JBL Soundgear Sense: Review

If you're tired of the endless options of earbuds that sit nestled in your ears and you can't shake the feeling that something's not quite right, then JBL has clearly got you in mind for its Soundgear Sense sets.

An over-the-ear option is a rarity these days, and part of the thrill of this piece of kit lies in the nostalgia factor of when wireless earpieces first came out and would sit in tandem with your old Nokia mobile phone.

As with all JBL products, there's superior quality sound, but it suffers somewhat from the open ear approach to the product as they let in a little more of the atmospherics from around you. However, if you're purchasing over the ear equipment, that's to be expected, and while it's not exactly a game-changer for the quality of the product, it can take a little while to adjust to what's being offered here and the end result.

But the microphone on these works clearly, giving a chance to make calls in a somewhat retro style. Thanks to four open microphones, these earbuds provide good quality sound for incoming and outgoing calls - and while the incorporation of the extra microphones does make you feel like the equipment would be bulky, it's anything but.

Thanks to the use of an adjustable neckband, you're easily able to keep these over-the-ear pieces of kit on your actual ears and while that seems like an odd thing to say, it's actually pertinent given how some headbands and neckbands don't actually adjust to the size of your neck meaning that equipment is useful only to a certain degree.

One bonus though with these is the allowance for what JBL calls "air conduction" meaning the ear canal can get some air through and around it while being worn. It's a nice touch and a welcome relief from the constant feeling of something being in your ear with most earbuds out of necessity.

In truth, it's probably fair to say that the Soundgear Sense earpieces are more for those wanting to try and use something a little different. With a few niggles on the cosmetic front feeling a little more like distractions, these are a pair of earbuds that will take a little adjusting to - even if they do provide good sound quality.

A pair of JBL Soundgear Sense was provided for the purpose of this review.