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JBL Live Beam 3 · Photo source

JBL Live Beam 3
Photo 1 of 20

JBL Live Beam 3 · Photo source

JBL

Live Beam 3

Released June 2024

The Live Beam 3 are JBL's mid-range noise-cancelling stick earbuds with a touchscreen Smart Charging Case, suited to listeners who want LDAC, long battery life and controls on the case.

Type
In-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Battery
10 h
With case
–
Best codec
LDAC
Weight
5 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers agree these are packed with features, including the touchscreen case, and comfortable, with enjoyable sound that TechRadar found much improved. SoundGuys and TechRadar rate the noise cancelling below class leaders, What Hi-Fi? wanted more subtlety and dynamics, and SoundGuys warns the short nozzles may not seal in every ear.

From soundguys.com, techradar.com and whathifi.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Sound

Type
In-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Transparency mode
Yes
Driver size
10 mm
Bluetooth codecs
SBC and LDAC
Drivers
10 mm dynamic drivers; 20 Hz to 40 kHz; 16 Ω; sensitivity 98 dB SPL at 1 kHz; maximum SPL 96 dB
Noise cancelling detail
True Adaptive Noise Cancelling with four noise-sensing microphones that adapt in real time; auto compensation in the JBL Headphones app adjusts to fit and ear canal; Ambient Aware and TalkThru
Audio features
Hi-Res Audio Wireless with LDAC; JBL Spatial Sound; Personi-Fi 3.0; JBL announced LE Audio as a later over-the-air update; JBL doesn't list its other codecs (A2DP 1.4 includes SBC)

Battery

Listening time (maker's claim)
Up to 10 hours
Wireless charging
Yes
Battery life detail
Up to 12 hours per charge with noise cancelling off (48 hours with the case), 10 hours with noise cancelling on, 9 hours with True Adaptive noise cancelling on; talk time up to 6 hours (5 hours with noise cancelling on); 68 mAh per earbud, 680 mAh case
Charging case
Smart Charging Case with a 1.45-inch touchscreen (Bluetooth 5.1); USB-C and wireless charging; lanyard loop; full charge in 2 hours
Fast charging
10 minutes of charging gives up to 4 hours of playback

Design

Weight (each earbud)
5 g
Water and sweat resistance
IP55
Bluetooth
5.3
Two devices at once
Yes
Controls
Earbud gestures customisable in the JBL Headphones app; Smart Charging Case touchscreen controls playback, volume, EQ, noise cancelling and calls, and shows messages
Microphones
Six beamforming microphones for calls, with voice EQ and voice level optimiser
Fit and ear tips
Stick design with ear tips in several sizes (the spec sheet lists four sizes, the UK product page three)
Case weight
72 g (spec sheet; the UK product page lists 82 g)
Water resistance detail
IP55 for the earbuds
Works with
JBL Headphones app; multipoint connection to two devices; Google Finder and Google Audio Switch
Colours
Blue, Purple, Silver (JBL UK); Black also sold in some regions
In the box
Earbuds, ear tips, USB-C charging cable, charging case, warranty and safety sheets, Quick Start Guide

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Smart Charging Case with a 1.45-inch touchscreen for volume, EQ, noise cancelling, calls and messages without the phone
  • Up to 10 hours per charge with noise cancelling on, and 48 hours in total with the case with it off
  • LDAC, multipoint, wireless charging and IP55 earbuds

Cons

  • JBL doesn't publish the total with the case with noise cancelling on
  • LE Audio was promised as a later update rather than at launch

Closest rivals

Model
TypeNoise cancellingBatteryWith caseBest codecWeightReleased
Anker soundcoreP40i
In-earYes10 h50 hAAC–Feb 2024
BoseQuietComfort Earbuds
In-earYes8.5 h30 hAAC10.9 gSept 2024
GooglePixel Buds Pro 2
In-earYes8 h30 hAAC4.7 gSept 2024

Newer model: Live Beam 4.

Sources

  1. uk.jbl.com/LIVEBEAM3.html
  2. uk.jbl.com/on/demandware.static/-/Sites-masterCatalog_Harman/default/dw9668b5a9…
  3. news.harman.com/releases/jbl-unveils-the-future-of-audio-with-live-3-earbuds-se…
  4. whathifi.com/news/jbls-new-wireless-earbuds-are-smarter-than-your-average-airpo…
  5. whathifi.com/reviews/jbl-live-beam-3

Photo: uk.jbl.com

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