How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want workout-proof earbuds with earhooks that simply will not fall out, choose JLab; if you need serious active noise cancelling and marathon battery life, choose TOZO NC9. These two look similar on a shelf — small in-ear buds, touch controls, app support — but they solve completely different problems. One is built for sweat, movement and staying aware of traffic. The other is built for shutting the world out and staying in it for a very long time.
• JLab's biggest strength: An ergonomic earhook design with IP55 sweat and dust resistance, plus 9+ hours per bud and 26+ more in the case — with a built-in USB cable so you never hunt for a cord.
• JLab's biggest trade-off: No active noise cancelling. It relies on sound isolation and "Be Aware" audio instead, so it blocks less background noise than an ANC set.
• TOZO NC9's biggest strength: Hybrid active noise cancelling rated to a 45dB reduction depth, plus 60 hours total playtime (ANC off) and 40 hours (ANC on).
• TOZO NC9's biggest trade-off: An in-ear fit with no earhook, so it depends entirely on the right eartip size — and it's a more "sit still and listen" product than a gym-first one.
• Who JLab is for: Runners, lifters, HIIT people, cyclists and anyone who wants one bud in for a call while the other charges.
• Who TOZO NC9 is for: Commuters, flyers, open-office workers and long-haul listeners who want quiet and a battery that outlasts the trip.
The Go Sport+ is unapologetically a sport earbud. The headline feature is the ergonomic earhook, and JLab specifically notes it's sized to fit even the smallest ears. That matters more than it sounds. Most sport buds fall out not because they're badly made, but because the shell doesn't match the shape of your ear — and an earhook sidesteps that entire problem by anchoring over the top of the ear rather than relying on friction inside the canal. For running, HIIT circuits and anything where you're moving your head, that's the difference between a product you use and one that sits in a drawer.
Battery is a genuine strong point for the size: 9+ hours in each earbud and 26+ more from the case, for 35+ hours total. The case has a built-in USB cable, which means one less thing to forget, and a short top-up gets you an hour of playback. Bluetooth Multipoint pairs to two devices at once — phone and laptop simultaneously — and Dual Connect lets you run either earbud independently, each with its own MEMS mic. Calls use C3 Clear Calling with dual MEMS mics, one for your voice and one for background noise.
Who should buy it: Anyone whose priority is a secure fit during movement, plus the flexibility of using one bud at a time. Who should skip it: If your main goal is silencing a noisy commute or a plane cabin, this isn't the tool — there's no ANC here, only isolation.
TOZO NC9: Who It's For
The NC9 attacks the opposite problem. Its core feature is hybrid active noise cancelling with a stated maximum reduction depth of 45dB. That's the number that decides whether you can hear a plane engine, a train announcement or an open-plan office at all. Alongside it sits Transparent Mode, which lets ambient sound back in without removing the buds — the same idea as JLab's Be Aware Audio, just delivered through an ANC system.
Sound is handled by 10mm dynamic drivers paired with TOZO's OrigX Acoustic 2.0 tuning, with a 20Hz–20KHz range and a notable 32 ohm impedance. The larger driver and higher impedance suggest a warmer, bass-forward presentation, which lines up with how TOZO describes it. The app is unusually deep for this category: 32 EQ options, adjustable bass and noise-cancelling modes, and a sharing zone where users can publish their EQ presets. If you like fiddling with sound, that's a lot of room to play.
Calls run through a six-microphone array with ENC ambient noise reduction, which is two more mics than the JLab setup and clearly aimed at call clarity in loud places. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.3 with a stated 20-metre range, and audio latency is listed at 60 milliseconds — relevant if you watch video or game, since lower latency means less lip-sync drift. Water protection is IPX8 via a nano-coating and a patented waterproof design, which is a higher water-resistance class than IP55 and covers rain and heavy sweat. The case has an LED display showing remaining battery, charges in about 1.5 hours, and delivers 60 hours total with ANC off (40 hours with ANC on), or 14 hours / 10 hours respectively in a single bud. Six eartip sizes are included.
Who should buy it: Commuters, travellers, office workers and anyone who wants quiet plus a battery measured in days. Who should skip it: If you need an earhook for sprinting or burpees, the in-ear-only fit is a gamble that depends on your ears.
• Best for running and HIIT → JLab. The earhook is the reason; it's designed to stay put where in-ear friction fails.
• Best for blocking noise → TOZO NC9. Hybrid ANC at a 45dB reduction depth versus sound isolation only.
• Best for total battery life → TOZO NC9. 60 hours with ANC off and 40 hours with ANC on beats JLab's 35+ hours total.
• Best for long single-session wear → TOZO NC9. 14 hours per bud (ANC off) versus 9+ hours on JLab.
• Best for one-bud-at-a-time use → JLab. Dual Connect lets either bud work alone, each with its own mic.
• Best for water exposure → TOZO NC9. IPX8 is a higher water-resistance class than JLab's IP55.
• Best for hands-free charging → JLab. The built-in cable in the case means one less accessory to carry.
• Best for call clarity in noisy rooms → TOZO NC9. Six mics with ENC versus JLab's dual-mic C3 setup.
• Best for sound tinkering → TOZO NC9. 32 EQ options in the app versus JLab's three presets.
In my opinion, the TOZO NC9 is the better pick for most people, because active noise cancelling and 60 hours of battery solve the two problems that annoy earbud owners the most — noise and charging. I'd recommend JLab over it in one specific case: if you train hard, sweat heavily, and have ever had a bud pop out mid-set, the earhook and IP55 build are worth more than ANC. Buy for your actual routine, not the spec sheet. And check the current price on Amazon for both before you commit, since the value gap shifts.
Yes. The NC9 uses hybrid active noise cancelling with a stated 45dB reduction depth. JLab's Go Sport+ has no ANC at all — it relies on sound isolation and its Be Aware Audio transparency mode instead.
TOZO NC9 wins on total playtime: 60 hours with ANC off and 40 hours with ANC on, versus 35+ hours total on JLab. Per single charge, JLab gives 9+ hours per bud; the NC9 gives 14 hours with ANC off.
On JLab, yes — Dual Connect lets you use either bud independently, and each has its own mic. The TOZO NC9 is designed as a stereo pair, so single-bud use isn't its focus.
JLab, in my opinion. The earhook and IP55 sweat rating are built for movement. The NC9's IPX8 handles sweat and rain well, but its in-ear-only fit depends on getting the right eartip size.
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