Design and features:This headphone lacks active noise reduction, the ear plug-like design helps to reduce both outside noise and sound leaking out into your environment. The TONE Free HBS-FN6 has a volume control plus an integrated microphone and player function controls and integrated call connect/disconnect controls. Additional features include charging/carrying case has built-in rechargable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to recharge the earphone batteries approximately 2 times (to add an additional 12 hrs. of playtime for a total of 18 hrs.) between its own charges, can be recharged via USB cable or with optional wireless charging mat. Has UV-C light built into charging/carrying case that manufacturer claims kills up to 99.9% of bacteria on the speaker mesh while earphones and case are charging via USB cable. Manufacturer claims water resistance (IPX4). Has auto pause feature that stops audio playback when either earphone is removed from the ears and resumes when they are replaced in the ears. Has ear insertion and Bluetooth disconnect alert tones. Has Bluetooth connect and low battery voice announcements. Supports Google Assistant digital assistant voice commands when used with Android and Apple Bluetooth mobile devices that have the Google Assistant app installed. Bluetooth connected Apple mobile devices using iOS Version 5 and above will show the battery level. The LG Tone Free app download for iOS and Android mobile devices can be used to check earphone battery level, read SMS messages, change voice prompt language, adjust ambient sound monitoring levels, turn off and modify earphone touch controls, update the earphone's firmware, and provides a guide for headset button functions. The app also provides an 8 band customizable EQ with several preset options and a "Find my earbuds" feature. This model comes with three pairs of ear pieces in various sizes, USB-A to USB-C charging cable, charging cradle/recharger battery/carrying case.
Sound quality: We found the TONE Free HBS-FN6 delivers sound quality that falls in the very good range - it reproduces music and voice very well although it does have some noticeable sonic quirks. With the LG Tone Free app EQ presets off and equalizer set to flat (as received state of the earphone) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes fairly deep, but is a bit boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is somewhat grainy and a touch thin, etched (a bit more sharply outlined then it should be) and congested (think sonic traffic jam). The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended but is somewhat prominent and sizzly and a bit smeared (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer sound blurred). Somewhat open sounding, only 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). Good dynamics. Mixed character - warmish bass with neutral midrange and coolish treble. The overall sound can be summarized as somewhat grainy and a bit etched. The tone settings of the app do have a noticeable effect on the sound of these earphones.
Comfort: As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some. Users will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are very stable even during vigorous head movement. Some users might find tapping on the touch controls to actuate some of the functions drives the earphone further into the ear canal and causes ear discomfort. Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional volume level changes, playing, pausing, track skipping. hitting the stem that hangs out of the ear can knock an earphone lose and cause it to fall out of the ear, but the short stems make this model less prone to being knocked lose then the longer stems of other models with this type of design.
