JBL Tune Beam 2 is the latest truly wireless stereo (TWS) by the company, released as a part of the Tune Series 2 in April. The TWS arrives two years after its predecessor, Tune Beam, and comes with significantly improved specifications and new features. This upgrade appears to be part of the Los Angeles, California-based audio giant’s recent shift in strategy, which we have also seen with its other devices. JBL now appears to be focusing on offering feature-rich devices with extensive customisation, which makes sense given the current market scenario.
For Rs. 5,499, it enters the market in a competitive segment that is not only targeted by audio companies but also by smartphone manufacturers. This means that the JBL Tune Beam 2 not only has to compete with the hardware capabilities of brands like Sony and Skullcandy but also with the ecosystem integration and software compatibility of smartphone brands such as Realme and OnePlus.
The JBL Tune Beam 2 comes with innovations on both fronts, featuring spatial audio, effective active noise cancellation (ANC), and the new Personi-Fi 3.0-powered personalised audio profile. Over the last month, I have been using the TWS as my daily driver to understand the experience they deliver and find out whether JBL has packed the earphones with enough power to woo a diverse consumer base. Let’s get down to the brass tacks.
JBL Tune Beam 2 Design and Features: Basic but Comfortable
- Size – 33.4 x 22.6 x 25 mm (Earphones); 61.5 x 29.15 x 47 mm (Case)
- Weight – 5.2g (Each earphone); 42g (with case)
- Water and dust resistance – IP54 (Earphones only)
- Colours – Black, Blue, and White
I received the Blue variant, and honestly, I like the pastel-like colour on it. The case design of the JBL Tune Beam 2 doesn’t offer much to write home about. It has a generic soap-like oval-vertical shape with an upright profile, in line with classic JBL designs. It is slightly bulky, and when pocketed, you will feel its presence. The top-hinged lid features a firm magnetic closure, and the matte plastic body has a soft, tactile feel. There are three vertical LED lights on the front to indicate pairing and charge levels and a USB-C charging port is located at the bottom.
The earphone case has a plastic body with matte finish. They feel premium to touch and hold.
The case is fairly minimalist, except for the JBL logo marked on the front and the product name engraved on the back. Although the case appears premium, the lid does slightly squeak and creak even with the slightest push. Notably, if you’re more accustomed to the flatter pebble-shaped, horizontally-oriented cases (think Realme Buds Air 7 Pro or the OnePlus Buds 3), this one will take some time to get used to.
Opening the lid reveals the stem-style earbuds with LED indicators to help you know when they’re on and are paired. JBL upheld the expectations with its comfortable, soft silicone ear tips. While each ear is different, mine were a snug fit even during sweaty gym sessions. At just 5.2g, the earbuds are lightweight, and I did not experience any inconvenience even after hours of continuous use.
The earbuds have a matte finish at the top and a glossy finish on the outside of the stem, where the touch sensors are located. Despite the matte finish, pulling out the earbuds was sometimes uncomfortable, as their shape made them slippery. I would have preferred a bit more grippier texture.
JBL Tune Beam 2 earbuds feature an IP54 rating, which means they can handle the occasional dusty hands, sweat and light rain. As is the norm, the earbuds do come with gesture-based touch controls that allow you to control playback, pick up incoming calls, and toggle ANC and ambient awareness modes. The controls can also be customised via the companion app. The controls are quite touch-sensitive; however, there were instances where I had to tap a couple of times before it registered an interaction.
JBL Tune Beam 2 App and Specifications: Options Aplenty
- Driver – 10mm
- Companion App – JBL Headphones app
- Gesture controls – Yes (tap)
The JBL Tune Beam 2 earphones are compatible with the JBL Headphones app, which is available on both iOS and Android devices. The app opens a window to a large number of customisation settings, as well as the company’s new Personi-Fi 3.0 feature, which allows you to personalise the device’s sound profile based on your sound perception.
Here, I will have to point out that my experience with the companion app was not very smooth. In several instances, the app would not connect with the earphones despite them being paired, and I would have to reconnect the earphones to access the settings. On other occasions, navigating through the app was a sluggish experience.
The earphones come with JBL’s Spatial Audio which adds a layer of depth to the listening experience.
But when the app connects, you will find three main sections, General, Audio, and Others, to tweak your audio experience. The first features controls for Ambient Sound, and it allows you to turn on and switch between ANC, Ambient Aware (transparency mode), and Talk Thru (talk-through) modes. It also has options for Smart Audio (which curates different audio profiles for music and videos), as well as gesture controls.
Notably, while you can select different gesture controls for each earbud, there is no à la carte treatment. This means you can select one of the three control groups — Ambient Sound Control, Volume Control, and Playback Control — for each earbud, but you can’t have controls for all three at the same time. The earbuds support single and double taps, as well as tap-and-hold gestures.
Sadly, the JBL Tune Beam 2 does not support some of the more premium features that you get in the more expensive JBL Live Beam 3 (review here). These include Check My Best Fit, which tells you if there is any audio leak and if you need different ear tips, and Smart Talk, which lets you select the sensitivity for speech detection (for Talk Thru). Since these are primarily software-driven features, I was surprised to learn that the company did not include them.
