The JBL Tune Beam 2 enters the crowded TWS earbud market as a successor aiming to refine the everyday listening experience. With larger drivers, enhanced call capabilities, and a lighter case, these earbuds present themselves as a strong contender in their segment. After spending some time with them, here’s a closer look at what they offer.

Design and Build

The retail package for the JBL Tune Beam 2 includes the headphones, a Type-C USB charging cable, three sizes of ear tips, the charging case, and essential warranty and safety documentation.

The charging case for the JBL Tune Beam 2 is designed with portability in mind. It’s compact and feels notably light in hand, making it easy to slip into a pocket or bag without adding bulk. The smooth matte finish and rounded contours contribute to a comfortable grip and a discreet appearance. On the front, three white LED indicators provide a clear visual cue for the remaining battery level, positioned beneath a prominent JBL logo. The case securely holds the earbuds with magnets, ensuring they stay in place during charging and transport. A USB Type-C port is conveniently located at the bottom for power. While the exterior has a pleasant matte texture, the interior of the case features a glossy finish. Some might find a matte interior preferable, as the shiny surface can make it a bit challenging to align and insert the earbuds in dimly lit conditions.

Moving to the earbuds themselves, they feature an in-ear design with a short stem extending downwards. Like the case, the earbuds share a matte finish, giving them a cohesive and understated look. The earbuds come with an IP54 rating, offering resistance to dust and water splashes, making them suitable for various daily activities. Each earbud is lightweight, contributing to overall comfort. The oval-shaped ear tips are intended to provide an ergonomic and secure fit within the ear canal, aiding in passive noise isolation. While generally comfortable for extended periods, some users, particularly those with larger ears, might find the fit a little less universally secure. A minor convenience missing is automatic audio pausing when you take them out, as they don’t include an optical sensor for wear detection.

Audio and Call Quality

The JBL Tune Beam 2 is equipped with 10mm dynamic drivers, delivering a broad frequency range. The sound profile leans towards JBL’s signature Pure Bass, offering a punchy and dynamic low-end that appeals particularly to genres like pop and electronic music. Beyond the bass, the mid-range and high frequencies maintain good clarity, ensuring vocals and instruments are distinct and present without being overly sharp.

A notable feature is the inclusion of JBL Spatial Sound, which aims to create a more expansive and immersive soundstage, transforming standard stereo content. The companion app further enhances the audio experience with a comprehensive equalizer, allowing users to select from various presets or fine-tune their own sound signature across different frequency bands. Personi-Fi 3.0 offers a personalized sound profile by conducting a brief hearing test, tailoring the audio output to your individual hearing characteristics for a potentially optimized listening experience.

For calls, the Tune Beam 2 steps up with a six-microphone setup, an increase from its predecessor. These microphones employ beamforming technology to focus on your voice, and algorithms work to reduce background noise and suppress echoes. In outdoor settings, the earbuds generally do a good job of minimizing wind and constant traffic noise. Your voice typically comes across clearly to the receiver. However, in very busy or unpredictable environments, some louder, sudden background sounds, like a door slamming or distinct footsteps, might occasionally be picked up by the person on the other end. While effective in many scenarios, call clarity can sometimes be subtly affected by strong wind.

The Adaptive Noise Cancelling feature performs well in everyday situations, effectively dampening ambient sounds in cafes, public transport, or general street noise. While it significantly reduces various frequencies, including lower hums and even some mid-range sounds like keyboard typing, in extremely loud environments, some external sounds may still be discernible. The app allows for customization of ANC levels, and includes Ambient Aware (to hear surroundings) and TalkThru modes (to lower music and amplify speech for quick conversations).

Connectivity and Battery Life

Connectivity is handled by Bluetooth 5.3, supporting SBC and AAC codecs. Pairing is straightforward: simply open the case, and the earbuds enter pairing mode, appearing on your device’s Bluetooth list. Google Fast Pair is supported for compatible Android phones, streamlining the initial connection process. The dual-device connection feature allows you to link the earbuds to two devices simultaneously, enabling seamless transitions between them. While this functionality is a convenient addition, the initial setup for connecting to a second device can be a little less intuitive than some might expect, and the transition between devices occasionally experiences a brief pause before settling into the new audio source.

Battery life is a strong point for the Tune Beam 2. The earbuds themselves offer approximately 10 hours of playback with ANC enabled, extending to about 12 hours without ANC. This provides ample listening time for a full workday or long travel. The charging case extends the total listening time significantly, adding roughly 30 hours with ANC or 36 hours without, before needing a recharge via its USB-C port. Fast charging is also supported, providing several hours of playback from a short 15-minute charge. Auto standby and auto power-off features further help conserve battery when the earbuds are not in active use.

Controls and App Features

The earbuds feature touch controls integrated into their stems, allowing for management of playback, calls, and ANC functions. By default, the right earbud handles play/pause and track navigation, while the left controls ANC modes. While the touch surfaces are quite responsive, their default layout might require some adjustment. For instance, volume control isn’t immediately available on the earbuds and requires reassigning a function within the app, which means choosing between that and other useful commands like ANC switching or track navigation. Additionally, the touch surfaces are quite responsive, though occasionally, a stray hair or a gentle brush can trigger an unintended command.

The JBL Headphones app is a comprehensive companion, offering a wealth of customization options for both Android and iPhone users. Through the app, you can check individual earbud and case battery percentages, adjust ANC levels, choose between audio and video modes (for low-latency gaming), and extensively customize the touch controls. The app provides numerous equalizer presets and the ability to create and save your own custom EQ. Beyond audio, there are unique features for call management, allowing you to fine-tune how your voice sounds to others and how you hear them. The app also includes a “Relax Mode” with ambient sounds and a timer, and a “Find My Buds” feature. While generally robust, on rare occasions, the app might take a moment to establish connection with the earbuds, sometimes prompting a quick re-pairing.

Final Thoughts

The JBL Tune Beam 2 represents a solid evolution from its predecessor, bringing meaningful enhancements to audio quality, call performance, and personalized listening. Its strong battery life, effective adaptive noise cancellation, and the extensive customization offered by the JBL Headphones app make it a feature-rich option. While it presents a few minor quirks, such as the absence of automatic play/pause when removed from the ear, some nuances in its default control scheme, and the occasional slight delay in multipoint switching, these are generally minor considerations in an otherwise well-rounded package. For its price point, the Tune Beam 2 stands out as a thoughtful and capable everyday audio companion.

Priced at Rs 5,499, the JBL Tune Beam 2 is available for purchase through JBL India’s website and leading online / offline retailers. It comes in blue, white, and black shades.

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The post JBL Tune Beam 2 review: A refined everyday companion appeared first on Gizmochina.