JBL has launched its new Live 4 series of headphones, with three new pairs available from May 12, 2026.
The new models include: the JBL Live Buds 4, which are a pair of compact in-ear headphones; the JBL Live Beam 4, a pair of stemmed in-ear headphones; and the JBL Live Flex 4, which are semi-open stem headphones. Each of them arrived approximately two years after their Live 3 series predecessors.
JBL’s Live earbuds are known for one thing above all: their touchscreen-equipped charging cases. On previous models, this has allowed users to quickly adjust ANC, EQ, volume, and more. And JBL has revamped its Smart Charging Case software and equipped the Live 4 models with more features, controls and customization options than ever.
But will this be enough to help JBL rival some of the best headphones from big brands like Apple and Sony? Well, I’ve seen the new Live 4 series for myself and I could see that some of the additions were a big hit – here’s what you can expect from JBL’s new headphones.
Building on success
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When we tested the JBL Live Beam 3 in 2024, they left a great impression on us. Thanks to its impressive sound quality, plentiful battery life, and fun, feature-packed case, we give that model a high rating of 4.5 stars.
And it really looks like its successor, the Live Beam 4, along with the new Buds and Flex versions, build on a lot of the things we already love.
First of all, let’s return to the case of the touch screen. Although I have yet to test the Live 4 series in depth, I was pleased to see that the smart charging case comes with a new user interface (UI) along with a larger display on JBL’s newest earbuds.
Sure, some would say the screen is a bit gimmicky, but it provides instant access to customization tools, whereas normally you’d have to pull out your phone and search for the JBL headphones app. As someone with too many audio apps on my phone, I can certainly see the appeal.
JBL has also updated the sound of its Live series, with the new headphones equipped with “new fidelity drivers” that, according to the audio specialist, are “carefully tuned for deeper bass and clearer sound.” Although JBL has employed new drivers, they are still 10mm dynamic in the Buds and Beam, and 12mm dynamic in the Flex.
Another area that has been improved is call quality. The Live 4 series models use six microphones with new “Perfect Call 2.0” technology, which combines a windproof design with an artificial intelligence algorithm for clear quality. Some of the microphones are also used for noise cancellation, which has also been improved according to JBL.
However, one thing that largely remains the same is the battery life. With the charging case, JBL claims the Buds 4 will provide up to 32 hours with ANC on and 40 hours without; that the Beam 4 can last 40 hours with active noise cancellation and 48 hours without it; and that the Flex 4 will deliver 35 hours with ANC on and 50 hours without it. This is similar to what we saw in the previous generation, but it’s still impressive across the board, especially considering rivals like Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 only offer 24 hours with the charging case.
The Live 4 series is available in a variety of colors, including black, blue, silver, champagne, green, purple, and orange. They are priced at £179.99 / €199 (around $245 / AU$340). I’ll be reviewing each of the new models in the coming weeks to see if they’re really worth the money, so keep your eyes peeled for all my thoughts.
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