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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.8 update for Headphones! Read the R&D Article to learn more.

JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed May 07, 2021 at 10:13 am
Latest change: Writing modified Sep 29, 2022 at 11:09 am
JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless Picture
7.0
Neutral Sound
8.0
Commute/Travel
8.3
Sports/Fitness
7.3
Office
5.8
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
6.5
Phone Calls
These headphones were replaced by the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are in-ears with a very good active noise cancelling (ANC) feature. The ANC has three levels that target different kinds of noise like ambient chatter or outdoor sounds, so you can select a mode suitable for your needs. They also have a bass-heavy sound profile that can be tweaked to your liking using the companion app's parametric EQ or presets. They have a comfortable, well-built design and are rated IPX4 for water resistance, although we don't currently test for this. That said, they have high latency on PC, iOS, and Android and don't have NFC or multi-device pairing.

Our Verdict

7.0 Neutral Sound

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS True Wireless are alright for neutral sound. Right out-of-the-box, they have a bass-heavy sound profile which adds extra thump and boom to your mixes. However, if you're looking for a more neutral sound, the companion app has a parametric EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound to your liking. However, they don't have a very immersive passive soundstage.

Pros
  • Parametric EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage.
8.0 Commute/Travel

The JBL Live Pro TWS are great for commute and travels. They're very portable and have a comfortable fit. Thanks to their ANC feature, they can do a very good job of blocking out sounds like bus or plane engine noise around you when set to 'Everyday' mode. You can also set them to a different ANC mode if you prefer, though. They have just under seven hours of continuous battery life, and if you need more, there are three additional charges in their carrying case. They don't leak very much audio either, so you can listen to music at a high volume without bothering other people around you.

Pros
  • Very good ANC.
  • Well-built and comfortable fit.
  • Stable and very breathable.
Cons
  • High latency on PC, iOS, and Android.
8.3 Sports/Fitness

The JBL Live Pro TWS are great for sports and fitness. They're small, lightweight, and comfortable. They have a breathable design and a stable in-ear fit, which shouldn't fall out during moderate physical exercise. They're also well-built and have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, although we don't currently test for this.

Pros
  • Well-built and comfortable fit.
  • Stable and very breathable.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage.
7.3 Office

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS True Wireless are decent for office use. These headphones have a comfortable, breathable fit. Thanks to their ANC, they can block out a very good amount of ambient chatter around you. They also don't leak a lot of audio, so you can listen to your music at a high volume without disturbing others around you. However, their continuous battery life lasts just under seven hours, so you may need to recharge them throughout your shift.

Pros
  • Very good ANC.
  • Well-built and comfortable fit.
Cons
  • No multi-device pairing.
  • High latency on PC, iOS, and Android.
5.8 Wireless Gaming

The JBL Live Pro TWS aren't recommended for wireless gaming. They're Bluetooth-only, so they aren't compatible with Xbox One or PS4. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, the latency will likely be too high for gaming.

5.7 Wired Gaming

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS True Wireless are wireless earbuds and can't be used wired.

6.5 Phone Calls

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS True Wireless are passable for phone calls. They have an integrated microphone that does a mediocre job of recording your voice. It struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you, though, so you may have trouble being understood. On the upside, their ANC can cut down a very good amount of background noise.

Pros
  • Very good ANC.
Cons
  • Mediocre overall mic performance.
  • 7.0 Neutral Sound
  • 8.0 Commute/Travel
  • 8.3 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.3 Office
  • 5.8 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.7 Wired Gaming
  • 6.5 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Sep 29, 2022: We've added a comparison between these earbuds and the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless in Bluetooth.
  2. Updated Jun 29, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  3. Updated May 07, 2021: Review published.
  4. Updated May 04, 2021: Early access published.
  5. Updated Apr 29, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Apr 28, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Apr 23, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS True Wireless come in four color variants: 'Black', 'Pink', 'White', and 'Beige'. We tested the 'Black' variant and you can see our model's label here. We expect all the color variants to perform similarly to our model, though.

If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS are truly wireless in-ears with a similar stem design to the Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless. They also have an active noise cancelling (ANC) that does a very good overall job of blocking out noise around you. While they're not as well-built or sound as neutral out-of-the-box as the JBL CLUB Pro+ TWS True Wireless, they have longer continuous battery life.

Check out our recommendations for the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ear headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best earbuds and in-ear headphones.

JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless

The JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless have different strengths and, depending on your usage, you may prefer either one. The Live Free NC+ have a more bass-heavy sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer, and their ANC has a better noise isolation performance. While both headphones are comfortable, the Live Pro+ have better controls. However, the Live Free NC+ are more stable, and they have lower latency on iOS and Android.

JBL Live Pro 2 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.

JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless are similarly performing in-ears with a few differences. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Live Pro+ have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and their mic has a slightly better recording quality. However, the TUNE have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and they have longer continuous battery life.

Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the Apple are better built and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. They also have a better-performing ANC, an H1 chip to make pairing with other Apple devices easier, and a higher total battery life. However, the JBL have a companion app that offers a parametric EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound profile.

Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Truly Wireless

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are better in-ears for most uses than the Anker Soundcore Liberty Air 2 Pro Truly Wireless. The JBL are more comfortable, have better controls, and superior battery performance. However, the Anker have a better noise isolation performance, and their mic can separate more background noise from your voice than the JBL.

Audio-Technica ATH-M20x

The Audio-Technica ATH-M20x are designed for neutral sound, while the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are better suited for casual use. The Audio-Technica are wired over-ear headphones with a more neutral bass and mid-ranges, which some users may prefer. They also have a wider and more spacious soundstage. However, the JBL are more comfortable, better built, and stable. They have a companion app that allows you to tweak their sound and an ANC feature to help block out ambient noise around you.

Beats Solo Pro Wireless

The Beats Solo Pro Wireless and the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer one over the other. The Beats are on-ear headphones that are better-built. Their ANC can reduce slightly more background noise, and they have longer continuous battery life. However, the JBL are in-ears that are more comfortable and stable. They also have a companion app that offers a parametric EQ and presets so that you can tweak their sound to your liking.

JBL LIVE 300TWS Truly Wireless

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are slightly better truly wireless headphones for mixed use than the JBL LIVE 300TWS Truly Wireless. The Live Pro+ have a slightly more bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer, and have an active noise cancelling (ANC) ANC feature, which helps cut down ambient noise around you. They also have a longer continuous and total battery life.

JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer one over the other. While both headphones are comfortable, the CLUB PRO+ are better-built, have a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer, and have a better battery performance. However, the Live Pro+'s ANC can reduce more ambient noise around you, and they have better controls.

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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 Plus TWS have a simple, non-descript look with a stem design that doesn't go too far down your ear. They come in four color variants: 'Black', 'White', 'Pink', and 'Beige'.

7.5
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.02 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS are comfortable headphones. Like the JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless, they have a lightweight feel, and using the controls doesn't push them further into your ear, which is nice. However, if you don't get a good seal, the tips may fall out of your ears. Luckily, they come with a lot of tip options to help you find the best possible 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 that are easy to use and responsive. You can press either bud once to answer or end calls, long press to access your phone's voice assistant, or hold for three seconds to mute and unmute the mic when you're on a call. One press on the left earbud turns the ANC on or off while two presses activate Ambient Noise, which allows you to hear your surroundings while still listening to audio. On the right bud, one press plays or pauses audio, two presses skips to the next track, while three presses skips to the previous track. There's no audible feedback when changing tracks, playing audio, or pausing audio. You also lose the ability to skip tracks forward or backward if using only one of the earbuds while the other charges.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS have outstanding breathability. They trap very little heat inside your ear, and you shouldn't sweat more than usual, even if you're wearing them while working out.

9.6
Design
Portability
L 1.4" (3.6 cm)
W 0.8" (2.0 cm)
H 0.8" (2.0 cm)
Volume 0.90 in³ (14.75 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

These headphones are exceptionally portable. They're very small and should fit in most pockets, even when they're inside their carrying case.

7.5
Design
Case
Type Hard case
L 2.2" (5.6 cm)
W 1.9" (4.8 cm)
H 1.2" (3.0 cm)
Volume 5.00 in³ (81.93 cm³)

The JBL Live Pro TWS have a good carrying case. It's small and made of matte plastic. There are three lights on the front to indicate the case's battery life. Unfortunately, the case's lid seems thin.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS have a good build quality. They're made of mostly plastic with a silicone-like material, which feels sturdy enough to survive a few accidental drops without too much of an issue. They're rated IPX4 for water resistance, although we don't currently test for this. That said, their ear tips could rip over time. The carrying case's lid is also thin and could break over time. If you're looking for better-built JBL earbuds, consider the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless.

7.5
Design
Stability

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS have a stable fit. Although they don't have stability fins or ear hooks, they should stay in your ears during moderate physical activity like a run. However, they could fall out with more high-intensity head shakes.

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

  • JBL Live Pro+ TWS headphones
  • 5x tip sizes
  • Charging case
  • USB-C to USB-A charging cable
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
3.15 dB
Treble Amount
-1.11 dB

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS have a bass-heavy sound profile. They have a bit of extra thump, rumble, and boom, which should please fans of EDM and hip-hop. They're still balanced enough for a variety of audio content, though. Thanks to their companion app, you can customize their sound via a parametric EQ or presets.

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

The JBL Live Pro TWS have excellent frequency response consistency. Once you achieve a proper fit and seal using the included ear tips, you should get consistent bass and treble delivery each time you use them.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.3
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.05 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
4.76 dB
Mid-Bass
4.39 dB
High-Bass
4.53 dB

The JBL Live Pro Plus have decent bass accuracy. It's overemphasized across the range, which results in extra thump, punch, and boom. However, some users may find it to be too boomy.

8.2
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.35 dB
Low-Mid
3.36 dB
Mid-Mid
-1.44 dB
High-Mid
-0.04 dB

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS have great mid accuracy. There's a bit of overemphasis coming from the bass range and into the low-mid, which muddies the fundamentals of vocals and lead instruments. The dip in the mid-mid slightly nudges these sounds to the back of the mix. That said, the high-mid is very neutral, so vocals and lead instruments are clear, present, and detailed.

