Review: JBL's Endurance Peak wireless earbuds deliver excellent fit & sound

Posted:
in iPhone edited January 2021
If you can look past its touch controls, the JBL Endurance Peak is a great balance of price, longevity, and audio quality amongst fully wireless earbuds.

JBL Endurance Peak


For natural reasons, I've become AppleInsider's go-to guy for most fitness reviews -- I'm in the gym three times per week, lifting for up to two hours at a time, so I'll punish any gear you throw at me.

That's proven especially true when it comes to headphones. Most just can't hack it at the gym I've found, at least in the long term -- if it's not explicitly sweatproof, it inevitably shorts out. Even some that are sweatproof will eventually break.

I'm also a stickler for a secure fit. Every company promises their buds will never fall out, yet that's almost never true. Sometimes all it takes is a few pushups or bench presses.

When JBL announced the Endurance Peak it immediately caught my interest, mostly for the two reasons I just mentioned. It's not only sweatproof but IPX7-rated, so in theory it can survive a drenching in the rain or shower. Springy hooks, meanwhile, keep the buds locked firmly in place.

JBL Endurance Peak


If you're used to Apple's AirPods, BeatsX, or Powerbeats, the Peak may prove a little spartan. There's no automatic first-time pairing, no Siri integration, and it comes bundled with just three sets of silicone tips, though I was lucky and found the default tips pretty snug. There aren't any built-in EQ functions, app-controlled or otherwise.

It's nothing to write home about aesthetically either. When I shared my initial hands-on, many commenters found the Peak cheap-looking or downright ugly. I disagree, but the design is certainly bulky and plain, and the blue/white model we were sent is a little garish. Thankfully there are black/gray and red/gray combinations.

The black/gray option, if you want something more subdued.
The black/gray option, if you want something more subdued.


What it lacks in style it makes up for in ergonomics and sound. The Peak manages to be both secure and comfortable -- not once did I have to readjust because of pressure or slippage. When I did fiddle with an earpiece, it was to maximize bass.

In keeping with the JBL brand, the Peak sounds excellent. A tight fit ensures bass is heavy, and its frequency range brings out nuances you might miss with other workout buds -- listening to Childish Gambino's "Feels Like Summer," I even caught lyrics that were previously unintelligible. It handled everything from power metal (like Sabaton) to industrial (like Nachtmahr) with aplomb.

There's no noise cancellation, but the buds do isolate the ear canal and perform an above-average job. I should know, since one of my top exercise priorities is blocking out my gym's continuous pop soundtrack. You just can't lift heavy listening to Bebe Rexha.

There are superior-sounding wireless buds -- Jaybird's Tarah Pro comes to mind -- but you'll be hard-pressed to find something better for the cost, especially if you want hooks. The Peak is actually cheaper than AirPods, and less than half the cost of Apple's upcoming Powerbeats Pro.

Drawbacks

The only significant downside to the Peak is its touch-sensitive controls. Theoretically these are simple: tap once to play/pause music or answer a call, double-tap to skip tracks or decline a call, and so on. In truth I found them unreliable, since you have to tap on just the right part of the bud to make them work, which becomes trial and error in some cases. I gave up entirely on JBL's swipe-based volume, using the crown on my Apple Watch instead.

Any other technical issues are minor. The buds have a 4-hour battery life, one less than AirPods, but that's unlikely to be an obstacle unless you're running a marathon or listening all day. The bundled charging case supplies an extra 24 hours, which should last a full month of training for people like myself.

The charging case.
The charging case.


I do wish JBL had gone with "smart" power. The buds don't automatically turn on when you remove them from the case or shut off when you pull the master bud from your ear. Instead this depends on flexing the right hook, which works well enough, but isn't as fluid as AirPods.

Set and forget

What I enjoyed most about the Peak was the ease of wearing it, control problems aside. Once the buds were on, I could genuinely forget about them -- I knew they'd stay in and sound good at all times. It's hard to overstate how rare and essential that is for fitness gear.

For lifters and runners, this product should probably be on your short list unless you're willing to pay Powerbeats or over-the-ear prices. Everyone else may want to give them a chance, even if they turn elsewhere for style or certain conveniences.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Where to buy

JBL Endurance Peak earbuds are available from third-party sellers at Amazon for $119.95 with free shipping.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    iOS_Guy80iOS_Guy80 Posts: 903member
    Not to ugly. Looks like a binder clip.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    iOS_Guy80 said:
    Not to ugly. Looks like a binder clip.
    Ah, eye of the beholder. I think it looks interesting and unique, actually.

    I will likely get a pair. 
  • Reply 3 of 11
    thttht Posts: 5,694member
    I’m shallow here. These things look like a knockoff product. Lines are ugly for the form factor. The shade of blue just seems wrong. The case looks bad. Ear hooks look to thick. 

    Maybe it looks better in person?
    StrangeDays
  • Reply 4 of 11
    Roger_FingasRoger_Fingas Posts: 148member, editor
    tht said:
    I’m shallow here. These things look like a knockoff product. Lines are ugly for the form factor. The shade of blue just seems wrong. The case looks bad. Ear hooks look to thick. 

    Maybe it looks better in person?
    That's how I feel, I'd say.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 13,102member
    They sure don’t look very appealing by the pics in this article. Yuck.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    I will wait for the new Beats....thanks for the review though:-))
  • Reply 7 of 11
    kimberlykimberly Posts: 434member
    The gray ones look OK and black/gray colors do tend to 'blend' into the background.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,731member
    Would this product work with glasses? As a rough rule of thumb, the percent of people who wear glasses is equal to their age. So at 20 years old 20% wear glasses; at 50 years old 50% wear glasses, etc. I would like to know if this product can be worn with glasses.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    thttht Posts: 5,694member
    Would this product work with glasses? As a rough rule of thumb, the percent of people who wear glasses is equal to their age. So at 20 years old 20% wear glasses; at 50 years old 50% wear glasses, etc. I would like to know if this product can be worn with glasses.
    Of course it can be worn with glasses. How long you can wear them is dependent on how much discomfort there is.

    Sometimes, the ear hooks can hurt a bit even without glasses, so return them if you find them uncomfortable.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    I'd rather pay twice as much and get better sound, battery life, and individual on-bud controls with the Pro. Also no word if the Peak can connect to two devices at the same time like the Pro's. 

    Lastly 3 times a week at the gym isn't enough. That's just maintenance. Should be going 5 to 6 times a week.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    Roger_FingasRoger_Fingas Posts: 148member, editor
    I'd rather pay twice as much and get better sound, battery life, and individual on-bud controls with the Pro. Also no word if the Peak can connect to two devices at the same time like the Pro's. 

    Lastly 3 times a week at the gym isn't enough. That's just maintenance. Should be going 5 to 6 times a week.
    It's very much possible to gain muscle going three times a week - I should know - but you do have to focus heavily on compound movements and spend a lot of time whenever you're active.
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