JBL is the latest to embrace a headphone design that’s built to let you listen to your sounds and still be in touch with what’s going on around you.
If that sounds like the awareness modes that a lot of the best true wireless headphones already pack, then yes, it’s a similar experience. However, the Soundgear Sense don’t need to be toggled to a different mode to keep you in tune with the world – they actually sit just outside the ear canal, so you get the best of both worlds at all times.
Whether you’re an audiophile or competitive gamer, we chose the best JBL headphones and earbuds to meet every preference and budget.
You do still have scope to tinker with the sound here and JBL gives you two ways to wear these headphones when it’s offering that open-ear sound. I’ve been wearing them for a few weeks now to find out if the Soundgear Sense sounds as good as promised, and are worth picking up.
JBL Soundgear Sense
The JBL Soundgear Sense are a great example of a new breed of open-ear headphones that offer solid, customisable sound and a versatile design for exercise. It would be great if they sat a little more discreetly, but the good definitely outweighs the not so good here, making them a great set of air conduction-style headphones.
Pros
- Can wear as ear hooks or neckband
- Enjoyable sound profile
- Comfortable to wear for long periods
Cons
- Mixed battery performance
- Call quality not spectacular
- A smaller design would be nice
Price, specs and availability
The JBL Soundgear Sense are priced at £129.99, with no availability in the US at the time of writing. This is the first version of the Soundgear Sense, so there isn’t a predecessor to compare it to on price. What I can say is that they are cheaper than some other air conduction headphones like the Shokz OpenFit ($150/£150), which left us wanting in the performance department.
JBL Soundgear Sense
- Noise Cancellation
- No
- Microphones
- Four
- IP rating
- IP54
- Charging
- USB-C
- Driver size
- 16.2mm
- Weight
- 13.1g (buds), 69.5g (case)
- Color
- Black, White
- Earbuds battery life
- Up to 6 hours
- Charging case battery life
- Up to 24 hours
Design
Two-in-one design
The Soundgear Sense are – at first glance – a pair of pretty regular ear-hook-style, truly wireless earbuds. They come in a choice of either black or white and are matched with a thankfully not too gargantuan case to keep them charged.
These aren’t the smallest earbuds though, but do offer some nice elements. For example, they’re IP54 rated, which doesn’t mean you can dip them in water, but does mean they can handle some sweat and rain without bother.
That said, the Shokz OpenFit are definitely lighter in comparison and have a stronger level of durability, but I’ve found the Sense perfectly fine to wear. They’re good weight, don’t feel uncomfortable when using them for longer periods and, crucially, they do stay put.
To help them stay in place, JBL also includes a neckband you can drop the ends of the ear hooks into if you’re concerned about the security of the fit. I never felt I really needed it, but it’s good to see it included in the box nonetheless.
On the outside of the buds, you’ll find some touch-based controls, which can be customised using the JBL companion app. These controls allow you to do everything you’d expect – play and pause audio, skip tracks, summon your smartphone assistant as well as answer and reject calls.
I’m generally not a fan of touch controls, especially if you’re going to use these headphones for workouts, which they do seem geared towards. However, I was happy to find that the controls were nicely responsive. I wasn’t constantly trying to find the sweet touch-control spot mid-run, and it’s handy to be able to customise them as well.
Features and battery life
Plenty to tinker with
As mentioned, JBL does give you access to its companion app and that’s where you’ll find features like the equaliser (more on that later) and the ability to alter the touch controls, but there are also some additional things here.
JBL includes a Smart Audio & Video mode, where you can choose to optimise their performance depending on what you’re using them for. If you choose Normal, you’ll get a general focus on stability, while Music Mode will prioritise sound quality and Video Mode will ensure the best lip-syncing.
Something more useful for most is the ability to adjust the balance of sound between the left and right earbuds if you prefer to have the volume a little louder on one side over the other. You do also have the option to use the buds individually for any scenario, if you don’t want to wear both to listen to your audio.
There are also modes to limit the max volume to help you protect your ears and there’s a very useful find my bud mode that works to track down the individual buds, which emits a pinging sound to help you locate them.
In terms of what you can expect in battery life from the Soundgear Sense, JBL lists that they can last up to six hours, and you’ll get a total of 24 hours of battery if you’ve also fully charged up the case. My experience of battery performance is that if you go loud, the battery will drop noticeably quicker, and I’d say it’s closer to 4–5 hours. It’s boosted by the quick charge support that provides four hours of battery from just 15 minutes spent in the charging case though.
My only note here is that you need to be mindful of storing the earbuds correctly in the case, making sure the hinged design is folded down. If you don’t, they won’t charge correctly, which is frustrating when you go to fish for them from their case to find they are still flat.
Sound
More bass, less leakage
JBL adopts an air conduction approach with the way it delivers sound on the Sense, which it refers to as OpenSound Technology. This puts speaker units near and not inside your ears, using 16.2mm drivers per bud to channel sound towards the ear.
JBL promises almost zero leakage, while still keeping you aware of the surrounding sounds – a not-so-subtle nod to the competition, with leakage being something that’s strongly associated with open-ear bone conduction headphones.
The Soundgear Sense are the type of headphones for people who like the idea of bone conduction headphones, but have found them to be a little lacking in overall sound quality – particularly in the general warmth and bass front.
I’ve been using the Sense during the day at my desk and when working in places like cafés. I’ve also been using them in the gym and out on runs to see how they handle battling more exterior sound.
What I found was that the Sense managed to retain good sound both inside and outside. There’s a good balance between hearing your sound and still being aware of your surroundings. That’s aided by the Sense’s design, which lets you simply move the headphones closer and further away from the ear to alter the level of sound. It’s simple, but an effective approach.
JBL promises punchy bass and a pure sound, and I’d say what you get is similar to what I’ve experienced with JBL’s Endurance Peak and Reflect Flow Pro – two very energetic-sounding headphones, and it’s more of the same here.
Unlike bone conduction headphones, air conduction typically gives you EQ options and those are found inside the simply designed JBL Headphones app. There are five EQ presets in total and a custom one, so you should be able to get a profile that works for you.
Listen to Massive Attack’s ‘Unfinished Sympathy’ and that instant deep hit of bass is well reproduced – there’s a good thud to the low end here, especially when compared to bone conduction headphones – but it isn’t a dominating presence either.
On Marvin Gaye’s ‘Inner City Blues’ or Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain,’ the vocals are detailed and relatively insightful, with smooth and fluid handling of the mid-range instruments. The only thing that lets the side down are moments where the treble could have a touch more refinement – it isn’t ever harsh, per se, but there’s a slight lack of sparkle that could’ve added to the balance.
It’s perhaps a good example where you need to bring that equaliser into play, though it’s a shame the presets at least aren’t in some way accessible directly from the headphones. Still, it’s an enjoyable listening experience overall, and certainly improves in some areas where bone conduction headphones lack.
When it comes to putting the onboard microphones to take hands-free calls, the headphones do offer good volume to make up for a level of call clarity that’s okay, but not best in class. That said, they certainly fare better than bone conduction headphones if you’re planning to use them to handle calls outside.
Verdict
The JBL Soundgear Sense breaks new ground for JBL, dipping its toe into this new, open ear headphone space with a great first effort.
The sound is every bit JBL and that’s good to see. What’s also good to see that while these aren’t necessarily just for fitness fiends, the wearable style clearly makes them a better fit for using in the gym or on runs.
They’re not the only air conduction headphones out there, but I’d say that if you compare them to something like the more expensive and sleeker-looking Shokz OpenFit, the Soundgear Sense definitely ticks a lot more boxes to warrant picking them up for less money instead.