The joy of getting new earbuds is that you can listen to music anywhere. However, you still have to be cautious since accidents happen, and no one would want to lose their earbuds because they do not know the buds’ limitations.
These thoughts ran in my head when I got my JBuds Air Pro earbuds last month. The thoughts were triggered by the urge to listen to nostalgic songs in the rain, but I was unsure if the buds would withstand the water droplets.
So, to satisfy my curiosity, I decided to find out if JLab produced waterproof earbuds and whether the ones I had would sustain being used while it was drizzling.
In the process, I learned there is a difference between waterproof and water-resistant earbuds, as we shall see. Read on so that you also understand what tells you whether your JLab earbuds are waterproof.
Key Takeaways
- The IP rating of the JLab earbuds tells you whether they are waterproof.
- IP rating stands for Ingress Protection rating, which is a standardized scale for measuring an electronic device’s ability to resist water and solid material from reaching the internal components.
- The rating is written in an IPXX format where the first X represents a number from 0 to 6, communicating the gadget’s resistance from solid material. The second X represents a number from 0 to 9, representing a gadget’s resistance to liquids like water.
- If a device does not have an IP rating, it is because it has not been tested.
- JLab earbuds are not waterproof, but some are water/splash resistant.
- The highest IP-rated JLab earbuds are the EPIC AIR SPORT ANC (Amazon), with an IP66 rating. They are completely dustproof and can withstand high-pressure water jets for short periods.
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Understanding IP Ratings
Whenever you look at the product information of various electronic devices, especially portable ones, you will always see information on IP ratings.
Most people ignore this critical information since they cannot tell what it means.
Fortunately, that changes today for you since I will tell you what an IP rating is and why it is important.
What Is an IP Rating?
For one to tell whether their JLab earbuds are waterproof, they have to look at the IP rating.
An IP rating means an Ingress Protection rating/code. You can already tell the name deals with entering or going inside something.
An IP rating is a value assigned to tested electronic devices, communicating their resistance against the penetration of dust and liquids.
The IP rating standard was developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and it provides a universal way of communicating the resistance of dust and liquids of electronics.
The IEC has this mandate since it is responsible for developing standards that promote the quality of electronic and electrical gadgets and the services these devices provide.
IP Ratings Explained
Reading IP Ratings
For a device to get an IP rating, it has to go through the IEC, and these ratings are usually written on the device’s product specifications.
The rating is written in an IPXX format where IP means Ingress Protection and the Xs represent numbers.
The first X represents a number between 0 and 6 that rates the ability of the device to resist the intrusion of dust and how easy or hard it is to access the internal components of a device.
The second X represents a value between 0 and 9 that rates the ability of the device to resist liquids from accessing its internal components. The rating is given after the liquid (usually water) has been tested at different intensities, durations, angles, and temperatures.
An IP rating is usually written in an IPXX format, where the first digit represents protection against solids, while the second X represents protection against the ingress of water/liquids.
There could be other values after the seconds X, but we will not look into them as they are not used to rate JLab earbuds and are rarely used when rating other gadgets like phones.
The manufacturer has to pay a fee to have their gadget IP rated; some prefer to save by having it partially rated.
For instance, a gadget can be rated for water resistance but not dust resistance. In such cases, the IP rating would be something like IPX5. On the other hand, if the device were only rated for dust resistance but not water resistance, the IP rating would be something like IP3X.
If a device was not tested for dust ingress, there will be a letter X instead of the first number. If it wasn’t tested for water ingress, the second digit will be replaced by X.
Below is a further breakdown of what the values in the IP ratings communicate:
Ingress Protection Ratings for Dust Resistance
- IP0X – a device with this value does not have any protection against dust particles.
- IP1X – these gadgets are protected against the ingress of solid particles that are fifty millimeters (two inches) or greater.
- IP2X – the rating is given to devices protected against solids that are half an inch/12.5mm and greater.
- IP3X – the device is protected against the ingress of solid particles with two and a half millimeters (a tenth of an inch) in diameter and greater.
- IP4X – solid foreign objects with a millimeter diameter (or greater) cannot ingress these gadgets.
- IP5X – these gadgets are protected against dust but not wholly dustproof. They can stay in dusty environments for up to eight hours.
- IP6X – the device is entirely dustproof.
Ingress Protection Ratings for Water Resistance
These ratings come in handy when you want to determine if a device is waterproof or not.
- IPX0 – This device has no ingress protection against water and can be damaged even by dampness.
