6 Best JBL Earbuds of 2024, Tested & Reviewed

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been testing headphones and earbuds for more than a decade and have logged more than 300 hours of listening in the past five years. In our most recent evaluations at the Good Housekeeping Institute led by Nik Greenwald, six pairs of JBL earbuds were tested.

To narrow down the best JBL earbuds, we first evaluate each pair for ease of use and setup as well as the design, rating whether earbuds are portable, lightweight or comfortable to wear. We then assess how quickly earbuds pair to Bluetooth, whether their fit is secure and adjustable as well as the intuitiveness of on-ear controls. To test the performance of noise-cancelling headphones, we evaluate the following: noise-cancelling capabilities (if applicable), audio spectrum analysis and the subjective sound quality while listening to music and podcasts.

• Noise cancelling: Our experts test noise cancelling by putting on the headphones and turning on active noise cancellation without playing any other audio from the headphones. From there, we use an audio analysis software called REW to output pink noise (a sound with a consistent frequency that mimics hum and buzzes representative of the noise you try to filter out with noise-cancelling headphones in real life) from the speakers of a laptop placed in front of us at -70dBFS pk. We then increase the volume until we can hear the pink noise through the headphones and note the level where the noise breaks through the noise cancellation.
• Audio spectrum analysis: Next, spectrum analysis involves using MiniDSP EARS, or a headphone analysis rig featuring molds of the human ear, so that it can analyze the spectrum of each pair of headphones via microphones inside of the ears. Headphones are placed on the rig and a spectrum analysis is run, producing a graph that reveals where the headphones have boosts and cuts along the frequency spectrum. We pay particular attention to the low and high end of the spectrum to ensure a balanced frequency response. We tend to favor headphones with a flatter response, which indicates that the headphones reproduce music and audio exactly as the mixing or mastering engineer produced it. The spectrum analysis also gives us an idea of how much color or distortion is added to the signal that leaves the headphones. We favor headphones that reproduce audio with as little distortion as possible.
• Sound quality: Lastly, we run subjective sound quality evaluations by having our test engineers in the Media & Tech Lab listen to a variety of audio content and rate the sound quality of the headphones.
  

Next, our experts assess the durability of each pair of headphones by reviewing water and dust protection claims (aka IP or Ingress Protection ratings) from the manufacturer. Though it isn't a dealbreaker for us if headphones aren’t water-resistant, we do have a slight bias toward pairs with sturdier construction and the ability to withstand the elements. Finally, we evaluate consumer tester feedback to assess the earbuds' sound quality and whether or not they felt comfortable (and stayed secure) during everyday use.

✔️ Battery life: Earbuds feature varying degrees of claimed battery life. If you're someone who always forgets to recharge your devices, consider earbuds with a higher total battery life so the earbuds' case recharges your earbuds while they're being safely stored.

✔️ Type: JBL sells both in-ear and over-ear earbuds and headphones. While in-ear earbuds tend to be more portable and lightweight, they also may cause ear fatigue after prolonged use. Over-ear headphones, on the other hand, are heavier and require more storage space in your backpack or purse, but may be more comfortable and even better at isolating outside noise.

✔️ Fit: Most in-ear JBL earbuds will come with a range of silicone tips. If you find that your earbuds don't fit you well, make sure that you swap out the tips for ones that feel tight and secure inside your ear canal. Not only does this prevent earbuds from falling out, but a great fit improves overall audio performance. You can also consider earbuds with wings that hook inside your ear for an even sturdier hold or ones with hooks that go outside and around your ear to help keep them in place.

✔️ Water resistance: If you plan on working out in your JBL earbuds, consider a pair with an IP (ingress protection) rating of at least IPX4, which means that they should be able to withstand sweat and some light rain. The first number refers to solids like dust and sand, while the second number refers to liquids. The higher the number, the more durable and water-resistant you can expect your earbuds to be.

✔️ Noise cancellation: Noise cancellation technology (designed to produce a mirror image sound wave in your ear to cancel out external noise) is a handy feature to have when you're trying to block out distractions, but it tends to drive up the overall price. If you plan on using your earbuds in a hectic office setting, while commuting or similar situations, you may benefit from noise cancellation to help focus on your music, podcast or other audio. If, however, you plan on casually using your earbuds for quick phone calls to friends and like to be somewhat aware of your surroundings, noise cancellation may not be as important to you.

For decades, the Good Housekeeping Institute has been providing expert reviews and feedback on the best electronics and accessories you can buy. Media & Tech Reviews Analyst Olivia Lipski covers everything from consumer electronics to fitness, travel, health and home. She's covered audio over the years, writing about outdoor speakers, soundbars and more. Not only does she swap out earbuds on a weekly basis, but she’s also evaluated hundreds of pieces of audio equipment for the Institute and organized all consumer testing related to earbuds and headphones.

The Good Housekeeping Institute’s Lab Assistant, Nik Greenwald, ran the most recent test of JBL earbuds and noise-cancelling headphones, spending over 20 hours researching, recording and analyzing data to compare different models. When not at the Institute, Greenwald works as a songwriter and record producer, having written and produced several tracks that have garnered millions of streams worldwide.