REASONS TO BUY
Exceptional battery
Affordable
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks features
No ANC
Small ear cups
JBL Tune 720 BT Review
Disappointingly, one of the few wireless headphones that don't offer ANC
Though they have their limitations, we were surprised by their passive noise-cancellation ability, especially with the volume turned up.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
By Rachael Lamore ⋅ Senior Review Analyst ⋅ December 12, 2025
Contributions From: Genaveve Bradshaw & Alex Hocevar-Smith
RELATED: Best Wireless Headphones of 2025
Our Verdict
The JBL Tune 720 BT is a mixed bag of disappointment with an overall performance that is uninspired and generally lackluster. While their sound quality is acceptable for the price, it doesn't compare favorably to some competitors that cost less. They also aren't very comfortable, with a limited wear time of around an hour or up to three hours for most users. We don't think most users will want to wear them for extended periods, such as plane trips or commuting. The JBL also lacks active noise cancellation, relying solely on passive cancellation, which involves blocking the eardrum with the cup alone. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to most other wireless headphones on the market. While we understand the desire for cheaper headphones, we believe others do it better, and ultimately, we weren't impressed.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Our JBL Tune 720 BT Headphones Experience
The Tune 720 BT area budget set of headphones does not come with a case or bag, but it does provide a USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a 3.5 mm to 2.5 mm audio cable. They feel about how you'd expect a budget headphone to feel, but somehow still not nice enough for the nearly hundred-dollar price tag.
Their average comfortable listening time is around 3 hours. The lightweight design makes them less prone to falling off during activities, and they are stable enough for activities such as stretching, yoga, and walking. However, the earcups are on the small side, and the padding is subpar. The result is pressure points around the ear or on the ear pinna, depending on ear size. They work better with glasses than some competitors, but the headband was less comfortable than most.
The touch controls work well, but their placement and spacing means you can easily touch the wrong button. Credit: Matt Lighthart
We loved the longer battery life of the Tune 720; if this were the only mitigating factor, you could wear them for days without a recharge. However, the lack of comfort meant we had to take them off frequently for breaks, and the true value of the longer battery life was not fully realized.
Most of our experience using the Tune 720 is nothing to crow about. They transmit sound via Bluetooth well enough to claim the status of personal audio, but they didn't stand out or become a beloved favorite. The bright spot in testing was making phone calls. Surprisingly, they provide some of the best call clarity in the group, with voices that are understandable regardless of the backdrop. We also appreciated the volume-limiting feature and can see how it would be appealing for teens or younger listeners, particularly those with concerns about eardrum health.
It isn't hard to outperform the Tune 720, and both the JBL Tour One M2 and the JBL Tour One M3 do just that. The One M3 is the best of the bunch, but it comes with a premium price tag of over $400, and its performance can't keep pace with similarly priced pairs. All of the JBLs make exceptional calls, so if calling is your thing, there is no need to spend more if you stick to the JBL family. The M3 also features impressive active noise cancellation, yielding one of the best results in the group. However, the sound quality is still subpar, which makes them less appealing than most similarly priced options. Overall, we weren't impressed with any of the JBL headphones and would look elsewhere.
The Tune 720 BT is a somewhat unusual offering. They don't have common features like noise cancellation, despite costing as much as headphones that do. They are best suited for smaller heads and ears, and it's easy to see why anyone who makes frequent calls and desires a long battery life would find them intriguing. However, their generally poor performance in terms of sound quality and comfort makes them unappealing, even if you're on a budget, and we recommend that most users look elsewhere.
For about the same price, we prefer the 1More SonoFlow. 1More is a lesser-known brand that delivers a richer, more balanced sound with a slightly wider soundstage. While there are occasional connection issues, once connected, they're remarkably comfortable and stable for the price. The Tozo HT2 is also a compelling budget choice. They are more affordable than the JBLs and offer superior sound quality, noise cancellation, and comfort. If you can spend more, the Bose QuietComfort offers outstanding noise cancellation, solid sound quality, and all-day comfort, though its 22-hour battery life falls short.
We tested every single aspect of these headphones to save you from having to try out all of your options. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Sound Quality
The JBL Tune 720 BT delivers a generally well-balanced sound profile with no particular frequency range overpowering the rest of the mix. The headphones sound significantly quieter than most competitors, and we had to turn them up quite a bit to achieve a comfortable listening volume. Thankfully, they maintain a consistent quality at various listening volumes, with no distortion at higher volumes, which can often occur when the volume is increased. The overall sound profile struggles to compete with others in its price range.
When it comes to low-end frequencies, the Tune 720 BT performed well. The bass offers adequate power, with a hefty punch that enhances most genres, except for those with a treble-heavy character, such as classical, folk, and jazz. The bass is powerful and never bloated or distracting, which was a common complaint with many other JBL headphones and earbuds. Songs such as “Didn't I” by Kelly Clarkson and “Night Garden” by BENEE showed off the headphones' ability to deliver a strong bass presence. We enjoyed listening to synth-pop and newer alternative music with these.
Midrange is where these headphones shine. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the mids, offering lovely depth and development without being overshadowed by the lows or highs. Tracks like “Tacoma” by Caitlyn Smith and “Bottle Green” by Theo Lawrence sound vibrant and engaging, making these a great choice for listeners who enjoy vocal-driven music or acoustic genres. The mids provide overall warmth and clarity, giving instruments and voices room to breathe.
