Home Wireless Earbuds Jbl Wave Buds Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen)

A Review By Comparison of the Jbl Wave Buds Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen)

Last updated on Apr 12, 2023   8 min read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
JBL Wave Buds

JBL Wave Buds

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the JBL Wave Buds

Overall Score 7.0 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 6.4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

A summary of the review by feature comparison

Category Features JBL Wave Buds Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IP54 IPX4
weight 9g 10.6g
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 8mm 11mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20000Hz 20000Hz
sound pressure level 100dB/mW
POWER battery life 8hours 6hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 24hours
charge time 2hours 1hours
battery power 47mAh 49.7mAh
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5.3
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
has aptx adaptive
MICROPHONE number of microphones 2only 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 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
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 Wave Buds IP54
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4

IP ratings is the rating of protection offered by an enclosure, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating represents protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).

Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Buds'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 the second number of 4 means 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 JBL Wave Buds, Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a rating of IPX4 meaning that no data available to specify a protection rating and that of liquids is that, they both have the same rating against liquids

Weight

JBL Wave Buds 9g
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g

The JBL Wave Buds have a weight of 9g . We take in account a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to move with.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), at 10.6g weigh more than the JBL Wave Buds by of 1.6g

Has No Wires Or Cables

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, JBL Wave Buds are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is a key distinction since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the pair of earbuds .

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also is true wireless since it doesn't have cables connecting the two earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

JBL Wave Buds are resistant to sweat

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

JBL Wave Buds have stereo speakers, what this means is that JBL Wave Buds's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have stereo speakers

JBL Wave Buds
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

ANC utilises more advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it listens to the sound pattern of incoming noise and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it. Simply put, it's like taking +1 (noise) and producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

JBL Wave Buds have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the device volume to overcome background sounds.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have Active Noise Cancellation making either of the devices ideal for flights and rush hour travels. The JBL Wave Buds and Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the mode that you prefer for commute or that enhances your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds stay tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces background sounds and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out at the same.

Both Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), and JBL Wave Buds have passive noise reduction which means that they tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

JBL Wave Buds 8mm
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm

JBL Wave Buds have a unit size of 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that makes sound in the earbuds, the unit size corellates with the loudness of the device.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of JBL Wave Buds by 3mm , a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

JBL Wave Buds 20Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz

The JBL Wave Buds's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates low audible frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

JBL Wave Buds 20000Hz
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20000Hz

JBL Wave Buds's highest frequency is at 20000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well an audio device generates high human frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20000Hz, this means that both devices produce equal treble

Sound Pressure Level

JBL Wave Buds 100dB/mW
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The sound pressure level, is the pressure level of sound, measured in decibels, dB, JBL Wave Buds's measurement is 100dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Power

Battery Life

JBL Wave Buds 8hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours

JBL Wave Buds's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is less than that of JBL Wave Buds by 2 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

JBL Wave Buds 24hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours

This is given by the vendor, and JBL Wave Buds's case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with a longer battery life enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before recharging the case itself.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s charging case has a battery life of 24 hours, equal to that of the JBL Wave Buds

Charge Time

JBL Wave Buds 2hours
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours

It takes 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Buds's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) takes 1 hours to fully charge the battery, less than that of JBL Wave Buds by 1 hours

Battery Power

JBL Wave Buds 47mAh
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 49.7mAh

JBL Wave Buds's battery power is 47mAh, battery power, represents the amount of electrical energy that a battery can keep.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery power is 49.7mAh. more than that of JBL Wave Buds by 2.7mAh

Has Wireless Charging

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just place down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your earbuds and case.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a battery level indicator, these allow you determine the charging state of your earbuds, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.

JBL Wave Buds
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds have USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

JBL Wave Buds v5.2
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3

JBL Wave Buds have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) has a Bluetooth version of 5.3, newer than that of JBL Wave Buds . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

JBL Wave Buds 10meters
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters

JBL Wave Buds have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the JBL Wave Buds

Has Aac

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

JBL Wave Buds support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the JBL Wave Buds will work fine with your MacBook. If you intend on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Has Aptx Adaptive

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

JBL Wave Buds 2only
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only

The JBL Wave Buds have 2 microphones.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) microphones are 6, more than that of JBL Wave Buds by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out background sounds.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

JBL Wave Buds have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Mic Sensitivity

JBL Wave Buds -38dBV/Pa
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The vastness 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 sound that the earbud microphone can pick up.

JBL Wave Buds
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

JBL Wave Buds support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being 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 Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the device can detect when they are removed from your ears .

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too 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 Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

If misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the JBL Wave Buds have a find earbuds feature.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have the find earbuds feature. You can use the earbuds app on your phone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you locate them.

Supports Fast Charging

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds support fast charging. Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the time it takes to fully charge a device.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

JBL Wave Buds 2only
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only

The JBL Wave Buds have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link 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.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a multipoint count of 2, equal to that of the JBL Wave Buds . Bluetooth multipoint is useful because you can be on one call and not miss notifications coming from another device.

Has A Mute Function

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds have a mute function, they support the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also support this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds support voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you when the battery is low, and you need to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

JBL Wave Buds
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

The JBL Wave Buds come with a special case. Carrying earbuds without a case, or putting them in your bag without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.

Related Reviews