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JBL Tune 520BT deal: These headphones are way too good for just $37.71
Published onApril 4, 2025
Audiophiles and sound enthusiasts would never consider headphones that cost this little. Hear us out for a bit, though. Every now and then, affordable headphones take us by surprise, and these are among those unicorns that for outperform their price. We would actually recommend these at their full $49.95 price point, and they are currently on sale for a mere $37.71.
This offer is available from Amazon. The $37.71 price is only available for the Black color version. All other color models are slightly more expensive at $39.95.
So, what is it that makes these seemingly unexciting headphones so unique? Here’s the deal. We test all worthy headphones that come to market, and put them through a set of tests to see where they stand. One of these tests is the MDAQS (Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score) test. If you want a deeper dive into what it measures, you can learn all about the MDAQS scoring system here. In summary, it tells us how good audio quality is, based on average listener preferences.
Here’s the surprising part: The JBL Tune 520BT headphones scored the highest of all wireless headphones released in 2024. Mind you, it went up against headphones that cost several hundred dollars. It beat industry-leading headphones like the Sony ULT Wear, Sonos Ace, and even the $699 Bowers & Wilkins PX8. It sounds kind of unbelievable, but you can’t argue with objective tests. If you want to see more about these results, here’s our full 2024 audio gear report.
That said, these $37.71 headphones are a great option if you want good sound quality at a bargain price. They also have other things going for them. We really liked their portability, and the colors are very fun. Furthermore, the JBL Tune 520BT battery life is kind of impressive. Our tests yielded results of 60 hours and 52 minutes per full charge!
It’s not all rainbows and sunshine with these headphones, though. Of course, manufacturers must make some sacrifices to offer good headphones at such a low price. The main issue with these is that we found them a bit uncomfortable for long listening sessions. The on-ear design isn’t very comfy if you’re used to over-the-ear cans, and the clamping force is a bit too tight. Furthermore, it has a plasticky construction that feels fat from premium.
We were also a bit confused by another factor. For some extraneous reason, you need the app in order to connect the JBL Tune 520BT to iOS or Android mobile devices. Seriously, like, you can’t just turn on Bluetooth and connect them. Odd, but you do get Bluetooth Multipoint support, which is a very nice treat at these price levels! Even expensive headphones sometimes don’t get this capability.
All things considered, you’re definitely getting much more than what you pay for. We’d say these are fabulous headphones if you want good sound, but don’t want to invest too much on expensive headphones. I would totally get these if I wanted to use them only occasionally, or they could be a great gift for a kid or casual user.
At this price, they could even be a great pair of secondary headphones. You know, the ones you take to the streets during commutes, trips, or any situation in which you might give them more torture than usual. I could keep the fancy ones safe and sound, on my desk.