Get insider access
Preferred store
Your browser is not supported or outdated so some features of the site might not be available.
We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

JBL Everest 310 Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Reviewed Feb 28, 2019 at 10:45 am
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:28 am
JBL Everest 310 Wireless Picture
6.9
Mixed Usage
7.1
Neutral Sound
7.2
Commute/Travel
7.1
Sports/Fitness
7.0
Office
5.4
Wireless Gaming
7.0
Wired Gaming
6.6
Phone Call

The JBL Everest 310 are decent, mixed-usage, on-ear headphones. They have decent audio reproduction but are more suited for bass-heavy genres and won’t be ideal for vocal-centric music. These Bluetooth headphones have a great 24-hour battery life and can also be used wired, even if there’s no power left. Unfortunately, their on-ear design doesn’t isolate much ambient noise and isn’t the most comfortable, making them a bit less versatile than some over-ear headphones. On the upside, the Everest 310 can connect to two devices simultaneously and have a unique feature that lets you share your music with any pair of Bluetooth headphones.

Our Verdict

6.9 Mixed Usage

Decent for mixed usage. They have a decent audio reproduction for critical listening but might be better suited for bass-heavy genres. Also, their on-ear design is not the most comfortable and doesn’t isolate much noise, which means they aren’t the best option for commuting or at the office. However, they are a bit less bulky than over-ears and are more breathable, which is good for sports. Unfortunately, they aren’t stable, and their latency may be too high for watching TV and gaming.

Pros
  • Decent audio reproduction.
  • Unique music sharing feature.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • On-ear design might not be as comfortable for everyone.
  • Slightly creaky build quality.
7.1 Neutral Sound

Decent for neutral listening. They have a deep, consistent, and powerful bass, a well-balanced mid-range, and a decent treble. Their bass is slightly overly thumpy, but some people may prefer this. Also, vocals and lead instruments in the mid-range may sound a bit thin, while their treble is lacking in detail and brightness. They will be better suited for bass-heavy music, but most people should be satisfied with their sound profile.

7.2 Commute/Travel

Okay for commuting. Their on-ear design doesn’t passively block a lot of noise, and since they don’t have any ANC, they’ll let in a lot of noise into your audio, especially lower frequencies like engines rumble. Also, their large on-ear design might not be the most comfortable to wear during long bus rides or flights, as it might constrain the top of your ear.

7.1 Sports/Fitness

Decent for sports. They have decent sound quality, and their thumpy bass can keep you pumped during your workouts, but their design won’t be ideal for physical activity. They aren’t very stable on the head and aren’t as portable as in-ears.

7.0 Office

Decent for the office. They isolate a good amount of ambient chatter and higher-frequencies, which could help you concentrate on your task. They also don’t leak too much so you shouldn’t bother colleagues surrounding you. They have a great battery life that won’t need daily charging and will last you a few work shifts. Also, even if your battery is dead, you can still use them wired, which can be useful. They can connect to two devices simultaneously, which is convenient if you often switch from your work computer and phone.

5.4 Wireless Gaming

Poor for gaming. Their latency is too high for gaming, and their microphone performance is mediocre. The on-ear design of these headphones won’t be comfortable enough for long gaming sessions too. However, they come with an audio cable with an in-line microphone which gets rid of latency issues, and we expect this mic to perform better than the integrated one.

7.0 Wired Gaming
  • 6.9 Mixed Usage
  • 7.1 Neutral Sound
  • 7.2 Commute/Travel
  • 7.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.0 Office
  • 5.4 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.0 Wired Gaming
  • 6.6 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Aug 09, 2019: We've updated the Comfort score of these headphones after comparing them to other models.
  4. Updated Feb 28, 2019: Review published.
  5. Updated Feb 26, 2019: Early access published.
  6. Updated Feb 25, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Feb 24, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Feb 19, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

Comparison picture

The JBL Everest 310 are decent-sounding headphones that set themselves apart by their unique music sharing feature. However, their on-ear design is a bit bulky and isn’t the most comfortable, and they don’t block much noise like over-ear headphones. If you still prefer the on-ear fit, look at our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones. See also our recommendations for the best wireless headphones.

