JLab, the budget audio brand known for affordable wireless earbuds, just launched one of the year's weirdest gadgets. The Blue XL Speaker Headphones are a pair of oversized Bluetooth speakers disguised as headphones, available now for $99.99 in limited quantities. They're technically wearable, but the company suggests keeping them around your neck to avoid damaging your hearing. It's a bold bet on novelty in a crowded consumer audio market.
JLab is making a risky play in the novelty gadget space. The budget audio brand, which built its reputation on affordable wireless earbuds, just unveiled the Blue XL Speaker Headphones - a product that looks more like an early April Fools' joke than a serious audio device.
The Blue XL are now available through JLab's online store for $99.99 in what the company describes as "limited quantities." That scarcity might be strategic - this is clearly a test balloon for consumer interest in hybrid audio formats. Blue is the only color option, reinforcing the experimental nature of the launch.
Inside each comically oversized ear cup sits a 2.5-inch driver paired with a matching passive radiator designed to boost bass frequencies. The design allows users to prop the device on a table for standalone speaker mode, though the ear cups remain permanently attached to the headband. Battery life clocks in at around 20 hours, with a three-hour recharge cycle via USB-C.
But the real story here isn't the specs - it's the positioning. JLab is betting that some consumers want a conversation starter more than they want practical audio gear. The Blue XL are meant to hang around your neck like oversized jewelry, blasting music for everyone nearby rather than delivering private listening. It's speaker-as-fashion-accessory, not headphones.
The timing is interesting. JLab's announcement comes just days after TDM unveiled the Neo headphones at CES 2026, another dual-function device that transforms between headphone and speaker modes through a rollable design. TDM is next week, suggesting multiple brands see an opportunity in this nascent category.
