Hardware

Published on January 5th, 2022 | by Andrew Bistak

LG TONE Free Review

LG TONE Free Review Andrew Bistak
Score

Summary: Decent sound quality and some fantastic features make the LG TONE Free your go-to earbuds!

4.5

Audio comfort!


Welcome to LG’s TONE Free earbuds that offers some unparalleled audio quality and clever features that you won’t see with their competitors but more importantly, these earbuds produce exceptional sound quality that will enhance your listening experience courtesy of its Meridian technology.

Another highlight is that the case boasts UVnano Self-Cleaning technology which kills 99.9% of bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus) after 10 minutes, so you can be rest assured that your earbuds are always clean when taken out of the case. Furthermore, the LG TONE Free look quite stylish, including being available in two colours (black or white) that fit very comfortably in your ear with an IPX4 Rating that makes it perfect for working out or even using it in the rain.

Highlights 

  • With Meridian Clear and Spatial Sound
  • Flex Action Bass
  • 3 Microphone System for advanced call quality
  • Fast Charging (5 min for up to 60 min of playtime)
  • Playtime: Earbuds, up to 10 hours, up to 24 hours with case
  • IPX4 Sweat & Water Resistance

Professionally packed from LG, the TONE Free earbuds are a well-designed product from this company and the only tricky aspect is putting them back into the wireless charging case as you need to line them up the charging contacts but after a few attempts, it becomes second nature.

In terms of controls, the TONE Free are controlled via touch sensors on the earbuds which is a combination of touches. One touch allows you to answer a call or to play/stop the music you are listening to, whereas two touches is used to end a call or control the volume. Three touches allows you to play the next song and a long press enables the ambient sound option. Again, practice makes perfect.

Box contents

  • TONE Free Earbuds
  • UVnano Charging Case
  • USB-C Charging Cable
  • USB-C to AUX Cable
  • Extra Ear Gels (3 sets)
  • User Manual
  • Reference Guide (EU Only)
  • WEEE Card (EU Only)

Unboxing Gallery

Setup? What setup!

As soon as I opened up the UVnano charging case with the TONE Free Earbuds inside them, my android phone prompted the connection which then supported me to download the TONE Free app, including checking for updates. With the simplistic setup process, I was up and running in just a few minutes, without any convoluted steps or additional user input.

Complementing the earbuds is the excellent TONE Free app that displays the battery level of the earbuds (e.g. 97%) and case battery, including easy access to the user manual, accessing the equalizer settings (Immersive, Natural, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, 3D Sound Stage) plus two custom settings and a wealth of other options that include;

  • Control ambient sound and ANC
  • Auto Play/Pause
  • Touchpad Lock
  • Touchpad Settings
  • TONE Free LAB
    Game Mode – Reduces audio latency / Whispering Mode – use an earbud as a microphone
  • Voice Alert Settings – Read SMS, MMS and SNS messages
  • Find my Earbuds
  • Software Update
  • Privacy Policy
  • Open Source License
  • Intelligent Sorting – analyses usage patterns with frequently used app functionality at the top

Further to the app, once installed on your phone and when you open the charging case, it will display the battery levels of both earbuds and the charger so you are always on top of how much battery is left. As the TONE Free supports fast charging, this adds another layer of protection to your audio experience (e.g. more usage) and considering 5-minutes of charge gives you 60-minutes of playtime, this is perfect for those occasions when you forget to charge the earbuds. Adding to the charging process is the aforementioned wireless charging plus USB-C.

Audio? Exceptional!

The sound quality of the FREE Tone is fantastic and it produces a very smooth audio experience that allows you to hear lows, mids and highs to cater for a wide gamut of audio formats, whether gaming, watching movies, listening to music or taking phone calls.  Additionally you can tweak the equalizer settings to fine-tune your audio and gamers will appreciate the game mode which reduces lag when gaming that keeps the graphics and audio synced.

Interestingly the 6mm drivers work a treat and can produce a healthy amount of bass. While it supports passive noise cancellation thanks to its close in-ear fit to help minimise background sound which is great if you want to become fully immersed in your audio, on the flipside, it is supported by an Ambient Sound Mode which highlights the sound around you.

Further, taking calls or using Skype or Facetime again produce clear results thanks to the three microphones on the earbuds to help capture your voice. I also like the whispering mode that allows you to turn one of the earbuds into a portable microphone which is a very clever feature.

Final Thoughts?

With a recommended retail price of $259AUD (Dec 2021), the LG FREE Tone not only provided an immersive and enjoyable audio experience but come with some clever features that really makes this product stand apart from its competitors.

Recommended!

For more information, please visit https://www.lg.com/au/headphones/lg-hbs-fn6


About the Author

When he's not trying to save the world, Andrew enjoys travel (although loathes turbulence), going to the movies, reading and being a dad to his two dogs (and now twins) with his wife.


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