I recently was given the opportunity to try out the new Jlab Flex Bluetooth headphones. When I received them it seems that JLab went to the trouble of making a nice presentation. The headphones were attractively boxed, and the accessories included were a flat cord for wired listening, micro usb cable for charging, and semi-hard case for transportation\protection.
Appearance:
Upon first looking at the Flex Bluetooth headphones, I noted that metal was used to add rigidity and strength to the headphones. The band is made out of metal, and the headphones can easily be moved up or down to meet different head\ear sizes. They also have metal accents that make them look nice without looking showy such as the Beats brand headphones. The cups have a nice brushed aluminum appearance with the JLab emblem slightly raised on the outside. The headphones have psuedo suede material in the shape of an ear instead of the traditional oval of other brands. Overall the appearance of the headphones give the impression that they are well built.
Feaures:
The Flex Bluetooth headphones are said to block out 94% of ambient noise such as being on a bus or plane. They can allow for 30 hours of wireless sound or 10 hours if both wireless and noise cancelling are used at the same time. In testing I found that the headphones exceeded 30ft of distance when walking away from my phone, and I still stayed connected, the Bluetooth connection was still solid.
Build/Feel/Controls:
They seem to be built to last. JLab utilized metal hinges instead of the plastic that some competitors use and metal is incorporated into the headband to add stability and durability. The headphones collapse easily and fit nicely into the provided case. The ANC(active noise cancelling switch) seems sturdy also, which is important because you will use it often over its lifetime. The Form Fit earcups have ample cushioning and feel comfortable. The headphones do not have too much clamping force, so that adds to the comfort. There is a multipurpose recessed button to power the Bluetooth on\off\play music\make calls. There is also a rocker type buttons to easily control volume or move forwards or backwards between tracks.
Sound:
The headphones when in being used wirelessly(via my Samsung Galaxy 7) sound very good, with decent but not overpowering bass, a decent soundstage, and the instruments are pretty well defined. Listening to a FlAC recording of Joe Satriani’s All of My Life, I noted that I could discern good stereo separation and could clearly make out all of the instruments. I moved next to Chris Cornell’s Worried Moon, the track sounded great, the acoustic guitar sounded very natural. Of course this is with the active noise cancelling enabled. With ANC off, as with my other Bluetooth wireless headphone, the Plantronics Backbeat Pro, they sound distant, and the sound is not amplified.
When using them wired they obviously sound better, the instruments have better separation, and there is a wider soundstage, the limitations of Bluetooth falling by the wayside. When wired, I tried listening to The Prodigy’s Wall of Death connected to my rockboxed XDuoo X3, and the headphones really seemed to come alive. There was ample tight bass, without sounding overpowering.
Active Noise Cancellation:
I waited to write my review until after I had tried these on a flight. This past weekend I flew to the Rocky Mountains and was able to test these against my Bose QC15, and Plantronics Backbeat Pros. I was never a fan of the boring QC15’s aside from the ANC, they sound kind of lifeless to me. The Backbeat Pros are forwarding sounding. When ANC was activated I found that the Jlab Flex Bluetooth were as good or better than the Bose QC15 and Plantronics backbeat Pros in quieting the roar of the engines from the massive jet. Of course sound from the jet was still present when listening to the JLab’s. But, it was reduced enough that I could hear the music without having to go deaf from having to crank the volume. Overall I was impressed with the quality of the Active Noise Cancelling. I was not able to compare these to Bose QC35, but those headphones are over $200 more and I do not believe they are worth it. I also enjoyed using the JLabs at work where they got rid of the constant drone from my servers next to my office, allowing me to work and listen to my music.
Conclcusion:
After using these for several weeks I have found they are very easy to use and their performance helps them punch above their weight class. I highly recommend them if you are looking for a really good Bluetooth headphone that can also be used wired.