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JBL Live 680NC Review: Battery Life and Feature Set Carry the $159.95 Headphones

TechRadar's September 11 review of the JBL Live 680NC finds strong battery life and a deep feature set at $159.95, alongside bass-heavy sound and pressure on the top of the head.

AI News Feed · 2026-09-12 02:49

The headphones carry 40mm drivers, Bluetooth 6.0, a frequency range of 10Hz to 40kHz and a weight of 231.16 grams, with no waterproofing rating. Battery life reaches 50 hours with active noise cancellation enabled and 80 hours with it off. Fast charging, Hi-Res audio, a voice assistant and app support are included.

TechRadar reported that the feature list covers multipoint connectivity, Auracast support for connecting several pairs of headphones to one source, Bluetooth LE Audio that is unavailable to Apple users, customizable on-ear controls and on-ear wear detection. Adaptive active noise cancellation, Ambient Aware and TalkThru modes can be adjusted through the JBL app. The reviewer wrote that with music playing, ambient noise was inaudible with noise cancellation set at 50 percent, while ambient sound remained clearly audible at around 60 percent, which the reviewer found useful for walking or running. The app also offers EQ presets and a parametric EQ able to boost or cut up to 6 dB anywhere between 32Hz and 16kHz, plus JBL's Personi-Fi 3.0, which builds a personalized EQ curve from a hearing test that plays different frequencies at different volumes for each ear. Call-related options include hearing your own voice, and the app adds relaxation sounds such as rain or birdsong.

Sound quality was described as good and warm for the price but with an occasionally overwhelming low end and a more rolled-off high end than the reviewer would have liked. The spatial audio feature was called underwhelming in practice. TechRadar also noted that the headphones' weight sits on top of the head, putting pressure there during long listening sessions, and that no USB-C charging cable is supplied in the box.

According to TechRadar, the JBL Live 780NC, released at the same time in March 2026 for about $100 more, sound better and distribute their weight better, while the more expensive JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx sits higher in the range. The review states that the Live 680NC cannot compete with headphones such as the Sony WH-1000XM6, but describes them as a possible choice for buyers working to a tight budget, provided expectations are managed around sound quality and fit.