Are you in the market for a pair of true wireless earbuds with fantastic sound and won’t break the bank? If so, you may want to take a closer look at the JBL LIVE 300 TWS earbuds. Good thing you’re here because that is exactly what we are going to do in this JBL LIVE 300 TWS Review. So, let’s get started.
A Signature Sound
That little phrase gets tossed around a fair bit. But, in the case of JBL, it is the real deal. After all, the founder of JBL (James Bullough Lansing, hence the name JBL) created the Iconic System loudspeaker for movie theaters. This was the first two-way speaker with a woofer and a compression driver.
Furthermore, JBL created the first two-way studio monitor and introduced the first 100mm voice coil in a speaker cone. Also, the JBL D-130 15-inch transducer was so good, Leo Fender put those speakers in his amplifiers. In other words, when people talk about JBL’s “Signature Sound,” it’s a legit statement.
And the sound lives on today. JBL makes some serious, high-end, HiFi speakers found in movie theaters and sports venues throughout the world. But those are big old speakers; we’re talking about earbuds. So, we need to know if that signature sound can be found in a much smaller package.
Still going strong after 75 years
The good news is that the LIVE 300 earbuds deliver on the promise of JBL’s signature sound. Everything is balanced, accurate, and clear. There’s a good deal of warmth to the overall soundstage. Plus, they’ve paid attention to the lower frequencies without overpowering the high end. As a result, these are some of the best-sounding true wireless earbuds you can buy.
It is also nice to see these earbuds have a fair price for a high-quality sound profile. Additionally, you might be paying double the price for other earbuds with the same level of sound quality. For anyone who wants Bluetooth earbuds with great sound quality, who isn’t going to be overly active when using them, these are a great choice.
That said, there are a few reasons why the JBL LIVE 300 earbuds are priced under $200 but can still offer a signature sound.
(4.3 / 5)JBL LIVE 300 Build Quality
There is no denying that the internals of these little earbuds are top-notch in terms of quality. Each earbud houses a 5.6mm driver with a sensitivity of 96dB. Along with a nice wide frequency response range of 20Hz – 20kHz.
Furthermore, these are some of the best lightweight earbuds you can buy at only 0.5oz per earbud. So, they don’t cause fatigue, but there is a slight issue with comfort and fit. The housing is not very ergonomic, and people with large or small ears may struggle to get a comfortable fit. There are small, medium, and large-sized ear tips included along with SS, S, M, and L-sized wingfin enhancers.
Comfortable, but only for a while
However, the eartips and wingfins are made of silicone, which is not as comfortable nor as secure as memory foam or rubber, for that matter. Therefore these might not be a good option for extended periods of use.
On the plus side, they are sweat and water-resistant. That’s a good thing because your ears will get sweaty and hot wearing these earbuds. This is again related to the housing design. They just kind of get pushed into your ears. So, you’re giving up some degree of comfort to get that high-quality sound at this particular price range.
Connections and Calling
These are true wireless earbuds. That means there is no option to connect any kind of wire to the earbuds. They use Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity and are designed for fast pairing with Android devices. In fact, they are one of the best sounding Android Earbuds on the market. The flip side is that these are not great earbuds for an iPhone or iPad.
This is further evident by the inclusion of Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa compatibility, but not for Siri. But that is par for the course, it seems. Apple vs. Android is no longer limited to operating systems.
Loud and clear
These earbuds offer stereo calling so that you never miss a word of the conversation. Likewise, you can eliminate the majority of background noise thanks to TrueTalk technology. A simple touch, and you’re on the call without having to remove the earbuds.
Additionally, these earbuds feature Ambient Aware technology. This lets you choose between music immersion and isolation or focusing on the environment around you. And again, it only requires a simple swipe to select the sound mode you want.
Battery Life
Each earbud comes with a Lithium Polymer battery that can only be recharged using the carrying/charging case included. A full charge will give you six hours of continuous use, and it usually takes about two hours to fully charge these earbuds when they are on empty. A nice thing is the ten-minute quick charge that gives you one hour of playback time.
However, one issue I found was the power options for these earbuds. There isn’t one? The only way you can power off these earbuds is to put them in the charging case. Likewise, the only way to turn them on is to take them out of the case. Therefore, even if they are not paired to a device, they are still powered on, which could result in wasted battery power.
JBL LIVE 300 TWS Review – Pros and Cons
Pros
- Signature JBL sound.
- True Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.
- Sweat and water resistant.
- Up to 20 hours of battery life.
- Compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
- Ambient Aware and TalkThru technology makes calling easy.
- Fast-pairing with Android devices.
- Lightweight.
- Fair price point.
Cons
- Earbuds cannot be powered on/off without the charging case.
- Touch controls are sensitive.
- Not comfortable to wear for extended periods.
- Not a good option for Apple devices.
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JBL LIVE 300 TWS Review – Final Thoughts
JBL is known for the high-quality soundstage of their products. And the LIVE300 does not disappoint in that department. For the price, these are some of the best sound quality true wireless earbuds on the market. If you want a big sound in a small, lightweight package without any hassle from wires, these are for you.
However, those looking for more versatility might be a little disappointed, especially if you’re an Apple user. The LIVE300 earbuds are intended for Android users first and foremost. As a result, these earbuds don’t feature Siri compatibility. This may just be a sign of things to come, with all external devices, such as earbuds and speakers falling into either the Android or iOS camp.
Sound over Substance
This is what it all boils down to. The sound is JBL Signature Sound, and that’s tough to beat. But to get that level of audio quality in a compact housing and still offer a mid-range price point means something has to give.
For these earbuds, that means giving up versatility and convenience for the sake of the sound. You will have to decide which matters most to you.
Until next time, happy listening.