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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you need headphones for work, especially for calls and meetings, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless with their excellent microphone and very good comfort could be your choice; they're also suitable for TV and gaming with good performance there. But if budget is a concern, and you mainly listen to music or watch videos, the Sony MDREX15AP offers good music and video experiences at a budget price, albeit with poor microphone quality. The JBuds are more versatile with both wireless and wired options; however, if you don’t mind a wire and are looking to save money, the Sony earbuds are more portable and have very good comfort for long listening sessions. Keep in mind, neither is well-suited for exercise, and both have limited noise isolation abilities. 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 JLab JBuds Work Wireless
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony MDREX15AP
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.8
8.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is only fair.
Gaming
8.8
6.7
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good for gaming, while the Sony MDREX15AP is only fair.
Phone Calls
7.3
3.5
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for phone calls, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9
5.4
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
TV and Video
7.9
9.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good.
Noise Reduction
5.3
7.0
The Sony MDREX15AP is good for noise reduction, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is poor.
Battery
60.0 Hours
N/A
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life. The Sony MDREX15AP does not have a battery.
Cost
$79
$20
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has a price of $79 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
Build Quality
9.0
8.0
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has excellent build quality, while the Sony MDREX15AP has very good build quality.
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How the JLab JBuds Work Wireless and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JLab JBuds Work Wireless | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$79 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JLab | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.3/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.3/10 | 4.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 60 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | No | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | No | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 9/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 158 Grams | 3.1 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Sony MDREX15AP
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Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the JLab JBuds Work Wireless or the Sony MDREX15AP
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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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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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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