The 1.45-inch touchscreen on the charging case immediately caught my attention upon unboxing the Live Beam 3. By connecting to your phone, this screen allows users to view notifications about battery life, control music, adjust EQ, and even take calls directly from the case. This brings convenience, not unlike that of a smartphone.
In my experience, the JBL Live 3’s vibrant colors, quick response time, and lack of lag made the multifunctional screen a pleasure to use. Users can even set their favorite wallpaper on the headphone case, adding a personal touch.
Another plus is the compact design of the Live Beam 3. This is evident when compared to the JBL Tour Pro 2. As a result, I could easily carry the earbuds in my purse or backpack without taking up too much space.
Aside from the impressive screen, the case maintains a functional design with a Type-C port, a pairing button, and a lanyard hole. The build quality is excellent for its price range, with a satisfying snap when closing the lid and a strong magnet to keep it securely shut.
The earbuds’ housing is a stylish combination of matte and glossy plastics, with an IP55 rating for dust and water resistance. This means I can confidently wear them during workouts without worrying about sweat affecting their longevity. The Live Beam 3’s IP55 rating surpasses the IPX5 rating of the Tour Pro 2.
JBL has equipped the Live Beam 3 with three microphones on each bud, enhancing call quality. In my tests, the earbuds did an impressive job of capturing my voice clearly while effectively reducing background noise, including music and traffic.
Most importantly, the earbuds are comfortable to wear for extended periods. The touch controls are responsive, allowing for easy music playback control, track skipping, and access to virtual assistants. These touch commands can be customized within the My JBL Headphones app.
Additionally, the app offers a fit test to ensure optimal sound and comfort, customizable transparency and noise-canceling modes, and a handy feature for locating misplaced earbuds.
The JBL Live Beam 3 boasts Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, adaptive active noise cancellation, Hi-Res Audio certification, JBL Signature Sound, and 10mm drivers emphasizing bass response.
In terms of sound, the JBL Live Beam 3 delivers a balanced performance, handling various genres, from rock to pop and vocal-centric music, with ease. However, its strength lies in its bass-forward tuning, characteristic of JBL’s sound signature.
According to JBL, the Live Beam 3 offers up to 12 hours of battery life without ANC (active noise cancellation) and 10 hours with it engaged. Few premium wireless earbuds can match these figures.
Beyond the standard features, the Live Beam 3 boasts unique functionalities. Smart Talk mode automatically lowers the volume when you start speaking and restores it when you stop, ensuring a seamless and uninterrupted experience.
This feature worked flawlessly in my tests. With music playing, I didn’t have to worry about pausing it when someone spoke to me, as the earbuds intuitively adjusted the volume, creating a more natural and engaging interaction.
I often wore the Live Beam 3 earbuds to the gym, where the noise-canceling feature proved its worth. Without music playing, I could still hear the lively atmosphere of the gym. However, once I started my workout playlist, the outside world faded away, allowing me to focus on my routine and enjoy my music.
Overall, the JBL Live Beam 3 is an exciting wireless earbud option, offering a modern feel with its touchscreen case, a convenient and comfortable user experience, and impressive sound quality enhanced by smart features.
At a price point of around 4 million VND, JBL’s newest offering emerges as a strong competitor to the AirPods 3 and Marshall Minor IV.