JBL Everest 710 Wireless

The JBL Everest 710 Wireless and JBL Everest 310 Wireless are basically the same headphones, but the 710 is the over-ear model while the 310 is the on-ear one. The Everest 710 are more versatile as they are more comfortable and better-built. They also have a more accurate bass and an overall better sound. On the other hand, the Everest 310 are more consistent across different users and are slightly less bulky than their over-ear variant.

JBL Live 400BT Wireless

The JBL Live 400BT are slightly better than the JBL Everest 310 Wireless. They're both on-ear headphones with a similar design and sound quality. However, the Live 400BT have a more flexible sound profile, thanks to the parametric EQ included in their companion app. The Live 400BT are also slightly more breathable and have longer battery life. On the other hand, the Everest 310 come with a sturdy carrying case and have a more useful additional feature. Their music sharing button is a bit more practical than the Live 400BT's talk-through mode, since they do not isolate well to begin with. Also, the 310 Wireless have a better microphone performance, a more premium build quality, and easier-to-use buttons, but are not as stable as the Live 400BT, meaning they won't be as good for sports and more demanding activities.

JBL E45BT Wireless

The JBL Everest 310 and JBL E45BT are very similar on-ear headphones. Both have a sound profile that is better suited for bass-heavy genres due to their recessed mid-range. However, the Everest model feels slightly better built than the E45BT. They also isolate more noise due to their cups covering the ear more. On the other hand, the E45BT have slightly lower latency, so you might not notice the delay as much on these. They are also noticeably more stable, which is good for sports. Also, the Everest 310 has a unique music sharing feature that lets you connect another pair of Bluetooth headphones to the Everest and listen to the same audio content.

Beats Solo3 2018 Wireless

The Beats Solo3 Wireless are better on-ear headphones than the JBL Everest 310 Wireless. The Beats design is more comfortable, and they have a more accurate audio reproduction, especially in the treble range. Also, their battery is incredible and offers 42 hours of continuous playback. The Beats are also better built and feel more high-end than the squeaking JBL. On the other hand, the JBL can connect to two devices simultaneously and have a unique music sharing feature. They also isolate a bit more noise than the Beats.

Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless

The Bose SoundLink On-Ear Wireless are better headphones than the JBL Everest 310 Wireless. They are one of the most comfortable on-ears we’ve tested so far and are well-built as well. They also have a great neutral sound profile that is common to Bose headphones. The Bose also have a slightly lower latency. On the other hand, the JBL will be better suited for bass-heavy music and come with a much nicer hard case. You can also share your music with another Bluetooth headset thanks to their unique music share feature.

Sony WH-CH500 Wireless

The JBL Everest 310 Wireless are better mixed usage headphones than the Sony WH-CH500 Wireless. They feel better built and have a noticeably longer battery life. Their sound quality is also a bit more neutral, and you can share your music with another Bluetooth headset, which is a unique feature. However, the Sony feel more stable on your head and are more breathable, which can be great for sports. Nevertheless, the JBL should still be the best option between the two since they also isolate more noise. You can use them wired, which you can’t do with the Sony.

+ Show more

Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type On-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Everest 310 are very similar to the Everest Elite 700, but have an on-ear design that more closely resembles that of the JBL E45BT. They look decently well-built and have thick padding on the ear cups. The headphones are mostly made of thick plastic, and they have decent padding on the headband as well. You can also see the buttons, which protrude a bit out of the edge of the ear cups.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.5 lbs
Clamping Force
0.8 lbs

Update: 08/09/2019 After comparing these headphones to other similar models, we've raised the comfort score of the Everest 310 as we feel there's more padding than the similar E45BT and Live 400BT.

These are somewhat comfortable headphones, but the on-ear fit won’t be for everyone. They're fairly lightweight, but the cups are a bit large for on-ears, which might pinch the top of your ears and cause a bit more ear fatigue during long listening sessions. However, the headband is decently padded and puts less pressure on your head than the E45BT. You can also check out the over-ear, more comfortable variant, the JBL Everest 710.

7.4
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control N/A
Talk-Through
N/A
Additional Buttons Bluetooth Sync + Share

The Everest 310 have a decent control scheme that is easy to use. The physical buttons are right on the edge of the ear cups, and you get access to common functionalities like call/music management, volume control, and track skipping. You also get two additional buttons for Bluetooth sync and sharing your music. This means you can connect any second pair of Bluetooth headphones to the JBL Everest 310 and both can listen to the same audio content. The buttons are easy to distinguish as the middle play/pause button is raised, but the feedback is not the best, and some presses can feel a bit mushy.

