We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-17 · 6 min read · Independent comparison
If you want in-ear active noise cancelling that rivals full-size headphones and lets you stay wired when it matters, choose Bose QuietComfort 20; if you need long wireless listening with adaptive noise cancelling and app-based sound control, choose Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC.
• Bose QuietComfort 20 — biggest strength: in-ear Acoustic Noise Cancelling with an Aware mode, plus proprietary StayHear+ tips for a stable, comfortable fit and up to 16 hours of battery.
• Bose QuietComfort 20 — biggest trade-off: it's a wired 3.5 mm design, so there's no true wireless freedom, and the inline remote is aimed at Android, BlackBerry and Windows phones.
• Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC — biggest strength: up to 70 hours of battery life, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, and Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient controlled in the JBL Headphones app.
• Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC — biggest trade-off: it's an on-ear, renewed unit with no headphone jack, a plastic build, and a 90-day limited warranty rather than a full new-product term.
• Who each pick is for: the Bose QC20 suits wired listeners who want serious in-ear noise cancelling and an Aware mode; the JBL Tune 670NC suits wireless listeners who want marathon battery and app-tuned sound.
The QuietComfort 20 is Bose's first in-ear noise cancelling headphone, and the design brief is clear: pack full-size noise reduction into something small enough to live in your pocket. The proprietary StayHear+ tips come in three sizes and are shaped to sit softly and securely without being jammed deep into your ear. If you've ever had earbuds work loose on a walk or a commute, that stability detail is the one that matters most day to day. The inline module handles volume, and a clothing clip keeps the cable from snagging on a jacket.
The headline feature is the noise cancelling itself, which Bose describes as rivaling any full-sized headphone, paired with an Aware mode you can toggle when you need to hear announcements, traffic or a barista calling your name. TriPort technology handles the audio side. Battery life is rated at up to 16 hours, and charging is over USB with the included cable, so a long-haul flight or a full workday is comfortably covered.
Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC: Who It's For
The JBL Tune 670NC is a wireless on-ear headphone built around three things: battery life, adaptive noise cancelling, and app control. Up to 70 hours of playback on a single charge is the number that jumps out. Even accounting for noise cancelling being switched on, that's a headphone you can take on a week of commutes without hunting for a cable. Speed Charge rounds it out, and a full charge takes about two hours. At 174 grams with a foldable design, it's built to be tossed in a bag.
Sound is JBL Pure Bass, delivered over Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, and the free JBL Headphones app is where the real customisation lives. You get preset EQ modes or a manual EQ curve, plus Audio mode for quality and Video mode to keep sound and picture in sync for movies and games. Adaptive Noise Cancelling handles the quiet side, while Ambient Aware and TalkThru let the world back in without pulling the headphones off. VoiceAware lets you hear your own voice on calls, and controls sit on the ear cup with voice control as an option.
Who should buy it: wireless listeners who want very long battery life, on-ear comfort, app-based sound shaping, and adaptive noise cancelling at a level that suits study sessions, travel and calls. Who should skip it: anyone who needs a wired fallback, since there's no headphone jack at all. This is also a renewed unit, so it ships with a 90-day limited warranty and a plastic on-ear build rather than a premium finish — a sensible trade for buyers who are comfortable with refurbished electronics.
• Best for battery life → Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. Up to 70 hours versus up to 16 hours on the Bose.
• Best for wired reliability → Bose QuietComfort 20. The 3.5 mm jack works with seatback screens, older players and anything without Bluetooth.
• Best for in-ear noise cancelling → Bose QuietComfort 20. Bose rates its cancellation as rivaling full-size headphones, and the sealed StayHear+ tips help block sound passively too.
• Best for wireless freedom and app control → Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. Bluetooth 5.3, LE Audio, EQ presets and Video mode all live in the JBL app.
• Best for calls and quick conversations → Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. VoiceAware, TalkThru and on-ear-cup buttons make it easier to switch between music and talking.
• Best for Android, BlackBerry and Windows phone users → Bose QuietComfort 20. The inline mic and remote are explicitly aimed at those platforms.
• Best for travel that spans flights and daily walks → Bose QuietComfort 20. Aware mode plus the compact in-ear shape covers both parts of the trip.
• Best for buyers comfortable with renewed gear → Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. Just weigh the 90-day limited warranty against the feature set.
• Best for iPhone-first users who want wireless → Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. Wireless sidesteps the platform-specific inline remote entirely.
In my opinion, most people shopping this comparison should take the Amazon Renewed JBL Tune 670NC. The 70-hour battery, Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, adaptive noise cancelling and the JBL app's EQ control simply cover more of a modern listener's day, and going wireless removes the phone-compatibility headache the Bose inline remote creates. I'd only steer you to the Bose QuietComfort 20 if you specifically want in-ear noise cancelling, an Aware mode, and a wired connection you can trust on a plane. Check the current price on Amazon for both before you decide — that gap is the one variable this page can't judge for you.
FAQ
By design, yes — Bose engineered the QC20's in-ear cancellation to rival full-size headphones, and the sealed StayHear+ tips add passive blocking. The JBL uses Adaptive Noise Cancelling, which adjusts to your surroundings but is a different approach in an on-ear, non-sealed shape.
Bose rates the QuietComfort 20 at up to 16 hours per charge via USB. The JBL Tune 670NC is rated at up to 70 hours, with a roughly 2-hour charge time and Speed Charge support.
No. The Tune 670NC is wireless only and has no headphone jack. If you need a wired option for flights or older devices, the Bose QuietComfort 20 is the one with the 3.5 mm connection.
It's an Amazon Renewed listing, so the unit is refurbished rather than new and carries a 90-day limited warranty. The Bose QuietComfort 20, by contrast, is a standard new-packaging product. Weigh that warranty difference against the JBL's much longer battery life and app features.
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