JBL Live Pro+ review: Tiny earbuds for powerful sound, noise cancellation

At Rs 16,999, they're pretty steep. They don't offer anything unique but make a decent option if sound and comfort is your priority; JBL doesn't let us down there

There are earbuds, and there are earbuds! We will talk about the latter ones here!

It's no surprise that the TWS earbud market is cluttered already and it's a task to pick the right pair that fits the bill.

the premium space is already occupied by Airpods, Jabra Elites, Sony, and the like. However, there is a new earbud in town that's aiming to carve its own space and take these ones on.

 

JBL has given us some of the finest portable speakers, earphones, and headphones. And now it brings JBL Live Pro+ earbuds, aimed at audiophiles and bass heads.

Priced at Rs 16,999, JBL Live Pro+ is expensive, and it doesn't offer anything that the Airpods, Jabra, Sony, etc don't. So, let's take a look at how the earbuds fare and whether or not they justify the price point in this review:

JBL Live Pro+ earbuds: Design and build

 

Aesthetically, they look just like any regular earbuds in the market, but are tiny with a quality build.

They are highly comfortable and you can go on wearing them for long hours.

The charging case is small and made of quality plastic; JBL hasn't cut corners when it comes to build quality.

You also get highly responsive touch controls on each earbud, so you can play/pause, skip songs, noise cancellation or ambient mode, etc.

 

It's pretty easy to remember the gestures and in case you find it tough, you can customize it in JBL's app which is easy to operate.

It's surprising to see the IPX4 rating for protection against sweat and water, at this price point, it has to be better than that.

 

JBL Live Pro+ earbuds: Sound quality and performance

With default tuning, you get a decent sound output with punchy bass, thanks to its 11mm dynamic drivers.

The bass is noteworthy; it's mostly smooth and not at all intrusive, no matter what the volume level is. The vocals sound sweet, even if you like it really loud.

From Lo-Fi to classical, you can throw pretty much any genre and these earbuds would only sound good.

 

The noise-cancellation only sweetens the deal. It's pretty effective, if not the best in business. You also get ambient mode which allows the outside noise to leak in, this comes in handy when you're traveling in Delhi Metro or in a park.

Overall, JBL Live Pro+ offers quite a pleasant experience.

However, call quality is one downside I'll point out. It's decent enough if you take calls indoors, but I had expected a better experience outdoors.

JBL Live Pro+ earbuds: Battery

You get around 24 hours of total battery time with ANC on, without it, it can go up to 28 hours.

In regular use, the earbuds can last up to 4-5 hours easily.

What I really liked is there is wireless charging support, which should be there at this price, making it easy to charge the earbuds when kept idle.

JBL Live Pro+: Verdict

If you are looking for tiny and comfortable earbuds that offer quality sound, JBL Live Pro+ earbuds could just fit in perfectly.

But Rs 16,999 is quite a sum you will have to pay. I'd say, the earbuds don't offer anything unique but they aren't a bad option if sound and comfort is your priority; JBL doesn't let us down there.

Personally speaking, I'd still stick to Jabra for sound or Apple Airpods for comfort, but loyal JBL fans could explore JBL Live Pro+ that offers both.