True wireless headphone offerings are a plenty, and the new collaborative release from JBL and Under Armour, the True Wireless Flash, are pretty sweet, offering everything you’d expect from true wireless buds, and making them one of the best pairs of sport-ready true wireless earbuds on the market.
Design and Features
The headphones come in a rectangular aluminum charging case with a dark grey Under Armour logo. This is important, because the case itself doesn’t feature the same goody lid as many other true wireless models. Instead, they have a sort of sliding shell, which wraps around the entire outside of the charging bay. To get to the headphones, you push on one side of the case, which slides the interior portion that contains the earbuds into view.
Dipped in basic black and carved into a rounded shell, the Flash are among the more understated true wireless headphones around. The only glitzy bit is a pair of silver Under Armour logos on the exterior of each earbud, which delineate the buttons you’ll use to control the Flash.
With three sizes each of silicone eartips and soft earfins included, JBL and Under Armour did their best to all but guarantee a great seal and comfortable fit for users. Pop them in, get them situated, and you can easily leave them there for the entire five hours of listening time between charges.
Speaking of power, the True Wireless Flash are among the few true wireless models that compete with the Apple AirPods’ 24-hours of battery in the charging case, offering 20 hours in the case to bring the total playback time on the go to 25 hours.
While the large charging case isn’t their best quality, the True Wireless Flash’s best feature is their IPX7 rating, which means they are able to withstand being submerged in up to three feet of water for up to 30. You’ll also appreciate that the headphones come with a free premium subscription to MapMyRun, an app owned by Under Armour that tracks advanced running metrics and typically costs $30 per year.
Controls, built into the Under Armour logos on each earphone, are simple and easy to use. Tapping the button on the right headphone pauses your music, with two touches advancing to the next track. A single touch of the left button enables a mode called Talk Thru, which allows you to hear voices and sounds around you without muting the headphones. Holding the left button brings up your voice assistant.
Sound
With the eartips providing great passive noise isolation, the True Wireless Flash have a very quiet soundscape over which to work their musical magic. Sound quality is awesome, with big bass matched by crisp detail up high, making everything from hip-hop to acoustic music sound good.
One boon to the sound quality was how securely the headphones fit in your ears during testing. You won’t worry about them falling out of your ears during tough workouts. Plus, where other true wireless buds tend to jiggle around and make your music sound a bit wonky during runs and more physically active workouts, these stay right in place, maintaining a pleasurable listening experience.
Bottom Line
The JBL/Under Armour True Wireless Flash are a great pair of workout headphones that can also pull double duty for your daily workout. With serious waterproofing, solid battery life, and a comfortable fit, these are some of the best sport-aimed true wireless headphones out there.
With an extremely solid case, IPX7 waterproofing, and the pedigree of a major audio brand, these headphones should last a while. If you want a pair of true wireless headphones that are both life-proof and workout ready, the True Wireless Flash are a great pair that are well worth your purchase.
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