JBL Live Pro+ TWS – Test
JBL Live Pro+ TWS is a premium, true wireless in-ear Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones. JBL’s signature audio quality and long-lasting battery life make it a smart choice for those who value sound over anything else. This time we’re going to take a look at JBL in-ear headphones. But not just any headphones, but the top model from JBL, the JBL Live Pro+ TWS. However, for 90 Dollars, the headphones are much cheaper than the top models from other manufacturers.
Design & quality of the JBL headphones
First, let’s take a look at the design of the in-ear headphones. The headphones remind us visually of Apple’s Air Pods Pro but still have their look. We were especially pleased with the design of the charging case, which is even smaller than that of the Air Pods Pro – and with better battery life. The quality of the headphones is really good. The charging case is also well-made, but the hinge could be a bit more stable. Overall, we are positively surprised by the quality.
Setup & Control of the JBL Live Pro+ TW
The headphones can be paired with newer Android devices in a few seconds thanks to Fast Pair. With all other devices, you have to do that via the Bluetooth settings. The rest of the setup process is done via the JBL app. Here, the control of the headphones is also explained in detail.
JBL has implemented the control of the headphones well. The configuration of the touch controls can be adjusted to the user’s needs in the app, but there are a few restrictions since the settings are not customizable. By default, a single tap on the left earpiece surface switches between basic sound, ANC, and transparency modes, while the Talkthru function is turned on and off by double-tapping. Media playback can be controlled from the right side, where double-tapping means skip forward and triple tapping means skip back. Answering and ending phone calls is possible on both sides with a double-tap. A hold activates the respective voice assistant.
The JBL Headphones app
The battery life of the headphones as well as that of the case can be viewed in JBL’s app. However, these values are also transmitted to the operating system in both iOS and Android. Furthermore, the app offers the option to switch between transparency mode and active noise reduction. And by far the most important function in the app is the EQ. There are some preset profiles, but you can also create your own. In addition, as mentioned earlier, the controls can be customized.
How well has JBL managed the ANC?
JBL has struggled with the ANC issue in recent years. Especially when you compare it to competitors like Bose, Sony, and Apple, JBL was miles away. So how does it look now with the JBL Live Pro+ TWS? Well, let’s start from the beginning: JBL has taken its ANC technology to a whole new level. The headphones filter out continuous background noise like the ride of a suburban train or street traffic very well, even though the Air Pods Pro, for example, is still a bit better here.
Unfortunately, JBL did not manage to do well in the supreme discipline; the headphones filter out conversations as well as high frequencies rather averagely, but it has to be said that even the Bose QC45 sometimes reaches its limits here. The transparency mode is useful, but there is still room for improvement. It is better to take the headphones out during a conversation. However, the mode is very useful for a better perception of for example traffic.
How well do the headphones sound?
Let’s get back to the most important topic of headphones: sound. JBL has done a great job here. The JBL Live Pro+ TWS sound both balanced and powerful. The highs are really pleasant, although they could be a bit more detailed, that’s criticism on a high level. The mids and basses are looking for their equal, especially in the low tones, it is impressive what kind of power is transmitted here. Additionally, there is an EQ in the JBL Headphones app with which you can still adjust the sound to your taste. This works well and is also important because, for people who do not like so much “bass” in their sound image, you have to readjust something here. In the end, we can only say that JBL has exceeded our expectations in terms of sound.
Battery life
According to the manufacturer, the headphones last 7 hours and can be recharged three times. We can partially confirm that. Typically, such rates are measured at about 50% volume and switched on ANC. We did not measure this scenario, since most will probably not use their headphones like this. We achieved a runtime of a bit more than 5 hours at 70% volume and enabled ANC. Thus, the headphones achieve a really good value. Additionally, you can recharge them enough in 10 minutes to be able to listen for 1 hour again.
The conclusion about the JBL Live Pro+ TWS
With most of JBL’s headphones, we had the feeling that something had not been thought through to its logical conclusion in some places, or that they did not believe in their product during development after all. It is therefore all the nicer that the company is slowly making it to the top of the headphone manufacturers. The JBL Live Pro+ TWS proves that the company can build headphones, and we can only recommend buying them.
However, as always, keep an eye out. The Air Pods Pro is currently available for less than 200 Dollars, which is only slightly more expensive than our test product from JBL. Apple offers better ANC and a somewhat detailed sound for the money, but we would not call it better. In return, you get worse battery life. In the end, these two headphones are currently our recommendation. It is probably a matter of taste which of the two you buy in the end.
