JBL has spent over 80 years earning a reputation for quality audio products from the studio to the home to the headphones in your bag.
Today the new Live 780NC and 680NC represent a strong statement from JBL with bold colours and sleek materials, showing that these headphones are meant to be seen and heard.
JBL Live 780NC & 680NC
The two new headphones are the over-ear 780NC coming in at $249.95 and the on-ear 680NC available at $199.95. Both feature 40-millimetre compound diaphragm drivers and offer support for Hi-Res Audio from sources like Tidal or lossless files.
At just $50 difference, choosing between the two is down to whether you prefer the lighter weight of on-ear headphones or the secure fit of over-ear models. Some people find on-ear options annoying or uncomfortable to wear over a longer listening session because of the pressure on the ear, while over-ear headphones’ weight can become a problem too.
The 780NC and 680NC are quite similar in terms of specifications. The over-ear style generally wins on active noise cancelling isolation and audio quality, while the on-ear model wins on portability. The 780NC also adds Personal Sound Amplification and Low Volume EQ.
Headphones & Microphones
JBL’s driver design layers different composite materials to handle bass and treble more cleanly than just a single-material cone that’s common across other headphones. The goal is reduced harmonic distortion across the frequency range.
JBL’s active noise cancelling tech sees an advance to True Adaptive ANC 2.0, improving its responsiveness. This adaptive noise cancelling is helpful for cancelling out sudden sounds as well as background noise – great for situations like walking near a road to cancel car noise, for example.
The new headphones feature beamforming microphone arrays with intelligent noise reduction that’s designed to isolate your voice from background noise. JBL claims the microphones are even able to hold up against windy conditions to keep your voice heard. The 780NC uses six mics while the 680NC uses four mics to accomplish this.
Battery & Features
JBL claims both models hit 80 hours with noise cancelling switched off, or 50 hours with it switched on – quite a respectable number. The headphones receive an additional four hours of playback from just five minutes on a fast-charge capable USB-C plug.
Personal Sound Amplification is an awareness mode that uses the beamforming microphones to amplify sound from in front of you while keeping ambient levels down. It’s a hearing assistance mode that’s useful in loud environments.
Low Volume EQ helps to boost bass and treble frequencies at low volumes where they naturally drop off with our hearing response. If you’ve ever used a “loudness” function on a hi-fi amp, this does the same thing but automatically.
JBL’s companion app provides a wide set of functions and personalisation, including the Personi-Fi 3.0 function that adapts your headphones’ frequency response based on your hearing. It takes a measurement and adjusts settings to suit your personal hearing needs.
The 780NC and 680NC are available directly from JBL until 1st July when they reach broader availability in local retailers.
JBL’s Launch Event
JBL launched the new headphones at a catwalk event in Sydney, showing the new headphones as part of an outfit rather than just a functional piece.
The 780NC and 680NC are available in seven colour options to suit your personal style. Where many headphones still look like techy, utilitarian pieces, JBL is positioning its new range as fashion pieces.
The headphones come in black, white, beige, blue, green, purple, and orange. That means you can hit your power colour, a matching colour, or even a contrasting statement piece to suit your personal style.
Our Take
JBL’s new lineup offers some solid options. They’ve got the substance to back up the looks with useful features and great sound quality. If you’re after a headphone that looks as good as it sounds, the 780NC and 680NC are worth checking out.
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