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JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Review updated Jan 15, 2024 at 04:08 pm
JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless Picture
7.2
Neutral Sound
7.9
Commute/Travel
8.1
Sports/Fitness
7.4
Office
5.8
Wireless Gaming
5.6
Wired Gaming
6.9
Phone Calls

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless are the updated successor of the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. While they look fairly similar to their predecessor, there have been a couple of changes, like adding an adaptive ANC system, multi-device pairing, and extra customization features via their companion app.

Our Verdict

7.2 Neutral Sound

The JBL Live Pro 2 are decent for neutral sound. Out of the box, they have a v-shaped sound profile that adds extra thump and boom while vocals and lead instruments are bright. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. However, their soundstage feels like sound is coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed around you.

Pros
  • Parametric EQ and presets available via their companion app.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage performance.
7.9 Commute/Travel

The JBL Live Pro 2 are very good for commute and travel. They have an adaptive ANC system that does a great job of blocking background noise like the low rumble of bus engines. They also have over eight hours of continuous playback time, and their carrying case supplies three additional charges. They have a decently comfortable fit, too, but they can pop out of your ears if you don't have a good fit.

Pros
  • Great noise isolation performance.
  • Over eight hours of continuous playback time.
Cons
  • Buds can pop out of your ears during movement like talking.
8.1 Sports/Fitness

The JBL Live Pro 2 are great for sports and fitness. They're well-built and are certified IPX5 for resistance against direct water contact. They're also decently comfortable but lack stability fins and can pop out of your ears if you can't get a good fit. On the upside, they have over eight hours of continuous battery life. Their carrying case has three extra charges, which is handy in a pinch.

Pros
  • Over eight hours of continuous playback time.
  • IPX5 rating for water resistance.
Cons
  • Buds can pop out of your ears during movement like talking.
7.4 Office

The JBL Live Pro 2 are decent for office use. They have a decently comfortable fit and last over eight hours continuously. They also have an adaptive ANC system that can block out office chit-chat as well as the hum of computer fans very well. They have low leakage, which is great if you like to listen to your audio at high volumes. They also support multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect them with your smartphone and PC simultaneously.

Pros
  • Can connect with up to two devices at a time.
  • Great noise isolation performance.
  • Over eight hours of continuous playback time.
Cons
  • Mediocre overall microphone performance.
  • Buds can pop out of your ears during movement like talking.
5.8 Wireless Gaming

The JBL Live Pro 2 are Bluetooth headphones, and while you can use Video Mode for a lower latency performance on iOS and Android, their latency will likely still be too high for gaming on PC.

5.6 Wired Gaming

The JBL Live Pro 2 are Bluetooth-only headphones; you can't use them wired.

6.9 Phone Calls

The JBL Live Pro 2 are fair for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a sub-par recording quality, so your voice sounds dark and thin. The mic also has trouble separating your voice from moderate ambient sound, but you'll still be heard somewhat clearly. On the upside, they're equipped with an adaptive ANC system and can block out a great amount of ambient noise.

Pros
  • Great noise isolation performance.
  • Over eight hours of continuous playback time.
Cons
  • Mediocre overall microphone performance.
  • Buds can pop out of your ears during movement like talking.
  • 7.2 Neutral Sound
  • 7.9 Commute/Travel
  • 8.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.4 Office
  • 5.8 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.6 Wired Gaming
  • 6.9 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Jan 15, 2024: We've updated this review to ensure it remains accurate and up-to-date. We've also added more relevant comparisons to similar products.
  2. Updated Jul 31, 2023: Added market comparison with the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless in the App Support box.
  3. Updated Sep 29, 2022: Review published.
  4. Updated Sep 22, 2022: Early access published.
  5. Updated Sep 16, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Aug 26, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Aug 18, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The JBL Live Pro 2 come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Blue', 'Pink', and 'Silver'. We tested the 'Black' variant; you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The JBL Live Pro 2 are the next generation of the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. They have an adaptive ANC system and now support multi-device pairing, meaning you can stay connected to your PC and smartphone at the same time. However, the manufacturer has also changed their nozzle shape from round to oval, which they advertise to help improve bass reproduction and form a better seal. Users who prefer more traditional round-shaped nozzles but want earbuds with premium features will want to check out the JBL Tune Buds True Wireless.

