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Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality for music and prefer earbuds, the Grado GT220 offers very good audio with the convenience of being sweatproof and having a dynamic driver which could enhance your listening experience. However, they are not the best choice for TV and gaming due to poor performance in those areas and they don't offer great noise isolation, making them less ideal for noisy environments. On the other hand, the JBL 510BT headphones are more budget-friendly and provide good microphone quality, which can be beneficial for calls and meetings. They also have a longer battery life, making them suitable for extended use, but they might not be as comfortable and offer only fair sound quality which might affect your enjoyment during music listening. If costs are a concern and you don't mind sacrificing some audio fidelity, the JBL 510BT could be the more practical choice, whereas if you're willing to invest in better sound quality for music and don't require headphones for TV or intense gaming sessions, the Grado GT220 could be the better option. 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 Grado GT220
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL 510BT
The JBL 510BT has no clear advantages over the Grado GT220.
Key differences
Phone Calls
6.9/10
5.1/10
The Grado GT220 is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.8/10
5.6/10
The Grado GT220 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL 510BT is poor.
Battery
5.5 Hours
38.0 Hours
The Grado GT220 has 5.5 hours of battery life. The JBL 510BT has 38 hours of battery life.
Cost
$259
$30
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Grado GT220 has a price of $259 and the JBL 510BT costs $30.
Build Quality
8.8/10
6.5/10
The Grado GT220 has very good build quality, while the JBL 510BT has only fair build quality.
"With its superb and functional interface and its highly satisfying imaging, Grado has shown a new talent for delivering a solid true wireless system, and with future improvements, has the potential to really be one of the best."
"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 Grado GT220 or the JBL 510BT
About Grado
Grado Labs is a small, family-owned, business based in Brooklyn New York that specializes in high-end, boutique, dynamic headphones and turntable cartridges. They boast a particular house sound, that is to say their products have a particular sound signature unique to Grado, that some audiophiles seem to really like and are unable to find anywhere else. Their high-end headphones are all hand made, completely in house, from a variety of exotic woods and materials going so far as to making one of their most popular products out of hemp.
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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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.
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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.