JLab - JBuddies Studio Pro Over-Ear Headphones - Black

The JLAB JBuddies Pro over ear headset is an expansion to the JLAB lineup aimed directly at younger kids. My 2 kids (6 and 8) already had pairs of the JLAB JBuddies Studio on ear headphones that they got for Christmas from “Santa.” Knowing how well they liked their current headsets I decided to give the Pro over ear version a shot. If you are picking these up in store then the packaging tells you everything you need to know about the headsets. This is necessary because there is no included documentation. First off my kids tend to play Xbox and Wii U. Both feature 3.5mm headset ports on the controller (Xbox) and gamepad (Wii U). My favorite carryover from the JBuddies Studio is the right angle connector. This connector has been very resilient to daily use and abuse for 6+ months on 2 different headsets. They also use the same braided 3ft cable with inline mic control. The inline mic control is multi-functioned. 1 click to play/pause/answer/hang up, 2 clicks to skip the track forward, and 3 clicks to skip backwards. Unfortunately there is no mic control that allows you to mute/unmute. The earcups, while different from the standard JBuddies uses the same hinge and size adjustment layout. The hinge and adjustment are very easy for my kids to setup on their own, and it’s a robust enough design. My oldest has been the primary wearer of the headphones. He likes the way they fit and is able to play for a decent amount of time with them on. I’ve never heard him complain about any comfort issues or difficulties. The earcups do a pretty nice job of blocking outside sounds (for better or worse if you are trying to get their attention). This is a good thing for my son who has some sensory issues that can cause him to overload a bit, so the ability of the headphones to block out the surrounding noise has been a positive for him. Under the mesh of the right earcup you will find the volume limiter control. The options are to set the max volume at 85 or 95db. The Studio headphones didn’t have this option and were limited to 85db – which would sometimes cause issues if the room was too noisy. I have left the setting at 85db for right now partially because the headphones block outside noise well enough that the extra volume isn’t really needed. Overall, I haven’t seen or heard of any issues from my kids while using the headphones. They seem to like the upgrade over the Studio headphones because they are a little more comfortable and block outside noise out. I like the headphones because I have enough history with JLAB products to know that these will likely hold up for quite a while. The Studios I bought back in December are still going strong and are in great condition, so I have no reason to believe the Pro’s won’t do at least that well. The only real downside is the lack of mic muting. I would really love for that to be included on something like this especially if kids plan to do online gaming or school. You don’t always want or need the mic.

In my experience, JLabs Audio always does an impressive job producing headphones that are comfortable, convenient, and safe for kids to use. My son has been using the JBuddies Play Gaming Headset, but now that he spends hours a day wearing headphones due to remote learning (Thanks COVID), he needed something more comfortable than the on-ear design of the gaming headset. The JBuddies Pro are wired and do not have Bluetooth functionality (like their gaming counterpart), but they do have a larger earcup that fits over the entire ear - making them more comfortable - especially for those with glasses. JLabs advertises the headset for kids 8 and up, but I can confirm they work well for ages 6 to adult (as I have worn them comfortably). There is almost no inward pressure from the headband. While this makes them more comfortable for long periods, it does also mean that they do not block out much ambient noise. Just as with the gaming headset, both earcups fold inward to decrease their size for travel - although they do not come with any travel bag or case. The hinges are thick plastic which seem durable - but, the metal which holds the earcups to the headband could easily bend if they get crushed inside of a backpack, or sat on during travel. I like the JBuddies Pro because I find great security in knowing that the volume cannot get above 85db. My son will often crank the volume up, so I personally don’t allow him to use any headphones that don’t limit the volume. It is refreshing to know that his ears are safe with the JBuddies. For those who are a bit older, or need the volume just slightly louder, there is a hidden switch (on the inside of the right earcup - under the blue fabric) that will allow the max volume to reach 95db. Thankfully the switch is so well hidden that nobody would ever accidentally find it. My son pointed out that the headphones do not have either a volume knob or the ability to mute (which would be useful for online chats). Luckily the pinhole microphone on the cable works well and he has had no major issues using them for his online classes. For comfort and ease of use, the JBuddies Pro is the way to go. If your kid wants Bluetooth functionality and a boom style mic, go with the JBuddies Play Gaming Headset.

