Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus | JBL Tune Flex |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IP55 | IPX4 |
weight | 9g | 9.6g | |
has no wires or cables | ✓ | ✓ | |
sweat resistance | ✓ | ✓ | |
has stereo speakers | ✓ | ✓ | |
SOUND QUALITY | has active noise cancellation (noise control) | ✓ | ✓ |
has passive noise reduction | ✓ | ✓ | |
driver unit size | 9mm | 12mm | |
lowest frequency | 5Hz | 20Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 110dB/mW | 108dB/mW | |
POWER | battery life | 7.5hours | 8hours |
battery life of charging case | 12.5hours | 24hours | |
charge time | 2.5hours | 2hours | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5.1 | v5.2 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | ✗ | 4only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✓ | |
mic sensitivity | ✗ | -38dBV/Pa | |
highest mic frequency | 8,000Hz | ✗ | |
lowest mic frequency | 100Hz | ✗ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has find earbuds feature | ✓ | ✓ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
multipoint count | 2only | 2only | |
has a mute function | ✓ | ✓ | |
control panel placed on a device | ✓ | ✓ | |
has voice prompts | ✓ | ✓ | |
travel bag is included | ✓ | ✓ | |
See price on Amazon | See price on Amazon |
Ingress protection ratings refer to the level of protection given by an enclosure, against dust and water. In the format of IPXX, 'X' represents a number The first value represents protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).
Having a value of IP55, the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's rating is read as, the first number of 5 denotes that ingress of dust is not totally prevented but dust does not enter in harmful quantities to interfere with the correct operation or impair safety, and the second number of 5 means that they can withstand medium pressure jet that's 6.3mm diameter, similar to garden hose from any angle for 3 minutes at a distance of 2.5 to 3 metres. Compared to the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus, JBL Tune Flex have a rating of IPX4 meaning that
no data available to specify a protection rating
and that of liquids is that,
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus has a higher liquid rating than JBL Tune Flex
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a weight of 9g . We prefer a lower weight better for the reason that lighter devices are more comfortable to carry.
JBL Tune Flex, at 9.6g are heavier than the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus with a difference of 0.6g For a device to be true wireless it should have no wires connecting any part of the device together, Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is a key distinction since wireless earbuds have wires connecting the pair of earbuds together. JBL Tune Flex also is true wireless because it has no wires linking the pair of earbuds together.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus are resistant to sweat JBL Tune Flex's resistance to sweat makes both devices good for use during long-distance running, marathons, cardio sweat workouts , etc Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have stereo speakers, devices with stereo speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience. The JBL Tune Flex also have stereo speakers Active noise cancellation utilises advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and after inverts the soundwaves to counter it.
Simply put, it's like having +1 (sound from your surrounding) then producing -1 (counter sound by the device) giving 0 hence "diluting" the noise.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have ANC enabling you to listen at lower levels of volume, causing less ear fatigue since you don't have to crank up the device volume to overcome background sounds. JBL Tune Flex too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus and JBL Tune Flex work with different noise cancellation settings, pick the setting that you prefer for travel or that suites your chill time. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus sit tightly in place, creating a sound seal that tones down background sounds and also prevents the device music from leaking out at the same. Both JBL Tune Flex, and Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have passive noise reduction which means that they tone down ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a unit size of 9mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, and can produce better bass. A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the earbuds, the unit size corellates with the loudness of the device. JBL Tune Flex driver unit is 12mm in diameter, making them have a larger driver unit than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 3mm , as many tend to believe that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so it's true that, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not imply that they deliver better quality sound. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's lowest frequency is at 5Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well a particular audio device produces low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through. JBL Tune Flex's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus can make sound with a juicier bass than the JBL Tune Flex
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response indicates how well a particular audio device makes high human frequencies and if it makes any adjustments to the signal while at it.
JBL Tune Flex's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that both devices generate equal treble The sound pressure level, is the level of pressure of sound, in decibels, dB, Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's measurement is 110dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source. JBL Tune Flex's sound pressure level measurement is 108dB/mW.
How loud a device is can be considered differently by different people, so we need to have the means to get a standard measurement of sound level expressed in numerical terms. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's battery life is 7.5 hours, these last longer than 5 hours of listening which is considered average for a single charge. A device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, and with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often.
JBL Tune Flex's battery life is more than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 0.5 hours . Each time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less playing time. The effect is not noticeable at first, but over a few years, your wireless earbuds will no longer play for long like they used to. This is given by the manufacturer, and the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's case is said to have a full charge of 12.5 hours.
A charging case with more battery hours enables you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself. JBL Tune Flex's charging case has a battery life of 24 hours, more than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 11.5 hours It takes 2.5 hours to fully charge the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's battery. It is highly adivsable to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been unused for extended periods.
JBL Tune Flex takes 2 hours to fully charge the battery, less than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus by 0.5 hours The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a battery level indicator, an indicator notifies you when the device has a low battery. Its lights show the charging status of your device and case. JBL Tune Flex too have a battery level indicator, charging indicators enable you to tell the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus use USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable. JBL Tune Flex too have USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current laptops, phones, and tablets.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have Bluetooth version of 5.1, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data movement between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. JBL Tune Flex has a Bluetooth version of 5.2, newer than that of Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus . Newer versions provide faster data transfers. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
JBL Tune Flex have a maximum range of 10meters, equal to that of the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Since it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at the same bit rate.
Since its the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus will work well with your MacBook. If you are planning on using these with Android you need to pay even closer attention to codec support for if they only have AAC they won't provide the best audio quality possible, ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well. The JBL Tune Flex support AAC as well.
Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus use a noise-canceling microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound. The JBL Tune Flex too use a noise-canceling type of microphone.
Especially useful in noisy areas. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's highest mic frequency is 8,000Hz, high frequencies are best for recording treble. The highest mic frequency of a microphone is defined as its upper limiting frequency.
The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus's lowest mic frequency is 100Hz, low frequencies are best for recording bass. The lowest mic frequency of a microphone is defined as its lower limiting frequency. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient sound to still be heard even when wearing the earbuds The JBL Tune Flex support ambient sound mode as well, helpful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of your surrounding, say you’re having a jog but would still want to hear traffic.
If lost in a room, or can't be found in your bag, the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support the find earbuds feature. JBL Tune Flex too have the find earbuds feature. You can use the device app on your smartphone to play an alarm from your earbuds to help you locate them.
Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support fast charging. Most often, technologies like MediaTek’s Pump Express, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge a device. Also the JBL Tune Flex too support fast charging.
It's very similar to regular charging, just that the battery fills up much faster. For example, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery is charged to 50% in thirty minutes. Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them.
Say, you can switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect. The JBL Tune Flex have a multipoint count of 2, equal to that of the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus . Bluetooth multipoint is useful because you can be on one call without missing notifications coming from another connected device. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus have a mute function, they support the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the earbuds.
The JBL Tune Flex also have this function. The mute function means that you can turn off the earbuds' microphone, but still hear the other party talk. With the Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the device.
JBL Tune Flex also have a control panel on them. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, say if there is a problem with the connection.
The JBL Tune Flex also have voice prompts meaning the earbuds will notify you if the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them. The Audio Technica ATH CKS30TW Plus come with a special pouch. Carrying earbuds without a case, or placing them inside your bag without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
JBL Tune Flex also have a travel bag included, which is useful for safe transportation.