Our Verdict
Decent mixed usage. Although the JBL Reflect Flow are fairly versatile, they're on the bulky side and may not fit everyone. They're very good for short sessions at the gym, but they may be uncomfortable to wear for an extended period of time. The noise isolation is good for blocking out speech, making them great for office use, but for commuting, they aren't as good at isolating you from the rumbles of bus engines.
- Well-balanced sound profile.
- Good build quality.
- Good for sports.
- Bulky design.
- No app support for customization.
- Uncomfortable for small ears.
Decent for neutral sound. The Reflect Flow sound good, but it's more of a V-shaped sound profile, with a bit more bass and a slight dip in the mid-range, which causes the vocals and lead instruments to sound further back in the mix.
Good for commuting. The Reflect Flow are very portable and have very good noise isolation, but they can become uncomfortable if worn for a long time. They perform well to block out ambient chatter, but won't be able to isolate you from noise in the lower range, such as airplane and bus engines.
Very good for sports. The Reflect Flow have a very stable fit due to their size and the stability fins. They won't fall out when engaged in vigorous exercise and they're rated IPX7 for water and sweat resistance, although we don't currently test for this.
Acceptable for office use. The noise isolation is very good at blocking out chatter in the office and the battery life should last an entire work day, but they may be too uncomfortable to wear for such a long period.
These headphones lack low latency codecs; as such, there's too much latency to recommend them for gaming.
The JBL Reflect Flow can't be used wired.
Mediocre for phone calls. They perform okay in a quiet environment and the speech is understandable, but the microphone will struggle to separate speech from background noise.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 06, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Dec 13, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Nov 28, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Nov 28, 2019: Early access published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The JBL Reflect Flow are pretty basic truly wireless headphones when compared to other headphones of this type. They lack higher end features such as active noise cancelling and customization through a mobile app, but for those looking for a pair to take to the gym, they perform very well. They have a stable fit and shouldn't fall out during exercise. If you're looking for a more versatile pair with more features, see our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds, and the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
The JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless are marginally better than the Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless. They have similar performance when it comes to noise isolation; however, their sound profiles are quite different, with the Elite 65t having less low-bass and a sharp treble, which can make them sound sibilant. On the upside, Jabra has a mobile companion app that has a good amount of customization options to tune their sound to your taste. Because Jabra doesn't make use of stability fins, it may be harder to get a proper fit. The battery life is also shorter on the Elite 65t, but they take less time to charge and have an auto-off feature.
The Jabra Elite Active 65t Truly Wireless have a very similar performance to the JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless. They're a slight improvement over the regular 65t, but they have a better build quality. They're bulkier than the Reflect Flow and may not fit everyone. The overall sound profile lacks a bit of thump in the bass and the treble can be quite sharp and piercing. However, they're very consistent in their sound reproduction, provided that you're able to get a proper fit.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds are slightly better than the JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless. They're much more comfortable to wear due to their light weight, but their noise isolation isn't as good, especially in the bass range. The Galaxy Buds also sound very different, with a fairly light bass, overemphasized mids and a sharp treble. Fortunately, Samsung has a mobile companion app that lets you tune the sound, albeit the options are limited to a few presets.
The JBL Reflect Flow True Wireless are better headphones than the Bose SoundSport Free Truly Wireless. The JBL have much better noise isolation than the Bose, which are semi-open headphones that let you hear your surroundings, making them great for outdoor runners. The battery life of the Bose is significantly worse, but they have an auto-off feature to help you conserve battery. They do sound good, though, suitable for most genres and don't have any hint of sharpness or sibilance in the treble.
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