8.5
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.35 dB
Low-Treble
1.78 dB
Mid-Treble
-0.28 dB
High-Treble
-1.74 dB

The treble accuracy of these headphones is great. There's a bit of overemphasis in the low-treble, so the upper harmonics of vocals and lead instruments are detailed. The mid-treble is more neutral, which ensures that sibilants are bright without being piercing.

8.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
0.97 dB
Dips
1.35 dB

The peaks and dips performance of the JBL Live Pro+ TWS is great. There's a prolonged peak in the high-bass to low-mid, which can make mixes sound a little muddy, but it shouldn't be too noticeable. There's also a small dip in the mid-mid, which nudges back vocals and lead instruments, while a bump in the low-treble gives them a bit more detail and articulation. The uneven mid-treble can make sibilants alternatingly dull or piercing.

9.2
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.14
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.54
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.53
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
0.99

The JBL Live Pro Plus TWS' imaging performance is outstanding. The weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, which results in tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers are also well-matched in amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This 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, and yours may perform differently.

0.9
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
2.0
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.6

The JBL Live Pro TWS have a bad passive soundstage, which is to be expected from closed-back, in-ear headphones. Due to their design, they bypass the outer ear, which is a big factor in creating a natural, out-of-head soundstage. As a result, they have a small soundstage that seems like it's coming from inside your head.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No
7.8
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.241
WHD @ 100
0.122

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS have a very good weighted harmonic distortion performance. There's a couple of spikes in the treble range, at normal and high listening volumes. However, it's very minor and can be hard to hear with real-life content. The rest of the frequency range falls within good limits, resulting in clear and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
v3.9.0
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 5.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
Off
ANC
Everyday Mode
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
Integrated

These are the settings used to test the JBL Live Pro+ TWS. Our test results are only valid in this configuration.

Isolation
8.0
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-20.13 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-19.37 dB
Mid
-16.35 dB
Treble
-24.2 dB

The noise isolation performance of the JBL Live Pro Plus is very good. When their active noise cancelling (ANC) feature is set to 'Everyday' mode, they can block out a lot of bass-range noise like bus or plane engines. However, their ANC performance throughout most of the mid and treble ranges is similar to their passive isolation abilities. They can still cut down ambient chatter around you, though. Their ability to block out the high-pitched noise of a fan or AC unit is also decent.

Note: These headphones come with three different ANC levels, but we don't currently test all of them. 'Everyday' mode is designed to block out daily life noise, while 'Travel' targets noise related to airline and train travel. 'Active' handles outdoor noise. We tested on 'Everyday' mode as this setting provides the most efficient noise isolation performance.

8.6
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
29.49 dB

These headphones have an excellent leakage performance. The bulk of their leakage occurs in the treble range, which sounds thin. However, it's very slight, and the rest of the frequency range falls low. If you're listening to audio in a noisy environment, people shouldn't be able to hear your audio, even if you play it at a high volume.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
6.3
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
132.62 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
3.36 dB
HFE
3,179.16 Hz
Weighted THD
5.499
Gain
-10.67 dB

The mic's recording quality is mediocre. Your voice sounds dark and a bit muffled.

5.8
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
7.76 dB
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
5.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
7.0
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The integrated mic's noise handling performance is sub-par. It struggles to separate your voice from moderate ambient noise around you, so whoever's on the other end of the line may have trouble understanding you.

Active Features
7.3
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
6.8 hrs
Additional Charges
3.0
Total Battery Life
27.2 hrs
Charge Time
1.6 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS have a decent battery performance. They have under seven hours of continuous battery life with their ANC on and three additional charges in their case, which is handy when you're on the go. However, battery life can vary depending on your usage, so your real-life experience may vary. If you need to conserve battery life, they also have an auto-off timer, and you can use one bud while the other one charges. If you're looking for JBL in-ears with a longer total battery life, consider the JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless.

8.0
Active Features
App Support
App Name JBL Headphones
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
Parametric + Presets
ANC Control
On/Off
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping Yes
Surround Support
No

The JBL Headphones app is great. It has a parametric EQ and presets so that you can customize the headphones' sound to your liking. You can also turn the ANC on or off, select a different ANC preset, or turn ambient mode on or off if you want to hear your surroundings while still listening to audio. In addition, you can remap the controls, adjust the auto-off timer, turn auto-pause on and off, and see the battery life for each bud as well as the case.

Connectivity
6.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
263.00 ft (80.16 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
267 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
230 ms
Android Latency
244 ms

The JBL Live Pro TWS have satisfactory Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device, so if you're looking for this feature, it's better to check out the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless instead. They also have high latency on PC, iOS, and Android, which is disappointing if you like to stream videos. However, some apps and devices compensate for latency differently, so your real-life experience may vary.

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 Plus TWS are truly wireless headphones and don't support any wired connections. They come with a USB-C to USB-A cable for charging their case.

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

These headphones aren't compatible with Xbox One or Xbox Series X consoles at all.

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

The JBL Live Pro+ TWS come with a charging case that holds three additional charges. It supports wireless Qi charging, and it has only one input for its USB-C to USB-A charging cable.