JVC Kenwood Glass Core Pro True Wireless Earphones Review

Following the release of the WOOD Masterpiece, JVC has introduced a new flagship in the true wireless world. The JVC Kenwood Glass Core Pro is a new pair of earbuds that retails for $429.95. It enters the ring alongside many other hi-fi true wireless earbuds at the same price point, so what makes this one so special? Does it even hold a candle to what's already on the market? In this review, we take a look at all the finer details to see if the Kenwood Glass is a worthy pair of earbuds to add to your collection.  

The theme of 'glass' ties into a lot of parts of the Kenwood Glass earbuds. Looking at the physical design of the earbuds, you get the theme almost instantly with the reflective case. It slides open to reveal the Kenwood Glass earbuds themselves, and they have the same reflective shell to match. The earbuds have a thicker shell with a silicone eartip, which you can change out easily with their assortment of sizes. The earbud has a stem coming down to align with your ear, making it look almost like an AirPod. On this stem, you have a small button to use to navigate controls during your listening. 

The charging case and Kenwood Glass earbuds themselves are dark in color but have a reflective shell to look like a mirror. The darker aesthetic is sleek and mysterious, though the material is prone to fingerprints. It may be irksome to constantly have to wipe away any smudges or imperfections from the case. When it comes to comfort, I felt like I could wear the Kenwood Glass for hours. It was lightweight so it didn't weigh down my ear, but had enough heft to feel high-quality as opposed to cheap and plasticky. They seemed pretty durable, though I would be nervous about dropping them because of the glass design. However, during use, I found they didn't lend themselves to clumsy use, and they were stable in the ears for long listening sessions. 

The Kenwood Glass earbuds are easy to pair and connect to your device. My phone was able to find the eabuds very easily, and from there I was able to start listening. In terms of operation, the Kenwood Glass takes a different approach by adding a button onto the stem of the earbuds. They don't rely on touch sensors on the earbuds to manage controls. I liked this change, as sometimes pressing the side of the shell is far too sensitive and activates features you don't want to use. The buttons were easy to find and were not stiff to press, so you could easily utilize them without fear of needing too much force. 

There are a lot of features that come with the Kenwood Glass earbuds. The noise cancellation is a standout feature that is exceptional and effective for everyday use. It was really strong and blocked out most, if not all, of my ambient environment. There is an ambient mode that lets sound pass through very clearly, and you can even adjust the noise cancellation on the Kenwood Glass earbuds to account for windy days. The wind-cut feature allows you to hear your music and phone calls more clearly. With the accompanying app, you can adjust the noise cancelling manually instead of cycling through the modes with the button. The app also allows you to customize the EQ with preset filters or create your own. You get three blank profiles to tune as you wish and use at your leisure. The adaptability and personalization of the Kenwood Glass is a great choice for the audiophiles who are very particular with their sound. 

• Driver Unit: Caliber 10mm + MEMs
• Communication Method / Output: Bluetooth Standard Ver 6.0 / Power Class 1
• Corresponding Codec: SBC / AAC / LDAC
• Corresponding Content Protection: SCMC-T method
• Battery Life (ANC OFF):
  • Earphones: up to 14.5 hours
  • Charging Case: up to 34.5 hours
  • Total: up to 49 hours
• Battery Life (ANC ON):
  • Earphones: up to 12 hours
  • Charging Case: up to 28.5 hours
  • Total: up to 40.5 hours
• Mass:
  • Earphones: 6.7g (1 earphone)
  • Charging Case: 58.4g

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

So, after all is said and done, what do the Kenwood Glass earbuds sound like? Upon a first listen, I was impressed with how loud these earbuds got. The Kenwood Glass has a wide soundstage that places instruments fairly accurately in the sound field, which elevates the immersive quality from the active noise cancelling. The sound was expansive and showcased a lot of width and horizontal space, as well as exceptional depth. It made the profile more immersive, wrapping around your head and putting you right at the center of everything. There was a bit of height, but it mainly stayed level and didn't grow upwards to create a very forward wall of sound. 

The overall sound signature of the Kenwood Glass does lean towards the bass. Everything is fairly even, but it doesn't feel like a reference sound that you might do close, analytical listening with. Instead, you have something that is highly detailed but still entertaining with its dynamic flair. You have a lot of natural sound reproduction, so it's easy to distinguish elements from each other and pick out unique timbres. The sound is clean throughout the sound signature, and stays balanced so as to not overwhelm you with one range over another. I really enjoyed listening to a wide range of music on the Kenwood Glass, and it was interesting to see how the glass plate technology handled ridding of noise in all those different genres. 

