A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for high-quality audio and top-notch noise cancellation, the Sony WF1000XM4 may be the better choice, offering superior overall sound quality and effective active noise cancelling; these features are particularly beneficial for air travel and environments with a lot of background noise. However, they come at a higher price. On the other hand, JBL Live Pro 2 is more wallet-friendly and still delivers good sound quality, comfort, and noise isolation; they're also well-suited for use during exercise due to their sweatproof certification. Both models are wireless stemless earbuds with similar battery life, and neither has a wired option. If phone calls and meetings are a priority, the JBL has slightly better microphone quality. If budget is a concern and you need earbuds that perform well across a range of activities, JBL might be the sensible choice. If you're willing to invest more for enhanced sound and noise cancellation features, the Sony is likely to satisfy. 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 WF1000XM4
- Excellent for music
- Best in class for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
5.9
9.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is excellent for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
6.7
The Sony WF1000XM4 is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
10.0
The Sony WF1000XM4 is best in class 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 WF1000XM4 is very good.
Battery
8.3 Hours
9.0 Hours
The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM4 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$150
$220
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The JBL Live Pro 2 has a price of $150 and the Sony WF1000XM4 costs $220.
Build Quality
7.0
8.9
The Sony WF1000XM4 has very good 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 WF1000XM4 and JBL Live Pro 2 are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.5
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony WF1000XM4 to be only fair for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
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How the JBL Live Pro 2 and the Sony WF1000XM4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Pro 2 | Sony WF1000XM4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $220 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | July 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 5.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.2/10 | 6.7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 6/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.7/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 8.3 Hours | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.8 Hours | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
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 | 5.4/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.8 Grams | 6.5 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 WF1000XM4
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Dig into reviews and images
What HiFi?
What HiFi? | March 2023
"The headphones deliver a satisfying user experience, class-leading battery life, some of the best noise-cancelling we’ve heard in this category, and absolutely stunning sound quality."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Pro 2 or the Sony WF1000XM4
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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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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