Amia DalveyJuly 14, 2022 at 11:34:01 Indchinese Time
Positives:
Fun and detailed audio output
UV cleaning to kill bacteria
Wireless transmitter mode
Good build quality, comfortable in the ear
Feature-rich companion app
– Volume control on the buds
Call quality is good
IPX4 Water Resistant
Negatives:
– Average ANC
Less than average battery backup
– Lacks support for advanced codecs
– expensive
price: 16,990 rupees
Rating: 4/5
Since Apple released the first Airpods, I’ve reviewed dozens of true wireless (TWS) earbuds from various brands. In practice, I’ve seen the sector evolve from initial teething issues to massive improvements in connectivity, sound quality, and battery life over the years. Then came Active Noise Canceling (ANC) on earbuds priced at 20K and beyond, all the way to 2K. Just when I thought I’d seen everything that was possible to see in this segment came the LG Tone Free FP9.
While the Buds look a lot like most of their premium counterparts with programmable touch controls, ANC and business, it’s the charging case that goes well beyond the usual call of duty and offers some truly unique features. Let’s get to know this new wireless audio product from LG a little better.
LG Tone Free FP9: Design and Convenience (8/10)
The LG Tone Free FP9 buds arrive in a round case. We got the Pearl White variant for review, which has a smooth matte finish, and that goes for both the buds and the case. Buds have short stems and angular tips covered with a transparent silicone gel that enters the ear canals. They do not cause any discomfort at all even following long hours of wear and provide decent passive noise isolation. Touch is enabled on top of the stems and accepts various gestures to control the buds.
While the case is compact, its close to an inch thickness doesn’t make it a perfect pocket-friendly fit. But this case has more than just a 390mAh battery, which I’ll talk regarding in the next section. It lights up blue for a few seconds when the lid is opened adding to the cool quotient. The case has two LEDs on the front, one for the power level and one for the UVnano cleaning indicator. There is a small slider on the side to switch to send mode and there is a USB-C charging port on the back.
The manufacturing quality of the buds as well as the case feel excellent. The earbuds have an IPX4 rating for sweat resistance. So you can wear it to the gym or for a jog without worry. Three pairs of ear pads are grouped, and it is important to choose the right-sized pair for optimal ANC. While you can use these buds directly without installing the accompanying app, I highly suggest using the LG Tone Free app which provides a tone of personalization for these buds.
LG Tone Free FP9: Features and Specifications (9/10)
Each earbud hosts an 8mm dynamic driver and three microphones for calling and noise canceling. You also get wear-detecting sensors to pause the sound when you remove an ear bud and resume it when you restart it. Touch gestures work well and you hear a sound every time you tap on the touch areas. LG Tone Free app allows you to configure the controls.
You can set play/pause, previous/next tracks, voice assistant or none for single tap, double tap or triple tap. But wait there is more! This is one of those rare TWS buds that lets you assign the volume up and down function to one of those gestures as well. So you don’t need to reach for the phone just to change the loudness. The ANC toggle is set to the touch and hold gesture, and you can’t change that. While this is fine, there is a strange issue with the switch.
You can only switch between noise canceling and ambient sound (transparency) modes from the speakers. You can switch to normal mode (turn off ANC and transparency) only through the app and not via any touch gesture on the buds. This is very unusual, and I hope the company will fix this in a future firmware update. Otherwise you end up using ANC even when you don’t intend to, thus draining your battery faster.
LG Tone Free FP9 is compatible with Bluetooth 5.2 and supports AAC and SBC encoding. Given the premium pricing, I was expecting support for a higher productivity codec like aptX or LDAC, but that’s not the case here. This product offers two unique features that I have not encountered before. First, it has UVnano technology that uses UV light to kill 99.9% of bacteria on the speaker grille inside the bud in 5 minutes whenever you put the case into the charging position with the earbuds inside and the cap closed. A great option to use in earphones.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Amia Dalvey
Another unique feature allows you to use the charging case as a Bluetooth transmitter. With the included USB-C to Aux cable, you can connect the charging case to any audio device that doesn’t have a built-in Bluetooth connection, and use the earbuds to listen to the audio. This is another great feature that breathes new life into your old devices and opens up a host of possibilities. You can use it with non-smart TVs, MP3 players, old stereos, or even on your in-flight entertainment console.
