Modern technology has improved so many aspects of our lives, transforming the way we live, work, and play. Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of audio technology, which has evolved enormously in recent decades and seen a serious shift towards more compact, convenient, and practical devices.
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In the past, someone wanting to listen to their own personal music while working out, commuting to the office, traveling in public transport, or simply walking around town would have been limited to bulky headphones with their tangled cables, but these days, wireless earphones with sleek, compact designs are immensely popular.
These devices offer huge advantages, allowing the wearer to enjoy all the benefits of wireless audio playback from their connected devices like phones and tablets, without needing to worry about bulky over-ear headsets or wires and cables filling up their pockets. Several companies have made big leaps in the wireless earphone department, and JBL is most certainly one of them.
Founded by audio pioneer James Bullough Lansing back in 1946, JBL has been one of the most exciting companies to watch and follow through the years. The brand started off, much like other big audio giants, selling bulky speakers and audio cables, but has shifted massively since the turn of the millennium towards smaller, more sophisticated, wireless-capable alternatives.
One of JBL’s most popular products in recent years has been its Free series of wireless headphones. Truly wireless and incredibly well designed, these earphones have been created for the modern man and woman, letting the wearer do everything from working out to sitting behind a desk while being able to enjoy their music clearly and crisply at all times.
A lot of people shopping for new wireless headphones take the time to consider the JBL Free truly wireless headphones, but how good are they in action, and are they the right option for you? Our JBL Free review will tell you all you need to know about these earbuds and help you make up your mind if you’re hesitating about buying them.
Table of Contents
How We Started
When you’re looking for a high quality piece of audio equipment, be it a speaker, a set of headphones, or something else entirely, it’s important to take several factors into account and focus on what matters the most to you.
Some people, for example, are true audiophiles. When they shop for earphones and headsets, they focus purely and simply on audio quality and want to get the very best sounds out of every single track they play.
Others prefer to focus on other factors and are perhaps more willing to overlook slightly imperfect sound if a device has a compact design, attractive look, fair price tag, and dependable connectivity options.
In order to help the widest possible audience make up their minds on the JBL Free headphones, our review aims to cover all the possible angles, looking at everything about this product that you might want to know.
We look at sound quality, in-ear comfort, reliability, ease of use, battery times, charging times, price, value, and more, breaking the review down into easy-to-follow sections that will provide you with all the information you need.
It’s our aim to help you decide if the JBL Free wireless earphones are worthy of your time, attention, and money. We really put these earphones to the test, and we invite you to read on and find out everything we discovered.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
JBL Free truly wireless in-ear headphones deliver JBL Signature Sound in an intuitive, yet intelligent package. Free from wires and easy to use, they are your flexible companion for an active lifestyle.
Overview
We’ll take a closer and more in-depth look at various key factors and features of the JBL Free headphones further down the page, but for now, let’s focus on a general overview and take a look at what exactly this product is, how it was designed, and who the intended userbase really is.
At a time when many audio companies and other tech giants are shifting towards more and more compact, wireless, ultra-portable devices, JBL is also following the trend with its JBL Free truly wireless headphones.
Aiming to compete with the likes of Apple’s AirPods and similar devices, the JBL Free headphones have been designed with portability and convenience in mind. Very small and sleek, these award-winning headphones slip snugly into the ears and come with their own charging case, letting you boost the battery back up in between uses.
They’re available in different sizes to suit every user, powered by JBL’s Signature Sound technology to deliver the very best audio experiences and featuring a single-button design for total control, as well as a call mode when you need to take calls from your contacts and chat with your loved ones.
All in all, the JBL Free headphones aim to offer the ultimate wireless headphone experience, hoping to become your go-to pair of headphones for daily listening, exercise sessions, travel usage, and more.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
Design
One of the first features we’ll focus on in this closer look at the JBL Go truly wireless earphones is their design, as this is an important factor for a lot of users, and many people can be drawn in or turned off by a product’s aesthetics and general feel.
So how do the JBL Free wireless in-ear headphones actually look? Well, they’re available in both white and black, and they’re incredibly modern, with subtle sophistication clear to see throughout every aspect of their design.
For starters, these earphones are very small. They’re available in three different sizes to suit every user, but once they’re in your ears, it’s hard to even notice them. Each one features soft gel sleeves to provide a secure fit, decorated with the JBL logo on the outside and made from high-grade materials that can withstand knocks and drops.
The JBL Free headphones are IPX5 splashproof too. They can’t be submerged in water, but they can handle rain and splashes without any issues, so you don’t need to feel worried about using them outdoors while it’s raining or wearing them by the poolside.
Comfort
Another key aspect to take into account when looking at the overall quality and appeal of any set of headphones is their comfort levels. After all, headphones can often vary greatly in terms of how much comfort they’re able to provide, with some feeling quite snug and cozy in the ears, while others can fit awkwardly or irritate the user over time.
