SOUND BLASTER JAM: An Ultra-light Wireless BT Headset
Creative announced the Sound Blaster JAM, a lightweight Bluetooth headset with long battery life. They have been active in the sound category recently, and did well last year with the Sound Blaster Roar. With the JAM priced at an affordable reach, this could be the next big gadget from our local Singapore tech company. Specifications indicate that this is a decent pair of bluetooth headphones, and Creative over the last few years have demonstrated that they still can deliver good quality sound. I find the headset a little bland looking but at least the pricing (S$69) looks reasonable.
The Sound Blaster JAM supports Bluetooth 4.1 audio streaming, allowing users to communicate and stream audio content from their mobile device without the hassle of wires. It also features Near Field Communication (NFC) wireless connectivity for easy one-touch pairing. The headset’s modern lightweight design, comfortable ear cushions, long battery life and fuss-free controls on the earcup make it the perfect smartphone companion for hands-free voice communication, music playback, watching movies and mobile gaming. Thick foam ear cushions provide adequate comfort while listening for long hours, and at 83g, it’s one of the lightest bluetooth headphones around.
When paired to a phone via Bluetooth, the built-in microphone blocks out ambient noises, eliminates echoes and enables the speaker to listen to the other party clearly during a phone call. Too bad it doesn’t offer noise reduction for music playback.
You’ll be able to play wireless music for up to 12 hours. And at home, you can connect it to your computer via a USB cable, for clear uncompressed digital audio playback. This would charge the headphones as well, a nice feature to have. Creative shared that the computer audio would be enhanced with their Sound Blaster’s SBX Pro Studio technology which works with music, movies and games. The SBX Pro Studio features include SBX Surround, which increases and expands the virtual surround spaciousness, allowing users to enjoy realistic surround sound when watching movies or playing games while SBX Crystalizer restores details and expands the dynamic range of audio.
Creative has also equipped the Sound Blaster JAM headphones with neodymium drivers that can handle frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz. And there’s a bass boost button if you’d rather take matters in to your own hands. In terms of its design, the lightweight materials used in the headphones’ development are intended to make them “ultra-light” on your head. Soft ear cushions have also been provided.
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
The Creative Sound Blaster JAM Bluetooth headphones are expected to hit the shelves at the end of January and you can pre-order from the Creative web store. The headphones cost S$69.