Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST JBL Tune 770NC review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT in 2026. I’ll also be comparing the JBL Tune 770NC vs JBL Live 770NC, JBL Tune 720BT, Sony WH-CH720N, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo 4, Soundcore Space One, Sony ULT Wear, and more!
I’m going to do my best to share whether these headphones are worth it, and ideally who these headphones are for. I’ve owned these headphones for a while now and have quite a few thoughts.
I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist.
Let’s dive right in!
JBL Tune 770NC Headphones Review in Short
The JBL Tune 770NC is a sub-$100 hidden gem that has competitive sound quality and noise cancelling with headphones costing 2-4x as much, if you can just live with the mediocre comfort and cheap build quality. Competes with JBL Live 770NC, JBL Tune 720BT, Sony WH-CH720N, Sennheiser Accentum, Anker Soundcore Space One, Anker Soundcore Q20i, Sony ULT Wear, Beats Studio Pro, Beats Solo 4, Anker Soundcore Space 2, and Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2.
Pros and Cons
- Good sound quality (after EQ)
- 70 hour battery life
- Incredible value under $100
- Decent noise cancelling for the price
- Mediocre comfort
- Small earcups
- Cheap build quality
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Save money with RENEWED!
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Sound Quality
First impressions on the stock sound
So… how good can a sub-$100 wireless ANC headphone sound really?
That’s what I was thinking before diving into the JBL Tune 770NC, the second headphone in the “budget” bracket (after the Sony WH-CH720N).
Mind you, this is coming off spending hundreds of hours reviewing the premium Bluetooth ANC headphones in the $300-500 price range.
My first impression of the Tune 770NC was not underwhelmed or impressed, rather lukewarm.
Stock, these are your typical “overly-consumer sound signature“, in that these are pushing a lot of bass slam and quantity, with some treble-forward in the high-end for vocals.
It’s not terrible or unlistenable, but I wanted to see if we can squeeze more sound quality out of this, as I sensed some potential underneath the stock sound profile.
And good news, it turns out that EQ does make a night-and-day difference with the Tune 770NC.
So I’ll be sharing my custom equalizer settings below, and continue the review with these settings applied…
NOTE: The JBL app’s equalizer is one of the most flexible and fluid that I’ve tested, including 10 bands and the ability to actually move in very small increments along BOTH the X and Y axis outside each fixed frequency node. That said, it’s quite difficult to share my exact settings for each band, so simply try to copy the general shape/settings below.
Best Equalizer Settings for JBL Tune 770NC Headphones
- 32: -4 db
- 64: -3 db
- 125: 0
- 250: -1 db
- 500: -2 db
- 1k: +1 db
- 2k: -1 db
- 4k: +2 db
- 8k: -4 db
- 16k: -3 db
Result: Darker but much smoother sound signature, with treble being tamed and less fatiguing. Bass has been shaped into a more focused impact with less boominess and bloat, while still remaining present and fun. More vocal-forward with mids being better balanced.
Thoughts AFTER applying EQ…
Wow… along with the Sony WH-CH720N, I continue to be impressed by these modern ~$100 budget ANC headphones…
…after some much-needed EQ of course.
Underneath the “meh” stock tuning of the JBL Tune 770NC is a headphone with sound quality belonging more in the $200-$400 range of premium wireless ANC headphones. I think this speaks to the quality of hardware underneath the hood.
This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, as JBL is one of the leaders in consumer audio today, especially in the Bluetooth speaker category, which I’m generally a fan of.
The Tune 770NC has surprisingly good resolution, clarity, separation, dynamics, and bass response.
Although I still prefer the Sony WH-CH720N for vocals, these are clearly the more resolving headphone overall and can handle more volume with less “breaking up”, while still retaining good clarity.
Essentially, if you like listening to your music loud, these can handle volume and scale well while retaining quality, unlike many other wireless headphones.
These are very bass-forward with strong bass slam and impact. If you like to FEEL the music, these are for you.
My only critique is that it isn’t the cleanest or tightest bass performance, but it’s fun and totally fit for its consumer-friendly sound.
I’m more impressed by how the Tune 770NC handles instruments like drums and guitar, as opposed to vocals. These don’t have the most realistic timbre or airiness, especially for female vocals and Pop which can sound artificial.
The soundstage isn’t wide or large, but does have decent depth combined with good separation. These don’t sound as compressed as most other wireless ANC headphones, which is nice.
