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Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize portability and use during exercise, the JBL Live Buds 3, being sweatproof and featuring a smart charging case with touch control, are a great fit. They offer very good noise isolation and are suitable for air travel as well. However, for calls and meetings or immersive music and TV experiences, the Rode NTH-100M with a best-in-class microphone and very good build for music might serve you better. The Rode headphones imply a sturdier build with a detachable cable and boom mic, but they are not as portable or exercise-friendly as the JBL earbuds. 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 JBL Live Buds 3
Very good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Rode NTH-100M
Very good for music
Best in class for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.4/10
8.9/10
The Rode NTH-100M is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2/10
9.5/10
The Rode NTH-100M is best in class for phone calls, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.9/10
7.6/10
The Rode NTH-100M is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6/10
7.7/10
The Rode NTH-100M is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3/10
5.3/10
The JBL Live Buds 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Rode NTH-100M is poor.
Battery
10.0 Hours
N/A
The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Rode NTH-100M does not have a battery.
Cost
$216
$189
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The JBL Live Buds 3 has a price of $216 and the Rode NTH-100M costs $189.
"The NTH-100M is a closed-back headset aimed at professional audiophiles—streamers, podcasters and content creators included—looking for masterful audio and a detachable 'broadcast-grade' microphone."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Buds 3 or the Rode NTH-100M
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.
About Rode
Rode is an Australian audio equipment manufacturer. Rode was founded in 1967 as Freedman Electronics, transitioning into its modern brand in 1990, and it’s mainly known for their high-end microphones and audio production equipment. In 2022 they entered into the headphone market with their NTH-100 closed back headphone which was received with very good reviews from the community.
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