The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
For immersive audio and exceptional noise cancellation, especially during air travel or in noisy environments, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones are unrivaled, also offering great comfort for extended listening sessions. However, these come at a premium price. The JBL Live 670NC are more budget-friendly and are lighter with longer battery life, making them a good choice for casual, everyday use. But they may not match the Bose in terms of sound quality and noise isolation. For gaming and TV, both headphones may not be ideal due to their latency issues, although the Bose has a slight edge with aptX Adaptive support. If you need headphones for exercise, neither of these are sweatproof, but the lighter weight of the JBL might make them more comfortable for light workouts. In summary, choose the Bose for top-tier sound and comfort at a higher price or the JBL for a balance between cost and performance. 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 Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
Very good for music
Excellent for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Best in class for air travel
Advantages of the JBL Live 670NC
Good for phone calls
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3/10
6.5/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is very good for music, while the JBL Live 670NC is only fair.
Gaming
9.3/10
5.4/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the JBL Live 670NC is poor.
Phone Calls
5.3/10
7.4/10
The JBL Live 670NC is good for phone calls, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0/10
8.6/10
The JBL Live 670NC is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair.
TV and Video
9.0/10
5.5/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Live 670NC is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1/10
6.7/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for noise reduction, while the JBL Live 670NC is only fair.
Battery
29.0 Hours
65.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life. The JBL Live 670NC has 65 hours of battery life.
Cost
$429
$100
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has a price of $429 and the JBL Live 670NC costs $100.
Build Quality
9.0/10
8.0/10
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live 670NC has very good build quality.
"The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are a credible step up from previous Bose ANC headphones, and they're built to hang tough with the competition for years into the future. No waterproofing is a bit of a letdown, but these headphones have the technical chops to make most quite happy."
Get a great deal on the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones or the JBL Live 670NC
About Bose
Bose is an American audio equipment manufacturer based out of Framingham, Massachusetts. Founded in 1964 by Amar Bose with the goal of creating a speaker system that could accurately recreate the sound of a concert hall, Bose has become one of the most prominent players in the modern consumer audio market due to the premium feel of their products and their wide brand recognition.
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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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.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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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.