Short answer: a tie on sound quality, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 2.5/5 (#414 and #422 of 481 over-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($220.38 vs $219.95), so choose on features and fit. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 481 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the Sennheiser HD 550 ranks #8 at $199.95.
Why pick the Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X: An open-back design with a 53 mm dynamic driver and a light 0.6 lbs (265 g) frame. The tradeoff: A preference score of 49 in crinacle’s measurement shows a response well away from the tuning most listeners prefer.
What the JBL Live 770NC does well: Active noise cancelling and a claimed 65 hours of battery (50 with ANC on) suit long flights and daily commutes, and the 32 ohm drivers also work wired. The catch: A 9.1 dB dip near 9.7 kHz right after a 5.5 dB peak near 6.9 kHz makes cymbals sound uneven, with some sharpness and then missing shimmer.
Buy the Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X or the JBL Live 770NC on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Want more options? Browse the full Headphones rankings.
An open-back design with a 53 mm dynamic driver and a light 265 g frame.
Amazon $220.38 eBay
Active noise cancelling and a claimed 65 hours of battery (50 with ANC on) suit long flights and daily commutes, and the 32 ohm drivers also work wired.
Amazon $219.95 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X | JBL Live 770NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $220.38 | $219.95 |
| Ranked | #414 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones | #422 of 481 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 48 (median of 1 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.07 dB standard deviation | 3.61 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.92 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.38 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 53mm dynamic | 1 x 40mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW | 100 dB SPL @ 1kHz |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (265 g) | 0.6 lbs (256 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.0 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 65 hours (50 with ANC on, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
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