Comfort is often quite a subjective issue when it comes to headphones. Some people don’t like wearing in-ear earphones of any kind, for example, and always opt for over-ear alternatives, while others are perfectly happy with in-ear models and tend to prefer them over the other options, so it’s important to think about your own likes and dislikes when assessing this aspect.
The JBL Free headphones fall into the in-ear category, with soft gel sleeves that slip into the ear canal quite comfortably and remain firmly in place throughout the day, even while walking around town, traveling, or even engaging in more active, physical movement like working out in a gym or jogging around the block.
JBL boasts ‘best-in-class’ ergonomics for these earphones, and they’ve done an impressive job of living up to that promise. The headphones themselves are really lightweight, which is a great bonus for their comfort rating, and they’re impressively breathable too, so they won’t cause your ears to heat up or feel irritated, even while working out or wearing them on a hot day.
Controls
One of the most interesting aspects to look at when evaluating and assessing the quality of any wireless headphones is their control system. Since these devices tend to be very small, without cables or accompanying headsets and accessories, manufacturers often have to think outside the box when figuring out how the user can interact with them.
You need to be able to use your earphones to change tracks, alter the volume, pause playback, and so on, and we’ve seen different brands deal with this in different ways over the years. JBL itself has demonstrated different approaches on various wireless headphones of its own, and they’ve come up with a good solution for the JBL Free in-ear earphones too.
These headphones feature very simple, one-button controls, with one button on each earpiece. The left earbud is responsible for switching tracks, so you can tap the button once to go to the next song or twice to skip back to the previous one.
The right earbud, meanwhile, is dedicated to playback. You can tap it to play music, pause music, answer calls, or make use of voice assistance by pressing it twice in a row. The downside, however, is that neither the right earbud nor the left offers any kind of control for volume. So, if you want to adjust the volume of a song you’re listening to, you’ll need to actually pull out your phone and use its own buttons and menus to alter this setting.
This is slightly disappointing, especially as so many other wireless headphones have found ways to allow the user to adjust volume on the fly, without needing to use their other devices. However, it’s a small price to pay when you consider the comfort, convenience, and general quality offered by the JBL Free headphones.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
JBL Free truly wireless in-ear headphones deliver JBL Signature Sound in an intuitive, yet intelligent package. Free from wires and easy to use, they are your flexible companion for an active lifestyle.
Case
Like other wireless headphones, the JBL Free truly wireless earphones come complete with their own carry case that also serves as a portable charging station too. The case measures up at 2.7″ x 2.7″ x 1.1″ and is made of hard, durable plastic, so it can withstand pressure and impacts quite well and will be sure to keep your headphones safe while not in use.
It’s a bit of a bulky case when compared to others, but also much more convenient than some of the more awkwardly-shaped options out there, allowing it to fit comfortably in the pocket without too many issues. It also does a really good job of powering up your earphones, with a handy quick charge feature and a lot of power capacity to get you through the day too.
Battery
Following on from the previous point about the case, let’s now take a look at one of the most important aspects of the JBL Free headphones and all other wireless headphones: their battery power.
This is always a key aspect to take into account when you’re looking at wireless devices, as you need to be able to rely on them to stay powered up and fully functional for a reasonable amount of time before needing to be charged back up.
Again, we can see a lot of variation in battery life when looking at different wireless headphones on the market right now. Some of them really struggle in this department, with lengthy charge times and quite disappointing results per charge, while others are far more impressive.
How do the JBL Go headphones stack up when compared to the competition? Well, we’re pleased to report that they’re actually among the best wireless headphones around when it comes to battery power and charging too.
On a single charge, you can get about 3-4 hours of playback out of the JBL Free headphones. The charging case, meanwhile, stores an extra 20 hours of power, so all you need to do when the headphones wear out of juice is place them back in the case for a little while and let them power back up.
Getting about 4 hours of playback on each charge really isn’t bad, and while the JBL Free earphones aren’t quite as strong in this area as some of the truly high-end alternatives out there, they’re more than capable of getting you through workouts, commutes, and day-to-day usage without any frustration or inconvenience.
What’s more, the charging case also comes with a quick charge feature. With this feature, all you need to do is place the headphones in the case for about 15 minutes to get a full hour’s worth of playback. Again, this is an impressive feature, ideal for those who spend a lot of time outdoors and don’t want to have to wait too long in between charges.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
Sound Quality
The whole purpose of headphones and other pieces of audio equipment is to deliver audio experiences direct to your ears, letting you play your favorite tracks from artists you love and enjoy your music the way you want it. Therefore, sound quality is naturally a very important aspect to consider when it comes to reviewing headphones, speakers, and similar devices.
