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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize a portable and exercise-friendly option with advanced features like a Smart Charging Case and touch display, the JBL Live Buds 3 are a great choice; they also have excellent noise isolation and are sweatproof, which is ideal for active users. However, their poor performance for calls, meetings, gaming, TV, and video suggests they're not the best all-rounder. The Sennheiser 450BT headphones, on the other hand, offer better suitability for gaming and TV viewing because of their low latency, and they provide superior comfort for air travel thanks to their excellent noise cancelling. Being foldable and coming with a detachable cable, they offer added convenience. They're also significantly cheaper, which could make them a more attractive option if budget is a major concern. Choose the JBLs if you need cutting-edge features for an on-the-go lifestyle, or the Sennheisers for a more balanced experience at a lower cost. 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
- Good for music
- Very good for exercise
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Excellent for air travel
- Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
7.8
6.2
The JBL Live Buds 3 is good for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
5.4
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.9
7.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
8.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the JBL Live Buds 3 is very good.
Battery
10.0 Hours
27.5 Hours
The JBL Live Buds 3 has 10 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$216
$90
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The JBL Live Buds 3 has a price of $216 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $90.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The JBL Live Buds 3 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality.
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How the JBL Live Buds 3 and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Buds 3 | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$216 | $90 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2024 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10 Hours | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.8 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Buds 3 or the Sennheiser 450BT
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 Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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
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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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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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