REVIEWS / HEADPHONES / JBL INDIA

JBL Roxy Reference 250 Earphones - Total Ear Candy

24 Jan, 2011, 12:15 pm IST | by Siddharth Basrur | Headphones

Headphones

Shiny happy earpieces

Shiny happy earpieces
Carrying case adds a nice touch

PRICE IN INDIA

1,999

TECH2 RATING

7.0

AVERAGE USER RATING

9.5

How we test

CONTACT

JBL INDIA

 savio.fernandes@indiajbl.com

 +91 22 3008 0840/50

 www.indiajbl.com

I love colourful things, but this one might be a little out of my league; it’s pink, with orange tips. Yikes, that’s bright! However, the Roxy Reference 250 earphones definitely serve as a great accessory as they look cool, sound great, and have the added functionality of a hands-free.

Shiny happy earpieces

Shiny happy earpieces

 

 

Design and features
The pair of earphones I’m reviewing are a bright bubblegum pink, with earpieces that look a little like those tiny orange boiled sweets I used to love as a kid. However, they’re also available in a really nice shade of green with bright blue earpieces. The microphone for the hands-free is also the same bright orange and has the JBL logo, as well as the Roxy branding on it. One good thing about this set of earphones is that they come with this nice little carrying case that can also double up as your PMP case.

Here are the specifications:

  • Compatibility: iPod (all models); MP3, CD and DVD players; laptop computers (all platforms); satellite radio; home stereos; airline sound systems
  • Microphone: In-line-microphone with mute control enables hands-free operation
  • Case: Matching carry purse included
  • Input requirement: Main connection – 3.5mm stereo mini jack
  • Power: 2 x 5mW
  • Sensitivity: 94dB SPL/mW @ 1kHz
  • Frequency Response_ 20Hz – 20kHz (–10dB)
  • Input Impedance: 16 Ohms
  • Wire length: 1.1m ( 43.3 inches)
  • Dimensions: Diameter – 13.5mm (1.35 cm)

 

Performance
These are in-ear, so there’s a bit of noise reduction involved. I must admit that they’re a little generous with the mid frequencies, but the bass is loud and clear and the treble is sweet and sparkly. I listened to a lot of genres on it and found that it is best suited for hip-hop, pop and dance music as heavy rock and metal sounded a little muddy. The hands-free works well, but I heard a lot of hiss and both parties felt that the voice level could’ve been higher, so this is far from the best hands-free.

Carrying case adds a nice touch

Carrying case adds a nice touch

 


Verdict
I really like this set of earphones in spite of the colours, which make me look a little fruity (absolutely no pun intended). I’d obviously be a lot happier with the green and blue ones, but I had no qualms wearing these around the office today, even with people giving me weird glances. The colourful carrying case also adds a nice touch.

I give these earphones 3 ½ stars. I’ve cut points for the overbearing mid frequencies and weak hands-free, but the overall sound quality is good and so is the design and appeal. So if you have Rs. 1,999 to spare and like colourful things that sound good and make your ears pop (not literally of course), the JBL Roxy Reference 250 is the right set of earphones for you.


Tags:

JBL , Roxy Reference 250 , Earphones , Hands-Free , In-Ear

Would you buy it?




 


How We Test

The Tech2 Labs receives many products every single week and each of them is tested with the utmost care and highest level of objectivity. There’s a constant effort to reduce and totally eliminate subjectivity. Each product is tested according to set test processes so the same test scenario is used.

Verdict
The ratings awarded to a product are derived from a number of tests and calculations, keeping certain important factors in mind. These factors consist of features, performance, quality and value for money. In case of software and some other categories, build quality might be replaced with ease of use or ease of installation. Products are compared with other products in a similar price range or product category.


Features
The features component of the score is rated based on the kind of features present on a particular product. Features are a big part of what people look for when they’re buying a new product such as a phone or a camera.

Performance
The performance score is derived from the benchmarks and tests run on the product. In case of the subjective scores, an average of the scores given by the group of reviewers is considered.

Build Quality
The build quality of a product is important so that it doesn’t fall apart after some use. The build quality scores from the way the product is designed and the kind of materials used in the product.

Value
Value for money comes from the fact that a cheap product is able to provide most of the performance of a higher priced product. Once again, value for money is judged by comparing pricing and performance of products in a particular price range or category. 

There are many other aspects of the product that are looked at such as the bundled software and accessories. All of these scores are aggregated together to form the final score.

What do the ratings mean?

Ratings are simple - higher the score, the better the product. A brief listing of the features and what they mean are given below.

1 - 3

The product is bad in almost every aspect. We strongly advise against purchasing this product.

4 - 6

An average product that isn't the best you can buy, but isn't the worst either.

7 - 8

Product with this rating is highly recommended because it's priced sensibly, has a good set of features and performs well.

9 - 10

Exceptionally excellent product with features and performance unlike any we've seen in the past. A must-have for everyone!

What is the Average User Rating?

We at Tech2 take product reviewing very seriously and every product is tested with the utmost care and level of objectivity. The end user who buys a particular product and uses it over an extended period of time has his own take on a product and there might be nuances that he or she can shed light on. The Average User Rating is present to help readers get the complete picture of how good or bad a product is. The Average User Rating is calculated by averaging the ratings by the thousands of readers visiting Tech2.com every single day. To record your own rating of a product, simply click on the user rating bar. If you disagree with our ratings or our community's product rating, please don't hesitate from voicing your opinion in the comments section below the review.

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