VP/Tech | What We Like about the JBL Soundgear Frames
A pair of stylish sunglasses that plays music? Send it to me, Rachel, please. Yes, you read that right! Potentially their most innovative product to date, JBL recently launched the JBL Soundgear Frames in the Philippines.
While a pair of sunnies that can play music and answer calls seems like one hell of a party trick, this device has more to offer than it seems. After testing it out for a few weeks, here are five reasons to check out the new JBL Soundgear Frames.
Style and Comfort
With the choice of either a round or square frame, the JBL Soundgear Frames come in three colors: Onyx, Pearl, and Amber. It also has UVA/UVB protection within its semi-transparent lenses to make sure that you’re not only stylish but also safe from the sun.
Moreover, you can even take your frames to a professional optician and get your lenses changed into prescription lenses if needed.
This varies from person to person, but my experience with the frames has generally been comfortable. It fits snugly in my head even if I run, jump, or shake my head while wearing it. On the other hand, since it automatically powers on when opened and automatically powers off when closed, I wish there was a mechanism that stops the temples from falling on their own. This is to prevent accidental power-offs from happening while using it.
Easily Customizable
One thing I like about the JBL Soundgear Frames is how easily you can customize how you use them. By downloading the JBL Headphones App, you can access a bunch of toggles that could change how you use your frames.
With this, the JBL logo located at the temples of the frames serves more functions than just branding. It also serves as a touch control for pausing/playing, increasing/decreasing the volume, answering calls, and more.
To customize these controls, download the JBL Headphones app and access settings that can alter the gestures that correlate to a specific function. Furthermore, you can even select a bunch of sound modes to upgrade your listening experience through the equalizer settings in the app.
Sound Quality
The JBL Soundgear Frames feature their state-of-the-art Opensound Technology on both the down-firing ultra-thin 25mm x 9mm speakers. This technology ensures that those around you can hardly hear a sound by directing sound waves to your ears and dispersing excess sound to minimize leakage.
Don’t get us wrong, there will be a slight leakage from the frames given their open build, but you can easily mitigate it through playing with the volume. I’ve worn this device multiple times outdoors and people around me didn’t necessarily notice the sound coming from my device until I point it out directly.
Furthermore, the JBL Soundgear Frames can reach up to 90dB of volume which can get pretty loud. This becomes more noticeable in small and enclosed spaces with quiet surroundings. Outdoors, however, is where the Opensound Technology-powered down-firing speakers shine in action.
Wearing this device along the busy streets of Manila has been a breeze. I get to shield my eyes from the sun, listen to my favorite songs, and not suffer from having anything obstructing my ears.
Battery Life
The JBL Soundgear Frames offer 8 hours of continuous playback on one full charge. If you’re on the go, you can even garner another 2 hours of playback from just 10 minutes of charging the frames.
In terms of charging the unit, you’ll get a dual-ended USB Type-C cable that charges the frames quickly. It doesn’t come with a charging brick in the box, but the chord easily connects with any charging bricks you have laying around so don’t worry.
Bringing Music with You
I once let my friend try the JBL Soundgear Frames to know what they feel about it. After a few minutes of wearing it, they said, ‘It’s like bringing music with you.’ That’s probably the best way to describe the JBL Soundgear Frames, given how it provides music without necessarily putting anything inside your ears.
Would I say that everybody should get this product? Not necessarily. But is it worth checking out to see if it’s for you? Definitely.
The JBL Soundgear Frames retails for Php9,499 in the Philippines. If you’re interested in checking out this device, head on over to any official JBL online and physical stores nationwide and bring immersive sound everywhere you go.
