Blaster Headphone: Simple looks, but sound companion (Tech Review)

Creative Technology on Monday announced the launch of Ultra-Light Sound Blaster JAM, a Bluetooth headset which aims to compete with the already heated up sub-Rs.4,000 headphones segment.

This particular segment assumes significance as there has been a continuous demand for sturdy and bass-kicking headphones at an affordable price. The JAM enters the market with a price tag of Rs.3,499 and here is our evaluation of the new headphone:

Design: The device looks like any other normal over-the-head Bluetooth headphone. It comes with extendable flaps that helps the user adjust the headphones over his or her head and rather feels comfortable on the ear owing to the ear cushions.

The headphones sports a dedicated bass button and volume rocker controls on the right flap. The circle on the right flap acts as the start or the stop button while playing music and doubles up as a button for accepting or rejecting calls on the go. A dedicated button for changing music would have been an icing on the cake.

Audio and Connectivity: This headphone is seriously loud and has a great bass effect although the headphones seemed to miss a few lower notes at the bass mode. The Sound Blaster JAM supports Bluetooth 4.1 audio streaming allowing users to communicate and stream audio content from their mobile device.

It features Near Field Communication (NFC) wireless connectivity for one-touch pairing. Creative boasts of Neodymium drivers that has the effect of bringing the audio alive. The device has a built-in microphone with noise reduction and acoustic echo cancellation abilities that allows the user to enjoy voice clarity during calls too.

Special Mode and Battery: The headphone is loud enough but once connected to a PC it goes to extra loud mode. Sound Blaster's SBX Pro Studio comprises a suite of audio technologies, such as Surround, Crystalizer, Bass, Smart Volume and Dialog Plus, giving users the ability to fully customize every aspect of the headphones' audio settings.

SBX Surround 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. The headphone has great battery backup and can run up to 10-12 hours on a single charge.

Pricing and Availability: The Creative Sound Blaster JAM Bluetooth headset, priced at Rs 3,499 will be available in India from end of May 2015 onwards. The product will be available for purchase online on Amazon India, Flipkart and Snapdeal.

Verdict: Although the device will face stiff competition in its segment, our verdict is that the JAM is a perfect sound companion which will let users enjoy hands-free voice communication, music playback, watching movies and mobile gaming on the go for a fairly reasonable price.