A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Tune Buds
Company ProductName Specs




Porta Pro (with mic)
Company ProductName Specs




What we think

Chevron down
PerfectRec Logo
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·

The JBL Tune Buds are wireless with decent sound quality, active noise cancellation, sweat and dust proofing, making them suitable for exercise and travel. The Koss Porta Pro, on the other hand, offers better overall sound quality and is good for gaming and music, but lacks modern wireless convenience and noise isolation due to its open design. The Tune Buds align with newer tech preferences like a built-in app equalizer and touch controls, while the Porta Pro's iconic design is more simplistic, favoring a wired connection and foldability for portability. Consider the JBLs for a wireless, exercise-friendly option with noise cancellation, or the Koss for superior sound in gaming and music with a classic, wired design. 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 JBL Tune Buds
  • Good for exercise
  • Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)
  • Very good for music
  • Very good for gaming
  • Good for TV and video

Key differences

Chevron down

Music

6.2
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good for music, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.

Gaming

5.4
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
8.2
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is very good for gaming, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.

Phone Calls

4.9
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.1
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.

Podcasts and Audiobooks

5.8
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.8
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.

TV and Video

6.1
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
7.6
The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.

Noise Reduction

6.7
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
2.5
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for noise reduction, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) is poor.

Battery

10.4 Hours
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
N/A
The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Koss Porta Pro (with mic) does not have a battery.

Build Quality

8.5
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
6.0
The JBL Tune Buds has very good build quality, while the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) has only fair build quality.
Image of Earbuds & Headphones
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Headphones
Find your new headphones

Key similarities

Chevron down

Cost

$60
Tune Buds
Porta Pro (with mic)
$60
Product imageProduct image

$50

$60

$70

$80

$90

$100

The JBL Tune Buds has a price of $60 and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) costs $60.

Give feedback

We’re constantly working to improve.

How the JBL Tune Buds and the Koss Porta Pro (with mic) compare to other earbuds and headphones

Chevron down

Spec Comparison

Chevron down
JBL Tune BudsKoss Porta Pro (with mic)
JBL Tune BudsKoss Porta Pro (with mic)

GENERAL

Price
$60
$60
Brand
JBLKoss
Release Date
May 1, 2023January 1, 1984
Form Factor
EarbudsHeadphones
Connectivity
WirelessWired

SOUND

Music Score
6.3/108.3/10
Phone Calls Score
4.9/106.2/10
Gaming Score
5.5/108.2/10
TV and Video Score
6.1/107.7/10
Exercise Score
7.6/104.2/10

PERFORMANCE

Battery life
10.4 HoursN/A
Wireless charging
NoN/A
Charging time
2 HoursN/A
Bluetooth version
5.3N/A
Case Battery Life
30N/A

FEATURES

Active Noise Cancelling
YesNo
Noise Reduction Score
6.8/102.5/10
Virtual Surround
NoN/A
Android App
YesN/A
iOS App
YesN/A
Mic Quality
6/106.5/10

BUILD AND DESIGN

Build Quality
8.5/106/10
Comfort score
7/107/10
Size
LargeN/A
Weight (headset or single earbud)
10.8 Grams63.5 Grams
Microphone style
IntegratedIn-Line

Shopping

Chevron down

JBL Tune Buds

See more

Dig into reviews and images

PC Mag

Tim Gideon | September 2023
"JBL’s Tune Buds stick with the company’s signature bass-heavy sound by default, but a quality in-app EQ lets you sculpt the audio to taste. These noise-cancelling true wireless earphones also mitigate environmental distractions fairly well for the price and offer good battery life. If you're specifically seeking bold, bass-tuned audio out of the box, the Tune Buds are worth a listen."

Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

See more

Dig into reviews and images

Headphones.com

Sebastian Taboada | February 2022
"It’s clear to see why these have been such a popular choice amongst listeners for nearly four decades. It’s a charming pair of headphones that delivers a truly enjoyable listening experience and one that I think punches well above its weight."

Get a great deal on the JBL Tune Buds or the Koss Porta Pro (with mic)

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.

About Koss

Koss is an American headphone manufacturer established in 1953. In 1958, they created the first set of stereophones, that is headphones with stereo sound, and in 1984 they released the world-famous Porta Pro, a set of on-ear headphones that has remained essentially unchanged for more than 30 years and that is still made, sold and loved by many audio enthusiasts around the world today.

Give feedback

We're constantly perfecting our model

Earbuds or Headphones guides you might be interested in

Chevron down

FAQs

Chevron down

FAQs about earbuds and headphones

Questions about PerfectRec >

Why trust us

Chevron down
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.

By the numbers

108
Earbuds and headphones evaluated
11,340
Earbuds and headphones stats compiled
15
Proprietary Earbuds and headphones ratings developed
122,900
Recommendations made
18,435
Consumer hours saved

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.

Jason Lew

Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.

Chandradeep Chowdhury

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.

Featured in

Color LTT LogoGeekwire logo9to5 Mac logoPhone Arena LogoColor Daring Fireball logo