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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality for music and a wide soundstage, choose the HifiMan Sundara, keeping in mind that they are open-back headphones and lack features like a microphone and wireless connectivity; they are also not portable or suited for exercise, and work best with an amplifier. However, for budget-friendly, portable earbuds that are sweatproof, have a built-in mic, and are good for exercise and travel, go for the JLab Go Air Pop, but be aware of their just fair sound quality and lack of active noise cancellation. 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 HifiMan Sundara
Excellent for music
Good for gaming
Very good 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
9.3/10
7.1/10
The HifiMan Sundara is excellent for music, while the JLab Go Air Pop is good.
Gaming
7.2/10
5.5/10
The HifiMan Sundara is good for gaming, while the JLab Go Air Pop is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8/10
5.7/10
The HifiMan Sundara is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JLab Go Air Pop is poor.
TV and Video
8.8/10
6.1/10
The HifiMan Sundara is very good 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 HifiMan Sundara is poor.
Battery
N/A
9.0 Hours
The HifiMan Sundara does not have a battery. The JLab Go Air Pop has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$279
$25
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The HifiMan Sundara has a price of $279 and the JLab Go Air Pop costs $25.
Build Quality
8.2/10
9.0/10
The JLab Go Air Pop has excellent build quality, while the HifiMan Sundara has very good build quality.
"The HiFiMan Sundara is the set of headphones to get if you want high-end audio, but don't want to shell out a king's ransom for it. These planar magnetic headphones are comfortable, straightforward, and excellent performers."
"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 HifiMan Sundara or the JLab Go Air Pop
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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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