We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-23 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
A straight answer first: for most people, JBL wireless on-ear headphones are the better fit, because Bluetooth freedom and a 40-hour battery solve the two annoyances that actually ruin headphone ownership — a cable you fight with and a battery that dies on the commute home. Sony's wired ZX Series is excellent at a narrower job: pure, no-fuss listening where a cable isn't a problem.
• Headphones Jbl — best if you want wireless freedom, long battery life and hands-free calling from a single pair you can fold into a bag.
• Sony — best if you listen at a desk, on a wired device, or anywhere you'd rather never think about charging a battery.
JBL's on-ear Bluetooth lineup is built around a simple promise: cut the cord and keep going. The Tune 510BT streams over Bluetooth with a 10-metre range and can hold a connection to two devices at once, so you can jump from a video on a tablet to a call on your phone without re-pairing. That dual-device switching is the feature people underestimate until they've lived with it.
Battery is the headline. Up to 40 hours of playback on a two-hour charge, plus a five-minute top-up that buys roughly two more hours — which is the difference between "dead on the platform" and "fine for the ride." The 32 mm dynamic drivers cover 20 Hz to 20 kHz with JBL's Pure Bass tuning, and at 96 dB sensitivity and 32 ohms they're easy to drive from a phone.
Comfort and portability are the other strengths. Soft ear cushions, a padded adjustable headband and a foldable frame at 160 g mean these are genuinely bag-friendly. There's a microphone on the ear cup for calls, on-board buttons, and a multi-function key that wakes Siri or Google Assistant.
The trade-off is honest: this is an on-ear design with no noise cancellation, and "on-ear" means the cups rest against your ears rather than sealing around them. Bass-forward tuning also isn't neutral — if you want flat, accurate sound, JBL isn't chasing that. It's a lifestyle headphone, not a studio tool.
What Sony Is Good At
The 30 mm dynamic drivers cover 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz with 98 dB sensitivity and 24 ohms impedance, which means almost anything can drive them to a decent volume. Sony describes the tuning as full and balanced rather than bass-heavy, and the spec sheet supports that framing. The swivel-and-fold earpads collapse the headphone for transport, so it still travels well despite the cable.
The trade-off is equally clear: there's no microphone and no wireless. A wired headphone tethers you to your device and, on phones without a headphone jack, needs an adapter. You also can't take a call on these, and there's no battery because there's nothing to power. For some people that's a feature. For most, it's a limitation.
Freedom vs. certainty. JBL wins on movement — you can leave your phone on the counter and walk the room. Sony wins on reliability, because a cable never drops out, never runs out of charge, and never needs a firmware handshake. If your listening happens in one spot, the cable is a non-issue. If it happens while you move, wireless is transformative.
Cost of ownership. Here's the part people forget: JBL needs charging, and batteries age. Up to 40 hours is generous, but you're committing to a charging routine. Sony has no battery at all, so there's nothing to degrade — the cable is the only wear point, and a tangle-resistant Y-cord lasts a long time.
Calls and versatility. JBL includes an ear-cup microphone and voice-assistant access, so it's a genuine one-pair-does-everything option for calls, music and video. Sony's ZX110 has no mic. If you take meetings or calls on the go, that gap decides it.
Sound character and fit. JBL leans bass-forward with a warm, energetic signature; Sony aims for balanced and neutral. Neither is objectively right. Physically, JBL's adjustable headband and padded cushions suit long sessions and varied head sizes, while Sony's lighter swivel design is more of a compact travel piece. Neither offers noise cancellation.
Where the real difference lives. It's not the drivers — 30 mm versus 32 mm is a rounding error in practice. It's the cable. JBL sells you convenience and asks for charging discipline. Sony sells you simplicity and asks you to stay near your device.
Which Should You Get?
The JBL Tune 510BT is the cleanest expression of what a JBL on-ear headphone is for. Bluetooth 5 with dual-device switching, up to 40 hours of playback, a two-hour charge and a five-minute speed charge that returns about two hours of listening — that's a battery spec built around real commuting habits rather than lab conditions. The 32 mm dynamic drivers deliver JBL's Pure Bass tuning across 20 Hz–20 kHz, and at 96 dB sensitivity they're easy for a phone to drive.
In daily use it's the practical stuff that matters: an on-ear cup with a microphone for hands-free calls, on-board controls, a multi-function button for Siri or Google Assistant, a padded adjustable headband and a foldable 160 g frame that slips into a bag. It's Android and iOS compatible, charges over USB-C, and works within about 10 metres of your source. In my opinion, if you're replacing a wired pair and want one headphone for everything, this is the one to start with. Just accept the trade-offs: no noise cancellation, an on-ear fit rather than a sealed over-ear one, and a bass-forward sound rather than a neutral one.
The Sony ZX Series MDR-ZX110 is the wired purist's pick, and it's refreshingly uncomplicated. A 3.5 mm L-shaped plug, a 1.2 m Y-type tangle-resistant cord, 30 mm dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz–20,000 Hz range, 24 ohm impedance and 98 dB sensitivity — the low impedance means a phone, tablet or laptop drives it without strain. There's a swivel design so the earpads fold flat for travel, and a lightweight on-ear build with faux-leather cushions.
What you get is consistency: no pairing, no charging, no dropouts, no battery to age. What you give up is the microphone, the wireless freedom and any call handling. This is the pair I'd recommend for a desk, a wired gaming handheld, a plane seat or anyone who simply refuses to manage another battery. It's a specialist tool, and within that lane it does exactly what it promises.
They aim at different targets. JBL's Pure Bass tuning is warm and bass-forward; Sony's ZX Series is described as balanced and neutral. Neither is "better" — pick the character you actually enjoy.
If you move around while listening or take calls, go wireless. If you sit at a desk or plug into a wired device, a cable is simpler, cheaper to live with and never needs charging.
No. It has no microphone. The JBL Tune 510BT has an ear-cup microphone for hands-free calls, which is the main functional gap between them.
Both fold for transport. The JBL Tune 510BT is a foldable 160 g wireless design; the Sony ZX110 uses swivel earpads with a fixed 1.2 m cord, so there's a cable to manage.
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See also: sony vs jbl headphones, sony vs bose headphones, JBL Tune 520C vs Yealink UH44: Wired Headphones