LG Tone Free T80 Review

LG Tone Free T80 noise-canceling true wireless earphones, priced at $199.99, offer well-rounded audio experience with strong bass and clear highs. They are designed to be comfortable for extended wear and are compatible with various Bluetooth codecs, enhancing their usability across different devices.

Active noise cancellation (ANC) feature while not perfect performs reasonably well given price. However, there are few drawbacks that might affect overall experience. Companion app could be more polished, and transparency mode which allows outside sounds to filter in, can feel bit abrupt.

Despite these minor issues, LG Tone Free T80 earphones provide good value. However, if you’re looking for alternative in same price range, JBL Live Beam 3 earbuds might be worth considering. They have been recognized as Editors’ Choice, offering longer battery life, better noise cancellation and unique touch-screen charging case making them strong competitor in this category.

LG Tone Free T80 Specification

Feature	Details
💲Price	– $199.99
🎨Design	– Compact, rounded edges – Black or white – Comfortable fit with foam eartips – 9.8mm drivers
📶Bluetooth	– Bluetooth 5.4 – AAC, AptX Adaptive, SBC – Google Fast Pair – Multipoint pairing
👆Touch Controls	– Customizable – Playback, volume, track skipping – Mode switching
💧Water Resistance	IPX4 (splash and sweat resistant)
🔋Charging Case	– Flip-top lid – USB-C charging – Wireless charging – No touch screen
⏳Battery Life	– 5 hours (ANC on) – 9 hours (ANC off) – Case adds 20-36 extra hours
🎧Noise Cancellation	Good but inconsistent – Best with constant noise – Can cause ear pressure
🌍Ambient Mode	– Three presets: Moderated, Natural, Conversation – Can amplify room noises
🎵Sound Quality	– Strong bass and clear highs – Effective EQ – Dolby Head Tracking feature has lag
🎤Microphone Quality	Clear voice quality, slightly less crisp than AirPods Pro
📱App Experience	– Basic layout – Shows earphone battery – Customizable controls and EQ – Dolby Head Tracking, fit test, auto-play toggle, Whispering Mode
🔍 Alternatives	– JBL Live Beam 3 (better noise cancellation, longer battery, touch-screen case)

LG Tone Free T80 Design

LG Tone Free T80 earphones have basic but comfortable design. They come in black or white and feature compact build with rounded edges and flat touch controls. Earphones fit snugly and include four pairs of eartips with unique foam interior for added comfort. Inside, 9.8mm drivers deliver clear sound across wide range.

These earphones support Bluetooth 5.4 and various codecs like AAC, AptX Adaptive and SBC, along with Google Fast Pair and multipoint pairing for connecting to two devices at once. However, if you’re into high-resolution audio on Android, JBL Live Beam 3 might be better since it includes LDAC codec.

Touch controls can be customized but they might feel bit odd at first. You can adjust playback, volume, skip tracks and switch between noise cancellation and transparency modes. You can also tweak these controls through app.

Earphones have IPX4 rating, making them resistant to light splashes and sweat but they aren’t dustproof or waterproof. If you need more durable earphones for intense workouts, Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 with its IP68 rating is better option.

Charging case is not water-resistant and features flip-top lid with status light. It charges via USB-C port and supports wireless charging though it doesn’t have advanced features like touch screen.

Battery life is decent with up to 5 hours of use with noise cancellation on, and 9 hours with it off. Case adds between 20 to 36 hours of extra battery life depending on whether ANC is on or off. For longer battery life, JBL Live Beam 3 offers 10 hours of playback and 30 extra hours from its case.

LG Tone Free T80 App Experience: Could Be Better

LG Tone Free app- available for both Android and iOS, is a bit underwhelming in terms of design and user experience. While it offers some useful features, layout could be more intuitive and polished.

When you open app- it shows remaining battery life of earphones as a pair but doesn’t display battery status of charging case. Below this, there’s a Software Update section that stays at top even after your earbuds are fully updated, which feels unnecessary. User Manual section follows, but both of these options would be better placed in a dedicated settings menu.

Next, you can switch between Noise Cancelling and Ambient Sound modes. For Ambient Sound- app offers three presets: Moderated Ambient Sound, Natural Ambient Sound, and Conversation.

Equalizer section has five presets: 3D Sound Stage, Bass Boost, Immersive, Natural (which is default), and Treble Boost. It might seem like there’s no option for custom EQ at first, but if you scroll past Dolby Atmos section, you’ll find it. Custom EQ allows you to adjust eight frequency bands between 64Hz and 8kHz. Adjusting EQ is straightforward, though Edit button could be more prominent.

