REVIEW: JBL Live Beam 3 offers a variety of customization options with premium quality

At the end of August, the JBL attracted attention by leveraging its portfolio of wireless headphones, with the launch of the Live 3 product catalog, including the Live Beam 3. But Is JBL Live Beam 3 good? The product can perform a function comparable to JBL Tour Pro 2? In this Showmetech article, we will do a JBL Live Beam 3 review detailed, going through all the main evaluative topics regarding the character of a wireless headset.

Design

Starting with the design, the JBL Live Beam 3 there is a robust construction and all in matte black (with four other color options on the market – white, gray, purple and blue), not being a discrepant model from other headphones with cases on the market, in terms of shape. There is a easy to open case which easily and quickly encompasses both headphones, with metal magnets fixed to the side of the headphones and the inside of the case.

Although it is thicker, the case is a good size to keep in your pocket, slightly heavy. To narrow my opinion even further, the size of the Live Beam 3 case is enough to notice its presence in your pocket and to pick it up more easily. Being the flagship to attract the public, touch screen coming with the charging case is also sturdy, with a size of 1,45 inches. Apart from the screen itself built into the Smart Charging Case, the headphones themselves have a similar construction to the case, with the same color and some LED strips on the sides, which are immediately activated when we remove the headphones from the case, indicating that they are on and have battery.

The Live 3 models are all in-ear, with the JBL Live Beam 3 possessing verticalized rods traditional headphone format (earbud style), ideal for better fit in the ear, and are lightweight and more prominent, not as compact and more noticeable. Of course, the aesthetic factor cannot be left out, adding an extra charm. It is worth mentioning that the headphone has certification water and dust resistance, which allowed me to listen to my favorite music and audiobooks in the shower. However, the fixation was not as efficient and its attached sensors are sensitive, changing easily from one time to the next.

With silicone wrapped around the sound output of the headphones, the Live Beam 3 It didn't leave me with ear pain and was comfortable for uses that go beyond more than 6 hours easily. In the product box, JBL provides four different adjustment sizes, preferred for each type of ear. In my case, I got the smallest size, having to make this change when I received the headphones.

Audio quality

Os 10mm drivers provide a frequency range of 20 Hz to 40 kHz in each earpiece JBL Live Beam 3 – and made a difference. Both in songs with more pronounced bass and more demanding high notes, the headphones' speakers do the job, with the highlight of this aspect being its balanced mid range. The sound Hi-Res can travel throughout the ear, providing an immersion that I had never experienced in a wireless headset, due to the subscription JBL Signature, present in other more premium devices from the company, which is characterized precisely by the combination of crystal clear highs and powerful bass.

Added to the options available directly on the case, where you can interleave modes to enjoy your music, such as the focus on bass, focus on vocals and studio quality, the Live Beam 3 can be multifaceted for the most diverse tastes, maintaining the same acoustic quality. With a sensitivity of 98 decibels, with a maximum SPL (Sound Pressure Level) of 96 dB, the headset stands out for its efficiency in measurement, being able to reproduce loud acoustic sounds with ease without being noisy, even more so without consuming a lot of electrical flow - with its impedance representing only 16 ohms, well below the 36 ohms of general headphones.

Despite your default audio signature to be very good and rich, I don't give much praise for this last point, as it is already a quality that I expected to test in the product, which still involves a certain investment taking into account its market price.

Noise cancellation

Along with the built-in screen on the headset's charging case and great mid-range performance, the JBL Live Beam 3 closes its main triad with its noise cancellation function. The four microphones with noise detection present in the headphones promote a true disconnection with the outside world, with generally loud and annoying noises coming from transport and traffic in São Paulo, such as buses and the subway, being extremely weak with this mode activated. Even the sound of an airplane flying overhead had a significant reduction with the mode activated. The noises of shopping mall movement and related noises go completely unnoticed.

Therefore, the noise cancellation do Live Beam 3 gains yet another powerful utility, besides the most natural and logical fact that you can listen to any music, podcast, audiobook or audio from the most diverse social networks, regardless of where you are: the powerful noise cancellation It was a great ally in moments that required a high level of concentration. Even without playing anything, the muffling was so powerful that it served to eliminate even the slightest distraction.

Another favorable point is the fast activation mode with a simple touch on the left earphone, combining the feature with the practicality. It is possible to activate the mode as well via Smart Case, being another agile path. However, I will not deny that there were days when the powerful noise canceling bothered me, leaving my pressed ear canal, as if my ear was blocked. I confess that I used and abused this resource, so don't be alarmed by this side effect right away.

