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JBL Tune 520BT | My time with JBL's latest budget headphones

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Back in May I returned the JBL Live 670NCs and picked the JBL Tune 520BTs instead and so far I am pleasantly surprised with my decision. Don't get me wrong the Live 670s served me well, however, with me also picking up the JBL Live 770NCs in April I felt that the 670s were too similar to the 770s in terms of features. Review is coming by the way for the 770s. With the 520s I get enough of a difference while saving some money. Let's get into the mini review.

Comfort

I find the 520s to be more comfortable than the 670s. To me, the 670s clamped down on my ears and head while the 520s just sat on my ears. There is a piece of rubber or plastic at the top of the headband that provides some cushion. The ear cups are fine and work as intended. In all, I would say that the 520s are good for long listening sessions. 

Sound and Mic Quality

The 520s are a budget set of headphones so I didn't expect much in the sound department but found them to be more than adequate for most casual listeners. The headphones get plenty loud and bass hits pretty hard. Lows are prominent but not as deep as the higher priced models. Mids and highs are good but not as bright as I prefer. The mic is decent for calls but background noise gets through quite easily. Can be useful in a pinch. 

Features

Not surprising, the 520s are not feature rich as the JBL Live series but there are a couple nice additions. The headlining feature for me is Google Audio Switch. Google Audio Switch enables users to switch between two devices seamlessly that's connected to the headphones. This feature works extremely well in my experience. You can also adjust the equalizer, set max volume limits, set an auto power off time and of course update the headphones. All of these features and more are available via the JBL app.

Controls, Ports and Battery

All controls of the headphones can be found on the right ear cup where you have the volume rocker and power button. Volume up and down doubles as track forward and back. Play pause doubles as answering calls and summoning the phones assistant. Type C for charging is also on the right ear cup and there is no headphone jack. Battery is solid and long lasting with the 520s rated at up to 57hrs.

Specs

FeatureSpecification
SoundJBL Pure Bass sound, 33mm dynamic driver
BluetoothVersion 5.3
Battery LifeUp to 57 hours, 3 hours with 5-minute charge
ChargingType-C USB
ControlsButton controls on earcup
MicrophoneBuilt-in for calls
ComfortLightweight, foldable design, soft ear cushions
Additional FeaturesVoice Aware, Multi-point connection, JBL Headphones App

Conclusion


Overall the JBL Tune 520s are excellent budget headphones and worth a look. The sound punches above its class and the features included raise the level of the headphones into a class of their own. I'm really digging the 520s. 
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