Somewhat surprisingly, JBL has launched a successor to the 220TWS with the TUNE 225TWS. The TUNE 225TWS should only represent a detail improvement. So there should be small improvements in sound, battery life and control. Are these improvements noticeable in practice? Let’s find out in the Review.
Design
The TUNE 225TWS are so-called “semi-in-ear” earphones . This means that they lack the well-known silicone attachments. Instead, the earbuds are simply placed in your ears. This design is of course a matter of taste, but became quite popular with the Apple AirPods.
The earphones themselves have as well as the Apple AirPods via the web design. Does that mean you have your earphones and a small bridge protrudes down from them, which extends to the level of the earlobes. There is a control button on the back of this bar. As usual, the earphones are switched on / off automatically when you put them in or remove them from the charging case.
The charging box of the JBL TUNE 225TWS is comfortably compact and light with 55 x 51 x 29 and a weight of 47g (57g with earphones). The charging box can recharge the earphones around 4x while on the move. According to the manufacturer, the earphones last about 5 hours on one charge. In practice, we get + -4 hours, depending on the volume.
The processing quality of the earphones and the charging case is impeccable! Both appear robust and solidly worked.
Comfort
The wearing comfort is always a matter of taste, especially with in-ear headphones. If you don’t like the comfort of in-ear headphones, then the JBL TUNE 225TWS could be the ideal alternative for you.
Because the silicone tips are not used, the earphones simply lie in your ears without the “fingers in the ears” feeling of normal in-ears. I get along well with normal in-ears, but I can understand the merits of the semi-in-ear design.
The JBL TUNE 225TWS are particularly pleasant to use when doing sports and you are not as isolated from the environment either. So (if the music is not too loud) you would still hear a car or someone calling you.
Sound
The sound of semi-in-ear headphones is always such a thing. Due to the lack of a seal on your ear, these earphones often have problems building up “pressure”. But this is important for bass performance. You can remove the silicone attachments from regular in-ears and then stick them in your ears, then you will know what I mean. Manufacturers have to compensate for this problem with larger drivers and other “tricks”. But no manufacturer manages this completely, not even Apple with its AirPods. So if you want the maximum sound quality, you have to use earphones with a silicone attachment.
But how do the JBL TUNE 225TWS sound? Roughly like the JBL TUNE 220TWS, the sound has not changed much or even nothing. The TUNE 225TWS have a very open and very spatial sound that you usually do not find with in-ears. The earphones are almost more reminiscent of normal headphones, which sound a little looser.
So it’s not surprising that the heights of the TUNE 225TWS are good, if not very good! These are nice and clear and have a certain natural openness, which makes them appear much less strenuous. And this despite a certain sharpness.
The TUNE 225TWS sound comparatively cool and also a bit thin in the middle. Here the earphones are somewhat lacking in volume and mass. Voices are easy to understand and sound quite natural. However, these aren’t super haunting either.
With the bass , JBL has basically done a good job again. I would describe the bass as neat. The deep bass in particular is noticeably good and full, but the TUNE 225TWS cannot build up any pressure due to its design. The bass “fizzles out” a little. It is clear to see that the earphones have a very good bass, but they cannot “get it onto the street” 100%.
I can’t describe the sound as thin or weak either, on the contrary. The TUNE 225TWS sound really lively and dynamic! I would prefer these to the AirPods. However, especially if you are a bass fanatic, normal in-ears are preferable. In return, the spatial representation and “airiness” of the TUNE 225TWS is difficult to achieve for regular in-ears.
Conclusion
Whether the JBL TUNE 225TWS is something for you depends 100% on how comfortable it is to wear. The “semi-in-ear” style is the selling point of the TUNE 225TWS and at the same time the biggest point of criticism.
If you don’t like regular in-ears due to the sealing of the ears or if you simply prefer the slightly more “airy” wearing comfort, then the JBL TUNE 225TWS are the best earphones for you.
What is the disadvantage of this style, however, is the sound. Due to the lack of sealing on your ear, such earphones always have problems with the bass! The JBL TUNE 225TWS do not sound bad, they have a beautiful, dynamic and lively sound. However, you shouldn’t expect really hammering bass.
In the end it depends on you! The JBL TUNE 225TWS are the best “semi-in-ear” earphones I know . However, if you are looking for the maximum sound quality, I would rather use normal in-ear earphones. Incidentally, I couldn’t make out any real difference between the JBL TUNE 225TWS and the TUNE 220TWS. The former have a slightly better battery, so if in doubt, go for the cheaper models.
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