JBL-Harman launched their new headphones lines last week at Glorietta. With headphone options for audiophiles, extreme sports enthusiasts, and endurance athletes, there was something for every music lover — and as Filipinos we do love our music! Read on to get a look at the different kinds of headphones and my absolute favorite of the bunch, the Under Armour by JBL sports headphones.
JBL-Harman has a three-pronged marketing approach for their headphones, splitting the models into Lifestyle, Sports, and Studio. The AKG by Harman and the Harman-Kardon headphone models are their premium models for the audiophiles with a taste for the good life.
The AKG N90 was a collaboration with Quincy Jones and is their state-of-the-art flagship model. With technology such as TruNote and Active Noise Cancelling plus a plush ear cup that doesn’t pinch the earlob, this is the kind of headphone professional music producers would have in their toolbox to use while mastering an album. It is definitely the bling-bling, with a price tag to match.
In the Lifestyle category are the JBL Everest models with a wide range of appeal. The JBL Everest Elite 300 NC has Bluetooth-enabled wireless connectivity, so it’s the kind of headphone you can use all day for listening to music as well as answering your phone calls. Using the My JBL Headphones App you can really fine-tune sound profiles, and the built-in microphone allows custom noise cancellation and ambient sound awareness for each ear.
JBL-Harman has taken on two brand ambassadors: professional volleyball player Michelle Gumabao and fashion designer and lifestyle blogger Camille Co. Both women use JBL headphones in their individual pursuits, melding passion for music with their passion for sports and fashion respectively.
JBL ambassadors Michelle Gumabao and Camille Co
Of course, also on display were JBL’s portable bluetooth speakers, which brought to mind that Nike Run Club session two weeks ago where one of the people in my pace group carried a Charge 2+ throughout our speed session. Now that’s a commitment to music!
Harman-Kardon’s upscale wireless speakers
Adding to their wireless sport headphone options, JBL-Harman has come out with the Reflect Response and Reflect Mini BT. Both are sweat-proof with ergonomic ear-tips and angled ear pieces that lock in the in-ear headphones. The main difference is that the Reflect Response has a neckband that aids in stabilizing cord motion (no more annoying tugging at your ears), and the earpieces are also outfitted with touch control technology (no more fiddling with buttons).
yurbuds is the top sports headphone in the USA as evidenced by the presence of the Leap Wireless, Liberty Wireless, and Inspire models at the launch. It’s been a smart acquisition for JBL-Harman which is now using the TwistLock patented design in its JBL Grip models.
This brings me to the bombshell of the JBL-Harman headphone launch…
Under Armour Headphones by JBL
Back in September I found out about the Under Armour by JBL sport headphones at the JBL-Harman wireless speakers launch, but they asked us to embargo the news until the actual launch. I first got a look at the Under Armour by JBL sport headphones at the Century Tuna Ironman 70.3 Subic Bay expo:
I was able to get a full play through of these headphones at the JBL launch, even going so far as to jump around, shake my head, and run on a treadmill while wearing them. They are the lightest wireless sport headphone I have ever worn, with a smaller profile than even my own yurbuds Leap Wireless. They also use Twistlock technology and Flexsoft comfort fit to make sure the in-ear headphones never hurt and never fall out.
As a bonus, each Under Armour by JBL sport headphone set comes with a free 12-month MapMyFitness premium membership (valued at $29.99/year). Under Armour has the biggest interconnected ecosystem for social fitness networking and diet and exercise apps, and a MapMyFitness MVP premium membership gives you access to training plans, mobile coaching, live tracking, and the ability to export workouts among other things.
If you’re already into fitness tracking, you’ll understand that the more data you have on your training and eating habits, the more motivated you can be to keep improving.
Rumors have it that the next iteration of Under Armour by JBL sports headphones will have in-ear heart rate monitoring. How cool is that?
I can’t believe I’m geeking out about headphones, but when a brand brings together my passion for fitness with my love for music, it can’t go wrong.
Jeff ganda!!!