JBL Tune Beam 2 Review: Big Bass, Big Battery, & A Seriously Sweet Deal Under Rs 5,500
JBL Tune Beam 2 Review: When you think of JBL earbuds, you probably think of one thing first: Bass. Big, punchy, chest-thumping bass. And honestly, that's been both JBL’s superpower and its stereotype for years. With the new Tune Beam 2, though, it feels like JBL finally wants to show it’s got a little more finesse to offer — without abandoning the party vibe that made it famous.
Launched at a special offer price of Rs 5,499 (instead of Rs 5,999), the Tune Beam 2 packs in ANC, a whopping 48 hours of battery life (with the case), multipoint connectivity, customisable sound via the JBL Headphones app, and — of course — that trademark bass.
It’s a well-rounded package that tries to hit that sweet spot: not just a bass machine, but an everyday buddy you can actually live with.
JBL Tune Beam 2 Review: Quick Pointers
What I Like:
- Deep, clean bass without overpowering mids
- Great battery life (especially with ANC off)
- Multipoint pairing is smooth as butter
- Customisable EQ via JBL app
- Snug, comfy fit for long hours
What I Didn't:
- ANC could be stronger outdoors
- No wear detection (buds won't auto-pause when you remove them)
- JBL app is a bit problematic when it comes to detection
Design: Subtle, Chunky, and Built To Last
The Tune Beam 2 keeps it simple. No transparent shells, no cyberpunk ambitions. Just a clean matte finish that feels rugged enough to survive daily abuse — whether that’s being stuffed in your jeans pocket or bouncing around in a backpack.
The buds themselves are stemmed, but on the shorter side, giving a nice balance between sporty and casual. They’re also rated IP54 for dust and splash resistance, which means sweaty gym sessions or surprise drizzles are no big deal.
If you liked the feel of AirPods Pro but wanted more isolation and bass, the Tune Beam 2 will feel like coming home.
Touch Controls: Easy To Learn, Easier To Live With
Touch gestures here are basic but effective. You get the usual play/pause, skip, call handling, and ANC toggling — but the real kicker is the JBL Headphones app.
From the app, you can customise what a single, double, or triple tap does — something you usually only see in pricier earbuds. No accidental ghost touches, no confusing three-second-long presses. Simple, intuitive, and (mostly) glitch-free.
Also, once you tap the earbuds, you get a faint beep sound. If a song is playing, the track will pause for a second just to let you know that your tap has been registered. Quite handy, that.
ANC: Good Enough For Work Calls, Not Rickshaw Rides
Let’s set expectations: the ANC is solid indoors, especially for blocking out AC hums, laptop fans, and general office chatter.
But step outside — say, into a chaotic Indian street with honking cars, vendors yelling, and buses coughing diesel — and the ANC struggles to keep up.
It tries, but it can’t fully mute the madness. Of course, if you are taking an AC Uber to work, the ANC works perfectly fine. If you are taking the metro, when you are actually inside a coach, the ANC works fine enough. However, if you are taking a ride in a cacophonous auto rickshaw, I'm afraid the Tune Beam 2 doesn't hold up like its much pricier alternatives, such as Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 or Apple AirPods Pro.
To be honest, only large over-the-ear headphones are capable enough to deal with street noises. So, let's not judge too harshly here.
Transparency mode, though, is a win. It feels natural and boosts outside sound without that weird, artificial hiss that some budget buds have.
With six mics working full time, the JBL Tune Beam 2 offers exceptional clarity during calls, making it a hands-down (or, hands-off?) choice for taking calls on the move.
Audio Quality: It’s Still JBL, But Smarter
The first thing you’ll notice? Bass. That satisfying thump is alive and kicking. But unlike older JBL earbuds that sometimes felt like drowning in a drum, the Tune Beam 2 has better balance.
Vocals come through crisp, guitars have enough bite, and you can even pick up subtle background textures in complex tracks — especially on lossless tracks that you can find on Apple Music. Pop, EDM, hip-hop — it’s a natural playground for these buds. But even if you throw some old-school jazz or acoustic tracks at it, the Beam 2 holds its ground without sounding boomy or muddy.
If you want a different sound signature, the JBL app lets you tweak the EQ — and trust me, it’s worth playing around with it to find your sweet spot. Just one small hiccup here. Unlike other headphone apps, the JBL app has always been slightly slow in detecting your earbuds.
Don't get me wrong. The Tune Beam 2 earbuds pair and connect instantly with your phone (checked on both iOS and Android devices) once you pull them out of the case. You can also see the remaining power on each earbud as well as the case on Android phones, which is pretty handy.
However, when it comes to the JBL app, even if your headphones are connected to your phone, takes a long time to detect the earbuds and most times simply fail to recognise them at all.
Battery Life: Beast Mode Unlocked
Here’s where the Tune Beam 2 quietly flexes: up to 48 hours total (with the case) if you don’t keep ANC on the whole time. Even with ANC active, you’re looking at around 8-10 hours on a single charge — way more than many buds in this price bracket.
And yes, there’s fast charging: a 10-minute top-up gives you about 4 hours of playback. Perfect for when you forget to charge before a run or commute.
JBL Tune Beam 2 Review: Final Verdict
The JBL Tune Beam 2 is exactly what budget-conscious buyers should be excited about in 2025: a reliable, bass-friendly, battery beast that doesn’t sacrifice brains for brawn.
It’s not going to dethrone AirPods or Sony WF-1000XM5s. But for Rs 5,499, it delivers serious value: real customisation, real stamina, and real fun — all wrapped in a rugged, everyday-friendly design.
If you’re looking for a new TWS companion under 6K and want something that can punch out beats, survive long workdays, and sound better than it has any right to — the Tune Beam 2 should be high on your list.
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