JBL and Sony are two tech giants in the audio category. Where JBL emphasized just the audio products, Sony covers multiple electronics products along with audio.
Everyone has different opinions about these two brands. Some users prefer JBL, and some prefer Sony for the best audio experience.
However, that doesn’t end the confusion.
Hence, we tried our best to simplify things in this JBL vs Sony comparison. We have compared most of their audio products to give you a better idea.
So, which is better, JBL or Sony? Let’s find it out.
JBL vs Sony Earbuds
JBL earbuds start from Rs 2500 and go up to Rs 15000, whereas Sony earbuds range from Rs 4500 and go up to Rs 30000.
The average price of most JBL earbuds is Rs 4000 to 6000, whereas it is Rs 6000 to 10000 for Sony.
It’s clear that Sony doesn’t target the budget audience like JBL, which has recently launched some budget TWS after looking at the demand in this segment.
So, if your budget is under Rs 3500 to 4000, JBL is the obvious choice because Sony has nothing to offer in this price range.
JBL earbuds of this segment sound good. While JBL is well known for the bass, you won’t get a similar level of bass on these earbuds.
As most Indian users tend to have more bass, they might get disappointed with the average bass in JBL budget earbuds.
However, if you prefer a balanced sound with great instrument separation and better clarity, JBL earbuds won’t disappoint you.
As you move to the higher price segment, like Rs 8000 to 10000, JBL earbuds sound even better.
Sony, on the other hand, does a great job across all the price ranges.
Sony WF C-500 is one of the cheapest TWS of the company, but it delivers great sound quality and completely justifies the price tag.
The TWS earbuds of the upper price segment sound even better.
So, what does all this mean? Which earbuds are better?
If your budget is under Rs 4000, then go with JBL earbuds. If your budget is between Rs 4500 and 8000, go with Sony earbuds.
If you are spending around Rs 10000, then you can go with JBL earbuds like JBL Live Pro 2.
However, if you are spending more than Rs 10000, opting for Sony earbuds would be a wise decision.
Verdict: Both brands offer a variety of earbuds with different sound stages and features. While both are good, Sony earbuds have a slight edge in terms of sound quality and value for money.
JBL vs Sony Headphones
The starting price of JBL and Sony headphones is almost similar, around Rs 2500.
However, despite having a similar starting price, the sound quality is significantly different.
JBL budget headphones have a flat sound with good bass, clear vocals, and punchy trebles.
Sony budget headphones, on the other hand, have a slightly warmer sound signature with deep bass, clear vocals, and crisp trebles.
When we compare budget headphones costing under Rs 3000, Sony headphones sound better.
Furthermore, for a budget of around Rs 5000, the Sony WH-CH520 is the best headphone, delivering great sound quality.
However, JBL Tune 770NC is also a great deal.
So, at this price segment, you can choose either JBL or Sony.
As we move higher on the price chart, Sony headphones tend to perform better than JBL.
No, JBL headphones do not sound bad. They are surely one of the best. But when we compare these to Sony, we found better clarity and open sound stages on Sony headphones.
As we move to the premium segment, Sony is undoubtedly on top. Headphones like Sony WH-1000XM4 and XM5 sound phenomenal and have industry-leading ANC.
So, in the premium category, there is no match for Sony headphones.
Verdict: Under Rs 10000, both JBL and Sony headphones perform admirably. While Sony headphones sound better, you can’t completely ignore JBL, as these headphones also deliver good sound quality. As you move over Rs 10000 or 15000, you enter the premium category, and here, Sony headphones are undoubtedly better.
JBL vs Sony Home Theater
Nowadays, the majority of Home Theaters have a sub-woofer, multiple satellite speakers, and a soundbar.
You can buy a soundbar separately, but most Home Theaters include one.
JBL Home Theaters like Cinema SB241 start from Rs 8000, whereas Sony Home Theaters like SA-D40 start from Rs 10000.
When we compare both these, the Sony SA-D40 sounds significantly better as it delivers rich bass and crisp mids and highs.
While the JBL Cinema SB241 doesn’t sound bad, its sound quality isn’t as good as the Sony SA-D40.
As we move to the higher price segment, typically around Rs 20000 to 30000, JBL holds up well and goes toe-to-toe with Sony Home Theaters.
If your budget is under Rs 30000, you can go for either brand, as both brands offer great Home Theater systems.
You might be surprised to know that some Home Theaters of these brands cost Rs 50000 and go up to 2 Lakh.
Although we don’t suggest everyone invest such a hefty amount in Home Theaters, if you want, then you can opt for any of these two brands because their premium Home Theater systems deliver exceptional sound quality.
Verdict: Home Theaters from both JBL and Sony deliver a great audio experience. While Sony has a slight edge, especially in the mid-range category, both brands excel in delivering an immersive audio experience as you enter the premium price segment.
You can also check these best party speakers under 20000.
JBL vs Sony Soundbars
Sony Soundbars are significantly costlier than JBL soundbars. Where JBL Soundbars start from Rs 8000, the Sony offerings start at around Rs 20000.
