The JBL T450BT is a wireless ear-on headphone. It’s lightweight and stylish, connecting to sound sources via Bluetooth technology. There’s a built-in power supply and recharging system. The headphone was released in 2018 at an attractive price point in an effort to increase its market share.
JBL has done well to roll out such a feature-packed product at a low price. In this article, we will be reviewing the headphone.
Product highlights
- 1Connects wirelessly via Bluetooth 4.0, hence, no cable attached.
- 2Nice design and lightweight.
- 3Call and music control arranged on the headphone.
- 4Built-in microphone.
- 5Built-in Lithium polymer battery which is capable of running for eleven hours on single charge.
- 6Decent sound quality.
The good/ what I like
The headphone has a number of excellent features. You might consider purchasing the headphone for the following reasons.
- 1Attractive price point compared to similar headphones;
- 2Presence of control buttons not common in other mid-range headphones.
- 3Portable, lightweight and spectacular design.
- 4Microphone allows outgoing telephone calls.
- 5The battery when fully charged can keep you going for about eleven hours.
The bad / what I don’t like
On the other hand, the headphone has some minor issues, which many may overlook. For example;
- 1Headband doesn’t have any cushioning.
- 2Ear cups don’t have sufficient cushioning.
- 3You can’t use the device passively because it doesn’t come with an audio jack or cable. When the headphone battery loses it’s charge, it cannot be connect to any device.
- 4The microphone doesn’t perform particularly well in noisy areas.
- 5The device doesn’t feature any power management system and it takes about 3 hours to be fully charged.
Who is this product for?
The JBL T450BT is an affordable wireless bluetooth headphone. It falls among the mid-range of similiar products and is targeted towards the normal average user. However, it may not appeal to luxury lovers.
What’s included?
There is not much in the box. Inside the box, you should find the headphone itself, QSG, a charging cord, safety sheet and warranty card.
Product overview and features
Design and attachments
The JBL T450BT is a mid-range ears-on headphone. It produces a decent sound and bears a stylish look. The plastic build is somewhat durable, however, less so than some others within the same price range.
The headphone is lightweight, weighing 11.2 ounces. It’is portable and can be folded conveniently into your bag and can even fit into larger pockets. It has a length of 4.2 inches by 6 inches and a height of 1.8 inches. Owing to its lightweight, it sits effortlessly around your neck without feeling it.
The headphone is sturdy and comfortable during use and for longer listening periods. The headphone fits quite perfectly and it has stability during some less intense physical activities such as running and jogging. Unfortunately, its stability decreases with increased physical activities, hence, it is not ideal for sports. It will tilt or shift when performing strenuous activities.
The headphones adjust it to fit your head. While the headband doesn’t have cushioning, the ear cups, on the other hand, is packed with cushioning made from soft material. Luckily, the ear cups are not too tight, therefore, it gives your ears the space to breathe.
The overall weight of the headphone, which is about 11 ounces, enhances its ability to withstand inadvertent falls. The wireless range is fair enough but the latency is slightly below average. The headphone doesn’t allow multi-device pairing or NFC.
The headphone also has a built-in mic. Hence, it is a good option for making outgoing calls. There are four buttons on the headphone; power, volume, skip/play and pause. The control buttons serve a dual purpose of controlling calls and music.
There is no headphone jack. This means you cannot use an audio cable. When the battery goes out, you cannot use the device passively. The device does not have dedicated software to tweak audio quality. The headphone is powered by a Lithium polymer battery which can last up to eleven hours on a single full charge.
The battery is fair enough and should last you a full day, if well managed. Although the battery life is decent, it does not have a power management system. The battery can be charged via the embedded micro USB charging port.
Sound production and quality
The JBL T450BT produces a decent sound quality. The device has a dynamic driver of 32mm. The bass, mid-range and treble are acceptable for a mid-range device. The bass is slightly intense, the mid-range is fair and the treble is decent.
