The JBL Live 670NC Wireless are wallet-friendly on-ear headphones equipped with active noise cancelling (ANC) technology. They come with some useful features that belie their relatively affordable price point, like an impressive 65 hours of advertised battery life with the ANC off (and even more when we tested it). There's also voice assistant integration and a spatial audio feature that's accessible via the companion app.
Our Verdict
The JBL 670NC are okay for sports and fitness use. They have a comprehensive control system and voice assistant integration, which can be great for performing functions while on a run. They also have a solid, reasonably sturdy build quality, and we tested an outstanding 88 hours of battery life with the ANC enabled. Sadly, their on-ear design and slippery ear pad material mean they're not the most stable headphones, and they're also not particularly portable.
- Outstanding 88-hour battery life.
Great control scheme.
- Disappointing mic recording quality.
- ANC struggles to isolate your audio from noisy environments.
The JBL 670NC are adequate for commute and travel use. They're reasonably comfortable and feature an outstanding 88 hours of continuous battery life, ensuring they'll last even for the longest journeys. That said, they're not the most portable, despite being able to fold up their ear cups. While their ANC does help block out some ambient sound, it's not a huge improvement on the passive isolation provided by their on-ear design. Sounds like engine rumble and street noise will still find their way into your audio.
- Outstanding 88-hour battery life.
Great control scheme.
- Disappointing mic recording quality.
- ANC struggles to isolate your audio from noisy environments.
The JBL 670NC are passable for office use. They have an extremely long 88-hour battery life that'll get you through the workweek with battery to spare, plus they're comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. While they do leak a bit of audio, it's unlikely to disturb anyone unless you're in a very quiet office environment. While they are equipped with ANC technology, it doesn't do much to block out common sounds you'd hear in an office environment, so they're not ideal for distraction-free productivity.
- Outstanding 88-hour battery life.
Great control scheme.
- Disappointing mic recording quality.
- ANC struggles to isolate your audio from noisy environments.
The JBL 670NC aren't suitable for wireless gaming. While they're equipped with Bluetooth, even with the lowest latency mode enabled, latency is too high for most games when using the default SBC codec.
The JBL Live 670NC are satisfactory for wired gaming. You can use them via an analog connection, and they come with a 1/8" TRS cable for this purpose. Latency is minimal via this connection type, so you won't experience much lag between your audio and visuals. They're also comfortable enough for long gaming sessions. While their overemphasized bass response will certainly add some boom to in-game audio cues, like explosions, it muddies the rest of the frequency range. It's worth noting that you won't be able to use the microphone if you're using these headphones with a wired connection.
- Outstanding 88-hour battery life.
Great control scheme.
- Disappointing mic recording quality.
- ANC struggles to isolate your audio from noisy environments.
The JBL Live 670NC have decent audio reproduction accuracy. They don't deviate much from their booming, bass-heavy sound, although a couple of big peaks and dips in the treble range can render sibilants either dull or piercing, depending on their pitch. That said, the extra bass can overwhelm the mids, so many listeners may appreciate the EQ offered in the companion app. Still, inaudible group delay and well-matched left and right drivers mean kick drums sound punchy, and objects are correctly located in the stereo field. Your audio also sounds like it's coming from inside your head, which is to be expected for on-ear headphones.
The JBL Live 670NC have mediocre noise isolation. In use, they don't block out much real-world noise, especially bass-range sound like the rumble of a passing train engine. They fare better with mid-range sounds like street noise, but you'll still hear people chatting and car doors slamming. On the plus side, these cans have good leakage performance. Unless you're listening very loudly in a quiet space, people around you won't be disturbed by your audio.
The JBL Live 670NC have a disappointing microphone. The mic makes your voice sound both thin and dull, and doesn't do a good job of separating your voice from any surrounding noise. While you'll be understandable in quiet environments, if you take calls in a noisy place like a bus station, the person at the other end of the line may have trouble understanding you.
The JBL Live 670NC have mediocre frequency response consistency. Individuals with larger heads or those who wear glasses are likely to experience deviations in bass response. It's essential to take the time to seat these headphones correctly on your head with every wear if you want consistent audio between uses.
Performance Usages
Changelog
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Updated Jan 09, 2026:
This review has been updated to Test Bench 2.0, which adds the following tests: Stereo Mismatch, Group Delay, Cumulative Spectral Decay, PRTF, Harmonic Distortion, and Electrical Aspects. We've added new performance usages and updated the text throughout the Sound tests and side-by-sides.
- Updated Dec 23, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 2.1, which features minor updates to our sound tests.
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Updated Jan 16, 2025:
Several Sound tests have been updated following Test Bench 1.8. There have also been text changes made throughout the review, including to the usages and product comparisons to match these results.
- Updated Jan 15, 2025: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.8, which updates our target curve and Sound tests. You can read more about this in our changelog.
Check Price
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The JBL Live 670NC are available in four color variants: 'Black,' 'White,' 'Blue,' and 'Sandstone.' We tested the 'Blue' variant, but we expect the other colorways to perform similarly. If you encounter a different variant of these headphones, please let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The JBL Live 670NC are a pair of on-ear headphones within JBL's 'Live' line of mid-range headphones. They follow in the footsteps of the JBL Live 460NC Wireless, which share a similar build quality and on-ear design. While the two have a similar noise isolation performance, the JBL Live 460NC have a more balanced sound profile that follows our target curve much more closely. That said, the older generation lacks the newer model's amazing 88-hour battery life. The Live 670NC's overpowering bass response brings it more in line with DJ headphones, like the Pioneer DJ HDJ-CUE1BT Wireless, where the prominent bass can be an ally when beat-matching.
If you're looking for more headphone options, check out our recommendations for the best on-ear headphones, the best wireless Bluetooth headphones, and the best headphones.
The JBL Live 670NC offer more customization and extra features than the Beats Solo 4. While both on-ears are similarly comfortable and well-built, the JBL have companion app support, including a parametric EQ and presets, and they have ANC. While it does a mediocre job of blocking out background noise, it's still better than the Beats' passive capabilities. They also support multi-device pairing and have a significantly longer continuous playback time. However, the Beats have a more balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer, and can also be used via a wired USB connection.
The JBL Live 670NC and the JBL Live 770NC are from the same generation with more in common than not. They share the same app, nearly identical controls, and almost the same frame. The Live 670NC boast a longer battery life. Because they're on-ear headphones, their noise isolation isn't quite as good as that of the Live 770NC over-ear headphones. The Live 770NC are also more stable-fitting and cut out more environmental noise overall.
The JBL Live 670NC and the JBL Live 460NC Wireless both share an on-ear design. They're both equipped with ANC systems, too. While neither will fully insulate you from the roar of a bus engine or the cacophony of a busy street, the Live 460NC do a slightly better job of isolating you. When it comes to sound profile, the Live 460NC have a much more balanced default sound profile, lacking the overpowering bass response of the Live 670NC. The Live 460NC have a better mic recording quality, too, making them a better fit for phone calls, but their battery life falls short of the outstanding 88 hours offered by the Live 670NC.
The JBL Tune 660NC Wireless and the JBL Live 670NC are both on-ear headphones, though the Tune have a retail price that's a little over half that of the Live. Despite their lower price tag, the Tune are superior in a surprising number of aspects: they have a more balanced sound profile with a prominent bass that's not as bloated and overwhelming as the Live's. They also have a better mic recording quality and better mic noise handling. That said, the Live have a slightly better performing ANC system and a much longer continuous battery life at 88 hours. They're also better built and more comfortable to wear during extended listening sessions.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
Test Results
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