JVC HAS160A Flat Headphones - Blue

I bought these along with the somewhat coveted JLabs Rewind ( gen 2 ) Bluetooth headphones. I bought both because I've been looking for something that won't cause me physical ear fatigue or hurt immediately upon wearing. I REALLY wanted to love the JLabs because they offer something that the JVC Flats cannot.... No wires. I LOATHE wires. That said. I will take the cables on these JVC Flats ANY day of the week because of what they offer over the JLabs Rewind. Before I state what that is exactly, let me just say that the JLabs are about as comfortable as the JVC Flats. Maybe more... But not quite, without modifications. I'll explain, because it's relevant. I have small ears. And small ear canals. This is why I can't wear in-ear buds for too long, and is also why certain headphones hurt my ears or skull, depending upon how where and how they sit on my head and ears. It's a freaking curse. I started looking for headphones where one of the main selling points is being lightweight and comfortable. Both these JVC'S and JLabs seemed to fit the bill when looking at their descriptions and reviews. So, I bought both. I went into buying the JVC Flats knowing there was no mic or volume control, which I am actually fine with. So I won't ding ding a star for it. What I wasn't expecting from the JVC Flats though.... Was how freaking good the sound quality would be! I have had several pairs of JVC marshmallow in ears, and now that I think about it, those sounded great, and are like fifteen bucks, so... Maybe I shouldn't be surprised? I should not that I also primarily wanted these for podcasts. But when I heard the JVC Flats, I put on some music and was kind of floored. They instantly reminded me of Koss PortaPros, but with a tad more forward low and mid bass, maybe? I used the PortaPros A LOT in my 20s and 30s and am now 53, so I've lost frequency range throughout the years. And they're LOUD! I don't need them to be this loud, but this is a terrible issue with the JLabs Rewind. They're incredibly low. Maybe lower voltage to increase battery life, but it's horrible. I'd have to put the volume to about 85% on the JLabs for basic, comfortable listening levels, whereas with these JVC'S, it's about 40% or less. Fantastic. And again, loud means nothing if it's loud and garbage. These are loud and clear with no real bass mushiness even at uncomfortably loud levels. Crystal clear. Awesome. They fit snug on my ears, and the ear pads are cushy and fairly soft. The outer layer is that faux leather material that always seems to eventually tear on headphones, so we'll see on that one.... My only wish is that the actual driver housing was a TAD wider because while the driver seems to be positioned perfectly against my ear canal, the housing edges kind of hit the edges of my ear, causing some minor discomfort. Someone with normal, non-freakishly small ears, (which is most people), won't be bothered by this I guess. What else. The head band, even though it has no padding, is barely noticeable. Likely due to how light the frame is. The band adjustment gives you a really pleasing tactile single groove click when adjusting. Nice touch. I might give the JLabs a slight win in comfort, but ONLY if changing the foam pads on them, to something more foamy/cushy and soft. As they are, the JLabs driver housing is very rigid and my ears really feel that. If I kept them, I'd modify them with some extra foam. Otherwise, they're lighter than the JVC 's with a smaller earpiece frame. I might actually try to modify these JVC ear ups to make them wider. I'll likely also buy a few spare sets because this pair is a gem. Great job JVC. If there's one negative thing I can say about them, it's that they're not being made with USB-C instead of just the 3.5mm input plug. I hate having to use dongles. I already had one, but I hate cables as it is, so.... Anyway, if you're cool with cables, don't have freak ears, and want something super comfortable and want very good sound quality at a STEAL of a price...( Get a few now before the tariffs double their price), GET THESE! P.S. PortaPros are more detailed and have better soundstage. But for $13 bucks, these are the ONES to beat.