- IPX1 – the rating is given to devices that can withstand vertically dripping water that equals one millimeter of rainfall falling for ten minutes.
- IPX2 – if a device can withstand three millimeters of rainfall vertically tilted at fifteen degrees on either side for ten minutes.
- IPX3 – devices with this rating will withstand water spraying even when tilted at sixty degrees on a vertical axis.
- IPX4 – a device with this rating can take water splashes from any angle for a maximum of ten minutes. Such devices are marketed as splashproof.
- IPX5 – such devices can take water jets from any angle, and this test was carried out for at least ten minutes with the jets coming from a distance of two and a half to three meters. The volume of water used is two and a half liters from a 0.25-inch diameter nozzle.
- IPX6 – gadgets in this category can withstand stronger water jets from any angle. i.e., 100 l/min for three minutes from 0.5 inches or 12.5mm nozzle.
- IPX7 – the rating is given to waterproof gadgets that can withstand immersion in water down to 3ft depth for a maximum of thirty minutes.
- IPX8 – such products will withstand constant water immersion for extended periods than those in the IPX7 category. When carrying out this test, the manufacturer determines the duration and depth that the product will be tested in.
- IPX9 – the rating is reserved for products that withstand high-pressure and high-temperature water jets from all angles. It is usually not used for earbuds.
Breakdown of IP Ratings
Are JLab Earbuds Waterproof?
Once you can read and interpret IP ratings, it is easier to answer the above question.
All you have to do is look if the earbuds have an IPX7 rating, and that would make them waterproof.
Remember, the earbuds would have to withstand submersion in water without sustaining damage to be considered waterproof.
Unfortunately, no JLab earbuds have this rating, thus making most of them water resistant (but not waterproof) but at different degrees.
Some of the highest IP-rated JLab earbuds include the following:
- EPIC2 BLUETOOTH WIRELESS SPORT EARBUDS (Amazon) – with a rating of IPX5, these earbuds have not been tested for dust resistance, but they can withstand light showers for short periods (approximately ten minutes).
JLab Epic2 earbuds are IPX5-certified
- EPIC AIR ANC/JBUDS AIR PRO (Amazon) – they have a rating of IP55, meaning they are partially dustproof, so they should not be exposed to dust for more than eight hours. They are also water resistant and can take low-pressure water jets for a short period, i.e., ten minutes.
Jbuds Air Pro and JLab Epic Air ANC earbuds are IP55-certified
- EPIC AIR SPORT ANC (Amazon) has an IP66 rating, meaning they are completely dustproof and water-resistant. They can withstand high-pressure water jets for at least three minutes, making them great for working out.
JLab Epic Air Sport ANC earbuds are IP66-certified
In such instances, assume that moisture will ruin the buds and always ensure they are dry. This is important because if they happen to take any water damage, the warranty will not cover them, unlike if they were IP rated.
Can You Wear JLab Earbuds in the Shower?
You can only shower with waterproof earbuds, and if they are IPX7, you cannot stay with them in the shower for more than thirty minutes.
If they are IPX8 rated, you can shower with them as long as the manufacturer states you can.
The highest IP-rated JLab earbuds are the EPIC AIR ANC. They have an IP66 rating, meaning they are completely dustproof and can withstand high-pressure water jets for short durations but cannot be immersed in water.
This makes them water resistant but not waterproof.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: Are all JLab earbuds waterproof?
- Answer: All JLab earbuds are not waterproof. Actually, JLab earbuds are not waterproof, but a few are water-resistant.
- The earbuds would have to sustain being immersed in water to be considered waterproof, and there is no JLab earbud with his rating.
- Question: What does IPX4 waterproof mean?
- Answer: A product with an IPX4 rating can withstand water splashes from any angle for at least ten minutes without damage. However, the product with an IPX4 rating has not been tested and rated for its protection against solid particles like dust.
- A product with this rating cannot be considered waterproof.
- Question: Are JLab Air Pro waterproof?
- Answer: The JLab JBUDS air pro earbuds have an IP rating of IP55. That means they are water resistant and can take low-pressure water jets for a short period. They are also partially dustproof, so they should not be exposed to dust for more than eight hours.
Conclusion
JLab has a great earbud lineup with intriguing features like Active Noise Cancellation. Knowing this, most people wish there were a waterproof model that would be good for showering with or swimming, but that is not the case.
If you want to listen to music while showering or at the swimming pool, settle for waterproof Bluetooth speakers for now.
All in all, we have some water-resistant JLab earbuds that are great for working out, and they will not die when it starts raining.
