Verdict
The JBL Soundgear Sense are solid perform undefendable - auricle headphones that deliver great sound , two way to wear them and proves you’re able to get good air conduction phone for less than with child name contender .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
The JBL Soundgear Sense is part of a new undulation of air conductivity headphones that aim to deliver better timber open - capitulum sound than bone conduction headphones .
Like many of the air conduction headphones I ’ve try , the Soundgear Sense is unwaveringly aimed at fitness lover who require a safer direction to listen to their sounds . They ’ll also have appeal to anyone who does n’t like the idea of entirely blocking out the earth with a brace of in - spike or on - ear headphones .
To help oneself stand out of the crowd , JBL offers two have on options with the Sense , an adjustable design to change the strength of the awareness effect you could enjoy , EQ modes and up to 24 hours of battery life sentence ( when you factor in in the cause ) .
So , do the Soundgear Sense bear where it matters most ? Here ’s my take .
Availability
The JBL Soundgear Sense be £ 129.99 ( I could n’t find prescribed US or AUS pricing ) and currently seem to be only usable to bribe through the JBL website .
If you compare that to other gamey profile open - ear , airwave conductivity headphones , that makes them a fair bit cheaper than the Shokz OpenFit , but not quite as low-priced as theSivga S01 , which we appoint our 2023 Trusted Reviews Sports Headphones of the Year .
Design
Out of the box , the Soundgear Sense seem like your regular set of earhook - style truly wireless earbuds . It ’s a face that ’s very much in keep with other JBL earbuds like the Endurance Peak 3 .
They come up in either all disastrous or all white colour , with JBL emblazoned on the main speaker part of the bud , attached to elastic ear draw . They sit inside of a charging example when not in use , with a USB - C shoot down port around to power the case .
If you equate them to air conduction headphones like theShokz OpenFit , the Sense feels bulky in comparison , but as mentioned , they ’re not too dissimilar in height to theEndurance Peak 3 . I ’d have liked them to have been a touch slimmer and sit more discreetly on the capitulum , and while they do n’t disappear when they ’re on , they certainly do n’t weigh heavily either .
The buds have anIP54 rated figure , which intend they ’re resistant to some water splashing and have some protection against dust . I ’ve used them near weewee , in the rain and running on the beach and had no issues . It ’s not the strongest level of protection you ’ll incur on a band of sporty headphones , and it leave them some lend rugged prayer .
In terminal figure of the secureness of the fit , it ’s been very good overall . I ’ve used them for outdoor runs , walks and indoor gymnasium academic session and they have n’t sneak about . What I wish here is that JBL is give you an added eroding choice , so in the box you ’ll find a neckband that you may fight the ends of the pinna pilfer into to furnish a more reliable fit .
I found that when things catch a number sweatier , that dog collar can be beneficial but not essential to have . It ’s not necessarily the sleek agency to add together the neckband into the mix but it certainly shows that JBL has thought about offering that add security to the pattern .
While it ’s not immediately evident , JBL does include some onboard control here . They ’re the touch control sort , which allow you adjust volume , summon your speech sound ’s impudent help , skip , and play and pause audio and address calls . you may adjust these controls in the familiar JBL app to decide which bud they ’re allot to . I ’d put these touch sensation controls hard in the good family in terms of reactivity to touch on and not being too sensible either .
Features
power the audio is a 16.2mm - sized driver , with four voice microphones included to extend contain call . These headphones also couple with the JBL app , where you ’ll find an EQ along with 5 EQ presets .
You ’ll also come up the power to switch between an audio and video mode , with the latter designed to improve suit listening to audio when watching video . you may set the sound balance between the two bud , fix the maximum volume to protect your ears and there ’s also a ready to hand find my buds modality available too . These buds can be used individually if you demand to release up an capitulum .
On the battery life front , JBL states you should get up to six minute off a single accusation , which can be topped up to 18 hours with a fully charged charging case . There ’s also a agile charge musical mode that gives you 4 hour of listening time from a 15 - instant care . I ’d say those battery numbers are pretty much on the money .
I would say , though , that listening at louder volumes sees the stamp battery notably swing much faster . An hour ’s use at not quite max volume saw battery drib by around 20 - 25 % in general . That works out to be about five hours of electric battery off a single commission . you could get six hour , but you ’ll postulate to listen at observably quieter volumes to get it .
If you need to make calls with the Soundgear Sense , they can sure enough deliver satisfying performance too . They ’re louder and more herculean sounding than most bone conduction phone with near lucidity making them more than suited to address a coming together on the move .
Sound Quality
The Soundgear Sense ’s approach to delivering auditory sensation is essentially what ’s become recognise as air conduction . What is atmosphere conduction ? Well , it ’s put speakers near your ears to deliver sound without jam them up , leave you free to still be more aware of what ’s break on around you .
The biggest vantage over bone conduction is enjoying observably bigger , bassier audio and you have more control over how that audio sound as well . The effectiveness of that awareness does typically seem to be less effectual on melody conduction versus bone conduction , but it does seem that JBL has tried to handle this in a uncomplicated elbow room .
I ’d describe the phone on the Soundgear Sense as typically JBL and that ’s actually a good thing . It ’s undeniably bright , there ’s good deal of warmness there too and whether you desire that bass part or to finesse things for more refined listening , you certainly have scope to do that .
I use the Songs To Test Headphones With Spotify playlist to get a in effect sense of how versatile the well-grounded visibility really is and it ’s very salutary on the whole . On Chan Chan by Buena Vista Social Club , mids are politic and soprano do n’t sound at all harsh or grainy .
On Wrong by Everything But The Girl where there ’s a crowing vehemence on that basso performance , it ’s punchy and does n’t experience too prominent in the commixture . On a track like Marilyn by Mount Kimbie it prove that play around with the EQ modes can get you a pleasing and balanced phone .
extradite that likeable audio is slightly irrelevant if it does n’t achieve it when you usher in more exterior sounds . I ’d say the Soundgear Sense overall does a fine job of balancing out headphone audio with other sounds in your surround . To well sabotage the Sense ’s speaker from winning the battle , JBL incorporates a hinge pattern that let you move the speaker units closer and further away from your ears to improve that tier of sentience .
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Should you buy it?
The Soundgear Sense offers versatile sound and outwear options that make them a majuscule fit for exercising of all intensities .
If you prefer your sports headphones to sit more discreetly on and around your ears , you’re able to definitely clean up a slimmer open - spike , air conductivity headphones elsewhere .
Final Thoughts
The JBL Soundgear Sense is a dependable showcase for this newfangled line conductivity headphone movement that can give you that bigger , more versatile audio while keeping you in tune with the world around you .
It ’s a thoughtful approach with the design and crucially ticktock the central boxes for a pair of fitness - friendly headphones that also work fairly well when you ’re not work out with them .
Trusted Score
How we test
We screen every set of headphones we brush up thoroughly over an extended point of time . We utilise diligence stock tests to compare features the right way . We ’ll always tell you what we get hold . We never , ever , accept money to review a product .
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FAQs
JBL claim 24 hour of battery in full ( six hours per charge ) , but at higher loudness we found that it ’s more in the realm of five hours per burster .
