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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HifiMan Sundara offers a superior listening experience for music with its high sound quality and wide soundstage, but it's more expensive and lacks a microphone, making it less suitable for calls or online meetings. It's also open-back, providing a more natural sound at the expense of noise isolation, and it doesn’t support wireless connectivity. On the other hand, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is much more affordable, provides good mic quality, and is versatile for calls, meetings, and gaming. It offers a closed-back design, better noise isolation, and the convenience of both wireless and wired operation with a longer battery life. It's more portable and suitable for travel, but with a tradeoff in overall sound quality and immersion compared to the Sundara. If budget is a concern and you need versatility for different scenarios including active noise cancelling, JLab JBuds may be the more practical choice. 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
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.3
6.8
The HifiMan Sundara is excellent for music, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is only fair.
Gaming
7.2
8.8
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Sundara is good.
Phone Calls
4.9
7.3
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for phone calls, while the HifiMan Sundara is poor.
TV and Video
8.8
7.9
The HifiMan Sundara is very good for TV and video, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
5.3
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless and HifiMan Sundara are both poor for noise reduction, though the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is somewhat better.
Battery
N/A
60.0 Hours
The HifiMan Sundara does not have a battery. The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life.
Cost
$279
$79
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Sundara has a price of $279 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless costs $79.
Build Quality
8.2
9.0
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has excellent build quality, while the HifiMan Sundara has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8
7.9
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless and HifiMan Sundara are both good for podcasts and audiobooks.
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How the HifiMan Sundara and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Sundara | JLab JBuds Work Wireless |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$279 | $79 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | JLab | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2020 | October 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 7.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.2/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 60 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 9/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 394.6 Grams | 158 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
HifiMan Sundara
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | July 2023
"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."
JLab JBuds Work Wireless
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PC Magazine
Tim Gideon | February 2022
"The JLab JBuds Work is an affordable headset-headphone hybrid that you can use to listen to music in stereo and communicate on video calls thanks to a retractable boom mic, and we particularly like its convenient mono and passive wired modes. You won't find any frills here like you will with the costlier Jabra Evolve2 65 or Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC, but for less than half the price, the JBuds Work is an effective lower-cost alternative."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Sundara or the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
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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