Weighing 158 grams, the JLab Go Work is comfortable to wear even over extended periods of time, especially since the fit is loose rather than tight and has a low contact pressure. The high-quality headband padding also offers benefits, while the pivoting ear cups are sufficiently mobile to be adjusted. At the same time, the headband’s size adjustment covers a wide range, so head shapes from small to extra-large are covered. There was nothing to complain about in terms of the workmanship of the sturdy-looking headset. Prolonged use can cause some heat to build up on the ears, but the closed design of these on-ears shields noticeably and hardly emits any sound to the outside. The JLab Go Work features an extremely enduring lithium-polymer battery, so the headset only requires an external power source after a good 47 hours at higher volumes. A full charge via the USB-C port takes two hours and 40 minutes, for which a corresponding USB-C to USB-A charging cable is included. The on-ears can also be used wirelessly during the charging process, which means that the headset can theoretically be used at any time. However, this is not possible with the included charging cable since the length of 55 centimeters is clearly too short. As an alternative to Bluetooth operation, the JLab Go Work can also be used wired, for which a USB-C to 3.5 millimeter jack cable is included. The cable measures 92.5 centimeters, which allows working on the laptop even if there is not necessarily much room to move. However, this cable is definitely too short for use with a computer in a tower case. The headset supports the Bluetooth standard 5.0 and offers a high range of 15 meters in an urban environment and also bridges several rooms stably. Pairing the JLab Go Work is done by long pressing the multifunction button on the right side, which turns the system on and puts it into pairing mode. Multipoint connections with two devices are possible, so that, for example, a laptop and a smartphone can be connected simultaneously. Characteristic of the JLab Go Work’s music mode is a treble-rich reproduction with a bright rather than dark sound image that does not seem cold or sterile, as there is a basic warmth. For modern music styles, the round, compact bass reproduction is quite powerful and well defined, although the imaging does not reach the lowest regions. The midrange reproduction is also appealingly precise, skillfully revealing details like grabbing noises and making voices present and intelligible. However, a weak point of the tuning is the treble reproduction, which seems quite energetic at first, but falls off in the upper regions. Sibilants in particular seem exaggerated, which can be perceived as sharp above medium volumes.
