Note: Unfortunately, our unit had mismatched drivers, so the bass on the right earbud was noticeably thinner and less thumpy, which is disappointing. However, this might be specific to our unit and if you get two good performing earbuds, they should sound well-balanced and neutral.
Our Verdict
Decent for mixed usage. These headphones are a good option for someone that wants a pair of decently comfortable and versatile headphones. They do a decent job for most uses but aren't designed for any specific one. They can be used for sports just as much as you can enjoy your music on the bus. However, due to their high latency, they can't be used for gaming and people might notice a delay when watching video content.
- Versatile pair of headphones.
- Decently comfortable.
- Very good passive isolation performance.
- Slightly cheap feeling.
- Sub-par microphone.
- Our unit has mismatched drivers.
Decent for neutral sound. Unfortunately, our unit had a severe mismatch between the L/R drivers, especially in the bass range. Our right bud offers noticeably less bass, resulting in a thin sound profile. However, the left bud is pretty neutral and if you get a unit with two good earbuds, we expect them to be rather neutral-sounding for in-ear headphones.
Good for commuting. These headphones are decently comfortable and their passive isolation is decent at blocking out the deep rumble of a plane or bus engine. Their 4-hour battery life should be more than enough for your daily commute but is more than likely too short for long flights. On the upside, they're very portable and easy to bring around.
Good for sports. These headphones don't make you sweat more than usual and they're easy to bring around to the gym. There's no cumbersome wire, but they aren't the most stable truly wireless option out there and they don't have an IP rating. There are noticeably better truly wireless sports headphones available.
Passable for the office. These headphones do a good job of isolating against work environment noises like ambient chatter and the A/C unit. However, the in-ear fit might not be the most comfortable to wear during a full work day. Also, the 4-hour battery life won't be enough for you to listen to your music all day long and you'll probably need to charge them during your lunchtime.
These headphones can only be used via Bluetooth and aren't recommended for wireless gaming due to their very high latency.
These headphones can't be used wired.
Mediocre for phone calls. Like most truly wireless in-ears, these headphones have a sub-par performing integrated microphone. The recording quality lacks detail and sounds muffled, and it struggles to separate actual speech from background noise.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Dec 05, 2019: Review published.
- Updated Nov 27, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Nov 27, 2019: Early access published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The JBL Tune 120 are rather affordable and well-rounded performing headphones that don't necessarily stand out for anything. They're versatile and offer a fairly good neutral sound, if you can get a unit with well-matched drivers, unlike ours. They lack customization options and more high-end features like ANC but are overall a good option for people who are looking for a single pair of headphones to suit all of their needs. See our recommendations for the best truly wireless earbuds, the best wireless earbuds, and the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ears.
The Jabra Elite 65t Truly Wireless are better truly wireless headphones than the JBL Tune 120 Truly Wireless. The Jabra have volume control, are better built and more stable, and they last longer on a single charge. On the other hand, the JBL Tune 120 are slightly more comfortable and have an extra additional charge from the case. The Jabra also have an app that allows some audio customization.
The JBL Free Truly Wireless 2018 are slightly better than the JBL Tune 120 Truly Wireless. They have a more comfortable design and feel slightly better made as well. Our Tune 120 unit also had mismatched drivers, which thinned out the bass and made them sound bright. The JBL Free have more additional charges but have a lower continuous playback time than the Tune 120.
The Samsung Galaxy Buds are noticeably better than the JBL Tune 120 Truly Wireless. They're smaller and more comfortable, better built, and more stable thanks to their fins. They also sound very neutral, and you can slightly customize their sound profile inside the Android app. The Galaxy Buds also have a great single charge battery life, although the case only offers one additional charge, rather than three like the JBL Tune 120.
The Skullcandy Indy Truly Wireless and the JBL Tune 120 Truly Wireless are rather similar performing headphones, with different designs. The Tune 120 have more of an oval-shaped design, while the Indy have a stem design. The Indy have volume control, which the Tune 120 lack. Our JBL unit had mismatched drivers, especially in the bass range, but the Indy have sub-par treble accuracy since they lack a lot of detail, making them better suited for bass-heavy genres.
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