The JBL Live Beam 3: A TWS Earphone With More Than Meets the Eye
The JBL Live Beam 3 truly wireless stereo (TWS) earphones burst onto the Indian market last month, boasting an impressive array of features. These flagship earphones mark JBL’s first foray into the integrated display arena in India. While the JBL Tour Pro 2, JBL’s first TWS with a display, was unveiled in international markets earlier in 2023, it never made its way to India. But the Live Beam 3 doesn’t just offer a fancy display; it features innovative LDAC support for the first time in JBL’s TWS lineup, alongside active noise cancellation (ANC), True Adaptive Noise Cancellation, and spatial audio support. This all comes wrapped up in an IP55 rating for dust and splash resistance. With a price tag of Rs. 24,999 (although listed at Rs. 13,999 on the JBL website), the Live Beam 3 is certainly enticing, but are its features worth the hype? Let’s dive into the details.
JBL Live Beam 3 Design and Features: More Than a Pretty Face
The JBL Live Beam 3 boasts an in-ear form factor with a curved stem. The earbuds sport a matte finish, making them feel premium. However, the back of the stem dons a glossy finish around the JBL branding for a touch of contrast. The box includes four sizes of silicone ear tips, and I was able to find a comfortable fit. At 5g per earbud, they’re fairly lightweight, and I haven’t experienced any discomfort even after prolonged use.
The charging case is a soapbox-style front-open case with a shimmery finish. Surprisingly, it doesn’t attract fingerprints. My review unit arrived in Blue, but you can also find it in Black and Silver. At 72g, the case feels a little hefty and might take some getting used to. It’s also thicker than most conventional TWS cases, measuring 30.25mm, making it slightly bulky in a pocket. This thickness was an initial concern, and even after three weeks of use, it’s still not my favorite aspect.
The earbuds offer gesture controls, enabling you to trigger commands by tapping the stem. You can configure single-tap, double-tap, and tap-and-hold controls through the companion app, but you’re limited to choosing controls in groups such as ambient sound control, volume control, and playback control. There aren’t any options to assign specific functions to each action.
Now, let’s address the "elephant in the room": the 1.45-inch touch screen display on the charging case. This display provides access to numerous settings for the earbuds, including:
- Playback controls
- Volume setting
- ANC
- Spatial sound
- Equalizer
- And more
While the sliding gesture isn’t the most sensitive, requiring multiple tries to get to the desired setting, this can be frustrating given the horizontal scrolling layout. The display duplicates features already available in the companion app, leading some to question its necessity. However, I found the display to be quite useful in practice. I frequently used the case to adjust the equaliser and ANC while using other apps on my smartphone, saving a lot of time and hassle switching back and forth.
Beyond this simple convenience, the display shines in other unexpected scenarios. For example, I use my TWS with my smart TV for late-night binge-watching. The case display allowed me to adjust the equaliser and spatial audio without needing to interact with my phone at all. Even when paired with my work laptop, I was able to access all the features without installing the JBL Portable app for PC, which would have required admin permissions. Essentially, if you appreciate having a remote control for your earphones independent of any other device, you’ll find this display invaluable. It’s more than just a “party trick,” it’s a functional and practical addition.
JBL Live Beam 3: App and Specifications
The JBL Live Beam 3 is compatible with the JBL Headphones app on both Android and iOS devices. This app acts as your central hub for customizing sound modes. After pairing the TWS, the app displays the battery percentage of each earbud and the charging case. It then splits into three sections: General, Audio, and Others.
General – This section houses the Ambient Sound Control, allowing you to turn on and switch between ANC, Ambient Aware (transparency mode), and Talk Thru modes. The Talk Thru mode acts as an enhanced transparency mode, automatically pausing media playback when it detects the user speaking. You also find the customization settings for the charging case display, enabling you to change wallpapers, select feature shortcuts to display, and adjust the brightness.
