Labs

Maxell's brightly coloured Jelleez certainly look appealing, but we had trouble getting to grips with the unusual position we had to wear them in. The manual doesn't include any relevant instructions, but once we had swivelled the earphones round to trap their protruding lip against our ear, they managed to stay in place reasonably well.

The back of the earphones' housing is perforated to create a more natural sound and greater volume. They're well suited to most pop, rock and dance music, with powerful bass. Although they don't have the most detailed high and mid-range sound in the group, they acquitted themselves well with a better audio performance than many more expensive sets and little audio leakage.

The biggest problem with the Jelleez is wearing them. Although the manufacturer claims the earphones have a "soft comfort fit", their front is made of hard, unyielding plastic. This makes them difficult to keep in place and position correctly. It lets down an otherwise good set of budget earphones.