[blazer78]

Look what arrived!

 

 

JBL needs no introduction to the audiophile world, but perhaps they are better known for their professional line of products. Of course, as a company, their roots go back to 1945, where James Lansing left Altec Lansing to create JBL (James B. Lansing Sound). Later on they would be sold out to Harman International. Those familiar with the JBL and Harman Kardon house sound will associate it with being warm, lively and energetic. Ever hopeful that the S200i would live up to these characteristics, I went ahead and bought a pair.

 

In terms of JBL’s in-ear lineup, the S200i sits at the very top and can be considered as their flagship canalphone, though does not command a flagship price (thankfully). The S200i uses a 10mm dynamic driver, though there are no indications of the impedance. Below are some pictures of the S200i packaging and the canalphones themselves.

 

Front of box
 

Side of box. Remote is Apple compatible. Also comes in S200a variant for android devices
 

A box that slides out of a box.
 

Opening the orange box reveals the S200i's neatly packed. There is a layer of foam behind the black cardboard for extra protection.
 

Back of the S200i housings
 

Profile of the housing
 

The nozzle is angled for a more secure fit in the ear
 

An interesting foam filter configuration in the nozzle with a tiny hole in the center
 

The in-line remote+mic. It is in-line on the left cable.
 

Included shirt clip
 

Y-split
 

Side view of Y-split
 

L-shaped 3.5mm plug
 

JBL logo detail on the face of the plug
 

Rubber hard-case
 

Inside of hard-case
 

Exterior of hard case. Emblazoned with the JBL and Synchros logos
 

Included S+L tips as well as Comply foam tips
 

The patented JBL cardboard table, so that you have an elevated place to rest your earphones.
 

Tip bore is fairly wide and reinforced to prevent collapse in the ear canal

 

 

Packaging and Accessories

The packaging is elaborate and well designed. The presentation is well thought out with specially cut cardboard that hold the canalphones and remote in place. A layer of foam acts as a lining behind the black cardboard to ensure that the canalphones are not damaged during transportation. The canalphones are very easy to remove from the packaging. Included accessories are also generous with a hard zipper carry case, S+M+L silicone tips and Comply T200 foam tips included. The tips appear to be slightly smaller than the standard size tips in comparison to other manufacturers (i.e., JBL mediums are smaller than Sony or AT mediums). Also attached to the S200i cable is a shirt clip that may be removed at your discretion.

 

 

Build Quality

Build quality is good. JBL claims that a die-cast frame was used to construct the housing of the canalphones, however on close inspection appears to be a combination of high density plastic and aluminium. Still, the housing feels rigid and can take some abuse. Unfortunately, there appears to be a lack of strain relief at all major joints. Whilst the stems of the canalphones and the L-plug are slightly flexible, they cannot be considered as a proper strain relief. Thankfully, this problem is mitigated through the use of a high quality flat cable, that only allows bending along one axis. The cable itself has a matte rubber texture to it and is of very high quality with sufficient flexibility.

 

 

Isolation

Isolation is good. When playing music on public transport, engine noise and train track rumble could not be heard. With 3 sizes of tips and comply’s included, achieving a good seal should not be a problem.

 

 

Comfort and Ergonomics

The S200i’s are very comfortable owing to their worn-straight-down ergonomics. Putting them in your ears and out are very simple and straightforward. Depending on your ear canal shape, the angled nozzle may also assist in keeping them secure in your ears. They also have an inline remote control and microphone that is Apple certified, so the volume controls and play/pause buttons work flawlessly on Apple devices. A remote is great whilst on the move or in crowded places as you can change tracks or volume on the fly. If I have to point out one issue, it is with the design of the remote buttons. Since the buttons are of the same texture, it is sometimes difficult to feel which button is being pressed in the dark. This may have been easily rectified by adopting a recessed middle button, or by changing the texture of the middle or volume buttons so that there is a contrast.

 

The housing measures approximately 15mm long (excluding the nozzle) and so may stick out of your ears slightly, though you certainly won’t look alien.

 

 

Aesthetics

Industrial design of the S200i is great. They come in 2 colours, black and grey, or white and silver. The design is eye catching yet understated at the same time. If I had to use an analogy, it would be like putting two turbines or rockets in your ears. The design of the L-shaped plug is also very thoughtful and low profile, so that your iPhone can remain flat on the table when it is plugged in. From the housing to the cable and plug, it is clearly a well thought out design.

 

 

Sound Quality

 

Test Setup:

 

Apple iPhone 5S > JBL S200i (with stock medium silicone tips)

 

Listening in a quiet room ( < 25dB)

Sitting in an upright position

Combination of 320kbps MP3 and ALAC. Music genres include pop, rock, jazz, vocal trance, lounge, orchestral.

 

Overall

The sound of the S200i can be characterised as being warm and lively with forward mids and forward mid-treble. There is a fair balance between the bass, midrange and treble, though the bass and midrange take center stage.

 

Bass

The bass presentation is solid with good texture and detail, allowing the listener to easily tell the different bass tones from each other. The sub-bass performance is also impressive and does not have any apparent roll off. Low end attack is strong, allowing for instruments like a kick drum or electronic bass to leave a good impact. A slight bleed into the midrange on bass heavy tracks is present, though it is not overbearing and is usually passed off as part of the decay.

 

Midrange

The midrange presentation is lively and forward, allowing for an even-handed balance with the bass and treble frequencies. The synergy between the midrange and treble presentation creates an image where the singer is closer to you, whilst still retaining some space for the instruments to breathe. I suppose it is part of the JBL house sound with vocals always feeling energetic, lively and never dull.

 

Treble

The treble presentation is somewhat smooth in presentation though not smooth in frequency response. Pertaining to the presentation, the treble is rarely sibilant and not overly smoothed off such that vocals and instruments still retain some bite. This is important as it allows the timbre of specific instruments to sound natural such as string and percussion instruments. In terms of frequency response, there is a clear emphasis on mid-treble in order to, I presume, make the sound more balanced with the quantity of bass and midrange. In addition, this works to make the music sound more energetic with vocals sounding sharper and instrument clarity, higher. However, this may create problems when listening at very loud volumes (75%+ of iPhone 5S output), as the treble may become dominant (or harsh, as young ears are sensitive to treble

). Nitpicking slightly, the S200i could have had more treble extension, as instruments such as the triangle lack the resonance into the highest frequencies.

 

 

Concluding Remarks

The JBL Synchros S200i is a strong offering in the budget in-ear category that stays true to their house sound. Music through these canalphones is warm, energetic and lively, carrying all the emotion with it. So lively in fact, I didn’t sleep last night. I rest my case.