JBL just announced its latest line of premium earbuds — the Live Buds 4, Live Beam 4, and Live Flex 4. These earbuds are all the same flagship earbuds with premium sound, strong ANC, AI-enhanced call quality, and sleek design.
But this doesn't really set them apart from AirPods Pro 3, Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, Sony WF-1000XM6, and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2. All those bigger-name earbuds do all that, too. So what makes the JBL Live series special? What sets it apart from the oversaturated earbud market?
The design. While AirPods Pro 3 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro are stem earbuds with a silicone tip, the AirPods 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 have no silicone tip — but also fewer features. The Sony XM6 and Bose QC Ultra 2 are stemless pebble earbuds, and you can't get them in any other style.
The Live 4 series isn't available yet, but it should launch any day now for an estimated MSRP of $199.
JBL said "Enough!" — and changed the game
Now, you can get flagship earbuds in whichever style you want. Want the best features but no silicone ear tip? Get the JBL Live Flex 4. These earbuds have the same hardware as the Beam 4 and Buds 4, but they don't have the silicone ear tips.
Previously, if you didn't want the silicone ear tip, you'd need to get the non-flagship model, like the AirPods 4 or Samsung Galaxy Buds 4. This means you'd miss out on "Pro"-level sound and smart features. For example, the AirPods Pro 3 can take your heart rate and live translate into the buds themselves — but AirPods 4 can't do this.
Of course, the Buds and Beam styles will inherently have better ANC than Flex. This is the nature of silicone ear tips — they create a seal that blocks sound waves. Without this, you won't be able to get that snug fit.
But all is not lost! A JBL representative confirmed to me that Flex have a different ANC algorithm from the Buds and Beam, which strengthens the noise-blocking signals to keep your music front and center, even in noisy environments.
I'm watching you, Sony, Apple, Bose, Samsung...
If JBL can do it, why can't Apple, Bose, Sony, and Samsung? Why must silicone-tip haters be forced to buy the cheaper line and miss out on premium features? Why must pebble earbud haters be forced to buy AirPods Pro 3 instead of Sony WFXM6?
Now that JBL's created the same line of earbuds with mostly the same specs, I'm waiting for everyone else to do it. Take a look at the specs below — you can really see how the entire line has the same features.
Of course, there are natural differences in battery life. This is because the Buds have less space for battery, and the Flex have a stronger ANC algorithm due to the lack of a silicone seal. But everything else? Identical.
JBL Live Buds 4 |
JBL Live Beam 4 |
JBL Live Flex 4 |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Style |
In-ear bud (No stem) |
In-ear stem (Silicone tip) |
Semi-open stem (No tip) |
Drivers |
10 mm Dynamic |
10 mm Dynamic |
12 mm Dynamic |
Noise Cancelling |
True Adaptive 2.0 |
True Adaptive 2.0 |
True Adaptive 2.0 |
Smart Case |
JBL Smart OS 3.0 |
JBL Smart OS 3.0 |
JBL Smart OS 3.0 |
Mics / Calls |
6-Mic + AI Algorithm |
6-Mic + AI Algorithm |
6-Mic + AI Algorithm |
Battery (ANC On) |
32 Hours Total |
40 Hours Total |
35 Hours Total |
Battery (ANC Off) |
40 Hours Total |
48 Hours Total |
50 Hours Total |
Speed Charge |
10 min = 4 hrs |
10 min = 4 hrs |
10 min = 4 hrs |
Durability |
IP55 |
IP55 |
IP54 |
Colors |
Black, Blue, Silver, Sand |
7 Colors (inc. Green/Purple) |
7 Colors (inc. Green/Purple) |
Now that JBL has changed the game, I want to see it everywhere. AirPods Pro 4 with pebble, stem, and stem + silicone tip. This level of versatility and choice is the future, and I want to live it now.
On top of all of this, you also get a touchscreen charging case that lets you choose ANC modes, EQs, skip tracks (while playing music), and check battery (without needing to connect to your phone). I'm so excited to try these earbuds out and review them.
Which kind of earbuds do you like? Personally, I'm a stem + silicone tip person. I have super small ears, so pebbles are a no-no for me, and I like the tight ANC seal.
More from Tom's Guide
- JBL has fixed the biggest problem with wireless headphones — the Tour One M3's USB-C transmitter has changed the game
- AirPods Pro 3 just got put on notice — JBL launches new premium earbuds that give Apple a run for its money
- You don't have to buy the most expensive Bluetooth speaker for awesome sound — here are my top picks under $30, $50 and $100
