a-Jays Two earphones

In the Sennheiser-dominated headphone market, it's easy to overlook brands that are relatively new compared to the German audio heavyweight. The a-Jays Two in-ear earphones are produced by little-known Swedish company Jays.

These headphones are the next model up from the a-Jays One and feature glossy black earphones with rubber silicone sleeves and a design that's simple and effective. The listener is able to customise the earphones to suit their ear size, with the sales package including five pairs of silicone sleeves -- from extra small to large. The sleeves are a little difficult to slip on and off; they'll require a bit of a jiggle before they are locked securely on the earphone.

Another welcome feature is the flat cable, which means your earphones are less prone to tangling. Sennheiser also uses a symmetrical braided-design cable for the MX 471 and MX 581 earphones. The flat cable of the a-Jays Two has an uncanny resemblance to squid ink linguini; make no mistake, however, it certainly is tangle-free. The cable is 1.15m long, which is perfect for someone who keeps their MP3 player or mobile phone in their pocket while listening to music.

Sound from the headphones' 8.6mm speakers is very impressive, considering the affordable price tag. Bass is rich but not too overpowering, with slick basslines that may sometimes be neglected by other earphones projected loud and clear. Snare drums, smooth synths and fine details in the music were all clearly audible. Mid-tones and treble are well-balanced. For such a little pair of earphones, the a-Jays Two exceeded our expectations when it came to sound quality.

The earphones do a respectable job of eliminating background noise considering that they are not specifically designed as noise-cancelling earphones. They are comfortable and secure to wear: the in-ear design makes the earphones feel snug in your ear.

An aeroplane adapter and a stereo splitter so that you can share your music with a friend are included.

We were initial a bit sceptical of these headphones because Jays isn't a well-known name in Australia, but we came away very impressed. These little earphones are a great buy and have a very affordable price tag.

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