How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want open-ear awareness on every run plus a detachable neckband for the most secure fit, choose JBL Soundgear Sense; if you need marathon battery life and a sealed in-ear fit for the gym, choose SOAR NBA.
• JBL Soundgear Sense — biggest strength: True open-ear design with JBL OpenSound Technology, so you hear your music and the traffic, trail and training partners around you at the same time.
• JBL Soundgear Sense — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation and an open design that deliberately lets the world in, so it is the wrong pick if you want to block out a noisy gym.
• SOAR NBA — biggest strength: Up to 32 hours of total battery life and a silicone in-ear seal that stays put through lifting, sprinting and court work.
• SOAR NBA — biggest trade-off: Bluetooth 5.0 and in-ear gels mean older wireless tech and a plugged-up feeling, so you lose the awareness that makes open-ear buds useful outdoors.
• Pick the JBL Soundgear Sense if you run, ride or train where you need to hear what is happening around you.
• Pick the SOAR NBA if you want long battery life, a locked-in in-ear fit and a team-color look for the gym and game days.
The Soundgear Sense is built around one idea: keep your ears open. JBL OpenSound Technology pushes sound toward your ear using air conduction rather than sealing your canal, which means audio and ambient noise arrive together. Two 16.2mm dynamic drivers — one in each earbud — run with a bass-enhancing algorithm, so the low end has some punch despite the open design. The rounded, plastic earpieces rest on your ears rather than inside them, and at 13.1 grams they are light enough to forget about between sessions.
Battery is up to 6 hours in the buds and another 18 from the charging case, for 24 hours total, with a Type-C fast-charge that adds 4 hours of music from a 15-minute top-up. The case itself is a wireless charging case weighing 66.99 grams. The IP54 rating covers dust and splashes, so a dusty trail or a sudden shower is not a dealbreaker. The adjustable earhooks rotate, letting you angle the buds toward your music or toward the world, and the included neckband adds security for runs where you do not want to gamble on losing an earbud. Calls are handled with touch controls, and JBL states your voice comes through clearly even outdoors in wind.
Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, walkers and anyone training near traffic or in a shared space who wants situational awareness as a feature, not a bug. The rotating earhooks and neckband also suit people who have never gotten along with in-ear tips. Who should skip it: if your priority is maximum isolation on a loud gym floor or a plane, this is not that product — there is no noise control here at all, on purpose.
The SOAR NBA earbuds take the opposite approach. These are traditional in-ear true wireless buds with silicone ear gels, and the sealed fit is the whole point: it blocks some outside noise passively and holds the bud in place during movement. The NBA branding and team-color finish make them as much a fan accessory as a training tool, and the included crossbody bag leans into that game-day identity.
Battery is where the SOAR NBA makes its case — up to 32 hours total. That is a serious stretch between charges, and it suits people who hate docking a case every other day. Connectivity is Bluetooth 5.0 with auto-pairing, so setup is quick and the connection is stable, though it is an older generation of Bluetooth than the JBL's 5.3. Audio options go beyond streaming: these buds support FM radio for live game commentary, plus USB and AUX inputs for other sources, which is genuinely unusual in a pair of true wireless earbuds. There is also a 3.5mm jack listed in the connectivity details.
Who should buy it: gym regulars, casual listeners and sports fans who want long runtime, a secure in-ear fit and the flexibility of FM radio or wired-style inputs. Who should skip it: outdoor runners who rely on hearing cars and other people. Sealed in-ear gels plus no transparency feature means you are cutting yourself off from your surroundings, which is the exact trade-off the JBL was designed to avoid.
• Best for outdoor safety and awareness → JBL Soundgear Sense. Open-ear design keeps you connected to traffic, trails and training partners.
• Best for battery life → SOAR NBA. Up to 32 hours total versus 24 hours on the JBL.
• Best for secure fit during hard workouts → SOAR NBA. Silicone in-ear gels lock into the ear canal.
• Best for people who dislike in-ear tips → JBL Soundgear Sense. The buds rest on the ear, and rotating earhooks let you dial in the angle.
• Best for extra fit insurance on runs → JBL Soundgear Sense. The included neckband means a lost earbud is far less likely.
• Best for fast top-ups → JBL Soundgear Sense. A 15-minute Type-C charge adds 4 hours of music.
• Best for durability against dust and sweat splashes → JBL Soundgear Sense. It carries an IP54 rating; the SOAR sheet lists no IP rating.
• Best for alternative audio sources → SOAR NBA. FM radio plus USB and AUX inputs is a rare combination.
• Best for modern wireless tech → JBL Soundgear Sense. Bluetooth 5.3 with a 10-meter range beats Bluetooth 5.0.
• Best for team-color style → SOAR NBA. The finish is matched to team colors and it ships with a crossbody bag.
My Verdict
how to wear sports earbuds
It depends on the design. The JBL Soundgear Sense is an open-ear model: the rounded earpieces rest on your ears, and you rotate the flexible earhooks until the sound points at your ear canal. The SOAR NBA is an in-ear model: you push the silicone ear gels gently into your ear canal and twist slightly for a seal. In both cases, start with the bud that feels looser and adjust from there.
how to connect bose sports earbuds
I can only speak to the two products compared here, not Bose. The JBL Soundgear Sense uses Bluetooth 5.3 with a 10-meter range and touch controls, so you pair it from your phone's Bluetooth menu like any wireless headphone. The SOAR NBA uses Bluetooth 5.0 with auto-pairing, which is designed to simplify setup. For any brand, the general process is: charge the buds, open the case, then select the earbuds in your device's Bluetooth settings.
how to reset bose sports earbuds
Again, that is a Bose-specific procedure and neither data sheet here covers it. What I can tell you is that the JBL Soundgear Sense charges over a Type-C USB cable — about 2 hours for the buds and 2 hours for the case — and the SOAR NBA charges through its included case. If you have pairing trouble with either, the reliable first step is to fully charge them and then remove the earbuds from your phone's Bluetooth list before pairing again.
how to pair bose sports earbuds
For the two earbuds in this comparison, pairing is standard Bluetooth. The SOAR NBA advertises auto-pairing for a hassle-free setup, while the JBL Soundgear Sense pairs over Bluetooth 5.3 and is controlled by touch. Neither requires an app in the specs listed. As a general rule, keep the buds within the 10-meter range the JBL specifies, and keep the case lid open during the first pairing attempt.
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