LG TONE Flex HBS-XL7

Non-Noise-Canceling Headphones / Non-Noise-Canceling Wireless Earbuds

Portable Bluetooth wireless isolating ear-insert earphones that come with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes and a USB charging cable.

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CR Expert Take

How did it perform in our owner surveys and expert lab testing?

Overall Score

The Overall Score for this model incorporates our expert lab test results, as well as ratings for that brand’s reliability and owner satisfaction from our annual product owner survey of members.

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Current Range of Tested Non-Noise-Canceling Headphones

What goes into the Overall Score?

OWNER SURVEYS

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Sound quality

/ 5

Color

/ 5

Type

/ 5

Design

/ 5

Sports model

/ 5

Sensitivity

/ 5

Detailed Test Results

Design and features:

The TONE Flex HBS-XL7 has an integrated microphone and volume, music player, and call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include a flexible collar to ease earphone transport and storage, retractable earphone cables that store in the collar, and support for Google Assistant digital assistant voice commands when used with Android and Apple Bluetooth mobile devices that have the free Google Assistant app installed. This model comes with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes and a USB charging cable. The free LG Tone & Talk app download for Android smartphones can be used to read text messages, check earphone battery level, change voice prompt language, and provides a guide for headset button functions when the earphones are used with Android smartphones.

Sound quality:

We found the TONE Flex HBS-XL7 delivers sound quality that falls in the good range - it reproduces music and voice reasonably well despite the obvious shortcomings in its sound. The bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes fairly deep, but is a touch boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is fairly even, but is somewhat hazy, and a bit grainy and congested. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is fairly extended but is somewhat subdued and smeared. While the sound has a good sense of liveliness, it is somewhat closed (sound-wise it's fairly obvious you have something plugging your ears) and does a so so job of recovering room ambience (the sense of the acoustic space in which the audio program that's being listened to was recorded). Neutral character. The overall sound can be summarized as fairly even and somewhat hazy.

Comfort and Fit:
As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Fits and stays in place with no problem for casual use for users with small, medium, and large sized ear canals. the sound of the earphone connecting cable rubbing on clothing may be heard through the earphones by some users depending on the clothing it's rubbing on.

About

The LG TONE Flex HBS-XL7 portable Bluetooth wireless earphones have an isolating ear-insert design. These earphones are intended for use with Bluetooth enabled audio devices including cell phones and have a reception range of around 33 feet. They have a built-in microphone and integrated volume, music player function, and call connect/disconnect, controls. Additional features include a flexible collar, retractable earphone cables that store in the collar, and support for the Google Assistant digital assistant when the earphones are used with Android and Apple Bluetooth mobile devices that have the Google Assistant app installed. The TONE Flex HBS-XL7 comes with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes and a USB charging cable. It is covered by a 12-month warranty. The free LG Tone & Talk app download for Android smartphones can be used to read text messages and provides other features when the headphones are used with Android smartphones.

Brand Reliability & Satisfaction

#? in Reliability of all Non-Noise-Canceling Headphone Brands

Did the brand perform consistently well over time?

PREDICTED RELIABILITY SCORE

/ 100

Predicted brand reliability scores are based on the likelihood of newly purchased non-noise-canceling headphones experiencing a problem, adjusted for extended warranty or service contract status and product usage, by the end of the 2nd year of ownership. Higher scores mean better reliability. Ranked #? of 34

Would our members recommend this brand?

OWNER SATISFACTION SCORE

/ 100

Brand owner satisfaction scores are based on how likely owners are to recommend their non-noise-canceling headphone to their friends and family. Ranked #? of 34

Source: Consumer Reports' 2022 and 2024 Summer Surveys

Features & Specs

Features

IP rating

IP comment

Integrated microphone

Yes

Call connect, disconnect control

Yes

Integrated volume control

Yes

Integrated function control

Yes

Warranty: parts, labor (mos.)

12/12

Additional features

Retractable earphone cables that store in collar. Flexible collar aids earphone transport and storage.

Included accessories

Three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes, USB A to USB C charging cable. Free Google Assistant app download for Apple (and if needed, Android) mobile devices, free LG Tone and Talk app for Android smartphones.

Specs

Weight (oz.)

1.52

Cord length (in.)

Connections

Plug type

None

Google fast pair

Price & Shop

LG TONE Flex HBS-XL7

CR Expert Take

Overall Score

What goes into the Overall Score?

Detailed Test Results

About

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