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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for top-quality sound, particularly for music and TV, the HifiMan Edition XS headphones with their open enclosure and planar magnetic drivers would provide an immersive experience; however, they're more expensive, not portable, lack wireless capability, and have poor microphone quality which is not ideal for calls. They also don't isolate noise well, so they're not the best for noisy environments or travel. On the other hand, JBL Tune Flex earbuds are much more affordable, offer decent sound quality, are wireless with a low latency mode suitable for gaming, have a sweatproof certification making them good for exercise, and include active noise cancelling which is beneficial for air travel and noisy conditions. They have a built-in microphone, though it's not of the highest quality, and they're portable with a case that provides additional battery life. The tradeoff is they won't match the audio fidelity of the HifiMans for critical listening. 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 HifiMan Edition XS
Very good for music
Best in class for TV and video
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
Music
8.8/10
7.3/10
The HifiMan Edition XS is very good for music, while the JBL Tune Flex is good.
Gaming
7.4/10
8.5/10
The JBL Tune Flex is very good for gaming, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
Phone Calls
5.0/10
6.3/10
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for phone calls, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.9/10
9.0/10
The JBL Tune Flex is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the HifiMan Edition XS is good.
TV and Video
9.5/10
7.8/10
The HifiMan Edition XS is best in class for TV and video, while the JBL Tune Flex is good.
Noise Reduction
2.5/10
6.5/10
The JBL Tune Flex is only fair for noise reduction, while the HifiMan Edition XS is poor.
Battery
N/A
6.5 Hours
The HifiMan Edition XS does not have a battery. The JBL Tune Flex has 6.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$269
$60
$50
$100
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$250
$300
$350
$400
The HifiMan Edition XS has a price of $269 and the JBL Tune Flex costs $60.
"The Edition XS easily compete with headphones in their price range with a very high price-to-performance ratio. The XS are an amazing value and offer performance not far off from headphones more than twice their cost. These will be a mind-blowing revelation for enthusiasts and music lovers who have only heard standard big-brand mainstream headphones."
"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 HifiMan Edition XS or the JBL Tune Flex
About HifiMan
HiFiMAN is a Chinese, high-end, audio product manufacturer, with 20 years of experience, that specializes in amplifiers, digital audio players and planar magnetic headphones, some of which have become a staple in the audiophile community such as the entry-level Sundara, the midrange Edition X, and the very well-regarded, high-end, Arya.
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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