Check out our recommendations for the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, the best true wireless earbuds, and the best AirPods alternatives.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd generation) Truly Wireless are better overall wireless earbuds than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless. The Apple are more comfortable, are better built, and have a higher-quality case. They also have better noise isolation performance and spatial audio compatibility. That said, the JBL have a longer continuous battery life and their companion app is compatible with both iOS and Android devices, while the Apple can only access customization options through the iOS interface. 

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless

The Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC Truly Wireless and the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless have similar feature sets, but the Anker have the edge over the JBL for most uses. While both buds have similar, bass-heavy sound profiles that are adjustable via their respective companion apps, as well as great noise isolation performances, the Anker have a slightly longer continuous battery life, and their case holds more charges. They also have a game mode to help lower latency on mobile devices if you want to game or stream video with lower audio lag, and they support LDAC, which is a codec designed for streaming hi-res audio with supported platforms.

JBL Tune Flex True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless are better earbuds for most uses than the JBL Tune Flex True Wireless. While the Tune Flex have a more balanced sound profile out of the box and a more comfortable, stable fit, they have a sub-par noise isolation performance, even with their 'sealing' ear tips. The Live Pro 2 have a great noise isolation performance by comparison and a longer continuous battery life, making them a better choice for commuting and travel. They also have Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, which can be handy if you want to pair to both your laptop and your phone. 

JBL Tune Buds True Wireless

The JBL Tune Buds True Wireless and the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless have similar feature sets with slightly different strengths. The Tune Buds have a more neutral default sound profile, though you can tune the sound profile of both buds through the excellent JBL Headphones app. The Tune Buds also have a better mic performance and a slightly longer continuous battery life. That said, the JBL Live Pro TWS have a better noise isolation performance that blocks out a wider range of ambient noise. 

Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better in-ears than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless. While both headphones offer a similarly great noise isolation performance, the Apple have a more comfortable and stable fit, are better built, and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have an H1 chip that allows you to seamlessly pair them with your Apple devices. However, the JBL are more customizable, thanks to their companion app's robust customization features, and they can connect with up to two devices at a time.

JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless

JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless have a slight edge over the JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless. The Live Pro 2 have a significantly better noise isolation performance, thanks to their ANC system, and they support multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect them with up to two devices at a time. However, the TUNE 230NC have a more comfortable and stable fit. Their sound profile is a bit more neutral, which some people may prefer.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless have a slight edge over the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. The Pro 2 have a better noise isolation performance thanks to their adaptive ANC system, last longer on a single charge, and support multi-device pairing with up to two devices. They even have a low-latency Video mode to help keep your audio and visuals in sync while streaming video. However, the Pro+ are more comfortable as well as stable.

Beats Fit Pro True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless are better in-ears than the Beats Fit Pro True Wireless. The JBL are more comfortable, can block out slightly more ambient noise, and have a better overall battery performance. They have more customization features via their companion app, like a parametric EQ and presets, and you can connect them with up to two devices at a time. However, the Beats have a significantly more stable in-ear fit, have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their H1 chip allows you to seamlessly pair them with Apple devices.

JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless are more premium headphones than the JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless. The Live Pro 2 have a more comfortable and more stable fit. Unlike the Vibe Beam, they come with an ANC feature, and they can block out more background noise. Plus, they support multi-device pairing, unlike the Vibe Beam.

JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are slightly better in-ears than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless. The CLUB PRO+ are better-built and have a more comfortable as well as stable in-ear fit. Their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. However, the Live Pro 2 have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and they support multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect them with up to two devices at a time.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type In-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Truly Wireless
Transducer Dynamic

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS have a nearly identical look to the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. They have a stem design that doesn't go too far down your ear. It has a glossy finish, but it looks a little cheap. They come in four color variations: 'Black', 'Silver', 'Rose', and 'Blue'.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

These buds are decently comfortable. They have a lightweight fit that doesn't enter your ear canal very deeply. Registering commands also won't push the bud against your ear. However, they differ from the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless as they have an 'Oval TubesTM' design. The nozzle is ovular instead of round and is designed to improve the ear tip's seal. That said, the buds tend to pop out of your ear with small movements like talking. They also don't come with as many ear tip options as the Live Pro+ either, and you may need to change the tips to get a better fit.

