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Updated April 11, 2024·
If you prefer earbuds with a stemless design and good overall sound quality, the JBL Tune Buds might be a better fit. They are suitable for use during exercise and air travel, with good noise isolation and very good portability. However, they may not perform as well for calls and meetings or gaming. The Moondrop Nekocake, on the other hand, is a more budget-friendly option with good sound quality and are lighter in weight. They also provide a good experience for listening to books or podcasts. Both options support AAC codec for better sound on Apple devices but lack low latency features which could affect gaming and TV viewing experiences. 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
Advantages of the Moondrop Nekocake
Good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.2/10
5.7/10
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for music, while the Moondrop Nekocake is poor.
Gaming
5.4/10
4.6/10
The JBL Tune Buds and Moondrop Nekocake are both poor for gaming, though the JBL Tune Buds is somewhat better.
Phone Calls
4.9/10
6.1/10
The Moondrop Nekocake is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8/10
7.7/10
The Moondrop Nekocake is good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
TV and Video
6.1/10
5.0/10
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for TV and video, while the Moondrop Nekocake is poor.
Battery
10.4 Hours
3.0 Hours
The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Moondrop Nekocake has 3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$39
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The JBL Tune Buds has a price of $50 and the Moondrop Nekocake costs $39.
"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."
"What sets the Nekocake apart from its competition at this price point is the Moondrop Link app that allows the user to change the tonal balance of the Nekocake. This makes sure that it’s versatile enough to suit different sonic preferences while allowing some customization of controls."
Get a great deal on the JBL Tune Buds or the Moondrop Nekocake
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 Moondrop
Moondrop is a Chinese brand of smart audio equipment, portable audio players, earbuds and headphones started in 2015. During the last few years they have become one of the major players in what is lovingly referred to as the Chi-fi market, the bulk of Chinese companies that have managed to actually compete with the western manufacturers in both prices and superior quality. Products such as the Blessing II, Chu and Kato are among the most popular offerings of the brand, more popular among those users that wish for good quality audio that won't break the bank. Besides audio, the brand also works in what they call the ACGN field (Animation, Comics, Games and Short Novels).
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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