Testing Edifier 800 vs JBL510BT headphones

Just a quick crosscheck between these two models. I have owned a JBL model for around 12 months and have been using it while in the city. It is a good model with decent bass and noticeable high trebles. On the other hand, the Edifier headphones have been used by my teenage daughter for a long time. Not only does she like them, but she also uses them extensively, and surprisingly, she has never lost them. Unlike other models she has owned, these headphones' larger size makes them less prone to being misplaced.

A few days ago, my daughter lent them to me, providing a good opportunity to compare them with my JBL headphones. This wasn't the first time I had tried them, but it was another chance to evaluate their sound quality. I already knew that the Edifiers had a bassy profile with deep bass, but I had never directly compared them to the JBL headphones before.

My current smartphone is a Redmi 12C, a model that I dislike due to its design featuring a micro USB instead of the faster USB-C for charging. However, my older smartphone is still functioning well and hasn't been discarded. The only downside is its limited memory with only 4 GB of RAM. In contrast, the Redmi 12C offers 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage space.
Indeed, as depicted in the photo, the Edifier headphones are visibly larger compared to the JBL headphones. This discrepancy in size could potentially contribute to their relatively bassy sound signature. Larger headphone drivers often have more surface area to produce low-frequency sounds, resulting in enhanced bass response. Therefore, the increased size of the Edifier headphones suggests a possible reason for their pronounced bass performance.

Particularly, there are a few notable features that are specific to the JBL headphones. Firstly, they incorporate a typical mechanism for adjusting the headphones to fit different head sizes. This allows for a comfortable and secure fit for various users. Additionally, the JBL headphones are designed with an over-the-ear style, ensuring that they fully enclose the ears for better sound isolation and an immersive listening experience.

In contrast to many Bluetooth models that typically employ verbal notifications, often utilizing female voices, Edifier has taken a different approach. They have opted to use musical tones for various notifications. For instance, rising tones are used to indicate actions such as connecting or pairing, while falling tones are employed to signify powering off. This unique use of musical tones adds a distinctive touch to the user experience and sets Edifier apart from other headphone brands in terms of audio cues.

Operation and crosscheck 

Initially, there was some chaos while using the Redmi 5 and conducting various tests on two headphones. Eventually, I connected them both via Bluetooth and switched between them using the 12C. I decided to listen to some Malay rock songs from an official YouTube site.

Malaysian music typically features higher and sharper sounds compared to Western music. As expected, the JBL headphones had a seemingly flat sound with some high trebles, while the Edifier headphones delivered deep bass (as low as 90-100 Hz) with over a 6 dB difference from the JBL. Both headphones had similar treble performance.

According to the information provided, the headphones can last for up to 35 hours before the battery drains. I didn't test this duration extensively, but it is beneficial for my daughter, who uses them for extended periods.

I extended the experiment by listening to a few more songs from ASEAN countries, including Thai and Malaysian tracks, and obtained similar results and impressions.

After approximately 40 minutes of use, I experienced no discomfort or pressure in my head. Sometimes, even the lightly pressed JBL model can cause irritation, but the comfort level for the ears depends on the duration of use.

Remote listening distance

Compared to any other headphones I have used so far, this model impressively pairs with the smartphone at distances exceeding 10 meters including wall barriers. That can mean more than 20 meters direct , obstacle free  places!