8.0
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control On/Off
Talk-Through
On/Off
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

These headphones have great controls. The buds are responsive and easy to use. However, there aren't any volume controls by default, and if you want to remap these settings, you will lose other controls. There's no audible feedback when changing tracks or playing and pausing audio. You'll also lose access to some controls if you're using one bud while the other is charging.

On the left earbud:

  • Single press: Turns ANC on and off.
  • Double press: Activates ambient noise mode.

On the right earbud:

  • Single press: Plays and pauses audio.
  • Double press: Skips to the next track.
  • Triple press: Skips to the previous track.

9.5
Design
Portability
L 1.5" (3.7 cm)
W 0.9" (2.3 cm)
H 0.9" (2.3 cm)
Volume 1.20 in³ (19.60 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

These buds are exceptionally portable, which is normal for truly wireless headphones. They can easily fit into most pockets without a problem.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.2" (5.6 cm)
W 1.9" (4.9 cm)
H 1.1" (2.9 cm)
Volume 4.86 in³ (79.60 cm³)

The case is made of matte plastic and feels good overall. Three lights on the front of the case indicate the battery life. Unfortunately, the lid seems a bit thin and more susceptible to breakage.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

These earbuds have a good build quality. They're mostly made of plastic, which feels sturdy but a little cheap. They're certified IPX5 for resistance against direct water contact. Unfortunately, the ear tips feel prone to ripping, and the lid of the case is thin-feeling, so it may be prone to damage over time.

7.0
Design
Stability

They're decently stable. They don't have stability fins or ear hooks, meaning they can fall out with intense head movements. The buds can also pop out of your ear if you're talking, so trying to get the best fit with the included ear tips is important.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • JBL Live Pro 2 TWS headphones
  • 3x tip sizes
  • Charging case
  • USB-C to USB-A charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
1.39 dB
Treble Amount
-0.84 dB

The JBL Live Pro 2 have a slightly v-shaped sound profile. They deliver extra thump, rumble, and boom to mixes while vocals and lead instruments are bright. You can customize their sound to suit your tastes via their companion app's graphic EQ and presets.

8.7
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.27 dB

The frequency response consistency is excellent. Assuming you can achieve a good fit and seal using the included ear tips, you can get consistent bass and treble delivery each time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.9
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.98 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
3.94 dB
Mid-Bass
3.52 dB
High-Bass
2.42 dB

These buds have very good bass accuracy. It's overemphasized across the range, so mixes have intense thump, rumble, and boom. This sound is well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop that can benefit from extra punch and warmth.

8.8
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.62 dB
Low-Mid
1.1 dB
Mid-Mid
0.18 dB
High-Mid
2.33 dB

They have excellent mid accuracy. There's a small bump in the high-mid, which makes vocals and lead instruments more intense. However, the range is fairly flat and well-balanced, so vocals and instruments sound present and clear in mixes.

7.9
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.2 dB
Low-Treble
2.89 dB
Mid-Treble
1.73 dB
High-Treble
-5.6 dB

The treble accuracy is very good. The response is overemphasized across the range, resulting in detailed vocals and lead instruments and bright sibilants like cymbals. In songs like the Wallflowers' cover of Heroes, the hi-hats throughout the chorus are crisp but not piercing.

8.1
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.3 dB
Dips
0.63 dB

The peaks and dips performance is great. A small dip in the mid-mid nudges vocals and instruments to the back of the mix. Two peaks in the treble range make vocals and instruments sound harsh, while sibilants like hi-hats are piercing.

8.7
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.35
Weighted Phase Mismatch
2.18
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
1.14
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1

They have excellent imaging performance. This manufacturer makes a lot of headphones at different price points, yet their products generally have well-matched drivers across the board. Imaging can vary from unit to unit, though. Our unit's L/R drivers are well-matched in group delay, phase, amplitude, and frequency response. Although there are a couple of peaks in the phase response's treble range, which skews audio towards the left, it's tricky to hear with real-life content.

