Wireless Earbuds / JBL Tune Beam 2 vs Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
JBL Tune Beam 2 vs Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
LDAC and wireless charging under $100 — the budget benchmark.
Wins overall by 0.3 points
Quick Verdict
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC wins by 0.3 points, which is not enough to settle it. 10 hours per charge with ANC on — the longest-lasting buds here. Pick on the specs that matter to you, not the overall score.
The JBL Tune Beam 2 and Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are both closely matched wireless Earbuds models, and the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is $10 cheaper than the JBL Tune Beam 2 ($99.99 vs $109.95). On Value, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads (9.5 vs 7.5/10) — features and performance relative to price. On Features, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads (8.5 vs 7.5/10) — app depth, spatial audio, multipoint and extras. On Sound Quality, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads (7.5 vs 7.0/10) — tuning, detail and codec support. Overall, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 7.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 7.6/10 for the JBL Tune Beam 2, though the gap is close enough that your specific use case should decide it. Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | JBL Tune Beam 2 | Soundcore Liberty 4 NC |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $109.95 | $99.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2023 |
| Battery (ANC on) (hrs) | 10✓ | 8 |
| Battery with Case (hrs) | 48✓ | 40 |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Ambient Aware and TalkThru modes | Adaptive ANC 2.0, hybrid, with a claimed 98.5% noise reduction |
| Driver Size (mm) | 10 | 11 |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Water Resistance | IP54 | IPX4 |
| Wireless Charging | No | Yes |
| Weight per Bud (g) | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Codecs | JBL publishes Bluetooth profiles but not codec support for this model | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Spatial Audio | JBL Spatial Sound upmixing; head tracking is not listed | Not published by the manufacturer |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
| Warranty | 12 months | 12 months |
| Colors | Black, White, Blue, Purple | Black, White, Blue, Pink |
Category Scores
Sound Quality
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-point margin on tuning, detail and codec support. If that is what you are buying for, the JBL Tune Beam 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Noise Cancelling
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-point margin on how much ambient noise is actually removed. If that is what you are buying for, the JBL Tune Beam 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Battery
The JBL Tune Beam 2 leads clearly here, 9.5 against 9.0 — a 0.5-point margin on playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Comfort & Fit
The JBL Tune Beam 2 and Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are level here, at 7.5/10 each. weight, fit options and how they feel over long sessions is not what separates these two — look to the categories where the scores diverge.
Call Quality
The JBL Tune Beam 2 leads clearly here, 7.5 against 7.0 — a 0.5-point margin on microphone performance and background noise rejection. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Features
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — a 1.0-point margin on app depth, spatial audio, multipoint and extras. If that is what you are buying for, the JBL Tune Beam 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Durability
The JBL Tune Beam 2 leads clearly here, 7.0 against 6.5 — a 0.5-point margin on IP rating, build materials and case robustness. If that is what you are buying for, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC leads clearly here, 9.5 against 7.5 — a 2.0-point margin on features and performance relative to price. If that is what you are buying for, the JBL Tune Beam 2 does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the JBL Tune Beam 2 if…
- • Battery matters most to you — the JBL Tune Beam 2 scores 9.5/10 here (playtime in the buds and total runtime with the case).
- • Your main use case is calls.
Choose the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC if…
- • Value matters most to you — the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 9.5/10 here (features and performance relative to price).
- • Features matters most to you — the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 8.5/10 here (app depth, spatial audio, multipoint and extras).
- • Sound Quality matters most to you — the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 7.5/10 here (tuning, detail and codec support).
- • Noise Cancelling matters most to you — the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores 7.5/10 here (how much ambient noise is actually removed).
- • You want to spend less — it's $10 cheaper.
Pros & Cons
JBL Tune Beam 2
Pros
- +10 hours per charge with ANC on is the best here by a clear margin
- +48 hours total, and IP54 adds dust protection most rivals lack at this price
- +Six microphones and solid call performance
- +Personi-Fi hearing personalisation
Cons
- −No confirmed US Amazon listing at time of research, so there is no affiliate link — check JBL.com or Walmart
- −No wireless charging
- −Spatial audio is upmixed, not true object-based audio
- −JBL does not publish codec support, so hi-res streaming is unconfirmed
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC
Pros
- +LDAC and Qi wireless charging at under $100 is an unusual combination
- +8 hours in the buds with ANC on matches flagships costing three times as much
- +Full custom EQ plus hearing personalisation
- +Frequently discounted well below list
Cons
- −Plastic build feels its price
- −ANC is strong for the money but short of Bose or Sony
- −Only IPX4, so no dust protection
- −Soundcore now sells the Liberty 5 above it, so this is the value tier rather than the newest
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the JBL Tune Beam 2 or Soundcore Liberty 4 NC better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Value, the JBL Tune Beam 2 or the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores higher on Value (9.5/10 vs 7.5/10) — features and performance relative to price.
Which is better for Features, the JBL Tune Beam 2 or the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores higher on Features (8.5/10 vs 7.5/10) — app depth, spatial audio, multipoint and extras.
Which is better for Sound Quality, the JBL Tune Beam 2 or the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores higher on Sound Quality (7.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — tuning, detail and codec support.
Which is better for Noise Cancelling, the JBL Tune Beam 2 or the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC scores higher on Noise Cancelling (7.5/10 vs 7.0/10) — how much ambient noise is actually removed.
Is the JBL Tune Beam 2 worth the price difference over the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the cheaper option at $99.99 versus $109.95. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Value.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The JBL Tune Beam 2 is the better fit if you mainly care about calls. The Soundcore Liberty 4 NC is the better fit for workout.
What's the warranty on the JBL Tune Beam 2 vs the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC?+
The JBL Tune Beam 2 ships with a 12-month warranty; the Soundcore Liberty 4 NC ships with a 12-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Cheaper Option
Soundcore Liberty 4 NC — $99.99
Premium Option
JBL Tune Beam 2 — $109.95
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.