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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The HyperX Cloud II headphones offer superior comfort, microphone quality, and are especially well-suited for gaming and listening to music or podcasts. They are wired and better suited for long listening sessions at home due to their size. Conversely, the JBL Live Free NC+ earbuds are wireless, more portable, and have active noise cancelling, making them a good choice for exercise and travel. They also support wireless charging for convenience. While the JBL has a dedicated app for equalizer and controls customization which the HyperX lacks, it might fall short in sound quality and mic performance compared to the HyperX Cloud II. 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 HyperX Cloud II
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the JBL Live Free NC+
- Good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.7
5.8
The HyperX Cloud II is good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
8.6
5.0
The HyperX Cloud II is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.0
8.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HyperX Cloud II is good.
TV and Video
7.6
5.6
The HyperX Cloud II is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for noise reduction, while the HyperX Cloud II is only fair.
Battery
N/A
5.0 Hours
The HyperX Cloud II does not have a battery. The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$64
$60
$50
$60
$70
$80
$90
$100
The HyperX Cloud II has a price of $64 and the JBL Live Free NC+ costs $60.
Build Quality
10.0
8.5
The HyperX Cloud II has best in class build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
7.5
7.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ and HyperX Cloud II are both good for phone calls.
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How the HyperX Cloud II and the JBL Live Free NC+ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| HyperX Cloud II | JBL Live Free NC+ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$64 | $60 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | HyperX | JBL | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2015 | March 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.8/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.5/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 8.6/10 | 5/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.6/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 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 | 6/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 10/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 317.5 Grams | 7 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Boom | Integrated | |
Shopping
HyperX Cloud II
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphonesty
Rhys McIntyre | December 2022
"My overall impression of the HyperX Cloud II gaming headset is overwhelmingly positive. In my opinion, this is one of the best mid-priced gaming headsets currently on the market.Solid sound quality, superior comfort, and a sleek, lightweight design – this headset delivers all of the important aspects that a gaming headset should."
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 HyperX Cloud II or the JBL Live Free NC+
About HyperX
Starting originally as a high-performance and gaming line of memory modules within Kingston and later acquired by HP, HyperX is a dedicated esports and gaming division focused on developing peripherals, microphones and headsets. Providing budget-friendly, comfortable and highly functional products, HyperX has become the go-to for many gamers around the world, resulting in sales of over 20 million headsets throughout the years.
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
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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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
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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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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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