A design that is not inferior to Beats, groundbreaking functionalities, a sound that at times feels high-end, and all that for less than 100 euros... Indeed, sounds almost too good to be true. Yet the new Bluetooth headphones from JBL - the E40BT - surprised me positively.
JBL E40BT
Recommended retail price: € 99,99
Compatible: iOS and Android
Battery life: 16 hours
driver: 40mm with PureBass
Frequency Response: 10Hz to 24KHh
Connectivity: 3.5mm jack, bluetooth, ShareMe
Microphone: Yes
9 Score 90- Pros
- design
- Rich sound
- Bluetooth stable
- ShareMe
- Price
- Negatives
- Build quality
The E40BT is, as we are used to from manufacturer JBL, a very stylish headset. Okay, it may feel a bit plastic when you take it out of the box and you shouldn't handle it too harshly, but the use of lightweight materials makes it comfortable to wear for a longer period of time. It fits quite tightly around your head, so if you have a slightly larger head, it might irritate during a long listening session. Also read: The 5 best bluetooth speakers you can buy.
Get rid of ambient noise
Adjusting the headband is smooth, and because the ear cups can be tilted, the (artificial) leather ear cushions always fit comfortably. In addition to the black version we tested, the E40BT is also available in striking colors such as red, purple and blue. A fashionable headset, therefore, that is certainly not inferior to the sleek Beats headphones. A nice side effect is that the ear cups are able to block out a lot of ambient noise (okay, it's not a Bose QC 15), which quickly made these my favorite headphones for use at the office or during daily travel with public transport.
With the control panel you can control the music and take calls.
Because they are Bluetooth headphones, JBL has built all control buttons on the left earcup. Understandable, but not always as practical as a panel incorporated into a cord. With the buttons on the aluminum disk you can switch between songs, pause music or take phone calls. On the side is an on/off switch for the bluetooth function.
Connecting via bluetooth is fast, but if you prefer to connect with an old-fashioned cord (because the battery is empty, for example), you can do that with the included 3.5mm cable. I've been using the E40BT for a full week now, and have only once experienced a loss of bluetooth connection with my phone. So a very stable connection.
Have a nice long listen
JBL promises that you can listen to music via bluetooth for about 16 hours before you have to connect the E40BT to the charger again. This seems to be quite right, and that is an excellent performance for such headphones. You can also charge with the included USB cable. Conveniently, you always see the battery status of the headset on your phone screen.
ShareMe
JBL has provided the E40BT with a very cool feature called ShareMe. This allows the headset to connect to another Bluetooth headset that supports ShareMe, making it easy for two people to listen to the same music. So get rid of those splitters or annoying adapter cables!
You can therefore easily connect wirelessly with your smartphone, for example, via Bluetooth.
Nice of course, that beautiful design and the good functionalities, but the most important thing with headphones is of course the sound quality. Personally, I think that JBL sometimes lets it down on this point. Fortunately, that is not the case with the E40BT. Apart from the Logitech UE 4000, I've never had headphones on my head in this price segment that produced such a beautiful and rich sound, and also managed to hold them at high volume.
But they are certainly not all-round headphones. The E40BT offers a fairly balanced sound with its 40mm drivers, but it convinces especially in the high tones and the mid-range. If you attach great importance to a fat bass reproduction, then you are better off with competitor Beats. Personally, I find the clear sound that this headset produces very pleasant. Pop music, jazz, classical, dance and live registrations sound crystal clear. Hip-hop, R&B and rock sound fine, but just don't come through as well because of the lack of bass.
Headphones that allow you to be seen.
Conclusion
If your next pair of headphones should not cost more than 100 euros and if you think a dynamic sound is more important than a dominant bass, then the E40BT from JBL is by far the best choice at the moment. The headset is comfortable (if you have a small head), looks stylish and is very easy to use. In addition to the sound quality, especially the ShareMe function and the stable bluetooth connection surprised me. Reason enough to look beyond Beats By Dre!
