The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are on-ear headphones with active noise cancelling (ANC). Out-of-the-box, they have a neutral sound profile with a bit of extra thump and rumble, which is suitable for lots of different audio content. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app has a parametric EQ and presets. They also support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at once and have a continuous battery life of under 30 hours. However, while their ANC does a decent overall job of blocking out background noise, it struggles more to cut down bass-range sounds like bus or plane engine noise. Some users may also find their on-ear fit to be uncomfortable for long listening sessions.
The JBL Live 460NC are decent for neutral sound. Right out of the box, they have a neutral sound profile with a touch of extra bass to bring out thump and rumble in your mixes. If you're looking for an even more neutral sound profile, their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help tweak their sound to your liking. Unfortunately, their passive soundstage doesn't feel very immersive, spacious, or wide.
The JBL Live 460NC are decent for commute and travel. They're well-built, have a long-lasting continuous battery life of under 30 hours, and have a breathable fit. However, they're a bit bulky, which can make them hard to take with you on the go, and their ANC struggles to cut down bass-range noise like the rumble of bus and plane engines. While they're comfortable, some users may find them tight or fatiguing.
The JBL Live 460NC are decent for sports and fitness. They're comfortable, well-built, and can be used wirelessly, which helps eliminate the chances of something snagging the headphones and pulling them off your head. However, the headphones can fall off your head with moderate head movements. They also don't have an IP rating for dust or water resistance, although we don't currently test for this, and some users may find them fatiguing to wear for long gym sessions.
The JBL Live 460NC are satisfactory for office use. They're well-built, have an ANC, which helps cut down office chatter around you, and have under 30 hours of continuous playback time, so you don't need to worry about recharging them throughout your day. They also have a comfortable fit, though some users may find they feel a bit tight and fatiguing over a long workday. They support multi-device pairing too, so you can connect them to your phone and work computer at once.
The JBL Live 460NC are compatible with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, but their latency is likely too high to be suitable for wireless gaming. They aren't compatible with Xbox One or PS4 consoles.
The JBL Live 460NC are decent for wired gaming. While they can be used wired, they only support audio, so you can't use their mic while gaming. That said, you can customize their sound profile using their app's parametric EQ and presets, and they have a comfortable fit, although some users may find them fatiguing to wear for long periods. On the downside, their mic offers an okay recording quality, but it struggles to separate your voice from background noise.
The JBL Live 460NC are alright for phone calls. They have an integrated mic which does an okay job of recording your voice, but it still sounds thin and muffled. The mic also struggles to separate your voice from moderate background noise, so if you want to be heard clearly, you may want to take phone calls from a more quiet space. On the upside, their ANC can help cut down some ambient noise around you.
The JBL Live 460NC come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Blue', 'White', and 'Pink'. We tested the 'Black' variant, and you can see its label here. We expect all the color variants to perform similarly to our model.
If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.
The JBL Live 460NC are on-ear headphones that have an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature. While overall, their ANC doesn't perform as well as the Beats Solo Pro Wireless, they do a better job of cutting down bass range noise like the rumble of bus or plane engines than the Beats. That said, like many JBL headphones, they have a neutral sound profile and come with a companion app that offers a parametric EQ and presets so that you can tweak them to your liking. They also support multi-device pairing with up to two devices at a time, which is a nice addition.
Check out our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best headphones.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better on-ear headphones than the JBL Tune 660NC Wireless. The Live 460NC are more comfortable and feel better-built. They have a better performing active noise cancelling (ANC) feature and are compatible with the JBL Headphones app, which allows you to adjust their sound profile using their parametric EQ and presets. However, the Tune 660NC have longer continuous battery life.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Beats Solo Pro Wireless. The JBL are more comfortable and have a slightly more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their battery performance is better, and they have a companion app with a parametric EQ and presets so that you can tweak their sound to your liking. However, the Beats are better-built and more stable. They also have a better noise isolation performance.
