Customer reviews from jbl.com
JBL - Refurbished Excellent - Tune 225TWS True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - White
Average customer rating
3.1
(265 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 265 reviews
5 Stars
64
4 Stars
56
3 Stars
41
2 Stars
41
1 Star
63
63%of customers recommend this product.
(
99 out of
157)
Customer Reviews for JBL - Refurbished Excellent - Tune 225TWS True Wireless In-Ear Headphones - White
Customer Rating
2
Too loud
on February 14, 2021
Posted by: Jared L
These wireless earbuds are WAY too loud, even on the lowest setting. The design seems pretty good, but their volume makes it too uncomfortable to wear.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from jbl.comBy Raymundo at Customer Support, Harman Lifestyle, February 16, 2021
If you're using Google Assistant or Siri, you can give them a voice command to lower the volume to 30%. If you're not using these applications and you've set the volume on the source device (smartphones, tablets, etc.) to the lowest level and still find the audio too loud, please contact our customer support for us to do some troubleshooting on the headphones. https://bit.ly/2WocMfi
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
3
Nice product but it didn't fit my ears.
on September 8, 2020
Posted by: Cosmo10911
from Houston, Tx
[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] First impression:
Wow! These look like Airpods! Yup, I said it. Airpods. I really think that
JBL could have done something unique and fun but chose to go after the Airpods crowd instead. Do they sound better than Airpods? The JBL is slightly better in the sense that they have a bit more bass but overall, but about the same sound quality.
Wow! These look like Airpods! Yup, I said it. Airpods. I really think that
JBL could have done something unique and fun but chose to go after the Airpods crowd instead. Do they sound better than Airpods? The JBL is slightly better in the sense that they have a bit more bass but overall, but about the same sound quality.
In the Box:
Inside the box you get the headphone ear pieces (2) "pods", a pod docking/charging case, and a micro USB cable. The charging dock is a nice square piece with rounded edges that fit nicely in your pocket. I would have loved to see JBL use their trademark orange to make the items stand out a bit and facilitate finding them.
Construction:
The JBLs have a nice look and feel to them. While the shape is totally Airpod, there seems to be some texture to the plastics that make them feel softer. Its not rubberized but it gives the overall impression as such. The case is sturdy and provides up to 20hrs of listening time while the "pods" themselves provide about 5hrs on each full charge for about 25hrs of total playback.
Inside the box you get the headphone ear pieces (2) "pods", a pod docking/charging case, and a micro USB cable. The charging dock is a nice square piece with rounded edges that fit nicely in your pocket. I would have loved to see JBL use their trademark orange to make the items stand out a bit and facilitate finding them.
Construction:
The JBLs have a nice look and feel to them. While the shape is totally Airpod, there seems to be some texture to the plastics that make them feel softer. Its not rubberized but it gives the overall impression as such. The case is sturdy and provides up to 20hrs of listening time while the "pods" themselves provide about 5hrs on each full charge for about 25hrs of total playback.
Fit:
This is where the JBL has fallen short. I could not get a good fit from the right ear. I found that the pods just could not sit properly in my ear and always felt loose. This is due to the structure of my ears and not a fault of the product. I had 2 friends try them without much of a fuss. These just did not work for me from that perspective. Interestingly, when I use the Right in the left ear and the left in the right ear, I was able to get a good seal but then it made the controls more difficult to use. I really wish these would fit my ears. With some rubber surrounds, they may have worked.
This is where the JBL has fallen short. I could not get a good fit from the right ear. I found that the pods just could not sit properly in my ear and always felt loose. This is due to the structure of my ears and not a fault of the product. I had 2 friends try them without much of a fuss. These just did not work for me from that perspective. Interestingly, when I use the Right in the left ear and the left in the right ear, I was able to get a good seal but then it made the controls more difficult to use. I really wish these would fit my ears. With some rubber surrounds, they may have worked.
Use:
Using the JBL Tune 225 is really simple. Just open the case, pull them out, pair them with device, wear them and play music. It really is that simple. After they are paired once, there is an automatic start up upon removal from the case.
The controls are on the pods themselves and are pretty intuitive and simple to use. Much easier than previous models of JBL earbuds. The JBL Tune 225 has one button on each bud, the left for skipping tracks, and the right being for play/pause and picking up calls. The right also will access SIRI, Google Assistant, or Bixby by double clicking the right button. These buttons are relatively responsive but the double clicks were a bit difficult to perform since the pods sit in your ears and aren't secured by anything like maybe a rubber seal to your ears.
