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Stewart Charles here, HomeStudioBasics.com helping YOU make sound decisions, so…
Video Discussion
Never heard of JOYROOM?
Me neither, but you should know about ’em, and that’s why I’m here.
Today, we’ll be reviewing their surprisingly excellent OE3, a different type of IEM that puts nearly all others that I’ve tried to shame.
So stick around like scotch tape for a detailed write-up regarding build, comfort, sound, and more.
By the time you’re finished reading this article, you’ll know why it’s a fantastic choice and a clear step up from a lot of the consumer trash that permeates the audio landscape.
With that, let’s dive in!
All specs, box contents, and pricing toward the end.
Build & Features
Supporting connection to 2 Bluetooth devices simultaneously, the JOYROOM OE3 is an open ear, true wireless clip-on style earbud with a different makeup than your average Joe.
JOYROOM describes it as an “innovative L-Bridge Design” with better directional sound transmission, less sound leakage, clearer audio, and a closer proximity to the ear canal.
And all these things are unequivocally true.
Because it wraps around your ear, you won’t have to worry about the buds falling out; a fairly annoying problem I’ve had with many other products (including headphones). I can quite literally vigorously shake and move my head around in any direction, and they won’t fall out.
Don’t do this around people, as you’ll probably be labeled a reject, but it’s fine to do in the comfort of your own home while you’re lounging around in your undies.
The buds are crafted from highly elastic, skin-friendly material embedded with flexible titanium alloy wires, and the earbuds are self-adaptive to your ears.
Weighing in at a measly 4.9g, they can be worn all day without a problem.
Additionally, there’s no need to distinguish between left and right. The left/right sound channels and spatial audio experience are automatically calibrated based on how you wear them.
Speaking of wearing them, inserting them in your ears can be a bit weird at first, but bear with it; they’re designed to prevent hypothermia. This is Alaska, you know.
Basically, you insert the bud as normal, but the other piece wraps around your lobe, and you can adjust the position up or down until you get a good fit and the best sound. Play around with it.
I really appreciate this because of what we’re about to discuss, their sound.
Sound
It’s been quite a long time since something really grabbed my attention as much as the OE3, but that’s exactly what this unassuming little earbud did.
First off, you’ll notice how clear, articulate, and revealing everything is. Instead of aggressively penetrating your ears with loud and indecipharable walls of dog poop, the OE3 takes a different approach.
The sound is incredibly resolving, but the notes have grace and finesse, like the delicate brush strokes of a Jazz drum kit.
In other words, they’re not intrusive, brash, or flippant about the reproduction of sound waves. Everything feels natural, effortless, and organic. The music breathes and pulsates, and though it doesn’t “feel like you’re there,” it certainly comes across as more realistic.
In fact, the OE3, to me, represents the speaker-like experience perhaps better than any IEM I’ve ever tried. They do an excellent job of spacing everything out and ensuring instruments and vocals are actually placed inside a Soundstage; a hallmark trait of good studio monitors.
As I always say, pay attention to the source file and how the song was engineered, but regardless of someone’s mixing/mastering prowess, you will start to hear everything that went into the track, giving you a newfound appreciation for not only the artist but also recorded sound in general.
On a cover of Maurice Ravel’s Miroirs, M. 43: III. Une barque sur l’océan, you can actually hear the strange high-pitched whines/bell-type noises that emanate from the piano after notes are struck. They’re subtle and way in the background, but the fact that the OE3 can pick them up is quite astounding. These are things you likely won’t notice in the majority of consumer products, and the fact that the OE3, at its price point of below $100, can make these things known is quite astonishing.
Gramatik’s “Fly With Me” sounds incredibly different as well. All sorts of strange sounds emerge, most notably something that sounds like a cross between a horn and a human voice that’s breathing or yawping or something. It’s kind of hard to describe and sounds really cool and horrifying at the same time. Like a barbaric yawp.
These are the types of things that will manifest as you listen to your favorite tracks, in effect making you want to go back and rediscover a bunch of music you thought you knew like the back of your hand.
The sounds are subtle, but the exemplary resolution allows for an incredibly rich, immersive, and satisfying experience that makes you want to pay more attention to music in general and how it was engineered.
Another thing you’ll notice is balance. Each part of the frequency response is represented accurately and faithfully. All food groups represented, your mom married Mr. Rogers, etc.
Vocals and instruments are incredibly clear and articulate, the mid-range is present and accounted for (a highly underrated trait in cheap trash), and the treble is crisp while not succumbing to sibilance or bite.
Because of their lightweight and unobtrusive, clean, clear sound, they’re much easier on your eardrums and hearing. Contrary to popular belief, it’s actually not OK for your ears to be subjected to horrendously boosted bass in a closed system all day. That’s a recipe for hearing loss, and we want to avoid it at all costs.
To achieve their near-impeccable sound, the earbuds employ a built-in 13mm speaker with a composite diaphragm and a 10mm oversized magnetic circuit.
They’re also equipped with a bass compensation algorithm, effectively counteracting low-frequency leakage and ensuring an optimal audio experience.
