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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and have a dedicated amplifier, the HifiMan Arya Stealth headphones offer a top-tier listening experience suited for music and TV, but they are open-back, so they leak sound and don't isolate noise well, making them poor choices for noisier environments or exercising. Conversely, JBL Live Buds 3 are more versatile, with good sound quality, active noise canceling, and sweatproof certification, ideal for exercise and travel, and they support wireless features like a charging case and touch controls, making them a convenient choice for on-the-go use and phone calls despite lower performance for music and TV. 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 HifiMan Arya Stealth
Best in class for music
Good for gaming
Excellent for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the JBL Live Buds 3
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
10.0/10
7.8/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is best in class for music, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is good.
Gaming
7.1/10
5.4/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is good for gaming, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.1/10
5.9/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
TV and Video
9.4/10
5.6/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
8.3/10
The JBL Live Buds 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Arya Stealth is poor.
Battery
N/A
10.0 Hours
The HifiMan Arya Stealth does not have a battery. The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life.
Cost
$649
$216
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has a price of $649 and the JBL Live Buds 3 costs $216.
Build Quality
9.0/10
8.5/10
The HifiMan Arya Stealth has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Buds 3 has very good build quality.
"The Arya can easily be end-game headphones for 99% of consumers, satisfying most audio desires. Priced well above USD$1000, the Arya are obviously and gloriously not for the mass market consumer; they are designed and built by enthusiasts for enthusiasts – especially those who view their expenses on this level of gear as investments."
Get a great deal on the HifiMan Arya Stealth or the JBL Live Buds 3
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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