Bluetooth
Using the JBL Tune 225 is really simple. Just open the case, pull them out, pair them with device, wear them and play music. It really is that simple. After they are paired once, there is an automatic start up upon removal from the case.
The controls are on the pods themselves and are pretty intuitive and simple to use. Much easier than previous models of JBL earbuds. The JBL Tune 225 has one button on each bud, the left for skipping tracks, and the right being for play/pause and picking up calls. The right also will access SIRI, Google Assistant, or Bixby by double clicking the right button. These buttons are relatively responsive but the double clicks were a bit difficult to perform since the pods sit in your ears and aren't secured by anything like maybe a rubber seal to your ears.
Bluetooth
The JBL Tune 225 features Bluetooth 5.0. This makes for excellent range and bandwidth with very little dropout. I was able to clean my home with no dropouts while my phone was sitting on the charger.
Sound:
The soundstage is a bit narrow compared to other JBL products I have used. Spatial imaging does the best job it possibly can given the size of the pods. Left and right buds do their best to try to simulate some sort of stereo/wideness field and works pretty well in its favor.
The lows seem to be adequately controlled and do a really nice job of making the sound seem full. The bass is not a thundering bass as one would get from a massive subwoofer but works really well for buds this small.
The mids seem to be the weakest of the three (low, mid, high). There seems to be a loss of instrumentation on most tracks. The highs and lows seem to drown out the mids, at least until a female vocal is played in the music. Then it seems like the vocals are able to rise from the ashes of the music. Pinks voice really sounds great on these pods.
The highs are present but seem to lack sparkle or pizazz if you will. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It just means that you are able to listen comfortably for longer as the sound is not harsh by any means.
Overall, I think if the mid instrumentation would come more forward and the highs would sparkle just a bit, the sound would be more pleasing. I am being very nit picky here though. They really do sound good. IMO, they are better than Airpods.
The soundstage is a bit narrow compared to other JBL products I have used. Spatial imaging does the best job it possibly can given the size of the pods. Left and right buds do their best to try to simulate some sort of stereo/wideness field and works pretty well in its favor.
The lows seem to be adequately controlled and do a really nice job of making the sound seem full. The bass is not a thundering bass as one would get from a massive subwoofer but works really well for buds this small.
The mids seem to be the weakest of the three (low, mid, high). There seems to be a loss of instrumentation on most tracks. The highs and lows seem to drown out the mids, at least until a female vocal is played in the music. Then it seems like the vocals are able to rise from the ashes of the music. Pinks voice really sounds great on these pods.
The highs are present but seem to lack sparkle or pizazz if you will. This is not necessarily a bad thing. It just means that you are able to listen comfortably for longer as the sound is not harsh by any means.
Overall, I think if the mid instrumentation would come more forward and the highs would sparkle just a bit, the sound would be more pleasing. I am being very nit picky here though. They really do sound good. IMO, they are better than Airpods.
Final Verdict:
Full disclosure, these were provided to me to test and review. Would I buy them? I would not because I cannot get a proper fit or seal for proper sound. I think they will work for most ears but my ear canals are too large and too far inset to accommodate the pod stems. I think that if there were rubber surrounds to lock them in place and seal the canal they would work for me.
If you are looking at Airpod type headphones and don't want to spend the outrageous money for them, the JBL TUNE225s are a great way to go. You get better sound, equally as nice form factor, access to the same features for a fraction of the cost.
If they fit for you, JBL TUNE 225 will not disappoint.
Full disclosure, these were provided to me to test and review. Would I buy them? I would not because I cannot get a proper fit or seal for proper sound. I think they will work for most ears but my ear canals are too large and too far inset to accommodate the pod stems. I think that if there were rubber surrounds to lock them in place and seal the canal they would work for me.
If you are looking at Airpod type headphones and don't want to spend the outrageous money for them, the JBL TUNE225s are a great way to go. You get better sound, equally as nice form factor, access to the same features for a fraction of the cost.
