Home Wireless Earbuds Sony Wf C500 Vs. Jbl Live Free 2

Sony Wf C500 Vs. Jbl Live Free 2 Review

Last updated on Mar 14, 2023   7 minute read
Note: This page may contain affiliate links, we only earn from qualifying purchases!
JBL Live Free 2

JBL Live Free 2

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the JBL Live Free 2

Overall Score 5.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX5
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 7 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500

See price on Amazon

Reasons why you might like the Sony WF C500

Overall Score 5.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Battery Life of 10 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only

Sony Wf C500 Vs. Jbl Live Free 2 Review In Summary

Category Features JBL Live Free 2 Sony WF C500
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX5 IPX4
weight 9.8g 10.8g
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 11mm 5.8mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 102dB/mW
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 7hours 10hours
battery life of charging case 28hours 10hours
charge time 2.5hours
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.2 v5
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 9meters
has aac
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 2only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
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

Sony Wf C500 Vs. Jbl Live Free 2 Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

JBL Live Free 2 IPX5
Sony WF C500 IPX4

Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (sweat).

Having a value of IPX4, the Sony WF C500's rating for solids indicates that no data available to specify a protection rating, and of liquids that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.

Compared to the Sony WF C500, JBL Live Free 2 have a rating of IPX5 meaning that we are not yet certain of their rating with solids (dust) and that of liquids is that, JBL Live Free 2 has a higher liquid rating than Sony WF C500

Weight

JBL Live Free 2 9.8g
Sony WF C500 10.8g

Sony WF C500 have a weight of 10.8g . We take in account a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to carry.

JBL Live Free 2, at 9.8g weigh less than the Sony WF C500 by -1g

Has No Wires Or Cables

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Sony WF C500 are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is a key distinction since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the two earbuds .

JBL Live Free 2 also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the 2 earbuds together.

Sweat Resistance

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 have sweat resistance

JBL Live Free 2's resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

Both JBL Live Free 2 and Sony WF C500 have stereo speakers

JBL Live Free 2
See price on Amazon

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

ANC uses advanced kind of tech to actively cancel noise. ANC works when, it studies 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 (inverted noise) giving 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.

The JBL Live Free 2 have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to overcome background noise.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 stay well in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down your environment noise while preventing the device voice audio from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this means that both tone down ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

JBL Live Free 2 11mm
Sony WF C500 5.8mm

Sony WF C500 driver unit is 5.8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size determines the sound made by the earbuds.

JBL Live Free 2 driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Sony WF C500 by 5.2mm , 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 deliver better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

JBL Live Free 2 20Hz
Sony WF C500 20Hz

Sony WF C500's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio device produces low recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal on its way through.

JBL Live Free 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that both devices produce equal bass

Highest Frequency

JBL Live Free 2 20,000Hz
Sony WF C500 20,000Hz

Sony WF C500's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device generates high recognizable frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

JBL Live Free 2's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that both devices generate equal treble

Sound Pressure Level

JBL Live Free 2 102dB/mW
Sony WF C500

The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, JBL Live Free 2's measurement is 102dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 have neodymium magnets, if used in earbuds produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, with the use of high magnetic flux.

Power

Battery Life

JBL Live Free 2 7hours
Sony WF C500 10hours

Sony WF C500's battery life is 10 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is usually given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings.

JBL Live Free 2's battery life is less than that of Sony WF C500 by 3 hours . Every 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 Live Free 2 28hours
Sony WF C500 10hours

This is given by the manufacturer, and the Sony WF C500's case has a full charge of 10 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go several times before having to recharge the case itself.

JBL Live Free 2's charging case has a battery life of 28 hours, more than that of Sony WF C500 by 18 hours

Charge Time

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500 2.5hours

It takes 2.5 hours to fully charge the Sony WF C500's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights show the charging status of your device and case.

JBL Live Free 2 too have a battery level indicator, these enable you tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

JBL Live Free 2
See price on Amazon

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

JBL Live Free 2 too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug is part and parcel of most current electronics.

Bluetooth Version

JBL Live Free 2 v5.2
Sony WF C500 v5

The Sony WF C500 have Bluetooth version of 5, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

JBL Live Free 2 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, newer than that of Sony WF C500 . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

JBL Live Free 2 10meters
Sony WF C500 9meters

Sony WF C500 have a 9meters distance to connect via Bluetooth.

JBL Live Free 2 have a maximum range of 10meters, longer than that of Sony WF C500 by 1meters

Has Aac

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 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 Sony WF C500 will work fine with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

JBL Live Free 2 6only
Sony WF C500 2only

The Sony WF C500 have 2 microphones.

The JBL Live Free 2 microphones are 6, more than that of Sony WF C500 by 4 . More microphones result in better sound quality and help the device to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The JBL Live Free 2 have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are designed to reduce background sounds from the desired sound.

JBL Live Free 2
See price on Amazon

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The JBL Live Free 2 support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient sound to still be heard even while wearing the earbuds

Supports Fast Charging

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 support fast charging. Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to fully charge a device.

The JBL Live Free 2 support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in just thirty minutes.

Multipoint Count

JBL Live Free 2 2only
Sony WF C500

JBL Live Free 2 support multipoint of 2 connections, this feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.

The JBL Live Free 2 too support this function. It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.

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

Warranty Period

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500 1Years

Sony WF C500 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 Free 2
Sony WF C500

Sony WF C500 support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

JBL Live Free 2 too have voice prompts .i.e the device notifies you when the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge them.

Travel Bag Is Included

JBL Live Free 2
Sony WF C500

The Sony WF C500 come with their own special pouch. Carrying earphones openly, or putting them in your pockets without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.

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

Related Reviews