We’re living in the era of the wearable. Smartwatches are replacing traditional timepieces, smart rings double as finger jewelry and health devices, and clip-on open earbuds make for fashionable ear accessories.
Now, we’re at the point where wearable speakers are a thing — or least, JLab seems to think so. The company just developed these portable Bluetooth speakers, which look like monstrous-sized wireless headphones for ogres. They’re called the Blue XL Speaker Headphones, and they can be yours for $100.
The only thing more bonkers than the concept? The design itself. As someone who tests headphones and speakers, I’m obligated to check them out even if they’re a weird novelty. Well, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones didn’t disappoint — at least on the weirdness front.
JLab loves to experiment
Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable
This is a company that has built its reputation on low pricing and filling a niche. It was one of the first audio brands to launch wireless earbuds with charging cases that featured built-in charging cables. The Blue XL Speaker Headphones are JLab’s second most ambitious creation – a limited-edition release that draws more “umms” than “oohs.”
I chuckled a few times during the unboxing. My 5-year-old toddler burst out laughing when he saw the speakers around my neck and asked, “what the heck is that?” My wife had a similar reaction. Basically, we all found the Blue XL Speaker Headphones hilarious. They’re certainly nowhere near as stylish as category favorites like the Beats Pill.
They’re also outlandishly heavy (52 oz., or 3.25 lbs). Wearing them around the neck weighed down my shoulders, giving me a frumpy posture.
More importantly, if you’re thinking of buying the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a home speaker alternative, you better think long and hard about their placement and how they will be positioned. The earcups must face outwards, rather than pointing at each other, to get the best sound output.
What about hanging them, say from a headphone stand? I tried that. The product is too long and won’t remain stable unless it’s propped on the back of the stand, which is a ridiculous-looking setup.
But how do the speaker headphones sound?
With great headphones comes great function dial.
Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable
In a word: impressive.
JLab doesn’t have the sonic pedigree of legacy audio companies like Sennheiser and Sony. What it does provide is adequate sound at highly competitive price points.
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The Blue XL Speaker Headphones feature dual 2.5-inch drivers and passive radiators that blast incredibly loud audio and a powerful bass response. Lows have an effective presence on most contemporary recordings. Afro punk, EDM, hip-hop, and rock fans should enjoy what they hear.
Listeners who like vocal performances and podcasts won’t be sold on the Blue XL Speaker Headphones’ audio quality, however. Vocals and high-range sounds (6 kHz to 20 kHz) are subdued. Sibilance is noticeable when listening to dialogue-heavy content; consonants like ‘s’, ‘sh’, ‘z’, and ‘ch’ sound harsh.
True stereo sound is out of the question — because the speakers don’t support JLab’s LabSync technology to pair multiple speakers at once. This a standalone unit with two mono speakers that broadcast the same thing.
And in case you were wondering how it does with calls … well, you can’t use the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a speakerphone, either.
Conclusion: a hilarious novelty
Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable
The Blue XL Speaker Headphones aren’t ideal wireless headphones or speakers, mainly due to their enormous size. You must stretch your imagination to find any use for them.
To their credit, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones perform a lot better than you would think. Each driver pumps out strong, bass-filled sound. The dial with a multifunctional button is distinctive and works well. Up to 20 hours per charge is more than what most similarly priced speakers offer. And the overall build quality is solid.
I would have recommended hanging a pair from each ceiling corner to create wide surround sound, but the lack of multi-speaker connectivity kills that idea.
The main purpose this product serves? Getting a laugh out of anyone who looks at them. Keep in mind that April Fool’s Day is around the corner!
Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable
Still, $100 is generous for these speakers, even as a white elephant gift.
In short, the Blue XL Speaker Headphones raise questions that inevitably lead to disappointing answers. No one is going to wear them outside unless they’re begging for attention, and the responses won’t be flattering. Sizing is excessive — you can’t set these speakers up anywhere.
JLab suggests placing them on a table, but there’s no direction on how to properly position them. Also, there’s no mention of the heavy reverberation they produce when placed on certain surfaces. Other shortcomings include no IP rating or app support to personalize the speakers.
To all appearances, JLab conceived the Blue XL Speaker Headphones as a joke and ran with it. But after you get over the novelty factor, it will be hard to take them seriously.
The JLab Blue XL limited-edition headphones are currently out of stock, though you can find them on eBay for twice their retail price.
