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Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize excellent overall sound quality and use your headphones primarily for music, calls, and gaming, the EPOS PC38X would be an excellent choice, particularly with its superior microphone quality. However, keep in mind that they are open-back headphones which means they don't isolate noise well, making them unsuitable for noisy environments or air travel. On the other hand, the JBL Tune 660NC has active noise cancelling and is more affordable, making it better suited for commuting or use in loud places. It's worth noting that the JBL has lower sound quality and mic performance, but offers portability with a foldable design and longer battery life for wireless use. If you often partake in activities where noise cancellation and wireless capabilities are valued over top-tier sound, the JBL could be the more pragmatic choice. 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 EPOS PC38X
Best in class for music
Best in class for phone calls
Best in class for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Tune 660NC
Good for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.5/10
6.1/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for music, while the JBL Tune 660NC is only fair.
Gaming
10.0/10
5.4/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for gaming, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Phone Calls
10.0/10
5.1/10
The EPOS PC38X is best in class for phone calls, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9/10
5.7/10
The EPOS PC38X is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
TV and Video
9.0/10
5.6/10
The EPOS PC38X is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
6.0/10
The JBL Tune 660NC is only fair for noise reduction, while the EPOS PC38X is poor.
Battery
N/A
42.0 Hours
The EPOS PC38X does not have a battery. The JBL Tune 660NC has 42 hours of battery life.
Cost
$139
$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The EPOS PC38X has a price of $139 and the JBL Tune 660NC costs $50.
"Lightweight and comfortable design, Mic arm with mute, Excellent tuning, Highly natural midrange voicing, Clean and separated bass, Solid soundstage dimensions. Combining all day comfort and integrated coms with a balanced and spacious sound from essentially any source, it is hard to deny the versatility and value provided by the PC38X."
"The JBL Tune 660NC is the best value you can get from a set of on-ear headphones. There's no companion app so you don't get many additional features, but everything the JBL Tune 660NC sets out to do, it does well. At this price, the JBL Tune 660NC is an easy recommendation for on-ear headphone lovers"
Get a great deal on the EPOS PC38X or the JBL Tune 660NC
About EPOS
EPOS is a relatively new company with a very long heritage. Previously known as Sennheiser Communications, EPOS is the result of the joint venture between the German headphone manufacturer Sennheiser and the Danish Demant that sought to develop premium audio communication solutions. They specialize in two main product groups, enterprise communications and gaming communication headsets and processing devices.
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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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.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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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.