If you think the marketplace is awash with choices for headphones, you're not wrong - there's more than enough competing for your money and your time, vying to take the crown of sitting squarely on your noggin.
As new mid-range products, JBL's Live 770NC and 670NC come pretty close to offering something decent for the already crowded over-ear marketplace, but they're not flawless.
I've been using the two new JBL wireless headphone products for the past few weeks and they definitely have their pros and their cons.
The best thing about of the 770NC and 670NC is without doubt their battery life. Using them as part of daily work life, late night viewing and occasional screaming into the void while taking in some tunes outside, the battery has hardly needed charging at all.
With noise-cancelling not engaged, JBL reckons you can get over 70 hours from both sets (or around 44 if ANC is turned on) and I don't think that's too far off the mark. From an initial hour-long charge via a surprisingly short USB cable, there's been a lot of life in these when used.
Given how relatively unspectacular these headphones are visually, it's actually a big win for the brand.
It's perhaps not surprising how little has been innovated in this arena for a while and I've moaned before about how JBL insists on blatantly over-branding their products. But the black headphones I've been bedecked in don't feel like I'm a walking advertisement for the company, given how the subtle shades blend in.
In terms of comfort, they're passable enough. With the earcups made of synthetic leather, they're suitable enough for long sessions and combined with the set's lightness, it means that wearing them doesn't feel like a weight pressing on your head. Again, they're not innovative here, but neither are they cumbersome or going to leave you feeling like your head's been part of a vice. And given the manual controls are on the right earcup with just gradual gentle touches, that's a good thing.
When it comes to sound quality, it will depend on how much of an audiophile you are and how immersed in the music you want to be. They're not the strongest for some sounds, but they are passable enough for audio requirements and do what's needed for making calls.
Wet Leg's 'Wet Dream' provided a bouncy bass and mix for their catchy chorus and twanging guitar; but Breeders' 'Cannonball' felt less nuanced. Sounds can be tweaked via the app, which offers a differing range of pre-set controls, but unless you're into fiddling around after every song, this is more of a nice-to-have than a necessity.
The noise-cancelling is relatively effective too. It's not quite a full suite of stopping outside bleed coming in, but there's more than enough to mean you can happily block out the outside world while sitting in a corner watching TV or using public transport.
It might seem like I'm giving these JBL sets quite a beating here but they are solid performers that do what they need to and offer a mid-price range option for those who want a bit of over-ear relief from pressed-in buds.
Given the fact they fold down and can be housed in a cloth bag, they may need a little care and consideration with over-use, but they're portable enough to feel inconspicuous when you're out and about.
Perhaps if there were a little more comfort in the ear cups to go with the fact these have some of the best battery life I've ever experienced in this corner of the tech world, they would be easier to wholeheartedly recommend.
Newshub was supplied both JBL's Live 770NC and 670NC for this review.
