The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prioritize noise cancellation for quieter environments, the JBL Tune 660NC headphones with their active noise-cancelling feature are suitable, especially for air travel, and their longer battery life means fewer charges. However, they're bulkier and not as comfortable for exercise. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick offers better microphone quality and is optimized for both Android and Apple devices, making it versatile for calls, meetings, and gaming with its low latency mode. These earbuds are more lightweight and portable, ideal for on-the-go use, but lack noise cancellation and are not the best choice for noisy environments. Choose the JBL for focused listening and travel, or the "Nothing" Ear Stick for everyday convenience and clearer call quality. 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
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
5.4/10
8.1/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for gaming, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Phone Calls
5.1/10
8.6/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for phone calls, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.7/10
8.4/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
TV and Video
5.6/10
7.5/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune 660NC is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
2.5/10
The JBL Tune 660NC is only fair for noise reduction, while the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick is poor.
Battery
42.0 Hours
5.0 Hours
The JBL Tune 660NC has 42 hours of battery life. The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick has 5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$70
$65
$50
$60
$70
$80
$90
$100
The JBL Tune 660NC has a price of $70 and the "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick costs $65.
Build Quality
8.0/10
9.0/10
The "Nothing" Brand Ear Stick 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"
"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 Tune 660NC 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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in
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.
By the numbers
108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
91,100
Recommendations made
13,665
Consumer hours saved
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
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
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.