Macenstein

Extras

JBL ships the 610s in a black, zippered hard case which smells like new sneakers (I love that smell). Also included is a stereo phono adapter, airline adapter, an audio cable, the Bluetooth dongle, and a series of AC adapters which will allow you to charge the 610s in pretty much any country that is advanced enough to boast electricity.

Issues

Above: This mini USB plug is my enemy.

Wireless sound quality aside, there are a couple other issues I have with the 610’s. The first has to do the the mini USB connector that serves as both the power cable when charging, and the audio-in cable when connected to an audio source. While at first it might seems like a nice idea to have the same port provide both power and audio, the reality is that the oddly-shaped mini-USB plug is a pain to use. The port is recessed deep within the headset and only fits one way, making it far more difficult to connect the cable than it should be. Perhaps with constant practice you could master it, but my first 10 or so tries fitting either the power or audio cable each took anywhere from 10-30 seconds, and I pretty much always had to do it in well-lit room so I could peer into the recessed jack in order to line up the plug with the connector. Even when you think you have lined up the mini USB connector correctly, somehow it just doesn’t fit on the first couple tries. I was relieved to see this was not just my own spaziness, as no one I handed the 610’s to here in the lab was able to insert the audio jack on their first try either. I got the feeling that in time the odds were that either the cable or jack would get bent, or at the very least annoy me on a daily basis.

I am also not a fan of the bright blue LED light that flashes on the ear cup once every 12 seconds or so when connected wirelessly. Trying to listen to the 610’s in a dark room is extremely distracting, as it looks almost like a lightning storm is going off. There may be a way to turn this off, but I could not find it.

Finally, I am just not sure who exactly these headphones are designed for. The “reference” in their name implies professional use applications, but the wireless aspect is a consumer gimmick. Even when wired, the 610’s do not deliver professional quality sound, IMHO. They’re good, but nothing special in this price category. I imagine the “active homebody” might like to use the 610’s as they go about their daily routine, but while the range of the Bluetooth adapter is decent, it’s not like you can leave your iPod playing on the kitchen table and then walk through the upstairs of your house putting away laundry. In my house, I could get about 20-25 feet from the device before the audio began dropping out. And let’s be realistic – the iPod is not exactly the largest device out there, and since I do not clean the house naked (a frightening thought) finding a spare pocket carrying it around with me has never been a problem. The 610’s are also a bit big to use for exercising – the one time in my life where I DO find a cord bumping against me to be annoying. I would think that for their $200 price tag, most people would be better off buying a lightweight, and more versatile set of in-the-ear headphones from SHURE or some similar company and just put the cord behind their head.

Conclusion

The JBL Reference 610 Wireless iPod Headphones are a decent solution for those wishing to cut the cord between themselves and their iPod, even if only for such a minor reason as not wanting to get their iPod wet while doing the dishes. The 610’s provide good overall sound when wired, but when listened to wirelessly (which happens to be their selling point) the audio quality suffers quite a bit due to Bluetooth compression. With the word “reference” in their name, some may be expecting high-quality output from the 610’s at all times. Unfortunately, those expecting “reference quality” audio from these even when unplugged should think twice.

JBL Reference 610 Wireless iPod Headphones

Price: $199.95

Pros: Bluetooth has decent range, headset can control your iPod/iPhone/iTunes via built-in controls, comes with case and international power adapters

Cons: Wireless sound is quite compressed, wired sound is good, but not amazing given the $200 price tag