How to distinguish original JBL headphones from a fake?

JBL wireless headphones are comfortable and deliver quality sound. But how to distinguish original from fake? After all, imitation does not allow you to enjoy listening to pure sound, devoid of extraneous noise, creaking, wheezing.

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But not only the sound quality is “terrifying” for fakes, the headphones are simply inconvenient to use, because they do not have two controls. And other characteristics also do not go to any comparison with the original. As a rule, the material of the ear pads wears out quickly, begins to delaminate and crumble. And there are not so few other unpleasant "surprises" when using fakes.

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What to look for when buying

Differences between an original item and a cheap counterfeit are not so difficult to notice when buying, you just need to know what to look for.

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The following nuances are important:

1. Box design and material.
2. Barcode.
3. Name spelling.
4. The presence of a logo.
5. Ear cushions and regulators.

The difference between a branded quality item and its imitation is noticeable even to a beginner, a person who chooses headphones for himself for the first time. Of course, in the store, the product and its packaging should be carefully examined, but the best option would be the opportunity to try out wireless headphones before purchase. In stores that care about their reputation, there will be no problems, the seller will connect the headphones himself and explain how to use them.

Box

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Packaging is the "face" of the product. These products are packed with high quality, manufacturers do not save on box material and printing. There should not be any distortions of jams and other defects.

The original packaging contains concise, most important information for the user.

The copies on the box have many different inscriptions. In this way, scammers try to divert the attention of the buyer.

The original is characterized by the following qualities:

• thick and laminated on the outside cardboard;
• on the front side of the package - the logo and image of the product;
• there are no phrases containing the words "Super", "Best", "Ultra" and other similar ones.

The printing is clear, the information is easy to read, there are no illegible, printed in small print, paragraphs.

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Equipment

The original ears are packed tightly. They do not move freely inside the box and do not fall out of it when opened. Therefore, checking the reliability of fixing the headset is a good way to distinguish JBL headphones from a fake.

Original headphones must have instructions in the package. It contains all the important information. The manual describes how to use the headset functions. From it you can find out all the main technical characteristics.

Barcode

A barcode is not only a strip with numbers, along which the goods break through at the checkout. In fact, this element is one of the signs by which it is determined whether the seller offers fake headphones or original ones.

Read also: how to check apple earbuds for originality

JBL headphones, like other products of the Harman International Industries alliance, are checked through a special mobile application using a barcode. This element contains an individual serial number of the product, information about the actual location of the production, and other data.

Check JBL headphones by barcode:

Name spelling

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Counterfeiters don't particularly want to deal with lawsuits, police harassment and other similar problems. Headphones cannot be faked in the basement “on the knee”, production requires equipment, specialists are needed.

The brand name must be printed directly on the packaging. Replicas often have a sticker that says "JBL". That is, the headphones pass the border without having any name. And cunning sellers are already placing labels on packages on the ground.

Accordingly, imitation manufacturers do not officially pass off their product as the original JBL. They simply come up with and write a name that is visually similar to the real thing, for example, "iJBL" or "JBL@". Of course, there are thousands of variations of such a falsification, but they are all arranged in such a way that a person notices only an abbreviation of three letters on the logo - JBL. Often imitators use graphic elements in the name rather than letters.

Any modification of the brand name is a clear sign of Pali.

JBL wireless headphones must be equipped with Bluetooth technology. Information about this must be given on the packaging. It is unacceptable to have any spelling errors in the inscription Bluetooth.

Ear pads and controls

You can’t buy headphones without looking at the ear pads and “twisting” the controls. JBLs are expensive not only because of the excellent sound quality, but also because of the comfort when using the thing.

The ear pads are made of high quality ecological leather, it does not wear out, does not exfoliate. The material is stretched, there are no wrinkles and folds on it, the seams are almost invisible.

All seams should be even and barely visible. The fake material is stretched poorly, wrinkles and folds are noticeable on it. Inspecting the ear pads is another way to tell the difference between original JBL headphones.

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Regulators are built into both headphones, this is a JBL feature. That is, each speaker is autonomous, the volume can be adjusted individually, for example, turn off one of them completely or “turn it on” to the maximum.

Most JBL ears have adjusters that are built into both sides. This provides good autonomy for speaker setup. At the same time, fakes have a regulator on only one side.

Still, there are original models where the buttons are present on only one earpiece. For example, JBL E45BT. Therefore, checking the presence of buttons on both sides is not the most reliable way to distinguish a fake.

The situation is similar with folding mechanisms. For originals, it is usually closed, while for replicas it is not covered by anything. However, there are exceptions. For example, in branded JBL E45BT, the folding mechanism is not covered.

Pros and cons of some models of JBL headphones

Model	pros	Minuses
JBL Quantum 100	availability (you can buy a device for 2,000 rubles); light body; do not put pressure on the ears and do not create discomfort when listening; detachable microphone	noise suppression; short cable (1.2 m)
JBL Tune 600BTNC	availability; pleasant sound; autonomy; tight fit, do not fall off with intense movements; connection reliability	high frequencies at high volume; noisy in standby mode; flimsy body
JBL Live 400BT	soundproofing; design; autonomy; control; universal connection - with or without cable	cause discomfort when worn for a long time; volume reserve; the cups stick to the ears, creating a vacuum effect
JBL Club 950NC	balanced sound; reliable assembly; folding body; useful functionality; autonomy; noise suppression; voice assistant support	price; mediocre microphone

How much do JBLs cost?

You can buy original JBL headphones here

How much does a quality item made by a company founded in 1946 cost? Of course, it's expensive. But we must not forget that the price depends on the specific model. For example, the cost of JBL Reflect Flow Black Bluetooth headphones in online stores is 10-12 thousand rubles. But the Bluetooth model JBL Tune 500BT White, abbreviated as JBLT500BTWHT, costs 1800-3000 rubles in the same network markets.

Typically, most people who buy an imitation JBL did so during the seasonal and holiday sales. And no wonder - crowds of people in the halls of stores, announcements screaming about unprecedented discounts, excitement and good mood - all this contributes to loss of control and spontaneous purchases made without a careful examination of the goods.

This must not be forgotten. The maximum possible, actual price reduction, as a rule, does not exceed half of the initially indicated cost.

If the price tag of the JBL package contains a figure of 200-300 rubles, the box is a fake.

Another interesting article: how to distinguish from fake JBL speakers.

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What does a fake look like?

You can buy original JBL headphones here

Of course, each product imitating a brand has its own characteristics. However, there are also common features that are characteristic of most fakes.

Characteristic	Description of distinguishing features
Package	Cardboard boxes, as a rule, are thin, made from recycled waste paper, poorly laminated. The product image may be blurred or edited. The original packaging contains simple photographs taken in white boxes under spotlights. No additional processing, except for preparing the file for printing, is involved.
Low cost	Headphones in a store cannot cost less than the cost of their production, transportation to the warehouse, storage and delivery to the store. This should not be forgotten when going to a sale or noticing an announcement of promotions.
Barcode	The barcode is the most dangerous part of the packaging for fraudsters. For this reason, the vast majority of imitations are devoid of even a hint of a barcode.
Information on the box and instructions	The original JBLs are accompanied by a concise description and instructions containing only the information necessary for the user, that is, the instruction manual. But manufacturers of fakes are trying to divert the attention of buyers from the headphones. For this reason, the packaging and instructions contain an incredible amount of unnecessary information, which, as a rule, is of an advertising nature.

Of course, some fakes are made in the same way as the genuine product, packed in excellent boxes. Such fakes are not much inferior to the original, there is only one way to distinguish them - listen to music.

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