App also lets you enable Dolby Head Tracking + Virtual Sound, but this deactivates your current EQ preset and brings up Dolby Atmos Optimizer, which has low, mid, and strong settings.

Further down, you can customize touch controls on earphones or turn them off entirely. You can also enable multipoint pairing (which is off by default) in Additional Settings section, where you can perform an in-ear fit test, toggle auto-play and sort app’s tiles based on usage.

Tone Free Lab area offers features like a low-latency game mode and Whispering Mode, which enhances microphone sensitivity for quiet calls. However, app warns that speaking loudly in Whispering Mode could cause audio issues.

LG Tone Free T80 Noise Cancellation: Good, But Not Perfect

Tone Free T80 earphones provide decent noise cancellation, though it can be inconsistent. They do a good job of reducing low-frequency sounds, especially when noise is already present, but they struggle a bit more when adapting to new sounds. For example, in busy restaurant, earphones effectively reduced low and mid frequencies while letting some higher frequencies through, but they performed best when background noise was constant. If noise cancellation doesn’t seem to be working well, restarting earphones can help. However, noise cancellation is not as strong as what you get with JBL Live Beam 3 or premium options like Apple AirPods or Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Also, ANC mode on Tone Free T80 can create a noticeable pressure in ears, which might be uncomfortable for some users.

Ambient mode: which lets you hear your surroundings, is less successful. Three presets get progressively louder but can introduce room noises that aren’t usually picked up by ambient mics, such as hum of a computer. While voices sound clear in loudest mode (Conversation), this setting also amplifies other sounds like keyboard typing, which can be distracting. Lowest mode (Moderated) presents surroundings more naturally and is likely best choice for most users.

LG Tone Free T80 Sound Quality: Impressive, With Some Caveats

Dolby Head Tracking + Virtual Sound feature can create immersive experience with certain tracks like Bjork’s “Atopos,” where you might notice elements of music moving as you move your head. However, this feature is not as polished as it could be— tracking often lags, causing uneven audio between ears. Virtual Sound effect isn’t very compelling either as it’s difficult to achieve true stereo effect with earbuds. Changing settings in app didn’t seem to improve tracking lag or significantly enhance audio.

On positive side- EQ is effective for fine-tuning sound especially in higher frequencies. Bass Boost and Treble Boost presets are particularly well done though Immersive and 3D Sound options don’t add much to listening experience. For testing- I found best results by setting EQ to default Natural preset and turning off Dolby feature.

On tracks with deep bass like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” earphones deliver powerful, full-bodied lows that don’t distort at higher volumes. Kendrick Lamar’s “Loyalty” also showcased earphones’ ability to handle sub-bass with subwoofer-like rumble while keeping vocals clear and crisp.

On less bass-heavy tracks like Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” earphones add some body to drums without making them sound unnatural. Callahan’s vocals come through with a nice balance of richness and clarity, and even tape hiss in background is more pronounced, adding a layer of detail to mix. Sound is definitely enhanced and sculpted, which may appeal to listeners who prefer a more dynamic sound rather than strict accuracy.

On orchestral tracks like John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, earphones add depth to lower instruments and bring higher-register brass, strings and vocals forward. While this might not be to everyone’s taste especially for purists, EQ can be adjusted to tone down enhancements if needed.

Microphone array on Tone Free T80 works well for calls, delivering clear voice quality without issues. While AirPods Pro offers slightly crisper mic signal, Tone Free T80 still performs reliably.

LG Tone Free T80 Pros and Cons

👍Pros	👎Cons
🔊 Well-rounded sound with rich bass and clear highs	⏳ Dolby head tracking feature is laggy
🎶 Supports a variety of codecs	📉 App design and functionality are outdated
🎛️ EQ and control settings are adjustable	🚫 Transparency mode lacks smoothness
🎧 Noise cancellation performs well at times	…

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Conclusion: A Solid Choice with Some Drawbacks

LG Tone Free T80 earphones offer strong audio performance and effective noise cancellation at more affordable price than some high-end competitors. Their compact design ensures comfortable fit but there are few downsides. Companion app could be more user-friendly, battery life is only average and Dolby Head Tracking feature doesn’t quite live up to expectations. For same price- JBL Live Beam 3 earphones offer better overall noise cancellation, more natural sound and handy touch-screen charging case, making them our top pick in this price range.