JBL Reflect Flow
The Reflect Flows have a longer battery life than their predecessors, the Under Armor Flash, at ten hours from the buds and 20 more via the case. They go from empty to fully charged in two hours and come with a waterproof IPX7 rating, so they are true sporting buds.
The case is disappointing, though. It’s really too big to take with you on a long run, and the silver coating on our sample begins to rub off after only a few days.
The buds are circular, comprising a branded central button with silver sides and coloured detailing around the driver housing. Three sets of separate tips and fins are supplied. We’d like more options but, still, we find a secure fit; we go for a run in them, and they don’t budge.
Bluetooth connection is also easily sorted, and dependable throughout testing. The operational morse code showcases what JBL calls its ‘Ambient Aware’ and ‘Talkthru’ modes. By shortpressing the left bud, you scroll through to a slightly quieter sound (Ambient Aware) or very low volume playback (Talkthru).
We load up Junius Meyvant’s Signals on Spotify. The delicate guitar progression at the top of the track comes through crisply and is well fleshed out in terms of detail, resonating with precise timing and providing a pleasing backdrop as the vocal takes centre stage.
As the song progresses, the bass drum is dutifully relayed while bowed strings are lovingly captured through the midrange, with no notable muddying in terms of the relative space between instruments – even as the mix intensifies. We switch to Shawn Mendes’ Señorita, and become aware of a minor shortfall in the dynamic build; the kind of rise and fall that makes the track emotional and enthusiastic. The Reflect Flows are pleasantly reserved through the midrange, but on occasion, this can leave us feeling slightly distanced from the action.
It’s still a solid performance for the money. Compared with the Cambridge Audio Melomania 1s, the Melomania 1s reveal more acoustic clues and detail resolution – but those buds aren’t intended for sport use.
If you’re not after a pair of sport in-ears, there is more detail to be dug up by class leaders outside this niche category. For true wireless sports in-ears though, the JBL Reflect Flow headphones are very good, especially if you want a bassheavy sound for the gym without resorting to cans – and the battery will outlast a seriously long run.