of battery life - I was still hearing "battery high" after days of using the cans while travelling.

Verdict: The u-Jays wireless is a set of fuss-free Bluetooth headphones with the right mix of style, audio quality and features that make it a natural choice for urban music-lovers.

This article was first published on Feb 15, 2017.
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