JBL Live 670NC

65-hour battery, flagship-grade ANC, and a foldable design make the JBL Live 670NC the commuter's ultimate weapon. Sound is fun but far from neutral, and the on-ear clamp divides opinions—test them first if you have a larger head. The new sub-$100 pricing makes them an even tougher act to beat.

We didn't think on-ear ANC could be this good. Seriously. These 40mm drivers and adaptive noise cancelling block train rumble and office chatter as effectively as many over-ear cans we've tested, landing them in the 98th percentile for ANC in our database. The battery? A 92nd percentile monster that outlasts almost everything, with 65 hours of real-world playtime. The sound signature is pure JBL—pumped bass, scooped mids, and a slight treble sparkle that makes pop and hip-hop thump. That's fun for commuting, but it falls flat for critical listening, where the closed-back design and tuning close in the soundstage. On the upside, multipoint and Bluetooth 5.3 worked without a single dropout, putting connectivity in the absolute top tier of all headphones.

Sony's WH-1000XM6 is the over-ear benchmark with smarter ANC and richer detail, but it costs significantly more and can't touch the JBL's 65-hour battery. The Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 delivers a luxurious build and sublime clarity, yet it's in a completely different price stratosphere. Sennheiser's Momentum 4 is the audio overachiever with gorgeous sound, though it's over-ear and often twice the price. JBL's own Live 770NC is the over-ear sibling with a similar feature set if you hate on-ear pressure. For the on-ear faithful, JBL basically owns the ANC battery champ title right now—no one else is competing in this exact niche.

At $50 to $178, these are an absolute steal. The battery and ANC alone would cost you double in a premium over-ear package. If you spot them under $80, just buy them—that's impulse-purchase territory for what you're getting. Even at the higher end near $178, they hold up against competitors with far less stamina. The only reason to skip is if you demand all-day comfort or audiophile sound, at which point, spend more on something bigger.

JBL's Live 670NC are the on-ear headphones you buy when battery life and ANC matter more than a perfectly flat frequency response. With a staggering 65-hour battery and adaptive noise cancelling that surprised even us, these headphones exist to power through endless commutes and workdays. They fold flat, pair to two devices at once, and sound lively out of the box—just don't expect reference-grade accuracy for studio work.

If you need headphones that disappear on your head for 8-hour workdays, the Live 670NC isn't it. The on-ear pressure and bass-heavy tuning will frustrate users who prioritize flat, detailed sound over battery bragging rights. Go grab an over-ear comfort king like the Soundcore Space One or bump up to the Sony ULT WEAR instead.

The JBL Live 670NC is a no-brainer for commuters and travelers who refuse to baby their battery. You're trading some long-term comfort and critical listening accuracy for ANC that genuinely rivals over-ears and a battery that just won't quit. At the new low price, these are dangerously easy to recommend. Unless you hate on-ear pressure or need pin-sharp sound for mixing, these are the smartest budget-to-midrange headphones you can grab right now.