Since Nothing Ear (2) adopted the transparent white design, many audio brands have also launched transparent shell earbuds. JBL Tune Beam is no exception, it has a fifth color – “Transparent”.
JBL Tune Beam specs and features:
- Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC/AAC codec
- 10 – 12 hours playback of per charge (ANC on/off)
- Charging case can charge earbuds fully 3 times
- IP54 water resistance (rain and sweat resistant)
- Comes with 3 sets of eartips, USB-C cable, user manual
- $99 – Check latest price on AliExpress, Amazon US, Amazon Germany or other Amazon countries
Appearance Design, Comfort and Battery Life
The shell of the charging case is made of transparent glossy material, and the white circuit board and structure inside can be seen through the shell. The charging case is equipped with three status indicators at the opening groove and a USB-C charging port at the bottom.
Similar to the charging case, JBL Tune Beam earbuds also adopt the transparent design. There is a status indicator light on the top of the earbud stem and a pickup microphone on the bottom.
The earbuds adopt a long-stem in-ear design, and the wearing method is relatively conventional. The inner side of the cavity is similar to the bean-shaped, with a relatively rounded curve and a good fit with the auricle. Coupled with the lightweight design (5.1g), the “presence” of the earbuds is not too strong and the overall feeling is relatively comfortable.
The pre-installed eartips also fit most people’s ears relatively well. The earbuds have a larger speaker bulge, but the silicone ear tips are softer. However, when lying on your side, the earbud stem will become a “lever”, causing the earbud cavity to put pressure on the ears – therefore, JBL Tune Beam is not suitable for sleeping.
The single battery life after turning off ANC mode is up to 12 hours, and the total battery life is up to 48 hours. The battery life after turning on ANC mode is up to 10 hours. Also, JBL Tune Beam support fast charging – 15 minutes of charging and 4 hours of listening.
Connectivity, App Support and Controls
The indicator light will light up after opening the charging case cover, indicating that the earbuds enters pairing mode. At this time, select “JBL TUNE BEAM” in the bluetooth list of your phone to complete the connection. When using it again, open the charging case to connect the successfully paired bluetooth device.
JBL Tune Beam supports JBL Headphones APP, which should be familiar to old users. In the APP, the main functions of Tune Beam are ambient sound control (ANC/Ambient/Call Mode), equalizer and custom touch control. It also includes speech perception mode, control latency, voice prompt language selection, etc.
JBL Tune Beam supports touch control function and can recognize single-tap, double-tap, triple-tap and long press. It can realize noise cancellation mode switch, volume control, play/pause, track switch, answer/hang up calls, etc. And the control scheme can be modified through the JBL Headphones App.
The control scheme is comprehensive:
- Single-tap R earbud: play/pause music
- Single-tap L earbud: switching between ANC mode/Ambient mode
- Double-tap R earbud: next track or answer/hang up call
- Double-tap L earbud: call mode or answer/hang up call
- Triple-tap R earbud: previous track
- Long press L or R earbud 2s: sound/mute/voice assistant
Ambient Sound Control (ANC/Ambient/Call Mode)
I tested Active Noise Cancellation in offices, subways, and outdoor scenarios. After turning on the ANC mode, the mid- and low-frequency noise in the environment can be collected by the earbuds, and the reverse sound waves are calculated and eliminated in real time.
For mid- and high-frequency noise, JBL Tune Beam also has a certain effect, but there is some gap with the flagship TWS earbuds.
Aslo, JBL Tune Beam also supports ambient mode and call mode. The ambient mode is actually the transparent mode, which can accept external ambient sounds. When call mode is turned on, external noise will be eliminated, but when the user is detected speaking, the speaking sound will be enhanced.
Sound Quality of JBL Tune Beam
JBL Tune Beam earbuds are equipped with a 6mm dynamic driver. With the blessing of JBL’s classic tuning, JBL Tune Beam’s hearing is still very good, continuing JBL’s consistent tuning style.
The tri-frequency of JBL Tune Beam is relatively balanced, and the low-frequency is enhanced, but the intensity is moderate – more restrained than the flagship JBL TWS. In terms of mid-to-high frequency, vocals and music can also maintain a certain degree of transparency and clarity. The resolution is adequate and is not significantly affected by driver size. Overall, it is biased toward pop music, but it is also a more “comprehensive” style.
Of course, if you feel that the preset sound is not dynamic enough, you can also customize EQ settings in the JBL Headphones App. And there are a variety of preset EQs available in the app.
Conclusion
JBL Tune Beam is highlighted by its transparent shell design, but they still have a good user experience and strength. If you particularly like the transparent appearance, JBL Tune Beam is also a good choice.
Check the JBL Tune Beam price:
- Check latest price on AliExpress
- Check latest price on Amazon US
- Check latest price on Amazon Germany
- Check latest price on other Amazon countries
