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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If excellent noise isolation for air travel and a comfortable over-ear fit are priorities, the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones offer these with superior build and sound quality, though they are less suitable for exercise due to their size. However, if you’re looking for something at a lower price that's more portable, suited for exercise, and comes with a sweatproof rating, the JBL Live Free NC+ earbuds are a better choice; they won't match the Bose in soundstage and battery life, and lack low-latency features for gaming and TV. 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 Free NC+
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.3
5.8
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is very good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
9.3
5.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Phone Calls
5.3
7.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is only fair.
TV and Video
9.0
5.6
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
7.0
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones is excellent for noise reduction, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is good.
Battery
29.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has 29 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$429
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has a price of $429 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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How the Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$429 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | November 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired + Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 9.3/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.4/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 29 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 3 Hours | 1.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7.4/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 255 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Christian Thomas | January 2024
"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."
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."
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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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