The JBL Live 670NC Wireless and the JBL Live 460NC Wireless both share an on-ear design. They're both equipped with ANC systems, too. While neither will fully insulate you from the roar of a bus engine or the cacophony of a busy street, the Live 460NC do a slightly better job of isolating you. When it comes to sound profile, the Live 460NC have a much more balanced default sound profile, lacking the overpowering bass response of the Live 670NC. The Live 460NC have a better mic recording quality, too, making them a better fit for phone calls, but their battery life falls short of the outstanding 88 hours offered by the Live 670NC.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless and the JBL Live 660NC Wireless are very similarly performing headphones, and you may prefer either model. While both headphones are decently comfortable and well-built, the biggest difference is that the Live 460NC are on-ear headphones with more consistent audio delivery. In contrast, the Live 660NC are over-ear headphones with a somewhat better noise isolation performance and leak less audio.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better on-ears than the JBL Live 400BT Wireless. Although both headphones have similar battery life and are compatible with the JBL Headphones app, the Live 460NC are more comfortable, better-built, and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature that can block out a decent amount of noise around you.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better on-ears than the JBL CLUB 700BT Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Live 460NC have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) feature that's able to cut down a decent amount of noise around you. However, the CLUB 700BT have better battery life and come with a carrying pouch.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better on-ear headphones than the Marshall MID ANC Wireless. While both are well-built and comfortable, the JBL have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their ANC does a better job of isolating noise around you, and they have a longer continuous battery life, too. Thanks to their companion app's parametric EQ and presets, you can customize their sound profile to your liking.
The Bose QuietComfort 35 II/QC35 II Wireless 2018 are better headphones than the JBL Live 460NC Wireless. The Bose are over-ear headphones that are more comfortable, have a more neutral sound profile overall, which some users may prefer, and their ANC delivers superior noise isolation. However, the JBL are on-ear headphones with better battery performance and their companion app allows you to customize their sound profile via a parametric EQ and presets.
The JBL Live 460NC Wireless are slightly better on-ears than the Skullcandy Riff Wireless 2. While both headphones support multi-device pairing and have sound customization features, the JBL are more comfortable, significantly better built, and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have ANC and can block out more background noise.
The JBL Live 460NC have a fairly non-descript design that looks very similar to the JBL Live 660NC Wireless. These on-ears have a mesh fabric-lined headband with plastic ear cups marked with the brand's logo. They come in four different color variants to better match your style: black, white, blue, and pink.
The JBL Live 460NC are comfortable. They have a lightweight feel, and the ear cups have a good range of motion to accommodate several head sizes. The headband also feels comfortable. However, some users may find that the clamping force of the headphones is a bit uncomfortable, especially over long periods. If you want to disperse your headphones' clamping force so it's not directly against your ears but don't want bulky headphones, the JBL Tune 770NC Wireless include soft ear pads, though they can feel tight on people with larger ears.
The JBL Live 460NC have good controls that are easy to use and provide good feedback. There are volume up and down controls that also allow you to skip the track forward or back with a press and hold, respectively. The middle button allows you to play or pause your audio and answer or end a call. You can hold down this button to decline a call too. If you touch the JBL's logo on the left ear cup for two seconds or hold the middle button for two seconds, you can activate voice assistant (either Google Assistant or Alexa). You can also click the ANC button once to turn on or off ANC or Ambient Aware, which allows you to hear background sound while still listening to your audio. You can press this button twice for talkthrough, too, so you can chat with others without removing the headphones from your head. The buttons feel very clicky and are easily distinguishable from one another. There are also max and low volume chimes and a chime for powering on or pairing the headphones.
The JBL Live 460NC have great breathability. Since they're on-ear headphones, they don't fully cover your ears, so your outer ear should stay fairly cool. They also don't trap in a lot of heat, so you shouldn't notice too much of a difference in temperature if you're wearing them during physical activity or long listening sessions.
The JBL Live 460NC are passably portable. The ear cups can swivel inwards to help reduce their footprint, making them a bit easier to fit into a bag. However, they don't come with any carrying case to protect them when you're on the go.
The JBL Live 460NC have good build quality. The headband is made of a rigid mesh fabric with slight padding. There's also a metal plate to help reinforce the frame. There's faux leather padding on the ear cups too. Overall, even though the hinges feel like a weak point, these headphones are still well-built and feel sturdier than other similar on-ears like the Skullcandy Riff Wireless 2. They can survive a few accidental drops without taking too much damage.
The JBL Live 460NC have a neutral sound profile with a touch of extra thump and rumble, making them suitable for a variety of audio content. Activating their ANC does not noticeably change their sound. If you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets so that you can tweak their sound to your liking.
These headphones have good frequency response consistency. The bass range is very consistent. However, treble accuracy can vary depending on fit, seal, and positioning. That said, if you take the time to adjust the headphones on your head, you should get a more consistent sound each time you use them.
The JBL Live 460NC have outstanding bass accuracy. They have a slightly overemphasized low-bass which delivers a touch of extra thump and rumble to your mixes. The rest of the response is well-balanced and flat, resulting in a warm and punchy sound.
The JBL Live 460NC have impressive mid accuracy. The range is fairly flat and neutral, though the dip in the high-mid can weaken vocals and lead instruments.
The JBL Live 460NC have decent treble accuracy. The slightly overemphasized low-treble ensures the detail and articulation of vocals and lead instruments. A peak in the mid-treble can make sibilants bright. However, the treble response here represents the average treble response, and your experience may vary.
