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Pi7 S2
Company ProductName Specs




Live 770NC
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

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The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·

If you prioritize portability and noise isolation, the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 earbuds are a more suitable choice; also ideal if you want a high-quality audio experience during air travel. They support AptX HD for better wireless audio quality but are much more expensive. The JBL Live 770NC headphones, on the other hand, are less expensive and better suited if you prefer over-ear comfort and longer battery life. The JBLs also have a detachable cable, offering versatility if the battery runs out. However, they are heavier, and while they do offer active noise cancelling, they might not be as portable as earbuds. 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 Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2
  • The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has no clear advantages over the JBL Live 770NC.
Advantages of the JBL Live 770NC
  • Excellent for air travel

Key differences

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Noise Reduction

8.3
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
7.0
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Live 770NC is good.

Battery

5.0 Hours
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
76.0 Hours
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live 770NC has 76 hours of battery life.

Build Quality

8.9
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
8.0
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and JBL Live 770NC both have very good build quality, though the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities

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Music

7.5
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
7.4
The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and JBL Live 770NC are both good for music.

Gaming

5.3
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
5.6
The JBL Live 770NC and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for gaming.

Phone Calls

5.2
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
5.2
The JBL Live 770NC and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for phone calls.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

5.6
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
5.9
The JBL Live 770NC and Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.

TV and Video

6.0
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
5.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 to be only fair for TV and video, while the JBL Live 770NC is poor.

Cost

$127
Pi7 S2
Live 770NC
$130
Product imageProduct image

$0

$50

$100

$150

$200

The Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 has a price of $127 and the JBL Live 770NC costs $130.

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How the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 and the JBL Live 770NC compare to other earbuds and headphones

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Spec Comparison

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Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2JBL Live 770NC
Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2JBL Live 770NC

GENERAL

Price
$127
$130
Brand
Bowers and WilkinsJBL
Release Date
January 1, 2023March 1, 2024
Form Factor
EarbudsHeadphones
Connectivity
WirelessWired + Wireless

SOUND

Music Score
7.5/107.5/10
Phone Calls Score
5.2/105.3/10
Gaming Score
5.4/105.6/10
TV and Video Score
6/105.8/10
Exercise Score
6.3/106.1/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
5 Hours76 Hours
Wireless charging
YesNo
Charging time
0.75 Hours2 Hours
Bluetooth version
55.3
Case Battery Life
13N/A

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesYes
Noise Reduction Score
8.4/107/10
Virtual Surround
NoYes
Android App
YesYes
iOS App
YesYes
Mic Quality
7/107/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.9/108/10
Comfort score
8/107/10
Size
LargeMedium
Weight (headset or single earbud)
7 Grams220 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIntegrated

Shopping

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Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2

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Dig into reviews and images

Engadget

Billy Steele | March 2023
"While the overall sound quality is great, these earbuds fall short in terms of battery life, customization and ANC performance. Bowers & Wilkins’ ability to consistently deliver pristine sound isn’t enough to make up for what the Pi7 S2 lacks, which is unfortunately quite a bit."

Get a great deal on the Bowers and Wilkins Pi7 S2 or the JBL Live 770NC

About Bowers and Wilkins

Bowers and Wilkins is a British audio equipment manufacturer with a focus on innovation and product development. It was founded by a couple of real-life James Bonds, the co-founders John Bowers and Roy Wilkins, who met while working for MI6 during World War II. The company keeps being favored by enthusiasts due to their sound quality, craftsmanship and signature aesthetics.

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
122,600
Recommendations made
18,390
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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