JBL E55BT - Review 2022

There'due south a foreign shortage of great wireless headphones in the $100-200 range. Most of the good pairs nosotros test seem to fall, mostly, into the areas above or below this price range. And so while they may not exist best pair of over-ear Bluetooth headphones we've always tested, the JBL E55BT sound quite good for their $149.95 price. Lovers of big bass won't be disappointed, merely JBL thankfully keeps the overall sound signature counterbalanced with strong high-mid and high frequency presence. The headphones are besides quite comfortable and send with a detachable cable for passive, wired listening. If you're looking for a step up from a sub-$100 pair, yous won't be disappointed.

Pattern

Available in black, blue, green, ruby, or white, the circumaural (over-the-ear) E55BT headphones accept a cloth-lined headband and soft, imitation leather earpads. The outer panels of the earcups are matte plastic, emblazoned with the JBL logo in the middle. The fit is quite secure and, thank you to the generous cushioning in the headband and earcups, very comfortable over long listening sessions. Within each earcup, a 50mm driver delivers the sound.

Built-in controls are located on the right earcup. They're plastic buttons that feel a chip on the cheap side for this cost range, only they work however. There's a ability/pairing switch with a status LED, too as a three-button command panel that has a central multifunction button (playback and telephone call direction) and plus and minus buttons for volume (they piece of work in conjunction with your mobile device'southward main volume). These ii buttons, when held down, besides control rails navigation. Nosotros're non huge fans of this type of command array, equally it makes it easy to accidentally skip a track when you lot mean to only accommodate the book.

Each earcup also has a connection bespeak for a cable. The left ear houses the micro USB connection for the included charging cable, and the correct ear has a connection for the included 3.5mm audio cablevision, which allows for wired, passive listening. Connecting the audio cable automatically shifts the headphones into passive mode, saving battery life.

The detachable sound cable has an inline single-push remote control and mic situated just below chin level. The cable'due south mic offers fantabulous intelligibility, much ameliorate than the mic in the headphones themselves. Using the Vocalization Memos app on an iPhone 6s, the cable'due south mic recordings were articulate and every give-and-take was discernible, while the wireless, congenital-in mic sounded slightly distorted.

The headphones send with no accessories other than the aforementioned charging cable and detachable sound cable. A protective carrying pouch would've been a prissy inclusion, as the headband's surface includes fabric that could easily grab and snag on something.

JBL estimates bombardment life to exist nigh 20 hours, but your results will vary with your book levels.

Functioning

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, similar The Knife's "Silent Shout," the headphones evangelize a powerful thump that doesn't distort even at top, unwise volume levels. At more moderate book levels, the drivers still deliver a commendable deep bass response, but it'south all counterbalanced out with very crisp, well-defined high-mids and highs.

Bill Callahan'south "Drover," a runway with less deep bass in its mix, gives us a amend sense of the general sound signature. The drums on this runway get some added bass presence, giving them far more depth than they typically have, simply the boosting never sounds unnatural. Callahan's baritone vocals become a solid low-mid richness, only is matched past plenty of presence in the high-mids and highs, bringing out the treble edge of the vocals and allowing the acoustic guitar's attack to have a footling extra high frequency contour. In other words, there's plenty of bass boosting, but not an obscene level, and the sculpted highs as well help remainder it out nicely.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West'due south "No Church in the Wild," the kicking drum loop gets an ideal high-mid presence, pushing its sharp, punchy set on forrard in the mix. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with gusto, only naught too intense—headphones that overdo the bass boosting tin can sound ridiculously boomy on this track, simply the sub-bass synth hits here are powerful without overtaking the mix'south balance. The high-mid and high frequency presence is also platonic for the vocal performances on this track—there'south excellent clarity, and nothing sounds overly sibilant or harsh.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene in John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, become a little more added bass depth than purists might want. The lower register intrumentation has some added richness and bounce every bit a result, but the spotlight yet shines on the higher register contumely, strings, and vocals—they have a natural brightness that is further enhanced by sculpting and boosting in the higher ranges.

Conclusions

By and large speaking, the E55BT headphones offer a sculpted-but-balanced audio feel, with robust bass response and well-baked, articulate highs. It'due south not a flat response sound signature, but it will appeal to listeners who like a little added bass depth without throwing the entire balance of the mix off. And at $150, in that location are few pairs of high-quality Bluetooth headphones (as opposed to in-ear options, of which there are significantly more) on the market place. The JBL E55BT may non be flawless, simply they provide a powerful Bluetooth audio experience in a comfortable design nosotros don't oftentimes see below $200.

If you're looking for even more powerful bass out of your Bluetooth headphones, the Sony MDR-XB650BT deliver intense depression-end and a strong overall audio feel. If you're looking to spend less coin, we're fans of the Skullcandy Grind Wireless and the Urbanears Agile Hellas. And if your budget can stretch beyond the $150 mark, the Marshall Mid Bluetooth is one of our current favorite pairs.