How to Choose the Source on JLab Lux Headphones

The JBuds Lux ANC take audio from three places, and the one you get depends on a priority order rather than a menu. A connected 3.5 mm cable overrides Bluetooth. USB-C audio overrides both when connected to a source rather than a charger. With nothing plugged in, Bluetooth plays, and with two devices paired the one that starts playing takes control.

There is no source selector button on these headphones, which is why people go looking for one. The cable is the switch.

The priority order

Understanding this settles most of the confusion.

Nothing connected. Bluetooth audio plays from whichever paired device is active.

3.5 mm cable connected. The headphones switch to the cable. Unplug it and Bluetooth resumes, usually within a second or two.

USB-C connected to a computer or phone. The headphones present as a USB audio device and take that input, bypassing both the analog cable and Bluetooth. Connected to a plain charger instead, they simply charge and keep playing whatever they were playing.

So to change source, you plug or unplug rather than press anything. That is the whole mechanism.

Switching between two Bluetooth devices

With multipoint enabled, both devices stay connected and audio follows whichever starts playing.

The reliable manual method is to pause on the device you are leaving and press play on the one you want. Waiting for the headphones to guess produces the stutter people complain about, particularly when both devices have something paused.

To force a switch, disconnect from the device you do not want, either in its Bluetooth settings or in the JLab app, which is faster.

Multipoint is a toggle in the app on models that support it, and on several JLab products it is off by default, so if you expected two devices and only get one, that is the first place to look.

Pairing a second device

1. Make sure the first device is connected and working.
2. Put the headphones into pairing mode, which on the over-ear models means holding the power button for around five seconds from off.
3. Open Bluetooth settings on the second device and select the JLab entry.
4. Reconnect the first device from its own Bluetooth settings if it dropped during pairing.

Both should now show as connected. If the first device does not come back, the headphones may not have multipoint enabled.

Using the cable

Several JLab over-ear models pass audio over the 3.5 mm cable with the power switched off, which is genuinely useful when the battery dies mid flight.

Active cancellation needs power in every case, so a wired connection on a flat battery gives you sound without cancellation.

On a computer, the cable also sidesteps the Bluetooth profile problem entirely. Windows switches Bluetooth headphones to a two way hands free profile whenever an application requests the microphone, which sounds thin and quiet, and a cable avoids it. Our guide on stopping Bluetooth headphones lowering computer volume covers that.

The cable also removes latency, which matters for video editing and for gaming.

The EQ presets, which are a separate control

JLab models carry on device EQ cycling, stepping through preset curves with a button press rather than through the app. It is a common source of confusion when the sound suddenly changes, since it is easy to trigger by accident.

If the headphones sound wrong and you have not changed anything deliberately, cycle through the presets and listen for the one you recognize.

The app offers a custom curve on supported models, and it also carries firmware updates, which fix connection behavior and cannot be applied any other way.

When a source will not switch

The cable is not fully seated. Push it home until it clicks, since a plug sitting a millimeter out leaves the contacts in the wrong place and the headphones stay on Bluetooth.

The USB-C cable is charge only. Charge only cables carry no data lines, so the headphones charge and never present as an audio device. Use the supplied cable or a known data cable.

The computer has not selected them. On Windows and macOS, a USB audio device appears as a new output and needs choosing in sound settings. It does not switch automatically.

Another Bluetooth device grabbed control. Pause everything on the device you are not using, or disconnect it.

Our guide on connecting JLab headphones covers pairing and resets in more detail.

Frequently asked questions

How do I switch sources on JLab Lux headphones?

By plugging or unplugging rather than pressing a button, since there is no source selector. A connected 3.5 mm cable overrides Bluetooth, and USB-C connected to a computer or phone overrides both. Unplug everything and Bluetooth resumes. With two Bluetooth devices paired, whichever starts playing takes control.

Why will my headphones not switch to USB-C audio?

Usually a charge only cable, which carries power but no data lines, so the headphones charge and never present as an audio device. Use the supplied cable or a known data cable. On a computer they also appear as a new output device that has to be selected in sound settings rather than switching automatically.

How do I connect JLab headphones to two devices?

Enable multipoint in the JLab app, since it is off by default on several models. Connect the first device, put the headphones into pairing mode again by holding the power button for around five seconds from off, and pair the second. Reconnect the first from its own Bluetooth settings if it dropped during pairing.

Why did my JLab headphones suddenly sound different?

Most likely the on device EQ cycled to a different preset, which is easy to trigger by accident with a button press. Cycle through the presets until you reach the one you recognize. The JLab app offers a custom curve on supported models and also carries firmware updates, which cannot be applied any other way.