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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for high-quality sound and play a lot of games or participate in calls and meetings, the EPOS PC38X, with its excellent sound quality and best-in-class microphone, would be a beneficial investment despite its higher price. These headphones are over-ear and open-back, providing a very good soundstage for an immersive experience, but this design does not isolate noise well, so they may not be the best option for noisy environments or air travel. Also, they have a cable, so they aren't suited for exercise. On the other hand, JLab Go Air Pop earbuds are more budget-friendly, sweatproof, and provide good portability with a compact carry size, making them suitable for casual listening, exercise, and travel. But they compromise on sound and mic quality and are not the best choice for immersive gaming or professional calls. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the EPOS PC38X
Best in class for music
Best in class for phone calls
Best in class for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JLab Go Air Pop
Good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.5/10
7.1/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for music, while the JLab Go Air Pop is good.
Gaming
10.0/10
5.5/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for gaming, while the JLab Go Air Pop is poor.
Phone Calls
10.0/10
5.0/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for phone calls, while the JLab Go Air Pop is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9/10
5.7/10
The EPOS PC38X is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JLab Go Air Pop is poor.
TV and Video
9.0/10
6.1/10
The EPOS PC38X is excellent for TV and video, while the JLab Go Air Pop is only fair.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
6.5/10
The JLab Go Air Pop is only fair for noise reduction, while the EPOS PC38X is poor.
Battery
N/A
9.0 Hours
The EPOS PC38X does not have a battery. The JLab Go Air Pop has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$139
$25
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The EPOS PC38X has a price of $139 and the JLab Go Air Pop costs $25.
Build Quality
8.5/10
9.0/10
The JLab Go Air Pop has excellent build quality, while the EPOS PC38X has very good build quality.
"Lightweight and comfortable design, Mic arm with mute, Excellent tuning, Highly natural midrange voicing, Clean and separated bass, Solid soundstage dimensions. Combining all day comfort and integrated coms with a balanced and spacious sound from essentially any source, it is hard to deny the versatility and value provided by the PC38X."
"The JLab GO Air POP is a great option for anyone on a tight budget. This pair of true wireless earbuds checks all the boxes for earbud essentials, and performs pretty well in most areas. The microphone isn't great, but that's to be expected for something this inexpensive."
Get a great deal on the EPOS PC38X or the JLab Go Air Pop
About EPOS
EPOS is a relatively new company with a very long heritage. Previously known as Sennheiser Communications, EPOS is the result of the joint venture between the German headphone manufacturer Sennheiser and the Danish Demant that sought to develop premium audio communication solutions. They specialize in two main product groups, enterprise communications and gaming communication headsets and processing devices.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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