- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Review Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Page Updates
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We've tested 50 JBL headphones. They're a well-known brand that packs their headphones full of active features like music sharing or auto-off timers.
Updates
- 12/21/2021 JBL TUNE 230NC TWS True Wireless reviewed
- 12/15/2021 JBL Tune 125TWS Truly Wireless updated
- 12/01/2021 JBL Tune 130NC TWS Truly Wireless reviewed
- 10/01/2021 JBL Vibe 100TWS True Wireless reviewed
- 08/16/2021 JBL Tune 760NC Wireless reviewed
Best JBL Headphones
-
Best JBL Headphones
Mixed Usage7.2Neutral Sound7.4Commute/Travel7.4Sports/Fitness7.4Office7.3Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming7.4Phone Calls6.2Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best headphones from JBL that we've tested are the JBL CLUB 950NC. These well-built Bluetooth over-ears have a comfortable, stable fit and are decently versatile. They have a well-balanced sound profile that you can customize with a parametric EQ and presets in the JBL Headphones app. Their 25-hour continuous battery life is suitable for long days on the go, and they don't leak a lot of noise, so your music shouldn't bother co-workers at the office.
Their ANC feature can effectively block out mid-range and higher-pitched noise like voices or a humming computer fan, so they can help reduce distractions at work. Unfortunately, it struggles more with bass-range sounds like rumbling engines, so they may not be ideal for your daily commute. Their integrated mic doesn't have a great performance, so they aren't very well-suited for phone calls either.
-
Best JBL Headphones Under $100
Neutral Sound7.6Commute/Travel7.9Sports/Fitness8.3Office7.5Wireless Gaming6.1Wired Gaming5.9Phone Calls7.1Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are the best headphones under $100 by JBL that we've tested. These earbuds are impressively well-built, comfortable, and have a very well-balanced, versatile sound profile. It's suitable for different content, but if you prefer a different sound, it can also be customized with a parametric EQ and presets in the headphones' companion app. They also have an ANC feature that does a decent job of blocking noise like rumbling engines and ambient chatter.
Their roughly seven-hour continuous battery life might not last through a full workday, but they come with a case that holds about three extra charges, so you can top them up when you need to. Their mic has an adequate performance for phone calls as well. However, they aren't very well-suited for watching videos on your phone since their high latency with iOS and Android devices may create audio syncing issues. Otherwise, these versatile earbuds are the best JBL earphones with mic capability that we've tested.
-
Best Budget JBL Headphones
Neutral Sound7.3Commute/Travel7.5Sports/Fitness8.0Office7.1Wireless Gaming5.5Wired Gaming5.4Phone Calls6.9Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best JBL earphones in the budget category that we tested are the JBL Vibe 100TWS True Wireless. These earbuds are well-built and have a decently comfortable, stable design. Their sound profile is well-balanced, with a touch of overemphasis in the bass range that adds some extra rumble and punch to your audio without making mixes muddy. It's versatile enough for different genres, but unlike the other headphones on this list, they don't have a companion app or come with sound customization features.
They don't have ANC either but do a good job of passively isolating against office-type noise like background chatter at work. The battery lasts about five hours of continuous use, which isn't great, but they have a case that holds three extra charges. You can use one bud while the other charges in the case, and the manufacturer advertises them to provide one hour of use after 15 minutes of charging.
-
Best JBL ANC Earbuds
Neutral Sound7.0Commute/Travel8.0Sports/Fitness8.3Office7.3Wireless Gaming5.8Wired Gaming5.7Phone Calls6.5Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless are the best JΒL ANC earbuds we've tested. These earbuds have an adjustable ANC feature with a great performance. When set to 'Everyday' mode, they can block out a wide range of ambient sound, including the low rumble of bus and plane engines. There are a few other settings meant for specific situations, like 'Active' for outdoor noise and an 'Ambient Sound' mode meant to let you hear your surroundings without taking out the earbuds. They're also well-built and have a comfortable, stable fit.
Out of the box, they have a bass-heavy sound profile that adds extra thump, punch, and boom to your audio. This sound makes them the best JBL wireless earbuds for bass that we've tested and is particularly well-suited for genres like EDM and hip-hop. If you prefer a different sound, their app includes a parametric EQ and presets for sound customization. They last for just under seven hours off a single charge, which might not last through a workday, but you can always top up the battery in the case, which holds about three extra charges.
-
Best JBL Headphones For Working Out
Neutral Sound7.6Commute/Travel7.4Sports/Fitness8.4Office7.0Wireless Gaming5.9Wired Gaming5.8Phone Calls6.3Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless Truly WirelessNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best JBL wireless headphones for working out that we've tested are the JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless. Unlike the other earbuds on this list, they use stability fins to help keep them in place. As a result, they have a much more stable fit and shouldn't fall out of your ears even during intense workouts. They're also well-built and rated IPX7 for resistance against being submerged in water, meaning they can survive accidental drops or a rainy outdoor run. They also have a neutral, well-balanced sound profile suitable for different types of content and genres.
Unfortunately, they have a somewhat short 5.7-hour continuous battery life. Their case holds a couple of extra charges, but if you want more battery life for long runs, you may prefer the JBL Live 660NC Wireless. They have good stability, are reasonably breathable, and pack a little more punch in the bass range to help keep you pumped up. They also have an ANC feature that blocks out a decent amount of noise and, most importantly, they offer a long battery life of about 25 hours. However, not everyone will like over-ear headphones for workouts since they trap more heat than earbuds.
Compared to other brands
- Well-balanced sound. Although we haven't tested the JBL's full range of headphones, 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 come jam-packed with active features like music sharing or 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 lineup, some of their headphones have comfort issues like too tight a 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 feel plasticky, especially given their price range.
- No open-back models. While it may not be an issue for more casual listeners, JBL lacks an open-back model that can create more spacious soundstages suited for audiophiles.
Overall, JBL makes feature-packed headphones that usually have a well-balanced sound as they tend to 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.
Recent Updates
-
Jun 27, 2022: Added the JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless as the 'Best Sports JBL Headphones'. Removed the JBL Endurance Sprint because they're out of stock and replaced them with the JBL Vibe 100TWS True Wireless as the 'Best Budget JBL Headphones'.
-
Mar 22, 2022: Verified that picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are available.
-
Dec 17, 2021: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations and that the products are in stock.
-
Oct 19, 2021: Checked that picks represent the best recommendations in their categories and that the products are in stock.
-
Jul 21, 2021: Replaced the JBL Live 460NC Wireless with the JBL CLUB 950NC Wireless as the 'Best On-Ear JBL Headphones'.
Conclusion
JBL offers a variety of headphones for different uses. 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, their colorful designs are packed with unique features like music sharing that make JBL a great brand for casual, everyday headphones.