Ingress protection ratings refer to the rating of protection given by a casing, against dust and water. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value represents protection against solids such as dust, followed by the one that refers to protection against liquids (water).
Scoring IP54, the JBL Wave Beam's rating for solids indicates that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second value of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes. In comparison to the JBL Wave Beam, Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a rating of IPX4 meaning that
no data available to specify a protection rating
and that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
JBL Wave Beam have a weight of 8.8g . We prefer a lower weight better because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), at 8.56g
are lighter than the JBL Wave Beam by -0.24g
For a device to be true wireless it must have no wires linking any part of the device together, JBL Wave Beam are true wireless for this matter since they have no wires. This is an important difference since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the two earbuds .
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) also is true wireless because it doesn't have cables connecting the two earbuds .
JBL Wave Beam have sweat resistance
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s resistance to sweat makes both devices fit for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc
JBL Wave Beam have stereo speakers, what this means is that JBL Wave Beam's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, creating a richer sound and a better listening experience. Both Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) and JBL Wave Beam have stereo speakers
ANC makes use of more advanced kind of tech to reduce unwanted ambient sounds.
How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving zero hence "diluting" the noise.
JBL Wave Beam have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background noise.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have ANC making either of the earbuds ideal for flights and morning travels. The JBL Wave Beam and Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for travel or that enhances your relaxation time. The JBL Wave Beam stay tightly in place, creating a sound seal that reduces background noise well as preventing the earbuds voice audio from leaking out at the same.
Both Apple AirPods (3rd Gen), and JBL Wave Beam have passive noise reduction which means that they limit ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out. JBL Wave Beam have a unit size of 8mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size determines the loudness of the earbuds.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter,
making them have a larger driver unit than that of JBL Wave Beam by 3mm
, as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers find it difficult to produce high frequencies so yes, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better quality sound. The JBL Wave Beam's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device produces low frequencies that can be heard, and if it alters the signal while at it.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this implies that
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) can produce a juicier bass than the JBL Wave Beam
JBL Wave Beam's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio device produces high human frequencies and if it changes to the signal on its way through. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices can generate equal treble
SPL, is the level of pressure of sound, measured in decibels, dB, JBL Wave Beam's measurement is 100dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
The JBL Wave Beam's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average before recharge. A device's battery life is commonly given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s battery life is
less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 2 hours
. Every time you recharge your device, they get a little less playing time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. This is given by the manufacturer, and the JBL Wave Beam's case is said to have a full charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before recharging the case itself.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen)'s charging case has a battery life of 30 hours,
more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 6 hours
It requires 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Beam's battery. It is highly adivsable to charge fully the battery before using the earbuds for the first time. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) takes 0.3 hours to fully charge the battery,
less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 1.7 hours
The JBL Wave Beam have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery.
Its lights indicate the charging state of your device and charging case. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators allow you tell the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low. JBL Wave Beam have USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
The JBL Wave Beam have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) has a Bluetooth version of 5,
older than that of JBL Wave Beam
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. The JBL Wave Beam have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam
JBL Wave Beam have 2 microphones. While the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 4
. More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the earbuds to filter out background sounds. JBL Wave Beam have a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are intended to reduce noise from the earbuds' sound.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have a noise-canceling type of microphone. Especially useful in noisy environments. JBL Wave Beam support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to channel ambient noises to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds
When misplaced in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the JBL Wave Beam have a find earbuds feature.
The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have the find earbuds feature. Simply use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to find them. The JBL Wave Beam support fast charging.
Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the amount of time it takes to charge a device. Also the Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) support fast charging. This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster.
Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in 30 minutes. The JBL Wave Beam have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) also support the mute function.
It means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but you can still hear the other party talk. The JBL Wave Beam, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have a control panel on them.
The JBL Wave Beam have voice prompts. Automatically receive information through audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection. The Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) also support voice prompts .i.e the device notifies you when the battery is running low, and it's time to recharge the earbuds.
The JBL Wave Beam come with their own special pouch. Carrying earphones openly, or placing them inside your bag without a cover can easily damage them. Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.
