The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
Opt for the AKG K361 if you prefer headphones with over-ear comfort, better sound quality for music and TV, and don’t mind a wired connection without active noise cancelling; they’re suitable for home use and air travel due to their good noise isolation and foldable design. Choose JBL Tune Flex instead if you seek earbuds that are more affordable, offer wireless convenience, a customizable sound experience through an app, and features like sweatproof certification for exercise and a low latency mode for gaming; they’re more portable and have additional battery life with the charging case. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the AKG K361
The AKG K361 has no clear advantages over the JBL Tune Flex.
Advantages of the JBL Tune Flex
Very good for gaming
Good for exercise
Very good for air travel
Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
6.3/10
8.5/10
The JBL Tune Flex is very good for gaming, while the AKG K361 is only fair.
Phone Calls
3.2/10
6.3/10
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for phone calls, while the AKG K361 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.0/10
9.0/10
The JBL Tune Flex is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the AKG K361 is poor.
Noise Reduction
6.0/10
6.5/10
The JBL Tune Flex and AKG K361 are both only fair for noise reduction, though the JBL Tune Flex is somewhat better.
Battery
N/A
6.5 Hours
The AKG K361 does not have a battery. The JBL Tune Flex has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$60
$40
$60
$80
$100
$120
$140
$160
The AKG K361 has a price of $99 and the JBL Tune Flex costs $60.
"The K361 retains much of what makes the K371 such a winner, though it has a leaner sound, and the build changes made to trim the price down are immediately apparent. Still, it’s another excellent offering from AKG, and other companies in this fight should either be very worried or quickly designing updates to their old models."
"JBL is offering a similar design and arguably better resolution than the more expensive AirPods 3rd Generation. Add to that a comfortable and versatile fit, an equalizer and pretty decent ANC, and you’ve got a quality wireless earphone. I would have loved longer battery life and more crystal calls, but for the price, you can’t complain. A solid deal overall."
Get a great deal on the AKG K361 or the JBL Tune Flex
About JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer. Owned by Harman International which is, itself, owned by Samsung Electronics. JBL markets a wide array of monitoring speakers, professional headphones and consumer market headphones and earbuds. It was founded in 1946 by James Bullough Lansing (whose initials give the company its name) and has become one of the most prolific audio companies ever. Their products were responsible for audio during the 1969 Woodstock Festival.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.