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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The JBL Live Pro 2 offers better value, with a significantly lower price, especially if budget is a top concern. They are more suitable for exercise due to their sweatproof certification and have a longer battery life for extended use. The earbuds also provide wireless charging which the Sony lacks, and they are lighter, which might be more comfortable for long periods of wear. However, the Sony WF1000XM3 offers superior noise cancellation, which is ideal for air travel or noisy environments. The Sony also features better sound quality and a microphone, making them better for calls and meetings, and they support AAC codec which improves audio quality for Apple devices. If you need earbuds for more critical listening or business use, the Sony may justify the 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 Pro 2
- Very good for exercise
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM3
- Good for music
- Very good for phone calls
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
5.9
7.5
The Sony WF1000XM3 is good for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
8.2
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
8.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
8.3
The JBL Live Pro 2 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM3 is very good.
Battery
8.3 Hours
6.0 Hours
The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM3 has 6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$90
$180
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
The JBL Live Pro 2 has a price of $90 and the Sony WF1000XM3 costs $180.
Build Quality
7.0
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM3 has excellent build quality, while the JBL Live Pro 2 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Gaming
5.3
5.6
The Sony WF1000XM3 and JBL Live Pro 2 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.5
5.7
The Sony WF1000XM3 and JBL Live Pro 2 are both poor for TV and video.
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How the JBL Live Pro 2 and the Sony WF1000XM3 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Pro 2 | Sony WF1000XM3 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$90 | $180 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | August 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 8.3 Hours | 6 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.8 Hours | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | 24 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 8.4/10 | |
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 | 7/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.8 Grams | 9 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
JBL Live Pro 2
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | February 2023
"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."
Sony WF1000XM3
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | November 2022
"Wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen, and the Sony WF-1000XM3 makes it easy to justify the cost. The design and comfort are good, and the connection strength is consistent. While the lack of aptX or LDAC support is a big drawback, DSEE HX processing improves low-quality audio files. If you want stylish active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 needs to be at the top of your list."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Pro 2 or the Sony WF1000XM3
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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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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