7.1
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 4 °C

Like most on-ears, the Everest 310 aren’t very breathable, but they trap less heat than over-ear headphones. Their design allows a bit of airflow to cool your ears, but you might still feel a slight difference in temperature when wearing these. They won’t be ideal for sports like in-ears, since you might get a bit of extra sweat when working out with them.

6.3
Design
Portability
L 5.3"
W 5.2"
H 2.7"
Volume 74 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

The Everest 310 are not very portable on-ears. Even if they are smaller than most over-ears, they aren’t easy to carry around. Thankfully, their cups can swivel to lay flat, making it easier to carry them around your neck or slide them into a bag. They also fold into a more compact format and fit inside their great hard case, which doesn’t add too much bulk and protects the headphones well.

8.0
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 7.5"
W 6.9"
H 2.4"
Volume 124 in³

The JBL Everest 310 come with a great hard case that protects the headphones against minor water exposure, scratches, and impacts. The case is somewhat molded to help keep the headphones in place and limit the wiggling room.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

The JBL Everest 310 have a decent build quality. They creak a lot when unfolding them and putting them on, but the headband has a metal frame that makes it solid. The ear cups are also dense enough that they won't get damaged if the headphones fall once or twice. However, the hinges are somewhat weak points, and the plastic coating on the ear cups and headband feels prone to scratches.

6.5
Design
Stability

These headphones have a somewhat loose fit and aren’t very stable on-ears. They are definitely less stable than the JBL E45BT and could come off your head easily during physical activity. The Everest 310 won’t be a great option for sports. However, since they are wireless, you don’t have to worry about a cable getting stuck on something and yanking the headphones off your head.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • JBL Everest 310 headphones
  • 1/8” TRRS audio cable
  • Micro-USB charging cable
  • Hard carrying case
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
1.21 dB
Treble Amount
-1.1 dB
7.8
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.44 dB

The Everest 310 have a good frequency response consistency. The treble range is quite consistent across multiple re-seats, with the maximum deviation below 10KHz being about 3dB. In the bass range, the delivery is also quite consistent across re-seats and multiple human subjects, with a maximum deviation of about 4dB. Users should get very similar results if they manage to put on these on-ear headphones in a similar position every time.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.4
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.26 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
3.64 dB
Mid-Bass
1.62 dB
High-Bass
-1.8 dB

The JBL Everest 310 bass performance is great. Their LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, which is excellent. The bass response is fairly flat and even, but there is a 3dB bump in low-bass, resulting in a bit of excess in thump and rumble. However, there’s not a lot of music with low-bass frequencies, so this might not be too audible. Mid-bass, responsible for bass guitars and kick drums, is flat and is very close to our target curve. However, high-bass is slightly underemphasized by about 2dB, which will result in a slightly thin sounding bass and lack of warmth.

8.6
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.86 dB
Low-Mid
-2.2 dB
Mid-Mid
1.85 dB
High-Mid
0.43 dB

The mid-range performance of the Everest 310 is also very good. The response is flat and even throughout the range, which indicates an accurate reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. However, the small underemphasis in low-mid will make vocals sound a bit thin.

7.0
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.34 dB
Low-Treble
-2.13 dB
Mid-Treble
-3.12 dB
High-Treble
0.29 dB

Their treble performance is decent. The range is fairly even other than the broad dip centered around 5KHz, meaning the Everest 310 will lack a bit of brightness and detail surrounding these frequencies. However, they might be slightly sharp and piercing on sounds around 10KHz for some people.

7.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.51 dB
Dips
2.17 dB
8.6
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.31
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.7
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.78
Weighted Phase Mismatch
3.13

The imaging for the Everest 310 is great. Their weighted group delay is 0.31, which is within very good limits. The GD graph also shows that the group delay response is almost entirely below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight and fast bass, and a transparent treble. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response. This helps with the accurate placement and localization of objects, (voice, instruments, footsteps), in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, and yours may perform differently.