Overall, I’m wholly impressed by the JBL Tune 770NC after EQ, and genuinely enjoy listening to them overall. I think they can compete with the likes of Bose QuietComfort (2023) and Sony WH-1000XM5.
Sound Quality Score: 8.3 out of 10
Comfort
The JBL Tune 770NC is one of the lighter over-ear wireless ANC headphones as weighed on my scale:
- JBL Tune 520BT – 158.6 grams
- Sony WH-CH720N – 186.4 grams
- Beats Solo 4 – 217.6 grams
- Sennheiser Accentum – 223.0 grams
- JBL Tune 720BT – 223.2 grams
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus – 225.8 grams
- JBL Tune 770NC – 227.1 grams
- Skullcandy Hesh ANC – 229.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort – 236.1 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM5 – 245.9 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM4 – 251.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra – 254.4 grams
- JBL Live 770NC – 254.5 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space One – 260.6 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space 2 – 262.8 grams
- Anker Soundcore Life Q30 – 264.6 grams
- Beats Studio Pro – 268.6 grams
- CMF Headphone Pro – 280.8 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro – 286.3 grams
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 292.9 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45 – 297.5 grams
- Nothing Headphone (a) – 311.4 grams
- Sonos Ace – 318.1 grams
- Nothing Headphone (1) – 328.3 grams
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 – 332.3 grams
- Apple AirPods Max – 387.8 grams
Despite the really light weight, I find the JBL Tune 770NC to be on the lower-end of comfort in this over-ear category.
The biggest issue by far is a way too strong of clamping force. Seriously, it’s just too much.
The 2nd biggest issue is having the smallest earcups in the category, so my average-sized ears barely fit inside.
If you have large ears, these will not fit well for you, and will feel more like ON-ear than over-ear headphones. You’ve been warned.
Lastly, the headband and earpad cushions are pretty cheap, but the overall light weight makes this less of an issue. Plus for this price, what do you expect?
It’s a shame because I truly enjoy listening to these for their sound quality, but can’t ignore it’s probably the least comfortable headphone in this category.
There’s a possibility you could get used to wearing these over time, as they are pretty light, but I’d personally like to wear these in just 1-2 hour increments at the very most.
Comfort Score: 7.0 out of 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality
Features
The JBL Tune 770NC was originally released in August 2023, so they’re a fairly modern headphone with most of the modern features:
- Built-in microphones for taking calls
- Active Noise Cancelling Mode
- Transparency Mode
- Smartphone app with customizable EQ
- Multi-point connection between 2 devices at once
- Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio
It’s great to see the more updated Bluetooth 5.3, which I’ve had much more reliable connectivity with than the older Bluetooth 5.1 on other headphones.
These don’t have Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos support, for those that care.
Since these headphones are fairly cheap, they don’t include any kind of case.
However, there are several aftermarket cases available on Amazon that can fit these easily.
Battery Life
The JBL Tune 770NC has 44 hours of battery life with noise cancelling ON, and up to 70 hours with ANC off.
- Nothing Headphone (a) – 75 hours (ANC on), 135 hours (ANC off)
- Marshall Monitor III – 70 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE – 60 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Sennheiser HDB 630 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 5 – 57 hours
- Anker Soundcore Space 2 – 50 hours (ANC on), 70 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45 – 50 hours (ANC on), 65 hours (ANC off)
- JBL Live 770NC – 50 hours (ANC on), 65 hours (ANC off)
- JBL Tune 520BT – 57 hours (no ANC included)
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus – 50 hours (ANC on)
- Sennheiser Accentum – 50 hours (ANC on)
- Beats Solo 4 – 50 hours (no ANC included)
- JBL Tune 770NC – 44 hours (ANC on), 70 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro – 40 hours (ANC on), 60 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space One – 40 hours (ANC on), 55 hours (ANC off)
- Nothing Headphone (1) – 35 hours (ANC on), 80 hours (ANC off)
- Sony WH-1000XM6 – 30 hours (ANC on), 40 hours (ANC off)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) – 30 hours
- Sony WH-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM4 – 30 hours
- Sonos Ace – 30 hours
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (1st Gen) – 24 hours
- Apple AirPods Max 1 and 2 – 20 hours
In my testing, I found these figures to be accurate.
44 hours with ANC on and 70 hours with ANC off is above average for the class.
There is also a “Rapid Charging” feature that provides 3 hours of listening time with 5 minutes of charging.
