- VERDICT
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones punch above their weight when delivering impressive audio quality and adaptive active noise cancellation – they are probably the best value ANC earphones you can buy right now.
The new JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones offer some of the best value for customers who want to enjoy excellent audio quality and adaptive active noise cancellation and all for less than $200.
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS have a neat, compact design that fit comfortably in your ears for hours.
They have an oval pill shape which makes them easily fit in ears of all sizes and remain comfortably in place for hours at a time.
Under the hood, JBL has done it again with its Signature Sound which is an impressive mixture of clarity and bass.
On the noise cancelling side, the JBL Live Free 2 TWS are adaptive which means they can adjust to your surroundings and adjust the level of noise cancellation on the fly.
If you’re on public transport or in any other loud busy area the level of noise cancellation will increase.
When you’re in a quieter area it will be reduced so you’re getting a consistent sound level for whatever you’re listening to.
JBL Live Free 2 TWS has six onboard beamforming microphones which can also pinpoint your voice and reduce background noise and wind, so your calls are loud and clear.
We used the earphones on a couple of radio interviews while walking along a busy street and there was no telling the difference in the sound quality.
There’s also an Ambient Aware mode for those times you need to hear exactly what’s going on around you.
TalkThru is another mode that switches on all the microphones so you can hear yourself and the person you’re speaking to even clearer without the need to take the earbuds out of your ears.
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS also have another feature called VoiceAware which lets you control how much of your own voice you can hear during a call.
This is another way of monitoring how you sound to the person you’re speaking to.
The outside of the earphones has touch controls to navigate your music, answer and end calls and to switch between listening modes.
Users can also have the earphones linked to two devices with a multipoint connection called Dual Connect & Sync.
This lets you switch quickly between your phone and computer or tablet.
For example, you might by on your way to work and watching the latest episode of TV show or watching a movie on your tablet or laptop and you receive a phone call.
In this scenario you can switch the connection to your phone and answer the call before switching back to what you’re watching on your other device.
The JBL Headphones app also offers controls over the modes and can ensure you have the latest version of the software onboard.
There’s also an EQ within the app that offers optimisation for bass, jazz, vocal, club and studio and the ability to create your own.
We didn’t hear much difference in the sound – and we tried all of them.
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones have an IPX5 rating which means they are water resistant so ideal for the gym or a run or walk. And there are no worries if you happen to get caught in the rain.
The earbuds can run for up to seven hours on a single charge and there are another 28 hours of power in the charging case.
The charging case is also Qi-compatible so they can charge while resting on the same charging mate you use to wirelessly charge your phone.
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones are available now and are priced at $199. They are available in black, blue and pink.
VERDICT
The JBL Live Free 2 TWS earphones punch above their weight when delivering impressive audio quality and adaptive active noise cancellation – they are probably the best value ANC earphones you can buy right now.
