September 23, 2016

JBL Reflect Aware Active Noise-Cancelling Lightning In-Ear Headphones Review

September 23, 2016/ Nir Schneider

Apple has officially kissed the headphone jack goodbye and put it to rest in favor of the all-mighty Lightning connector. But you shouldn’t worry too much now that every audio brand is starting to release Lightning connected headphones. So if you can’t wait until Apple releases its weirdest looking wireless AirPods or perhaps you’re looking for a higher-quality sounding pair of in-ear headphones to use with your iPhone 7 (or any Apple device with a Lightning port), then you may want to consider JBL’s new Reflect Aware. These sporty and sweat-proof in-ear headphones feature a Lightning connector instead of the now obsolete 3.5mm jack. And for the very first time, the Reflect Aware are the first in-ear headphones to have powered active noise-cancellation technology. And because power is being delivered through the Lightning connector, the Reflect Aware never need to be recharged and don’t even have a weighty built-in battery. The only question left unanswered is whether or not JBL's active noise-cancelling headphones are worth purchasing over others that are truly ahead of the curve – truly wireless earbuds.

May 26, 2016

JBL Charge 3 Portable Wireless Speaker Review

May 26, 2016/ Nir Schneider

The king of affordably priced portable Bluetooth speakers has returned. And it's bigger, better and more powerful than before. JBL has for a long time been the best at making portable speakers that were unbeatable. It's now about to retake that title with its latest generation of its most successful model yet. The new Charge 3 is a fully waterproof portable wireless speaker with larger drivers that produce sound that is even better than what was considered to be the portable speaker to beat. Other improvements include a much longer battery life and an upgraded design that is tougher and more durable than its predecessors – the Charge 2+ and Charge 2. We've had some time to thoroughly test out JBL's newest portable offering, which of course also means putting it up against formidable rivals. To find out if the Charge 3 really has what it takes to be crowned king of portable speakers under $300, read the full in-depth review down below!

November 04, 2015

JBL Flip 3 Portable Wireless Speaker Review

November 04, 2015/ Nir Schneider

The Xtreme is a great and powerful speaker, but not everyone can afford a $300 Bluetooth speaker. Fortunately, JBL's new Flip 3 is one wireless speaker that's affordable and very portable too. The Flip 3 improves upon its predecessor using two 40mm drivers flanked by dual external passive bass radiators for much better sounding bass, has double the battery life and features a rubberized water-resistant fabric design for greater outdoor durability. And like JBL's Xtreme and Pulse 2 speakers, the Flip 3 can also be used in a multi-speaker setup by wirelessly connecting to multiple JBL Connect-enabled speakers for an amplified audio experience much like UE's Double Up mode. In short, the Flip 3 is JBL's greatest Flip speaker the company has ever made. Could this be the the best new super portable speaker to get for under $100? You'll have to read our full review – complete with a UE Roll and UE Boom 2 speaker comparison – to find out!

October 21, 2014

JBL Charge 2 Portable Wireless Speaker Review

October 21, 2014/ Nir Schneider

JBL recently updated one of its most sought-after portable speakers with the second generation Charge 2 portable wireless Bluetooth speaker. If you thought the original award-winning Charge speaker sounded good, wait until you hear the Charge 2 in action. It has been outfitted with larger, better dual 45mm drivers and a pair of passive side-firing radiators for that much needed special delivery of bassy low-end goodness to liven up your music experience. With the addition of improved internal hardware, the Charge 2 has been redesigned to look sleeker than its predecessor with a more contemporary design along with a more polished build quality. JBL's Charge 2 still features the same useful added features like the ability to charge external portable devices while you're on the move, and make hands-free speakerphone calls thanks to a built-in microphone with noise and echo-cancelling technology. The Charge 2 sounds like a worthy successor, but is that enough to compete with today's leading portable Bluetooth speakers? Let's find out!

June 11, 2014

JBL Clip Ultra-Portable Wireless Speaker Review

June 11, 2014/ Nir Schneider

In 2012, JBL introduced what was then considered to be the most impressive and highly portable wireless Bluetooth speaker that let users enjoy better sounding audio using their smartphone or tablet from a palm-sized device that could easily fit into a pocket. This time, the Clip by JBL is the company's latest travel and pocket-friendly offering that takes JBL's Micro speaker series of ultra-portable speakers to new heights with a more rugged and adventurous design. And although the Clip is just as small as its Micro Wireless predecessor and could be carried inside your pocket, its name suggest a more exposed means of transport. That's right, JBL's Clip features carabiner clip conveniently built into the top so you can practically hook it onto anything that can fit through its spring-loaded gate clip. Technically speaking the Clip is a wearable speaker. So should you consider picking one up? We think you should, but before you do, be sure to read up on our full and in-depth review down below!

January 02, 2014

JBL Synchros S700 Headphones Review

January 02, 2014/ Nir Schneider

When you outgrow your tiny in-ears, there's only one way to step up your intimate audio experience. Over-ear headphones. Their ability to serve spacious sound whilst enveloping your ears like privately enclosed concert halls is one of the many reasons why these beats still exist. Only that you'll probably won't be listening to Beethoven. The experience is unbeatable. Unless of course, you're willing to pay a lot more for custom in-ear monitors. But that's an entirely different topic best left for another day. Today, we're going to be reviewing JBL's newly released Synchros S700 headphones. These cans don't come cheap, and that's because they're JBL's flagship over-hear headphones. To stand out, the S700 offer some really impressive new features baked in that we haven't heard about before. And that's excluding the fact that these headphones are constructed out of die-cast aluminum among other top notch materials, and made to look professionally menacing. Be sure to jump past the break for our full in-depth review!

December 09, 2013

JBL Spark Wireless Speaker Review

December 09, 2013/ Nir Schneider

JBL's most recent speaker offerings can only be described as creatively ambitious. From the Pulse to the Voyager, and now the Spark, JBL is pushing ahead with some of the most uniquely designed and innovative speakers we've seen yet. But we're here to talk you about the Spark, not the AllSpark, but JBL's new and trendy Spark speaker. With a unique funky translucent design which just so happens to be Harman Kardon's signature weapon of design language choice, the Spark brings a visually fun play on wireless speaker styling. Jump into our full review to find out what we think about JBL's Spark, and how it compares to other wireless speakers!