How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want tiny true-wireless earbuds you can forget you're wearing, choose JLab JBuds Mini True; if you need to squeeze real hi-fi sound out of a phone or laptop that only has a USB-C port, choose BZINK BA36. These two don't fight over the same job — one is a self-contained earbud system, the other is a pocket-sized headphone amplifier. The trick is figuring out which job you actually have.
• JLab JBuds Mini True — biggest strength: genuinely tiny in-ear earbuds (3.14g each, 30% smaller than the GO Air POP) with Bluetooth Multipoint, so they pair to two devices at once and disappear in your pocket.
• JLab JBuds Mini True — biggest trade-off: no headphone jack, no active noise cancellation, and "only" 5.5 hours per earbud (20 hours total with the case) — fine for commutes, not for a marathon.
• BZINK BA36 — biggest strength: a dual CS43131 + SGM8262 DAC/amp chipset decoding up to 32bit/384kHz with up to 227mW@32Ω output, driving headphones from 16Ω all the way to 600Ω.
• BZINK BA36 — biggest trade-off: it makes no sound on its own. It's a wired USB-C dongle, so you supply the headphones and you stay tethered to your device.
• Choose JLab JBuds Mini True if you want wireless earbuds for commuting, workouts and calls without carrying anything bulky.
• Choose BZINK BA36 if you already own good wired headphones and want them to sound noticeably better from a USB-C phone, tablet or laptop.
JLab built these around one idea: shrink everything and keep the useful parts. Each earbud weighs 3.14g and is 30% smaller than the GO Air POP, and the charging case is roughly half the size too. That matters more than it sounds. Small earbuds are the ones you actually keep in a jacket pocket instead of leaving at home, and a 15-minute charge time means a quick top-up before you walk out the door.
Feature-wise, the interesting parts are the software and the connectivity. Bluetooth Multipoint holds two devices at once, so you can be listening to a podcast on a laptop and take a call on your phone without re-pairing. The JLab App adds EQ customization, Be Aware Audio adjustment, touch-control remapping, a safe-hearing volume limiter and firmware updates. Onboard you get three EQ presets — JLab Signature, Balanced and Bass Boost — and Be Aware Audio lets ambient sound in so you can hear traffic or a coworker without pulling an earbud out. The 6mm drivers cover a 20Hz–20kHz range, which is standard for this class, and IP55 sweat and dust resistance covers gym sessions and light rain. No 3.5mm jack is included, and there's no active noise cancellation.
Buy these if you want the smallest possible wireless setup for commutes, calls, gym time and everyday listening, and you like the idea of tuning the sound and controls yourself in an app. Skip them if you need serious noise blocking on a plane, want all-day battery from a single charge, or plan to plug into a wired source — there's no jack here, and the total 20 hours with the case is a commuter figure, not a long-haul one. They're also clearly aimed at adults, teens and kids as a casual-listening product rather than a reference tool.
BZINK BA36: Who It's For
It's plug-and-play with no driver required, compatible with iPhone 15 series, Android phones, iPads, tablets and USB-C laptops. In the box you get the USB-C to 3.5mm adapter plus a USB-A adapter, backed by a 20-month warranty and a one-year limited warranty description. The build is aluminum alloy with a silver-plated oxygen-free copper cable, and it weighs 37.65g — light enough to hang off a phone without dragging, substantial enough not to feel like a toy. It's a fixed cable, not a swappable one, and it has no battery of its own; it draws power from whatever it's plugged into.
Buy this if you own wired in-ear monitors or full-size headphones and you've noticed they sound thin, quiet or muddy straight out of a phone or laptop. It's aimed squarely at gamers, audiophiles and anyone doing music or studio work on a USB-C device. Skip it if you want wireless freedom, if your headphones are already easy to drive and you're happy with how they sound, or if your device still uses Lightning or a 3.5mm output — this needs a USB-C port to do anything at all.
• Best for pure portability → JLab JBuds Mini True. 3.14g earbuds and a case half the size of the GO Air POP's slip into any pocket.
• Best for sound quality with good wired headphones → BZINK BA36. Dual CS43131 DACs, 32bit/384kHz and 227mW@32Ω is a real amplifier, not a passive adapter.
• Best for commuting and calls → JLab JBuds Mini True. Bluetooth Multipoint, Be Aware Audio and touch controls are built for switching between a laptop and a phone.
• Best for high-impedance or hard-to-drive headphones → BZINK BA36. The 16Ω–600Ω range is the giveaway; most dongles can't claim that.
• Best for the gym and sweaty use → JLab JBuds Mini True. IP55 sweat and dust resistance is the relevant rating here; the BA36 has no such claim.
• Best for gaming and studio listening on a laptop → BZINK BA36. >125dB SNR and -110dB THD+N mean a clean, quiet floor for detail and positional audio.
• Best for a quick top-up before you leave → JLab JBuds Mini True. A 15-minute charge gets you going again.
• Best for travel with your own wired headphones → BZINK BA36. Aluminum shell, silver-plated OFC cable and a USB-A adapter for older laptops.
• Best if you own no wired headphones at all → JLab JBuds Mini True. The BA36 has nothing to drive without them.
My Verdict
If I had to pick one, I'd buy the JLab JBuds Mini True. In my opinion, most people shopping the phrase "portable headphones" want something that just works the moment they leave the house — no cable, no headphones to remember, no dongle dangling off a phone. Multipoint, an app with EQ and a volume limiter, IP55 and a 15-minute charge add up to a more complete everyday product.
how to connect mobile headphones
For the JLab JBuds Mini True, it's standard Bluetooth pairing — take them out of the case, enable Bluetooth on your phone, and select them; on supported Android devices Google Fast Pair shows a pop-up. Bluetooth Multipoint then lets you stay connected to a second device, such as a laptop, at the same time. The BZINK BA36 connects differently: it's a wired USB-C adapter, so you plug it into a USB-C phone and plug your headphones into its 3.5mm socket — no pairing involved.
how to connect c port headphones
USB-C "headphones" usually means either a USB-C-native headset or wired headphones used through an adapter like the BZINK BA36. With the BA36, you plug the dongle into the USB-C port, plug your headphones into the 3.5mm end, and it works with no driver — it supports iPhone 15 series, Android phones, iPads, tablets and USB-C laptops. If you want to go wireless instead, the JLab JBuds Mini True pairs over Bluetooth to any iOS, Android or PC device within a 10-meter range.
how to pack headphones
The JLab JBuds Mini True are the easier packing job: the earbuds live in their charging case, which is roughly half the size of the GO Air POP case, so they drop into a pocket or bag front pouch. For wired headphones plus the BZINK BA36, coil the cable loosely rather than wrapping it tight around the earcups, and keep the dongle in its own small pouch so the aluminum shell and silver-plated OFC cable aren't crushed by heavier items. The BA36 is compact and light at 37.65g, so it travels without adding bulk.
how to use external headphones on mac
Both work with a Mac, but in different ways. The JLab JBuds Mini True pair over Bluetooth and support Multipoint, so you can move between a Mac and a phone without re-pairing. The BZINK BA36 needs a USB-C port on the Mac: plug the dongle in, plug your wired headphones into the 3.5mm jack, and it acts as the audio output with no driver required — the included USB-A adapter covers older Macs with USB-A ports.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Piluyaa QKZ AK6 vs CHENRUIDA Clip, Maeline Bulk Earbuds 1000 vs JNXIKOU Earbuds, Callez Computer Headset vs LEVN Headset: Headphones For, Logitech G815 vs Audio-Technica ATH-GDL3BK