2.9
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
3.61 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
1.71 dB
PRTF Distance
0.65 dB
Openness
3.5
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.0

The JBL Everest 310 has a poor soundstage. Due to their on-ear design, the drivers don't have enough distance to activate the resonances of the pinna (outer ear) like a loudspeaker, and that shows in the inadequate PRTF accuracy and size values. Also, they don't show a notch in the 10KHz region, further indicating that their soundstage will be perceived to be small and located inside the listener's head as opposed to in-front.

7.7
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.316
WHD @ 100
0.125
Isolation
6.4
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-17.33 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-2.42 dB
Mid
-16.7 dB
Treble
-34.23 dB

The isolation of the Everest 310 is mediocre. Since they don’t have an ANC feature, they don’t reduce outside noise in the bass range, which is important to cancel out the rumble of bus and airplane engines. In the mid-range, important for blocking speech, they achieved 17dB of isolation, which is good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds and fan noises like A/C systems, they reduce outside noise by more than 34dB, which is also good.

7.6
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
35.89 dB

These headphones have a good leakage performance. The significant portion of their leakage is spread from 400Hz to 4KHz, which is a relatively broad range and will mostly consist of speech, leads, and cymbals. The overall level of the leakage is not very loud, either. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away will average around 36 dB SPL and peaks at 49dB SPL, which is just under the noise floor of most offices.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes

The integrated microphone on the Everest 310 has a mediocre performance. In quiet environments, speech recorded/transmitted with this mic will sound a bit thin, and quite muffled and lacking detail. However, it would still be decently understandable. In noisy situations, it will struggle to separate speech from ambient noise, even in moderately loud environments, like a busy street. These headphones also come with an included audio cable that has an in-line microphone, which we expect to perform better than the integrated one.

6.6
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
261.43 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.26 dB
HFE
3,319.91 Hz
Weighted THD
3.499
Gain
35.94 dB

The microphone has a below-average recording quality. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 261Hz, suggesting speech transmitted/recorded to be noticeably thin. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 3.3KHz results in speech that is muffled and lacks detail.

6.1
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
13.6 dB

The integrated microphone is mediocre at noise handling. In our SpNR test, they achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 14dB, indicating that the microphone performs best in quiet environments and may struggle in moderate and loud environments.

Active Features
8.5
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
23.8 hrs
Additional Charges
0
Total Battery Life
23.8 hrs
Charge Time
2.2 hrs
Power Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Yes
Charging Port micro-USB

They have a great battery life that will last you a whole workday without a problem. We’ve measured about 24 hours of continuous playback, although JBL advertises its battery life to be at 20hrs. They only take about 2 hours to charge fully, which is great. They also turn off automatically after 10 minutes to save some power. However, if you’re using their microphone and are talking for 10 minutes straight, the headphones will still turn off if no audio is fed through the drivers. They can also be used wired, even when the battery is dead.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name N/A
iOS N/A
Android N/A
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
N/A
ANC Control
N/A
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
N/A
Playback Control
N/A
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

These headphones are not compatible with the JBL Headphones app, even if they are an Everest model. For similar on-ear headphones that have access to a nice app and a great parametric EQ, check out the JBL Live 400BT.

Connectivity
8.5
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
4.1
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
NFC Pairing
No
Line of Sight Range
191 ft
Default Latency
197 ms
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A

These headphones are Bluetooth compatible and can be connected to two devices simultaneously, which is useful if you want to switch between your work computer and cellphone. Also, they can act as a Bluetooth transmitter with their share functionality. You can connect any other Bluetooth headset to these and listen to the same content simultaneously.

The latency of the Everest 310 is average for Bluetooth headphones. You might notice a delay when watching video content. However, some devices and apps seem to offer some sort of compensation so you might not notice this delay as much. Nevertheless, 197ms will still be too high for gaming.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.1 ft
Connection 1/8" TRRS
Wired Latency
0 ms

You can use these headphones passively with the included 1/8” TRRS audio cable. It also has an in-line microphone that will be supported on PCs and consoles.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio + Microphone
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A

The Everest 310 don’t have a base or dock. If you're looking for headphones with a dock for customization options, look at the Arctis Pro Wireless. If you want a charging dock, look at the Astro A50, and if you're looking for wireless headphones for watching TV, look at the Sennheiser RS 185.