Design and features:This Bluetooth wireless noise canceling portable ear-insert model provides very good sound and excellent active noise reduction. Its ear plug-like design and electronic noise canceling feature 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. The Reflect Mini NC has an integrated microphone and player function controls. Additional features include Either earpiece can be used alone for one ear monitoring of Bluetooth streamed audio and telephone communications. Charging/carrying case has built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries 2 times (for an additional 14 hrs. of playtime for a total of 21 hrs.) between its own charges. Manufacturer claims water resistance (IPX7). Free My JBL Headphone app for Apple and Android mobile devices add additional features. Has two ambient sound monitoring settings; one emphasizes the entire audible frequency range, the other emphasizes the vocal frequency range. Has music player transport, and call connect/disconnect touch controls. Has Bluetooth connection alert tone. Has auto pause feature that stops audio playback when either earphone is removed from the ears and resumes when they are replaced in the ears. Has quick charge feature: 10 min of charging will provide 1 hr. of playtime. Supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and 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 turn the active noise canceling and ambient monitoring features on and off, swap the touch controls of each earphone between playback control, noise cancelling/ambient monitoring control and voice assistant activation, or volume control and voice assistant activation, and digital voice assistant activation. It can also be used to select between preset and custom EQ settings, enable the automatic-off feature, disable the auto pause feature, show battery level, set up the digital voice assistants, check the fit of the headphones, find lost headphones, and update the firmware of the headphones. This model comes with 3 pairs of ear tips in various sizes, 3 pairs of earbowl supports in various sizes, USB-A to USB-C connector charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case. Free My JBL Headphone app for Apple and Android mobile devices.
Sound quality: We found the Reflect Mini NC delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks 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 deep, but is prominent and "thuddy". The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is a touch thin, somewhat grainy, a bit sibilant, and a touch hazy 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 a bit smeared and sizzly. The sound also has a good sense of liveliness and is somewhat open-sound-wise it almost seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears and does a decent job of recovering room ambience. Mixed character - warm bass with neutral midrange and neutral treble. The overall sound can best be summarized as bassy and grainy. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these earphones. Noise Canceling: Excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with the low frequencies reduced the most. A faint rushing sound can be heard when there is no audio program to drown it out.
Comfort: We found that these earphones as typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening might be uncomfortable for some, and some users may find the material used for the ear pieces feels a bit abrasive. Users with small earbowls will probably find that the earphone body feels bulky in their earbowl and that they stick out too far and feel like they may lever out of place and are mostly held in place by the section of the earphone that is inserted in the ear canal, and that they tend to pop out even during casual use, or might find that the earphone body does not fit securely into their earbowl and that even though they can get them to stay in place the earbowl fit is very tight. Users with medium and large sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are very stable even during fairly vigorous head movement, but may also find that the earphone body feels bulky in their earbowl. Some users might find pressing the various earphone controls drives the earphones farther into the ear canal and may cause ear discomfort.
