JLab JBuds Lux - EQ Profile
Finally made it!
I searched for a good EQ for these, couldn't find much so I made it.
JLab JBuds Lux ANC - Custom EQ
31Hz -2
62Hz -1
125Hz +1
250Hz 0
500Hz 0
1kHz +1
2kHz +3
4kHz +1
8kHz +2
16kHz +2
Reference:
250Hz and 500Hz are left at the stock Custom EQ position and treated as 0.
Now the story:
I bought this headphone while I recommended it to my colleague for a good headphone below ₹5K (INR), where usually Soundcore Q20 is being suggested mostly.
I own a lot of gears including both high end and midranges like Bose QC Ultra, Sennheiser Momentum, Sony ULT Wear, Skullcandy Crusher Evo, and many others including IEMs, open-ear reference grades. Also my reference grade IEM is Truthear Hexa coupled with Hiby W4 dual DAC-AMP.
I said these because I know the audio, I'm both an audiophile and an enjoyer of music. And I do look for the technicalities and tonal balances, it's hard wired to my brain.
I know how things like instruments and vocals should sound.
I wanted to try these, I heard a lot about 'JLab Signature' and when I recommended this to 2 of my colleagues, I got one too in Sage colour.
Because this has USB C audio, that's convenient sometimes, and also this can be used as my quick go to pair because it's really well built (You should know my Sonys scares me, it feels so fragile even though I baby my headphones and take good care of them! 🫠).
I got these last week, we got them for 3.6K INR on sale, with card offers! I tried them on and the first impression was it does sound better than tinny sounding Soundcore Q20, but the imaging and tonal balance is way off. Nothing sounded natural and it was so bloated bass with weakest treble. Bad combination.
Even when I tried the 'Balanced' preset, it was so much processed.
Then I found that 'Custom' actually turns off the DSP processing completely - even trying the same EQ profile they gave in 'Signature' sounds so much different in custom, again without their DSP processing.
I built it from there, with A-B testing, trusting my ears more than the graphs.
Points to note:
EQ in default mode (i.e., when everything '0') is not centred. They are more off-centred but that is actually a flat profile.
Headphone stores the last selected EQ onboard, so when you connect through USB-C wired, it will use the onboard memory EQ.
DON'T cycle through EQ while on wired, with buttons!
In wired, you can't access the app, the only way to change EQ is holding '+ and -' buttons simultaneously to cycle through EQ, BUT it will only cycle through 3 JLab DSP profiles (Signature, Balanced, Bass boosted) and not custom. You have to connect thru bluetooth and set custom again in the app, if you do so. I would say, set custom EQ once and never touch it again!
- I did made sub-bass (31 band) one step below because if you are listening to a lot of electronic mixes it might feel exciting at first but will get fatigued after a long session. This one with that slight boost in 125 makes the low end not bloated, but more tight and punchy without bleed to lower mids. And that +3db on 2K improved the presence.
Now these are more enjoyable, with most details and imaging this driver can produce faithfully. Better soundstage and timbre now.
I'd suggest using this EQ on wired mode, and if you have access to Lossless or Hi-res Lossless it will be great (in wired mode, obviously!).
I hope you enjoy this, and always open to suggestions. I wished they provided an option to save profiles because I'm scared of accidental touches to that 'reset to default' button! 🤣