This feature has been produced in partnership with JBL Australia.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said “a life without music is no life at all.” Today, that quote can be expanded upon. With readily available access to millions of songs in your pocket and a plethora of headphones to choose from, it would be fair to say “a life without good-sounding music is no life at all.” Fortunately, JBL’s latest wireless headphone range gives you top-quality sound, with plenty of other essential features besides.
Celebrating its 75th year in the audio business in 2021, JBL certainly knows a thing or two about delivering when it comes to sound quality, design and user experience. With so much experience under its belt, you can rest assured that the latest range of wireless earbuds will more than surpass your expectations. And with phone manufacturers seemingly phasing out free headphones in the box with your new phone, choosing the best possible pair of headphones has never been more important.
Always one to offer its customers plenty of choice, JBL is launching 9 new pairs of True Wireless headphones this month, and we’re going to focus on three pairs in particular. They’re all aimed at those who stay active on a regular basis – whether it be running or in the gym – but are more than capable of being used as everyday pairs of headphones to blast sound into your ears when commuting to work, relaxing on the beach, or even just doing the Sunday housework.
Need some music inspiration? Australian fitness coach and JBL brand ambassador Nathan McCallum has put together his own Spotify playlist of hard-hitting tunes that won’t only just push you harder but will allow JBL’s wireless headphones to shine at their absolute best. Now let’s dive in.
Let’s start with a look at the JBL Reflect Mini NC. These unassuming and compact earbuds sit flush with your ear canal and thanks to JBL’s ear-fin fitment, will stay firmly in place until you decide to take them out. As expected, your ears are treated to JBL’s signature sound, which will delight audiophiles with its bassy tendencies (without making you feel like you’re front stage in Ibiza, thankfully).
What that sound does do, however, is motivate you to keep pushing that extra kilometre, or a few extra reps. You’ll have plenty of time to do so, too, thanks to their 7-hour battery life. The charging case provides an extra two full charges, bringing total battery time up to 21 hours. Impressive, considering the size of these little buds.
And you can enjoy the sonic benefits undisturbed, thanks to built-in active noise cancellation, which can be switched to an ambient mode using the My JBL Headphones app – available on iOS and Android – allowing some outside noise in to keep you aware of your surroundings. To learn of the powerful benefits of the My JBL Headphones app, check out this video explainer.
The JBL Reflect Mini NC are built to withstand the toughest workouts with an IPX7 waterproof/sweatproof rating, so no matter how hot and heavy the run or gym session, you won’t need to worry about your JBL headphones taking a beating.
Naturally, they’re made to function as an everyday pair of wireless headphones, and so can be used to make and accept phone calls with microphones in both buds. Bump into someone you know whilst running? Take them out of your ears and the music automatically pauses – and will resume when you put them back in. Nifty.
For those who want a little more stamina from their wireless headphones, JBL also offer the Endurance Peak II. Endurance by name and endurance most certainly by nature, these ear-hook design headphones offer a mammoth 30-hour battery life: 6 hours for the headphones and 24 hours worth of charge from a fully charged carry case.
JBL’s Powerhook design means anyone can find the perfect fit, since the hook that goes over your ears is bendable, meaning you can contort it to fit your exact ear shape and be safe in the knowledge they won’t come out.
This is great because you can be treated to the full force of JBL’s Pure Bass Sound, which, as you’d expect from the naming, is designed to offer an extra level of bass, without sacrificing overall sound quality. The extra pump through your body could well be the difference between setting a new PB time and falling short of the finish line.
The JBL Endurance Peak II is also fully waterproof and sweatproof thanks to an IPX7 rating, and with touch controls easily accessible on both earbuds, you’re always going to find it easy to skip tracks, replay that last tune, adjust the volume or accept incoming calls.
Finally, JBL has teamed up with American sportswear giant Under Armour to sing home just how serious it is about offering athletes the very best in sound quality in the form of the UA True Wireless Streak.
Offering a similarly diminutive size as the JBL Reflect Mini NC, these earbuds arrive with Sport Flex Fit ear tips, which not only ensure you find a secure fit but are guaranteed to stay there, having been tested by professional athletes.
Under Armour provides the goods when it comes to all-round protection, with the sportswear company’s own waterproof technology delivering a solid defence against water and sweat. JBL, meanwhile, ups the audio ante in the form of Charged Sound: this sound profile is optimised to not only offer substantial bass from a diminutive bud but to allow vocals to shine through to give you that extra motivational push.
Other onboard technologies include Bionic Hearing with TalkThru Technology, which allows you to have conversations with anyone around you at the single touch of the buds. TalkThru lowers the music volume and enhances speech around you, providing a convenient way to chat with others without having to take your headphones out. Ambient Aware keeps the music pumping while allowing external sounds in, to keep you aware of your surroundings. It’s ideal for road running or cycling, for example.
These mighty earbuds boast 18 hours of playback time – 6 from the buds and 12 hours provided by the charging case – plenty for even the most discerning listener. But with USB-C fast charging, re-juicing the case takes no time at all.
The UA True Wireless Streak headphones not only sound great when out running, but they’ll encourage you to seek out new running routes and record your times, with a 12-month premium subscription of UA MapMyRun included with every pair. Prefer to run when the sun goes down? No dramas. Reflective accents on the headphones will keep you seen by other road users.
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JBL’s latest True Wireless headphone lineup offers active Australians an extensive selection of finely tuned and thoughtfully designed headphones, ensuring you’re guaranteed to find the perfect pair to suit your lifestyle. You can discover the full range of JBL True Wireless headphones at JBL and JB-HiFi.