JBL was founded in Los Angeles in 1927 by James Bullough Lansing. His story is an exciting one of rags to riches, but now the products are now distributed by international powerhouse, Hardman. They are made in China and while is usually a deterrent for most people, these headphones still perform well amongst its users. With 4.5 stars on Amazon, this product rates well, but has limited reviews.
The JBL T210 is a part of JBL’s Turbo Bass line and offers superb sound quality for the price. These affordable headphones come in 3 colors- black, white and pink and feature a one-button remote for on-the-go use. The flat cable prevents tangling and is long enough to reach to your pocket, backpack or purse.
While the headphones are made of plastic, they are lightweight, sleek and feel sturdy in hand. The headphones come with three sets of silicon caps for the earbuds, customizable to fit the size of your ears, a carrying pouch and a 1-year warranty.
Value for Money | Ease of Use | Quality of Build | Overall Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
These headphones are a great economical choice. | With a plated 3.5 mm jack and no wireless capability, they are incompatible with iPhone 7, 8 & X but work with older iPhone models and all Android devices | Featuring customizable angled earbuds, the JBL T200 headphones are well built and attractive, but they are still made of plastic in China. | Some of the features like a flat cable to prevent tangling and soft earbuds make the headphones extremely comfortable to wear, but you are limited to use them with only Android devices without an adapter. |
What we like:
What we don’t like:
Breakdown of the Reviewer’s Body
Present the product
The JBL T210 is a pair of in-ear headphones and part of JBL’s Turbo Bass Line. This line offers the user booming bass along with accessibility since it’s designed for on-the-go use. They were released in 2016 and have become an industry favorite. The product hasn’t been updated since release so they still come in 3 color choices-Black/Orange, Silver/White, Pink (Rose Gold) /White.
Who Is This Product For?
This product is for the on-the-go-user that doesn’t want to sacrifice sound quality. The angled earbuds fit securely in the ear since they come in three different sized removable ear caps. They are pretty tricky to get on and off, but worth the hassle because the secure fit allows for better sound isolation.
The headphones are extremely affordable, but the T Series does offer one other pair at an even lower price point. The L-shaped plug allows for easier pocket use, but these headphones are geared for the Android user.
The iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8 and X do not feature a headphone jack so these headphones would not be compatible with newer iPhones without an adapter. The L-shaped plug would also hinder its use with some accessories like the Morphie Case and an extender would be necessary.
The headphones are extremely easy to use, just plug and play. As I mentioned earlier, the ear tips can be a bit tricky to get on and off, but the flat cord prevents tangling which is a significant selling point.
The downer though, is the one-touch button. It’s so temperamental! One click answers/hangs up a call or pauses the audio, two clicks move to the next song and three clicks goes back to the previous song. Although the clicks have to be perfectly timed out, especially the three clicks, because the remote is often not responsive.
An avid gym-goer would love the ease of use of the headphones along with the weight. They are extremely lightweight and the flat cord makes them tangle-free, even in your gym bag. You could answer calls and control music without interrupting your workout.
I wouldn’t, however, suggest these headphones for a student. They are affordable and lightweight, but sound can bleed in quiet environments like a dorm room or library at maximum volume and you wouldn't want to disturb your classmates.
What’s Included?
The box includes the headphones, three customizable silicone ear tips, carrying bag, an instruction manual and a warranty card. With registration, the T210s come with a 1-year warranty which speaks to the company’s confidence in the quality of its product.
I didn’t care for the excessive plastic packaging that came with the headphones. I wish the packaging was as sleek as the headphones. These headphones are CE labeled so they are verified safe to use by EU standards, but the packaging contains so much single-use plastic I wonder how that affects the communities where they are sold. I’d love to see them affixed to the box without the unnecessary plastic.
Overview of Features
All of JBL’s Turbo Bass lines features their “Pure Bass Sound that is both deep and powerful”. The headphones in the line vary in price, but they all have a hefty bass in common. The bass is powerful and strong without sounding blown out.
The headphones are made mostly of plastic, but they do have aluminum features. There is a thick colored metal band around the ear casing and two bands around the audio jack which increases its connectability.
In-ear headphones have become increasingly popular because of their sound isolation. They are not as isolating as a noise-canceling headphone, but their snug fit helps improve sound quality and minimize background noise.
