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Business Standard
06-05-2025
- Business Standard
JBL Tune Beam 2 review: Feature-rich wireless earphones with great sound
Audio accessories maker JBL has recently launched the Tune 2 series of wireless earphones in India. Leading the lineup is the Tune Beam 2, a pair of true wireless earbuds featuring adaptive noise cancelling and spatial sound support. On the connectivity front, the Tune Beam 2 comes with Bluetooth v5.3 (LE Audio supported) and Google Fast Pair for swift pairing with supported devices. JBL claims up to 48 hours of total battery life and a six-microphone setup to ensure clearer voice calls. The earbuds are compatible with both Android and iOS devices. On paper, the Tune Beam 2 appears to be a strong contender in its segment — but how does it perform in real-world use? Let us find out. Design and fit The JBL Tune Beam 2 comes in a compact box, which includes the charging case and earbuds, a USB-C charging cable, a user manual, and two additional pairs of silicone ear tips in different sizes. The charging case has a compact design with matte-finish to resist smudges. While the case is portable, it is on the heavier side even when empty. The front of the case features the JBL logo, just above a row of three LEDs that indicate the remaining battery level. A USB-C charging port is placed at the bottom. Opening the lid reveals a glossy interior with clearly marked left and right indicators. The earbuds are secured with strong magnets and remain firmly in place, but you can pick them out without any efforts. The earbuds themselves feature a stem-style design with soft silicone ear tips that provide a snug fit. They sit securely in the ears, remain stable during movement, and feel sturdy overall. However, extended use may lead to some ear fatigue. The earbuds have a clean, solid-colour body, while the touch surface sports a glossy finish. This area allows you to control playback, manage calls, and toggle ANC and ambient awareness modes. Connectivity and pairing The JBL Tune Beam 2 supports Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. It also features multi-point connectivity, allowing it to stay connected to two devices at once. Google Fast Pair is supported on Android, enabling quick and seamless pairing. Pairing with smartphones is straightforward and hassle-free. However, connecting to a Windows laptop occasionally required multiple attempts. The earbuds are supported by the JBL Headphones companion app, which offers a user-friendly experience across platforms. Audio and features The sound performance of the JBL Tune Beam 2 is above average for mid-range earbuds, offering clear highs and dynamic, punchy bass. While the default tuning is decent, the sound quality improves noticeably with customisation through the JBL Headphones app. The app includes several useful audio settings like equalizers, spatial sound modes, Personi-Fi, and sound balance controls—giving users the freedom to tailor their listening experience in depth. Personi-Fi 3.0: This feature lets users personalise the sound based on their individual hearing profile. It runs a quick hearing test and then generates a custom sound profile to optimise the audio experience. I personally found this feature effective—after enabling it, the overall clarity improved, and the bass felt strong but never overpowering. The earbuds handled different music genres like jazz and rock with ease, and sound remained balanced even at higher volumes. Smart Audio & Video Mode: This setting lets you switch between Audio and Video modes depending on your content. 'Audio mode' enhances the music listening experience, while 'Video mode' reduces latency to ensure better lip-sync accuracy when watching videos or streaming content. Spatial Sound: For a more immersive experience, Spatial Sound offers three presets—Movie, Music, and Game. Each mode tweaks the surround sound field slightly to match the type of content being consumed, adding depth to the audio output. Gesture control: The earbuds support touch controls, which can be customised through the companion app. You can assign gestures like single tap, double tap, or tap-and-hold to functions such as switching between ANC and Ambient Aware, activating TalkThru, or summoning a voice assistant. For example, my setup includes a single tap to toggle ANC and Ambient Aware, double tap for TalkThru, and tap-and-hold to activate Siri. Equalizers: The EQ section includes several presets like Studio, Bass, Club, Extreme Bass, Vocal, and Jazz. There's also an option to create your own custom EQ profile. This detailed control is great for more demanding