JBL Soundgear Frames - Surprisingly Not Terrible

The whole point of new technology is to push the barriers. To have crazy ideas and see if you can make them work.

Not that long ago, the idea of a folding phone screen seemed fanciful - an intriguing concept but not physically practical or even possible. Yet now they're everywhere.

We've seen a lot of this sort of tech daydreaming around eyeglasses. With a form factor already established to be comfortable, portable and unobtrusive, could we add a camera, perhaps? Recording what we see as we see it. Or let's go a step further. Augmented Reality. Surely it'll catch on eventually? Aren't a pair of glasses the perfect AR displays, just waiting for content?

Well, it turns out to date, most consumers thought both those ideas were terrible.

Hidden cameras? No thanks. A virtual world getting in the way of the real one? Nup, not ready for that just yet.

Then JBL came along with a third suggestion...

The best thing about the JBL Soundgear Frames is they pretty much just look like a cool pair of sunglasses. Well, I think they look cool anyway.

Available in both a round or a square style, in a choice of Amber, Pearl or Onyx, the only hint most onlookers would have that these aren't just another pair of sunnies is the small JBL logo halfway along each arm.

But a really close inspection (and I mean, you'd have to get quite rudely into the wearer's personal space) reveals the arms of these styley shades are jam-packed with tiny electronic audio wizardry, turning the Soundgear Frames into the most open of all, open-fit earphones.

The idea here is you'll never need to wear earbuds as well as sunglasses ever again. This will literally be music to the ears of many people who don't like wearing earbuds or who can't get them to fit. Now those people can join the rest of us, accompanying their walks, runs or cycles with their favourite playlist or podcast, no buds required.

Too good to be true? That's certainly what I assumed when I heard about them, so I was obliged to try the Soundgear Frames for myself.

I was immediately impressed with these sunglasses straight out of the box. They come with an attractive, charcoal-coloured soft case and the glasses themselves are not at all heavy or unwieldy. I was expecting an aesthetic assault of wires and exposed circuitry, especially given I'd gone with Pearl, the most transparent colour option. But in actuality, JBL has done a deft job of keeping most of that stuff out of sight, or at least on the inside of the arms where most other people won't notice it. There's nothing out of the ordinary about the front of the Frames at all - just a couple of UV A/B blocking lenses surrounded by a translucent frame (I went for square, not round) set off with a very durable-looking, yet stylishly brushed metal hinge in each corner.

I really like the look, although the Domestic Manager informs me they're way too small for my face. Unfortunately, it's true; I do have a Big Giant Head and I usually struggle to find hats that fit, let alone glasses. Hopefully, JBL might come out with an XL option in the future if this little experiment pays off for them.

I also usually wear prescription sunglasses as I'm quite shortsighted. Luckily, JBL says you can take the Soundgear Frames to your optometrist and get corrective lenses fitted. I haven't attempted this, so I'm unsure of the cost - but the Frames themselves retail for only NZ$199.95 - cheaper than many of the fashion options on display at most optometrists anyway.

You'll also find an unusual charging cable in the box - a Y-shaped cord with a USB-A plug at one end and two USB-Cs at the other. This is because the two arms need to be charged independently - there's a USB-C port subtly tucked underneath each one. You'll get approximately 8 hours playback on a full charge, which compares pretty favourably with most other wireless earbuds out there.

Pairing works pretty much the same way - the Frames turn on automatically when you unfold the arms and put them on, powering down as soon as you fold them up again. The JBL logo on each arm also doubles as your touch controls and these can be customised to a certain extent using the JBL Headphones app. The app also offers a selection of preset EQs or you can customise your own. This is worth having a play with because as although the sound produced from these sunglasses is surprisingly good... it's unusual.

"Claude Monet" by Aussie pop-rockers Thirsty Merc is usually a great example of dynamic contrast and while the voice-over guitar breakdown in the middle is clear and intense when playing on the Frames, you never really achieve the powerful highs of each chorus when the rest of the band comes crashing in.

Likewise, on a track like ELO's "Standing In the Rain," there's a lot going on - including a full orchestra. The Soundgear Frames do a nice job of creating stereo separation and accurately picking out different components of the track but again, there's just nowhere near enough raw power to really appreciate the scale of the production.

More acoustic artists like Ed Sheeran and Mitch James fare much better - not too much drum and bass required but despite JBL's claims of "grooving to R & B" or "upbeat EDM" - I don't think the bass drops would get anyone dancing with their hands in the air here.

While none of this would satisfy any hardcore hi-fi enthusiasts out there, funnily enough for me, it's not so important because I usually listen to podcasts, not music. For talk-based audio, the slightly underpowered soundscape the Frames produces is perfectly adequate.

The upshot of all this is yes, the Soundgear Frames are a great option for anyone who wants to listen to music at the beach, on the run, on the bike - wherever - without any risk of buds falling out, or any of the discomfort many people complain of when wearing earbuds. The sound quality is far from perfect but it's even further away from bad and that's probably good enough for a large chunk of the market. 

By the way, I just checked with both my daughters and I can confirm my face is definitely too fat for these glasses. Oh well.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the JBL Soundgear Frames.