We used a curated playlist designed to push the limits of each headphone in our lineup to provide you with critical listening analysis. Credit: Matt Lighthart
The treble performance doesn't quite match the quality of the midrange. The highs have a full presence, but the upper highs can sometimes feel slightly harsh or overemphasized. This is particularly noticeable in songs like “Hurtin' (On the Bottle)” by Margo Price, where the treble becomes fatiguing after extended listening. Although they provide enough detail to appreciate most genres, treble-heavy tracks can highlight this limitation. Some of the upper highs can be a bit piercing, and clarity isn't great either; it jumps from excellent to mediocre depending on the track, and sometimes we hear some tinniness.
The Tune offers a well-balanced sound profile that excels in the midrange, making it a strong choice for casual listeners who enjoy vocal-centric or acoustic music. Their exciting yet reserved low-end makes synth-heavy genres fun without feeling boomy or overpowering. However, if you're looking for headphones with more treble clarity, you may want to consider other options. Still, for the price, the 720 BT delivers commendable performance across the frequency spectrum.
We assessed the Tune 720 BT's frequency response curve and compared it to our custom GearLab House Curve to gauge how well it aligns with what we consider ideal.
Our state-of-the-art audio lab allows us to measure and record the frequency response data of each headphone in our lineup. Credit: Matt Lighthart
While they deviate slightly from our house curve, particularly in the highs, they still deliver a balanced performance that should satisfy most casual listeners. The bass and midrange sit comfortably close to our curve, providing a pleasant listening experience across various genres, though audiophiles and critical listeners will yearn for more precision and depth, especially in the high-end frequencies.
We were impressed with both what we saw and heard during our sound quality testing for such a budget pair of headphones. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Soundstage
The Tune 720 BT doesn't offer a vast soundstage but performs adequately. Instruments are separated well enough, and there's no sense of the sound collapsing.
That said, the presentation feels contained within the headphones, lacking the expansive depth of higher-end models. While not the most immersive, it provides enough clarity and space to let tracks breathe.
How well your headphones fit makes a huge impact on background noise reduction. To get the most out of ANC, ensure you have a proper seal around your ears. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Comfort and Fit
The Tune 720 are not comfortable. But their lighter weight of only 221 grams and lower clamping force make them more comfortable than other JBL headphones. Their ear cups are smaller (52mm by 38mm), and the discomfort from the headband increases over time.
Here, you can listen to how these headphones sound in a cafe and on the subway. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Noise Cancellation
The Tune 720 BT does not have noise cancellation (ANC), which is disappointing as many budget competitors do. They offer decent passive noise cancellation, with background noise becoming noticeably muffled.
Low-end frequencies, such as thuds and the low hum of plane engines or AC compressors, pass through easily. Mids and highs are more subdued, making them decently effective at abating more constant hisses and whirring of things like fans and keyboard taps.
We couldn't hear our typing or the chatter of coworkers around us. However, we had these headphones at a higher volume than usual, and this louder volume likely affected our ability to perceive outside noise.
For small-eared JBL lovers, these offer better price-to-performance than their premium sibling, the 770NC. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The Tune 720 BT offers decent ease of use, but some key issues affect its performance.
We were impressed with how customizable these were for such a budget pair of headphones. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Customization
These headphones have the same robustly customizable EQ as other JBL headphones we've tested. The in-app EQ presets offer a nice range of options for those unsure about using a fully adjustable EQ map. They boast Voice Aware, which helps control how much of your voice you hear during calls.
The button-based controls are effective, but they are similar in shape, size, and spacing, making them prone to accidental activation.These had a measured maximum connectivity distance of about 128 feet. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Connectivity
These headphones feature multipoint connectivity, allowing for simultaneous connection to up to two Bluetooth devices. We found them to be much easier to connect with than their premium sibling. They're faster to set up on Android devices than on Apple devices, but they pair with both without issues. They maintained a stable connection to both devices.
The best of any wireless headphones that we tested, these had a whopping 75 hours of battery life. However, their poor comfort detracts from the impact of this metric. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Battery
The Tune 720 BT had one of the best battery performances in the lineup, delivering a whopping 75 hours of continuous playback before requiring a charge.
These headphones lack the always-on microphones and battery-sucking technology that most of their noise-cancelling competitors provide. While the battery life is a bonus, its poor comfort means you're unlikely to need the extended life.
This is what their call quality sounds like in an office setting. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Call Quality
The Tune 720 BT offers some of the clearest phone calls in the group, which is extra impressive given the lower price. It is somewhat perplexing and a lovely surprise, considering most competitors have a computer chip to control the microphones, creating clearer calls. These have no bells and whistles, yet baseline call quality is crisp and clear.
Overall, these sounded remarkably good in any environment we tested them in, outperforming premium competitors at 5x the price. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Baseline audio in a quiet room is loud, clear, and pleasant. Lower-pitched voices did great in an office setting and on a subway platform. High-pitched voices weren't quite as isolated and clear, but they were still clear and easy to understand.
Here's what their call quality sounds like on the subway. Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ultimately, whatever JBL is doing to achieve this level of headphone call quality should be duplicated by other manufacturers, as their results are impressive despite being packed with far less technology. If you primarily make phone calls with headphones on, these headphones are unbeatable for the price.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Compare JBL Tune 720 BT versus top competing products:
—Rachael Lamore, Genaveve Bradshaw, and Alex Hocevar-Smith
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