Audio – This section features the High-Resolution Audio mode (which activates LDAC support), equaliser, spatial audio modes, and Personi-Fi. Personi-Fi is a clever feature that conducts a sound profile test to determine your optimal hearing levels, then adjusts the sound output accordingly. I noticed a noticeable improvement in bass and mids after activating this feature. Additionally, this section offers options for left and right sound balance, a max volume limiter, and a Private Call Mode that allows you to use one earbud as a microphone by detaching it from your ear and holding it in front of your face.
- Others – This section hosts options to locate the earbuds, activate power saving mode, and play relaxing sounds.
In terms of specifications, the JBL Live Beam 3 is equipped with 10mm dynamic drivers and integrates JBL’s Spatial Sound technology. It supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs for audio and uses Bluetooth 5.3 for the earbuds and Bluetooth 5.1 for the charging case. Multipoint connectivity and an IP55 rating for dust and splash resistance further enhance its capabilities. Each earbud houses a 68mAh battery, while the charging case packs a 680mAh battery.
JBL Live Beam 3: Performance and Battery Life
The JBL Live Beam 3 boasts three ANC modes. My experience has been that noise reduction is above average but not the most powerful. Indoors, it can effectively block out most ambient noise, like AC units, ceiling fans, or even the TV in the next room. However, some noise might still seep through. Outdoors, the performance is a little less impressive. While it can manage loud vehicle noises and sounds of nearby people, you’ll still be able to hear some muffled noise. If you’re seeking more powerful ANC earphones, options like the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are worth considering.
When it comes to sound quality, the JBL Live Beam 3 delivers an impressive listening experience. The Harman fine-tuning is evident, and as with most JBL products, it has a bass-heavy sound signature. From the punchy beats of Kendrick Lamar’s "Not Like Us" to the soothing guitar strums of The Eagles’ "Hotel California," the audio quality is top-notch. Vocal-heavy tracks like "Bust Your Windows" by Jazmine Sullivan and "Houdini" by Eminem showcased the earphones’ prowess, although I would have liked the higher pitches to be a bit more prominent.
However, this experience was based on standard music streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music. When I switched to lossless music from Tidal and used the LDAC codec, the difference was truly noticeable. For instance, in "Swimming Pools (Drank)" by Kendrick Lamar, the separation between low and high frequencies became more distinct, and the panning vocals between ears created a truly immersive soundstage.
While the audio performance is impressive, it’s crucial to remember that these are TWS earphones and cannot match the capabilities of a wired headphone in the same price range. However, unless you’re a serious audiophile, this shouldn’t be a major concern.
Typically, I’m not a fan of microphone quality in TWS earphones. The voice often sounds artificial, and there’s always a fear of ambient noise interfering with your voice. The JBL Live Beam 3 possesses a unique feature where one earbud can be used as a microphone by detaching it from the ear and holding it close to your face. While this works, the performance is not exceptional. In indoor settings, calls and meetings are audible, but the quality drops significantly outdoors.
I found the JBL Live Beam 3’s battery performance to be quite impressive. The company claims 12 hours of playback time with ANC off and 10 hours with ANC on. In my experience, I consistently achieved 7 to 8 hours of playtime with ANC and upwards of 9 hours with ANC off. The sound level was maintained between 50% and 60%. A full charge from zero to 100% takes roughly two hours, with support for both quick charging and wireless charging.
JBL Live Beam 3: Verdict
After using the JBL Live Beam 3 for almost a month, I believe its unique selling proposition (USP) lies in versatility. At Rs. 14,999, you might not be getting the most powerful ANC in the market or the most balanced sound profile. However, what you get is a variety of options to customize the listening experience. The charging case display allows you to adjust the audio settings without needing your smartphone, making it more convenient for situations where reaching your phone is difficult. This also facilitates optimizing spatial audio, Personi-Fi audio, or activating LDAC codec support. You can also use the equaliser’s six presets or create your own to find your perfect audio zone.
JBL has thrown a kitchen sink of features into these earphones, creating a versatile device that lets consumers personalize their audio experience and usage habits.
However, if you’re seeking earphones with strong ANC capabilities, a specific sound profile, or a more compact charging case, the Live Beam 3 might not be the best choice for you.
