JOYROOM JR-TL1 Review - Budget price tag, good connectivity and battery

JOYROOM really puts the word "joy", as it unveiled another affordable TWS (True Wireless Stereo) earphones, the JR-TL1.

Meet the JR-TL1 TWS earphones

For those who are not aware of the brand, JOYROOM is a mobile phone accessories manufacturer based in Shenzen since 2009. The JOYROOM JR-TL1 is packed with IPX7 waterproofing, Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, 6 hours of playtime, all for PHP 1,690.

So let's find out if these earbuds will suit your audio needs.

Unboxing/Accessories

The packaging

The JR-TL buds came in a neat-looking package. Inside, you can see charging case, short lanyard, USB cable for charging, extra ear tips and documents. The lanyard enables you to attach the small casing to your bag, sort of a keychain. This is really a good idea for those who commute frequently since there's a tendency for the casing to be misplaced with its tiny size.

What's inside the box

It would be nice if there's a charger head included, but there's nothing to complain about with this price point.

Build Quality/Design

Capsule-shaped case

Unlike your usual AirPods Pro-like design of most TWS, the JR-TL's charging case is shaped like a pill that is quite similar to HONOR FlyPods. The build is made of polycarbonate material in a matte finish.

The feature that I personally like the most is the IPX7 waterproof protection that will allow the buds to survive accidental water splashes. It should be great for those who are working out.

A few details below

There's a plain brand label on the top while few product details are written at the bottom. No indicator or button is found in this casing, only a USB port for charging and that's it.

Micro USB charging pin

The good thing about this casing is that the lid is kept close by a strong magnet. However, the hinge feels a bit fragile. Inside, it reveals the earbuds that are shaped in a triangle but with curved edges.

The buds with LED light indicator

You can also notice four LED indicators that stand for the battery life of the casing itself. This will give you an idea of how many times you can recharge the buds since one light means it has 0 to 25 percent of battery. Two lights are equivalent to 25 to 50 percent of power while three lights are to 50 to 75 percent. If all four lights up, it means the casing has a charge of 75 percent to full.

The lights on the buds do not only add visuals but also have practical uses. If the light is red, it means the buds are charging. They will emit blue, blinking lights if a pairing occurs whereas steady blue lights mean that the buds are in use.

Comfort/Isolation

Right and left markings

Looking at the earbuds, we observed that they're pretty huge since each measure 6 x 3 x 3.5 centimeter. However, they are nicely designed in such a way that they fit the curves of your ears. Aside from that, the lightweight build of these buds means comfort for those who tend to use them for a long time.

Additionally, the buds did not fall easily during my short jogging session to test its fit. This is a plus since you won't want to be too self-conscious while using them outdoors. Isolation on this TWS is great as they were able to block ambient sounds, but not totally like those earphones with ANC. 

There are extra ear tips included so you can listen to your playlist without distractions or audio leakage.

Battery

JOYROOM claims that the earbuds have six hours of playback time and we put this to a test. Amazingly, the buds played music for more than five hours. This is commendable since those highly-priced TWS only endured three to four hours of usage.

However, the JR-TL buds do not come with fast-charging support that others look for a device, especially those who are always on the go. In our experience, it took almost one and a half hours to charge the casing after draining it. 

Features

The JR-TL has practical features, hence improving its overall usability. The Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity enables solid connectivity within 10 meters and this claim is accurate as tested.

I must say that the JR-TL earbuds did a quick pairing with my Android phone, probably took less than ten seconds. Just simply open the Bluetooth connection and take out the buds from its casing. After that, wait for few seconds for your phone to detect "JR-TL" then select the pair option. When you hear a sound or a beep, it's a signal that pairing was successful.

Overall connectivity is stable and audio delay is hardly noticeable.

There's also another feature called Main-slave switching that allows the user to use the buds independently or both. I rarely use a single earbud since I prefer to be immersed with whatever I'm watching or listening to. But maybe, some may find this handy like for example, you want to prolong the playback hours of the earbuds.

Like most of the TWS, these buds are controlled by tapping them. One tap to play or pause the media you're currently playing while double-tap to skip tracks.

To answer incoming calls and finish outgoing calls, simply tap the buds by one second. Additionally, you have to tap either the right or left bud to activate Google Assistant for voice commands.

The responsiveness of the buds by tapping is great but there are times that the outer surface was oversensitive. Sometimes, I accidentally pause a song when I fix my hair while using them. 

There were no problems and inconveniences during the phone calls made during usage.

Audio

Decent audio

One thing that made us excited about the JR-TL1 is the promise of delivering HiFi audio for less.

So, we did a test by playing songs of different genres like rock, R&B, acoustic, and pop.

It seems that JR-TL earbuds can produce rumbly bass that is good for Hip Hop and RNB music lovers.

However, you can also notice that the vocals and the trebles are somewhat less pronounced. The bass is a bit too overpowering at times. Highs are okay, but it doesn't have the sparkle and clarity of more expensive buds. That's understandable.

Thankfully, despite having an in-ear design, the sound stage quite wide so you can easily immerse yourself with good music.

But, if you are okay with having less isolation, I must say that its sibling, the JR-T04S is still the better sounding buds.

In general, while I still cannot call this HiFi and that's okay for the price, the buds can still offer a pleasing experience for listening to casual music and watching series or movies.

JOYROOM JR-TL Specs

Driver: 6mm dynamic driver
Microphone: 2x mic
Battery: 55mAh per earpiece w/o case, 300mAh w/ case
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0 
Others: IPX7 water resistance, master-slave switch
Dimensions: 60 35 x 30 mm (case)
Weight: 37g (case)
Price: PHP 1,690 (PHP 1,390 promo price)

Verdict

For its price, the JoyRoom JR-TL earbuds gave an admirable performance in almost all aspects.

I appreciate that even in its simple and tiny form, it gets the job done. It easily pairs with my phone with stable connectivity so I can make clear calls with my friends and loved ones.

Aside from that, these buds are ideal whether I'm working out or binging on my favorite shows with its long-lasting battery, good isolation, decent audio quality, and IPX7 waterproof protection.

So if you're on a tight budget but want to enjoy the benefits of a TWS, this is a great go-to product. 

Build/Design - 3.75
Comfort/Isolation - 4
Battery Life - 4.5
Features - 3.75
Sound - 3.75
Average - 3.8

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