JBL's Reflect line of exercise-focused Bluetooth earphones gets an update with the Reflect Mini 2.
At $99.95, the earphones are priced to compete with plenty of other solid exercise-focused, wireless options on the market.
In this price range and category, deep bass and a secure fit are paramount, both of which the Reflect Mini 2 nails.
Overall, there's very little not to like here, unless you're in search of an accurate, unsculpted sound signature.
Design
The Reflect Mini 2 earphones are available in black, dark blue, light blue, or neon green, and as the name suggests, they have a thin reflective neckband.
An IPX5 rating means the earphones are protected against low-pressure water streaming, so you can wear them in the rain, get them sweaty, and rinse them off, but you probably shouldn't go swimming with them in.
The in-ear fit is exceptionally secure and comfortable, with the earpieces utilizing both silicone eartips and separate silicone earfins for added stability.
In all, JBL includes three pairs of eartips and earfins, in small, medium, and large sizes.
Along the neckband, there's a cinch that allows you to manage cable slack while exercising.
The earphones also ship with a rubber protective pouch (that doesn't fasten shut, which is slightly annoying).
An inline remote control and mic compartment is located nearest the left earpiece.
The three-button remote has a central control that handles playback, call management, and voice assistance, sandwiched between plus/minus buttons for volume and track navigation.
On the compartment's side panel, there's a snap-shut cover that protects the micro USB port for the included charging cable.
The mic offers mediocre intelligibility.
Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 6s, we could understand every word recorded, but the audio was fuzzy and the mic sounded distant.
This is pretty much the case with the majority of the Bluetooth in-ear mics we test, so it's not a huge negative, but don't expect excellent call clarity.
JBL estimates battery life to be roughly 10 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels.
Performance
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver a powerful low frequency thump.
At top listening levels there's no distortion and the bass is quite strong, but it should be noted that the earphones don't get quite as loud as most in-ears we test.
Is this an issue? Not if you care about saving your hearing.
The loudest level is still very intense, but the drivers appear to top off before things get insanely loud.
And the bass depth is still palpable throughout the volume range.
Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the Reflect Mini 2's general sound signature.
The drums on this track pack some extra thunder, giving them a full, rounded sound that isn't quite over the top, but one that's far from natural.
Callahan's baritone vocals also receive a full low-mid presence, but things are balanced out by some sculpted high-mids that accentuate the treble edge in his voice as well as the attack of the guitar strums.
This is a sculpted, boosted sound signature for certain, but it's not lacking balance.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives enough high-mid presence to keep its attack sharp to slice through the layers of the beat, but we're used to hearing slightly more high-mid presence on this track.
Instead, we hear quite a bit of the higher frequency vinyl crackle pushed forward in the mix—another sign that the high-mids and highs are quite sculpted.
The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with gusto—it's not quite as if there's a subwoofer in your skull, but the bass push is powerful.
The vocals on this track are clear and crisp, with the occasional hint of added sibilance.
Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, have a stronger than usual bass presence, pushing the lower register instrumentation forward in the mix.
It's not an accurate sound, but it's vibrant, and while it may not please purists, it's well matched with bright high frequency presence that keeps the spotlight on the higher register brass, strings, and vocals.
Conclusions
If bass motivates you during your workout, JBL's Reflect Mini 2 earphones are unlikely to disappoint.
The in-ear fit is secure, the design is water resistant and reflective, and generally speaking, there's nothing to complain about here unless you are looking for an accurate, transparent sound signature.
But the Reflect Mini 2 join a crowded field—the JLab Epic Sport Wireless, the Jaybird X3, and the far less expensive Skullcandy Jib Wireless are all strong alternatives, to name a few.
And of course, there are better, pricier options from JBL, like the Reflect Fit.
With this many strong choices, it's worth figuring out which one works exactly right for you before making a purchase.
Pros
Solid audio performance with deep bass response and sculpted highs.
Water-resistant, rinsable design.
Very secure fit.
The Bottom Line
JBL's wireless Reflect Mini 2 earphones deliver powerful bass depth matched with bright highs in a gym-friendly, water-resistant design.
