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We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want a wired, studio-style monitor headphone with a neutral, detail-forward sound and no battery to think about, choose audio-technica ATH-M30x; if you need wireless freedom, active noise cancelling and app-based control for commuting and calls, choose JBL Tune 670NC. That's the whole decision in one line — one is a tool, the other is a companion. Below I break down exactly where each one wins and where it makes you compromise.
• audio-technica ATH-M30x — biggest strength: Wired, over-ear monitor tuning with strong mid-range definition, a 15 Hz–22,000 Hz frequency range and aluminum enclosure parts built for studio monitoring, mixing and field recording.
• audio-technica ATH-M30x — biggest trade-off: It's wired only, with a 6.35 mm jack, so there's no Bluetooth, no noise cancelling and no app — you're tethered to your gear.
• JBL Tune 670NC — biggest strength: Wireless Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient, up to 70 hours of battery life and a lightweight 174 g on-ear, flat-folding design.
• JBL Tune 670NC — biggest trade-off: It's an on-ear (supra-aural) design rather than over-ear, and it leans into JBL Pure Bass Sound rather than a flat, neutral monitor response.
• Buy the audio-technica ATH-M30x if you record, mix or monitor at a desk and want a cable, not a charger.
• Buy the JBL Tune 670NC if you want one pair for the commute, the gym bag, calls and long listening sessions without wires.
The ATH-M30x is the definition of a purpose-built headphone. It's an over-ear, closed-back design with an aluminum enclosure, a dynamic driver and a frequency range that reaches from 15 Hz up to 22,000 Hz. In plain terms, that's a headphone tuned to keep the mid-range clear and defined rather than to flatter everything with extra bass. Audio-Technica positions it for studio monitoring and mixing, and it also lists field recording as a use case — which tells you the priority here is accuracy and isolation, not entertainment.
Because it's wired with a 6.35 mm jack, the M30x expects to be plugged into something with a proper headphone output: an audio interface, a mixer, a keyboard, a hi-fi amp or a laptop with the right adapter. The box includes a protective case and an adapter plug, which fits that "take it to a session" mindset. There's a volume control on the headphone itself, and the noise control is passive sound isolation — the closed cups block some outside noise, but there's no electronics involved.
Who should buy it: anyone doing critical listening at a desk — bedroom producers, podcasters, students learning to mix, or players who want a dependable wired pair that never needs charging. Who should skip it: if your day involves buses, planes, open-plan offices or phone calls, the cable and the 6.35 mm jack will get in your way fast. This is not a headphone you casually wear walking to the shop.
The Tune 670NC is built for the opposite life. It's a wireless on-ear headphone with Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio support, and it runs for up to 70 hours on a charge — with a two-hour charge time and a quick top-up that gives you hours of playback from a few minutes on the cable. That kind of endurance changes how you use a headphone: you stop treating it as a device to manage and start treating it as something that's just always ready.
The headline feature is Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient. ANC cuts down the drone around you so you can focus, while Ambient Aware and TalkThru let you hear your surroundings or a conversation without taking the headphones off — all controlled through the JBL Headphones app. There's also VoiceAware, which lets you hear your own voice on calls, and voice control via Google Assistant or Siri. Sound-wise, it's JBL Pure Bass Sound, and the app lets you pick between Audio and Video modes for sound quality or lower-latency gaming and video.
At 174 g with soft ear cushions and a padded headband, and a flat-folding design, it's clearly made to travel. The trade-off is physical: it's on-ear, so the cushions sit against your ears rather than around them. Some people love that lighter, less enclosed feel; others find over-ear more comfortable over very long sessions. And the tuning is bass-forward rather than neutral — great for music and movies, less ideal if you need a flat reference.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for wireless freedom → JBL Tune 670NC. Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio versus a fixed 6.35 mm cable.
• Best for critical listening and mixing → audio-technica ATH-M30x. Monitor tuning with strong mid-range definition and a wider 15 Hz–22,000 Hz range.
• Best for noise control → JBL Tune 670NC. Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient and TalkThru; the M30x relies on passive sound isolation only.
• Best for long sessions away from a socket → JBL Tune 670NC. Up to 70 hours of battery life and a two-hour charge versus no battery at all.
• Best for zero-maintenance reliability → audio-technica ATH-M30x. No charging, no firmware, no app — plug in and it works.
• Best for calls and voice assistants → JBL Tune 670NC. Built-in voice control with Google Assistant and Siri, plus VoiceAware.
• Best for packing in a bag → JBL Tune 670NC. 174 g, flat-folding, with a detachable audio cable; the M30x ships with a protective case but is a desk-first design.
• Best for a bass-forward, fun sound → JBL Tune 670NC. JBL Pure Bass Sound; the M30x aims for accuracy instead.
If I had to pick one, I'd pick based on where the headphones will actually live. For a desk, an interface or a DAW, I'd buy the audio-technica ATH-M30x — it's the more honest listening tool, and the wired, over-ear, monitor-first design is exactly what that job needs. For everything else in life — commuting, calls, travel, long wireless sessions — I'd buy the JBL Tune 670NC, because noise cancelling, app control and that battery life simply do more for more people. In my opinion the M30x is the better specialist and the 670NC is the better all-rounder. Neither is "better" in a vacuum; they're built for different rooms.
FAQ
No. It's a wired headphone with a 6.35 mm jack, so it needs a device with a matching output or an adapter. There's no Bluetooth and no battery.
Yes. It uses Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient, including Ambient Aware and TalkThru modes you control through the JBL Headphones app.
The ATH-M30x. Its monitor-oriented tuning, strong mid-range definition and 15 Hz–22,000 Hz range suit critical listening better than the bass-forward JBL Pure Bass Sound.
The JBL is lighter at 174 g with a padded headband, but it's on-ear; the M30x is over-ear, which some people prefer for longer desk sessions. Fit is personal — try before deciding if you can.
Both sit in different value brackets depending on where you shop, and prices move. Check the current price on Amazon using the button on this page before you commit.
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