Last year, JBL and Stephen Curry partnered to create a pair of special edition Bluetooth wireless earphones called the Reflect Mini BT. The sound was great, it was durable, and the charge lasts for hours, so win-win-win. The best thing, as most of you ballers can attest, the wireless capability means you don’t tear the cord out of the plug while warming up and you can leave your phone in the bag and not your pocket. Freakin’ magical.
Then JBL officially teamed with Under Armour and released a new model, called simply UA/JBL Wireless. This set featured the same twistlock fit, eight hour battery, and sweat-proof sound, but also included a membership to MapMyFitness. Since 85% of people wear headphones when working out (because the gym music choices SUCK), and most of us wear an activity monitor of some sort, the next step would seem to be obvious.
Now, we see the newest culmination of the UA/JBL partnership: the UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate Headphones and UA Sport Wireless Headphones. The standout feature is the added monitor inside the headphones. The headphones now utilize an in-ear heartrate tracker and touch controls. (We don’t specialize in tech reviews but Lauren Goode, Senior Technology Editor at The Verge, does, and she has focused on reviewing wireless headphones and fitness trackers. Goode, or one of her colleagues, may review these soon.)
Here’s the information via JBL:
HARMAN International Industries, Incorporated (NYSE:HAR), the premier connected technologies company for automotive, consumer and enterprise markets, and Under Armour (NYSE:UA, UA.C), the originator of athletic performance gear, have combined forces to bring two revolutionary sport headphones to the market. The award-winning UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate Headphones and UA Sport Wireless Headphones, both Engineered by JBL®, will hit shelves in November, and are available for pre-order now at JBL.com and UA.com. These headphones will bring athletes a world-class music and fitness experience, pairing Under Armour’s athletic performance with JBL’s legendary audio.
The flagship model, UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate delivers energizing music and heart rate tracking in an all-in-one design. Featuring an in-ear heart rate monitor and a touch control for on-demand access to your heart rate, the UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate allows athletes to access real-time information they need to maximize their workout including heart rate tracking with audio feedback and heart rate zone coaching, powered by UA RecordTM. In addition, consumers can enjoy seamless integration with Under Armour’s Connected Fitness ecosystem. Connection to UA BandTM allows athletes to easily see their heart rate zone through a multi-colored LED display.
The next generation of the UA Sport Wireless headphones will feature a 35% smaller ear tip design and fit a wider range of ear profiles. In addition, the UA Sport Wireless boasts a new 2-piece ear tip design that gives athletes a more custom fit with several possible combinations. The UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate and UA Sport Wireless Headphones will be available in black and white color options.
Pairing JBL’s signature sound with Under Armour’s best-in-class standards for premium sport performance, both models of headphones are built for durability and feature an IPX5 rating built to withstand sweat and water. In addition, JBL’s Twistlock™ technology ensures the headphones will never fall out while the Flexsoft™ finishing provides long-lasting comfort. Both products are Bluetooth wireless, providing less restrictions and more freedom in the gym or on the pavement.
Athletes that purchase either the UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate or UA Sport Wireless headphones will receive a complimentary 12-month MapMyRun® Premium membership, valued at $29.99. MapMyRun is a part of the Under Armour Connected Fitness suite of apps, with a global community of more than 180 million people worldwide. MapMyRun allows members to track, analyze, and share more than 600 types of fitness activities.
“We’re excited to bring to market sport headphones that truly offer consumers the best in sport equipment, defining high performance in terms of form, function and design. The Under Armour line of sport headphones engineered by JBL endured rigorous performance testing that reflects our commitment to providing a superior audio experience to athletes,” said Sean Kapoor, Vice President and General Manager, Under Armour Business Unit HARMAN.
“Our innovative collaboration with JBL has resulted in premium audio offerings designed with athletes’ high performance expectations in mind. This line of wireless sport headphones brings to market meaningful technology that will raise the standard of Connected Fitness products for our athletes,” said Mike Lee, Chief Digital Officer at Under Armour.
UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate – Engineered by JBL features:
- In-ear heart rate monitoring
- Touch control for on-demand heart rate
- Heart rate workout tracking with real-time audio stats and heart rate zone coaching with UA Record
- Bluetooth 4.1 – Compatible with most Bluetooth devices
- JBL Signature Sound with PureBass performance
- Twistlock™ Technology – Never to fall out
- Three button mic with volume, music and call control
- IPX5 Sweat Proof with Nano-coating protection
- Up to five hours of playback time
- 12-month MapMyRun Premium membership
UA Sport Wireless – Engineered by JBL features:
- Better Fit for Athletes – Personalized fit with 15 possible combinations
- Bluetooth 4.0 – Compatible with most Bluetooth devices
- JBL Signature Sound with PureBass Performance
- Twistlock™ Technology – Never to fall out
- Three button mic with volume, music and call control
- IPX5 Sweat Proof with Nano-coating protection
- Up to eight hours of playback time
- 12-month MapMyRun® Premium membership
These latest headsets will be available for pre-order starting October 20, 2016, at JBL.com/under-armour, and in-stores at Best Buy on October 30. The UA Sport Wireless – Engineered by JBL retails for $149.95; the UA Sport Wireless Heart Rate – Engineered by JBL retails for $199.95.
The regular Sport Wireless edition
Source: JBL
They look clean. I would curious to see how well the premium membership does.
I was also wondering about that…
Ok so I will vouch for the Reflex JB – last year’s model. I bought some after I “lost” (someone stole) my Beats Powerbeats wireless headphones last year….I bought the JBL’s because they were 100 bucks and the quality was on point with the Beats I had…
BUT, if these come out as the same price as the PowerBeats, then I might as well buy the Beats right? Unless I’m paying for the UA name and the heartrate monitor…..
With Beats, you’re paying for a popular brand name and mediocre sound. The JBLs should easily top anything Beats when it comes to sound quality, and they probably won’t be as big of a target for thieves looking for something they can either show off to their buddies or re-sell quickly. Just my two cents, but if you want better sound and want to avoid a repeat of what happened with your Beats, go with JBL.