Ingress protection ratings refer to the rank of protection offered by a casing, against solids and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (sweat).
Having a value of IP54, the JBL Wave Beam's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes 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 number 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, JBL Live Free 2 have a rating of IPX5 meaning that
no data available to specify a protection rating
and that of liquids is that,
JBL Live Free 2 has a higher liquid rating than JBL Wave Beam
The JBL Wave Beam have a weight of 8.8g . We prefer a lower weight best because lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.
The JBL Live Free 2, at 9.8g
weigh more than the JBL Wave Beam with a difference of 1g
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 wires. This is an important difference as some wireless earbuds have cables connecting the pair of earbuds together. JBL Live Free 2 also is true wireless because it has no cables linking the two earbuds .
JBL Wave Beam have sweat resistance
JBL Live Free 2's resistance to sweat makes both devices ideal for use while doing sports such as long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc
JBL Wave Beam have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from separate channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.
The JBL Live Free 2 also have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation uses more advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it studies the sound pattern outside and inside the earbud and after generates a mirror signal to counter it. In simple terms, it's like having +1 (noise) and producing -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 thus "diluting" the noise.
JBL Wave Beam have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise. The JBL Live Free 2 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes both devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Each work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time.
JBL Wave Beam stay tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that reduces background noise and also prevents the device sound from leaking out at the same. Both JBL Live Free 2, and JBL Wave Beam have passive noise reduction this implies that both reduce ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out. JBL Wave Beam have a unit size of 8mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass.
The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, the unit size corellates with the loudness of the earbuds. JBL Live Free 2 driver unit is 11mm in diameter,
making them have a larger driver unit than that of JBL Wave Beam by 3mm
, a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers are capable of generating louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound.
The JBL Wave Beam's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component produces low audible frequencies and if it alters the signal while at it. JBL Live Free 2's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
both devices make sound with equal bass
JBL Wave Beam's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response measures if and how well an audio device generates high recognizable frequencies and if it changes to the signal while at it. JBL Live Free 2's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this implies that
both devices generate equal treble
The sound pressure level, is the pressure level 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. JBL Live Free 2's sound pressure level measurement is 102dB/mW. How loud something is can be considered differently by separate persons, so we need to have a way of getting an objective measurement of sound level expressed in numerical terms.
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 given by the manufacturer, and with more battery hours, you get to use it for longer and requires fewer chargings. JBL Live Free 2's battery life is
less than that of JBL Wave Beam by 1 hours
. Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time.
The effect is barely noticeable at first, but over time, your wireless earbuds will have shorter listening time. 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 enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go multiple times before having to recharge the case itself.
JBL Live Free 2's charging case has a battery life of 28 hours,
more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 4 hours
It requires 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Wave Beam's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods. JBL Wave Beam have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery.
Its lights indicate the charging status of your device and charging case. JBL Live Free 2 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or having a low battery. The JBL Wave Beam support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power through a single cable.
JBL Live Free 2 too support USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current laptops, phones, and tablets. The JBL Wave Beam have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
JBL Live Free 2 has a Bluetooth version of 5.2,
equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers. JBL Wave Beam have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth. JBL Live Free 2 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Wave Beam
JBL Wave Beam have 2 microphones.
The JBL Live Free 2 microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Wave Beam by 4
. More microphones record better sound quality and help the device to filter out noise. JBL Wave Beam have a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are intended to filter out noise from the desired sound. The JBL Live Free 2 too have a noise-canceling microphone.
This is useful in noisy environments. The JBL Wave Beam support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises so that they can still be heard even when wearing the earbuds
The JBL Live Free 2 support ambient sound mode as well, it’s useful when you want to listen to music while being aware of what’s happening around you, say you’re having a jog but would still want to be able to hear traffic. If lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the JBL Wave Beam have a find earbuds feature.
The JBL Wave Beam support fast charging. Usually, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the amount of time it takes to fully charge the earbuds. Also the JBL Live Free 2 support fast charging.
This kind is similar to regular charging, only that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes. JBL Wave Beam have a mute function, they have the option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The JBL Live Free 2 also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice. With the JBL Wave Beam, so you can easily access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.
JBL Live Free 2 also have a control panel on them. JBL Wave Beam support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information through audio messages, say if there is an issue with the connection.
The JBL Live Free 2 too have voice prompts .i.e the device notifies you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them. JBL Wave Beam come with a special case. Carrying earphones without a case, or placing them in your pockets without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
JBL Live Free 2 also have a case included, which is useful for safe transportation.
