Our Verdict
Decent for mixed usage. They have a good audio reproduction and a customizable sound profile. They also have an excellent battery life and wireless range. However, their on-ear design can be a bit uncomfortable at times, especially during long listening sessions. They also don't isolate much in noisy environments, so they won't be the best option for commuting or to use in a busy office. Their latency performance, like most Bluetooth headphones without low latency codecs, is also sub-par, so they won't be a great choice for watching a lot of video content. On the upside, they're a bit less bulky than over-ears and are more breathable, which is good for sports.
- Good audio reproduction.
- Great battery life.
- Very customizable sound.
- On-ear design not as comfortable for long listening sessions.
- Poor isolation in noisy environments.
- Bass and treble delivery varies significantly across users. Sensitive to glasses.
Decent for neutral listening. The JBL 400BT have a deep, consistent, and powerful bass, a well-balanced mid-range, and good treble. Their bass is a bit too thumpy at times, but some people may prefer this. Also, vocals and lead instruments in the mid-range may sound a bit thin, but overall they have a fairly balanced sound that should cater well to most genres. They also come with a pretty good parametric EQ that allows you to customize their sound profile quite heavily. This makes them a lot more versatile for neutral and casual listeners than the E45BT.
Average for commuting. They're lightweight, easy-to-use, and decently portable. However, they don't block a lot of noise for busy city commutes, and their on-ear design isn't as comfortable as the over-ear headphones in their lineup.
Above-average for sports. They're lightweight, breathable, and tight enough to stay on your head during a light jog. Their wireless design also makes them less likely to fall, since there is no audio cable to get hooked on something. They also have a pretty efficient control scheme, which is useful while working out. However, they may not be the ideal choice if you have a pretty high-intensity workout routine with a lot of movement.
Decent for office use. The JBL Live 400BT have a long battery life and a good sound for hours of continuous listening but don't block a lot of noise. You may hear the chatter of a lively office and they leak a bit at high volumes, so you may distract some of your colleagues in quieter conditions. They're also not the most comfortable headphones to wear for hours of listening.
Sub-par for gaming. The JBL 400BT won’t be suitable for this use because of their latency and poor microphone for gaming. On the upside, if you don't mind using an in-line mic, then you can plug the headphones directly into your console controllers or mobile device since they have a good sound for gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 06, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Jul 26, 2019: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The JBL Live 400BT are decent mixed usage on-ear headphones with an amazing wireless range, battery life, and a good, customizable sound profile. They're not the most comfortable and their build quality feels a bit plasticky, but overall they're decently performing headphones in most aspects, except isolation. See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best on-ear wireless headphones and the best wireless Bluetooth headphones under $100.
The JBL Live 400BT Wireless are better overall headphones than the JBL Tune 510BT. The 400BT feel slightly sturdier, have a significantly more stable fit, block out far more ambient noise, and leak less audio. While their sound profile is fairly neutral out of the box, they have a companion app with a parametric EQ, and EQ presets to customize their sound. Despite having a shorter continuous battery life than the 510BT, they have an auto-off timer to help conserve charge and offer full mic and audio compatibility on a wired connection, thanks to their included 1/8" TRRS cable. Conversely, the 510BT are a little lighter and slightly more portable.
The JBL Live 500BT Wireless are an over-ear variant of the JBL Live 400BT. They look very similar in design, other than their size and larger over-ear cups. The 500BT are a bit sturdier and denser than the 400BT, with a longer battery life and a more consistent frequency response that doesn't vary as much with positioning. However, the 500BT are a bit less neutral-sounding out-of-the-box. The Live 400BT would be a more breathable and compact option for sports, or to carry around on your person. If you prefer over-ears, then the Live 500BT would be the better option; if you want something a bit smaller, then the Live 400BT are a good alternative.
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 400BT are slightly better than the JBL Everest 310 Wireless. They're both on-ear headphones with a similar design and sound quality. However, the Live 400BT have a more flexible sound profile, thanks to the parametric EQ included in their companion app. The Live 400BT are also slightly more breathable and have longer battery life. On the other hand, the Everest 310 come with a sturdy carrying case and have a more useful additional feature. Their music sharing button is a bit more practical than the Live 400BT's talk-through mode, since they do not isolate well to begin with. Also, the 310 Wireless have a better microphone performance, a more premium build quality, and easier-to-use buttons, but are not as stable as the Live 400BT, meaning they won't be as good for sports and more demanding activities.
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