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JAMBOX 2.1 Software Update→

JAMBOX 2.1 Software Update

When Jawbone shipped the 2.0 software update for the JAMBOX (my review), I was very disappointed. Not only I couldn’t experience the three-dimensional binaural recordings (in spite of listening multiple times to the dedicated Spotify playlist) – the update itself made overall audio quality considerably worse, even with LiveAudio turned off. I’ve heard mixed responses about the 2.0 update (some people seemed to love it, others couldn’t stand it at all), and whilst it didn’t stop me from using the JAMBOX every day, I was definitely looking forward to the “fix” that Jawbone promptly promised. On 2.0, sound was distorted, “cold”, fuzzy – it wasn’t the same JAMBOX I bought.

With the 2.1 update released this week, Jawbone seems to have fixed most of the annoyances that creeped into version 2.0. I still can’t fully understand (or, for that matter, hear) LiveAudio, but the JAMBOX engineers have restored the device’s original audio and introduced a new Sound Clarity option that delivers distortion-free audio at high volume levels when LiveAudio is off. From Jawbone’s email about the update:

You can also enjoy a clearer, distortion-free sound when LiveAudio is OFF by turning Sound Clarity ON. When Sound Clarity is ON, the software uses an audio tuning algorithm that cleans up distortion at high volume levels. Sound Clarity is OFF by default - to turn it on, go to Advanced Settings in MyTALK and set “Sound Clarity” ON.

After a full day of testing, I can say I like this latest software update. A lot. I’ve listened to Pink Floyd, Biffy Clyro, Kasabian, Blink-182, Bon Iver and Noel Gallagher this afternoon, and sound quality was at the same level of my original JAMBOX review. With Sound Clarity on, the JAMBOX perhaps loses a bit of detail and bass deepness, but there’s a sensible gain in loudness with clearer sound.

Go update your JAMBOX right now. You can visit mytalk.jawbone.com to download the latest Jawbone Updater for Mac, and then configure LiveAudio and Sound Clarity directly in your browser. Highly recommended.