JBL Tune Flex TWS review: Designed for bass-heavy music

Here’s what I think of the JBL Tune Flex.

comfort and fit

The JBL Tune Flex takes on a design that most of us are already familiar with, but I’m glad they’re not an obvious clone of AirPods. By default they have an open design like the AirPods 3, but once you add the earbuds the Tune Flex become more like the AirPods Pro. The earphones have a shortened stem design and a matte finish. I found these earbuds to be comfortable for my ears and I was able to wear them for hours. They are secure and come with three pairs of straps (small, medium and large) for extra support. The IPX4 splash-proof rating should let them survive light rain; although they are not rain or sweat proof.

I found these earbuds to be comfortable for my ears and I was able to wear them for hours. (Credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The case has a compact footprint and, like the earbuds themselves, comes in blue. It’s so light and small that sometimes I forget I’m even carrying the case for the buds when I go outside. The case has a battery indicator on the outside. Unfortunately, Qi wireless charging is absent, and you’ll have to charge it via the USB-C port on the back. JBL estimates that the earbuds can last 8 hours on battery and that the case can be charged for an additional 24 hours, but your use of ANC will affect those estimates. A full charge of the case takes 2 hours and a short charge of 10 minutes will fill the case battery from zero to two hours.

control and setup

The wireless buds have controls on either side – tap the right side once to play or pause music, double-tap to skip to the next track, triple-tap to skip to the previous track, and long-press to close Siri call. On the left you can toggle between Ambient Awareness and Noise Canceling modes. The good thing is that you can change gesture controls in the JBL earbuds smart app, which is available on both Android and iOS platforms.

Pairing the JBL Tune Flex earbuds is easy. Open the case, activate the app on the iPhone and once the LED flashes, it is in pairing mode. Once pairing is successful, remove the earbuds and start using. If you have an Android smartphone, setting up and pairing these earbuds with your device is even easier. Finally, the JBL Tune Flex supports quick pairing, which means you can pair your Android phone to earbuds with a simple tap when you’re in close proximity. It works exactly the way your AirPods interact with the iPhone.

The earphones have a shortened stem design and a matte finish. (Credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

The intelligent app offers numerous functions, including firmware updates, ANC, Ambient Aware and TalkThru modes and an EQ. The EQ section designates three bands labeled Bass, Mid, and Treble, and five preset sound modes including Jazz, Vocal, Bass, Club, and Studio. You can customize touch controls and use the My Find Buds feature, which makes it easier to find one or both buds in case they’re hiding in a couch cushion.

The sound and the performance

Before you start using the JBL Tune Flex, I want to make it clear that your experience of using these earbuds will be completely different depending on whether you use them as open ended earbuds or with in-ear ones. In the beginning I decided to take a more open approach and found that the listening experience wasn’t great because they don’t go fully into your ear. But once I started using the replaceable silicone tips, not only did they provide a better seal, but the buds sounded exactly as I expected. It was a 360 degree change.

While these earbuds deliver clear sound across all frequencies, it’s clear that JBL has paid special attention to improving bass. (Credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

When I heard Lil Wayne’s “Lollipop,” the bass was surprisingly punchy. Bass has a nice richness, and bass-heavy tracks have a steady punch that you won’t find in cheaper true wireless earbuds. These buds can produce thicker bass at high volumes without losing a lot of detail. While these earbuds deliver clear sound across all frequencies, it’s clear that JBL has paid special attention to improving bass. Tracks like Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Back” sounded cold to me, but the vocals were clear. It’s obvious that they’re not in the same league as the Sony WF-1000XM4 or the new AirPods Pro 2, and I assume most consumers who choose these earbuds should understand that.

The case is small and compact. (Credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)

In addition to music and podcasts, I also like to listen to them on the phone. I could take calls hands-free and even make noise while interviewing someone.

JBL has also added active noise cancellation (ANC) to the True Flex. Yes, they drown out some of the buzz and rumble of everyday life, like I’m sitting in a living room and can’t hear my guests’ discussion. The Tune Flex did a remarkable job of reducing noise and distractions as I caught a train at the Rajiv Chowk metro station. This is exactly what I wanted from the noise-cancelling TWS. I think Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 will easily outperform True Flex for noise cancellation, but I think JBL’s earbuds are still a better deal given the price.

Should you buy the JBL Tune Flex?

JBL’s Tune Flex are good – no surprise. At Rs 7,000 they get most things right, from producing excellent audio to proving active noise cancellation. But picking a pair of true wireless earbuds has gotten complicated, especially if you’re willing to shell out for mid-range headphones that cost between Rs 5,000 and 10,000. I recently tried the Nothing Ear (1) and found it impressive for the price. They have a semi-transparent design, sound good for general listening, and are super comfortable. Again, there’s no shortage of competition at this price point, so choose your next true wireless earbuds based on design, comfort, and sound quality.