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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

JBL Everest Elite 700 Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.3.1
Review updated Mar 14, 2018 at 03:35 pm
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 21, 2019 at 11:23 am
JBL Everest Elite 700 Wireless Picture
7.2
Mixed Usage
7.6
Neutral Sound
7.5
Commute/Travel
7.2
Sports/Fitness
7.1
Office
5.9
Wireless Gaming
7.5
Wired Gaming
6.6
Phone Call

The JBL Everest Elite 700 are above-average and versatile wireless headphones for most use cases. They have a stylish-looking design similar to the JBL Everest 700, but the Elite variant is noise canceling. They're packed with features, cancel enough noise for commuting and don't leak much so you can also use them at the office. Unfortunately, they're a bit bulky headphones, and although they have a decent sound, they may not be the ideal headphones for more critical listeners.

Our Verdict

7.2 Mixed Usage

Above-average for mixed-usage. The JBL Everest Elite 700 have a great set of active features and a sleek yet solid build quality that's great for everyday use. They isolate well enough for noisy environments and they have an above average sound quality that will satisfy most listeners. They won't be the ideal headphones for critical listening or sports but overall they perform well enough for most use cases.

Pros
  • Sleek and sturdy wireless design.
  • High isolation and Low leakage.
  • Great active features.
Cons
  • A bit tight on the head.
  • Bulky build quality.
7.6 Neutral Sound

Better than average for neutral listening. The JBL Everest are tuned to sound as close to the Harman curve. This gives them a great bass that's not overwhelming and a well-balanced mid-range that caters well to instruments and vocals. However, their treble range is not as good and makes the headphones sound a bit sibilant with some tracks. They don't output at high enough volumes which may be an issue for some older or quieter music. Their soundstage is also subpar, but due to their closed-back, noise canceling design, it's to be expected.

7.5 Commute/Travel

Above-average for commuting. They isolate enough for public transit, and they have a decently durable build quality with easy to use controls. However, they're still a bit bulky so they won't be the easiest headphones to carry on you at all times.

7.2 Sports/Fitness

Decent for sports. The JBL Everest Elite 700 are tight enough to stay on your head when jogging and their wireless design makes them less likely to fall because the audio cable got hooked on something. However, they're still a bit bulky for intense exercises and they get fairly warm during physical activity which is not ideal.

7.1 Office

Above-average for office use. They do not leak too much and they block enough ambient noise for lively offices. They also have a good set of features that make them practical to use while at your desk.

5.9 Wireless Gaming

Mediocre-at-best for gaming. The JBL Everest Elite 700 have a bit too much latency and a mediocre microphone. Also, they're not the most comfortable headphones to use for long gaming sessions but at least, they come with an audio cable so that you can use them with your console controller. However, if you get the iOS variant, the in-line microphone will only work with PS4.

7.5 Wired Gaming
  • 7.2 Mixed Usage
  • 7.6 Neutral Sound
  • 7.5 Commute/Travel
  • 7.2 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.1 Office
  • 5.9 Wireless Gaming
  • 7.5 Wired Gaming
  • 6.6 Phone Call
  1. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  2. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  3. Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
  4. Updated Sep 28, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
  5. Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
  6. Updated Jun 13, 2017: Review published.
  7. Updated Jun 11, 2017: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Jun 09, 2017: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  9. Updated Jun 06, 2017: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

Comparison picture

The JBL Everest Elite 700 are good mixed usage headphones. They're versatile enough for most environments, thanks to their strong noise cancellation and the great customization options available through the app. This makes them good for commuting and traveling. Thanks to their low leakage, they're also a good option for the office. Unfortunately, they're a bit tight on the head and a little bulky. They also do not have quite an as balanced sound as the AKG N700NC which is a similarly designed headset under the Harman umbrella however the Everest do isolate better in noisy conditions. See our recommendations for the best travel headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones and the best wireless headphones.

Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016

The Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016 are better noise cancelling headphones than the JBL Everest Elite 700 Wireless. The Bose are better more comfortable over-ear fit and isolate a lot more in noisy conditions than the JBL. They also have a longer battery life and a better default sound that works with most genres but that you can't EQ like the JBL. This makes the JBL a bit more customizable than the Bose. They also have a slightly better latency performance and wireless range, but their tight fit may not be for everyone.

