For almost a week, we have been using JBL CLUB 950NC headphones. During this time, we identified both positive and negative qualities in them that we can call plusses. Let’s start by talking about these headphones because it’s always fun to do so. Excellent Bluetooth over-ear ANC headphones are the JBL CLUB 950NC. They appear to be extremely sturdy and long-lasting, and they feel comfortable enough to wear for extended listening sessions. From country to hip-hop, their well-rounded and adaptable sound profile is appropriate for a wide range of genres and content. If you like to fine-tune the audio rendition of your headphones, you may also alter it using a parametric EQ or presets via their specialized companion app. Unfortunately, despite having ANC, their performance in isolating noise is only ok, and they don’t contribute to providing any quiet on a bus or a plane. Your voice comes across as distorted, artificial, and challenging to understand thanks to their built-in microphone, which is also very disappointing. you will read our article on JBL CLUB 950NC review.
JBL CLUB 950NC review: Design
The Club 950NC circumoral (over-ear) headphones feature thick earpads and a headband that are covered in a material that resembles leather. The earcups fold up to fit inside the hard-shell case that comes with them and have an eggshell-like finish. Additionally, the headphones come with an audio cable that includes a microphone and a single-button remote control. Multiple controls are housed in each earcup. A power button, a Bluetooth pairing button, and a button that enables/disables ANC (when held for two seconds) or activates ambient mode are all located on the left ear’s side panel. On this panel, there is also a connection for the supplied audio cable and a status LED. You can ask Alexa or Google Assistant a question by pressing the JBL logo located on the left ear’s outer panel. A USB port for the supplied charging cable, volume up/down buttons, a central playback/call management button (which also activates Siri), and a Bass Boost button are all located on the right earcup. Unfortunately, despite having so many buttons, JBL still chose to merge the volume and track navigation buttons. As a result, it’s simple to unintentionally skip a track when you meant to increase the volume by giving either a long press.
Comfort
Two essential design elements for headphones like the Club 950NC are foldability and portability, and the JBLs check off both of those boxes. Metal hinges built into the earcup stems allow the headphones to fold upward and inwards, toward the back of the headband. You can put them in their clamshell carry case in this position. The headphones are solid and appear to be long-lasting, much like the case. The news is less clear when it comes to comfort. The Sony WH-1000XM3s, which are the lightest in their class, feel significantly lighter than the JBLs in terms of weight. According to the spec sheet, the JBLs weigh 372g as opposed to 255g for the Sony. The Beats Solo Pros, another competitor with a similar price, weigh 267g. The earpads have a firm but comfortable grip and can pivot and twist to help you get the best fit. The magnetic earpads can actually be peeled away from the earcup body, making replacement easy. However, they don’t feel as cushioned as some competitors, and the padding around the middle of the headband is no different. It strikes us as being on the hard side, and we can feel its weight during protracted listening sessions. Although they are not particularly uncomfortable, there are rival pairs that are superior. also you will check our article on JBL CLUB 950NC review.
JBL CLUB 950NC review: Connectivity
The free JBL Headphones App may be used to configure voice control, button assignment, and firmware upgrades in addition to EQ sound adjustments, where your customized settings can be saved. Additionally, club stars like Tigerlily, Armin van Buuren, Nicky Romero, Sunnery James, and Ryan Marciano’s settings are accessible through the “Stage+” function. However, with multiple presets, overdriving happens similarly to the Bass Booster, so some adjustments would be preferred.
Noise canceling
Active noise canceling may be turned on and off by pressing and holding the Smart Ambient button on the outside of the left earcup for two seconds (ANC). We were able to identify when it was engaged because of a crackling sound that was probably caused by the external microphones because there is no speech cue that indicates whether it is engaged or not. This is inaudible when the music is playing, but it can be very bothersome when it is stopped. In addition, the earcup has an LED that shows whether active noise cancellation (ANC) is on or off, but this isn’t very useful because you can’t see it when the headphones are on your head. The ANC performs admirably. Although it doesn’t block out as much noise as Sony or Bose’s technology, it still does a respectable job. While seated in our home office, we were virtually immune to the whirring of the washing machine and neither our partner’s approaching footsteps nor the cat’s repeated cries for food. Although it couldn’t block out the sound of the kettle boiling, higher frequency sounds are usually more difficult for noise-cancelling cans to block out.
