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JBL Tune 225TWS True Wireless Earbuds

JBL Tune 225TWS True Wireless Earbuds

By JBL · Budget Wireless Earbuds · Audio & Electronics · More from JBL

  • JBL Pure Bass Sound
  • Bluetooth 5.0
  • 25H total battery (5H + 20H case)
  • Dual Connect (single-bud use)
  • USB-C charging

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Problems, parts and running costs

Summary

A budget open-fit true wireless earbud with a stemmed, AirPods-style design, built for podcasts and for staying aware of your surroundings rather than for bass or for blocking noise. Check your priorities before buying: the buds have no ear tips, so they make no seal, and there is no noise cancellation of any kind.

Strengths

  • The open fit keeps you aware of traffic and conversation, which suits running and podcast listening.
  • Clear, bright mids and highs make voices and audiobooks easy to follow.
  • Physical buttons on the stalks are accurate and give fewer false presses than touch controls.
  • Bluetooth held a stable connection in testing, and Android Fast Pair worked.
  • You can use either earbud on its own.
  • The light matte-plastic case is compact enough to live in a pocket.

Weaknesses

  • No silicone tips or wings, so the buds make no in-ear seal and bass stays thin despite the “Pure Bass” branding.
  • No isolation of any kind: with the buds in, you hear every noise around you.
  • No IP water-resistance rating, odd for a pair styled for outdoor exercise.
  • The case has no wireless charging.
  • The fit is fine at first, but slightly sharp edges can dig into your ears over long sessions.
  • The voice-assistant button combination is easy to hit by accident and can power a bud down.

Verified specifications

Driver12 mm dynamic.
Impedance32 ohm.
Sensitivity105 dB.
Frequency response20 Hz–20,000 Hz.
Noise cancellationnone, active or passive.
Battery (claimed)5 hours in the buds, 25 hours total with the charging case.
Battery (measured)about 4 hours in the buds, about 20 hours from the case.
Weight57 g; the source does not say whether that covers the buds alone or buds plus case.
Colorsblue, gray, white, black, pink and gold.
Full research notes and sources

Fit and isolation

The JBL Tune 225TWS sit in the ear the way AirPods do: an open stem design with no silicone tips and no wings. That means no in-ear seal, and no seal means no passive isolation. With the buds in, you hear every noise around you, which is the point for runners who want traffic and conversation in the mix, and the wrong trade for a commute or an open office. The fit starts out fine but has slightly sharp edges that, over time, dug into the reviewer’s ears and caused discomfort. They stayed put for energetic running apart from one incident where a face mask caught on the bud.

Sound

TechRadar found the bass thin, because the open fit leaks sound in both directions and the “Pure Bass” branding promises a seal the design cannot make. Mids and highs are clear and bright, and the reviewer judged pop well handled while punk, rock and dance did not get room to breathe. The tuning is crowd-pleasing rather than detailed, which suits podcasts and audiobooks and does less for bass-heavy music.

Battery and controls

JBL claims 5 hours from the buds and 25 hours total with the case; TechRadar measured about 4 hours from the buds, occasionally nearer 5, plus about 20 hours from the case. There is no wireless charging on the case. Controls are physical buttons on top of each stalk, which TechRadar called more accurate and less prone to false presses than gesture controls on rivals. The catch is that the button combination for the device voice assistant is easy to trigger by accident and can power a single bud down.

Is it worth it?

The list price was $99.95 in the US, £99.99 in the UK and AU$179.95 in Australia when TechRadar reviewed it in 2020, and discounts are often available. Buy these for podcasts, for a second compact pair for music on the move, or to hear your surroundings while running, and accept that there is no water resistance. If you want bass, isolation or all-day comfort, the same money buys more elsewhere.

Which model this is

This page covers the JBL Tune 225TWS, an open-fit stemmed true wireless earbud launched in 2020 and sold in blue, gray, white, black, pink and gold. Its Amazon listing is ASIN B09BQNTZJ3. Keep it separate from the JBL Tune 220TWS, Tune 230NC and Tune 305C, which are different models.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

  • None retrievable: no owner thread, forum post or retailer Q&A could be read during research.

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