RockJaw is a company I’ve always been cognisant of, but never have owned a product from. As a near religious headphone wearer while at work, I’m always anxious to try out new kits and see if anything can top what I’m currently using. I’m pleased to report that the RockJaw T5 Ultra Connect is a fabulous set of bluetooth earbuds with a long battery life and impressive customization options.
RockJaw is a smaller family-owned company out of England, and they’ve been a mainstay in the midrange earphone market for a few years now – a perfect brand for folks who want more than the stock buds that come with their phone, but don’t want to break the bank on iffy $300 Beats. For just under $100 on Amazon, the RockJaw T5 may be right up your alley.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I usually hate earbud headphones. They never fit my ears right, they fall out or become painful, and I usually skulk back to earcups before long. The T5 Ultra Connects don’t have that issue. Not only do they come with Comply memory foam tips to choose from, but they come with several silicone tips as well, meaning that you’ll be hard pressed not to find a fit that works for you, even if each ear is different. The Comply tips are absolutely the best of the options because they form to your ear and close off the ear canal to decrease outside noise. This may not be the best thing for running in a crowded city when you want to hear what’s around you, but it’s a joy for writing or doing any work that needs concentration.
Specs from the official site:
- Drivers: Titanium-coated diaphragm & CCAW voice coil
- Chipset: aptX & AAC
- Water Resistance: IPX5 – Sweatproof and water resistant
- Filters: 3x interchangeable tuning filters
- Range: 12M
- Compatibility: iOS / Android / Windows (Bluetooth 5.0)
- Impedance: 24Ω (+/-15%) @1KHz
- Mic: MEMSprofessional microphone
- Sensitivity: 102dB (+/-2dB) @1KHz, 1mW
- Frequency response: 15 – 25,000Hz
- Connection: USB Type C (charging cable)
While the trend in earphones right now is to go for true wireless, believe someone who’s tried a few – they’re not there yet. If you listen to your music or are on the phone a lot during the day, even the most expensive AirPods or Beats Pro will only last half of your workday. The T5 lasts a full 10-11 hours on a single charge, and charge up for a few extra hours in as little as 10 or 15 minutes. A full charge takes less than two hours by my timing.
If there’s one issue I have with the comfort of the kit, it’s that the cord can feel a little long, and the tiny circle they give you to sort of manage the excess doesn’t work too well. On top of that, some users might take umbrage with the somewhat bulky and heavy battery compartment that dangles on the left side of the earbuds’ wire. It’s probably meant to counter the controls for volume and calls on the right, but the placement is a bit off and it bounced off my neck a lot, making it feel slightly annoying.
These slight issues can be overlooked however, when compared to the sound and customization options of the T5 Ultras. They come with three different tuning filter tips that can easily be interchanged if you want higher treble, bass, or a well-balanced sound somewhere in the middle. Name the last pair of earbuds that let you do that?
In short, there just aren’t many better earbuds for the price available. The RockJaw T5 Ultra Connect may have a long-winded name, but it earns the right by being truly ultra in the performance and comfort departments. A long battery life, a load of customization options, and a sleek metallic gray design more than make up for any awkward dangling battery issues. These come highly recommended, indeed.