If you're in the market for some noise canceling headphones but don't want to drop the big
bucks for the Bose QC35 or the Sony 1000X then the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC and Sony
XB950N1 are some good options.
But which is better, the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC or the Sony XB950N1?
Lets find out.
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The JBL Everest Elite 750 NC is the newest of these two head phones.
It comes in 3 color ways… blue, gun metal, and silver.
They also currently retail for $299.99.
The Sony XB950N1 released back in March or April of 2017 and still only comes in two
color ways… black or green.
I’m still a big fan of the green version.
They retail for $248 over at amazon and they go on sale from time to time.
If you want to pick either one of these up I’ll have links in the description below
and I’ll keep them updated so you can get the best deal possible.
So first lets go over what comes in each box, cause there is a big difference.
The Sony MDR-XB950N1 come included with a carrying pouch, an audio cable, and a micro
USB cable for charging.
The JBL Everest Elite 750 NC on the other hand come included with a hard shell carrying
case, an audio cable with inline controller, a better quality micro USB cable for charging,
and a two prong plane adaptor.
JBL did a great job of taking the little things into consideration.
but remember, the JBL do cost $50 dollars more.
Style and comfort points, they go to the JBL Everest Elite.
I have no problem with the design of the Sony XB950N1 but they are so big you can see them
in your peripheral vision when you put them on.
And some people have said they are not fans of the circular ear cups.
The JBL Everest Elite 750 NC on the other hand are much more low profile and and the
larger ear cups do a better job of encasing your ears.
Unlike the ear cups on the Sony which still rest on your ear lobes and top of your ear.
Don't get me wrong, the sony XB950N1 are still comfortable to wear, but I'm just being hyper
critical.
Objectively, the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC are more comfortable than the Sony XB950N1.
When it comes to controls the Sony XB950N1 are much easier to use then the JBL Everest
Elite.
theres a dedicated playback control rocker and a dedicated volume rocker on the sony.
And its much easier to tell which button you're pressing by just touch.
unlike the JBL where you never know which button you're really pressing and controlling
your music playback is way harder than it needs to be.
concerning noise cancelation, both of these head phones perform well.
But the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC does a better job of isolating you from the outside world.
But the difference is so little between the JBL and the Sony that you wouldn't know unless
you wore them back to back like i can.
But sound quality is a whole different story.
Like i said in my initial review, the sound quality on the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC is
decent at moderate listening levels.
But if you're listening to something with a lot of bass or really high highs the JBL
will start rattling like soda cans.
The Sony XB950N1 on the hand sound great across the board, instrument separation and sound
stage are way better and the Extra Bass feature add another dimension to the listening experience.
Battery life and Bluetooth Connectivity are also two big factors to consider between these
two headphones.
The Sony have battery life of 22 hours and if you listen to them at a low volume and
with noise cancelation off I’ve managed to squeeze out a few more hours out of them.
Where as I found the JBL Everest Elite to only have a battery life of 12 hours with
Noise cancelation on and at a playback volume of 75 percent.
Also, JBL decided to use bluetooth 4.0 on these head phones. which means you can only
be connected to one device at a time and if you're going to switch between devices you
need to go through the set up process every single time.
thankfully, the 950N1 use bluetooth 4.1 and you can pair to 2 devices at the same time.
So switching between your phone and laptop like i do is super easy.
But these two headphones do have very different features that help set them apart from the
rest.
For starters, the Sony XB950N1 don't just sound great…
they also have an extra bass feature.
Its what the XB in the name stands for.
At a press of a button you can kick the bass up to an eleven on the sony and they still
manage to sound great.
like i said in my initial review of the 950N1, having the Extra Bass feature on while watching
an action movie adds another dimension when explosions happen on screen.
The Sony XB950N1 are made specifically for bass heads.
The JBL Everest Elite 750 NC on the other hand let you control your noise cancelation
setting straight from the head phones or the app.
The JBL let you set an awareness level, so if you're walking in the city and still want
to be able to hear some of your surroundings for safety reasons you can set them to ambient
awareness high.
If you want to be in your own little world and don't want to hear anything you can set
them to ambient awareness low.
Also, taking phone calls on the JBL is crystal clear for the user on the other side thanks
to their Echo Canceling Microphone.
And here are a few minor things i want to point out between these two head phones.
First, JBL’s app for their head phones is very well built, responsive, intuitive, and
useful.
Sony’s app is not, i try to avoid using it as much as I can.
I really wish Sony did a better job at labeling their ear cups with large letters like JBL
did on theirs cause it makes putting them on correctly much easier.
And I like that JBL included better quality cables in their packaging.
So to wrap things up, the Sony XB950N1 have been and still are my go to wireless headphones.
They sound spectacular, the noice cancelation is good, they have a killer battery life and
they're $50 cheaper.
Its hard to recommend or switch to the JBL Everest Elite 750 NC since they don't perform
well when the bass gets really low or the highs get real high.
The short battery life is a bummer and controlling my music playback on the JBL is mostly infuriating.
And I'm still amazed JBL decided to use bluetooth 4.0 on a pair of $300 wireless headphones
in 2017.
But being able to control your noise cancelation is a really cool feature, i wouldn't be surprised
if other companies adopt the feature in the future.
And not to mention, they're as comfortable as the Bose QC35.