JBL's Reflect line of exercise-focused Bluetooth earphones gets an update with the Reflect Mini 2.
At $99.95, the earphones are priced to compete with plenty of other solid exercise-focused, wireless options on the market.
In this price range and category, deep bass and a secure fit are paramount, both of which the Reflect Mini 2 nails.
Overall, there's very little not to like here, unless you're in search of an accurate, unsculpted sound signature.
Design
The Reflect Mini 2 earphones are available in black, dark blue, light blue, or neon green, and as the name suggests, they have a thin reflective neckband.
An IPX5 rating means the earphones are protected against low-pressure water streaming, so you can wear them in the rain, get them sweaty, and rinse them off, but you probably shouldn't go swimming with them in.
The in-ear fit is exceptionally secure and comfortable, with the earpieces utilizing both silicone eartips and separate silicone earfins for added stability.
In all, JBL includes three pairs of eartips and earfins, in small, medium, and large sizes.
Along the neckband, there's a cinch that allows you to manage cable slack while exercising.
The earphones also ship with a rubber protective pouch (that doesn't fasten shut, which is slightly annoying).
An inline remote control and mic compartment is located nearest the left earpiece.
The three-button remote has a central control that handles playback, call management, and voice assistance, sandwiched between plus/minus buttons for volume and track navigation.
On the compartment's side panel, there's a snap-shut cover that protects the micro USB port for the included charging cable.
The mic offers mediocre intelligibility.
Using the Voice Memos app on an iPhone 6s, we could understand every word recorded, but the audio was fuzzy and the mic sounded distant.
This is pretty much the case with the majority of the Bluetooth in-ear mics we test, so it's not a huge negative, but don't expect excellent call clarity.
JBL estimates battery life to be roughly 10 hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels.
Performance
On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver a powerful low frequency thump.
At top listening levels there's no distortion and the bass is quite strong, but it should be noted that the earphones don't get quite as loud as most in-ears we test.
Is this an issue? Not if you care about saving your hearing.
The loudest level is still very intense, but the drivers appear to top off before things get insanely loud.
And the bass depth is still palpable throughout the volume range.
Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the Reflect Mini 2's general sound signature.
The drums on this track pack some extra thunder, giving them a full, rounded sound that isn't quite over the top, but one that's far from natural.
Callahan's baritone vocals also receive a full low-mid presence, but things are balanced out by some sculpted high-mids that accentuate the treble edge in his voice as well as the attack of the guitar strums.
This is a sculpted, boosted sound signature for certain, but it's not lacking balance.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives enough high-mid presence to keep its attack sharp to slice through the layers of the beat, but we're used to hearing slightly more high-mid presence on this track.
Instead, we hear quite a bit of the higher frequency vinyl crackle pushed forward in the mix—another sign that the high-mids and highs are quite sculpted.
The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with gusto—it's not quite as if there's a subwoofer in your skull, but the bass push is powerful.
The vocals on this track are clear and crisp, with the occasional hint of added sibilance.
Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, have a stronger than usual bass presence, pushing the lower register instrumentation forward in the mix.
It's not an accurate sound, but it's vibrant, and while it may not please purists, it's well matched with bright high frequency presence that keeps the spotlight on the higher register brass, strings, and vocals.
Conclusions
If bass motivates you during your workout, JBL's Reflect Mini 2 earphones are unlikely to disappoint.
The in-ear fit is secure, the design is water resistant and reflective, and generally speaking, there's nothing to complain about here unless you are looking for an accurate, transparent sound signature.
But the Reflect Mini 2 join a crowded field—the JLab Epic Sport Wireless, the Jaybird X3, and the far less expensive Skullcandy Jib Wireless are all strong alternatives, to name a few.
And of course, there are better, pricier options from JBL, like the Reflect Fit.
With this many strong choices, it's worth figuring out which one works exactly right for you before making a purchase.
Pros
Solid audio performance with deep bass response and sculpted highs.
Water-resistant, rinsable design.
Very secure fit.
The Bottom Line
JBL's wireless Reflect Mini 2 earphones deliver powerful bass depth matched with bright highs in a gym-friendly, water-resistant design.
