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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're looking for earbuds that are lightweight and suitable for exercise or travel with good built-in controls, the JBL Tune Buds could be the choice for you, especially if you need a pair that's sweatproof and dustproof. However, they don't perform well for calls, gaming or TV and video. On the other hand, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones, which are often less expensive, offer superior comfort, battery life, and are better for gaming and TV due to good sound quality and virtual surround feature. They're not as portable or exercise-friendly as the JBLs, and lack sweat and dust resistance. 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 Sony WH-CH520
- Good for music
- Very good for gaming
- Very good for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.2
7.6
The Sony WH-CH520 is good for music, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.
Gaming
5.4
8.8
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for gaming, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Phone Calls
4.9
6.7
The Sony WH-CH520 is only fair for phone calls, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.8
8.0
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the JBL Tune Buds is poor.
TV and Video
6.1
8.2
The Sony WH-CH520 is very good for TV and video, while the JBL Tune Buds is only fair.
Noise Reduction
6.7
4.6
The JBL Tune Buds is only fair for noise reduction, while the Sony WH-CH520 is poor.
Battery
10.4 Hours
52.0 Hours
The JBL Tune Buds has 10.4 hours of battery life. The Sony WH-CH520 has 52 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
8.5
7.0
The JBL Tune Buds has very good build quality, while the Sony WH-CH520 has good build quality.
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Key similarities
Cost
$50
$50
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The JBL Tune Buds has a price of $50 and the Sony WH-CH520 costs $50.
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How the JBL Tune Buds and the Sony WH-CH520 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| JBL Tune Buds | Sony WH-CH520 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $50 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | JBL | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | April 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.9/10 | 6.8/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 6.1/10 | 8.2/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 7.6/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 10.4 Hours | 52 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | No | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 1.9 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 30 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 6.8/10 | 4.6/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 6/10 | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 7/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 10.8 Grams | 147.41 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
JBL Tune Buds
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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."
Sony WH-CH520
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | September 2023
"If you’re looking for headphones that simply do what you ask them to: the Sony WH-CH520 is a decent option, even if it isn’t very exciting. Sony’s WH-CHXXX line fits this role quite well, and the WH-CH520 offers a decent raft of quality-of-life updates over its predecessor that should keep listeners happy. If the Sony WH-CH520 were a car, it’d be the boring-but-safe commuter compact."
Get a great deal on the JBL Tune Buds or the Sony WH-CH520
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 Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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
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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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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.
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