Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Overall Score 7.5 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.
Category | Features | JBL Tune Flex | Bowers & Wilkins PI7 |
---|---|---|---|
DESIGN | ingress protection (ip) rating | IPX4 | IP54 |
weight | 9.6g | 50g | |
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 | 12mm | 9.2mm | |
lowest frequency | 20Hz | 10Hz | |
highest frequency | 20,000Hz | 20,000Hz | |
sound pressure level | 108dB/mW | ✗ | |
POWER | battery life | 8hours | 4.5hours |
battery life of charging case | 24hours | 18hours | |
charge time | 2hours | 3hours | |
has wireless charging | ✗ | ✓ | |
has a battery level indicator | ✓ | ✓ | |
CONNECTIVITY | has usb type-c | ✓ | ✓ |
bluetooth version | v5.2 | v5 | |
maximum bluetooth range | 10meters | 10meters | |
has aac | ✓ | ✓ | |
has aptx adaptive | ✗ | ✓ | |
has aptx hd | ✗ | ✓ | |
MICROPHONE | number of microphones | 4only | 6only |
has a noise-canceling microphone | ✓ | ✓ | |
mic sensitivity | -38dBV/Pa | ✗ | |
EXTRAS | has ambient sound mode | ✓ | ✓ |
has in/on-ear detection | ✗ | ✓ | |
has find earbuds feature | ✓ | ✓ | |
supports fast charging | ✓ | ✓ | |
multipoint count | 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 is the rating of protection offered by a casing, against dust and liquids. The letters 'IP' are followed by two values The first value of the IP rating means protection against solids say dust, while the second refers to resistance against liquids (water).
Having a value of IPX4, the JBL Tune Flex's rating is read as, the first value of X denotes that no data available to specify a protection rating, and the second number of 4 means that they can withstand low pressure spray similar to that of a shower head when tilted at 180° for 10 minutes.
In comparison to the JBL Tune Flex, Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a rating of IP54 meaning 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 that of liquids is that,
they both have the same rating against liquids
The JBL Tune Flex have a weight of 9.6g . We prefer a lower weight better because lighter devices are easier to move with.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, at 50g
weigh more than the JBL Tune Flex by of 40.4g
True wireless devices have no cables connecting any part of the device together, JBL Tune Flex are true wireless for this case since they don't have wires. This is a major difference since wireless earbuds have cables connecting the 2 earbuds together.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also is true wireless since it has no cables connecting the 2 earbuds .
JBL Tune Flex are resistant to sweat
JBL Tune Flex 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.
Both Bowers & Wilkins PI7 and JBL Tune Flex have stereo speakers
Active noise cancellation uses advanced kind of tech to reduce ambient sounds. How it works, it studies the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to counter it. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 (noise) and adding -1 (inverted noise) to make 0 which results in a reduced level of noise.
JBL Tune Flex have Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to listen at lower volume levels, good for your ears since you don't need to crank up the device volume to outcompete background noise.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have Active Noise Cancellation which makes either of the devices ideal for flights and rush hour commutes. Each operate with different noise cancellation modes, pick the noise cancellation type that you prefer for travel or that suites your chill time.
The JBL Tune Flex sit tightly in place, this creates an acoustic covering that tones down your environment sounds and also prevents the earbuds sound from leaking out .
Both of these devices have passive noise reduction this implies that they tone down ambient noise without using technology to cancel it out.
JBL Tune Flex driver unit is 12mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful, therefor producing better bass.
A driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 driver unit is 9.2mm in diameter,
which implies that they have a smaller driver unit than that of JBL Tune Flex by 2.8mm
, a common assumption that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.
However, large drivers usually have difficulty producing high frequencies so yes, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not indicate that they deliver better quality sound.
The JBL Tune Flex's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, low-frequency response inidcates how well an audio component generates low recognizable frequencies and if it alters the signal on its way through.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's lowest frequency is at 10Hz, this means that
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 can make sound with a juicier bass than the JBL Tune Flex
The JBL Tune Flex's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, high-frequency response shows how well an audio component makes high audible frequencies and if it adjustments to the signal while at it.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that
both devices generate equal treble
SPL, is the pressure level of sound, in decibels, dB, JBL Tune Flex's measurement is 108dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.
