Jays v-JAYS Review

Posted on August 8th, 2011. Written by Ade Magnaye.

Here’s our thoughts on the v-Jays, a set of over-ear headphones from Swedish manufacturer Jays that sell for ₱3,499 in the Philippines.

Since Rico (Technograph‘s editor-at-large) thinks I have quite the credentials for reviewing a pair of headphones—mainly because I have a band, prefer lossless audio over regular MP3s, and consider myself as kind of a budding audiophile—I was given the v-JAYS for me to review. I still think he’s crazy for letting me review it, though. (Oh, just get on with it, Magnaye! -Editor)

Packaging

I was quite pleased with the accessories that came in the nice plastic box. Aside from the headphones themselves, they also came with an extension cord, and a pair of spare foam cushions. The main cord was short enough to be used for iPod/iPhone armbands for jogging without getting tangled up with your cable, and the extension cord was the perfect length if you wanted to keep your music device in your pocket.

Comfort

Putting the v-JAYS on, I must say that these are the most comfortable headphones I have ever had the pleasure of wearing. The lightweight plastic design and the foam sits on your head securely, but for a while I tend to forget that I actually have them on. And I swear by the Koss PortaPros, one of the most comfortable headphones ever created.

I wouldn’t use the v-JAYS for jogging though. Even though it was comfortable enough, I don’t think it will hold when I’m on the move.

Sound

Although I prefer the big, beefier sound of other headphones like Koss Portapros, I noticed that bass-heavy cans tend to muddy the mids and highs. Listening to Ben Harper’s version of Strawberry Fields Forever on the KPPs is a frustrating experience, because the bass tends to overpower everything. This is not a problem on the v-JAYS.

Yes, the v-JAYS are marketed as a pair of “Heavy Bass Speaker Headphones,” but they have great mids and highs as well. The jangling guitars in Yuck’s Shook Down have a certain shimmer to them that I can’t hear using other headphones. And I just felt very pretentious writing that last sentence, but that’s really how it works. The bass, even though it’s not as heavy as the KPPs, is still pretty thick and clear.

However, listening to rock with the v-JAYS made me realize that even though the soundstage is wide and you hear more details because of the clear mids and highs, rock songs are missing that “oomph” I look for. Less bass means albums like Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness don’t rock as hard as much.

Use the v-JAYS to listen to jazz, however, and it sounds amazing. The clearer highs and mids, plus the wider soundstage lends itself well to jazz and acoustic music.

My main complaint with the v-JAYS is that the sound leaks way too much. I know I shouldn’t be expecting noise isolation from supra ear headphones, but the sound leakage is so bad that my officemates can actually identify what song I’m playing. And because noise isolation is practically inexistent, I didn’t enjoy using the v-JAYS on the MRT. I just keep it in my bag and use it when I’m at home or at the office.

But I’m the kind of person who really likes to shut everything off when I commute, though, so your mileage may vary when you use the v-JAYS as you fight your way through the Metro Manila crowds.

Value

For ₱3,499, you’d be hard-pressed to find headphones of this build and quality anywhere else. The closest-sounding cans I can think of are the Senneiser PX-100, but the v-JAYS offer better highs/mids and comfort for a little bit more. And, to be honest, they look a lot better than the decade-old PX-100. Noise isolation sucks though, but if you’re going to use them indoors I don’t see any problem with it.

Where can you buy the v-JAYS in the Philippines? Visit jaysphilippines.com for the complete list.