The low bass of the headphone is almost neutral, therefore, there are fewer mumblings from this bass section. Unfortunately, the mid-bass and high bass are quite loud. Consequently, the bass appears a bit ruffled and dense.
The treble sounds impressive, well balanced and pretty good. However, you will notice that your headphone produces a sharp T and S sounds. On the other hand, the mid-range is very nice, giving a balanced and clear sound reproduction.
In terms of noise isolation, the JBL T450BT doesn’t perform up to expectations. The headphone doesn’t perform well in noisy areas. The relatively small size of the ear cups also influences this attribute, hence, you might hear noise from outside even while listening to music. Definitely, the device is not ideal for travelling and commuting. Fortunately, there is less leak from the device so you can increase the volume to offset this.
The JBL T450BT has an average microphone. The microphone records thin at low frequency. It performs unexceptional even in quiet rooms, producing slightly ruffled sounds which clearly lacks detail. The situation gets worse in noisy environments and the noise blends perfectly with your recording, making it tough to distinguish sounds.
Product Alternatives
There are many alternatives to the JBL T450BT but we will be focusing on four other headphones, the JBL E45BT, JBL E55BT, Sony WH-CH500 and Skullcandy Grind.
The JBL E45BT is a much better device. In terms of design, the JBL E45BT wears a better look, appearing sturdy and more durable. It also has a better sound reproduction. The device has an audio jack, therefore, you can use the device passively with your audio players when the battery runs out.
The device allows multi-device pairing with a limit of two devices. In terms of battery life, the JBL E45BT has the upper hand. However, in terms of weight, the JBL E45BT is slightly heavier than the JBL T450BT. The JBL E45BT appears less portable and stable, hence, it is less ideal for sports.
The JBL E55BT is a more decent ear-on headphone. It has a more compact design. The JBL E55BT is far better than the JBL T450BT. It is very strong and durable. The device produces much quality sound.
The battery is more optimized, hence, it can stay more active than the JBL T450BT. You do not have to worry if your device runs out as it has an audio jack which allows you to connect passively with your audio player. It also allows multi-device pairing with a limit of two devices.
However, the JBL E55BT is larger over the ears and the JBL T450BT wins on the basis of portability and lightweight.
The Sony WH-CH500 is another decent alternative. The Sony WH-CH500 is an ear-on headphone. It features a more decent microphone. The device has a better power management system, therefore it has longer battery life. It supports NFC. The device has a wider wireless range and it pairs more easily.
The Sony WH-CH500 doesn’t differ much from the JBL T450BT as they both have a cheaper look with it mediocre sound reproduction. However, the JBL T450BT has a more impressive latency. It also offers more stability during sports.
The Skullcandy Grind headphone is an impressive ear-on headphone. The device highlights the better quality and more comfort expected of headphones. Power management is top-notch in the device as it has a longer battery life.
The sound quality is much better and balanced. Unlike the JBL T450BT, the device also features an audio port, therefore you can use them as a wired device, especially when your battery runs out. On the other hand, the device appears less compact and bulkier in design. Also, the JBL T450BT is lightweight and leaks less.
Conclusion
The JBL T450BT is very good for moderate use. The build plastic is relatively inferior and should be handled with care. The headphone doesn’t have an audio jack so you should charge it if you’re going on a long journey. Since the headphones can be connected only via Bluetooth. Due to it’s light weight it’s recommended for moderate sporting activities such as running.
In terms of listening experience, the device exhibits too much latency and would not be a good option for viewing videos. The device also has poor noise isolation. However, this can be compensated by increasing its volume. Regardless, it remains a good choice for office use.
The bass may sometime appear ruffled and the treble defect may be exposed when listening to music with heavy vocals and cymbal usage. The microphone appears unexceptional. Definitely, it is not ideal for playing games.
The JBL T450BT is a good bargain. It is budget friendly and still offers a lot of nice features plus the latest Bluetooth technology.
