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ATH M30X
Company ProductName Specs




Live Free NC+
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·

The Audio Technica ATH M30X shines with its sound quality and immersive experience for listening to music and TV, but it lacks a microphone and is not suitable for exercise. Conversely, the JBL Live Free NC+ offers versatility with features like sweatproof certification, wireless capability, active noise cancelling, and a built-in microphone, making it better for calls, meetings, and use during physical activities. The JBL earbuds are also optimized for both Android and Apple devices and support wireless charging, while the Audio Technica headphones, being wired, may limit mobility but provide a more stable connection for activities without requiring power. If portability and ease of use for diverse circumstances are priorities, the JBL could be the better choice, especially considering its lower price point. 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 Audio Technica ATH M30X
  • Good for music
  • 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

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Music

7.6
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
5.8
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.

Gaming

6.6
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
5.0
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.

Phone Calls

4.3
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
7.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

6.9
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair.

TV and Video

7.9
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
5.6
The Audio Technica ATH M30X is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.

Noise Reduction

6.0
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for noise reduction, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X is only fair.

Battery

N/A
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
5.0 Hours
The Audio Technica ATH M30X does not have a battery. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.

Cost

$69
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
$60
Product image
Product image

$50

$60

$70

$80

$90

$100

The Audio Technica ATH M30X has a price of $69 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.

Build Quality

7.2
ATH M30X
Live Free NC+
8.5
The JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality, while the Audio Technica ATH M30X has good build quality.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M30X and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Audio Technica ATH M30XJBL Live Free NC+
Audio Technica ATH M30XJBL Live Free NC+

GENERAL

Price
$69
$60
Brand
Audio TechnicaJBL
Release Date
January 1, 2014March 1, 2021
Form Factor
HeadphonesEarbuds
Connectivity
WiredWireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.7/105.9/10
Phone Calls Score
4.4/107.6/10
Gaming Score
6.6/105/10
TV and Video Score
7.9/105.6/10
Exercise Score
4.3/107.7/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
N/A5 Hours
Wireless charging
N/AYes
Charging time
N/A1.3 Hours
Bluetooth version
N/A5.1
Case Battery Life
N/A18

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
NoYes
Noise Reduction Score
6/107/10
Virtual Surround
NoNo
Android App
N/AYes
iOS App
N/AYes
Mic Quality
N/A7/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
7.2/108.5/10
Comfort score
7.4/107.6/10
Size
N/ALarge
Weight (headset or single earbud)
220 Grams7 Grams
Microphone style
N/AIntegrated

Shopping

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Audio Technica ATH M30X

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Dig into reviews and images

Soundguys

Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"The Audio-Technica ATH-M30x is a great choice for anybody that needs a decent set of over-ear studio monitors. While the frequency response is not totally spot on, it works for basically every situation reasonably well. The sound quality and reasonably good comfort promote its candidacy as a great pick for $69 USD."

JBL Live Free NC+

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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 Audio Technica ATH M30X or the JBL Live Free NC+

About Audio Technica

Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.

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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Why trust us

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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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
113,900
Recommendations made
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Consumer hours saved

About the Earbuds or Headphones team

Joe Golden, Ph.D

CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.

Luis Torres

Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.

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