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Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The JBL Live Free NC+ earbuds have better active noise cancelling, making them suitable for air travel and noise isolation; however, they score lower for TV and gaming uses due to higher latency. The Sony WH-CH520 headphones are less portable but offer a much longer battery life and score higher for comfort and gaming, despite not having active noise cancelling at all. If you take a lot of calls, the JBL's microphone quality is slightly better, but if you prioritize over-ear comfort and battery life for extended sessions, the Sony model may be more suitable. 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
Advantages of the Sony WH-CH520
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
5.8
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Gaming
5.0
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Phone Calls
7.6
6.7
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for phone calls, while the Sony WH-CH520 is only fair.
TV and Video
5.6
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Free NC+ is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
4.6
The JBL Live Free NC+ is good for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
52.0 Hours
The JBL Live Free NC+ has 5 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$60
$50
$0
$20
$40
$60
$80
$100
The JBL Live Free NC+ has a price of $60 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $50.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.4
8.0
The JBL Live Free NC+ and Sony WH-CH520 are both very good for podcasts and audiobooks.
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How the JBL Live Free NC+ and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Free NC+ | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$60 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2021 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 7.6/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.7/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 1.3 Hours | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.1 | 5.2 | |
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 | 4.6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 7 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
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."
Sony WH-CH520
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Free NC+ or the Sony WH-CH520
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
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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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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
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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