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Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
The JBL Live Free NC+ earbuds offer wireless convenience, good comfort, built-in controls, and active noise cancelling, making them suitable for exercise, travel, and those who prefer a lower midrange price. On the other hand, the Sennheiser IE600 excels in overall sound quality with an excellent build, but lacks wireless capability and microphone quality, targeting audiophiles who prioritize top-notch audio fidelity and are willing to invest in a premium product. The choice depends on whether you value the freedom of wireless and active noise cancellation at a lower cost with the JBL, or superior sound and build quality with the wired Sennheisers at a higher price. 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 Free NC+
- Good for phone calls
- Good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser IE600
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.8
8.3
The Sennheiser IE600 is very good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
5.0
6.7
The Sennheiser IE600 is only fair for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
3.5
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.4
5.4
The JBL Live Free NC+ is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
9.3
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser IE600 does not have a battery.
Cost
$60
$600
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The JBL Live Free NC+ has a price of $60 and the Sennheiser IE600 costs $600.
Build Quality
8.5
9.0
The Sennheiser IE600 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Noise Reduction
7.0
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ and Sennheiser IE600 are both good for noise reduction.
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How the JBL Live Free NC+ and the Sennheiser IE600 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Free NC+ | Sennheiser IE600 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$60 | $600 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | June 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 4.6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.3 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 18 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 2.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 6 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
Sennheiser IE600
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Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Free NC+ or the Sennheiser IE600
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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