I have used in ear headphones for years, but I have tinnitus and they were making it worse, so I started hunting for overhead. To be honest it hasn't been easy! I wanted a really good pair of headphones which would last, so I ordered Sony, Sennheiser, Panasonic, Bang and Olufsen and Bose all of which had their pros and cons. I wouldn't class myself as a hardcore audiophile, but I do enjoy a great quality of sound when listening to music. All of the above headphones delivered, however they were all too big for me. I would say that my head is probably smaller than the average female head, but it is not abnormally small. Because of this I literally couldn't find a pair that were suitable in the fitting department. I had heard of JBL, but was a little put off by the reviews, until I tried my niece's JBL's. I was pleasantly surprised at the sound quality and the ones that I tried were from the cheaper range, so I went for these, which were more expensive, and have ANC. I was preparing for a long journey (13 hrs) so, I thought this was a great opportunity to test them out.
Firstly, they fitted perfectly without any need for adjustment. I have read that they are for children, not adults. I can unequivocally confirm that these are definitely for adults. Yes, these are slightly smaller than your average headphones but they are also adjustable. I had them on the smallest size, and there was definitely more to play with, if needed. Also, I cannot be the only female in the world with a slightly smaller head. The actual ear phone is tiny in comparison to most ear phones, however they are not intrusive, they are comfortable and you don't really feel like you have anything on your ears. With others I could see them, feel them and they felt bulky (for reference I have normal sized ears!). The headband is a little weighty and only slightly padded, so this was a bit of an issue. I crave comfort when listening to music, and this definitely disrupted that. On a positive note they became uncomfortable, to the point of having to remove them after about 5 hours, which is not terribly bad. I gave it an hours break, and put them back on, which was fine. Also, in-ear headphones can make your ears itchy and uncomfortable after around 3 hours, so comparatively I wouldn't say that it was off putting, just annoying because I was listening to an audible.
The battery life for these is pretty impressive - I got about 20 hours on a full charge, and you can also get a bonus charge of about an hour. The recharge was super quick - approximately about 50 minutes.
The noise cancellation was average. I had the volume fairly high, but could still hear muffled voices (although not at all annoying). I was travelling by train and the carriage was not very busy or particularly noisy, so it could be better. It depends if it bothers you or not. Because of safety reasons, I don't really care much for noise cancellation, preferring to hear what is going on around me when I'm out and about. Also, I tend to get lost in my music and I'm able to block out external noise. If your after good noise cancellation then these are not for you.
The headphones come with an app, which basically allows you to set up preferences such as how much bass you want with certain music genres and things like volume etc. It's handy, but I don't think it's particularly necessary. It depends on whether or not you want to clog your phone up with loads of apps. It's better to make such adjustments on your music apps, such as Spotify and Amazon music. It will however tell you, how much battery is left, although the light on the headphones will also tell you this. This is also the case for operating your headphones. Everything is done on the headphones themselves - switching songs, volume, ANC, pause, play etc. It takes a while to get use to the buttons, but persevere because you will eventually get it.
The sound quality is good, but if you have used more expensive headphones then you will notice the difference. Having said that I'm perfectly happy with the sound quality they deliver, and I am fussy! I do make an adjustment to the bass etc depending on what I'm listening to, and it definitely makes a big difference. I forgot to do it, and I was wondering if they were really good value for money, I remembered, changed it, and the sound quality of the song I was listening to improved 10 fold, so please do play around with them to get maximum satisfaction.
The wireless option is good and I've not had any problems with it. As an added bonus you can also attach to a headphone jack. I like the fact you have both options.
I'm not sure why this happens, but with certain music other people can hear what your listening to, which is both anti-social and rude. It's a bit of a problem if your travelling, and I can only suggest you just turn it down. This is not an issue if your walking around or your at home, only if you're travelling. Just be mindful of the effect it has on other people.
They come in a lovely selection of colours. I couldn't get the colour I wanted, so I settled with pink, which is not a colour I would usually go for, but I quite like them. They are matt and shiny together. They are really lightweight and can be transported very easily. There is a case that you can buy separately from Amazon, which I did and it's perfect - fits everything in nicely. The headphones collapse, so the case will keep them in great condition.
Overall, I do highly recommend these headphones. I have been pleasantly surprised by how good they actually are. I got these in the sale, but knowing what I do about them I would definitely pay full price. Their a good bit of kit, and whatever type of music person you are they will definitely suit your needs. I would not advise using these at the gym or for running. Stick to sports headphones.
There is a newer model of this item:
JBL Live 670NC Wireless On-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancelling Technology and up to 65 hours Battery Life, in Blue
£102.70
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Only 12 left in stock.
£102.70
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Only 12 left in stock.
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Reviews with images
Great headphones and value
I had been on the fence whether to buy these or to go for a pair of beats. The headphones are noise cancelling and the noise quality is very good. They also look good and fit really well.
Top reviews from United Kingdom
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Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2023
Colour Name: PinkVerified Purchase
Great value, fit small heads, long battery life.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2023
I spent ages looking for wireless headphones for the office, most were too big for smaller heads and looked comical on me. JBL were the only brand that seemed to consistently fit when trying on in shops, but was still unsure. I was resigned to a budget on-ear Sony pair for under £50, but would be quite plasticky and basic. By chance I saw these on amazon for under £65, and took a punt. These have features mostly reserved for more expensive headphones like noise cancelling (and the ability to switch it off), can listen wired, 40-50 hours battery, take them off and pauses the media (love this), plus google/siri etc. The build appears much more high quality compared to similar style headphones at similar price and have a lightly padded fabric covered headband and replaceable PU ear cushions, the ear-pads swivel flat for easy storage/adjustability. They are uncomfortable to start with after a few hours, I wear them all day and after 2 weeks are beginning to bed in, (Like another reviewer mentions, I had a box file 'wear' them overnight etc). The mobile app is great, if a bit slow to boot up and allows for customising an equaliser as well as easily switch off NC/check battery, (sadly no desktop version). Bluetooth connection has been good, but as usual finicky when switching from devices (I switch between an android phone and various apple devices). The colour is a dusky soft pink, so quite neutral, packaging feels premium with starter booklet and mini power lead & cable headphone jack included. the NC is not going to be on par with premium brands (and the £250+ cost), BUT it knocks the office chatter back so I’d definitely recommend.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 April 2023
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Felipe Kobayashi
Excelente custo/benefício !
Reviewed in Brazil on 29 November 2023Colour Name: GreyVerified Purchase
Cliente Amazon
Qualità garantita
Reviewed in Italy on 10 June 2024Colour Name: WhiteVerified Purchase
