Hands-on review: JBL Soundgear Frames

Wearable tech has become commonplace in modern society, and the JBL Soundgear Frames are perfect for anyone who wants to passively listen to music on the go.

While these aren't in the same category as the all-singing, all-dancing Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, the Soundgear Frames instead offer an affordable option for audiophiles to experience their music via open-ear audio.

The JBL Soundgear Frames are affordable, stylish, and perhaps most importantly, offer a surprisingly impressive (and different) audio experience. 

First impressions and setup

The Soundgear Frames come in two different frame styles - Round or Square, and three different colours - Onyx, Pearl and Amber. All six variants look great and are designed to match the user's own taste. If you wear glasses, you can even speak to your optometrist about installing prescription lenses.

While not overly chunky, the Soundgear Frames arms are noticeably larger and slightly heavier than most conventional sunglasses, which is necessary to house all of the electrical components. JBL isn't shy on hiding these innards, either. The glasses have translucent frames that allow you to see just what's crammed into each arm.

Included in the box is a soft, leather-feel case, as well as cleaning cloth and a USB-A to double-ended USB-C cable which allows you charge the two arms together, which is necessary as each arm is independent.

Connecting the Soundgear Frames couldn't be easier. They are turned on by simply opening the two arms, which automatically puts them in pairing mode on the first use. From here, you select them on your device's Bluetooth list, then you're connected and ready to go.

Performance and practicality

The Soundgear Frames should not be compared to regular headphones or earbuds as they offer a completely different experience and, for most users, wouldn't be bought as a replacement for those products, instead being an alternative for listening to music or podcasts.

For starters, the speakers are tiny at just 25mm x 9mm, but they're carefully positioned and directed towards each ear to prove that size doesn't necessarily matter. 

The sound quality is surprisingly good while listening to a variety of different genres of music, as well as for podcasts, audiobooks and phone calls. JBL's OpenSound technology helps to provide crystal-clear audio, which makes everything sound nice and crisp.

There are a couple of downsides, however, which links back to the point of owning these alongside headphones or earbuds. Firstly, if you listen to the Soundgear Frames at full volume then there is significant leakage of audio, meaning you'll be sharing your music with anyone in your close vicinity. Secondly, the small drivers equate to a noticeable lack of bass, which could be a turn off for anyone who listens to a lot of rap or house music. 

The JBL Headphones app can be downloaded to personalise your listening experience. There's an equaliser to allow you to play around with the lows, mids and highs, allowing you to tailor the Soundgear Frames to the genre of music you're listening to. You also have the ability to adjust the balance between the left and right channels if required.

The app also lets your personal the gesture controls within the Soundgear Frames. There are JBL logos on each of the arms, and you can choose which one you'd like to control playback and which one you'd like to use specifically for volume control. Admittedly, the customisation is limited, but it's still nice to have. 

Wireless charging would be nice to have, though the USB cable works just fine. It can be a bit fiddly charging both arms via the two USB-C connections, but this doesn't matter too much due to the excellent battery life. The Soundgear Frames have up to eight hours of playtime, and a quick 10-minute charge gives you two hours of listening time.

Although it's only a minor issue, one downside of the Soundgear Frames, which made me more and more frustrated the longer I used them, was the ease with which they turned off. Turning the glasses on and off can be done by simply opening or closing them, but the ease in which the latter can be done means you'll often turn them off unintentionally. Due to the design, the arms are heavier than regular sunglasses, so they'll often close on their own, then you must open the arms again and wait a few seconds for them to reconnect via Bluetooth.

Verdict

I tested the Soundgear Frames over several weeks in a variety of scenarios, and they performed much better than I anticipated they would. In fact, I enjoyed them so much that I've now started grabbing them over my earbuds if I'm heading out on an evening walk (as long as the sun is shining, of course). 

While they may not be a direct replacement for your headphones or earbuds, they're a fun and practical alternative that can come in useful, especially if you like to hear what's going on around you while you're bopping along to your favourite album or listening to a podcast.

For under $200 NZD, it's hard to go wrong with the JBL Soundgear Frames.