Home Wireless Earbuds Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen)

Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Review

Last updated on Mar 30, 2024   7 minute read
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Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

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Reasons why you might like the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)

Overall Score 7.3 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IPX4
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 6 hours
  • Number Of Microphones of 6 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
JBL Wave Beam

JBL Wave Beam

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Reasons why you might like the JBL Wave Beam

Overall Score 6.8 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating of IP54
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)
  • Battery Life of 8 hours
  • Has Usb Type-C
  • Number Of Microphones of 2 only
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode

Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Review In Summary

Category Features Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) JBL Wave Beam
DESIGN ingress protection (ip) rating IPX4 IP54
weight 10.6g 8.8g
has no wires or cables
sweat resistance
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (noise control)
has passive noise reduction
driver unit size 11mm 8mm
lowest frequency 20Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 20,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 100dB/mW
POWER battery life 6hours 8hours
battery life of charging case 24hours 24hours
charge time 1hours 2hours
has wireless charging
has a battery level indicator
CONNECTIVITY has usb type-c
bluetooth version v5.3 v5.2
maximum bluetooth range 10meters 10meters
has aac
MICROPHONE number of microphones 6only 2only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has in/on-ear detection
has find earbuds feature
supports fast charging
multipoint count 2only
has a mute function
control panel placed on a device
has voice prompts
travel bag is included
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Jbl Wave Beam Vs. Apple Airpods Pro (2Nd Gen) Review In Detail

Design

Ingress Protection (Ip) Rating

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) IPX4
JBL Wave Beam IP54

IP ratings refer to the rating of protection offered by a casing, against dust and liquids. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating refers to protection against solids such as dust, while the second refers to protection against liquids (water).

Having a value of 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 of liquids 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 Pro (2nd 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

Weight

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10.6g
JBL Wave Beam 8.8g

JBL Wave Beam have a weight of 8.8g . We take in account a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), at 10.6g weigh more than the JBL Wave Beam by of 1.8g

Has No Wires Or Cables

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

True wireless devices have no wires connecting any part of the device together, JBL Wave Beam are true wireless for this matter since they have no cables. This is an important distinction as some wireless earbuds have cables linking the 2 earbuds .

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also is true wireless because it doesn't have cables linking the 2 earbuds .

Sweat Resistance

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

JBL Wave Beam are resistant to sweat

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc

Has Stereo Speakers

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

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.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have stereo speakers

Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Noise Control)

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

Active noise cancellation utilises advanced kind of tech to actively counter noise. ANC works when, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and then generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (sound from your surrounding) then adding -1 (inverted noise) giving zero hence "diluting" the noise.

The JBL Wave Beam have Active Noise Cancellation enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue as you don't need to crank up the earbuds volume to outcompete background sounds.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have Active Noise Cancellation making either of the earbuds ideal for plane rides and rush hour travels. Each work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that suits your commute or that suites your chill time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam stay well in place, this creates a sound covering that tones down background noise and also prevents the device music from leaking out at the same.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this implies that both reduce ambient noise without using ANC to cancel it out.

Driver Unit Size

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 11mm
JBL Wave Beam 8mm

JBL Wave Beam driver unit is 8mm in diameter, the bigger the unit the more powerful, therefor producing better bass. The driver unit is the component that produces sound in the earbuds, its size dictates the sound produced by the device.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) driver unit is 11mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of JBL Wave Beam by 3mm , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not indicate that they produce better quality sound.

Lowest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20Hz
JBL Wave Beam 20Hz

The JBL Wave Beam's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well an audio component generates low frequencies that can be heard, and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this implies that both devices can make sound with equal bass

Highest Frequency

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 20,000Hz
JBL Wave Beam 20,000Hz

The JBL Wave Beam's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component makes high audible frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)'s highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that both devices produce equal treble

Sound Pressure Level

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam 100dB/mW

The sound pressure level, 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.

Power

Battery Life

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6hours
JBL Wave Beam 8hours

JBL Wave Beam's battery life is 8 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is usually 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 Pro (2nd Gen)'s battery life is less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 2 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to.

Battery Life Of Charging Case

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 24hours
JBL Wave Beam 24hours

This is given by the vendor, and JBL Wave Beam's case has a 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 Pro (2nd Gen)'s charging case has a battery life of 24 hours, equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam

Charge Time

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 1hours
JBL Wave Beam 2hours

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 Pro (2nd Gen) takes 1 hours to fully charge the battery, less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 1 hours

Has Wireless Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen), the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you simply put down on a supported charging pad.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam have a battery level indicator, an indicator alerts you when the device has a low battery. Its lights display the charging state of your earbuds and charging case.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to determine the charging state of your earbuds, if charged fully, or the battery is running low.

Connectivity

Has Usb Type-C

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam support USB TYPE-C, a standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.

Bluetooth Version

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) v5.3
JBL Wave Beam v5.2

The JBL Wave Beam have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) has a Bluetooth version of 5.3, newer than that of JBL Wave Beam . Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 10meters
JBL Wave Beam 10meters

JBL Wave Beam have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam

Has Aac

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.

Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) will work well with your MacBook. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 6only
JBL Wave Beam 2only

The JBL Wave Beam have 2 microphones.

While the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) microphones are 6, more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 4 . More microphones record better sound quality and help the earbuds to filter out noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are made to reduce background sounds from the earbuds' sound.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a noise-canceling microphone. This is useful in noisy areas.

Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound so that they can still be heard even while wearing them

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a run but would still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has In/On-Ear Detection

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when they are removed from your ears .

Has Find Earbuds Feature

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

When lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the JBL Wave Beam support the find earbuds feature.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have the find earbuds feature. You can use the device app on your phone to play an alarm from your device to help you find them.

Supports Fast Charging

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam support fast charging. Usually, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to lower the time it takes to fully charge the earbuds.

Also the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes.

Multipoint Count

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) 2only
JBL Wave Beam

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. Say, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without manually disconnect and reconnect.

Has A Mute Function

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam have a mute function, they support the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.

The Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) also have the mute function. The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party talk.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever features are supported on the device.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a control panel on them.

Has Voice Prompts

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

JBL Wave Beam have voice prompts. Automatically receive information via audio messages, like if there is an issue with the connection.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have voice prompts .i.e the earbuds will notify you when the battery is running low, and you need to recharge the device.

Travel Bag Is Included

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen)
JBL Wave Beam

The JBL Wave Beam come with their own special case. Carrying earphones openly, or placing them inside your pockets without a casing can easily damage them.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) too have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.