Finding the perfect wireless earbuds can be a challenge, especially for Android users. Apple users have the fantastic Apple Airpods to fall on and while they do work for Android devices, not all the features work. I’d also not like to mix Apple and Android devices so I’m always on the lookout for wireless earbuds that are full featured and work on my platform. That’s where the JLab Audio Air Executive Wireless Earbuds come in. These are true wireless earbuds that work well with Android and also don’t need an app for setup.
Design
The JLab Air Executive tries to mimic the overall layout of the Apple Airpods, but with their own take on it. Unlike the Airpods, these are deep black instead of white and are not quite as sleek as them. In fact, when placed side by side, the JLab Air Executive Wireless Earbuds are bulkier. This is mainly due to more traditional earbud tip design and all the little components that make up the rest of the earbud.
Jutting down from the main body is a little “bar” that makes up the C3 dual microphones unit. The mic at the very bottom is for your voice and the mic on the top is to cancel out the background noise. These mics are on both earbuds which is supposed to allow for stereo calls.
In terms of comfort, the kit includes 3 different sized ear tips and 1 set of Cloud Foam tips. There are also ear Cush Fins included for a more snug fit, although I had to remove these as my ears seem to be too small for them.
Finishing up it’s looks is the JLab Audio logo on the main body which also doubles as the touch interface for both earbuds. More on that later.
Lastly, the JLab Audio Air Executive includes a very nice charging case that features vegan leather and its own built-in charging cable.
Experience
While I’ll admit that these JLab Air Executive earbuds aren’t as form fitting as the Apple Airpods, they are still quite comfortable to wear, given you use the properly sized tips and fins. I swapped to the Cloud Form tips and took out the Cush Fins to better fit my small ears.
I didn’t notice too much ear fatigue with this setup and were able to wear these for a few hours at a time without feeling any pain.
Sound wise, they sound pretty good with plenty of range. Highs were crisp though the base can be a bit on the heavy side. Luckily you can change the sound profile with a few taps of the left earbud.
That brings me to how the JLab Air Executive operates. You’ll need both earbuds in order to operate the controls completely. It is possible to just use the right earbud, however you’ll be missing certain features unless you pull out the left one as well. For instance, the right earbud raises the volume while the left one decreases it. The right one also advances through your playlist while the left one goes back. There are also other controls that are exclusively for either the left earbud or right earbud. If you’re using both earbuds at once, it isn’t a problem at all. The problem only arises when you’re using just one.
First off, you can only really use the right earbud on its own. That’s the one the apparently needs to sync with your device. Pulling the left earbud out does nothing and it will not sync to your phone on its own. You need to the right earbud to use the left earbud. That means that if you want to use only one earbud, it has to be the right one. The right earbud can do most of what you need, being able to play/pause music, answer calls, and turn on and off “Be Aware” mode. What you can’t do is activate SIRI/GOOGLE with it. You need the left one for that.
Aside from that issue, the JLab Air Executive Wireless Earbuds are a joy to use. They’re very comfortable and the touch controls work pretty well.
Final Thoughts
I’ve used other wireless earbuds before with Android but the JLab Audio Air Executive is one of the more low key looking of the bunch. Most I’ve used were more fitness oriented so they featured loud colors or crazy LED lights on them where as the design of these are more subtle and discreet. That means these are great for day to day use and if you work in an office like setting, even better.
While I do wish I could use both earbuds in solo mode, it’s not a deal breaker that I can only use the right earbud. These also sound pretty good so I can overlook the one issue. With that said, the JLab Audio Air Executive Wireless Earbuds are an excellent choice for those who want something similar to Apple’s AirPods for their Android device, but want something with their own unique style.
