Headphones — JBL REFLECT FLOW PRO

The Reflect Flow PRO is a sport-oriented true wireless earbud from JBL, part of Harman, announced on 2 September 2021 together with the Tune 130NC and Tune 230NC. It became available on 10 October 2021 at USD 179.95, in black, blue, white and pink. The model pairs adaptive noise cancelling with the POWERFIN wing design that JBL uses to keep buds in place during running and training, and it carries a dust and water rating high enough for salt water.

Key specs that matter

Every bud carries one 6.8 mm dynamic driver. JBL gives a response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz, a sensitivity of 100 dB at 1 kHz and 1 mW and an impedance of 16 ohm. With Bluetooth on, the buds run for 10 hours and the case adds 20, for 30 hours in total; with noise cancelling engaged the buds manage 8 hours. A 10-minute speed charge gives one hour of play, and a full charge takes 2 hours. The earbud battery is a lithium polymer cell of 85 mAh at 3.7 V, and the case cell is rated at 540 mAh and 3.85 V. Weight is listed at 14.4 g. Connection is Bluetooth 5.0 with the A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6 and HFP 1.7 profiles and a transmitter power of 10 dBm.

Engineering and use context

The IP68 rating means the buds are dust-tight and can survive immersion, and the maker states that this holds even in salt water, which suits runs and training near the sea. POWERFIN wings come in four sizes and ear tips in three, so the fit can be matched to the ear before a workout. Adaptive Noise Cancelling works alongside Smart Ambient, which lets traffic and voices through when awareness matters outdoors. Six microphones are fitted, with two beamforming mics and a wind suppression feature per side to keep calls usable in the open air. The case charges on any Qi-compatible wireless pad as well as over USB-C. Google Assistant can be called up with a hot word, Fast Pair by Google speeds setup on Android handsets, and with Dual Connect + Sync a runner may wear only one bud. Touch controls can be customised in the JBL Headphones app. Along with the buds and case, the box contains a USB Type-C cable plus quick start and warranty documents.

Pairing

As a Bluetooth product, the Reflect Flow PRO connects directly to a phone or tablet, with no DAC or amplifier needed. Android users get the hot-word assistant and Fast Pair, and owners of a Qi charging pad can drop the case on it after a session.

Alternatives

The JBL Tune 130NC TWS, launched in the same autumn 2021 wave, uses larger 10 mm drivers and an IPX4 rating at USD 99.95.