We've tested 60 JBL headphones and earbuds. Originally a speaker company, JBL makes a variety of audio equipment, including a wide range of headphones. Their diverse lineup includes gaming headsets and noise cancelling over-ears as well as earbuds for the office and the gym. The well-known brand usually packs its products with extra features, like a parametric EQ for sound customization, battery-saving auto-off modes, and multi-device pairing at a mid-range or budget-friendly price.
Updates
- 08/01/2024 JBL Tune 770NC Wireless reviewed
- 06/07/2024 JBL Live 770NC Wireless reviewed
- 05/31/2024 JBL Live 660NC Wireless updated
- 05/27/2024 JBL Tune 520BT Wireless reviewed
- 05/24/2024 JBL Live 670NC Wireless reviewed
Best JBL Headphones
-
Best JBL Earbuds
Neutral Sound7.2Commute/Travel7.9Sports/Fitness8.1Office7.4Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming5.6Phone Calls6.9Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe best JBL earbuds we've tested are the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless. Their ANC system reduces noise like rumbling engines during your commute or background chatter at the office. By default, they have a slightly V-shaped sound profile that adds extra rumble and punch while instruments remain bright. It's well-suited for genres like pop and rock, but their companion app has a parametric EQ and presets if you prefer a different sound.
The JBL's battery lasts about eight hours of continuous use, and there's an auto-off timer to help conserve power when you're not using the buds. You can always top them up in the case, which holds around three extra charges. The earbuds are well-built and have a great customizable control scheme.
Unfortunately, they don't have the most comfortable or stable fit and can pop out of your ears when you're talking. The JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are similar earbuds that are more comfortable and less likely to fall out of your ears during workouts, but they have less effective ANC and a shorter continuous battery life.
-
Best Mid-Range JBL Earbuds
Neutral Sound6.8Commute/Travel7.5Sports/Fitness8.1Office6.8Wireless Gaming5.4Wired Gaming5.2Phone Calls6.0Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesThe best JBL wireless earbuds in the mid-range category are the JBL Endurance Peak 3 True Wireless. These buds are great for exercising, as they have ear hooks and a 'TwistLock' design, giving them a much more stable fit than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless. They also have an IP68 rating, which protects them against dust and brief submersion in water, as well as a 10-hour continuous battery life, meaning they won't die or get damaged during long, arduous excursions in more unpredictable terrain.
Although they lack noise cancelling, they still block out a decent amount of ambient sound, like chit-chat from other gymgoers. They have a very bass-heavy default sound profile to help keep you pumped up while working out, but their companion app has a graphic EQ and presets to fine-tune the mix to your liking. Unfortunately, their tight ear hook design doesn't accommodate smaller ears well, so you'll need to adjust them more often. Try the JBL Tune Flex True Wireless if you want more comfortable earbuds. The Tune Flex come with two different ear tips, one with a deep fit and another with a shallow fit, so you can try out what's comfortable for you. That said, they have poor noise isolation, so you'll hear a lot of what's going on around you.
-
Best Budget JBL Earbuds
Neutral Sound7.2Commute/Travel7.3Sports/Fitness8.1Office6.8Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming5.7Phone Calls6.4Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesIf you're shopping with your eye on your wallet, you'll want to consider the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless, the best JBL earphones at a budget-friendly price point. These lightweight earbuds are a versatile option for casual use. They don't have the same ear hook design as the JBL Endurance Peak 3 True Wireless, but they have a stable enough fit for moderate exercise. They also have an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water exposure and a battery that lasts just over eight hours on a single charge, making them well-suited for days in the office and weekends out on the trail.
Their default sound profile is also fairly well-balanced and versatile. There's adequate thump and punch in the bass range to complement genres like EDM and hip-hop, but the mid and treble ranges are suitably well-balanced to suit podcasts and other vocal-centric content. Their companion app also has a parametric EQ and presets to help you further tailor the mix to your liking. They can passively cut out a fair amount of mid- and treble-range background noise, like office chit-chat or whiny PC fans, though they don't isolate you that well from the deep rumble of bus and plane engines. If you're looking for budget buds with better noise isolation performance, try the JBL Vibe 100TWS True Wireless. They can passively cut out more noise from voices and high-pitched tech around you, but their battery doesn't last as long, and they lack sound customization options.
-
Best JBL Headphones
Neutral Sound7.7Commute/Travel7.3Sports/Fitness7.3Office7.3Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming7.4Phone Calls6.8Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling YesMic YesThe JBL Live 660NC Wireless are the best JBL wireless headphones we've tested. They support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your smartphone and PC simultaneously, and their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you customize their otherwise bass-rich sound profile to suit your tastes. While their ANC system has some trouble cutting down the low rumble of bus engines, it does a better job of tackling office range sounds like ambient chatter and the hum of computer fans. Their integrated microphone is adequate but won't separate your voice from noisy environments.
The 660NC are decently comfortable and lightweight but have a high clamping force, making them fatiguing to wear for hours. However, this tight fit also prevents them from moving around too much on your head, and they have better stability than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless, making them a solid choice if you're looking for over-ear headphones for working out. Their roughly 26 hours of continuous battery life means you don't need to recharge every day.
If you'd prefer a battery life that will get you through the whole work week without recharging, consider the JBL Live 770NC Wireless. These headphones perform similarly to the Live 660NC but have over 55 hours of continuous battery life and slightly better ANC than our pick. The downside is their slightly worse microphone. The 770NC also have a boomy default sound that many listeners will find muddy, and they are more expensive than the Live 660NC.
