JBL - Live Beam 3 vs Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2
Between the Live Beam 3 and QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2, the Live Beam 3 comes out ahead in battery — buds / battery — with case, while the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 wins on several specs. Overall, the Live Beam 3 scores 76.1 and the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 scores 58.4 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Live Beam 3 is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 17.7 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the Live Beam 3 if your top frustration with your current device is running out of charge before the day ends — endurance is the lead spec here. The biggest gaps in its favor are battery — buds, battery — with case, driver size, among others.
The QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable active noise cancellation, spatial audio, multipoint, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Live Beam 3 is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why JBL - Live Beam 3 wins
- ▲Battery — buds — 100.00% more. 12 h vs 6 h.
- ▲Battery — with case — 100.00% more. 48 h vs 24 h.
- ▲Driver size — 7.53% more. 10 mm vs 9.3 mm.
- ▲Weight per bud — 0.80 g less. 5.4 vs 6.2.
- ▲Water resistance: IP55 (vs IPX4).
Why Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | JBL - Live Beam 3 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | stemlead | in-ear |
| Weight per bud | 5.4 glead | 6.2 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP55lead | IPX4 |
Audio
| Spec | JBL - Live Beam 3 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Driver sizeⓘ | 10 mmlead | 9.3 mm |
| Active noise cancellationⓘ | true | true |
| Transparency mode | true | true |
| Spatial audioⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | JBL - Live Beam 3 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery — buds | 12 hlead | 6 h |
| Battery — with case | 48 hlead | 24 h |
| Wireless case chargingⓘ | true | true |
Connectivity
| Spec | JBL - Live Beam 3 | Bose - QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetoothⓘ | 5.3 | 5.4lead |
| Codecs | LE Audio,LC3,AAC,SBC | aptX Adaptive,AAC,SBC |
| Multipointⓘ | true | true |
| In-ear detection | true | true |
Frequently asked
Which has longer battery, Live Beam 3 or QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2?+
Live Beam 3 lasts 12h per charge vs 6h.
Do Live Beam 3 or QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2 support multipoint?+
Both support multipoint pairing.
Which has ANC, Live Beam 3 or QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2?+
Both models have active noise cancellation.
Spec-level deep dives
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