This may be a bit jarring at first, as you’ll notice music adjusts in real time as it evaluates from track to track.
Some users will undoubtedly find these a bit bass light (and thus will need to boost it), and yes, I understand completely. But I personally really enjoy the textured, balanced profile and lack of bloat, bleed, hum, mud, etc. Because the bass is OUT OF THE WAY, you’re able to hear everything that went into the track a lot more easily.
The great part about these is that they’ll hit with impact when the song or beat calls for it. This is apparent on DJ Grumble’s “Choppinish” which slams with authority while not sounding overly boosted.
As a producer, I wish more companies would take after JOYROOM and commit to understanding this basic concept. I’ve been making it real simple for like the last 10 videos on my YouTube channel, but I’ll try again, this time even simpler.
If the low end of your product is already BOOSTED. INTO. OBLIVION, what do you think is going to happen when you try to listen to a beat that the producer already BOOSTED. INTO. OBVLIVION.
I’ll give you a hint, it’s going to sound like stale dog water.
Not all beats are like this, but some producers like 9th Wonder boost the low end quite a bit, and the combo is a recipe for lots and lots of pain. A world of it.
The fact that JOYROOM avoids these pitfalls is an enormous breath of fresh air, as I was beginning to think I’d never come across a well-tuned Bluetooth product ever again.
Other features include an App to enable Bass Boost Mode, Low Latency Mode, EQ tuning for different sound styles, customizable control, etc.
The OE3 also utilizes a tap control that can be employed anywhere on the buds, but they recommend tapping at the center of the piece that wraps around your ear.
Double tap to Pause/Play, Triple Tap the left bud for the previous track, and triple tap the right bud for the next track.
For Factory reset, press and hold the case button for 8s. The case indicator will flash white quickly 3 times.
Whew.
Now that I’ve had a small break from getting worked up, let’s finish this thing out.
I find it funny that this company calls itself “JOYROOM” because that’s exactly what happened when I first put them on.
I was in a room, and I felt joy.
Joy that a Bluetooth product actually sounds good (it doesn’t happen often). Joy that some companies know what the heck they’re doing, even if not everyone is going to agree on the bass or WHATEVER.
Boo hoo. There’s no *Metal571 nerd voice* Beats Bass here. You’ll get over it.
Snark aside, I’m serious. Most of the Bluetooth buds and headphones I review are meh with a couple of outliers, but the OE3 is truly worthy of a look. Plus, it’s like $70. How.
The sound of these is $150 minimum.
I will caution you that it’s not all gravy. The thing is, I listened to these for about an hour, intently focused on the resolution before I got to a track that didn’t sound quite right.
That track happens to be Death Cab For Cutie’s “Foxglove Through The Clearcut.” It just didn’t snap like I was expecting. I’ve listened to it maybe hundreds of times in the last 3 years with lots of different gear, and it always sounded a certain way to me. Through the OE3, it does not sound that certain way. It sounds kind of bad if I’m honest.
This is the exception and not the ja rule, but again, you could just come across a track every now and then that’s not mixed or mastered well. I personally don’t believe that to be the case for the aforementioned track, but I’m not entirely sure what the culprit is.
In other words, who cares. Why am I still talking bout this.
The fantastic resolution is further exemplified when listening to podcasts, ball games, film, etc.
You’ll start to hear all sorts of things that simply aren’t noticeable with other over-ear headphones.
For instance, in listening to a Braves baseball recap on Spotify, I can literally hear every bump, knock, and shuffle of the person speaking into the microphone; almost visualizing the messy desk he occupies.
The fact that these sound so good wireless is a true testament to their resolving power.
I can only hope JOYROOM makes a wired version in the future or comes out with some sort of update to this one down the road.
Final Verdict
JOYROOM’s OE3 is undoubtedly the best earbud I’ve ever heard under $100, and a magnificent achievement for roughly 70 doll hairs.
All 70 of them will be put to good use, as they have a very well-tuned and almost perfect profile with resolving power on par with products way out of their price pool.
If you want to get excited about a piece of gear, get excited about this one and not the one that’s 25 gs which leaves you whoring your local street corners for more cheese.
JOYROOM OE3 Clip On Earbuds
Price: Check Amazon! (Use code OUM6Q5F8 for 20% OFF) | Icy Silver White: Here!
Specifications
- Model: JR-OE3
- BT Version: 5.4
- Audio Codec Format: AAC, SBC
- BT Range: 10m
- Water resistance: IPX4
- Listening Time: 5~6h
- Listening time with charging case: About 25h
- Battery Capacity: 40mAh (earbuds)/400mAh (charging case)
- Charging Time: About 2h
- Charging Port: Type-C
- Speaker Size: Ф13mm
- Material: ABS+PC
- Weight: 4.9g (earbud), 36.2g (charging case)
In The Box
Joyroom OE3 Open-Ear True Wireless Earbuds + Case
USB-C Charging Cable
User Manual
Well, that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Joyroom OE3 Review and came away with some valuable insight.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please leave them down below or Contact me!!
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Does the OE3 seem like a worthwhile investment? What are your experiences with Bluetooth products? I would love to hear from you. Until next time…
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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