If you need a pair of headphones that excel at canceling noise, but also wouldn’t mind sounding good, too, then the JBL Live 650BTNC will be the best over-ear headphones for the job. If you’d rather have buds, you should look at our LG TONE platinum plus review instead. Not only is the ANC great and the sound quality kicking, but you also get to enjoy the best of both worlds with its really long battery life.
If you want a different pair of over-ear headphones, you might also like our Sennheiser Momentum Wireless review. If you want to be able to use these headphones to listen to multiple devices, take a look at our Cambridge Audio DacMagic XS review.
Related: For those who prefer headphones that have a minimalistic design, check the Incase Reflex Headphones review
Why We Like It – JBL Live 650BTNC
The JBL Live 650BTNC brings together the best of several worlds: active noise cancellation, build quality, good audio sound, and lengthy battery life—all at an affordable price. Compare the JBL to our iHome SD63 Soundesign retro headphones review.
- Long battery life
- Active noise cancellation
- Affordable pricing
- The mic could be better
Related: If you want a reliable on-ear headphone, read the JBL Tempo On-Ear Headphones review
Performance
Starting with battery life, the JBL Live 650BTNC can last an easy 30 hours, thanks to its lithium-polymer battery type. However, when using Bluetooth and ANC, you’ll get about 20 hours, which is still great for a long trip—unlike the Panasonic RP-HT161-K, a wired-only headset. That isn’t a big deal considering it can be recharged in two hours, and 15 minutes of quick charging will regain two hours of use.
For the average person, sound quality is going to be miles better than a cheap pair of earphones. There’s plenty of bass in those lower tones. Frequency response aside, the 650BTNC’s shines with active noise cancellation. Once enabled, you forget people are around you, arguably better than a pair of COWIN E7. If customization is important to you in your headphones, you may also want to read our Torque T103Z headphones review.
Design
When it comes to style, the JBL Live 650BTNC is looking good. For starters, the surrounding piece is covered in a nice-looking fabric, making them feel a lot more comfortable on your head. Comfort is further compounded through the ear cups themselves, being made of comfy plush material. Speaking of ear cups, the left one, in particular, gives you access to your preferred voice assistant—Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. And of course, there’s a port for your charging cable and an option for a wired connection with the audio cable bundled.
While over-ear headphones are the preference for most audiophiles, not everyone wants to wear these headphones. In that case, you’ll want to read our Creative Labs MP-250 wireless sport Bluetooth headphones review and our Jabra Elite 75t review, for the best true wireless earbuds.
Value
Just like the I-MEGO Walker JR noise-canceling headphones, the JBL Live 650BTNC brings its A-game when it comes to noise cancellation quality, accompanied by great, but not the best, audio quality for its price. When considering build quality, performance, and pricing, these headphones have, without a doubt, superb value. This is especially true when you factor in the custom EQs you can fiddle with using the JBL Headphones application. And let’s not forget the excellent quality of the headphones themselves, far superior to a pair of MPOW H10.
JBL Live 650BTNC Wrap Up
Altogether it means the JBL 650BTNC offers a great package that offers the enjoyable sound quality, active noise cancellation, additional features, and a very long battery life that’s especially helpful for long trips. While the mic could be better, it’s a very small sacrifice to make to achieve that sweet pricing.
