- Table of Contents
- Intro
- Updates
- Comparison
- Best Headphones
- Conclusion
- Discussions
We have currently reviewed 22 JBL headphones. They're a well-known brand that makes feature-packed headphones and implements new and exciting technologies in their designs.
Updates
- 12/13/2019 JBL Reflect Flow reviewed
- 12/05/2019 JBL Tune 120 reviewed
- 07/26/2019 JBL Live 400BT reviewed
- 07/05/2019 JBL Live 500BT reviewed
- 06/05/2019 JBL Live 200BT reviewed
Best JBL Headphones
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Most Versatile JBL Headphones
Type Over-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling YesMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best noise cancelling JBL headphones we’ve tested are the JBL Live 650 BTNC. These Bluetooth over-ear headphones have a 22-hour battery, feel well-built, and are quite comfortable thanks to their lightweight design and soft ear cup padding. Their sound profile is accurate enough for most genres, but with a nice thumpy bass that should please fans of EDM or hip-hop. If you prefer a less bass-heavy sound, you can customize their sound profile using a parametric EQ in the JBL Headphones app for both iOS and Android. While their noise cancelling isn't quite as powerful as the JBL E65BTNC Wireless, it still works quite well and does a great job at blocking out background chatter. Overall, the JBL Live 650 BTNC Wireless are a well-rounded pair of over-ear headphones that should satisfy most people.
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Best JBL Headphones For Sports
Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe JBL Reflect Mini 2 Wireless are the best option for sports from JBL we’ve tested so far. They have a stable, wireless in-ear design with an IPX5 rating for water spray resistance, which is great during long runs or workout sessions. They have impressively accurate audio reproduction and a good 10-hour battery life for all-day use. Unfortunately, they’re not compatible with JBL’s companion app and can’t pair with multiple devices simultaneously. Their cables also feel a bit thin, and they don’t have any power-saving features. That said, they’re still a great choice for athletes who want simple wireless in-ears that sound decent and are easy-to-use while training.
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Best On-Ear JBL Headphones
Type On-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best on-ear headphones from JBL we’ve tested so far are the JBL Live 400BT Wireless. They have a well-balanced sound profile that lends itself well to a wide variety of music genres. They have an outstanding 30-hour battery life and even have an auto-off timer so you don’t have to worry about them running out of power if you forget to turn them off. You can customize the way they sound thanks to the JBL Headphones app and can pair to two devices at the same time, which is neat. Unfortunately, they’re less comfortable and feel more cheaply-made than the JBL Everest 310, which also have a unique music sharing feature, but they still perform decently overall and are a solid choice for those who prefer on-ear headphones.
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Best Budget JBL Headphones
Type In-earEnclosure Closed-BackWireless YesNoise Cancelling NoMic YesTransducer DynamicThe best budget JBL headphones we’ve tested so far are the JBL Endurance Sprint. These wireless ear-hook earbuds feel fairly well-made for their price with an IPX7 rating for waterproofing, though we don't currently test this. They're a very good option for sports thanks to their stable fit and are among the best-sounding wireless earbuds we’ve reviewed, thanks to their well-balanced and natural sound profile. Unfortunately, their in-ear design may not be the most comfortable for everyone, and their touch-sensitive controls can be a bit difficult to use accurately. On the upside, their 9-hour battery life is good for earbuds and they do a good job at passively isolating ambient noise. Overall, they're a decent pair of wireless in-ears that provide a good price-to-performance ratio.
Compared to other brands
- Good audio reproduction. We’ve yet to test JBL’s full lineup of headphones, but the few that we have tested so far do better than average for sound quality. Being a subsidiary branch of Harman, they typically follow the Harman curve which results in a balanced bass and mid range that makes them sound good for fans of a wide variety of music genres.
- Feature-packed. JBL has a wide selection of wireless headphones with lots of active features, like music sharing or active noise cancelling. You can even customize some of their headsets with a mobile app on your phone, which lets you control noise isolation, as well as giving you access to auto-off timers and a fully parametric equalizer. Overall, JBL sets a benchmark for other brands in terms of feature-packed devices.
- Easy-to-use. The JBL headphones we’ve tested tend to have intuitive controls that are simple and easy-to-use. Most of them also have a dedicated Bluetooth sync button, which also helps make pairing easier.
- Mediocre comfort. We've only tested a few headphones from JBL, but comfort has been one of their middling attributes. They're either too tight or have slightly small ear cups that don't quite fit well around all listener's ears.
- Plasticky designs. Most of the headphones that we've reviewed from JBL have been decently well made but have a slightly plasticky feel to them, especially considering their price range. This doesn't mean they have poor build quality, just that they feel a bit cheap at times.
- No open-back models. While JBL does offer a wide range of headphones for different uses, they lack more critical listening-oriented headphones with open-back designs that create spacious soundstages. This may not be an issue for most casual listeners, but this makes most of their lineup not targeted towards a pure critical listening experience.
Overall, JBL makes feature-packed headphones that often follow the Harman curve, resulting in good audio fidelity. However, they don't always have the most comfortable designs, and for their price, their plasticky build quality can feel a bit cheap at times.
Conclusion
JBL offers a wide variety of models for different uses. Their headphones tend to have good audio reproduction since they typically follow the Harman curve and generally sound well-balanced overall. We’ve yet to review a JBL headset that’s as comfortable as some of the models made by other popular brands like Bose and Sennheiser, and they don’t have any models dedicated towards more critical listeners, but their straightforward designs and unique features like music sharing make them one of the best brands for casual, everyday headphones.
See our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones.
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