Review: JBL Reference 210 Earbuds

Part of the JBL Reference Series Earphone System, the reference 210's fall short of the previous expectations I had for JBL audio. Most notably, the bass quality and performance is extremely poor. When reviewing in-ear headphones, I always compare the model in question with my current favorite, which happens to be Skullcandy's Ink'd in-ear buds. I don't feel compelled to write a review for that pair, because a quick search on Google reveals I am far from being alone in my awe at their sound quality and durability. Getting back to JBL's product (they don't seem to have a line for in-ear buds, so I assume this is their formal competition ** ) - another area where JBL falls short is in the build quality and comfort level. The very first thing I noticed when unpacking the product was the cheap-feeling wire, which turned out to be a good indication of the overall quality of the headphones. The casing around the drivers is much too large and round, which makes these earphones terribly uncomfortable for even the most casual use. Internally, the drivers in these buds are not amazing, but they are shamefully underused due to the case distancing them from the inner ear.

Summary:
Unfortunately, JBL seems to have lowered their standards for earbuds, and these are the result.
Spend your $20 on a backup pair of Skullcandy Ink'd instead, you'll be glad you did.

** I appears I was mistaken, after navigating the (confusing and poorly designed) JVC website, I found their "Reference 220" in-ear headphones. I'm returning the 210's for the 220's and there will be a review for that pair as well.