JLab Epic Pods ANC Deliver Exceptional Battery Life in Crowded Wireless Earbuds Market
In a market saturated with wireless earbuds, what sets a pair apart when battery endurance is your top priority?
Reviewing the JLab Epic Pods ANC: Battery Life Takes Center Stage
The JLab Epic Pods ANC, priced at $100, stand out primarily for their impressive battery performance in the competitive wireless earbuds segment. These earbuds offer 13 hours of playback with active noise cancellation (ANC) enabled directly from the buds, extending to 16 hours when ANC is off. Including the charging case, total battery life reaches up to 50 hours with ANC on and 60 hours with it disabled. Testing confirms these figures are reliable, with nearly full battery remaining after three hours of use at 65% volume with ANC active.
Sound Quality and Design Features
Sound performance on the Epic Pods ANC is described as decent but not exceptional, particularly for the price point. The earbuds feature a dual-driver setup, combining a 10mm dynamic driver with a Knowles balanced armature driver, which contributes to sharp mids and clear trebles. Genres like jazz and rock benefit from this, with guitars delivering a gritty, lo-fi texture in tracks from bands such as Wednesday.
- Bass presence is notable in the default tuning but lacks depth and natural texture compared to competitors like the Soundpeats Air5 Pro+.
- Microphone quality supports clear calls, with users reporting it sounds “like talking right into the phone.”
- Controls include both touch and squeeze options, customizable via the JLab app for actions like play/pause (one tap), track skipping (two taps), and toggling ANC/transparency (three taps).
The design includes semi-translucent plastic on the buds, revealing internal circuitry, though the charging case’s slick surface can lead to drops. Additional features encompass wireless charging, preset EQs, and adaptive ANC that adjusts based on environmental noise. However, elements like “movie mode” amplify background noise excessively, making it impractical for extended use, and the workout interval training tool offers little advantage over free apps.
ANC Performance and Connectivity Challenges
Active noise cancellation on the Epic Pods ANC is functional but middling, providing moderate reduction in environments like subways, though some noise bleed persists. It falls short of top performers but includes a transparency mode that allows clear awareness of surroundings, suitable for tasks like ordering in a coffee shop.
- Bluetooth connectivity shows occasional bugs, including pairing issues with devices like the iPhone 17, sometimes requiring re-pairing.
- No in-app hearing test for personalized EQ is available, a feature increasingly common in rival products.
Overall, the earbuds earn a 3.5 out of 5 rating, praised for battery life and affordability but critiqued for average sound, ANC, and connectivity. When selecting wireless earbuds, would you prioritize marathon battery life over superior audio fidelity for your daily commute or workouts?