JBL Live Beam 4 Review: Great Sound Meets a Clever Touchscreen Case

JBL is one of the few brands that has been innovating not only in earbuds but also in the charging case. The latest JBL Live Beam 4 is another example. The latest earbuds from the brand come equipped with a host of interesting features that put them in the league of premium wireless earbuds. Whether it's the touchscreen charging case, refreshed in-ear design, new 10mm drivers, Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC support, and more, the latest JBL earbuds are a compelling option, especially at a launch price of Rs. 24,999. That being said, does it make sense to invest in these earbuds? I have been using the JBL Live Beam 4 for quite some time, and here's what you need to know.

JBL Live Beam 4 Design and Features: Comfortable to Wear

• Charging Case Weight - 73g
• Earpiece Weight - 9.7g
• Water and dust resistance - IP55
• Colours - Black, Blue, Green, Silver, Orange, Purple and Sand

The JBL Live Beam 4 follows a similar design compared to its predecessor. You get the stem-style earbuds along with a smart charging case. However, the company has introduced some interesting colour options, including Orange, Black, Blue, Green, Sand, Silver, and Purple. I got the Orange colour option for the review, and it sure looks premium once you unbox it.

The JBL Live Beam 4 is available in different colour options.

The moment you pick up the case, you will notice the weight. The case weighs 82.7grams with earbuds, which is a bit heavy to carry around in your pocket. It is also larger than the competition, which is obviously a trade-off for the touchscreen display. When you open the lid, you will notice a rubberised-like material on the inside. The back of the case offers a button and a USB Type-C port along with Live Beam 4 branding.

The touchscreen panel lets you access multiple functions. You can control playback, volume, ANC modes, and EQ settings right from the screen. Also, a simple swipe up will reveal the tiles that display different information like battery levels, notifications, and the above-mentioned settings. The case also includes extras such as a timer, flashlight, Find My Buds and custom backgrounds. That sounds excessive on paper, but I found the screen handy for quick changes without opening the app.

The earbuds are quite lightweight to wear, though the charging case is bulky.

As for the earbuds, they have a stem-style design similar to other JBL products. Each bud has a glossy finish, with a strip-like design on the first half and JBL branding at the base. At around 4.9g per bud, they feel light in the ear, and the stem makes them easy to pick up and adjust without pushing the body deeper into the ear canal.

I found the fit comfortable over long listening sessions, and the supplied eartips provide enough choice to get a good seal. JBL rates the earbuds IP55 for dust and water protection, which also makes them suitable for workouts and outdoor use.

The JBL Live Beam 4 comes with IP55 rating, which makes them easier to wear during running or gym.

The earbuds also support touch controls. You can play or pause music, skip tracks, change noise-control modes and access the voice assistant from the buds themselves. You can also customise the touch controls in the JBL application, which is a big plus.

JBL Live Beam 4 App and Specifications: Easy-to-Use Interface

• Driver - 10mm dynamic drivers
• Companion App - JBL Headphones
• Gesture controls - Touch controls with customisable functions

You can access the full set of features by connecting the buds with the JBL Headphones application. The good thing here is that the app is available on both Android and iOS. The app interface offers almost all the features you need on the home screen. You can see the battery life of each earbud and the charging case, along with ANC controls, Smart Charging Case settings, and more in the General section. The Audio section shows all the EQ settings, Spatial Sound, and more. The Other section includes Relax Mode, Find My Buds, Power Saving, and Support.

The earbuds can be customised using JBL Headphones application, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

That said, the app offers a range of features to fine-tune your listening experience. I liked that the company offers a 10-band equaliser so you can customise it to your taste. The Personi-Fi 3.0 also personalises the sound based on an interactive hearing test.

In terms of features, the JBL Live Beam 4 offers plenty. The earbuds support Bluetooth 6.0. The buds also support SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 codecs. You also get multipoint connectivity, a 10mm dynamic driver, a 20Hz to 40kHz frequency response, six microphones, IP55 protection, wireless charging, and up to 48 hours of total battery life with the case.

JBL Live Beam 4 Performance and Battery Life: Punchy Sound, Dependable Battery

• Codec Support: SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3
• Charging - USB Type-C and wireless charging
• Bluetooth - Bluetooth 6.0 with multipoint connectivity
• Battery - Up to 12 hours with ANC off, up to 10 hours with ANC on and up to 48 hours with the charging case

Sound quality is the strongest reason to consider these earbuds. The 10mm drivers have a bass-forward character that does not bury other frequencies. I tested the earbuds with different genres, and overall performance was good for the asking price.

The earbuds are loaded with 10mm dynamic drivers that deliver punchy sound.

While listening to Daft Punk's Giorgio by Moroder, the earbuds offered plenty of low-end weight, while the spoken vocals and layered synths remained distinct. With The Eagles' Hotel California, the guitars had good separation, although the upper treble can sound slightly more forward. Billie Eilish's Birds of a Feather shows another strength, with warm vocals and controlled bass that works well at lower volumes.

As for ANC, the performance is decent, if not great. In indoor environments like an office, the earbuds cut down a lot of noise, like the air-conditioner hum, keyboard noise, and nearby conversations. On a busy road, however, traffic noise and louder voices still cut through.

The charging case can be used to control multiple functions, including ANC, music, volume, and more.

The adaptive noise-cancelling system does a reasonable job of adjusting to changing environments, but I found myself increasing the volume more often outdoors. Call quality is decent enough. In a quiet room, voices sound clear and natural, all thanks to the six microphones.

Next, battery life is one of the biggest strengths. JBL claims up to 12 hours with ANC off and 10 hours with ANC enabled. In my use, the earbuds comfortably handled a full workday with ANC and regular listening. The case extends total playback to 48 hours, while a quick 10-minute charge can deliver several hours of listening.

JBL Live Beam 4 Verdict

To conclude, the JBL Live Beam 4 gets the fundamentals right this time. The earbuds offer a premium design language, and the smart charging case improves on previous generations; it feels much smoother and more fluid than the Beam 3. The sound quality is apt for everyday use, and the customisation options make it even better for those who want to fine-tune their preferred listening experience. The battery life is also good, and you can easily get through the day with these buds without any trouble. That said, the ANC could have been better in my opinion, and so could the weight distribution of the case.

That said, the JBL Live Beam 4 are currently available for Rs. 17,999 on the official website, and during the upcoming e-commerce sale, you can get further discounts with bank offers and more, which makes it a much better deal than its original launch price of Rs. 24,999. As for competition, it will face stiff competition from the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro (Review), Sony LinkBuds Fit (Review), and others.