The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The JBL Live Pro 2 earbuds are a strong choice if you prioritize battery life and active noise cancelling, which is great for air travel or noisy environments. However, they lack low latency mode, which may not be the best for gaming. On the other hand, "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick boasts superior microphone quality and overall sound, and includes a low latency mode making it more suitable for gaming and calls. They have a stem design, are slightly lighter, and support AAC codec, which may be beneficial if you're using Apple devices. If cost is a significant factor and gaming or call quality are priorities, the Ear Stick may edge out despite its lower battery life and absence of wireless charging. Both are sweatproof and stemless/with stem, offering comfort during exercise. 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
Very good for air travel
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
Very good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Good for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
5.3/10
8.1/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2/10
8.6/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8/10
8.4/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.5/10
7.5/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1/10
2.5/10
The JBL Live Pro 2 is excellent for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
8.3 Hours
5.0 Hours
The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$150
$65
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The JBL Live Pro 2 has a price of $150 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick costs $65.
Build Quality
7.0/10
9.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick 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."
"If the Ear (stick) fits your ears, its light weight means you can easily wear it until the unimpressive battery life totally drains. The IP54 rating of the buds lends some confidence that it’ll survive some light abuse too. Finally, for the person who only wears earbuds at their desk, the Nothing Ear (stick) with its decent microphone could offer a reasonable Zoom meeting solution."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Pro 2 or the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick
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.
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.