Design and features:These headphones have a closed design and electronic noise canceling feature which reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The headphones work with or without the noise canceling feature being turned on. You can use the noise-canceling feature without listening to music, and the audio cable can be detached to get it out of the way when the headphones are being used for noise reduction only. The headphones have low sensitivity when the headphones are powered (turned on) regardless of whether the noise cancelation feature turned on or off; so while they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and higher powered portable audio devices, they may not be a good match for lower-powered portables. When used in passive (unpowered) mode they have medium sensitivity; so they can provide satisfying volume levels when used with home audio equipment and and all but the lowest powered portable audio devices. The Club ONE has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls and integrated call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include detachable coiled standard audio cable (length given is unstretched; fully stretched length is >80 in). Detachable audio with built-in mic and remote control. Has audio cable jacks on both earcups - audio cable can be plugged in on either side. Earcups fold and swivel for ease of carrying and storage. Free My JBL Headphone app for Apple and Android mobile devices add additional features when used in Bluetooth mode. None Has music player transport, call connect/disconnect, noise cancellation/ambient sound monitoring, digital voice assistant activation, and Bluetooth volume controls. Has power power on/off and Bluetooth pairing alert tones. Supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Siri digital voice assistants when used with Bluetooth devices that have those capabilities and that, if needed, have the appropriate apps installed. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. The My JBL Headphone app download for Apple and Android mobile devices can be used to show battery level, set up the digital voice assistants, select between preset and custom EQ settings, enable the automatic-off feature, update the firmware of the headphones, swap between "ambient aware" and "talk thru" modes, and turn on/off ANC. This model comes with detachable coiled 59-inch long standard audio cable, detachable 46-inch long audio cable with built-in mic and answer/digital assistant activation control button for iPhone/iPod/iPad, and smartphone use, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, 1/4" adapter, mini-plug-to-airplane-jack adapter, carrying case.
Sound quality: We found the Club ONE delivers sound quality that falls in the good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound and excellent active noise reduction. With the noise cancelling mode engaged and the JBL Headphone app tone settings set to off (as received state of the headphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes fairly deep, but is a bit prominent and somewhat boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a bit thin, somewhat grainy and a touch congested (think sonic traffic jam) and etched (a bit more sharply outlined then it should be) and gets harsh at higher volumes. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but is somewhat prominent and smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred), and a bit sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound also has a good sense of liveliness and is open--sound-wise it seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears. It does a decent job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). Neutral character. The overall sound can best be summarized as somewhat bassy and grainy. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these headphones. When battery power is turned on while cord connected to AC powered devices this model may produce a noticeable humming and/or hissing noise. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. Noise canceling feature does not produce any background noise that can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort: We found that these headphones produce a sense of moderate pressure around the ears. As typical of over-ear models the ear pads might feel hot and/or sticky after prolonged use. Users with larger ears might find that the over-the-ear fit of the ear pads feel cramped, or that the ear pads sit on, rather than around their ears; in that case the less-than-ideal fit around the ears might interfere with the earpad seal and reduce the noise reduction capabilities of the headphone. Users with larger heads might find that the headband does not have enough adjustment range to allow the earcups rest properly on the ears and/or that the headband presses uncomfortably on the top of the head. Users with smaller heads may find that when they lean far forward the headphones feel unstable and shift forward, possibly to the point of falling off. When wearing this model while walking the muffled vibrations from each foot step can be heard through the headphones. When the audio cord is used the sound of it rubbing on clothing may be faintly heard through the headphones.
