JBL is probably not the brand that usually comes to mind when talking about wireless noise-cancelling headphones. Traditionally the room is occupied by more prominent brands such as Bose and Sony. We’re looking at the features and sound quality of the more affordable JBL Live 650BTNC to see if they can be an excellent alternative to the pricier Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700.
Let us start
Design
The wireless noise-cancelling headphones have similar designs, with slight variations in color, band material, and the earcups’ size. The Bose noise-cancelling headphones, however, sound more relaxed and luxurious.
All their bands feel solid at first, with the JBL Live feeling stiffer to use. The group of the Bose 700 has more padding and rubberized coating while the headphones of the JBL Live 650BTNC have a fabric-coated body.
Both the Bose and JBL headphones have earcups that can be turned flat, but unlike the Bose 700, the JBL Live is foldable. The earcups of the JBL are made from memory foam and are large enough to fit comfortably if you have small to medium ears.
Unless they’re on the bigger side, they could pinch your ears because the JBL earcups are slimmer than the Bose 700’s. In the meantime, earcups from the Bose 700 are made from lightweight synthetic leather and are a little wider than the JBL, and they have more excellent coverage.
Noise Cancelation
The JBL headphones ensure sound active noise reduction for their price point. They do a decent job of blocking out the ambient sound but deliver as impressive noise-cancelling capabilities as the Bose 700 nowhere close.
The Bose wireless headphones with 11 ANC levels let you change the settings based on how much sound you want to cut off. You can use the highest setting to completely muffle the noise around you or switch to the lowest where you can hear your surroundings as if, as Bose says, “you weren’t wearing any noise-cancelling headphones at all.”
Meanwhile, the JBL Live 650BTNC’s ANC rates can not be changed. Also, turning the ANC can create some distracting noise when you are in a quiet environment. The Bose 700s are also fitted with a hard to beat adaptive micro mic system.
They have eight microphones working together to significantly boost phone calls, even though they are in a busy venue. As for the headphones from JBL, they always do the job and pick up your voice clearly, but not with the same consistency as the headphones from Bose noise-cancel.
Quality Sound
Although there may be a lack of JBL Live headphones in their ANC apps, they provide an audio quality that doesn’t disappoint, particularly at their price. They have deep bass and decent bottom-end and use the JBL app to change the EQ to your preference.
The Bose Headphones 700 features high-quality audio, for which Bose is renowned. These wireless headphones have an active EQ and top-notch bass response, but you can note they let through the mid-frequencies.
If you want to change your EQ, though, the Bose app just won’t let you do that yet. If they carry out software updates, we’ll see if this functionality will be available.
State and Controls
It is simple and straightforward to combine both the Bose and JBL headphones with your smartphone. These also endorse digital assistants such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. Since both are noise-cancelling, even in a crowded, congested area, your smart assistant can still clearly hear your voice commands.
The smart assistant is stimulated for the JBL Live 650BTNC by tapping on the earcup. The remaining controls can be carried out either through the buttons on the earcups or through the JBL app. We ‘re not big fans of this, because sometimes the buttons are difficult to press.
As with the Bose 700, these wireless headphones have touch controls to make calls, play tracks, or volume changes. On the left earcup is a button for changing ANC rates (only 0, 5, and 10) or triggering your favorite smart assistant. You’ll need to use the Bose Music app to handle different ANC rates like 8 or 3.
A big downside to the Bose headphones is the configuration that the Bose Music software takes. The problem is that the software often includes a lot of bugs and is sometimes disconnected. Nevertheless, Bose promises improvements on its applications, which will eventually eliminate the device’s problems.
More Features
If you’re typically using two devices simultaneously, the Bose and JBL headphones multi-point function will come in handy. If you watch a video on your tablet and receive a phone call, you can use your noise-cancelling headphones to switch to your mobile device and answer the call.
The JBL Live 650BTNCs have a lifetime longer than the Bose 700. For ANC, you can listen to passive music from your JBL headphones for up to 30 hours and up to 20 hours.
Charging your JBL for two hours would earn you a complete charge in contrast with the Bose 700, which takes 3 hours to enjoy its 20 hours of playtime.
Conclusion
The JBL Live 650BTNC headphones provide excellent sound quality for those who want to save and decent active noise cancelation for its price.
Yeah, their ANC isn’t as good as the 700’s Bose Noise Canceling Headphones, but you still get the value of your money. The JBL Live provides an excellent, cost-effective alternative to the popular Bose Noise Canceling Headphones for half the Bose 700 (at the time of writing).
Lucas is a freelance media designer for image and sound also works for various production companies as a motion designer. He is regularly testing new wireless headphones on in the rehearsal room and there are now more than 70 wireless headphones on the shelves.
Last update on 2023-01-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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