Hands-free calling is a must on headphones these days. The T210s are designed for commuters and the ability to phone a friend hands-free is a must on a crowded subway. Commute times are getting longer and longer with urban sprawl so we can use this time efficiently by using it to check in with work or check up on our family & friends.
Headphones should never be used while driving, but the T210’s one button remote allows you to use them to make phone calls since it contains a built-in microphone. The one-button remote also allows the user to control music as well. You can pause the song with one click, skip to the next song with two clicks and go back to the previous song with three clicks.
This keeps your hands free to hold on the metro pole, keep your eyes looking forward while walking down the street or change the song without interrupting your workout.
The bass on these headphones is surprisingly good considering the price point. The sub-bass is limited, but the overall sound is very balanced and full. From Smooth Jazz to Heavy Metal, these headphones are a favorite among various users.
The T210’s mid-tone vocals and higher mid-tone vocals are obvious, but the lower mid-tone vocals fall to the background. In this sense, the mids are imbalanced since the low mids are overpowered by the others. The mid to high mids are not blown out, just stronger than the low mids that sound really far away. This is something your average listener might not notice, but it would be apparent to those looking for superb sound quality.
The T210s are a part of JBL’s Turbo Bass line, so it’s not a surprise that they underperform with the high tones/treble. As Meghan Trainor said, “It’s all about that bass”. Again, something that might not be important for your average listener until they are met with the screeching sounds of an unbalanced treble. This can be resolved by lowering the volume, but would still be a shock to most listeners.
You don’t need to worry much about sound leakage either. Since these are in-ear headphones, your neighbors won’t be able to hear your audio unless they are used at maximum volume. I wouldn’t recommend them to students studying in a library, but there would be very little sound leakage in your average urban, city environment.
The same goes for sound isolation. They perform well at a low to mid-level volume, but start to overflow at the maximum volume.
Tutorial/How to Use
These headphones are extremely easy to use; just plug and play. They don’t have any Bluetooth capabilities so no need to hassle with Bluetooth configurations. They are very popular in India. Here is a video of a local blogger explaining his experience in English:
You’ll first need to open them and decide which set or earbuds fits you best. You can easily do this by simply trying them on. Once you get them fitted and have made sure they work, you should complete and send in the warranty card. The one year warranty is a testament of how confident JBL is of their products, so you should register your headphones to take full advantage of their offer.
The carrying pouch is a nice addition, you can keep that in your purse, gym bag, backpack; wherever you’ll store your headphones.
Alternatives
The JBL T210s are often compared to the Apple Earbuds in terms of sound quality. They are indeed more comfortable than the Apple Earbuds because of their silicone ear covers, so in comfortability, the JBL T210s rate higher.
Apple Earbuds come standard with all iPhones so they are “free” or included with purchase, but JBL’s T210 would be a suitable replacement if you lost or broke your Apple Earbuds. The Apple Earbuds would also be compatible with all Apple products including the newer models since they come with Lightning port connectors instead of the standard 3.5mm jack.
The Audio-Techinca QuietPoint might be a better option for students. They are still affordable, but are quieter in a silent environment like the library. They also offer a 2-prong airplane adapter.
SoundMagic’s E11C is a great choice for those focused on sound quality. They are slightly more expensive, but still around the same price range. Their bass is strong and their treble doesn’t sound like nails on a chalkboard, even at maximum volume. They aren’t the best in terms of high mids, but certainly the best for this price point.
WoodBuds is an eco-conscious company that sells its headphones free of useless plastic packing.
The in-ear option remains affordable and is sold in a trendy compostable cardboard box. The plastic cords are made of biodegradable plastic and for every 100 sets purchased, they plant one tree. They also donate one percent of their sales to environmental organizations, so if you’re trying to reduce your global footprint, these headphones are a stellar option.
Conclusion
Overall, I’d say JBL’s T210 is a good purchase. They are worth buying at such an affordable price and are already an extremely popular choice in the competitive Indian market.
The bass is awesome especially on such a small device even though the treble can be piercing at the maximum volume.
They are not compatible with newer iPhone models which is a huge drawback, but there are others in the T series that are compatible via Bluetooth.
If you are an Android user, these headphones will be a welcome addition to your music listening experience.
