JBL reflect flow pro review: Workout earbuds that are real winners

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Modern life is tough, isn’t it? You sit at your desk with the screen in front of you slowly becoming fuzzier as the day wears on, before a lunch break which, if we’re honest, doesn’t give enough time for mere mortals to fit in a workout. By the time you finish for the day, semi-sluggishly rising from your chair, you’re in dire need of a bit of movement.

Audio brands know this, which is why since jogging became a pastime, dedicated sports earphones have been around to help us enjoy our exercise a little more. One such brand, JBL, developed the reflect flow sports earbuds (£59.99, Argos.co.uk) to widespread acclaim, offering quality, true wireless listening at a good price.

Now JBL has upped the ante, releasing the reflect flow pros, a pair of earbuds at the upper end of the true wireless market. The original models were a breath of fresh air, so has JBL managed to improve on a product with such an admiring audience enough to warrant a higher price? And do the reflect flow pro earbuds pass muster away from exercise and back in the comfort of your home?

We put the JBL reflect flow pros through a mixture of rigorous and everyday tests. We obviously focused on their capabilities during exercise, testing the fit, comfort and waterproofing, along with clarity of sound and musical quality.

We also tested them in a variety of everyday situations, be that listening to a podcast in a café, sat working at our desk, or on a walk in the countryside. After living with the flow pros for a while, we think we’ve got their number.

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It’s easy to see that the reflect pros are built for exercise. They’re not the most exciting pair of earbuds to look at, favouring substance over style, but they still read as a premium product and come in four colours, which is an improvement on the original reflect flows. It’s a simple aesthetic, but the flow pros get away with it due to the silver finish and their pretty compact nature – these things have packed a shedload of audio tech into the body.

We would defy anyone to shake one of these bad boys loose. The fit is among the most secure we’ve ever tried, ready for whatever rough and tumble sport you’re interested in, and sweat was never an issue throughout testing. There won’t be any water (or dust for that matter) getting in from outside, either, due to the impressive IP68 water- and dust-resistance rating. The earbuds’ accompanying wingtips create almost unbeatable stability and negate the all-too-common need to fiddle during exercise.

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The touch-sensitive controls on each earbud work perfectly, with the usual number of taps for play, pause and skip, along with calling up Alexa or Google Assistant.

Battery life is 10 hours fully charged, with another 20 hours of charge coming from the carry case – plenty of time to polish off an ultramarathon, then. Wireless charging is available via Qi products, an extra you begin to expect at this price point, as it does elevate the user experience. The case is a bit of a bulky thing, which is surprising considering the sleek, petite nature of the earbuds themselves, but it does come with a handy strap so you don’t lose it.

JBL prides itself on creating high-performance sound at a reasonable price. The brand’s engineers have almost fully succeeded here, with a warm, balanced audio profile that handles all genres pretty effortlessly. The flow pros manage to promote the delicate notes from Jacob Collier’s Flow Freely (completely accidental song choice, we promise), while replicating the rumbling melodies of Childish Gambino’s This Is America perfectly.

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The JBL app also gives plenty of options when it comes to audio levels, letting users tweak EQ to their taste. The connection is also flawless, thanks to Bluetooth 5.0, and JBL’s system means that as soon as you open the case, the earbuds are on the lookout for your device. As always, JBL produces a considered, signature sound.

The ANC is a solid performer, managing to block out a sizeable chunk of external sound when sat in a café or at work, and they would certainly be more than enough to block out distracting noises while exercising. The “ambient aware” tech, however, is patchy, sometimes hitting the noise-cancelling mark and other times either sapping all energy from the room or letting too much of that awkward and personal-information-laden conversation on the adjacent table into your reluctant mind. However, for a pair of workout earbuds, the ANC is up there with the best.

The JBL reflect flow pro earbuds are, primarily, sport earbuds. To this end, they’re bang on the money, especially in the audio integrity stakes, while also giving a snug, secure fit via the wingtips.

While this helps hugely during exercise, they can become a little tiring after prolonged use. However, the wide range of tips that come with the box should counteract this, and unless you’re planning on wearing them on a London to Sydney flight, or listening to Stephen Fry read the entirety of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in one sitting, then the fit of the reflect flow pros won’t be an issue. Overall, they’re handy earbuds with great sound that offer myriad upgrades on the original reflect flows and are perfect for budding long-distance runners – or anyone who needs an incentive to get out there.