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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize music quality for genres that benefit from vivid sound and have a higher budget, go for the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2, which provides a very good overall sound and gaming experience, and features like AptX Lossless for high-quality audio streaming; however, they're not the best for calls. For a more budget-friendly option that still delivers very good sound and is better for calls, consider the JBL Live Free NC+. Both are closed, stemmed earbuds with active noise canceling, but if you need something with longer battery life and a stemless design, the JBL may suit you better. Neither is ideal for soundstage nor are they optimized for TV and video due to high latency, but if you exercise or travel, both could serve your needs well. 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 Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
- Very good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the JBL Live Free NC+
- Good for phone calls
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.4
5.8
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
8.6
5.0
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Phone Calls
4.9
7.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.6
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is poor.
TV and Video
7.7
5.6
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Cost
$150
$60
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has a price of $150 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Noise Reduction
7.0
7.0
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 and JBL Live Free NC+ are both good for noise reduction.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
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How the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2023 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.4/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.6/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.7/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1 Hours | 1.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.7 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2
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Dig into reviews and images
PC Magazine
Tim Gideon | December 2023
"The Creative Aurvana Ace 2 earphones deliver robust, crisp audio thanks to their combination of xMEMS and dynamic drivers. We're fans of their extensive, high-quality codec options and highly customizable EQ."
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."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Aurvana Ace 2 or the JBL Live Free NC+
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
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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