JBL Tune 120TWS

These in-ears are clearly nicely manufactured and boast a robust finish, with enough stability here to withstand short sprints and sudden changes in movement. In fact, you can count on good hold without any worry about pressure. In contrast to the Free X, which are predominantly embedded within the ear, the Tune 120TWS are positioned more externally which does limit the wearing of a hat. Worth noting is that sweat and water-repellent processing is reduced with these headphones, unlike its sister models. However, the low weight of just seven grams at each side is identical to those predecessor perks, resulting in a piece of tech you’ll barely realise you’re wearing.

In practice, these headphones delivered a running time of just under four hours at high volumes. After this, the in-ears could be used for another hour after a quick, 15-minute charge via the power supply of the transport case. Complete charging takes a good 1.5 hours. The lithium-polymer batteries have a capacity of 85 mAh, with the case providing an additional 850 mAh. This is sufficient for three charges, and a single use of the quick-charge function. In all, that’s 16 hours of runtime. A positive aspect of the compact case format is that it can easily be stored in a jacket pocket or trouser pocket, with the 60-gram weight also serving portability well. If the battery reserve is completely exhausted, the case can be recharged within one and a half hours using the supplied USB cable.

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 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.

Device Control

With an existing connection, the right remote button is used to control the start/stop functionality of any coupled device, while also serving as a means to accept and end telephone calls. You can expect excellent levels of speech intelligibility. The respective speech assistant is also available by double-clicking, with the likes of Siri, Google and Bixby – according to the manufacturer – all supported. On the left side, you can select a title by simply pressing forward and double-clicking back. As with the Free-X, there is no volume control, so this has to be done on the device itself. However, it’s handy that the transport case also contains info about the button control assignment. When the headphones are removed, you’ll be able to see which functions it controls.

Sound

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 more livelier background, particularly as these in-ears do not have a high shielding.