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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If cost is a concern and you primarily need earbuds for wired listening with decent audio quality, like for TV and video, the Sennheiser CX300S would be the economical choice. However, if you're looking for a premium wireless experience with features such as active noise cancelling, touch display controls on the case, and sweat and dust resistance for exercising and travel, the JBL Live Beam 3 would be worth the higher price. The JBL also offers better noise isolation and longer battery life, which could be crucial for extended use. Keep in mind though, for calls and gaming, both models may not be ideal, but for the most immersive music experience, the JBL would be superior. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the JBL Live Beam 3
- Good for music
- Very good for exercise
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Sennheiser CX300S
- Good for TV and video
Key differences
Music
7.8
6.9
The JBL Live Beam 3 is good for music, while the Sennheiser CX300S is only fair.
Gaming
5.4
6.1
The Sennheiser CX300S is only fair for gaming, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Phone Calls
5.2
3.0
The JBL Live Beam 3 and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for phone calls, though the JBL Live Beam 3 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.9
4.7
The JBL Live Beam 3 and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the JBL Live Beam 3 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
5.6
7.3
The Sennheiser CX300S is good for TV and video, while the JBL Live Beam 3 is poor.
Noise Reduction
8.3
7.0
The JBL Live Beam 3 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser CX300S is good.
Battery
12.0 Hours
N/A
The JBL Live Beam 3 has 12 hours of battery life. The Sennheiser CX300S does not have a battery.
Cost
$216
$50
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
The JBL Live Beam 3 has a price of $216 and the Sennheiser CX300S costs $50.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The JBL Live Beam 3 and Sennheiser CX300S both have very good build quality.
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How the JBL Live Beam 3 and the Sennheiser CX300S compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Live Beam 3 | Sennheiser CX300S |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$216 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2024 | February 1, 2019 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.9/10 | 7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.3/10 | 3.1/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 8.4/10 | 4.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 12 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 36 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 8.4/10 | 7/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 8.8 Grams | 12 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
Shopping
Sennheiser CX300S
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Carroll Moore | April 2019
"Sennheiser offers impressive bang for your buck when it comes to the CX 300S. Built like a tank and sounding surprisingly good for such a budget-minded earphone, the CX 300S out-classes many of its would-be competitors. Functional but beautiful, it’s the perfect in-ear listening solution for anyone who wants to hear everything and look good doing it."
Get a great deal on the JBL Live Beam 3 or the Sennheiser CX300S
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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