New JBL Tune 230NC Earphones: Balancing Budget and Performance with Impressive Sound and Battery Life

Active noise cancellation in budget TWS earphones is not a novel concept, as several brands like Realme, Oppo, and OnePlus have recently introduced excellent models featuring this technology. However, more traditional audio companies have been relatively slow to enter this market. One notable brand looking to change that is JBL, which has recently unveiled two new budget-friendly true wireless earbuds: the Tune 130NC and the Tune 230NC.

With a price tag of Rs. 5,999 in India, the JBL Tune 230NC boasts active noise cancellation, app compatibility, and promises a decent battery life, all offered at a competitive price point. But does this headset have what it takes to compete against the likes of the OnePlus Buds Z2 and Oppo Enco Air 2 Pro? Discover the answer in this review.

The JBL Tune 230NC supports the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs

Design and Features of the JBL Tune 230NC

A notable distinction between the JBL 130NC and 230NC is that the latter features earpieces with stems that accommodate their microphones. The earpieces also include status indicator lights.

The design of the JBL Tune 230NC incorporates many elements typical of the brand, such as prominently displayed logos on both the charging case and earpieces, colorful accents on the ear tips, and a solid industrial aesthetic. The earpieces may not emanate a luxurious feel, but they are also not poorly designed, and they provided comfort for extended listening periods.

The size of the JBL Tune 230NC charging case is quite manageable, making it easy to fit alongside a wallet or smartphone in a pocket. It features three indicator lights to display the battery status, with a USB Type-C port located on the backside for charging. The packaging includes a USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable and three pairs of silicone ear tips to ensure a customizable fit.

Each earpiece has its own indicator lights to convey connectivity status, accompanied by a touch-sensitive area at the top of the stem. The JBL Tune 230NC has an IPX4 rating for water resistance and is equipped with two microphones per earpiece for both ANC and voice calling. Unfortunately, the headset lacks a wear detection feature that automatically plays or pauses music.

App and Specifications of the JBL Tune 230NC

The JBL Tune 230NC true wireless earbuds utilize the JBL Headphones app (available on both Android and iOS) for customization and control. Users can adjust touch controls, select from various equalizer presets or create a custom one, toggle between ANC and ambient sound modes, check battery levels for the earpieces and charging case, and even turn off the earpieces through the app.

However, the customization for controls isn’t as robust as I had hoped. The app allows selection from different control sets for playback, ANC and transparency modes, volume, and voice assistant activation. Each earpiece can have a different control set, yet the options within each set remain fixed. I found remembering the tap gestures challenging, and often accidentally triggered the single-tap gesture when attempting to adjust the earpiece.

The JBL Tune 230NC features active noise cancellation and is compatible with the JBL Headphones app on iOS and Android

The earbuds can activate the built-in voice assistant of your smartphone or Alexa, which requires additional setup. The Find My Buds feature worked effectively, emitting a loud sound helpful for locating misplaced earpieces around the house.

The JBL Tune 230NC is equipped with 6mm dynamic drivers, delivering a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz. It connects via Bluetooth 5.2, supporting both SBC and AAC codecs. Additionally, it offers active noise cancellation and Google Fast Pair functionality.

Performance and Battery Life of the JBL Tune 230NC

Affordable and mid-range true wireless earphones have recently experienced significant advancements in terms of sound quality and ANC capabilities. The JBL Tune 230NC manages to hold its own against competitors like OnePlus and Oppo, providing satisfactory sound and functioning active noise cancellation.

Beginning with «Over Here» by Mk.gee, the JBL Tune 230NC produced a sound signature that was pleasant and fairly well-balanced, with gentle lows and clear mids and highs. The synthesizer elements mimicking guitar sounds in the rhythm felt superbly present without being too harsh or piercing, allowing for extended listening of such tracks.

This smooth sound enabled me to elevate the volume even in quieter environments such as my home or office, allowing me to enjoy the impressive soundstage that the JBL Tune 230NC provides. I easily detected directionality and various elements like the folk instruments at the start of the lounge track «With Arambol 2» by Astropilot.

The battery life of the JBL Tune 230NC is commendable, with the earpieces and charging case lasting for a total of 26 hours per charge cycle

The rich, bass-oriented rhythm of this track was refined and smooth without feeling weak. The sound profile of the Tune 230NC doesn’t push as hard as the OnePlus Buds Z2, which may leave bass enthusiasts looking for more intensity. Nevertheless, the audio remains clean, precise, and well-calibrated for comfortable listening across various genres and pacing.

The active noise cancellation on the JBL Tune 230NC is basic, as is common with budget true wireless options. While I noticed a considerable decrease in ambient noise when indoors, its effectiveness diminished significantly outdoors or even with windows open at home.

The gentle hum from air conditioning units, ceiling fans, and external noises like construction sounds remained apparent. However, the ANC did assist in making music more enjoyable even at lower volume levels. The hear-through mode felt rather unnatural and excessively amplified wind noise, leading me to prefer removing the earbuds for brief conversations.

Connection stability and call quality on the JBL Tune 230NC were satisfactory, maintaining a stable link up to 4m away from the source device. I encountered no issues making calls indoors, and increasing the volume yielded acceptable call quality even outdoors.

The battery performance of the JBL Tune 230NC is excellent, with earpieces lasting approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes with ANC activated at moderate volume. The charging case offers three additional charges, totaling around 26 hours of playback per charge cycle. The earbuds take about two hours to fully recharge, and it’s possible to achieve around two hours of listening time with just a 10-minute charge from zero.

Conclusion

While JBL is not typically associated with budget TWS products, the introduction of the Tune 230NC with active noise cancellation positions it competitively against brands like OnePlus, Oppo, and Realme, all of which dominate this popular price bracket. Although the ANC functionality is average, the JBL Tune 230NC compensates with a harmonious sound profile, a functional app, reliable connectivity, impressive battery life, and comfortable fit. Although slightly pricey for its features, these true wireless earbuds are a solid choice if you’re working with a budget of around Rs. 6,000.

Of course, competition in this space is fierce, with numerous alternatives worth exploring, such as the OnePlus Buds Z2 or even the slightly less expensive JBL Tune 130NC. Still, if you choose the Tune 230NC, you are likely to enjoy the overall experience.