Sony MDR-1000X Wireless

The Sony MDR-1000X have a similar performance to the JBL Everest Elite 700 overall. The Sony are not as tight on the head as the JBL, which makes them a bit more comfortable to wear for longer listening sessions. They also have a longer battery life, more customization options, and they support more codec options than the Everest Elite 700. On the other hand, the JBL have a unique noise cancelling feature since you can control the amount of cancellation in each ear cup. They also have a slightly better wireless range and lower latency, although both headphones will not be ideal for watching a lot of movies.

Beats Solo3 2018 Wireless

The JBL Everest Elite 700 Wireless are not directly comparable to the Beats Solo3 Wireless since they are over-ear and noise cancelling when the Beats are on-ears and isolate passively. This means if you prefer a headphone for noisy environments then go for the JBL. They block and cancel more noise on your commute. They also have a lot more features than the Beats since they have an app that gives them access to an EQ and noise cancelling settings. The JBL also have a better more durable build quality and a sturdier design overall. On the other hand, the Beats are a lot more portable and deliver a much longer battery life that you won't have to charge for a couple of days. They also charge a lot faster, have a greater wireless range, and slightly lower latency on iOS devices.

JBL E55BT Wireless

The JBL Everest Elite 700 Wireless are a better, more customizable headphone overall when compared to the JBL E55BT Wireless. The Everest Elite 700 support the JBL Headphones app, and the E55BT don't. This gives them access to an EQ and more customization options, including noise cancelling settings for each ear cup. Also, since the Everest are noise cancelling headphones, they do much better in noisy conditions. They also have a better build quality and a more durable design overall. The JBL E55BT are more compact and slightly more comfortable, thanks to their lightweight build and the better fit that does not clamp your head as much.

AKG N700NC Wireless

The AKG N700NC are better headphones than the JBL Everest Elite 700. The AKG earpads have better cushioning, don’t feel as stiff as on the JBL, and have a more neutral sound. On the other hand, the JBL isolate more ambient noise and leak less, which makes them a slightly better choice for commuting. The JBL app is also very complete and offers lots of customization options like an EQ, presets, and ANC control. The JBL are about half the price of the AKG, so they might offer more value for your money.

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Test Results

Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The JBL Everest 700 have a simple and sleek form factor that's a bit reminiscent of the Beats Studio Wireless. They have thick padding on the ear cups and look somewhat high-end thanks to the subtle accents on the headband and the matte finish. However, because of the thick pads, the ear cups tend to stick out a bit, leaving a gap between your head and the headband that's not always aesthetically pleasing. Overall though, the design looks premium and will stand out in a crowd.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.68 lbs
Clamping Force
1.2 lbs

Comfort-wise, these headphones are above-average. They are a bit tight on the head and won't be as comfortable as the more recent JBL E65BTNC. They have sufficiently large ear cups to fit most listeners and they're well padded so even though they're tight, they don't feel too uncomfortable when you put them on. However, after a long listening session, they get a bit fatiguing and the headband doesn't extend far enough to accommodate all head sizes, which is not ideal.

7.7
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
iOS
Ease Of Use Okay
Feedback Good
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
N/A
Noise Cancelling Control Yes
Talk-Through
Adjustable
Additional Buttons Optimizer

The controls scheme is a bit confusing but provides all the essential functions and the buttons are responsive. You can skip tracks, play/pause audio, and control the volume. They also have an additional button for the optimizer (press and hold) that also doubles as the toggle for different aware modes (quick press). Unfortunately, the button layout is not the best as you may accidentally press some of the controls when putting the headphones on and the control scheme takes a bit of time to get used to.

6.6
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 5.5 °C

The JBL Everest Elite 700 will are not the most breathable headphones so they won't be ideal for more intense workouts. They have an over-ear design with fairly thick pads that are not porous like the pads on some gaming headphones such as the Logitech G433. This means they trap a considerable amount of heat which will make your ears sweat during physical activities but should be fine for more casual uses. They will make your ears a bit warm after a long listening session, but it's not out of the ordinary for most closed-back over-ear designs.

6.1
Design
Portability
L 5"
W 6.8"
H 3"
Volume 98 in³
Transmitter Required N/A

Decent portability. The JBL Everest 700 fold into a more compact format that's easier to carry and takes less space in a bag. However, they are relatively big over-ear headphones so even if they fold, they're still a bit cumbersome to carry around on your person since they won't fit in any pockets, except maybe some larger jacket pockets.