LG Tone Free FP9: Performance (8/10)
Let’s start with the sound quality. These LG headphones aren’t among the loudest I’ve tested and you’ll need to turn the volume up to 70-75% for normal bass even indoors, and above 80% when on the road. The good part is that the sound does not distort even at high volume. Although the sound signature isn’t entirely neutral, the output is quite pleasant with great detail and a very good balance between the three main frequency bands.
The sound is tuned by British HiFi audio brand, Meridian Audio. The default sound signature is a little on the warmer side with slightly boosted bottoms. The bass, though, is fairly tight and not booming, and provides a good sound that doesn’t overwhelm midrangers. Immaculate mid-range reproduction with ample vocal clarity and good instrument separation. The highs are sharp, well cushioned and just the right amount of sparkle.
The Soundstage is one of the best I’ve come across in TWS earbuds. It’s surprisingly wide and the sound is immersive. Photography is very much on the money too. The overall audio output looks improved and I can’t stop wondering if it would sound better with better AAC codec. Tone Free lets you play with audio even more by offering five equalizer presets and two custom equalizers to configure. Natural, Immersive, and Bass Boost were the best presets and should cater to your broader audio preference.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Amia Dalvey
There were no latency issues with no noticeable gap between video and audio when streaming videos. As for the ANC, it was functional at best and not something special that you would expect from a premium product. It reduces some ambient sounds but not as much as it should. Comparatively, it was similar to what you get on OnePlus Buds Z2 at 70% lower than these LG headphones, but nowhere near the Sony WF-1000XM4 that sells in the same price bracket as this product.
Ambient sound mode here looks completely natural. Microphones allow ambient sounds to pass through to let you perceive your surroundings or have a conversation without removing the headphones from your ears. The app provides you with listening and speaking modes within ambient sound to enhance background sounds or voices respectively. The wireless range is good with the earbuds maintaining a strong connection at an unobstructed 10m distance between the source and the bud.
LG Tone Free FP9: Call Quality (8/10)
Call quality is very good on these LG headphones. The array of microphones and noise canceling technology work well to improve voice clarity. The people on the line were fully audible to each other indoors as well as outdoors. The buds were able to control wind noise and other ambient sounds like traffic noise pretty well. Another interesting feature here is the whisper mode, which, when enabled from the app, allows you to whisper into the right earbud (mounted near your mouth) and be heard by the person on the line more clearly than the person next to you on the train.
LG Tone Free FP9: Battery Life (7/10)
The company promises 24 hours of operation with ANC off and up to 15 hours with ANC on for Buds and Case combined. As I mentioned earlier, turning off ANC is a big task here. With the ANC turned on, I got five and a half hours for the 75% loud buds and an extra 7.5 or so hours with the charging case, thus taking the total battery reserve less than an hour below the advertised 15 hours with the ANC. While the claim is honest, 14 hours isn’t a huge number in this day and age when competing brands ran upwards of 20 hours with ANC.
Image Credit: Tech2 | Amia Dalvey
Ironically, 5.5 hours with ANC is a perfectly acceptable battery backup for the Buds. I wish the case had a bigger battery and might recharge the speakers a few more times. LG Tone Free FP9 supports fast charging as well. Charging the case with the internal buds gives you nearly an hour of playtime, which isn’t a bad thing at all. The buds take regarding an hour to fully charge, while the case takes two hours. The earbuds’ battery level and charging case can be seen in the accompanying app.
LG Tone Free FP9: Price and Verdict
The LG Tone Free FP9 can be bought for Rs 16,990 with a one-year warranty. TWS headphones may not be the most affordable, but you do get enhanced audio output with great detail and a spacious sound stage. More importantly, it offers features that no one else knows regarding. Whether it’s the added level of cleanliness through UVnano disinfection or the option to play some of your old audio players wirelessly using the case as a transmitter, if you take into account these features, the premium is somewhat justified.
In terms of pure sound quality and ANC, while this LG pair sounds good, it’s not the best under 20K. That honor goes to the Sony WF-1000XM4 with a clip that defines ANC along with better output for a few thousand more. If you don’t care regarding UVnano mode or the transmitter, and just want ANC-comparable audio quality at a much lower price, you should highly consider the Oppo Enco X for Rs 9,990. Having used all three products, I can say one thing for sure that you will not be disappointed.
