For more than 60 years, the JBL brand has delivered products that exemplify the technology and expertise gained through its leadership in professional sound reproduction. It is hard to keep track of how many different true wireless earphones they make, but you can’t say they haven’t built variety into their wide range of offerings. Among the multiplicity are Tune 120TWS earphones, which are essentially the manufacturer’s no-nonsense option. New from JBL, the Tune 120TWS earphones have also been awarded the Red Dot Award for 2019, which is an international design competition for product design, communication design, and design concepts. They don’t work with an app, and their battery life isn’t terribly impressive but the audio experience, however, is solid, especially if you love boosted bass matched with crisp, sculpted highs.

FIT
Although it might take you a few tries to remember which side is up, these earbuds are easy to pop in your ears, and they provide a very effective level of sound isolation. In fact, they probably beat some of the cheaper noise-cancelling headphones you can find in the market. And even though the earpieces protrude out of the ears a little (for those who care about aesthetics), they are very snug and comfortable to wear for long periods of time. (You’ll find 3 different sized ear tips in the box for an optimal fit).

DESIGN
Available in black, blue, green/black, white, white/pink, or yellow models, the Tune 120TWS earpieces have a glossy exterior surrounding the JBL logo/control panel. The earpieces magnetically snap into cradles in the slightly larger-than-usual charging case. The case has a flip-top lid, status LEDs on the outer panel, and a covered micro USB port for the included micro USB charging cable. The earbuds combined with the elegantly designed portable charging case provide 16 hours of unrestrained musical enjoyment. with long-lasting comfort. Equipped with intuitive and handy controls that are conveniently located on each earpiece, including one-click access to Siri and Google Now.
The control panels divide tasks between the left and right earpieces. Both can be used to power up/down (when held for two seconds for on, and five seconds for off). A single tap of the left earpiece skips forward a track and a double-tap skips backward, while the right earpiece handles play/pause with a single tap, or answers an incoming call. Tapping the right ear’s button twice summons your phone’s voice assistant, and holding it down for three seconds mutes the mic (or unmutes it).
The in-ear fit is secure, but the earphones only ship with three total pairs of silicone ear tips, and the earpieces don’t utilise fins for added stability.
Internally, 5.8mm dynamic drivers deliver a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz. There’s no app associated with the earphones, so the sound signature you hear is the sound signature you get unless you go rogue and use a third-party EQ.

They don’t work with an app, and their battery life isn’t terribly impressive but the audio experience, however, is solid, especially if you love boosted bass matched with crisp, sculpted highs.

SOUND
Just because JBL puts a focus on the bass, doesn’t mean that is all you will hear. The Tune 120TWS still provide a nice balance between the thumping bass and highs to provide plenty of detail when listening to your favorite songs. These headphones have a powerful bass foundation, which reaches deep down to the lowest levels while maintaining a sense of definition throughout. Only in the lower bass ranges is there a noticeable lack of precision, with a telltale dullness to be expected. Otherwise, the sound is clear and bright rather than dark, with the bass not dominant and a harmonious tuning and rounded sound. While the mid-range vocals are appealing, the highs are characterised by their constant presence without any noticeable drop. This doesn’t only serve bass-oriented music but also delivers the goods to the wider musical spectrum. The output has reserves that can be utilised with very little distortion, which is a real advantage with a livelier background, particularly as these in-ears do not have a high shielding.
BLUETOOTH CONNECTION
In combination with various Android and iOS devices, these wireless headphones, which support the Bluetooth 4.2 standard, offered reliable ranges of up to 12 metres. Direct pairing is initiated upon removal from the transport case, should you wish. This switches the in-ears on and then into pairing mode, then switches them off automatically when the Tune 120TWS is returned to the charger. If you only want to listen on one side, you can use the right handset in a single-mode, which acts as the master. Manual switching on and off is also possible using the buttons integrated into the handset interface, whereby holding down the right-hand button for a long time switches the system off while holding it down briefly switches both handset sides on separately.
JBL’s Tune 120TWS is a harmonious total package of lightweight, completely wireless in-ears with a stable grip and a robust, handy transport case for everyday use. No volume control is a slight downer, but the quick charge functionality, stable wireless connection, and plenty of freedom of movement bring in plus points aplenty. With a price of just Rs. 12000, you can go grab your Tune 120TWS at the nearest Oliz Store.

IN THE BOX
JBL TUNE 120TWS Wireless In-Ear Headphones
Pair of small ear tips
Pair of medium ear tips
Pair of large ear tips
Charging case
Charging cable

SPECIFICATIONS
Driver Size: 5.8mm Dynamic driver
Driver sensitivity at 1kHz/1mW: 95dB
Dynamic frequency response range: 20Hz – 20kHz
Maximum input power: 15mW
Impedance: 14 ohm
Bluetooth version: 4.2
Bluetooth transmitted power: 0~10 dbm
Bluetooth transmitted modulation: GFSK, Π/4 DQPSK and 8DPSK
Bluetooth frequency: 2.402 GHz – 2.48 GHx
Bluetooth profiles: A2DP 1.3 AVRCP 1.5 HFP 1.6
Battery type: Lithium-ion Battery (85mA/3.7V)
Charging time: <2 hrs from empty
Music play time with BT on: 4hrs
Weight: 73g

Photos by Royal Raj Manandhar