by You may know that JBL already had one stab at the futuristic idea of a charging case with a built-in screen with last year’s Tour Pro 2. But that originally cost over £200 and is slightly larger and bulkier than this new version. Like all of us at Digital Spy, I’m interested in new technology that feels a little space-age, so I was keen to try out the next demo buds.
Launching in mid-June, the new JBL Live 3 headphones (offered in Buds, Beam and Flex designs) are back with the smart charging case, but now in a slightly more compact and pocket-friendly design, and a design in much more pocket-friendly. price tag £150. It’s an innovative idea, but is it useful? I have been using them for just over a week to find out.
JBL Beam Live 3: Design and comfort
The first good news here is that these buds are tiny. Once the case is left, these 5g buds won’t weigh you down. They basically have the familiar AirPod-lookalike stem style, and I can confirm that they are comfortable enough to hold in for hours. I am usually one for the default size tips that come pre-attached for the best fit, which I confirmed with the handy fit test available through the app. Luckily, these come in four tip sizes, so I’m sure you’ll find one that suits you.
Beyond the buds themselves are, well. We will go into a little more depth than that below, but it is worth knowing that it is pocket and just a little more than most of the rival models. That’s not surprising given the screen, but it’s still worth knowing if you’re used to the 46g weight of a small pair of AirPods 2nd-gen in their case. Overall, the JBL Live Beam 3 weighs 81g in the case – I’ve seen and tried slightly heavier options but this is far from the lightest out there.
JBL Beam Live 3: Charging case
That screen had better be useful then, right? It will depend on how you use headphones, but I think this suits my routine well. I’m a fan of anything that keeps me from having to dig out my phone and wade through the dozens of audio apps on my device. This is, frankly, much easier.
From my first setup of the buds, where I solved the personalized listening test, the equalizer settings, the touch controls and the low-volume adaptive EQ (a welcoming setting that keeps the music sounding good without you having to turn it up) , I didn’t need to continually dive back into the settings to refine and tweak anything.
I can access my custom equalizer from the case, where I can also switch to “TalkThru” mode (a non-programmable chat transparency setting to touch input), turn the volume up and down, control playback and access the “Find My Balls” to find the one that will get lost between the sofa cushions.
If you are reading all this and still think it sounds like a gimmick, it is not for you. But I find it really useful to change these settings from case to case. I’ve connected these to multiple devices (thank you, Bluetooth multipoint) and it’s satisfying to tweak the controls without having to dig out my phone or touch gestures, especially if that’s not the device that’s playing music at that moment.
JBL Beam Live 3: Sound and noise cancellation
In-ear headphones are becoming very popular. It’s possible to get really impressive sound quality for under £100, especially now that there’s a competitor like the Nothing Ear (a). While there are buds I like better in terms of sound quality than the new JBL Live Beam 3, these deliver well-balanced, smooth and entertaining sound.
By default, the signature is a bit bassy with priority on the highs and lead instruments and vocals, but not in an unpleasant way. It will work great for pop, electronic, podcasts and soundtracks. I had the Dune and Challengers soundtracks on repeat while listening to Dua Lipa, Taylor Swift, Noah Kahan and Beyoncé.
These buds bring a lot of punch and dynamism to the music, and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. For me, the best feature here is how good they sound at low volume – I can keep them at 50% and still feel like I’m hearing all the key details with the adaptive low- that volume.
What about noise cancellation? They’re not up there with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds or the other best noise canceling headphones but they do a great job and do so reliably. I found that they were able to silence the loud rumblings of the London Underground when they hit around 85db, but an unexpected noise above 90db started to be quite noticeable to me. That’s not bad – noise at cruising altitude inside an airplane cabin is about 85db, so these will be a reliable companion on a trip.
The transparency is also good. You get two awareness modes, a simple ambient awareness mode that’s programmed to a tap of the left knuckle by default, and a separate “TalkThru” mode that you can access in the app or from the case.
Both work well – the ambient mode is good for keeping you aware of your surroundings without over-amplifying any external sounds. Meanwhile, I found myself able to chat with the barista at the local cafe while in TalkThru. Keeping these methods separate works, and more competitors should try this approach.
JBL Live Beam 3: Controls and app features
Regardless of the situation, you may want to control the buds with the touch controls on each earphone. These are reliable and responsive, but I’m not a big fan of the limitations of customization. You have to choose a scheme chosen by JBL, rather than having complete freedom to arrange them as you wish.
That means noise cancellation, playback and volume can’t be mapped to the on-bud control system at the same time, you’ll have to pick and choose them while setting them up in the app. It’s a small but significant frustration.
Speaking of the app, it’s absolutely packed with so many extras that we haven’t tried them all and we might not even be able to mention them all here. You can change everything about the call quality, sound equalizer, access relaxation sounds with a sleep timer, use the “Find my Alarms” feature and much more.
One of the features I appreciate the most is the “Personi-Fi” listening test, it’s easy to do and feels like it makes the sound reproduction a bit fuller and richer by adapting it to unique profile of your ears.
JBL Beam Live 3: Battery life
One of the best advantages of the JBL Live Beam 3 compared to others is that you will always know the battery life. No more interpreting dots on the case or remembering what different lights mean, every time you tilt the screen you’ll see the exact percentage of battery left in each bud and case. Even if you haven’t used all the other features of the little charging box, this one is quietly changing. I never felt like I didn’t know how much battery was left in these buds.
Does it have enough battery life? From my point of view, it’s pretty good. You’re getting a competitive 10 hours of playtime on a single charge with ANC off, which will reduce when noise cancellation or ambient awareness mode is turned on. At the moment, I don’t have those numbers from JBL, but I asked for them and will update this review when they become available.
Notably, it doesn’t feel like the case’s battery drains any faster than it does on competitors, even with the display, and the case should provide your buds with an extra 36 hours of life. Since you’ll probably be putting them back in for reloading all the time, this shouldn’t be a big issue. When it comes to recharging, you can charge them via a USB-C cable (where a quick 10-minute charge delivers four hours of playtime with ANC off) or pick them up on a wireless charging pad as well.
JBL Live Beam 3: Verdict
I think these are great buds with an innovative case, and I’m surprised they only cost £149.99, which is a lot lower than the $199.95 price tag first announced at CES 2024. They challenge much more expensive competitors expensive and packed full of extra features in the companion app and from the case. Of course, that case isn’t as compact as some cases, but it’s far from the biggest I’ve seen in my time testing headphones.
The sound is high quality and customizable, the battery life is solid, the ANC and transparency modes are all effective and they have wireless charging and a good water resistance rating. Some may see the case as a bit of a gimmick, but I found myself using it quite often. Overall, it depends on the buds but a little more futuristic, more useful and more personal.
JBL Live Beam 3: Other products to consider
Although the JBL Beam 3 is an excellent all-round pair; there are a few other options worth considering, especially if you don’t think you’ll be using the screen on the case.
The Soundcore Liberty 4NC is cheaper and cancels much more noise with its adaptive ANC, while the Nothing Ear and Nothing Ear (a) are more affordable, come in more compact charging cases and deliver great sound quality. If you want slightly more premium buds, it might be worth going for Apple’s AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) which have rich sound, high quality ANC and lots of Apple integration.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the best earbuds we’ve tested while writing, and they’re a great choice for flights, commuters, and the office. After a slightly more premium option with a JBL smart charging case? While we found the Tour Pro 2 case to be a bit more responsive to our taps, they are otherwise the same, so we recommend going for these newer buds as they have a slightly more compact case and just as many features.
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