Just a few weeks ago we saw the new Jaybird X4 headphones, and the company just released another pair of headphones called Tarah. Are not only headphones that share many of the same specifications, but also cost $ 30 more than the X4? So, how good are they? And how do these new headphones compare with the, also new, Jaybird X4?
Both headphones come in an almost identical package.
Who are these?
- People at the gym. Like most of Jaybird's previous products, Tarah hearing aids are aimed at anyone looking for a couple of outbreaks of exercise. They have an IPX7 certification to protect against sweat, as well as a six-hour battery life that will help you spend most of the exercise.
- Anyone watching a pair of Jaybird X4 . There are some subtle differences between the Jaybird X4 and the Jaybird Tarah, mainly the options of the tip of the ear and the duration of the battery. Unless you really need those two additional hours of play time, there's really no reason for the X4 to outperform the Tarahs, which is strange since the X4s just came out a few weeks ago.
How do the two compare in terms of construction quality?
It does not make sense to talk about Jaybird's new buds Tarah in a bubble. We can not avoid comparing them with the X4, especially because their launch was very close to each other. So what are the differences? Well, first, there is a general appearance of headphones. Where the X4 looks more elegant and modern, the Tarah is almost capricious. Even the charging base that comes with the Tarah seems more fun compared to the utility design that came with the Jaybird X4. Of course, it is still a load support that is annoying, but I still think it is a step in the right direction.
The Jaybird Tarah has a slightly more rounded shape than the X4.
The control module is also a bit bigger and has a slightly more square shape, but actually I like it more than the X4 because it gives The buttons plus real estate makes it easier to find them and press them when you use them. Not that it was difficult for the X4, but it is definitely easier for the Tarah. The only other physical difference I can find is the shape of the earphone housings and the ear tips. The Tarah even has the outstanding feature of the Jaybird X4, which was the water resistance rating IPX 7.
Jaybird Tarah does not come with a case.
It might be easier to talk about the Tarah in terms of what it does not have. When you open the box, you will not be greeted with the elegant case that comes with the X4. Or with memory foam headphones or any of the other ear tips. Where the Jaybird X4 allows you to mix and unite ears and wings, the taras come with only three hybrid tips (s, m, l). I had no problem with adjusting these, but it does mean that those with delicate ears will have fewer options to play with to find the perfect combination.
What about the strength of the connection?
As for I can tell, these are as good as the X4. In the few days that I had them, I just had a strange problem with the playback that was solved only as soon as I reset the headphones, so I'm talking about a random bug. On top of that, the connection is just another aspect that both Jaybird products have in common.
The two control modules offer the same playback controls and more or less the same microphone quality.
Playback controls also work perfectly and share the same controls as the X4. The plus and minus buttons obviously control the volume, but they also allow you to jump between the tracks if you keep them pressed. The lower half acts as a multifunction button to pause / play music, answer or end phone calls, and activate Siri or the Google Assistant. Then there is the application that is the same on all Jaybird devices. You can customize the equalizer settings and even find your headphones if you misplace them somewhere.
Battery life
The charging bases are slightly different, but the X4 still outperforms the Tarah in terms of battery life.
This is probably the biggest difference between the Tarah and the Jaybird X4 & # 39; buds. Where the X4 promised around eight hours of constant reproduction, you will only get six with the Tarah. It is not a problem in daily use, as I am sure that most people do not exercise for more than six hours in a row, but this difference is noticed over the course of a few days. Although it's worth mentioning that both pairs offer fast loading features, so a few minutes with the charger will take you to a last minute workout.
Did you go to the gym? How much time do you usually listen to music while you exercise?
– Sound Guys (@realsoundguys) September 11, 2018
If your workouts tend to last an hour (as confirmed by this survey on Twitter), then, you will be recharging these two or three times during the week , compared to just one or two times for the X4. Again, it's not a big problem, but it's worth mentioning. Especially since it is the biggest difference between the two headphones.
What's different about the songs that these Jaybird outbreaks sing?
The tips of the tip of the ear in the Tarah have a greater angle, which allows them to push the sound directly towards your ears.
When it comes to sound quality, this is just one aspect of the two headphones. or less the same. As far as I can tell, there is no real difference in the sound quality between the two, and even if it did exist, you can still use the Jaybird application to equalize them according to your preferences, like the X4. It could be due to the lack of memory foam tips, but the low end seems a little less strong here. Having said that, it's not so different from X4 that you can not change it just by choosing a different preset.
This is most notable in the song Submission by Gorillaz, where the basses sounded lower than in the X4. If the X4s were given a slight emphasis on the minimums, the Tarahs were given a bit more in the media. Low kicks do not interfere as much with the voices in the Tarah as in the X4, but the Tarahs are less clear, so choose your poison.
I can hear this in Generator Second ^ Floor by Freelance Whales, where sometimes it's hard to differentiate between voices and instruments. Again, this is me, I'm just being nervous because, for all purposes, you'll get more or less the same experience, regardless of the pair you get. The only difference worth noting is that I noticed that the Tarah sounded stronger than the X4's.
Final Reflections
Jaybird seems to know that his target audience is people who exercise, but not because they have a greater output, but because they have a different angle. and those people tend not to want to spend more than $ 100 on a pair of headphones for the gym. In the X4 review, I stated that they were the pair to get because of the added IPX7 rating, but not even a month later that has changed because now there really is no reason to get them over the Tarah. Tarah hearing aids offer the same IPX7 rating, the same controls and more or less the same sound quality.
The biggest difference is the battery life, which is six hours instead of eight, but I'd say it's a worthy exchange to save around $ 30. There are still many "Amazon buds" that you can get cheaper , but if you want to invest in a couple of "buds" that will last, it has never been so easy to get a pair of Jaybirds.