JBL Live 670NC Review

The JBL Live 670NC offer incredible battery life and a full feature set for under $130, but they come with a massive caveat: they're notoriously uncomfortable for long sessions. Sound and noise cancellation are just okay, not great. Only buy these if battery endurance is your absolute #1 need and you don't mind taking frequent breaks. For most people, spending a bit more for comfort is the better play.

Let's talk about the JBL Live 670NC. They're the latest on-ear wireless headphones from JBL, and they're squarely aimed at the budget-conscious listener who wants a taste of premium features. You're getting JBL's signature sound, adaptive noise cancelling, and a massive 65-hour battery claim, all wrapped up in a package that usually sells for under $130. It sounds like a lot of headphone for the money on paper.

If you're someone who wants to block out the world for long stretches—think long commutes, study sessions, or a full workday—the battery life here is a major draw. The promise of up to 50 hours with ANC on is a standout spec in this price bracket. They also pack in modern conveniences like multipoint Bluetooth, voice assistant support, and auto play/pause, which makes them feel more current than their price might suggest.

But here's the catch, and it's a big one for headphones: comfort. Our data puts the comfort score for these on-ear cans in a rough spot, landing in the bottom 5% of all headphones we track. That means if you're sensitive to pressure on your ears, or you plan on wearing them for hours at a time, you might hit a wall before the battery does. They're a classic case of specs vs. feel.

Digging into the numbers, the performance story is a mixed bag. The sound quality and active noise cancellation both land in the mid-30s percentile. In plain English, that means they're about average. The JBL signature sound is present—you'll get a bass-forward, energetic profile that's great for pop and electronic music. But for critical listening or more nuanced genres, they fall behind more tuned competitors. The ANC is effective for constant, low-frequency hums like airplane engines or office AC, but it struggles more with sudden, sharp noises.

The microphone performance is right in the middle of the pack at the 53rd percentile. It's fine for quick voice commands or the occasional call, but don't expect crystal-clear conference call quality. The real star, performance-wise, is the battery. At the 64th percentile, it's solidly above average. That 50-hour claim with ANC on isn't just marketing fluff; it's a legit weekender that you barely have to think about charging. The quick charge feature is a nice bonus for when you do forget.

The value argument for the Live 670NC is straightforward: you get a long list of features for not a lot of cash. Seeing them priced between $90 and $130 is compelling when you consider brands like Sony and Bose charge twice that for their flagship noise-cancelling headphones. You're paying for the battery and the feature checklist, not for class-leading audio or luxury materials.

That said, value isn't just about the sticker price. It's about what you're giving up. At this $100-ish price point, you're also competing with some excellent wired headphones that will sound significantly better, and with older models of more premium wireless headphones that might be on sale. The JBLs win on pure wireless convenience and battery stamina, but they lose on audio fidelity and, critically, long-term wearability.

Compared directly to its true wireless competitors like the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultras, the JBL Live 670NC isn't really in the same league. Those are in-ear monitors with superior noise cancellation and portability, but they cost over $250. A fairer fight is against other budget over-ear and on-ear wireless sets. Here, the JBL's battery is a killer feature.

The real trade-off is between these and a slightly more expensive pair like the Anker Soundcore Life Q30 (or its successors). You might sacrifice a few hours of battery, but you'll often gain better comfort, sound, and ANC for maybe $20-$30 more. If you absolutely need the longest possible battery life and can find the JBLs under $100, they have a niche. But if you wear headphones for more than an hour at a time, spending a little more elsewhere is almost certainly worth it.

Skip the JBL Live 670NC if you have a larger head, wear glasses, or plan to use them for extended work, gaming, or study sessions. The comfort rating is a major red flag, and ear fatigue will ruin the experience. Also, skip them if you're an audiophile or prioritize best-in-class noise cancellation; the sound and ANC are merely adequate.

Instead, if comfort is key, look at over-ear options like the Anker Soundcore Life Q series or older models of the Sony WH-CH720N on sale. If you want better sound and ANC in a similar wireless form factor, be prepared to spend closer to $150-$200. And if you absolutely need all-day wearability, true wireless earbuds might be a more comfortable solution, though you'll sacrifice this kind of battery life.

We can only recommend the JBL Live 670NC with a giant asterisk. If your top priority is marathon battery life on a tight budget, and you only plan to wear them in shorter, occasional bursts, they make sense. The feature set for the price is undeniably good. Think of them as a great pair of 'secondary' headphones for travel or the office, not your daily drivers.

For everyone else—especially students, remote workers, or anyone who wears headphones for consecutive hours—the comfort score is a deal-breaker. That 4th percentile rating is a screaming siren in our data. In this case, you should either increase your budget slightly for a more comfortable over-ear model, or consider a different form factor like true wireless earbuds which won't clamp on your ears.