Hi-Res audio, up to 40 hours of battery life, adaptive active noise cancellation and a charging case with integrated display. The JBL Live Buds 3 come with a packed feature set. Our test clarifies whether the earbuds are convincing and what they have to offer in terms of sound.
Technical data
| The product | Live Buds 3 |
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth codecs | AAC, SBC |
| Maximum operating range | 12m (without obstacle) |
| Battery life |
|
| Charging time | 1.5 hours (for charging case via USB-C or wireless) |
| Size of charging case (H x W x D) | 61 mm x 51 mm x 30.8 mm |
| Weight | 4.6 g per earbud; 73 g charging case & earphones |
| Most important functions | ANC; Transparency mode; Wear detection; Multipoint; Case with touchscreen |
| Price | € 199.99 * |
JBL Live Buds 3 review: design and workmanship
With the JBL Live Buds 3, the manufacturer is launching small and lightweight earbuds. This is already evident in the charging case, which at 61 mm x 51 mm x 30.8 mm is pleasantly handy. It is significantly narrower, but higher than the Nothing Ear (our test), for example.
The earbuds themselves are also somewhat lighter at 4.6 grams each and come with a stylus-free look. JBL combines the pleasantly discreet, light grey and matt appearance with silver-colored accents, which makes for a stylish look.
With their silver-colored plastic design, the Live Buds 3 don’t look quite as high-quality at first glance as the price would initially suggest. However, the workmanship did not provide any real points of criticism. The earbuds themselves are also IP55-certified, which protects them against the ingress of water and dust.
In addition to the Live Buds 3, the JBL Live 3 series also includes the Live Flex 3 and Live Beam 3. All three models differ in terms of sound, ANC and battery life. The Buds 3 offer the most complete package.
Smart charging case and operation
A special feature of the JBL Live Buds 3 is of course the charging case, known as the “Smart Charging Case”, which features a 1.45-inch touchscreen. And this proves to be really useful in practice, as almost all of the earbuds’ settings can be made directly on the case. The case is the same for the entire Live 3 series.
Playback control, volume adjustment, switching between ANC and transparency mode, equalizer and surround sound. All of this can be adjusted via the compact touchscreen, which allows very accurate operation despite the low frame rate. You can even customize the screensaver and add your own photos.
To prevent accidental input errors, the charging case is unlocked using a slide mechanism. All options are then available for scrolling through.
The practical thing is, of course, that the case implements all the options that are normally found in the smartphone app. This is of course also available in the form of the JBL Headphones app. But the ability to set everything directly via the case is of course extremely practical.
The display is even able to show notifications from the smartphone. Anyone who thinks that such a screen has a noticeable impact on battery life can breathe a sigh of relief: even after a weekend, the battery level of the case was only reduced by three percent (without charging the earbuds).
As mentioned, the JBL Headphones app is used for further operation. And it doesn’t miss any settings either. There is even a test for the ideal fit, as well as individual equalizers and a sound test for personalized sound.
The clearly laid out app proves to be very practical, but can be almost completely replaced by the Smart Case after the initial setup. Only the sound test and individual equalizer have to be initiated via the app. The rest, including ANC control or surround sound, also works via the charging case.
Volume control is the only standard feature that cannot be implemented directly via the earbuds. However, it is possible to adjust the controls in the app – and thus also regulate the volume.
However, other functions have to be sacrificed. This is because the touch control cannot be configured completely freely. Only in groups such as playback control or ambient noise control.
In other words, if you want to adjust the volume on the buds, you don’t have to switch between ANC and transparency mode or playback control. Stupid.
Wearing comfort and features
In my opinion, the wearing comfort of the JBL Live Buds 3 is excellent. This is not only due to the pleasantly low weight of the earbuds, but also to the successful, rounded shape.
The earbuds are around 22 mm long and rounded at all corners, which means they fit comfortably in the ear and don’t pinch even after several hours of use. At the same time, they sit firmly enough to prevent them from slipping even during intensive sport. Of course, wearing comfort is a very individual matter, so JBL also includes silicone ear inserts in different sizes with the earbuds so that everyone can find the perfect shape.
In terms of features, the JBL Live Buds 3 also leave nothing to be desired. They use the modern Bluetooth 5.3 standard and offer an impressive range. The 10 mm drivers cover a high-resolution frequency response of 20 Hz to 40,000 Hz – but it’s a shame that JBL doesn’t provide the Buds with high-resolution Bluetooth codecs. Unfortunately, this leaves AAC and SBC.
