JLab presents $ 49 alternative to Bose Frames audio sunglasses

This story is part of CES, where our editors will present the latest news and the hottest gadgets from CES 2021 entirely virtual.

Maybe you’re looking at the second generation Bose Sunglasses Framesbut you looked at the price of $ 250 (£ 240, AU $ 400) and said no thanks. Well, JLab Audio will be launching a $ 49 alternative this spring. O JBuds Frames they are basically true wireless open-ear headphones that fit your existing glasses.

It is an intriguing concept that JLab describes as a “bring your own frame” design, although it is clearly a little strange and a little dishonest to call these headphones “frames”. International prices are currently not available, but $ 49 is around £ 40 or AU $ 70.

JLab says its JBuds Frames are made up of “two truly independently operated Bluetooth wireless audio devices that can be attached to the rods of sunglasses, eyeglasses and similarly styled blue light blocking glasses.” They have 16 mm drivers and JLab states that your music cannot be “heard by those around you”, although, in my experience using Bose Frames, this only applies when you are listening to audio at volume levels more moderate.

Battery life is estimated at 8 hours and clip-on devices have an IPX4 water resistance rating, making them splash resistant. They charge with a proprietary pogo-pin cable.

You can use them to make calls. “Conveniently located button controls allow the user to accept or decline calls, adjust the volume and switch between JLab’s Signature and Bass Boost EQ settings,” says JLab.

I have doubts that they will sound as good as Bose’s Time frames, which feature 22 mm drivers – virtually all non-Bose audio sunglasses I’ve tried sounded mediocre and tend to be lacking in the bass department. (The new Bose Frames 2.0 offer enhanced bass, and while the sound quality is surprisingly good, it isn’t on par with a decent set of real wireless headphones.) But JLab Frames cost a fifth of the price of Bose Frames therefore, if they just sound decent enough, you can be happy with their performance.

Sound quality issues aside, the entire category of audio sunglasses seems to be taking off with several other companies, including Amazon and its Echo Frames, followed Bose with competing products that tend to cost less. They have a special appeal for runners and cyclists who want nothing in their ears, so they can hear traffic for safety reasons.

Key specifications

• Over 8 hours of play
• Two hooks attach JBuds frames to almost all types of glasses, with two sets of silicone sleeves ensure a perfect fit in styles with smaller rods
• 16.2 mm drivers
• Output: 120 +/- 3dB
• Codecs: AAC / SBC
• Frequency response from 20 to 22 kHz
• Impedance: 22 ohms
• The dual connection allows the JBuds Frame device to be used independently
• Two different EQ settings
• Input power: 5V 90mA
• 120 mAh lithium polymer battery
• Charging time: 2 hours
• Standby time: 100 hours
• Range: 30+ feet (10m)
• Weight: 11.7 grams per frame component
• IPX4 water resistance rating
• Two-year warranty
• Price: $ 50
• Available in spring 2021

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