If they fit for you, JBL TUNE 225 will not disappoint.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from jbl.comBy Mario at Customer Support, Customer Service, September 9, 2020
We appreciate the feedback you've provided to us. We understand that our JBL Tune 225TWS did not meet your expectations. We're always looking for ways to improve so we'll make sure to submit your feedback to the right department.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
2
Wanted these to be "The Ones"
on August 17, 2020
Posted by: justme71
from Phoenix, AZ
I purchased a pair of these for my daughter and liked them so much that I bought a pair for myself. They worked great until one day the left ear bud powered out before the right one. It seemed odd since they were charging at the same time. I figured it just needed recharging so I placed both earbuds back in the case to re-charge for a while. Afterwards, the right was the only earbud that was charged. I tried 'resetting", re-pairing, cleaning the three contacts in the charging case and searched a number of troubleshooting videos related to the JBL 225TWS model. No success. The light on the earbud wouldn't even appear. I noticed that only when I press down on the earbud, it the light would go on - but only by pressing down on it. I believe it has something to do with the contacts in the case or in the earbuds themselves. Either way, they worked fine for the first month. I didn't want to regret this purchase but now I'm wondering if I should have coughed up the extra cash for something different.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from jbl.comBy Homer at Customer Support, Customer Support, August 19, 2020
We'd like to work with you directly on this one. Please reach out to our Customer Support at https://bit.ly/3etA1v8
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
5
on February 9, 2021
Posted by: Ginge
from Frisco, TX
Bought these to replace my air pods after those started having issues. These JBL ear buds fit the same as the air pods; both feel comfortable and don’t fall out of my ear. I’d say the JBL’s sound is clearer and the button on the ear buds functions way better than the air pods’ touch sensor ever did.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
3
Great but HUGE flaw…
on July 11, 2021
Posted by: ajgsteps
from Washington, DC
Great sound. Great fit. Phone calls are quiet!! But the most irritating non-feature is that there is no volume control!! WHAT!? How was that skipped?? Explanation would be helpful. Ugh.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from jbl.comBy Iggy at Customer Support, Iggy at Customer Support, July 11, 2021
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We are sorry to hear that our JBL Tune 225 TWS didn't meet your expectations. We're always looking for ways to improve. We'll make sure to submit your feedback to the appropriate department.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
2
Battery Life and Sync
on November 28, 2021
Posted by: Phil277
from Denver, CO
I am an avid JBL person, I own 5 different set of JBL in ear and over the ear headphones. This is the first pair I have really disliked or had issue with. These are 3 days old, yet the battery life is not more than 3-4 hours of continuous use. They are no good for any type of video as they do not sync well enough that they have about a 1-2 second delay from the device. I have tried my iPhone, my iPad and a Macbok Pro, all newer models yet all have the same lag/delay and makes it kind of hard to concentrate on any video. Sound is good as usual, but I would not recommend if you will need them for any period of time or if you plan on watching any video.
By Customer Support, November 30, 2021
Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your feedback. We are sorry to hear that our Tune 225TWS did not meet your expectations. We recommend that you review our article on 'Battery and Charging Issues' found in this link: https://bit.ly/2T1BMuX We're always looking for ways to improve so we'll make sure to submit your feedback to our development team. If you have any questions or concerns about this product's features, please reach out to us at: https://bit.ly/2WocMfi
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
1
on July 26, 2023
Posted by: Cody15367
My wife got me these headphone less than a year ago and almost right off the bat the left one stopped working and now im lucky if either one will connect to bluetooth. Would not recommend buying these headphones. The most expensive headphones i have ever had and the worst headphones i have ever had
By Customer Support, July 26, 2023
We appreciate your time in providing your feedback on our JBL Tune 225TWS. Please unpair or forget the JBL Tune 225TWS on your source device. Tap the button of both earbuds three times simultaneously to manually reconnect them. If manually pairing them fails to resolve the issue, please try to unpair them again and perform a factory reset. To reset the earbuds, plug the charging case into a power source and insert both earbuds. Press and hold the button on the right pod for about 5 seconds until the LED turns off and on again. Resetting the earbuds will wipe all of their previous pairings and settings, so it will be necessary to pair them again. If the issue continues, please contact our customer support for more assistance.
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com
Customer Rating
3
Good sound, poor battery life
on July 14, 2020
Posted by: bamos95
from Austin, TX
Love jbl products and have been looking for a good airpods alternative. Was hopeful about these wireless headphones, but the battery life is terrible. Usually they do not even get through 40 minutes of music or podcasts at a medium-high volume. The edges of the headphones where the speaker fits into that goes into your eardrum are also very sharp and uncomfortable.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from jbl.comBy Mario at Customer Support, Customer Service, August 17, 2020
We appreciate the feedback you've provided to us. We understand that our JBL Tune 225TWS did not meet your expectations. We're always looking for ways to improve so please contact us so we can help you: https://bit.ly/2zwFkYM
Written by a customer while visiting jbl.com