Apart from that, everything else is included. Mono mode, wear detection for automatic pause and playback or Bluetooth multipoint for pairing with two sources simultaneously. It’s all there.
Full battery life: the strength of the JBL Live Buds 3
The greatest strength of the JBL Live Buds 3 is undoubtedly the battery life, which is in no way inferior to the competition. Up to 10 hours are possible with active noise suppression deactivated, which is very good, but by no means outstanding.
However, the runtime with ANC activated is, because here the Live Buds 3 are on a par with the top in-ear models with up to 8 hours. Only the Melomania 100 (our test) lasts even longer at 10 hours.
The charging case then adds another 30 hours of runtime, so that you are prepared for a total of 40 hours. the case can also be charged wirelessly using the Qi standard. However, there is no fast charging function.
Audio quality, ANC and microphones
Fortunately, the sound quality of the JBL Live Buds 3 does not have to be significantly compromised, as the sound quality is at a really good level – although other products in this price range tickle even more out of the music.
Nevertheless, the buds impress with a high level of detail, especially in the mids and a pleasantly precise bass response. However, the earbuds are noticeably lacking in airiness in the treble range, which means that the sound is much narrower and more compressed than is the case with the Nothing Ear, for example.
In terms of sound, what JBL delivers here is really good to very good across the board. Both rich electro beats and atmospheric sounds through to heavy metal planks from Scandivaniven come across well here. Personally, however, I miss the liveliness in the sound that I am normally used to in this price range.
I like the aforementioned Nothing Ear much better here, as they produce a rounder, more colorful and at the same time airier sound. Even if they tend to be slightly exaggerated in the highs, which is not the case with the JBL Live Buds 3.
The active noise suppression is also quite good and works adaptively. In other words, it adapts to the ambient noise in real time. However, if you don’t like this, you can also deactivate the adaptive function and set the ANC itself to a total of seven levels.
I would say the quality is slightly below the level of the Nothing Ear, while muffled noises in particular are suppressed very well. Sony and Bose are noticeably better at sealing out noise. A slight background noise is always perceptible.
In contrast, the transparency mode (Ambient Aware) delivers a somewhat unrealistic aquarium sound in which the ambient noises do not correspond to the real image. It fulfills its purpose, but nothing more. There is also a Talk Thru mode, which suppresses the ambient noise a little more, but brings voices more into focus. This works really well for conversations, but here the sound is even more distorted.
Average microphone quality
JBL has equipped the Live Buds 3 with a total of six microphones with ambient noise suppression. This should also effectively block out wind noise.
While this works quite well in practice in louder environments, the microphone quality is still only mediocre. Here you can clearly hear how the Alorightmen affect the sound. Quieter tones or the beginnings and ends of sentences in particular are often swallowed up. The voice also lacks the detail and clarity needed to be truly convincing.
JBL Live Buds 3 microphone test recording:
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 microphone test recording:
Huawei FreeBuds Pro 3 microphone test recording:
The performance is absolutely sufficient for the odd phone call, but not enough for much more.
JBL Live Buds 3 test: Conclusion
The JBL Live Buds 3 deliver an absolutely well-rounded overall package. The earbuds score particularly well with the innovative smart case, which offers a surprising amount of added value with its compact touchscreen and, after initial setup, makes the use of the smartphone app almost superfluous.
I also really liked the appealing design and the high level of wearing comfort during the test. In terms of sound, the buds also cut a good figure with amazingly rich bass and detailed mids. However, I personally find the treble range clearly lacking in spatiality, where other (sometimes cheaper) earbuds deliver a livelier, airier sound.
The ANC is at a good level, while the battery life in particular is more than impressive. What I don’t completely like, however, is the operating concept. Although some functions can be assigned alternatively, they can only be assigned in groups and not completely freely. In the end, the result is positive, but it doesn’t really stand out from the crowd in any area.
JBL Live Buds 3
Workmanship
Wearing comfort
Sound quality
Recording quality
Equipment
Price-performance ratio
88/100
Impressive in-ear headphones with a practical charging case and display that deliver good sound and an impressive battery life. However, ANC and operation fall noticeably short.
