Swedish headphone manufacturer JAYS are set to explode on to the Australian audio scene with their latest lineup of European ear stylings. On offer will be their two slick consumer headphone lines the extremely affordable and bass exuberant a-JAYS and prosumer t-JAYS Series. Each series contains three different models conveniently named "One", "Two" and "Three", giving us six models in total.
Regardless of product line, the difference between One, Two and Three are a slight increase in audio quality through an increased frequency response range and included accessories. The One package includes the mere basics being the headphones themselves and five sizes of silicon sleeves to ensure any ear receives a snug fit. Inside of the Two box you'll find the addition of a stereo splitter and flight adaptor plugs and finally the Three with a nifty travel case.
The first thing you'll notice about any of the JAYS headphones, even before putting them on, is just how slick their packaging is. In what's becoming a rather sterilised white world these days it's refreshing to find a slick, well presented and ruggedly constructed box. I was even pleasantly surprised by the manual included, something that I'd normally ignore completely I felt compelled to open and get this... read! It actually contained some useful information, for instance, did you know moistening ear-buds before inserting them helps retain a better seal? I didn't, and get this, it works!
a-JAYS Series
JAYS entry level range, the a-JAYS Series offers "Heavy Bass Impact" at an extremely affordable price. The a-JAYS One starts at just A$49.95, the Two A$49.95 and the most expensive, the Three A$89.95. Unique to the a-JAYS was not so much its sound, which did a relatively comparable job with matching price offerings, but instead is its flat "tangle free" cable. How many times have you pulled out your headphones from the depths of your bag and then spent the next five minutes frantically unravelling them only to miss the bus/train/flying-car because you were too preoccupied? I do it all the time, flying car especially, which is why I have no idea why I've not seen this flat cable system before.
Cables and bass related tag-lines aside it's the audio quality that counts and the a-JAYS do a respectable job. You can quite definitively notice a difference in quality as you step from the One to Two and Three. One quality all three share quite distinctly is it's advertised bass enhancement and it's for this that you'll either love or hate the a-JAYS. If you're the type of person that instantly presses the "make-the-walls-shake/colon-cleanse" marked bass button on every audio device you've owned then these headphones come ready out of the box with you in mind. There is a clear sacrifice to any top end clarity to ensure a bass presence on any track you listen to. Should you enjoy the dulcet tones of a Concerto or vocally dominant music then these are probably not the headphones for you.
t-JAYS Series
Boasting an ear comforting ergonomic design the t-JAYS lineup is simply put; the better offering. Once again available in three models (One: A$99.95, Two: A$119.95, Three: A$139.95) there is a gradual (although less noticeable) increase in audio quality over the a-JAYS but it is their overall clarity that puts it's brother to shame. You'd expect that to be the case with the increased price tag naturally but it only takes a few seconds listening to your favourite song to notice why they cost more.
The other distinguishing factor is the t-JAYS ergonomic design, which behind all the PR material is surprisingly true; for me. I can't stress the "for me" more though, everyone's ears a very different and while they comfortably (I wore my for nearly five hours) sit and keep good seal for me they may not for you. In addition to the different ear piece shape, the t-JAYS include a 40cm extender cable in addition to the 60cm attached to the buds. A welcome addition and something I've not seen included bar Bang & Olufsen's A8 Earphones.
So will any of the JAYS offering be replacing my beloved Sennheiser MM 50's? The t-JAYS Three are an incredibly attractive offering and had my primary use of headphones not been using them in conjunction with an iPhone I would probably be making the switch. They fit me better, they retain a better seal to block external distractions and I honestly prefer their sound reproduction. Oddly the included press pack notes that the a-JAYS range would be receiving a fourth model later this year with the exact features I'm lamenting over but there was no word on the t-JAYS receiving a similar update.
For Australian reseller information visit the JAYS website. There are also more photos available on flickr - they're also on Facebook & Twitter.
Review: JAYS, t-JAY & a-JAY Headphones