listeners and helps fine-tune the sound to personal preference. Relax Mode: The app also includes a Relax Mode, featuring calming nature sounds such as crackling fire, ocean waves, birdsong, and rain. You can mix multiple sounds and set a timer for up to 60 minutes, making it a nice addition for winding down or meditating. Noise cancelling The JBL Tune Beam 2 features adaptive noise cancellation (ANC), which performs reasonably well for everyday use. In typical environments like busy streets or noisy indoor spaces, the earbuds manage to filter out much of the background noise, allowing for an immersive listening experience. However, in louder settings—such as heavy traffic or construction zones—some ambient sound still seeps through. ANC can be toggled directly from the earbuds, and its effectiveness also depends heavily on getting the right ear tip size and adjusting the volume appropriately. The transitions between phone calls and listening on the earbuds are seamless. The JBL Headphones app enhances the noise control experience with manual settings for ANC, Ambient Aware, and TalkThru modes. These options let you fine-tune how much external sound you want to let in. I found the ability to customise the ANC level particularly useful, especially when I didn't want to be completely isolated from my surroundings. The TalkThru feature came in handy during face-to-face conversations, allowing voices to pass through clearly without needing to remove the earbuds. Calling Call quality on the JBL Tune Beam 2 is solid, thanks in part to the well-placed microphones on the stem-style earbuds. Even in noisy environments, voice clarity remains strong, and background sounds are mostly filtered out, preventing the caller's voice from sounding muffled or drowned. Each earbud features a triple-microphone setup—six microphones in total—which delivers noticeably better performance compared to many other earbuds in this range. Voices on both ends of the call come through clearly, and the connection remains stable. The JBL Headphones app also includes dedicated sound and voice settings, allowing me to fine-tune both how I sound and how the caller's voice comes through. This adds a nice layer of customisation to the calling experience. Battery Life The battery life on the JBL Tune Beam 2 varies based on usage patterns, but in general, the earbuds easily last multiple days on moderate use when combined with the charging case. JBL claims up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge with ANC enabled, and up to 12 hours without ANC. The case provides an additional three full charges, bringing the total battery life to up to 40 hours without ANC or 30 hours with ANC. In practice, this holds up well for daily use and makes the earbuds a reliable option for travel or long listening sessions. Verdict Priced at Rs 11,999, the JBL Tune Beam 2 offers dynamic sound along with useful features like spatial sound and adaptive sound control. Its strong app integration allows for deep customisation of audio preferences, and the impressive battery life adds to its overall value. That said, there are a few trade-offs such as lack of auto play/pause functionality, which is offered by some competitors in this price range.
India.com
24-04-2025
- India.com
Best Budget Earbuds That Deliver Premium Sound
Earbuds are small earphones that many people use to listen to music, watch videos, or talk on the phone. They are popular because they are light, easy to carry, and fit right into your ears. Some also have cool features like noise cancellation or letting you control music with a are a great choice for anyone who wants a simple and comfortable way to enjoy sound anytime, are popular because they combine style, comfort, and technology. They don't just sound good—they also look modern and are easy to use. Whether you are a student, working professional, traveler, or fitness lover, earbuds fit into your lifestyle perfectly. We are providing you some of the best budget friendly Earbuds which you can try. Oneplus Nord Buds 3 Truly Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Image Source: Order Now The buds come with 12.4 mm Titanized Diaphragm Drivers with which you can enjoy music with deeper bass and pure clear treble, immersing in the audiophile-grade sound experience. It has 3D audio specifically for OnePlus smartphone users. With up to 32dB Active Noise Cancellation one can maximize the audio enjoyment of music, allowing an immersive listening experience virtually. Key Features: Active Noise Cancellation Fast Charging Dual Device Connection Google Fast Pair Available in Black color only Boat:Airdopes 301 TWS Earbuds Image