Jbl Vibe Beam -

The JBL Vibe Beam are true wireless earbuds in a small charging case: no cable between your ears, and one fewer thing for Steven The Alley Cat to investigate. The appeal is an established audio brand with a portable everyday design, though a famous name alone cannot tell us how a particular pair will sound in your ears.

Sound and fit

JBL describes the Vibe Beam as a closed, stick-style design with 8 mm drivers and its Deep Bass Sound. Those are manufacturer specifications, not a measurement of whether you'll enjoy the result. Bass preference is personal, and the seal from the ear tips can make a difference. Three sizes of tips are supplied, giving you options to find a fit that feels secure and comfortable.

The JBL Headphones app offers sound customisation. That's useful if the default tuning isn't to your taste, but it doesn't turn the earbuds into an entirely different pair. We haven't listened to or tested this model, so we can't judge its actual sound quality, comfort over a long session or microphone performance.

Battery, calls and awareness

JBL quotes up to eight hours of playback from the earbuds and a further 24 hours from the charging case, for up to 32 hours in total. Those are maximum figures, and actual use can differ. JBL also claims a ten-minute speed charge can provide up to two hours of play; keeping the case charged remains a job for the owner, not Steven The Alley Cat.

The earbuds support hands-free calls and JBL's VoiceAware feature, which lets you adjust how much of your own voice you hear during a call. Ambient Aware and TalkThru are intended to help you hear surroundings or talk to someone without treating every conversation as a reason to put the earbuds away. Check that these features suit your needs; they are not a promise that every announcement or approaching bicycle will be heard.

Things to consider

JBL lists the earbuds as IP54 rated and the case as IPX2. The two ratings are different: the case deserves more caution around water, and neither rating makes this a pair to take swimming. The supplied case recharges the earbuds, but you'll need to keep track of it if you want the quoted total battery life.

The Vibe Beam use Bluetooth 5.2 and have touch controls. If you prefer physical buttons, or need a particular feature such as active noise cancelling, check the specifications carefully before deciding. Comfort, connection stability and call quality are things we cannot verify from a specification sheet alone.

Sir Trash Panda verdict

The Vibe Beam offer a useful-looking set of everyday features: a charging case, app controls, ambient listening modes and stated water resistance for the earbuds. The case's more limited rating and the uncertainty around fit and sound are worth keeping in mind. An appealing proposition on paper, with those wall-shaking expectations politely seated until listening.