These are great little headphones that are made for kids. They sound pretty good to me, although they don’t fit on my head, and my kid doesn’t complain and frankly, thinks they’re awesome. They’re at a great price point too, and make long car rides more bearable than having a tablet/game system blasting noise into the car on a long drive. I wish the audio cable was a bit longer, it’s surprisingly short, but admittedly, it hasn’t stopped by kid from being able to use them. These are no frills kids headphones. They don’t have noise cancelling, but they do have a mic built in with a convenient mute button. My kid doesn’t use them to chat yet, but they’re nice to have in the event he needs it. But what is important is what’s built inside the ear cup. Don’t tell your kids, but there’s a volume limiter switch that limits how loud the volume is, which is perfect for young ears. Lord knows I listened to music too loud as a kid, and as a parent, it’s nice to see this feature built into the headphones. It’s set at a certain decibel range, but you can switch it to let in a little more volume if you’re in a loud environment. In terms of build quality, they’re all plastic, so I’m not sure how long they’ll last, but I have to say, for $25 I’m impressed with the quality. They’ve already been dropped a few times and they’re no worse off. They do fold up, but with ear cups, it doesn’t really save too much space. I wish there was a little travel bag for them but again, a soft bag won’t necessarily prevent any damage when the headphones are being carried in a kids bag with who knows what. Bottomline, these are solid headphones for kids at a great price, with volume limiter that can give parents peace of mind that their kids’ hearing is protected from loud decibels of competing headphones.

The JLab - JBuddies Studio Pro Over-Ear Headphones are a great addition for anyone with kids. Think about all of the things that trouble you when buying/giving kids headphones and these JBuddies check almost every box. I’ll get into those in a second, but the best feature is the decibel regulator switch on the right ear. Being able to limit the volume is a huge win in protecting a kid’s ears. I tested this out before handing them over to my 9 year old daughter and I didn’t feel like the quality suffered at all with that regulator. Let’s get back to the other good things about the JLab JBuddies headphones. Most kids tend to be rough on their headphones and things like the cord start to get worn. Well, the braided nylon cord here seems to be very well built and it’s tangle free which is a plus. It also comes with a built-in mic and switch for use with phone calls or music. I found myself having to review the documentation on the number of button clicks and the associated function so it’s going to take the younger kids a bit to learn them. However, it’s nice to know that it can be used to play, pause, go to the next or previous track, and answer or hang up on phone calls. I also wish it had a volume wheel or rocker, but I won’t hold it against this set. Another great thing is the comfort of the earcups. I have worn some that are circular or oval and they can be a little uncomfortable with my ear shape. My daughter also mentioned that another brand’s kid headphones hurt her ears as well. It’s because that circular design is putting pressure on her ear. Well, these JBuddies have a design that’s specifically built with the shape of ears in mind. It’s pretty impressive that they were able to do this. I really liked the feel of that shape coupled with their “cloud foam” pads. My daughter agreed as well. She tested it out while using her tablet. She was watching videos and playing games. She never once complained about the feel and still felt good afterwards since there was no pressure on her ear. Ultimately, the JLab - JBuddies Studio Pro Over-Ear Headphones are a sharp, kid approved addition to our household. They have a stylish look while also providing a safe but quality sound for kid entertainment. They look and feel durable while also providing an option to fold them up for more compact storage. I think most parents of young children will appreciate these.

I know they say these are for kids 8 years old and up, but my daughter is only 6, almost 7 and they're perfect for her. While sound is usually most important with headphones, most kids that age aren't exactly audiophiles, and care more about how comfortable or 'cool' things look over how they function. These fit her head perfectly and she said they felt super comfortable. The first time she used them she watched a full-length movie and not once complained about the headphones hurting or anything like that. Plus these headphones are flatter to her head so they don't stick out much. This was a big deal for us since she complained about her 'cat-ear' headphones all the time because they stuck out so much and hit things. The wire didn't get in the way at all either. She normally uses these with an iPad so she's close to it anyway. This is great for road trips too, because unlike her other wireless headphones, there's no fiddling around with settings getting the bluetooth to connect, or screams of "I can't hear anything" when the connection cuts out. Kids aren't exactly the most patient during road trips so these JLab headphones make things so much easier. Finally we can talk about sound, and according to my daughter, "they sound good". There is one other feature dealing with sound that these have, which is an important factor when choosing kids headphones, and that's preventing them from getting too loud. I like the fact that these don't just have one setting built in that limits the decibel level. The problem with those are that sometimes it's too quiet in loud environments. This has a nice hidden switch that you can change to allow for a little more loudness (still limited though). If I have one complaint, it's that this hidden switch has no type of marking or code anywhere to tell you which direction is the 85dB side and which is the 95 dB side. The only place I found any info on that is on the box itself. So you'll have to remember yourself, and it's weird because the higher volume setting is to the left. Overall these are great headphones for kids and they won't break the bank, so you don't have to worry about them breaking expensive equipment. I can highly recommend these for anyone who needs a pair of headphones for their kid.