Source: Order Now Experience true wireless freedom with the boAt Airdopes 301 TWS Earbuds, designed for powerful sound and all-day comfort. These Bluetooth earbuds offer a perfect blend of style, performance, and convenience. It has features like immersive audio, long battery life, and secure fit, the boAt Air dopes 301 are ideal for music lovers, fitness enthusiasts, and everyday users. Key Features: 75 Hours Playtime Customizable EQ via boAt Hearables App Water & Sweat Proof Fast Charging No Wireless Charging Support NOISE: Aura Buds Truly Wireless Earbuds Image Source: Order Now The Noise Aura Buds are truly wireless earbuds designed for people who want great sound without any wires. These earbuds offer clear audio, strong bass, and easy Bluetooth connectivity, making them perfect for music, calls, and everyday use. With a stylish design, comfortable fit, and long battery life, the Noise Aura. Key Features: Extended Battery Life Voice Assistant Support Environmental Noise Cancellation Water Resistance Limited App Support Realme:Buds T300 True Wireless Earbuds Image Source: Order Now The Realme Buds T300 are feature-packed true wireless earbuds offering 12.4mm dynamic bass drivers, 30dB ANC, and 360° spatial audio for immersive sound. They include 4-microphone ENC for clear calls, IP55 water and dust resistance, and Bluetooth 5.3 for stable up to 40 hours of battery life and ultra-low latency for gaming, they are designed for both entertainment and active use. Key Features: Active Noise Cancellation Touch Controls Microphone Environmental Noise Cancellation Limited Touch Control Gestures In conclusion, when choosing the best earbuds, it's important to find a balance between sound quality, comfort, features, and price. There are premium options available, which deliver a high-quality experience at an affordable price. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovations that will make these small but mighty devices an even more integral part of our digital lives. Disclaimer: At IDPL, we help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends and products. It should not be construed as an endorsement to buy. IDPL may make a very small commission from its sale if one chooses to buy the product from any of the links in this article.
WIRED
21-04-2025
- WIRED
Technics' AZ100 Are Instant Contenders for the Best Premium Wireless Buds
Technics is no slouch in the feature department, and the latest pair offers just about every modern feature you could want. You'll find all the basics like auto-pause sensors, a multiband EQ, Google Fast Pair, and an Earbuds Finder, with customization available in the Technics app. In fact, virtually everything is customizable for an almost dizzying array of options. If there's something you don't like, from how the buds relay video sync to how your voice sounds on calls, there's likely an adjustment available. Not everything feels as polished as Apple's AirPods Pro, the software leader in the space. The AZ100's call suppression feature, for instance, does a great job killing ambient noise around your voice (or even the voice on the other end), but it makes you sound a bit sterile and robotic in the process. The app itself sometimes refused to load, forcing me to refresh it, though it was otherwise stable. Photograph: Ryan Waniata Multitaskers will be pleased to see the return of three-device multipoint pairing, letting you easily swap between your computer, tablet, and phone over Bluetooth, with no brand loyalty required. Speaking of Bluetooth, you'll not only get support for regular codecs like AAC and LDAC over Bluetooth 5.3, but also Bluetooth LE Audio, which should futureproof the buds for next-gen wireless streaming. The AZ100's touch controls are responsive, customizable, and comprehensive, with default options for playback, calling, volume, and ambient audio at the ready. The layout is a tad confusing at first, but I appreciate the ability to accomplish just about any task without grabbing your phone. Velvet Sparkle I often save the sound performance for last, but the AZ100's sound is too good to hold off any longer. Like most hi-fi buds, they provide a slow and steady revelation of their skills. The further you drill down, the better they sound. When I first fired them up, I was surprised by the sound signature's warm and almost thick flavor, seeming more reliant on the bass and lower mids than expected. That said, I generally prefer a smoother touch in my hi-fi over sharp and zingy, and it didn't take long to find that the AZ100's warm entrance acts almost like a velvet backdrop on which instrumental textures and effects glitter like jewels in the light.