Coming to the Audio section, here you can customise the equaliser and either pick from eight presets or create your own custom experiences. When you create an equaliser curve manually, it is also saved across multiple devices, so you don’t have to create it again if you decide to pair another smartphone. There are also options for Spatial Sound, Sound Balance, Volume Limiter, and Sound Level Optimisation. Additionally, you can also access Personi-Fi from this window. Finally, there’s the Others section, which plays relaxing sounds, helps you locate your earbuds, and features a power-saving mode.
Finally, talking about the specifications, the JBL Tune Beam 2 earphones feature 10mm dynamic drivers, the company’s Spatial Sound technology, and support AAC and SBC codecs. No LDAC compatibility, sadly. You’ll also get support for Bluetooth 5.3 with multi-point connectivity. The earphones also allow you to set up the level of ANC, which is a pretty convenient addition.
JBL Tune Beam 2 Performance and Battery Life: Decent
- Codec Support: SBC, AAC, JBL Spatial Sound
- Charging – Wired (USB Type-C)
- Bluetooth – 5.3
When you spend above Rs. 5,000 on a pair of earphones, certain expectations naturally follow, and on most counts, the JBL Tune Beam 2 delivers. Let’s start with ANC. If the silicone tips fit snugly in your ear, the ANC performance will impress you. During outdoor usage, the earphones block most of the loud noises coming from vehicles and the nearby crowd, and you only hear a slight muffled noise. Its performance surpassed my expectations for low, mid, and high-frequency noises.
Indoors is even better, and the feature shuts out the sound of the AC, the ceiling fan, the TV in the hall, or loud neighbours all the same. Additionally, if you prefer a less intense ANC experience, you can always adjust the level using the companion app. If ANC is something you value, this is likely the best device you can choose in this price range. Based on my team’s experience, it outperforms both the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro and the OnePlus Buds 3 (review here).
Now, moving to the actual audio performance, you will not find yourself unimpressed if you prefer earphones that lean bass-heavy. Harman’s fine-tuning sets the device perfectly for punchier numbers such as The Weeknd’s Starboy and Talk by Hozier. While a clear and well-defined bass is a highlight, the mids and the vocals are also not muddy, thanks to the companion app. This means you can comfortably enjoy the haunting vocals of Adele’s Someone Like You or immerse yourself in Slow Dancing in a Burning Room by John Meyer.
ith ANC on and volume between 50 to 60 percent, I was able to get around eight hours with ANC and 10 hours without it.
I was also a fan of the wider soundstage (comparable to the JBL Live Beam 3, which costs Rs. 13,999), which puts you at the front and centre of any music that has been upmixed by Dolby Atmos or similar surround technology, and lets you experience different instruments from different directions and depth. The same goes for TV shows and, movies, and gaming (figuring out the direction of footsteps in BGMI was a piece of cake).
The audiophiles might be disappointed, however, that the earphones do not support lossless music or the LDAC codec. However, that is generally not something you see offered in this price range, so it should not be much of an issue. On the other hand, while the device does come with spatial audio support, it is more of a gimmick than a real game-changer. If you do want to play around with the latency, you can try out the different audio modes in the companion app. Additionally, the earphones do not have in-ear detection, which I found to be quite disappointing.
However, JBL does leave you wanting in the calling department. While it is known that TWS does not offer good microphone quality, the JBL Tune Beam 2 appears to be underperforming even on that low expectation. On multiple occasions, I found the voice quality to be mechanical and filled with ambient noises. Callers have also noticed that the sound of my room’s ceiling fan was picked up more than my voice. While indoors, it was still manageable; however, outdoor calls were nearly impossible due to the higher ambient noise. If phone calls and meetings are a priority, the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro (review here) will be a better choice for you.
Finally, the battery life of the JBL Tune Beam 2 has genuinely impressed me. According to JBL, you get approximately 10 hours of battery life with ANC enabled and three additional charges from the case, totalling 40 hours of playtime. In my testing, the numbers came pretty close. With ANC on and volume between 50 to 60 percent, I was able to get around eight hours with ANC and 10 hours without it. The case also lasted me two full charge cycles, bringing it close to 30 hours of playtime. On moderate usage, this meant I could go an entire week without needing to charge my device. The charging time from zero to 100 takes roughly two hours. Notably, the charging case also supports quick charging.
JBL Tune Beam 2 Verdict
After using the JBL Tune Beam 2 for more than a month, I feel these earphones are good enough to be the daily driver of anyone who likes a bass-heavy experience without compromising on mids and vocals. At the price of Rs. 5,499, it fares better in the audio experience compared to competitors such as the Realme Buds Air 7 Pro, OnePlus Buds 3, and Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro (review here). The heavy customisability, strong ANC, and long battery life also add to the value of these earphones.
JBL Tune Beam 2 offers a bass-heavy experience without compromising on mids and vocals.
However, I was not impressed with the microphone quality, and not having in-ear detection was also a letdown. Despite the large number of customisation tools in the companion app, its unreliability in connecting with the earbuds and the overall sluggish experience made me not want to use it much at all. Plus, the case is somewhat bulky, and if you wear jeans a lot, expect it to bulge out of your pockets slightly. If any of these are a priority for you, you’re better off with any of the other options mentioned.