Jaybird’s new X4 wireless sports headphones offer a more comfortable fit – CNET

The Jaybird X4 lists for $130 and is shipping now.

Jaybird

Jaybird, one of the early leaders in wireless in-ear sport headphones, has a new X-series headphone, the X4. Not only is it sweat proof but Jaybird says it’s fully waterproof, with up to 8 hours of battery life and fast charge feature that gives you one hour of play time from a 10-minute charge.

With this type of headphone it’s important to get a tight seal to maximize sound quality and not lose any bass, and to that end, Jaybird has included new tips and fins that promise a more comfortable, secure fit. Beyond the silicone tips, they also come new “exclusive-to-Jaybird” Comply Ultra foam tips for those that like foam tips.

Thankfully Jaybird has a new cord-management system — it’s called Speed Cinch — that makes it easy to adjust the cord length. You can leave the cord dangling down or wrap it around the top of your ear for an even more secure fit.

I should have review sample of these soon and will give you my hands-on impressions of them after going for a few runs. My gut reaction is that with so much competition in the sports headphone market, $130 is a little too expensive for the X4. I suspect you’ll see it on sale for less than $100 during the holiday season.

Key specs

  • Sweatproof
  • IPX7 waterproof rating (can be submerged down to 1 meter for up to 30 minutes)
  • New buds and fins provide improved comfort and ergonomics
  • Comply Ultra foam tips also included
  • Speed Cinch cord management system
  • 8 hours of battery life
  • Slim and light weight controller
  • Omnidirectional mic for voice calls
  • Customize bass and treble settings in Jabra app
  • Available in three color combinations: black metallic/flash, alpha metallic/jade and storm metallic/glacier
  • Price: $130 (no word yet on international pricing; we’ll add it as soon as we get it)
  • Shipping in September 2018

The X4 in ear.

Jaybird