Still coming out with rock-solid headphones at a great price, the JBL Live 660 Noise Cancelling Headphones are very impressive. With more automation and great battery life, your premium audio experience just got easier…
Table Of Contents
JBL Live 660NC
WIRELESS NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES
Specs
- Battery Life (ANC On): 40 hours
- Battery Life (ANC Off): 50 hours
- Fast Charge: 10 minutes for 4 hours of listening
- Bluetooth Version: 5.0
- Driver Size: 40 mm
- Water Resistance: No
- Active Noise Cancellation: Yes (ADAPTIVE Noise Cancelling)
- Weight: 9.3 oz (265 g)
- Colors: Black, White, and Blue
Pros
- Ridiculous 40-hour battery life with ANC on (50 hours with ANC off)
- JBL’s signature audio quality
- Fully customizable EQ with plenty of presets
- Good active noise cancelling and transparency modes
- Auto Pause/Play when removed
- 2nd most comfortable behind Bose QuietComfort Series
- 10-minute quick-charge for 4 hours of listening
- Connect to 2 devices and switch seamlessly
- Siri, Alexa, and Google compatible
- My JBL Headphones app to further customize your sound experience
- Lightweight and comfortable to wear all-day
Cons
- The carrying pouch is very basic and unprotective compared to Bose and Sony
- The fit is secure, but it may be too tight for some
- Heavy bass for some music styles (can adjust in app)
- ANC isn’t as good as Apple, Bose, and Sony
- Microphone used for calling sounds a little “tinny”
- Fabric headband is a dust collector
Comfortable and Secure
At just under 10 ounces, the JBL Live 660NC’s are definitely light enough for all-day listening. The headband is cushioned from hinge to hinge, so leaning to the side to rest your head is more comfortable than others.
Plus, the memory foam ear cushions are extra deep. Combined with the snug fit on the sides, the pressure is pretty well distributed.
Some people might not like the above-average squeeze, but it gives the Live 660’s a nice secure fit. On top of that, the tighter fit helps with both passive and active noise cancelling.
Best Battery Life
The battery life was a huge upgrade from the Live 650’s. Going from 30 hours to 40 hours of listening WITH adaptive noise cancelling on is by far one of the best features. Plus, if you just want to use passive noise cancelling, flip off the ANC and you’ll get 50 hours of listening!
Full Control
You have full control of music playback and noise cancelling with the control buttons on the right ear cup. Using a dedicated NC button, you can switch between Adaptive Noise Cancellation, Ambient Aware, and TalkThru modes.
The main controls feature the volume/skip buttons on either side of the pause/play button. This button is also used for calling and accessing Siri, so it may take some time to get used to.
If you use Alexa or Google Assistant, it’s even more luxurious. You use the JBL My Headphones app to choose your preferred assistant. Then you can access it any time using a 2-second touch to the left ear cup logo.
ADAPTIVE Noise Cancelling
JBL’s version of noise cancelling is called ADAPTIVE instead of ACTIVE, but it’s not a huge difference. Either way, the overall feature still performs at a step below the best noise cancelling headphones like the AirPods Max and Sony 1000XM Series.
On the other hand, the Live 660’s ANC is great in most situations, and the Ambient Aware and TalkThru modes perform as good as any. Plus, for the price, there’s no better option.
Classic JBL Sound
The JBL Live 660’s are tuned perfect (for most) right out of the box. JBL’s impressive sound signature sounds as good as ever, especially with Pop and Rock music.
If you want to tweak any frequency, the equalizer in the JBL My Headphones app is fully customizable. It also has plenty of presets to select on-the-fly, so you can quickly match your genre or video type.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a solid pair of noise cancelling headphones, without the price tag like the AirPods Max, then look no further. Starting under $200, the JBL Live 660NC represents one of the best values in noise cancelling headphones.
With the best-in-class battery life and fastest quick charging, these are essential for people on the go. It’s a bummer that they didn’t include a hard cover case like others. On the other hand, you’ll have plenty of money left over to get one that matches your needs and style.
Best Travel Cases: JBL Live 660NC
The drawstring pouch that come with the Live 660’s is a joke if you plan on traveling or commuting with them. Especially with NO water-resistance. Here are our favorite hard cover case options to keep your headphones safe and secure:
