OVERVIEW

by Crutchfield's

No wires, lots of value

I spent some time with the JBL Free X headphones, and they offer a ton of value at this price. This is the company's second-generation of true wireless earbuds — a popular high-tech category that continues to evolve and improve. Music plays wirelessly from your phone or tablet, and you'll notice there is no cord between the left and right earbuds.

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No wires, lots of value

JBL slightly tweaked the Bluetooth pairing process for a stronger, more stable wireless connection. This helped address some of the audio dropout problems that some of our customers reported from the previous model. With this new version, I did chores around the house and suffered very few sonic hiccups with the phone in my sweatpants pocket.

Strong sound for music and more

JBL has fine-tuned their sound signature to please the most amount of people — from their so-called "entry-level" headphones on up. We've visited their parent company, Harman, and you wouldn't believe the amount of research that goes into honing their acoustics. It paid off here. These headphones have a mids-forward sound with clear vocals that plays well for both tunes and podcasts.

A carrying case that recharges your earbuds wirelessly

The JBL Free X headphones are designed to be portable. These lightweight earbuds can handle some sweat, rain, or dust. Plus they offer up to four hours of on-the-go music listening with a full charge.

When it's time to refuel, you just click them into the included charging carrying case. This pocket-sized case can bank up to 20 hours of power to recharge your earbuds. 15 minutes inside the case gives you an hour of wireless use.

Quick and easy Bluetooth pairing

True wireless headphones are still relatively new, so you might think learning how to pair them would be a challenge. Fortunately, JBL makes it pretty easy. As soon as I pushed the Bluetooth button on my phone and pulled these headphones out of their case, they were connected.

I try a lot of wireless headphones and it is not always this fast or simple. And both the left and right earbuds were automatically in sync. If one earbud or the other stopped playing, I just put them both in the case to get them back on the same page.

Hands-free calling and one-button control

JBL also makes it easy to make and take phone calls wirelessly. If someone calls, you just press the button on the right earbud to answer. You press this same button to play and pause music or skip tracks. The headphones automatically switch to mono sound for calls, so phone conversations sound more natural.

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Product highlights:

100% wire-free headphones
- no connecting cord between left and right earbuds
Bluetooth 4.2 for wireless music listening and phone calls
- one-button control for Bluetooth pairing, music playback, and calls
5.6mm dynamic drivers tuned for clear, energetic sound
IPX5 sweat- and weather-resistant design

Charging Case, Battery Information, and Accessories:

built-in rechargeable batteries offers 4 hours of listening
carrying case banks up to 20 hours of power to wirelessly recharge headphones
- 15 minutes inside case provides enough power for 1 hour of listening
USB cable included for charging case
includes 3 pairs of silicone ear tips for a customized, comfortable fit
includes 2 sizes of gel sleeves to keep earbuds secure

General Info and Specs:

Call Mode makes wireless phone conversations sound more natural
- automatically switches to mono sound for phone calls
- one earbud can be used independently for calls
frequency response: 10-22,000 Hz
warranty: 1 year
Our 60-day money-back guarantee
MFR # JBLFREEXBLKBTAM

What's in the box:

JBL Free X owner's manual

Left and right ear buds (black)
3 Pairs of silicone ear tips (1 pair installed)
2 Pairs of gel ear tip sleeves
Charging case
11" USB charging cable (Type A USB on one end and Micro-B USB on other end)
Quick Start Guide
Warranty booklet
Warning booklet
FCC and IC statement

JBL Free X reviews

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DETAILS

Researched by Crutchfield's Mark G.

Features & specs

General
Fit Style	True Wireless
Earcup Type	Closed
Earcup Width x Height	0.696" x 1.129"
Noise-canceling	No
Bluetooth	Yes
Bluetooth Version	---
Mic For Taking Calls	Yes
Voice Assistant Access
Amazon Alexa	No
Google Assistant	Yes
Siri	Yes
Connectors
3.5mm	No
1/4"	No
Lightning	No
4.4mm balanced	No
XLR4 balanced	No
2.5mm	No
Other	None
Specs
Frequency Response	10-22k Hz
Sensitivity	Not Given
Impedance	16 Ohms
Weight	0.4 ounces
Cord Length	None
Parts Warranty	1 Year
Labor Warranty	1 Year

The JBL Free X replaces these items:

Product Research

Features

Overview: The JBL Free X ear buds are truly wireless in-ear headphones with no connecting cables. Each ear bud has a built-in rechargeable battery, plus touch controls for power, music playback, phone calls, and activating your voice assistant. The Free X ear buds come with three pairs of silicone ear tips, two pairs of gel sleeves, and a hard, clam-shell charging case.

Drivers: The JBL Free X ear buds are equipped with 5.6mm dynamic drivers that deliver the JBL Signature Sound with a wide frequency range of 10Hz-22kHz.

Water Resistant: The JBL Free X ear buds are IPX5-certified to protect the internal components from water and sweat. This splashproof design keeps them performing in the rain or during a workout.

Bluetooth: The ear buds connect to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth 4.2 (2.402-2.480 GHz). The ear buds support A2DP (V1.3), AVRCP (V1.6), HFP (V1.6), and HSP (V1.2). Pairing the ear buds to your smartphone or tablet requires touching and holding the right ear bud for at least 5 seconds.

LED Indicators: Each ear bud has a ring-type LED to indicate the charging and pairing status. In addition, there are four LEDs on the charging case to show the charging status in 25% increments (4 LEDs-100% charged, 1 LED-<25% charged).

Microphones: Each ear bud has a built-in microphone for making phone calls, and using your smartphone's built-in voice recognition like Siri and Google Now.

Mono Call Mode: When you answer a phone call, the JBL Free X will automatically switch from stereo to mono mode on the right ear piece for a more natural-sounding phone call. When the call ends, the ear buds automatically switch back to stereo mode.

Touch Controls: The JBL Free X features intuitive touch control that lets you play/pause, change tracks, take calls, and activate voice commands, by simply tapping on the earpiece. Volume must be controlled on the source unit. Touch control operations include:

Action	Left ear bud	Right ear bud
1 Tap	Next Track	Play/Pause Music Answer/End Call
2 Taps	Previous Track	Voice Assistance (Siri/Google)
3 Taps	Manual Pairing Left and Right ear buds
Touch/Hold (>5 sec)	---	Bluetooth Pairing
Touch/Hold (>5 sec)	Manual Power On/Off

Ear Tips: The ear buds comes with three pairs (S, M, and L) of silicone rubber ear tips, ensuring you get an airtight fit regardless of the shape or size of your ear. In addition, two pairs of ergonomic gel sleeves are included to give you a more secure fit for more rigorous activities.

Rechargeable Batteries: Each of the JBL Free X ear buds contains a 3.7-volt 85mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. The charging case contains its own 1500 mAh rechargeable battery for over 20 hours of total backup charge. Fully charged ear buds provide up to 4 hours playback time. The ear buds charge in the case in less than two hours. A 15-minute quick charge will give you approximately 1 hour of playback time. The ear buds charge in the provided case with the supplied Micro USB cable.

Specifications:

Frequency Response: 10Hz to 22kHz
Drivers: 5.6mm dynamic
Impedance: 16Ω
Dimensions:
- Ear Buds: Width 0.696", Height 1.129", Depth 0.882"
- Case: Diameter 2.972", Height 1.335"
Weight:
- Ear Buds: 0.2 ounces (each)
- Case: 3 ounces