NEW JBL Reflect Flow Pro Wireless Earbuds – Review

Has JBL done it again with their newly released Reflect Flow Pro wireless headphones? Will these JBL headphones stand up to their older, and much-loved counterparts? Can these be classed as the best earphones under 500 pounds?

It seems like only yesterday that we were ripping open the newly released JBL Live Pro+ in-ear headphones back in June of 2021. Yet here we are again with the new release of the JBL Reflect Flow Pro wireless headphones.

For the last few weeks our team have been putting these to the test and here’s what we thought…

The Look

We have to admit, these new JBL headphones certainly look the part. They are available in various different colours – blue, black, white and pink to cover most people’s styles. Each colour has a matte finish, making them look more luxurious and of high quality.

They also come in a great little carry case with the logo emblazoned across the top, and a strap for ease when carrying.

The Build Of The Wireless Earbuds

Although these JBL wireless headphones are larger than their predecessor the Live Pro+, they seem to have a better fit in the ear due to the changeable earbuds. You may have to play around with these for a while until you find a secure fit, but once in, they won’t be going anywhere!

They also come with dust-resistant ear puds, meaning they stay in place better, even if they get dust, or sweat on them. Unlike the JBL Live Pro+ wireless headphones, these are also water resistant up to one meter deep. I guess this could mean you could go for a swim with them, as long as you stay near the surface – we haven’t tried this!

The oval carry case is quite bulky in size, designed more for durability than to impress.

The headphones themselves are simple enough to put in your ears, and due to the larger size, aren’t as fiddly to insert.

The Sound

OK, so probably the most important aspect of getting a new pair of headphones is the sound quality for when you want to stream music.

These noise-cancelling earbuds have great sound quality to them when listening to music, although some say they’re more neutral sounding than others. Less bass dominant and more tuned for all frequencies. Although they still do have good bass to them, offering a great range of musical genres. It’s not all about that bass – unless you’re talking to Meghan Trainor!

The active noise cancelling function can be turned from music only to ambient and talk-through modes, depending on what you need them for at the time. The ambient aware mode is great if you’re out alone and don’t want to be completely shut off from the world around you. It’s always better to be safe when you’re out alone.

Features

An awesome feature about these JBL wireless headphones is the ‘Find My Buds’ function via the JBL headphones app. If you lose your bluetooth headphones, the app will notify you of the location and of the time they were last used. It will also ring your phone once they’re in range again.

The Reflect Flow Pro headphones can be activated for both Alexa or Google Assistant via the app, where you can also see the battery status of the headphones and the case. Similarly to the previous JBL headphones, they will be charged up again once put back in the carry case.

Unless you plan to run for more than 20 hours at a time, the battery life should last you well. Depending on how much you use them, there should be more than enough power for you to exercise with them without re-charging for a week or two. Without charge, the headphones will give you approximately 10 hours of play time.

The Price

So, are these the best earphones under 500 pounds?

At £159.99, they are more towards the mid to high end when it comes to price range for what you’re getting. For example, the Bose Quiet Comfort Earbuds are £199 and they give a better sound quality. However, if you can’t afford the Bose equivalents, then these are a great second option.

The Waterproof Rating

This pair of waterproof headphones have a waterproof rating of IPX7. IPX (Ingress Protection Code) is the code that’s given to certain electronic devices which provides a guideline to the degree of protection against – dust and water. A rating of IPX7 means they are waterproof – but going swimming in them might not be the best idea!

Although these are waterproof earbuds, they are actually only waterproof down to 1 meter. So really, these couldn’t be compared to waterproof mp3 players – the ones you might wear over your swimming cap, with your swimming goggles.

Instead, think of them as being water-resistant. You could go for a run in the rain with them on, or you could do a very sweaty workout. However, swimming in them we would have to give them a 1 out of 10 compared to other wireless earbuds we’ve tested.

Overview

Unfortunately, we were only able to give these wireless earbuds a 4 out of 5. Mainly due to the much heavier earbuds that were hard to get used to. They felt big and bulky and I was always aware of them, especially when doing an intense CrossFit-style workout.

They didn’t feel all that secure in my ears so I was always checking t make sure they were in place. Not really what you want when jumping around, or halfway through a metcon!

Perhaps if you are a bigger person, or have bigger ears they might be OK for you. However, my ears are quite small so they didn’t work that well for me.

I still love the JBL Live Pro+ earbuds so I won’t be changing to these ones any time soon. If you haven’t yet bought these, maybe consider getting the Live Pro+ ones instead.

We hope you found this review of the JBL Reflect Flow Pro earbuds useful. What do you think, are they the best earphones under 500 pounds?