Some headphones can be quite poor at delivering quality audio experiences. They might sound a little tinny, for example, failing to deliver real bass or struggling to hit the high notes, and when cranked up to the higher volume settings, they may fail to provide the crisp, clear, enjoyable sounds you crave.
Fortunately, we’re happy to report that the JBL Free truly wireless headphones don’t fall into these kinds of traps. When it comes to sound quality, they’re perfectly sufficient for most people, working well across a wide variety of musical genres and tracks and proving perfectly capable of offering quality audio experiences that can rival more expensive models.
Powered by JBL’s Signature Sound technology, the Free headphones are quite impressive overall in this department. They’re certainly not going to provide you with the very best audio experiences possible and expert audiophiles may notice some issues at high volumes and frequencies, but for most users, they’ll be more than good enough.
Connectivity and Ease of Use
One of the best features of wireless headphones and other wireless devices is how they’re able to sync up with other devices in a matter of seconds, without any need for cables or cords, but this technology can vary in terms of reliability and effectiveness from device to device. We’ve seen impressive wireless connectivity in the past from JBL, but how about the JBL Free earphones?
Well, once again, we’re glad to report that these headphones get the job done. They may not be able to offer advanced features like multi-device pairing or NFC pairing, but they’re equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 which allows them to quickly and easily connect with your phones, tablets, and so on without any issues.
Once a device has been paired with these headphones, we found that the connection remains stable and dependable for hours on end. The headphones have a pretty impressive range of about 20m, so you can actually walk a reasonable distance away from your phone and still enjoy the same clear, crisp, constant audio without delays or interruptions of any kind.
They’re very easy to use in general and consistently impressive with phones and tablets. However, when paired with a PC, they do show a little latency, so you might not be able to reliably use them for watching movies and shows, as the audio might slip out of sync with the video, which could cause issues while trying to keep up with the action.
This minor issue aside, the headphones are a lot of fun to use. They feature a call mode too, and you can simply press a button to answer a call and chat with your friends or family. The built-in microphone works perfectly well and as soon as you accept a call, the headphones automatically switch to mono mode, meaning that audio will only play through one of the two earbuds.
Price
Of course, as well as factors like sound quality and comfort, it’s also important to consider the price tag of audio equipment items like speakers and wireless headphones. A lot of shoppers will have their own preset budgets in mind when looking for a new pair of headphones and won’t necessarily want to pay too much for these products.
At the time of launch, the JBL Free headphones had an MSRP of $150. When compared to similar models, this is more or less a standard price. They’re a little cheaper than some of the high-end options, but a little more expensive than some other models with similar tech specs. Since they’ve been out for a while, their price has gradually decreased and you can pick them up for a lot less nowadays during sales events.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
Value
So, are the JBL Free headphones actually worth the asking price? Well, this depends a lot on your own preferences and needs. For example, if you’re someone who spends a lot of time outdoors listening to music and feel like you need some durable, comfortable, long-lasting earphones to match with your lifestyle, the JBL Free earphones will offer a lot of value to you.
If you’re more of a pure audiophile looking for the crispest and clearest sounds in every track, the value of these earphones might be a little lower in your eyes, as even though they offer a lot of quality in the comfort and design departments, they aren’t quite as strong when it comes to genuine audio experiences.
Who Should Get This?
The JBL Free headphones can be widely recommended to a broad selection of users. Their sleek, sophisticated design will appeal to many people who want modern, minimalistic headphones to wear each day, for example.
Many people will also appreciate the comfortable fit of these headphones, along with their impressive playback and charging times. The rugged case and splashproof earpieces are extra advantages to take into account.
If you’re an active, busy person who spends plenty of time outdoors or exercising, the JBL Free earphones were made for you. If you’re someone who spends more time inside, you might not be able to make the most of their features and advantages.
Our View
Can we recommend the JBL Free truly wireless headphones? Absolutely. When putting these headphones to the test, we were consistently impressed with how they functioned and how they managed to exceed expectations in almost every area that matters.
Their design is terrific, with JBL opting for simplicity, convenience, and portability, without going overboard, and they feel great in the ears, delivering solid if unspectacular audio time and time again. They’re also available at a very fair price and the quick charge feature makes them so useful.
Shop all JBL True Wireless Earbuds at JBL’s Website Here
JBL Free truly wireless in-ear headphones deliver JBL Signature Sound in an intuitive, yet intelligent package. Free from wires and easy to use, they are your flexible companion for an active lifestyle.
These JBL ear pods fall out of my ears all the time when I’m flying at and airplane flight and when I mow my yard.
They do not stay in place, no mater how much I push them into my ear.
Is there a gadget especially made for this brand of JBL ear pods, that will hold them in place.???
Excellent website. A lot of useful information here. I am sending it to a few friends ans also sharing in delicious. And naturally, thanks for your sweat!