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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The JBL Live Pro 2 earbuds generally offer better sound quality, noise cancellation, and additional features like water resistance which are great for an active lifestyle or commuting. However, they come at a higher price than the Sony WH-CH520 headphones, which may offer a more comfortable fit for extended periods and possibly better battery life, but with less advanced features and potentially lower sound quality. If you're looking for top-tier audio and don't mind spending more, the JBL Live Pro 2 could be for you. If you're on a tighter budget and need something for casual listening, the Sony WH-CH520 might be the smarter choice. 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 WH-CH520
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
5.9
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Gaming
5.3
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
6.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
8.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
TV and Video
5.5
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Pro 2 is poor.
Noise Reduction
9.1
4.6
The JBL Live Pro 2 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
8.3 Hours
52.0 Hours
The JBL Live Pro 2 has 8.3 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Cost
$150
$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The JBL Live Pro 2 has a price of $150 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $50.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
7.0
7.0
The JBL Live Pro 2 and Sony WH-CH520 both have good build quality.
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How the JBL Live Pro 2 and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Pro 2 | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$150 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | 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 | 5.2/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.6/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 8.3 Hours | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 0.8 Hours | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 24 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 9.1/10 | 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 | 7/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 4.8 Grams | 147.41 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 WH-CH520
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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 Pro 2 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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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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