-
Best Budget JBL Headphones
Neutral Sound7.7Commute/Travel6.6Sports/Fitness6.9Office6.6Wireless Gaming5.7Wired Gaming5.5Phone Calls6.3Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesTransducer DynamicNoise Cancelling NoMic YesIf you're looking for a pair of budget headphones, the JBL Tune 520BT Wireless are well worth considering. Their outstandingly balanced mid-range allows them to represent a wide variety of audio naturally. At the same time, their bass adds a touch of extra boom to kick drums. Their treble range is less consistent, though: you'll find sibilants alternately dull or piercing depending on their pitch. If you prefer a different sound profile, they come with an app that lets you tweak their sound to your liking with a parametric EQ and presets.
They don't have ANC like the JBL Live 660NC Wireless, so the 520BT aren't the best choice for commuting or working in a busy office. However, their mic performs just as well as the 660NC, and they share the same great Bluetooth connectivity with their more expensive cousin: you can connect to two devices simultaneously, and they support Quick Pair for Android devices. The 520BT aren't as comfortable or well-built as the more expensive 660NC, but with over 65 hours of continuous battery life, they can get you through a busy workweek on a single charge.
Compared To Other Brands
-
Well-balanced sound.
Although we haven't tested JBL's full range of headphones and in-ears, this brand noticeably focuses on well-balanced sound reproduction. As they're a subsidiary branch of Harman, their headphones typically follow the Harman curve, which creates a balanced sound profile suitable for most audio genres. -
Feature-packed.
JBL's wide variety of wireless headphones and in-ears come jam-packed with active features like music sharing and auto-off timers. They also have a mobile app that allows you to customize more of your audio experience, like controlling noise isolation or tweaking sound with their fully parametric equalizer.
-
Easy-to-use.
The JBL headphones we've tested tend to have simple and intuitive controls. Most also have a dedicated sync button for Bluetooth pairing, making the process easier.
-
Mediocre comfort.
Although we haven't tested all of JBL's headphone and in-ear lineup, some have comfort issues like a tight fit or slightly small ear cups that don't fit well around the user's ears. -
Plasticky designs.
Most of JBL's headphones have decent build quality, but the ones we've tested still feel plasticky, especially given their price range. -
No open-back models.
While it may not be an issue for casual listeners, JBL lacks an open-back model to create more spacious soundstages suited for audiophiles.
JBL vs Anker
Anker is often seen alongside JBL when looking for lower-end, more affordable headphones. However, Anker's products offer a better noise isolation performance. Some of their products even support LDAC, a codec designed for Hi-Res Audio. On the other hand, JBL's headphones tend to have a more balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their companion app offers a parametric EQ compared to Anker's graphic EQ. If you'd like to learn more, check out our article on the best Anker headphones.
JBL vs Skullcandy
While JBL and Skullcandy target the budget range with their lineups, JBL have a more expansive range of products at different price points. Many of their products are also better built and have more balanced default sound profiles than Skullcandy's plasticky designs and generally bassy sound. That said, Skullcandy's models are more flashy, and some people may even prefer their unique collaboration colorways to JBL's more muted colors. For more info, check out our picks for the best Skullcandy headphones.
Overall, JBL makes feature-packed headphones and earbuds with a well-balanced sound, as they closely follow the Harman curve. However, their design and fit may not always be the most comfortable, and despite their price, they have a plasticky build that can feel a bit cheap.
Lineup
JBL has quite a few lineups, but there aren't clear distinctions between a few of them. Some are sorted by rough price brackets:
- Vibe = Budget-friendly wireless in-ears/earbuds.
- Tune = Lower mid-range in-ears/earbuds and over-ears.
- Live = Mid-range wireless in-ears/earbuds and over-ears.
- Tour = High-end in-ears/earbuds and over-ears.
Others are sorted by usage or intended audience:
- Club = Inspired by DJs and musicians. Includes in-ears and over-ears.
- Endurance = Sports-oriented in-ears with stability fins or ear hooks.
- JR = On-ear/over-ear headphones designed for kids.
- Quantum = Over-ears with boom mics for gaming.
- Reflect = An older lineup made of sports-oriented headphones with stability fins.
In addition, JBL uses some abbreviations at the end of their products' names to indicate particular features:
- BT = Bluetooth
- NC = Noise cancelling
- TWS = Truly wireless
Recent Updates
-
We edited some of the text to bring it into line with our current style guide but have not changed our picks.
-
Aug 19, 2024: We added a new 'Best Budget JBL Headphones' pick: the JBL Tune 520BT Wireless. The JBL Live 660NC Wireless remain our 'Best JBL Headphones' pick, but we added the JBL Live 770NC Wireless as an alternative option for anyone looking for a longer battery life.
-
May 22, 2024: We've made minor updates to the text and checked that the products are in stock.
-
Mar 22, 2024: We've checked our picks for accuracy and product availability. However, there hasn't been a change in our recommendations.
-
Jan 23, 2024: We've replaced the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless with the JBL Vibe Buds True Wireless as our pick for the 'Best Budget Earbuds'. Otherwise, we've made some minor changes to the text and ensured our picks are up-to-date and in stock.
Conclusion
JBL offers a variety of headphones and earbuds for different uses, and our picks represent the best JBL headphones you can buy right now. They generally have a well-balanced sound, but you can EQ most of them with their companion app if you want it to sound slightly differently. While they don't produce headphones as comfortable as other popular brands like Bose and Sennheiser, and they don't offer any models specifically catered for audiophiles, JBL has packed their colorful designs with unique features like music sharing that make JBL a great brand for casual, everyday headphones.