Build Quality
Similar to the budget Sony WH-CH720N, these feel very cheap and toy-like, with maybe 80-90% plastic material overall.
I don’t feel great about the long-term durability of these, especially as they don’t include any kind of case or protection. Although you can find aftermarket cases easily on Amazon.
I could see these snapping at one of the plastic hinges unless you handle with care.
I would say these feel like $50 headphones.
Practicality
The JBL Tune 770NC makes for a decent daily driver thanks to being lightweight, foldable design, above average battery life, and decent noise cancelling for the price.
The downsides are the super cheap build quality and that the comfort isn’t the best due to strong clamping force and small earcups.
I find the more premium JBL Live 770NC to make for a more practical headphone due to improved comfort, better materials, and stronger build quality.
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality Score: 8.0 out of 10
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Performance
I find the JBL Tune 770NC’s noise cancelling performance to actually be fairly decent, although not elite like the Bose QC Ultra, Sony XM5, and Sonos Ace.
I’d say it’s slightly worse than the Sony XM4, AirPods Max, and Sennheiser Momentum 4.
That said, this is serviceable for most daily environments, and gets the job done effectively for most.
I’d choose some other ANC headphones if my main use was primarily for flights, but these are better than nothing.
Noise Cancelling Performance Score: 7.5 out of 10
Value
At the time of this writing, the JBL Tune 770NC retails at $129.95, but is currently on sale for just $89.
At under $100, I think for its sound quality, battery life, and noise cancelling performance alone, it’s easily worth every penny.
The sound quality competes with headphones costing 2-4x as much.
The only caveat is cheap build quality and a relatively bad comfort score, but some people find these comfy. Although that “some people” isn’t me, especially once you’ve tried on the more premium $300+ headphones.
The JBL is another “budget beast” that receives a nearly perfect value score, which could be higher depending on the sale price.
Value Score: 9.5 out of 10
Overall Scoring Breakdown
Sound Quality (50% of score): 8.3 / 10
Comfort (10% of score): 7.0 / 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality (10% of score): 8.0 / 10
Noise Cancelling (20% of score): 7.5 / 10
Value (10% of score): 9.5 / 10
Overall: 8.10 / 10
Is the JBL Tune 770NC Worth it?
The JBL Tune 770NC truly surprised me at the sub-$100 pricepoint, and is worth every penny in my book.
Its sound quality (especially after EQ) and noise cancelling, not to mention 70 hour battery life, is very impressive for its price.
Again, I think the sound quality is on par with headphones like the Bose QuietComfort and Sony XM5, headphones costing 2-4x as much.
My only gripes are the mediocre comfort and cheap build quality. But if you can live with that, you’re looking at a true hidden gem in consumer audio.
Some very strong alternatives in this class of noise cancelling headphones are:
- JBL Live 770NC
- JBL Tune 720BT
- Sony WH-CH720N
- Sennheiser Accentum
- Sony ULT Wear
- Anker Soundcore Q20i
- Anker Soundcore Space 2
- Anker Soundcore Space One
- Beats Studio Pro
- Beats Solo 4
- CMF Headphone Pro
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2
- Skullcandy Hesh ANC
- Skullcandy Hesh Evo
- JBL Tune 520BT
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Sony WH-1000XM5
- Bose QuietComfort (2023 model)
- Bose QuietComfort 45
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Save money with RENEWED!
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, JBL Tune 770NC or Sony WH-CH720N?
Having tested both, the JBL Tune 770NC has better sound quality and noise cancelling performance, but the Sony WH-CH720N has much better comfort.
How long does the JBL Tune 770NC last?
The JBL Tune 770NC is rated at 70 hours of battery life on a single charge, easily one of the longest battery life ratings for its category today.
Is the JBL Tune 770NC good for gym?
Yes, having tested the JBL Tune 770NC in the gym and during workouts, they are lightweight and stable due to its strong clamping force, while having adequate noise cancelling performance to drown out outside noise.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Post Update History
- July 2026: Updated scores to “Version 2.0” of our Headphone Scoring System. Added long-term “1 Year Review” updates throughout post. Included new comparisons to previously unreviewed headphones like JBL Live 770NC. Updated to 2026 current sale prices and adjusted Value score accordingly.
- May 2025: Original publication date.
Read Next
Best Noise Cancelling Headphones under $200
Anker Soundcore Space One Review
Anker Soundcore Space 2 Review
Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Review
Bose QuietComfort Review (2023 Model)
Bose QuietComfort 45 (QC45) Review
