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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you are on a tight budget and prefer earbuds with better overall sound quality, lightweight design, and active noise cancellation for quieter listening environments, the Creative Labs Zen Air would suit you. They also offer wireless charging and are sweatproof, making them a convenient option for exercise. However, if long battery life is crucial and you prefer the stability and immersive experience of on-ear headphones, the JBL 510BT may be your choice, even though they lack active noise cancellation and are not sweatproof. Neither are particularly suitable for gaming or TV due to poor scores in those areas. 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 Zen Air
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the JBL 510BT
- The JBL 510BT has no clear advantages over the Creative Labs Zen Air.
Key differences
Music
6.8
6.2
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JBL 510BT are both only fair for music, though the Creative Labs Zen Air is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
7.0
5.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
38.0 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The JBL 510BT has 38 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0
6.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the JBL 510BT has only fair build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.1
5.4
The JBL 510BT and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
Phone Calls
5.1
5.1
The JBL 510BT and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for phone calls.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
5.6
The JBL 510BT and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
TV and Video
5.6
5.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air and JBL 510BT are both poor for TV and video.
Cost
$30
$30
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the JBL 510BT costs $30.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the JBL 510BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | JBL 510BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | February 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5.5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 5.8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 38 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 6.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 158.7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Zen Air
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Check
Maike Paeßens | February 2023
"The Creative Zen Air’s weak points are its low battery life and rather short Bluetooth range. On the other hand, the strengths of these weatherproof True Wireless in-Ears are the sound and the wide attenuation of the Active Noise Cancellation. Considering the price range, the speech intelligibility during calls is also exceptionally good."
JBL 510BT
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Dig into reviews and images
SoundGuys
Sam Smart | September 2023
"The JBL Tune 510BT is affordable and compact, making it a great companion for a commute, so long as you don't need active noise canceling. If you wear glasses or have ear piercings, the on-ear design might not be comfortable, since the ear cups will squish your ears."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the JBL 510BT
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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Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
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Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
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Recommendations made
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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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