Наушники — JBL TUNE 500

The TUNE 500 is an on-ear JBL model with a fixed lead, part of the TUNE family that also includes the Bluetooth TUNE 500BT. It is a simple passive design with no battery, no charging port and no wireless radio, so it plugs straight into the analogue socket of a phone, computer, tablet or music player. JBL built it for daily commuting and travel, pairing a flat-folding frame with an inline remote and a light overall mass, and sells it in black, pink, white and blue colour options.

Key specs that matter

A single 32 mm dynamic transducer sits in each cup. The quoted bandwidth runs from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with a nominal impedance of 32 ohm, and gives a sensitivity figure of 24 dBV/Pa referenced to 1 kHz. The complete headphone weighs 148 g. The cable is fixed, measures 118.7 cm and ends in a standard 3.5 mm plug. One built-in microphone sits on the cord for hands-free calls. The retail box contains only the headphone itself plus a sheet with warranty and warning information, with no carry pouch or spare cable listed.

Engineering and use context

The cable enters from one side only and has a flat profile, which JBL chose so that the lead resists tangling when it is stuffed into a bag or pocket. Along the cord a one-button remote handles playback control and answering calls, and a press of the same button reaches Siri on Apple devices or Google Now on Android. The ear cups rotate flat and the frame folds, so the headphone packs into a small space for transport. Soft cushions on the cups and padding under the headband are part of the comfort brief for longer wear. Being an on-ear design, the pads press lightly against the ear instead of surrounding it, which keeps the cups compact and the overall frame small. Because there is no internal amplifier or electronics beyond the remote and microphone, no charging is ever required and it keeps working as long as the source has power.

Pairing

The low impedance is an easy load for the built-in outputs of smartphones and laptops, so no dedicated headphone amplifier is needed for everyday listening. Handsets lacking an analogue jack call for an adapter, since the TUNE 500 has no digital input of its own. A basic portable DAC dongle is a practical partner for recent handsets, and the plug also fits the front-panel outputs of computers and in-flight entertainment systems.

Alternatives

JBL's TUNE 500BT keeps the same on-ear foldable format but replaces the cable with Bluetooth streaming from a built-in battery.