6.5
Design
Case
Type Soft case
L 6"
W 7.5"
H 3.4"
Volume 153 in³

They come with a soft case that doesn't protect the headphones against impacts, drops or water exposure but it will prevent them from getting scratched if you carry them in your bag.

7.5
Design
Build Quality

The JBL Everest Elite 700 have a good build quality. They creak a bit when unfolding them and putting them on, but the headband has a metal frame that makes it decently sturdy. The ear cups are also dense enough that they won't get damaged if the headphones fall once or twice. However, the hinges are somewhat susceptible weak points, and the plastic coating on the ear cups and headband feels prone to scratches and may even crack if you twist the headband a bit too far.

7.0
Design
Stability

The JBL Elite 700 are tight enough on the head that they won't easily fall during casual listening sessions. That and their wireless design make them decently stable since they won't be yanked off your head because the audio cable got hooked on something. Unfortunately, the ear cups stick out a bit too much, and they're somewhat heavy, so they sway a lot when running. They won't be the ideal headphones for working out or take to the gym as they will slip off your ears during high-intensity physical activity.

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

  • JBL Everest Elite 700 Headphones
  • Carrying case
  • Audio cable
  • USB cable
  • Manual

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-1.22 dB
Treble Amount
-1.5 dB
8.4
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.31 dB

The JBL Everest Elite 700 has great frequency response consistency. Although these headphones don't have the most ergonomic design, they perform very consistently both in bass and treble ranges, with the maximum deviation in the bass range being about 4dB. This is either due to their TruNote self-calibrating mechanism, or the fact they are using the ANC (active noise-cancelling) system to get feedback about their bass delivery, similar to what is done in the QuietComfort 35 II and the WH-1000XM2.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
9.5
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
0.64 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
0.94 dB
Mid-Bass
-0.5 dB
High-Bass
-0.03 dB

The JBL Everest 700 has an excellent bass. LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, indicating a very deep bass. Additionally, low-bass, mid-bass, and high-bass are basically flat and within 1dB of our target response. This indicates a neutral and well-balanced bass, with enough thump and punch to handle bass-heavy genres like EDM, Hip-hop and film scores. The only remark is the slight mismatch between L/R drivers in low-bass, which won't be audible.

9.0
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.32 dB
Low-Mid
0.24 dB
Mid-Mid
0.46 dB
High-Mid
1.79 dB

The mid-range of the JBL Everest 700 is great. Low-mid and Mid are within 0.5dB of our target, which is excellent. Ensuring a clear mix and well-balanced vocals and lead instruments. High-mid shows less than 2dB of overemphasis, which is going to make the sound of these headphones very slightly forward, especially on vocals/leads.

6.4
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.75 dB
Low-Treble
0.59 dB
Mid-Treble
-0.48 dB
High-Treble
-3.76 dB

The treble is about average. Low-treble is hyped by about 2dB, which is the continuation of the high-mid overemphasis. This is going to add a bit of excess presence to the sound, which will be mostly noticeable on vocals/leads. The dip surrounding 5KHz won't be very audible due to its narrow width. However, it will have a negligible negative impact on detail and articulation. The 10dB bump centering around 10KHz makes these headphones noticeably sibilant, and could sound sharp and piercing to those with hyper sensitive ears on overly bright tracks. Unfortunately, their treble range sound s a lot sharper than the AKG N700NC which have also be tuned by Harman.

6.5
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.46 dB
Dips
1.53 dB
8.3
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.35
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.57
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
2.18
Weighted Phase Mismatch
6.39

The imaging is great. Their weighted group delay is 0.35, which is within good limits. The GD graph also shows that the entire group delay response is below the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight and fast bass, and a transparent treble. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response. This helps with the accurate placement and localization of objects, (voice, instruments, footsteps), in the stereo image.

4.2
Sound
Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
4.15 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
4.08 dB
PRTF Distance
4.87 dB
Openness
2.6
Acoustic Space Excitation
2.8

The JBL Everest 700 have a lacking soundstage. Their PRTF response doesn't follow our speaker's very accurately, but there's a decent amount of pinna (outer ear) interaction regardless. This suggests a soundstage that is not very small, but is not quite natural and speaker-like either. They also don't have a "10KHz notch", suggesting their soundstage will be perceived to be located inside the listener's head as opposed to in-front.

