If you want a cheap Sony WH-1000XM3 alternative, JBL’s new headphones could be it
Noise-cancellation without the high cost
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JBL has released its latest wireless headphones, the JBL Tune 750BTNC, which come with active noise cancellation and the brand’s signature bassy sound.
Many of 2020’sbest wireless headphonescome with noise-cancelling technology built-in – but these cans often come at a steep cost. For example, our topnoise-cancelling headphones, theSony WH-1000XM3, cost $349 / £300 / AU$499 (unless you can find yourself a greatSony headphones deal).
Meanwhile, the new JBL Tune 750BTNC cost just $129.95 / £119.99 / AU$199.95; that’s cheaper than their predecessors, theJBL Live 650BTNC, which we awarded 4.5 out of 5 stars in ourreviewthanks to their dynamic, punchy sound, and comfortable fit.
Powerful bass
JBL says that the new wireless headphones provide “deep and powerful” bass thanks to their 40mm drivers, while active noise cancellation should stop annoying environmental sound from ruining your music.
Surprisingly, the Tune 750BT only support Bluetooth 4.2, rather than the latest Bluetooth 5.0 standard that’s becoming increasingly commonplace in modern wireless headphones.
When it launched in 2016, Bluetooth 5.0 brought with it faster data transfer speeds, and longer pairing distances, using less energy than its predecessor.
The use of Bluetooth 4.2 could be why the new headphones from JBL don’t sound like they’ll have the best battery life around; you get 15 hours of playback with noice cancellation turned on, which increases to 22 hours if you turn this feature off.
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Still, these cans are over £200 cheaper than many of the leading noise-cancelling headphones, so they’re unlikely to come with all the modern conveniences we’d expect from more premium models.
Design-wise, the Tune 750BTs sport JBL’s fun, stylish look, coming in black, white, red, and blue, with a dedicated button on the earcups to summon your device’s voice assistant, whether that’s Siri, Bixby, Alexa, orGoogle Assistant.
Whether the new headphones will live up to the success of the Live 650BTNC remains to be seen, but we’re excited to find out when we get the chance to review them.
And if you’re still set on a pair of theSonyWH-1000XM3 headphones, there are some decent deals available for them at the moment - we’ve got the top price comparisons below:
Olivia was previously TechRadar’s Senior Editor - Home Entertainment, covering everything from headphones to TVs. Based in London, she’s a popular music graduate who worked in the music industry before finding her calling in journalism. She’s previously been interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live on the subject of multi-room audio, chaired panel discussions on diversity in music festival lineups, and her bylines include T3, Stereoboard, What to Watch, Top Ten Reviews, Creative Bloq, and Croco Magazine. Olivia now has a career in PR.
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