Audio performance
The right earcup has a button that can be used to control the Bass Boost feature, but you can add or remove it as you see fit. We leave the boost switched off while using the headphones. Precision and clarity are sacrificed in favor of more power and heavier bass. With it on, the entire presentation sounds murkier and cloudier. In keeping with the DJ theme, you can choose preset EQ modes for each of the aforementioned DJs as well as a few other JBL ambassadors using the “our JBL Headphones” app for Android and iOS devices. Although each has a distinctive sonic flavor to experience, we tend to prefer the Club 950NCs’ standard out-of-the-box audio. Additionally, the default audio is excellent. The JBL speakers produce a pure, open, and clear sound. They prefer a vivacious, enthusiastic presentation that is enjoyable to hear both wirelessly and through a wired connection to a 3.5mm headphone socket. The Club 950NCs sound great with everything from progressive trance to punk, and there is plenty of room and headroom for tracks from any genre to shine. Play Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa, and the JBL will benefit from the song’s energetic, funky speed. They faithfully follow the funky beat of the music. Thanks to the large soundstage, the song’s brief, stabby bassline, plucky percussion, and expressive vocal all have plenty of room to breathe. People, we’ve Been Sad by Christine and the Queens moves at a much slower tempo, but the JBLs are unfazed. Intricate string instrument fluttering’s and subtle pans across the soundstage continue to astonish us with their level of detail. you will learn our article on JBL CLUB 950NC review. The JBLs do a fantastic job of conveying the many dynamic variations and focus on the staccato features of Christine’s delivery when the song slows down and she begins singing in French. Although competitors like the Sony WH-1000XM3 and Dali iO-4 do a better job of it, they are more dynamically subtle and as a result, even more believable. When we switch to Hans Zimmer’s Inception soundtrack without vocals, the Dalis and Sonys are the ones who make the most of the dynamic shifts at the beginning of the song Time. The JBLs deliver the pulsing drumbeat and rising and falling strings with great conviction, but the top pairs at the money have more tonal finesse and a deeper sense of emotion.
JBL CLUB 950NC review: Call performance
The USB-C port, volume rockers that also serve as playback controls, a button to answer calls, activate Siri on Apple devices, and that recognizable Bass Boost button to turn on the series’ defining feature can all be found on the right earcup. To guarantee that anyone using these headphones to take calls won’t be dissatisfied with the sound quality, JBL has cleverly used a dual-mic setup. It’s encouraging to see that JBL is at least leading the wireless headphone market when it comes to this small but crucial aspect of daily use since clear voice is still a problem, even with higher end devices.
Battery and charging
These headphones have an excellent battery life of up to 55 hours when ANC is disabled. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed my daily usage, we could easily go two days without needing to recharge. Since the ANC consistently muffles chatter, even though we don’t use public transportation as frequently and try to avoid rush hours, we see ourselves leaving it on during the commute. Regardless, we could easily anticipate a full day of use, which is more than enough for the majority of customers.
Conclusion
The JBL CLUB 950NC over-ear headphones are good for a variety of uses. They appear to be sturdy and well-built, and they are comfortable enough to wear for extended periods of time without growing weary or uncomfortable. From hip-hop to podcasts, their sound profile is well-balanced and adaptable enough for a variety of genres and content, and their companion app gives you access to a parametric EQ and presets to alter how they sound. Unfortunately, their ANC isn’t very effective, and even when it’s turned on, they only passably reduce background noise. Overall, these headphones are adaptable enough to be good for most uses even though they aren’t exceptional for any particular use.
