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Updated April 10, 2024·
If prioritizing cost without sacrificing too much on overall sound quality or if you need a pair that can connect both wirelessly and with a wire, the JBL Tune 660NC could be a suitable choice, albeit with a mediocre performance in calls, gaming, and watching TV or videos. However, if sound quality, especially for music and calls, is more important and you're looking for modern features like an app equalizer, low latency mode for gaming, sweat and dustproof certification, active noise cancelling, and a lighter, more compact design with longer battery life, the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) may justify the higher price. It also boasts better durability, wireless charging, and optimization for both Android and Apple devices. Choose the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) for a more feature-rich experience and better portability or the JBL Tune 660NC if costs are a concern and if you occasionally require a wired connection. 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 Tune 660NC
The JBL Tune 660NC has no clear advantages over the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2).
Advantages of the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2)
Good for music
Good for phone calls
Very good for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.1/10
7.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is good for music, while the JBL Tune 660NC is only fair.
Gaming
5.4/10
8.5/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for gaming, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1/10
7.9/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is good for phone calls, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.7/10
9.1/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
TV and Video
5.6/10
8.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
8.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) is very good for noise reduction, while the JBL Tune 660NC is only fair.
Battery
42.0 Hours
6.7 Hours
The JBL Tune 660NC has 42 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) has 6.7 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$149
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The JBL Tune 660NC has a price of $50 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) costs $149.
Build Quality
8.0/10
9.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear (2) has excellent build quality, while the JBL Tune 660NC has very good build quality.
"The JBL Tune 660NC is the best value you can get from a set of on-ear headphones. There's no companion app so you don't get many additional features, but everything the JBL Tune 660NC sets out to do, it does well. At this price, the JBL Tune 660NC is an easy recommendation for on-ear headphone lovers"
"For the price the Nothing Ear (2) is pretty good. It fits well, and the IP54 rating (and IP55 with case) is durable enough for daily life. Most of its unique features are found in the Nothing X app, such as personalized frequency responses, and personalized, adjustable ANC."
Get a great deal on the JBL Tune 660NC or the "Nothing" Brand Ear (2)
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.
Jason Lew
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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.