BY This year, we’ve noticed that many audio product manufacturers are hedging their bets on consumer Bluetooth headphones. It is still a little early in the game to see if they will take over as the de facto consumer listening experience of choice, but remember a time when people thought that touch screens on mobile phones was a daft idea?
Into the fray comes the JBL Reflect Contour. Featuring a build that prioritises durability over sleek styling, this wireless Bluetooth unit is very much like tens of other models already available. What’s different then?
JBL claims that a full charge will power it for eight hours of continuous playback, which is a pretty decent for 2017 standards, and it’s also quite a low profile, compact design that is both functional and easy to pack away.
A sweat proof design and ear hook fitting helps keep the earbuds in place during workouts, and for some additional visibility, a reflective stripe runs down the length of the connecting cord.
It’s an over-the-ear design, so it’s quite secure even without the ear hooks, which come in two optional sizes. Whether they fit well or not depends on the shape of your ears and a degree of personal preference. There are also three pairs of silicon eartips in the package, but no carrying case.
We’ve seen ear hooks in various forms from many different headphone brands, and all claim to securely lock the earbuds in place so that you can jump and run without worrying about them dropping off. In practice though, your mileage may vary. Some runners find that the loop secures the earbuds well enough, and the hooks block up too much of the ear, while other like the feeling of extra security. It’s all configurable anyway, so it’s easy to find a fit that is to your liking.
As is pretty much standard these days, an inline, three-button controller manages the volume and microphone to receive phone calls from your mobile phone. The sound drivers are 5.8mm full range units and on the whole is a little more bass heavy than standard. Detail is not at an audiophile level of clarity, but then again these are not designed for accurate monitoring.
What the JBL Reflect Contour does well is deliver a good groove and pumping beat, when you music playlist choice calls for it. There’s plenty of punchy low end, so when the beat and your workout tempo is synced, it’s easy to keep up a good cadence.
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