review – Like many people, I love good audio and rely on my bluetooth earbuds. I use them a lot while working around the house and yard, but I have small ears so finding something comfortable can be challenging. JBL’s Live Free 2 headphones are catchy, great sound and great active noise cancellation!
what is it?
JBL’s Live Free2 earbuds are tiny devices with a microphone and active noise-cancelling circuitry that fit into the ear to provide audio over a Bluetooth radio signal.
Hardware Specifications:
- Dimensions: 310.4 x 63.5 x 40.6 mm (22 x 2.5 x 1.6 in)
- Weight: 4.9g (0.17oz) per earbud (9.8g for both, 0.35N), 43.7g charging case (2oz)
- 10mm driver
- Battery: Earbuds – Li-Ion 45 mAh, 3.85V. Case – Li-Ion, 620mAh, 3.8v
- Charging time: 2 hours from empty
- Wireless charging time: 4 hours from empty
- Playtime: Bluetooth on with Active Noise Cancellation off – 7 hours
- Playtime: Bluetooth on with Active Noise Cancellation on – up to 6 hours
- Playtime: Bluetooth On True Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation On – Up to 5 Hours
- Frequency Response: 20Hx to 20kHz
- Sensitivity: 102db SPL @ 1000kHz
- Maximum sound pressure level: 94db
- Microphone Sensitivity: -38db/Pa@1kHz
- Bluetooth version: 5.2
- Supported Bluetooth profiles: A2DP V1.3, AVRCP V1.6, HFP V1.8
- Bluetooth frequency range: 2.4 to 2.4835GHz
- Bluetooth transmit power: >9dBm EIRP
- Bluetooth transmit modulation: GFSK, N/4 QPSK, 8DPSK
- Maximum operating temperature: 45°C (113°F)
What’s in the box?
- JBL Live Free 2 Bluetooth Earbuds
- charging case
- USB-A to USB-C power cable
- Small, medium and large earplugs
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Brochure
Design and Features
The first Bluetooth device, the hands-free headset, was released in 1999. This seems to be a long time ago. Today, Bluetooth is ubiquitous in cars, watches, home automation, phones, and more. In 2022, it’s hard to imagine life before Bluetooth. I vividly remember white earphones with dangling cords stuffed into each pair of earholes as I walked through the airport. Bluetooth has freed all of us from the shackles of audio doom. I have several pairs, but as a Gadgeteer I am always looking for the next best thing. I have some experience with JBL speakers, but wanted to check out their newest earbuds, the Live Free 2s, to see if they could bring musical fun.
JBL’s Live Free 2 earbuds are beautifully packaged.
Ample packaging prevents bumps and bruises from the contents.
Once freed from cardboard, the contents of the box include earbuds and a charging case.
These are some beautiful headphones!
The case fits easily in a pocket.
The introduction to the manual is very good. Warranty manuals are printed in 31 languages and illustrations are a logical way to convey operational information. Controlling the earbud involves making a Morse code type tap on the left or right earbud. The buttons have no tactile feedback, but they emit pleasant beeps and voice prompts when each function is selected.
Charge via USB-C port. A short cable is included.
Surprisingly, this phone case supports wireless charging! yeah! Out of the box, the charging case shows two bars. Charging is completed in approximately 30 minutes.
The JBL Live Free 2 Bluetooth earbuds also feature LED indicators to indicate charging and connection status.
The power connection pins in the case are spring-loaded and engage the earbuds nicely.
The earbuds are held in the case by magnets.
JBL includes three pairs of ear tips for optimal sound and fit.
Many functions are supported with more control if the JBL application is installed. I don’t need the extra functionality, so I choose not to install the app.
Pairing with my phone is simple and supports two source devices. Each earbud can be used individually for single ear use. My wife and I both found the fit comfortable and relatively secure.
I pulled up my headphone evaluation playlist, which included a selection of music ranging from classical to heavy metal. The sound is crisp and clear, with sweet bass. I love “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro, “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd, “Four Seasons” by Vivaldi, “Better than Drugs” by Skillet, and more. wonderful stuff. Well done JBL!
JBL’s Live Free 2 earbuds feature ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) for a more immersive listening experience. The technology listens to ambient noise and produces sound waves that are the opposite of sound. This significantly reduces extraneous sounds heard by the wearer. For example, with ANC on, I can’t hear the air conditioner running, even when no music is playing. Using ANC to actively cruise my lawn has greatly reduced mower blade noise. good stuff!
Sometimes, enabling ANC can cause problems—missing airport gate change notifications, not being able to hear a crying baby, or walking on a busy sidewalk. JBL took this into consideration and introduced a mode called Ambient Awareness, which uses a microphone to transmit ambient sounds to the wearer without removing the earbuds. Again, JBL hits the mark and it’s flawless.
Another prominent feature is “Talkthru”. When this mode is enabled, the playback level is reduced and the speech is amplified. Historically, I’ve taken off my earplugs while talking. With Talkthru, there’s no need…unless you want to assure the people you’re interacting with that you’re not hearing Mettalica and are listening to them :-).
what do I like
- Comfortable fit
- “Ah, that’s the good stuff” audio!
- Excellent Active Noise Cancellation and Call Features
- Wireless charging
- Support dual bluetooth connection
what would i change
final thoughts
Once a common practice for business travelers, it is now everyday attire. While walking, shopping, working, or even watching a movie, I was shocked to see how many people had their Bluetooth headsets permanently attached to their heads. The JBL Live Free 2 Bluetooth earbuds are a great option that are both attractive and sound great. I like them a lot, but…my wife likes them even more and claims them as her own. With a double pair, I’ll borrow from her often.
price: $149.95
where to buy (this: Amazon
resource: Samples for this evaluation are provided by JBL.
