Headphones — JBL LIVE FLEX

JBL sells the Live Flex as noise cancelling earbuds without wires between them, built around a stick-style shell that JBL describes as an open-ear fit rather than a sealed in-canal design. The model dates from 2022 and pairs True Adaptive Noise Cancelling with IP54 protection, six call microphones and Qi wireless charging in a case that holds most of the rated 40 hours of playtime.

Key specs that matter

Both buds use 12 mm neodymium dynamic drivers, and the quoted bandwidth runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with impedance of 32 ohm, sensitivity of 101 dB SPL at 1 kHz and a maximum SPL of 93 dB. Playtime per charge is up to 8 hours with ANC off, 6 hours with ANC on and 5 hours in adaptive mode, and the case adds 32 hours with ANC off or 24 with it on. Talk time is up to 4 hours in either ANC state. A single earbud weighs 5.2 g, and the charging case weighs 41.6 g. Batteries are lithium-ion polymer cells of 54 mAh at 3.85 V in each bud and 690 mAh at 3.85 V in the case, and a full wired charge from empty takes 2 hours from a 5 V 1 A supply.

Engineering and use context

Bluetooth 5.3 carries the signal, with A2DP 1.3.2, AVRCP 1.6.2 and HFP 1.7.2 profiles, GFSK, pi/4-DQPSK and 8DPSK modulation and transmitter power below 12 dBm in the 2.4 to 2.4835 GHz band. True Adaptive Noise Cancelling tracks ambient noise in real time and changes the amount of cancellation to suit. Six beamforming microphones handle voice pickup, with a quoted microphone sensitivity of -38 dBV/Pa at 1 kHz. JBL Spatial Sound processes any two-channel Bluetooth source into a surround-style presentation, and Personi-Fi 2.0 runs a short hearing test in the JBL Headphones app to build a personal listening profile. The same app adjusts ANC behaviour and earbud controls. Qi-compatible wireless charging gives about 4 hours of extra playback from a 15 minute top-up. Touch controls sit on the stems, and voice access works with Hey Google on Android and with Alexa on Android 6.0 or later. JBL rates the maximum operating temperature at 45 degrees C.

Pairing

Dual Connect and Sync with Multi-Point connection lets the earbuds hold links to two Bluetooth sources and switch between them, for example a phone and a laptop. Either bud can be used alone in mono while the other stays in the case, and Android devices get fast pairing. Inside the retail package are the two buds, their charging case, a USB-C lead and safety paperwork.

Alternatives

Within the same JBL Live family, the Live Pro 2 TWS takes a stick-closed approach with Oval Tubes, 11 mm drivers and an IPX5 rating.