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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're on a budget, the JBL Live Free NC+ offers decent sound quality and noise canceling for less money than the Antlion Kimura Duo. The Kimura Duo provides a more immersive audio experience with better sound quality and mic performance, important for gaming or calls, but they're wired and pricier. The JBLs are wireless, adding portability and convenience, and they also support wireless charging, but they won't match the Kimura Duo's audio for critical listening or gaming. Choose the Kimura Duo for superior sound and gaming, or the JBLs for cost savings and wireless features. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Antlion Kimura Duo
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the JBL Live Free NC+
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.0
5.8
The Antlion Kimura Duo is very good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
8.5
5.0
The Antlion Kimura Duo is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
7.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is poor.
TV and Video
7.8
5.6
The Antlion Kimura Duo is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for noise reduction, while the Antlion Kimura Duo is only fair.
Battery
N/A
5.0 Hours
The Antlion Kimura Duo does not have a battery. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$150
$60
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Antlion Kimura Duo has a price of $150 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Antlion Kimura Duo has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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How the Antlion Kimura Duo and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Antlion Kimura Duo | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Antlion | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.6/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 8/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 21.5 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Shopping
Antlion Kimura Duo
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Addict
Peter Susic | February 2023
"Antlion Kimura Duo aren’t packed with features, but the ones they offer, work incredibly well. Especially the boom mic delivers very clean call quality with no distortion. If you explicitly look for gaming in-ear monitors with a reliable microphone, Antlion Kimura Duo are your best option."
JBL Live Free NC+
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Dig into reviews and images
HeadphoneCheck
Maike Paeßens | 2020
"JBL has added great-sounding, rock-solid all-rounders with a pleasant, warm sound character to their range. They are equipped with a high level of functionality that can be customised via the app. Some compromises have to be made with the active noise cancellation, which has a discreet effect, while the ambient mode and the Talkthru function proved to be powerful despite a perceptible background noise."
Get a great deal on the Antlion Kimura Duo or the JBL Live Free NC+
About Antlion
Antlion Audio is an American company based in Oregon. Founded in 2011 by Jimmy Console, an engineer and physician, in order to create and offer better solutions for voice communication, specifically a microphone which could be used with any set of headphones which materialized in the very popular ModMic. The company has since expanded to include a wide variety of wired and wireless products.
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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