0.9
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
1.7
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.8

Their passive soundstage performance is bad, though this is normal from in-ear headphones. Since they completely bypass your outer ear, sound feels like it's coming from inside your head rather than from around you.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
8.0
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.210
WHD @ 100
0.108

These headphones have a great weighted harmonic distortion performance. All frequencies fall within good limits, resulting in clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
3.0.0
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 44.1kHz
EQ
Off
ANC
Adaptive ANC
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings used to test the JBL Live Pro 2, and our results are only valid when used in this configuration.

Note: These buds have a sensor that turns the ANC off when the sensor doesn't detect skin. We used copper tape with a wire to test them with the ANC on.

Isolation
8.3
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-21.31 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-19.74 dB
Mid
-22.9 dB
Treble
-21.67 dB

The noise isolation performance is great. They have an ANC system that you can customize, either by selecting Adaptive ANC or adjusting the ANC's level. You can also access the following features to improve their noise isolation performance: 'Leakage Compensation', 'Ear Canal Compensation', and 'Ear Canal Test'. For more information regarding these tests, check out the App Support test. With all these features on and using the adaptive ANC, they can block out much of the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They can also tackle ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of AC units. That said, without any of these features on and with the ANC set to high, they still block out a very similar amount of ambient noise.

8.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
31.07 dB

The leakage performance is great. Audio bleed is mostly concentrated in the treble range, so escaping audio sounds thin. If you're listening to audio at high volumes in a moderately noisy environment, others around you may hear it, but it's still fairly minimal.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
5.8
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
586.88 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.63 dB
HFE
2,873.5 Hz
Weighted THD
0.001
Gain
-23.67 dB

The integrated mic has a sub-par recording quality. Your voice sounds thin and dark, making it somewhat tricky to hear speech clearly.

7.1
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
8.59 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic's noise handling performance is satisfactory. The mic has trouble separating your voice from moderate background noise, like a busy street. Compared to the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless, the volume of your voice is much lower when there's noise present, making it a bit harder to hear your voice clearly.

Active Features
7.8
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
8.3 hrs
Additional Charges
3.0
Total Battery Life
33.2 hrs
Charge Time
0.8 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer and Standby Mode
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The JBL Live Pro 2 have a good battery performance. The manufacturer advertises them to last six hours continuously with the adaptive ANC on, and we measured over eight hours. That said, battery life can vary depending on usage. The carrying case supplies roughly three additional charges if you need them. You can also use one bud while the other one charges.

8.5
Active Features
App Support
App Name JBL Headphones
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Parametric + Presets
ANC Control
Adjustable
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Support
No

The JBL Headphones app is excellent. There are a lot of customization features just for the ANC. You can turn it on or off, as well as access the Adaptive ANC or the adjustable ANC level. There's a Leakage Compensation feature, which checks the earbuds' leakage and adjusts the ANC level in real-time, Ear Canal Compensation, which scans your ear canal, and an Ear Canal Test to optimize their ANC system. As with the more budget-friendly JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless, there's also a parametric EQ and presets to fine-tune their sound. You can remap their controls, check the buds' fit in your ears, and select power-saving modes.

Connectivity
7.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.2
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
183.07 ft (55.80 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
329 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
288 ms
Android Latency
359 ms

These buds have very good Bluetooth connectivity. You can simultaneously connect them with up to two devices at a time. Their app also offers two different modes: Audio mode, which prioritizes high sound quality, and Video mode, which prioritizes lower audio latency. When using the Audio mode, they have very high audio latency, which is noticeable and pretty distracting when watching video content. They have significantly lower latency when using the Video mode, and you won't notice lip-synching issues with any of your devices. That said, some apps or devices will automatically compensate for latency.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS have a USB-A to USB-C charging cable. However, the headphones don't support any wired connections.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No

These earbuds can connect to PCs with full compatibility via Bluetooth. However, they can't connect to PCs in any other way.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
2.2
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Charging Case
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
Yes
Power Supply
USB-C

They come with a carrying case with a USB-C input for recharging. The case also supports Qi Wireless charging.