Features and functionalities

The headset offers a versatility of functions and features, present both on the headset and, mainly, on the charging case with screen. In addition to the noise cancellation mentioned above, the JBL Live Beam 3 has two more modes of Ambient sound"Environment Aware” (Ambient Mode) and “TalkTrhu” (Conversation Mode).

No Environment Mode, pressing once on the left earphone, works like a normal earphone, allowing the sounds of the environment in which it is to be heard, with a little more artificial treatment. While the Conversation Mode, enabled by double-tapping the left earbud, muffles surrounding sounds, including the audio you are listening to at the time, identifying the sound coming from a conversation and making it predominate. There is a voice equalizer and a voice level optimizer for greater power in how these transmitter chatter noises are picked up by you, the receiver, further aiding in chat.

Next to Conversation Mode, it is possible to activate automatic pause, further optimizing the functionality of the six audio microphones present in the Live Beam 3. Once activated, through the smart case or by JBL Headphones app – in the latter, you can create even more specific call environment configurations with customizable sound and amplification levels, every time a conversation sound is picked up more vehemently, your audio playing stops automatically. For me, this feature wasn't that useful in my day-to-day life, but it works to a certain extent. latency of about 10 to 15 seconds.

Another extremely interesting point is the Equalizer. With a menu specifically designed for this purpose in the charging case, the user can configure what they listen to with pre-defined modes. As JBL has been associating its products and their social value with music, as seen in the company's recent marketing campaigns, in the Equalizer, there is six distinct options that change the way audio is captured in your headphones, especially music.

The modes present are “Jazz”, with a greater focus on wind instruments and pianos; “Bass”, as the name suggests, prioritizes chords more focused on the bass; “Extreme Bass”, for lovers of deeper and richer sounds; “Club”, incorporating a more danceable and electronic style of music, drawing more elements from electronic instruments; “Studio”, with a more controlled quality, without pops, as if listening directly from a recording studio; and “Vocal”, with an attenuation of the vocal chords of the song.

With all these possible models, the JBL Live Beam 3 becomes a headset specialized for music lovers – and for even the professionals in the field, serving as a crucial tool for studying singers and bands that inspire them, for example. According to my analysis of the headset, it was the most fun thing I did, being able to notice elements that I didn't pay attention to with other headsets and, even, headphones, previously.

Despite the strong statement about being a headset specialized in music consumption, the Spatial Sound do JBL Live Beam 3 diversifies audio quality for other entertainment media, with modes aimed at Cinema e Videogames. The first one pulls out more sounds that are usually quieter, while the last one makes the sound more detailed and accentuates the audio that is playing. These are good qualifications that, in a way, add value, but they did not present a huge result, at least for me.

Finally, we list a table that will be essential for future buyers, listing the simple gestures of the headset, as already configured in the box.

Application

O JBL Headphones app equip the JBL Live Beam 3 in a matter of seconds, which offers a range of more customizable features for the case and the earphones, which positively shocked me. Although the smart charging case meets most of the application's needs, at least for more casual users, the latter gains a more special importance, being able to control the earphone's Equalizer and its acoustic feedback in more depth and, mainly, change settings for the case and extra features.

Starting with gestures, the last factor discussed in the topic above. In the application, there is the option to change the control type on each headset in the app, but not the gesture. While both earphones, in the default configuration, allow you to make and end calls by pressing both earphones separately, in the app, for example, you can limit it to just one side. Just as you can include new functions or change the gesture to a “press and hold”, an action that, at least, is not configured.

Another great point is that the user can control your EQ, programming the way you enjoy the headset's sound reproduction technology to your taste and needs. You have six presets saved in the app or you can create a custom one with 10 bands between 32 Hz and 16 kHz. Powerful noise cancellation can be adjusted to suit your environment.

It is worth highlighting two extra features in the app that could be included in the case: Relax Mode, with sounds saved from elements of nature, in the style ASMR, with a time that can be adjusted to hours; and a way to turn off the case, which is not efficient, as well as its time with the screen on. Of course there should be a distinction between the features available in the app and in the case, but I believe that if they released most of the features directly on the access screen of the case, they could have released more and, thus, played the app in a more strict and “professional” way.

Connectivity

O JBL Live Beam 3 comes with Bluetooth 5.3 in yours headphones and a 5.1 version to your smart charging case. Its range respects the 10 meters distance from the general and TWS device, being noticeable that the audio, most of the time, cuts out at this distance, especially in narrower rooms at home. Overall, the Live Beam 3 It seems to have been made mainly to go with you wherever you go.

