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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds offer superior overall sound quality and better noise isolation, making them excellent for air travel and immersive music experiences. They're also built more robustly with higher score in build quality and have convenience features like wireless charging. However, they're priced at a premium and have a shorter battery life compared to the JBL Live Pro 2. The JBLs are more affordable, lighter, have longer battery life, and their smaller size might offer a more comfortable fit for some users. They lack the Bose’s active noise cancelling and premium sound quality but are more suitable for physical activities given their sweatproof certification and included secure fit accessories. Choose Bose for premium sound and noise cancellation in quieter environments or JBL for a budget-friendly option with endurance for exercise and longer use. 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 QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the JBL Live Pro 2
- The JBL Live Pro 2 has no clear advantages over the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.
Key differences
Music
8.6
5.9
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Gaming
8.8
5.3
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
TV and Video
8.1
5.5
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Battery
6.5 Hours
8.3 Hours
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has 6.5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$249
$150
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has a price of $249 and the JBL Live Pro 2 costs $150.
Build Quality
9.0
7.0
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Pro 2 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.1
5.2
The JBL Live Pro 2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
6.0
5.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds to be only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.9
9.1
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers JBL Live Pro 2 to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds is very good.
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How the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the JBL Live Pro 2 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds | JBL Live Pro 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$249 | $150 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Bose | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 1, 2023 | June 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.7/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.8/10 | 5.4/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.2/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 6.5 Hours | 8.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 0.8 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 21 | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6.2/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7.7 Grams | 4.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Christian Thomas | October 2023
"Bose put the time in to fix the major issues with the previous earbuds, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are very befitting of its price point. While you might be tempted to save a few bucks and go with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II on sale, fight the urge. There are enough upgrades here to justify the newer model."
JBL Live Pro 2
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | February 2023
"The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS occupy an interesting space in the wireless earbuds market. They’re a step up from cheap wireless earbuds and allow you to access better sound quality without having to make the jump to more premium options from the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. They’re an entertaining listen, easy to use and manage to pack in a lot of useful features. We think they’re well worth a listen."
Get a great deal on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds or the JBL Live Pro 2
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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Why trust us
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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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