The JBL Live 460NC have decent peaks and dips performance. There's a slight mismatch in the left and right driver in the mid-mid range, resulting in the left driver having a bit more boxy and forward sound while the right driver pushes vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. Another dip in the high-mid slightly weakens vocals and lead instruments, while a peak in the low-treble makes the upper harmonics of these sounds a bit harsh. Another peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals piercing.
The JBL Live 460NC have a decent imaging performance. Most of the weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, which results in transparent treble. However, some peaks in the bass range indicate a slightly loose bass, but it's fairly minor. There is also some amplitude mismatch between the L/R driver, which could indicate a noticeable difference in level between the left and right drivers. That said, L/R drivers are well-matched in frequency and phase response, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (like voices or footsteps) in the stereo image. These results are only valid for our unit, though, and yours may perform differently.
The JBL Live 460NC have a poor passive soundstage. Since they have an on-ear design, they struggle to interact with your outer ear. The soundstage seems unnatural, small, and as if coming from inside your head rather than from speakers placed all around you. They also have a closed-back design, so the soundstage won't sound as open or spacious as open-back headphones.
The weighted harmonic distortion performance of these headphones is okay. There's some distortion present at high volumes, particularly in the right driver. There are also a couple of peaks at regular listening volumes in the treble range. As a result, there may be some distortion present in your audio. However, this can be relatively hard to hear with real-life content.
These are the settings used to test the JBL Live 460NC. Our results are only valid in this configuration.
These headphones also have a smart audio mode which is advertised to improve your audio latency based on what you're doing. We tested our model using the 'Audio Mode', but we don't know how the other modes perform.
The JBL Live 460NC have a satisfactory noise isolation performance. Thanks to their active noise cancelling (ANC) feature, they can cut down a bit of bass-range noise like bus or plane engines. However, it may not be enough for commuting. They do a better job of reducing mid-range sounds like ambient chatter, though. They can also block out the high-pitched noise of an AC unit, although their ANC doesn't offer much better performance than their passive capabilities in this regard.
The JBL Live 460NC have a decent leakage performance. A significant portion of the leakage is concentrated between the mid to treble range, which sounds somewhat thin. If you're listening to audio at high volumes in a noisy environment, people around you shouldn't hear it.
The recording quality of the JBL Live 460NC's mic is mediocre. It sounds thin and muffled, but you should still be understood by whoever is on the other end of the line.
The microphone offers a sub-par noise handling performance. It struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you and performs best in quiet environments.
The JBL Live 460NC have an impressive battery performance. Although they're advertised to last roughly 40 hours with the ANC, we measured just under 30 hours. Battery life can vary according to use, so your real-life results may vary. If you need a similar pair of on-ears with an even longer battery life, it's worth checking out the JBL Live 670NC Wireless instead. These headphones are advertised to have a 10-minute quick charge, which supplies 4 hours of continuous playback time, although we don't currently test for this. You can use the headphones passively with their audio cable if you run out of battery life.
Update 05/26/2021: We have raised the scoring of this test from 7.5 to 8.0 to better reflect the app's features and ease of use.
The JBL Headphones app is great. It has a parametric EQ and presets, so you can customize their sound to your liking. You can also turn 'Ambient Sound' on and off, as well as ANC, Ambient Aware, and Talk-through. You can also turn the auto-pause on or off, adjust the auto-off timer, check the headphones' battery, and set up the voice assistant.
There's also a smart audio mode advertised to improve your audio latency based on what you're doing. There are three settings: 'Video Mode', 'Audio Mode', and 'Normal'. We tested our model using the 'Audio Mode'.
Update 12/16/2021: These headphones were updated to Test Bench 1.5 and their latency values have changed. Our previous Test Bench 1.4 measurements reported the Video Mode's iOS latency at 111 ms. However, our new test bench uses an average of three measurements instead of one, resulting in 51 ms of latency on iOS when using 'Video Mode'. As a result, we have updated our text to better reflect test bench 1.5 measurements.
The JBL Live 460NC have great Bluetooth compatibility. They support multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect the headphones to your phone and laptop at once. Using 'Audio Mode', they have low latency on iOS and Android, nice if you like to stream video from your smartphone. Their latency is higher on PC, so they may not be suitable for gaming. That said, if you use them in 'Video Mode', they have 50ms of latency on Android and 51ms on iOS, which still falls within good levels. However, note that some apps and devices seem to compensate for latency differently, so your results may be different.
The JBL Live 460NC are only partially compatible with Xbox consoles when using their audio cable plugged into the controller. While you can receive audio, you can't use the mic.