We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-10-06 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a sealed in-ear fit with a genuine IPX7 waterproof rating for sweaty workouts and movie marathons, choose JBL Reflect Flow; if you need an open-ear design you can wear for hours without plugging your ears, choose AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones. I'll be honest up front: these two products solve different problems, and the choice comes down to whether you want sound pumped into your ear canal or kept outside it. If you're shopping for movies and long listening sessions, that distinction matters more than any spec sheet headline.
• JBL Reflect Flow — biggest strength: a true in-ear seal with IPX7 waterproofing, Ambient Aware and TalkThru, plus up to 30 hours total with the case (10 in the buds, 20 in the case).
• JBL Reflect Flow — biggest trade-off: it's an in-ear design, so you're blocking your ear canal, and it relies on passive noise cancellation rather than active cancellation.
• AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: open-ear comfort with soft silicone ear hooks, Bluetooth 5.4, dual ENC mics and up to 50 hours total playtime.
• AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: open-ear means less isolation, so loud environments fight your audio, and the buds themselves only run about 8 hours per charge.
• Choose JBL Reflect Flow if you prioritize a secure sealed fit, stronger bass impact and a waterproof rating you can trust in heavy sweat or rain.
• Choose AOTONOK if you want all-day comfort, situational awareness, and the longest battery of the two.
The Reflect Flow is a true wireless sport earbud built around one idea: stay in your ears no matter what. The rounded-tip in-ear shape, combined with plastic, rubber and silicone materials, is designed to seat firmly, and the IPX7 rating means sweat, rain and splashes aren't a concern. That's the standout number here. IPX7 is a serious waterproof claim, and JBL states it plainly — it's meant to survive the toughest workout in any weather.
Feature-wise, the interesting parts are Ambient Aware and TalkThru. Ambient Aware lets outside sound in so you're aware of traffic or your surroundings while music keeps playing. TalkThru drops the music volume so you can hold a conversation without pulling the buds out. For anyone who has ever yanked an earbud out mid-sentence, that's genuinely useful. Battery is listed at 10 hours in the buds plus 20 in the case, with a 10-minute rapid charge returning a full hour of playback. A 2-hour full charge, 14-ohm impedance, 20Hz–20kHz frequency range and Bluetooth 5 round it out.
That last point is worth dwelling on if you're a movie person. An in-ear seal like this is genuinely the better format for films — dialogue and low-end effects land with more weight when the driver is firing directly into your ear canal rather than past it. If you've been hunting for on ear headphones for movies and you're flexible on the "on ear" part, the Reflect Flow's sealed fit gets you closer to that cinematic feel than an open design will.
AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones: Who It's For
AOTONOK takes the opposite approach. These are open-ear buds with soft silicone ear hooks that sit around your ear rather than inside it. Nothing blocks your canal, which means you hear your surroundings naturally — running, cycling, commuting, working out in a shared space. The IPX7 waterproof rating matches JBL's here, so sweat, rain and splashes are covered on both sides. If you're comparing these purely as IPX7 waterproof headphones, neither has an advantage on that specific spec.
The audio side runs on 14.2mm dynamic drivers — a larger driver than you'd typically expect in this category — with acoustic tuning aimed at minimizing sound leakage. Bluetooth 5.4 is the newer standard of the two, with a stated range up to 33 feet. Dual microphones with ENC noise-canceling handle calls, which is where this product makes a real argument for itself: crystal clear calls in busy streets or windy environments is exactly the scenario open-ear designs usually struggle with, so the dual-mic setup is a smart addition.
Battery is the headline: up to 50 hours total, split as 8 hours per charge plus 42 hours from the charging case. A 15-minute quick charge returns 2 hours. Touch controls cover play/pause, tracks, volume, calls and voice assistant, and it works with iOS and Android. The enclosure is ABS plastic and the color is orange. AOTONOK lists a 12-month warranty in the bullets and a longer warranty plus a return window in the item details — worth checking the current listing wording yourself.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best waterproof confidence → tie. Both are rated IPX7, so sweat, rain and splashes are handled either way.
• Best for battery life → AOTONOK, with up to 50 hours total versus JBL's 30.
• Best for a sealed, impactful movie experience → JBL Reflect Flow, since the in-ear fit delivers sound directly into the canal.
• Best for all-day comfort and awareness → AOTONOK, thanks to the open-ear hooks and no canal pressure.
• Best for call clarity in wind → AOTONOK, which uses dual ENC noise-canceling mics; JBL relies on passive noise cancellation.
• Best for conversation without removing buds → JBL Reflect Flow, via TalkThru and Ambient Aware.
• Best for newer Bluetooth → AOTONOK with Bluetooth 5.4 versus JBL's Bluetooth 5.
• Best for quick top-ups → both, with JBL's 10-minute charge for an hour and AOTONOK's 15 minutes for two hours.
If I were buying for movies and sealed, immersive listening — especially on ear headphones for movies where I want dialogue and effects to hit properly — I'd take the JBL Reflect Flow. The IPX7 rating, the in-ear seal, and Ambient Aware/TalkThru make it the more versatile all-rounder for workouts and focused viewing. I'd pick the AOTONOK instead if comfort, awareness and battery life matter most to me, or if I wanted something closer to sleep headphones for movies that I can wear for hours without my ears aching. My honest read: JBL for sound and fit, AOTONOK for endurance and comfort.
are headphones waterproof
Not automatically — waterproofing depends on the individual model's rating. Both products here are rated IPX7, which means they resist sweat, rain and splashes, though that's a water-resistance rating rather than a claim you can swim or dive with them.
are headphones water resistant
Yes, these two are. IPX7 is the specific rating both JBL Reflect Flow and AOTONOK Open Ear Headphones carry, and it covers sweat, rain and splashes during workouts or commutes. Neither listing claims full submersion use beyond that rating.
AOTONOK, on paper. It lists up to 50 hours total playtime — 8 hours per charge plus 42 from the case — while JBL states up to 30 hours total, with 10 in the buds and 20 in the case.
AOTONOK has the edge on paper, since it uses dual ENC noise-canceling microphones aimed at keeping voices clear in busy or windy places. JBL relies on passive noise cancellation with hands-free calling and voice-assistant access.
In my opinion, JBL Reflect Flow, because the sealed in-ear fit delivers more impact for dialogue and effects. AOTONOK is the better pick if you want to stay aware of your surroundings or wear buds for very long sessions.
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