The results are satisfying, thanks to an energetic soundstage and multiple listening modes that help personalize the listening experience. You can also expect reliable wireless performance from these headphones. The only thing keeping the Live 660NC from beating the best noise-canceling headphones is the flawed voice assistant and uncomfortable design. JBL has a credible track record of making stylish and durable headphones, and the Live 660NC is no different. It’s made of high-quality materials, including plastic, aluminum, leather, and canvas, all of which look and feel premium. The headband and earpieces are flexible, but the ear cups are the most durable component and feature eye-catching details like an embossed JBL logo and silver accents. The earcups also feature folding hinges for easy storage of the Live 660NC. There is no IP rating for these headphones, so be careful where you store them and how you use them. For example, the canvas that surrounds the headband attracts a lot of dirt, especially on the white version, making scratches and scuffs more visible. The Live 660NC is one of the headphones with the most features on the market. We’re talking physical and touch controls, along with motion detection and voice activation. Most of the features work well, but the digital assistant feature has its pitfalls. Let’s start with the button commands, which consist of single and 2-second presses. There’s a multi-function button that activates playback, call management, and digital assist, as well as volume rockers that can raise/lower the audio or skip a track forward/backward. Above the three-button module is a spring-loaded power button that has a nice push-back effect, while below that is a Bluetooth button and an Ambient Aware button that lets you switch between listening modes. All of these buttons offer a solid feel to ensure that the desired commands are executed. The Auto Play/Pause feature works great, automatically pausing music when the headphones are removed and resuming playback when they are put back on. JBL’s noise-cancellation technology has improved over the years, and while it’s still a few notches below what Bose, Sony, and Apple offer, it’s effective, blocking about 80% of ambient noise. When I wore the Live 660NC around the house, the usual distractions like door buzzers, kitchen appliances, and my wife’s iPhone alarm went unheard. Although my newborn made his presence known here and there, his cries and grunts were suppressed well enough for me to concentrate on my tasks. The Live 660NC’s standard sound characteristics are flat and keep the frequency response relatively balanced. However, this is only the case when EQ is disabled in the companion app. JBL makes its JBL Club Pro+ TWS EQ the default setting, which is the less expensive option and gives the music a livelier presence, although bass becomes overly aggressive on certain tracks. The prominent snares on “Hip Hop Hooray (Pete Rock Remix)” by Naughty by Nature made my neck snap back on impact, while the conga and drum fusion on “Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See” by Busta Rhymes triggered hard hits on my eardrums that induced a head-nodding trance. The low notes of Wyclef Jean’s “We Trying to Stay Alive” came across a bit more boomy than necessary, but the headphones handled other percussive elements well, opening up the soundscape so the rapper’s boastful rhymes could be heard clearly.