When we heard the audio of JBL budget soundbars, we found it to be good. It was not mind blowing, but good enough given the price.
The sound clarity was excellent. It was crisp and clear. However, the bass was not that deep. It was a bit boomy.
A casual user won’t notice it, but the bass quality was not as good as you expect from JBL.
As you cross the Rs 10000 mark, JBL soundbars start to sound better. You get better clarity with deep bass.
Rs 20000 is the price point where you will see a significant improvement in sound quality. At this price, JBL offer its signature sound with deep bass and crisp mids and highs.
We understand that 20k is not a small amount, but as JBL is a premium brand, you have to spend more to get their best products.
As we reach the 20k mark, Sony soundbars also make an entry and surprisingly sound amazing.
For example, the Sony HT-S400 is a 2.1 Channel soundbar that costs Rs 20000, but the sound quality it delivers is just impressive. It feels even better than JBL soundbars of the same segment.
As we spend more, we get better features and sound quality on both brands.
While premium JBL soundbars deliver mind-blowing sound quality, Sony soundbars surpass them.
The high-end Sony soundbars cost Rs 2 Lakh, whereas premium JBL soundbars also cross the Rs 1 Lakh mark.
We noticed across all the soundbars that both brands offer a premium audio experience, but Sony Soundbars have slightly better audio tuning.
The JBL soundbars also deliver excellent sound quality, but their lower-end soundbars don’t sound as good as you might expect from JBL.
So, which brand’s soundbars should you buy?
Both brands are best in class. However, if your budget is between Rs 8000 and 15000, you should go with JBL. If your budget is above 15000, you can choose either of the brands based on your preference.
However, if you are willing to spend a premium amount, we advise you to go with Sony Soundbars for the best audio experience.
Verdict: While both brands offer excellent soundbars, Sony has a slight edge with better audio tuning. However, Sony soundbars are comparatively more expensive.
JBL vs Sony Portable Speaker
Sony has a slight edge in all aforementioned categories. However, JBL flips the game when it comes to portable speakers.
JBL has been making portable speakers for more than a decade. The JBL Flip was the first portable Bluetooth speaker launched in 2012, and it gained a lot of love and attention.
Since then, the company has launched many portable speakers, and most of them left users impressed.
Even today, the sound quality of JBL portable speakers is one of the best.
You get deep bass, clear vocals, and crisp trebles on JBL speakers. As JBL uses a warmer sound signature, you get better bass output.
The best thing about JBL speakers is that even their budget portable speakers sound significantly better than the competition and can impress everyone with the sound.
So, if you buy a JBL portable speaker, whether it’s in the budget or premium segment, you won’t have much to complain about.
On the other hand, Sony hasn’t launched as many portable speakers as JBL, and the options are very limited in Sony’s portfolio.
While the options are limited, Sony covers a wide range of portable speakers.
If we talk about the sound quality, the Sony portable speakers do a great job, as most of them deliver rich and detailed sound quality.
The bass is also top-class on these speakers. However, Sony’s lower-end portable speakers lack deep bass.
So, what does all this mean?
If you want something affordable, JBL portable speakers are the best, without a doubt.
In the premium segment, Sony does a great job, but JBL speakers are even better.
So overall, if you want the best value-for-money portable speaker, JBL speaker is the one to go with.
Verdict: Both JBL and Sony offer great portable speakers, but due to JBL’s wide range of options and superior audio output, JBL portable speakers are the recommended choice.
Is JBL better than Sony?
JBL and Sony are amongst the best brands for delivering a premium audio experience.
However, upon comparison, it becomes evident that Sony excels in some areas while JBL performs better in others.
As far as we have experienced, Sony has a lead in the TWS earbuds, headphones, and soundbars.
However, in the portable speakers, JBL is way ahead of Sony.
So, does that mean JBL is better than Sony?
While JBL has a remarkable reputation in the audio industry, we can’t say it’s better than Sony.
We can compare a standalone product and decide which is better. But when we compare a whole company in a particular category, then it becomes difficult to decide which is better.
Still, if you ask us, Sony is better than JBL in many audio product categories, while JBL outperforms Sony in only a few specific categories.
You can also check these best TWS earbuds under 2500.
Final Verdict: JBL vs Sony Sound Quality
It would be wrong to say that only one brand offers a great audio experience while another fails to do so.
The audio products from both JBL and Sony will impress you with the sound quality.
All you have to do is buy them wisely. Yes, even though both are premium brands, we still suggest you choose their products wisely.
JBL and Sony both have a warmer sound, but Sony offers more details and clarity across all frequencies, along with heavy bass.
As mentioned earlier, JBL excels with their portable speakers, delivering clear sound with deep bass.
So, based on your budget and needs, you can choose either brand. However, we suggest giving Sony a slightly higher priority.
You can also check these best TWS earbuds under 5000 with impressive sound quality.
So this is the JBL vs Sony comparison.
Do you agree or disagree with this comparison? Do share your thoughts.
If you still have any doubts about these two brands, feel free to ask us in the comment section.
