I may not exercise as much as my doctor wants me to but when I do exercise I like listening to music. And when most of us workout we sweat, some more than others. The last thing we want to do is sweat all over our new headphones and ruin them.
So we get ourselves a set of sport headphones that can stand up to all that funky sweat and the Reflect Contour 2 sweat-proof wireless sport in-ear headphones are the ones that JBL is hoping we will buy. So how do the Contour 2 headphones hold up to a rousing exercise session, how do they sound and fit? To find out, read on for the full review of the JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones.
Specifications
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones have the following features and specifications:
- Driver: 5.8mm dynamic driver
- Frequency response: 10Hz – 22kHz
- Impedance: 14 Ohm
- Connection: Micro USB for charging
- Bluetooth: 4.2
- Battery: Rechargeable lithium ion
- Playback time: 10 hour
- Weight: 18g
What’s In The Box
- Reflect Contour 2
- 3 size ear tips (S, M, L)
- 3 size enhancers (S, M, L)
- Charging cable
- Sport carrying pouch
- Documentation
Design
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones have an around the neck design that lends itself to working out and being active. They are wireless headphones, so the only wire is the one that connects the earbuds. The around neck design keeps that wire behind your neck and out of the way while you are active. There is even a cinch that stops the wire from bouncing around too much. The pair that I reviewed were black with a reflective black and white cord (for night visibility) connecting the two earbuds and silver highlights on the earbud housing. They are also available in blue, hi-viz yellow, and white. There is an inline control that has a power/answer call/play/pause button, volume up/down/next/prev, led light and charging port.
My favorite part of the design is the ear tips and the Freebit enhancers. The ear tips come in three sizes: S, M, and L. The enhancers are made of the same material as the ear tips and cover the body of the earbuds and have a tiny ear hook that sits against the ear to hold it in place. I have to say that when I first tried the headphones on right out of the box they were very uncomfortable and did not fit well at all. Once I customized the fit with the ear tips and the enhancers, they fit as if they were made just for me. They were both comfortable and stayed in place through most of what I put them through. They did come loose a few times, but a minor adjustment was all the Reflect Contour 2 headphones needed to get right back in place.
The Reflect Contour 2 headphones are also sweat-proof (IPX5). I tested this out by wearing them while mowing the grass on a hot, humid day. The headphones were quite wet and disgusting by the time I was done with the lawn, but all I had to do to clean them was take off the ear tips and enhancers and give everything a quick wipe down with some hot water.
Ease Of Use
Setting up the JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones was simple. Turn them on, and the headphones go into pairing mode automatically. Find them on your devices Bluetooth list and pair them. The in-line control was also easy to use. The middle button is the power/call answer/hang-up button. The volume up button also serves as the next track button by holding it down for three seconds. The volume down button is also the prev track button, again by holding it down for three seconds.
Sound
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones have a mostly neutral sound and they lean more towards treble than they do towards bass. I would go so far as to say that the bass is weak on these headphones. To be honest, it wasn’t something that I really noticed while I was exercising or working in the yard. I noticed it mostly when I was sitting in a quiet environment just listening to the music without any of the distractions that come with exercising or working. The mids are fine, and the highs cut through the mix decently, but I do wish there was more bass.
The ear tips don’t cut much background noise when wearing the headphones, but I guess if you are out running or bicycling you still need to be able to hear what is going on in your immediate vicinity. It’s a bit of a safety thing to not completely cut the sound around you and considering that I think JBL has balanced things nicely with the Reflect Contour 2 headphones.
Reception/Call Quality
Bluetooth reception was excellent on the JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones, I tested it indoors and moved about 50 feet away with clear line of sight and did not lose the signal. Call quality was also good. The only minor problem encountered during a call was that the person I called said they did hear a bit of an echo. Considering it was just a small amount of echo they heard, I would say that call quality is good on the Reflect Contour 2 headphones.
Battery Life
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones have a claimed battery life of 10 hours. I tested them with the volume set at 50% and the source never further than 5 feet away and was able to get just over 10 hours of play time. Your results may vary depending on usage.
Price/Value
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones are currently listed on sale for $89.95USD on the JBL website and Amazon. The value with these headphones is in the fact that they are sweat-proof and the fit holds through workouts. If you are looking for big bass, these may not be the headphones for you.
Wrap Up
The JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones may not have high-end bass, but they do have some great features for working out or running. The customizable fit and the waterproof rating of IPX5 make them great for working out, running, and even doing yard work on hot, humid days. So if you need some sweat-proof headphones that will stay in place during intense workouts, make sure you check out that JBL Reflect Contour 2 headphones.
