The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for earbuds with good portability and noise isolation for activities like exercise and travel, the JBL Live Pro 2 would be a solid pick, as they are lighter and smaller. They also offer wireless charging and are optimized for both Android and Apple, though their battery life is less impressive compared to the alternative. On the other hand, if you prioritize comfort, microphone quality for calls and meetings, and extended battery life, especially for long work sessions, the JLab JBuds Work Wireless could be a better fit. They also have the advantage of being versatile with both wireless and wired options, but they are less portable and their noise isolation isn't as effective as the JBLs. 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 Pro 2
Very good for exercise
Advantages of the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
Good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
5.9/10
6.8/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is only fair for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Gaming
5.3/10
8.8/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2/10
7.3/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8/10
7.9/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.5/10
7.9/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1/10
5.3/10
The JBL Live Pro 2 is excellent for noise reduction, while the JLab JBuds Work Wireless is poor.
Battery
8.3 Hours
60.0 Hours
The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life. The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has 60 hours of battery life.
Cost
$75
$79
$50
$60
$70
$80
$90
$100
The JBL Live Pro 2 has a price of $75 and the JLab JBuds Work Wireless costs $79.
Build Quality
7.0/10
9.0/10
The JLab JBuds Work Wireless has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Pro 2 has good build quality.
"The JBL Live Pro 2 TWS occupy an interesting space in the wireless earbuds market. They’re a step up from cheap wireless earbuds and allow you to access better sound quality without having to make the jump to more premium options from the likes of Bose, Sony and Sennheiser. They’re an entertaining listen, easy to use and manage to pack in a lot of useful features. We think they’re well worth a listen."
"The JLab JBuds Work is an affordable headset-headphone hybrid that you can use to listen to music in stereo and communicate on video calls thanks to a retractable boom mic, and we particularly like its convenient mono and passive wired modes. You won't find any frills here like you will with the costlier Jabra Evolve2 65 or Plantronics Voyager 4220 UC, but for less than half the price, the JBuds Work is an effective lower-cost alternative."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Pro 2 or the JLab JBuds Work Wireless
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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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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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.
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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.