JBL TUNE 220TWS Truly Wireless  Headphones Review

The JBL TUNE 220 have a similar style to the Apple AirPods, but with a cheaper-looking matte finish. While the model we bought are gray, they also come in a wide range of other colors. They're fairly non-descript looking and have a JBL logo on the right earbud. They also have a blue dot on the left earbud and a red dot on the right earbud, which correspond to dots on the case, making it easier to place them properly.

The comfort is okay. They're similar to the Razer Hammerhead True Wireless, with an earbud design that doesn't enter the ear canal deeply but have slightly smaller earbuds that may fit better for some people. Unfortunately, these headphones are made entirely out of hard plastic, which may cause some people to experience pain and fatigue on the ears after wearing them for extended periods.

The controls of the JBL TUNE 220TWS are sub-par. Their physical buttons give good feedback including a beep for almost every command, and their control scheme is easy to use. Unfortunately, they don't have volume control, so you'll have to take out your phone to change the volume, which can be bothersome.

Like most truly wireless headphones, the TUNE 220TWS are very portable. Both the charging case and the earbuds themselves are quite small and should easily slide into most pockets.

The case of the JBL TUNE 220 is alright. It feels quite cheap overall and is made out of cheap-feeling plastic. There are red and blue dots on the inside that correspond to dots on the earbuds, so you know which way to put them into the case, which is nice.

The JBL TUNE 220TWS' build quality is decent. The case and the earbuds themselves are made entirely out of plastic that feels decently solid and dense. Unfortunately, the interior of the case is a glossy plastic that makes it look and feel quite cheap, though this may vary between the different color options. They also don't have any IP rating for dust or water resistance, so you'll want to avoid getting them wet.

These headphones feel quite stable in the ears, despite not having any stability fins. Unfortunately, they don't come with different tip sizes, so different people may find they fit more securely than others.

• JBL TUNE 220TWS headphones
• Charging case
• Micro-USB charging cable
• Manuals

The JBL TUNE 220TWS' sound profile is very bright and lacking in bass, likely due in part to their earbud design. Overall, they aren't the best choice for genres like hip-hop, EDM, or pop, and will likely be better suited to more vocal-centric content or genres.

Their frequency response consistency is great. Due to their earbud design, you might find they sound a bit different in the bass and treble range each time you put them on, but they should perform quite consistently overall.

The bass accuracy of these headphones is terrible. Likely due to their earbud design having a difficult time creating a proper seal, bass is lacking and nearly non-existent. It's worth noting that due to their one-size-fits-all design, different users may experience the bass differently depending on the size and shape of their ear canal. Let us know in the discussions if your experience differs from our test results.

The mid accuracy of these headphones is great. Almost the entire range is well-balanced and accurate, making vocals and instruments present and clear. However, the peak in high-mids may make some vocals and instruments sound a bit honky and harsh.

The treble accuracy of the JBL 220TWS is great. Vocals and high-frequency instruments will be present, but shouldn't sound too painful.

The peaks and dips performance of the JBL TUNE 220TWS is decent. The peak in high-mids makes vocals and instruments sound rather intense, especially compared to the rest of the range. There's also a peak in mid-treble that may make some higher-pitched frequencies a bit harsh, though overall it may not be too noticeable.

The stereo imaging of these headphones is excellent. The group delay is below the audibility threshold for the entire range, ensuring a tight bass and transparent treble reproduction. The L/R drivers of our unit were also very well-matched, though these results are only valid for our unit and yours may perform differently.

Like most in-ears, the soundstage of these headphones is poor. This is mainly due to their lack of interaction with the pinna, which is a key factor in giving the sense of a large and in-front soundstage. However, thanks to their earbud design that doesn't go deep into the ear canal, they tend to have a more open soundstage than closed-back in-ears.

These headphones don't have a virtual soundstage feature.

The weighted harmonic distortion of these headphones is decent. While audio reproduction should be fairly clean and pure, there may be some noticeable distortion at higher volumes.

These are the settings used to test the TUNE 220. Our results are only valid when using the headphones at these settings.

The isolation performance of these headphones is terrible and they block almost no background noise. While this can be good if you want to stay aware of your surroundings, these won't help block out chatty coworkers or the low rumble of bus engines.

The leakage performance of these headphones is decent. While people very close by may hear your music a bit if you play it at very loud volumes, people a few feet away likely won't hear much, especially in a mildly noisy environment.

The JBL TUNE 220 have an integrated microphone in the earbuds.

The recording quality of the microphone on these headphones is decent. Like with most Bluetooth headphones, your voice will sound muffled, though it should still be clear and easy to understand.

The noise handling of this microphone is mediocre. Even in moderately loud environments, it'll be difficult for the person on the other end of the line to hear you.

The overall battery performance of the JBL TUNE 220TWS is disappointing. Their 2.3-hour battery life off a single charge is among the shortest we've ever tested, and they take over 1.5 hours to charge. Luckily their case should give you up to five additional charges, though their long charging time means that you can't quickly power them up during a lunch break. If you want a pair of earbud-style truly wireless headphones that last longer off a single charge, check out the Microsoft Surface Earbuds Truly Wireless or the TaoTronics SoundLiberty 92 Truly Wireless.

The JBL TUNE 220TWS don't have a dedicated companion app. If you're looking for earbuds with app support, try the Wyze Buds Truly Wireless.

Update 11/03/2021: These headphones were updated to Test Bench 1.5 and their latency values have changed. Our previous Test Bench 1.4 measurements reported 'PC Latency' at 313 ms, 'iOS Latency' at 310 ms, and 'Android Latency' at 153 ms. However, our new test bench uses an average of three measurements instead of one, resulting in 148 ms of latency on PC, 129 ms on iOS, and 153 ms on Android. As a result, we have updated our text to better reflect test bench 1.5 measurements.

The JBL TUNE 220 have fair Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, unlike many JBL headphones, they don't support multi-device pairing. They have somewhat low latency on iOS devices, which is nice if you like to stream video. Their latency on PC and Android devices is a bit higher, though, and there may be very slight syncing issues between your audio and visuals. It's worth noting that some apps seem to compensate for this, so your mileage may vary in real-life usage.

These headphones are Bluetooth-only.

These headphones are Bluetooth-only and can't be used wired. Their charging case charges via Micro-USB, and a very short cable is included.

These Bluetooth-only headphones aren't compatible with the Xbox One.

The case for these headphones holds up to five additional charges and, like most truly wireless headphones, doesn't have any additional inputs.