BASS FREQUENCIES

The bass in the Kenwood Glass is strong and punchy. When I was first listening to the earbuds, the low end was the first thing that hit me in any track. While it is strong and punchy, there is a warm color to it that makes the bass feel more realistic and inviting. It's easy to make the bass in true wireless earphones too powerful, and it drowns out any detail or character the range could have. The Kenwood Glass strikes a good balance between colorfully detailed with texture and laying a thick foundation. In high-energy tracks, you could really feel the bass and how it hit those fast-tempo beats. The sub-bass rumbled and extended deep into the soundstage to create a more immersive and tactile listening experience. While this fast punchiness was great for pop and EDM, I found myself really liking slower-paced jazz and R&B in the Kenwood Glass earbuds, where the bass was smooth and warm, wrapping around you like a blanket. The versatility of this bass and its ability to be heightened even more make the Kenwood Glass a great device for bass lovers. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

In the midrange, the Kenwood Glass delivers plenty of detail and character. This is where most of the texture comes out, revealing unique timbres of instruments and separating them out in the depth of the soundstage. I was impressed with the level of detail the midrange had, staying in line with the bass and treble. Vocals came to the front a little more than some other instruments, but it allowed you to focus on those main melodies. Most of the main melodies could be found in the Kenwood Glass's midrange, and while they didn't separate upwards to create a wall of sound, the depth of the soundstage was utilized heavily to make the separation more three-dimensional. The reproduction of instruments was quite realistic in the Kenwood Glass, and paired with the effective dynamics from treble to bass, it made listening sessions more entertaining. It prevents the Kenwood Glass from becoming too clinical or strictly analytical. 

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

At the very top of the signature, the treble range plays an important role. The Kenwood Glass sounds very heavy due to the strong bass, but it was balanced out well with the addition of a bright treble response. The high-end extended upwards very naturally to let frequencies ring out, allowing the signature to open up and feel less compressed. A lot of detail and texture came from the treble extending out to other frequency ranges, making everything a touch lighter and brighter. The ultra-high frequencies get a nice feature, getting highlighted very subtly, but still effectively giving the Kenwood Glass an airy presence. The glass vibration plate does wonders in collecting the unnecessary buzz that could take away from the realistic listening experience. Having the treble be so open makes the realistic reproduction all the more effective and convincing, so it's like you step into your own listening world. 

What can you compare to the JVC Kenwood Glass earbuds? An easy comparison would be the previous flagship, the JVC WOOD Masterpiece. The WOOD Masterpiece is a great pair of earphones at its price point, and offers exceptional detail throughout the frequency range. The Kenwood Glass earbuds are a nice step above that, offering more precise adjustment for picky listeners. While the WOOD Masterpiece has more balance and forwardness in the treble, the Kenwood Glass has a stronger bass response that makes it better for low-end lovers. The ear style between them stays pretty consistent, though functionality changes with the Kenwood Glass upgrading to physical buttons on the stem. It's hardly $100 more expensive, so it's worth looking at both when you consider a new pair of earphones.

Outside of the brand, you may compare the Kenwood Glass to other true wireless models in the $400+ price point. The Noble Audio Rex5 and the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8 are two models that I would consider to be equivalent matches. The Pi8 has a bassier profile, and the Rex5 is equally as balanced. The Rex5 has more of a V-shape to sound like the midrange is more forward, while the Kenwood Glass makes everything stay pretty in line with each other. The wear style also differs from model to model, with the Kenwood Glass being the only of the three to have a stem with a physical button. Depending on what matters more to you in your listening, you'll be able to make an informed decision on which earbuds are right for you.

The JVC Kenwood Glass Core Pro earbuds enter the ring against some well-loved competitors, but they hold their ground as a great musical device. The strong ANC is perfect for people who want a pair of earphones that will take them into their own world, and the loud sound reproduction is great for immersive listening. The Kenwood Glass has a strong bass and a bright treble, so you are sure to be entertained and engaged with your listening in a host of genres. Trying these out against competitors like the Pi8 or the Rex5 is a great way to tell if this is the upgrade for you. 

You can get the JVC Kenwood Glass at Audio46.