7.8
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.181
WHD @ 100
0.149
Isolation
7.4
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-20.46 dB
Noise Cancelling Yes
Bass
-8.79 dB
Mid
-18.99 dB
Treble
-34.54 dB

The JBL Everest 700 have a decent active noise cancellation. They provide about 9dB of isolation in the bass range, which is about average. The bass range is where the low sounds like the rumble of airplane and bus engines located. In the mid-range, important for cancelling out speech, they achieved 19dB of isolation, which is quite good. They also do well in the treble range, which is occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, and isolate by more than 34dB.

7.7
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
35.35 dB

The leakage performance is good. The significant portion of their leakage sits between 500Hz and 8KHz, which is a relatively broad range. However, the overall level of leakage is quite low, below the noise-floor of most offices, meaning that the sound leaking out of these headphones will be fuller and mid-rangy compared that of an in-ear/earbud, but not loud. So unless you are in a very quiet place and blasting your music, the leakage shouldn't be an issue.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
N/A
Mic Yes

The integrated microphone has a mediocre performance. In quiet environments, speech recorded/transmitted with this mic will sound a bit thin, and quite muffled and lacking detail. But, it would still be decently understandable. In noisy situations, however, the JBL Everest Elite 700 will struggle to separate speech from ambient noise, even in moderately loud environments, like a busy street. Additionally, they could pick up low-frequency noise from the environment, like thumps and rumbles.

6.5
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
239.73 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.86 dB
HFE
2,915.3 Hz
Weighted THD
5.604
Gain
41.82 dB

The microphone has a below-average recording quality. They are a bit uneven in the bass range and show a lot of sub-bass and mid-bass. This could add noise and thump to the sound. The dip in high-bass makes recorded or transmitted speech a bit thin sounding. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 2.9KHz results in a speech that lack detail and brightness.

6.1
Microphone
Noise Handling
Speech + Pink Noise
Speech + Subway Noise
SpNR
13.1 dB

The integrated microphone is mediocre at noise handling. In our SpNR test, they achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 13dB, indicating that the microphone performs best in quiet environments and may struggle moderate and loud environments.

Active Features
8.4
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
14.5 hrs
Additional Charges
0
Total Battery Life
14.5 hrs
Charge Time
2.6 hrs
Power Saving Feature
Yes
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
Yes
Charging Port micro-USB

These headphones have a good battery life and decent charge time but are loaded with power saving features. You can enable the auto-off function via the companion app. They have passive playback, and you can use them while they charge which makes them great office headphones if you don't mind having the USB cable plugged into your PC.

8.5
Active Features
App Support
App Name JBL Headphones
iOS Yes
Android Yes
macOS N/A
Windows N/A
Equalizer
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
Yes
Mic Control N/A
Room effects
No
Playback Control
Yes
Button Mapping N/A
Surround Sound N/A

The JBL Headphones Connect is an excellent app that gives you so much control over the active features of the Elite 700. You get a full graphic equalizer, auto-off and noise cancellation control that allows you to set the level of isolation in each ear cup. The app is well designed, and for the sheer number of customization options, it's pretty easy to use. Overall, it's an efficient and well thought-out app that enhances your listening experience. Their app overall feels a lot more useful than that of the AKG N700NC.

Connectivity
7.2
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
4.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line of Sight Range
194 ft
Default Latency
133 ms
aptX Latency
N/A
aptX(LL) Latency
N/A

They connect wirelessly via Bluetooth. Unfortunately, they can't pair simultaneously with multiple devices like the E45BT or JBL Everest 310. They also do not have NFC support but on the upside, their hold-to-pair procedure is easy to use and has good feedback.

These headphones have about 133ms of latency. It's relatively low for a Bluetooth headphone with no low latency codecs but will still be a bit too much to watch movies and a lot of video content without any sync issues.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.4 ft
Connection
Wired Latency
0 ms

The headphones come with an iOS cable that has an in-line remote microphone compatible with the PS4 but not the Xbox One. This gives them a secondary connection option in case you do not want to use Bluetooth to save on battery life or for less latency while watching videos or gaming.

Connectivity
PC / PS4 Compatibility
PC / PS4 Analog
Audio + Microphone
PC / PS4 Wired USB
No
PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox One Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
N/A
USB Input
N/A
Line In
N/A
Line Out
N/A
Optical Input
N/A
RCA Input
N/A
Dock Charging
N/A
Power Supply
N/A

These headphones do not have a base/dock. If you want a versatile headset with a base that you can also use wired check out the SteelSeries Arctis 7.