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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize high-fidelity sound and have a stationary listening setup, the HifiMan Sundara headphones would be a superior choice for immersive music listening given their open-back design and planar magnetic drivers, though they lack features like a microphone and active noise cancellation, making them less versatile for calls, commuting, or noisy environments. On the other hand, the JBL Live Free NC+ earbuds offer good portability, sweatproof construction, active noise cancelling, and a built-in microphone, which makes them suitable for exercise, travel, and calls, but with a less expansive soundstage and lower overall sound quality compared to the Sundaras. Consider the Sundaras for at-home critical listening and the JBLs for on-the-go convenience and features. 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 Sundara
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Advantages of the JBL Live Free NC+
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
9.3
5.8
The HifiMan Sundara is excellent for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
7.2
5.0
The HifiMan Sundara is 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 HifiMan Sundara is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.8
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Sundara is good.
TV and Video
8.8
5.6
The HifiMan Sundara is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Sundara is poor.
Battery
N/A
5.0 Hours
The HifiMan Sundara does not have a battery. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$279
$60
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Sundara has a price of $279 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.2
8.5
The JBL Live Free NC+ and HifiMan Sundara both have very good build quality.
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How the HifiMan Sundara and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HifiMan Sundara | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$279 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HifiMan | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2020 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.2/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.5/10 | 7.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.1 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 394.6 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
HifiMan Sundara
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | July 2023
"The HiFiMan Sundara is the set of headphones to get if you want high-end audio, but don't want to shell out a king's ransom for it. These planar magnetic headphones are comfortable, straightforward, and excellent performers."
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 HifiMan Sundara or the JBL Live Free NC+
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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Why trust us
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
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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