Home Wireless Earbuds Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Vs. Jbl Live Pro 2

A Review By Comparison of the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 Vs. Jbl Live Pro 2

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   8 min read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
JBL Live Pro 2

JBL Live Pro 2

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the JBL Live Pro 2

Overall Score 7.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX5
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 10 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 4.5 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by comparison

Category Features Bowers & Wilkins PI7 JBL Live Pro 2
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX5
weight 50g 9.6g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 9.2mm 11mm
lowest frequency 10Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 93dB/mW
POWER battery life 4.5hours 10hours
battery life of charging case 18hours 30hours
charge time 3hours 2hours
battery power 65mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has aptx adaptive
has aptx hd
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 6only
has a noise-canceling microphone
mic sensitivity -38dBV/Pa
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
warranty period 1Years
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
See price on Amazon See price on Amazon

A breakdown of the review per specifications

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

JBL Live Pro 2 IPX5
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 IP54

IP ratings is the rating of protection offered by an enclosure, against solids and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).

Scoring IP54, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's rating is read as, the first value of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

In comparison to the Bowers & Wilkins PI7, JBL Live Pro 2 have a rating of IPX5 meaning that no data available to specify a protection rating and that of liquids is that, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a lower liquid rating than JBL Live Pro 2

Weight

JBL Live Pro 2 9.6g
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 50g

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a weight of 50g . We consider a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

The JBL Live Pro 2, at 9.6g weigh less than the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by -40.4g

Has No Wires Or Cables

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

True wireless devices have no cables linking any part of the device together, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a major distinction since wireless earbuds have wires linking the pair of earbuds .

JBL Live Pro 2 also is true wireless because it doesn't have wires linking the two earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

JBL Live Pro 2 have sweat resistance

Has Stereo Speakers

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The JBL Live Pro 2 also have stereo speakers

JBL Live Pro 2
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Active noise cancellation makes use of more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds. ANC works when, it listens to the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (counter sound by the device) to make 0 therefore "diluting" the noise.

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.

JBL Live Pro 2 too have Active Noise Cancellation making both earbuds ideal for plane rides and morning travels. Each work with different noise cancellation types, pick the mode that suits your travel or that suites your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 stay well in place, this creates a sound seal that tones down your environment noise while preventing the device voice audio from leaking out at the same.

Both JBL Live Pro 2, and Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have passive noise reduction which means that both reduce ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

JBL Live Pro 2 11mm
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 9.2mm

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a unit size of 9.2mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is the component that makes sound in the earbuds, its size corellates with the sound made by the earbuds.

JBL Live Pro 2 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 1.8mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

JBL Live Pro 2 20Hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10Hz

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

JBL Live Pro 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that Bowers & Wilkins PI7 make sound with a juicier bass than the JBL Live Pro 2

Highest Frequency

JBL Live Pro 2 20000Hz
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 20000Hz

Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device produces high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

JBL Live Pro 2's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that both devices produce equal treble

Sound Pressure Level

JBL Live Pro 2 93dB/mW
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

SPL, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, JBL Live Pro 2's measurement is 93dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Power

Battery Life

JBL Live Pro 2 10hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 4.5hours

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is 4.5 hours, a device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chanrgings.

JBL Live Pro 2's battery life is more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 5.5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

JBL Live Pro 2 30hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 18hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's case is said to have a full charge of 18 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before recharging the case itself.

JBL Live Pro 2's charging case has a battery life of 30 hours, more than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 12 hours

Charge Time

JBL Live Pro 2 2hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 3hours

It takes 3 hours to fully charge the Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery. It is recommended to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.

JBL Live Pro 2 takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, less than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 by 1 hours

Battery Power

JBL Live Pro 2 65mAh
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

JBL Live Pro 2's battery power is 65mAh, battery capacity, shows the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Has Wireless Charging

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the earbuds, you simply place down on a compatible charging pad.

JBL Live Pro 2 also support wireless charging, take note of the charging standard of a device.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights indicate the charging state of your device and charging case.

JBL Live Pro 2 too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to determine the charging state of your device, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

JBL Live Pro 2
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

JBL Live Pro 2 too support USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

JBL Live Pro 2 v5.2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 v5

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

JBL Live Pro 2 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, newer than that of Bowers & Wilkins PI7 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

JBL Live Pro 2 10meters
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 10meters

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a 10meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

JBL Live Pro 2 have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Has Aac

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 will work well with your iPhone. If you intend on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Has Aptx Adaptive

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).

JBL Live Pro 2 support APTX Adaptive as well which implies that both can adjust the bit rate for different scenarios, such as listening to HD audio from other devices.

Has Aptx Hd

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

JBL Live Pro 2 6only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 6only

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have 6 microphones.

While the JBL Live Pro 2 microphones are 6, equal to that of the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.

The JBL Live Pro 2 too have a noise-canceling microphone. This is useful in noisy areas.

Mic Sensitivity

JBL Live Pro 2 -38dBV/Pa
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

JBL Live Pro 2 microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The size of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a measure of its sensitivity. It's the 'loudness' of the voice that the microphone can recognize.

JBL Live Pro 2
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises so that they can still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

The JBL Live Pro 2 support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, for example when you’re having a run but still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when removed from your ears .

JBL Live Pro 2 support in/on-ear detection, automatically pauses your music, or audiobook when you remove earbuds from your ears saving battery life.

Has Find Earbuds Feature

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a find earbuds feature.

The JBL Live Pro 2 too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the earbuds app on your smartphone to play a sound from your earbuds to find them.

Supports Fast Charging

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.

Also the JBL Live Pro 2 too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

JBL Live Pro 2 2only
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The JBL Live Pro 2 have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you connect to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The JBL Live Pro 2 too have this function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

The Bowers & Wilkins PI7, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

JBL Live Pro 2 too have a control panel on them.

Warranty Period

JBL Live Pro 2 1Years
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

JBL Live Pro 2 have a warranty period of 1 Years, the period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals.

Has Voice Prompts

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.

The JBL Live Pro 2 too support voice prompts .i.e the earbuds will notify you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the earbuds.

Travel Bag Is Included

JBL Live Pro 2
Bowers & Wilkins PI7

Bowers & Wilkins PI7 come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them in your pockets without a cover can easily damage them.

JBL Live Pro 2 too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.

Related Reviews