JBL Tune Flex's battery life is 8 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 requires fewer chargings.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's battery life is
less than that of JBL Tune Flex by 3.5 hours
. Every time you recharge your earbuds, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely 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 JBL Tune Flex's case is said to have a charge of 24 hours. A charging case with more battery hours allows you to recharge your earbuds on the go many times before having to recharge the case itself.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7's charging case has a battery life of 18 hours,
less than that of JBL Tune Flex by 6 hours
It takes 2 hours to fully charge the JBL Tune Flex's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the earbuds when they have been in storage for extended periods.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 takes 3 hours to fully charge the battery,
more than that of JBL Tune Flex by 1 hours
Bowers & Wilkins PI7, the device supports wireless charging. To charge the device, you just put down on a compatible charging pad.
JBL Tune Flex have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the earbuds has a low battery. Its lights show the charging status of your device and charging case.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a battery level indicator, these allow you determine the charging state of your device, whether fully charged, or the battery is running low.
The JBL Tune Flex support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power in a single cable.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too support USB TYPE-C. This USB-C plug comes along with most current electronics.
The JBL Tune Flex have Bluetooth version of 5.2, Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that enables data transfers between devices placed in range, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 has a Bluetooth version of 5,
older than that of JBL Tune Flex
. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.
The JBL Tune Flex have a 10meters distance connecting via Bluetooth.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 have a maximum range of 10meters,
equal to that of the JBL Tune Flex
JBL Tune Flex support AAC, a codec used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it provides better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.
Being the highest quality codec that any Bluetooth-supporting Apple product supports, the JBL Tune Flex will work fine with your iPhone. If you are planning on using these with Android , ensure that they also support aptX HD, LDAC, or LHDC as well.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX Adaptive, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It has a variable bit rate (between 279kbps and 420kbps).
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support APTX HD, an audio codec for Bluetooth devices that are developed by Qualcomm. It supports high-quality 24-bit audio (at a bit rate of 576kbps).
JBL Tune Flex have 4 microphones.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 microphones are 6,
more than that of JBL Tune Flex by 2
. More microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out noise.
JBL Tune Flex use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are made to filter out noise from the earbuds' sound.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have a noise-canceling microphone. Especially useful in noisy areas.
The JBL Tune Flex microphone sensitivity is measured at -38dBV/Pa. The size of the analog or digital output signal from the microphone with its input stimulus is a measure of its sensitivity. It's the 'loudness' of the sound that the earbud microphone can pick up.
JBL Tune Flex support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises so that they can still be heard even when wearing the earbuds
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 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 run but still want to be able to hear traffic.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support in/on-ear detection, the sensors in the earbuds can detect when removed from your ears so that the music is paused.
If lost in a room, or can't easily find them in your bag, the JBL Tune Flex have a find earbuds feature.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 too have the find earbuds feature. You can use the earbuds app on your phone to play a sound from your device to locate them.
The JBL Tune Flex support fast charging. Most often, technologies like Qualcomm’s Quick Charge, are used to reduce the time it takes to charge a device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 support fast charging. It's very similar to regular charging, only that the battery is filling up much faster. Say, with Quick Charge 3.0, the battery can be charged to 50% in 30 minutes.
JBL Tune Flex have a multipoint of 2 connections, the multipoint feature allows you to link to more than one Bluetooth device and switch between them. For example, you can seemlessly switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.
JBL Tune Flex have a mute function, they have the feature to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device.
The Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have this function. The mute function means that you are in position turn off the device's microphone, but still hear the other party's voice.
The JBL Tune Flex, so you can access the volume control, pause, play, mute, etc whichever functions are supported on the earbuds.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a control panel on them.
JBL Tune Flex support voice prompts. With voice prompts, you receive information via audio messages, like if there is a problem with the connection.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have voice prompts meaning the device will notify you when the battery is low, and it's time to recharge them.
JBL Tune Flex come with their own special case. Carrying earbuds openly, or placing them in your pockets without a cover may easily put them at risk of getting damaged.
Bowers & Wilkins PI7 also have a travel bag included, which offers safe transportation.