In the device, there is a technology of Multipoint Connection, capable of equipping your JBL Live Beam 3 on various devices, be it a tablet, cell phone or computer. This feature once again elevates the product as one of the most practical on the market, to the point where I can listen to music on my cell phone and, at the same time, receive sound alerts emitted by my PC, which is also equipped with the Live Beam 3.

His reconhecimento It's fast on mobile, both by Android how much for iOS. Your connectivity with the Google and its services, such as Audio Switch and Find My Device, are positive points in the tangle, most beneficial for Android users.

battery and case

About the battery, the JBL promises that the Live Beam 3 can handle it up to 12 hours of playback, the headphones, and the charging case up to 36 hours of battery life autonomously. I was able to use it for up to a week and a half my headset without the need for charging, using, on average, a few 3 hours daily. It is worth remembering that the headset held more energy than the case itself, since it serves to charge the headphones.

The maximum duration I had from the case without charging assistance was 5 days, with the significant energy transfer from the case to the earbuds – which on one hand is good because of the fast charging, and on the other hand is bad because of the equally fast battery drain on the Smart Case, thus not counting on the adjustments available on the case. It's up to you what weighs more on the scale for you. The record time of active use of the headset, with noise cancellation activated, was 6 hours, with about 50-60% battery remaining.

Finally, the USB-C headset charging is extremely fast, matching what the company promised up to 2 hours of full case charging. 10 minutes of charging really provided a battery charge for the case, and consequently for both headphones, sufficient for another 4 hours of use.

Talking more about the Smart Charging Case, it is very complete and practically eliminates the need for you to download the JBL Headphones app, with the most demanding users being limited to using the app for some more professional and specific touches. At the top of the screen, which is quite large and has excellent color resolution and sharpness, you can see the battery data for both headphones, as well as the battery of the case, a notification if it is connected to any device via Bluetooth (and how many) and the time.

With slides on the touch screen – which is not that smooth, making it a little difficult to handle – the user has at his disposal 14 adjustment modes: Play/Pause of the audio you are listening to; device volume, which can be increased (the maximum possible is 12) and decreased (with the minimum being 0) directly from the case; the modes of Ambient sound, Spatial Sound e Equalizer; Timer, which measures from 5 to 60 minutes; Flashlight; Adjusting screen and microphone brightness; Headphone location; languages; and activation of automatic pause.

Among the highlights is the way of location of individual headphones, in which as soon as it is pressed, the headphones sound a loud, high-pitched alarm. In general, all of its modes were useful to me and make sense to be in the case in its first configuration, also being possible change the present resources in the case directly by JBL Headphones app, making it more relevant to your choice and more your style.

However, one must take a extra care with the case, after all, the IP55 certification for water and dust protection is only for the headset, which can be fragile against bad weather.

Price and availability

O JBL Live Beam 3 has been available for sale in Brazil since its official launch at the end of August. The price you find on the official JBL website is offering R$1.099,00, but nowadays, you can more easily find the same model, with its three different colors, at a cheaper price – between R$927 and R$989.

• Buy for R$927,00 on Mercado Livre
• Buy for R$ 967,00 on Amazon 
• Buy for R$949,00 at Fast Shop 

Conclusion

After all, the Is JBL Live Beam 3 good? Given its complete features of its Smart Case and great acoustic quality of the headphones, the Live Beam 3 is excellent e beats many premium models more expensive than him. Much of what I saw present in Live Beam 3 I would find it in similar products that would cost more than R$1.400, such as JBL's own Pro Tour 2.

Therefore, I consider the JBL Live Beam 3 as one of the wireless headphones most cost-effective available today. If you can't stop consuming music or content in audio format, Live Beam 3 is very acoustically pleasing and becomes versatile – with Equalizer and Spatial Sound features – and dynamic, with restricted and specific gestures on each earphone, without contaminating dozens of gestures that could cause interference or confusion for the user.

Another point of huge concern is precisely its extremely powerful and efficient noise cancellation, as one of the best devices with such technology to purchase. The Smart Charging Case is complete, like a mini-phone for your headset, complete, compact and resistant.

Just like negative point, stands out the smart charging case battery, which transfers a lot of energy to the headphones and loses, in more lasting terms, its main advantage of being a complete tool adjacent to the headphones; alarm that is configured to the case when you are with low battery, which sounds repetitive and takes a long time to be deconfigured; and the more “rigid” touch-screen, in which, sometimes, it had difficulty accepting the sliding command.

Technical Specifications

See also:

Text revised by Alexandre Marques in 16 / 10 / 2024.

Source: JBL.