JBL UA True Wireless Flash X

amazon JBL UA True Wireless Flash X reviews

JBL’s UA True Wireless Flash headphones have been our favorite pair since they came out last year, and they only get better in the form of the JBL UA True Wireless Flash X. For $169.95, JBL doesn’t make any significant changes here but has improved battery life (total 50 hours with the included charging case), USB-C charging support, and many other incremental upgrades. They still include MapMyRun’s free year-long membership, and the sound is still punchy and bassy. With a waterproof design and a super-secure in-ear fit.

Design

Available in black, the UA True Wireless Flash X headphones are heavy but light. They use ear tips with separate fin sleeves to create a secure ear and seal the ear canal. They block large amounts of background noise passively, but so do most in-ear models, so JBL’s claim of passive noise reduction here isn’t unique. The headphones come with three pairs of silicone ear tips, and three pairs of fin tubes (in S, M, and L) mixed and matched.

The headphones have an IPX7 rating, which means they’re completely waterproof and can withstand being submerged in up to one meter of water. However, the Bluetooth signal doesn’t work well underwater, but the point is that you can wash the headphones in the sink, under good tap pressure, without any problems. That means rain, sweat, and splashes won’t matter either. That, along with a secure fit and a free 12-month subscription to MapMyRun, make these headphones one of the more compelling wireless options for workouts.

Each headset has a multifunction button on the external panel, with the on-ear controls split between the two headphones. A single press on the right ear’s outer panel handles play/pause and call management, while a double-tap skips a track. The left ear switches to Talk Thru mode (allows you to hear your surroundings while the music volume is significantly reduced). With a single tap while double-tapping Ambient awareness (this mode also lets you hear ambient, the music volume is not lowered much). A single tap on the right ear can also answer an incoming call or end an ongoing call. Press and hold the right ear button for two seconds to invoke the voice assistant on your mobile device.

When you use a single headset in mono, these controls are condensed — you lose the Ambient Aware / Talk Thru controls, but the others remain. There’s no volume control on either headset and perhaps more annoyingly, there’s no backward track navigation. All of this is to add controls for ambient listening features to be a worthwhile sacrifice for some.

Aluminum charging case with sliding tray, built-in lanyard, and USB-C port (with rubber cap) for the included charging cable. The case is on the bulky side, but there’s a catch there — so the battery life is pretty impressive. JBL estimates the headphones last around 10 hours on a single charge, which is virtually unheard of in this category, while the carrying case adds an extra 40 hours of power. These are some of the best numbers we’ve seen in true wireless earbuds, but your results will vary with your volume level.

Aside from access to MapMyRun, there’s no app here for the headset itself, which is a bit silly. JBL’s Headphones app isn’t exactly a game-changer, but it does have a user-adjustable EQ, which is always a welcome feature. Too bad it’s not supported here.

The headset is compatible with Bluetooth 5.0 and supports the AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs but does not support AptX. Inside, the 5.8mm drivers provide a frequency range of 20Hz to 22kHz.

where can you get a JBL UA True Wireless Flash X online

JBL UA True Wireless Flash X Waterproof Bluetooth Earbuds Bundle with Anker PowerPort Elite 2 Port USB Wall Charger – Black: Buy it now

JBL UA True Wireless FLASH X In-Ear Sport Headphones – Black (Renewed): Buy it now

JBL UA Flash True Wireless Bluetooth in-Ear Headphones Bundle with Plugable USB-BT4LE USB 2.0 Bluetooth Adapter – Black: Buy it now

Performance

On tracks with intense bass content, such as The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the headphones deliver strong low-frequency responses. At the highest listening levels, unsophisticated, the bass is a bit weaker, but it’s always strong, and at more reasonable volumes, the deep bass is delightfully presented.

How we test headphones

Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the overall sonic character of the UA True Wireless Flash X. The drums on this track sounded almost as good thunder — there’s some serious bass-boosting sound going on here, but drivers try to avoid going into unnatural wild territory. Callahan’s baritone also gets a decent amount of extra mid-bass, but fortunately, there’s plenty of high-frequency and mid-high sculpting added. The result is a bright, clear sound anchored by some really powerful bass depth.

In Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop gets enough of a high-mid presence for its attack to keep the mix interesting. Sub-bass synth hits that help break the beat delivered with solid depth — we heard some forward-facing bass boosted the lows even further, but JBL stopped in a severely unbalanced important. The highs are all equally sculpted, making the vinyl crackle and hiss in the mix. The vocals on this track are delivered with clarity and perhaps a bit of bass.

Orchestral tracks, such as the opening scene in John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, certainly get more of a low-frequency response than the purist would want, but it doesn’t outstanding. The lower register instruments on this track are pushed forward with a stronger presence, but the focus remains on the brass, strings, and higher register vocals.

A note on in-ear fit and audio performance: A secure fit can be achieved with the UA True Wireless Flash X, but optimal audio output is not achieved. If you feel like you do not hear the powerful bass depth described above, it’s a good idea to reattach your headphones, twist them, or try different ear tips until you find the one that works best for your ears.

Microphone for above-average clarity. Using the Voice Memos app on the iPhone 8, we understood every word we recorded, and there was very little Bluetooth distortion in the mix. The recording seemed a bit thin, but the mic signal was still relatively strong, and the callers could hear clearly.

Conclusion

The $170 JBL UA True Wireless Flash X Headphones include the most important basics for a workout-friendly headset, including a fully waterproof design and a solid fit. A free year of MapMyRun subscriptions and some of the best battery life we’ve seen in this category is just icing on the cake. The audio performance is deep and powerful, which will likely appeal to those who are motivated by strong bass during workouts. The lack of an app with EQ is a pity.

Advantages

Powerful bass-forward performance

Good battery

Waterproof design

Ambient Aware Listening Mode

Includes 12-month MapMyRun membership

Defect

The charging box on the side is bulky

No app has EQ or adjusts settings