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Known above all for its televisions, LG also offers audio equipment and offers new headphones. true wireless, dubbed LG Tone Free HBS-FN7. Like the HBS-FN6 models, which we tested previously, they are designed in partnership with Meridian Audio, an audio manufacturer of high-fidelity hardware.
The major difference between the HBS-FN7 and HBS-FN6 lies in the arrival of an active reduction system for surrounding noise. For a suggested price of 199.99 euros, are these headphones a good investment for our ears?
The design of the HBS-FN7 is almost identical to that of the HBS-FN6, both in terms of the headphones, with a small rod, and the charging case, very compact. We had no problem putting it in our pants pocket, but extracting and inserting the headphones is not very convenient. Sometimes you have to reposition the headphones in the case to make sure they are fully seated. At the opening, we were greeted by a blue light of the most beautiful effect, but which is above all representative of LG’s UVnano LED technology.
Already present in the housing of the HBS-FN6, this technology uses ultra-violet radiation to eliminate Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli from inside the ear tips. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium known to cause food poisoning, but also potentially fatal infections. It is, for example, the cause of nosocomial infections, which are contracted in hospitals or clinics. Escherichia coli, also called colibacillus, is a bacterium which in some cases can cause gastroenteritis and even meningitis.
However, LG announces that its technology eliminates up to 99.9% of these bacteria, but you have to leave the headphones in the box for 10 minutes and especially plug the box into a USB charger for it to activate (a diode blue lights up when it is on).
In short, it is important not to think that the headphones are “cleaned” each time they are put back in their charging case. We asked LG about the possible effectiveness of its technology on the coronavirus. The answer is unfortunately no.
In the ears, the headphones are quite comfortable as long as you choose the right tips from the three pairs available. We tried to run a bit, but we quickly stopped because the headphones have to be repositioned regularly in the ears, which is not very practical. On the other hand, the IPX4 certification ensures that the HBS-FN7 effectively resist perspiration.
Just average endurance
More problematic, the HBS-FN7 lack a little endurance. In our tests, we measured an autonomy of 4 h 39 min, a score just below average. The deactivation of the noise reduction allows you to go up to 6 h 17 min.
According to LG, the charging box provides a total battery life of 15 hours (21 hours without ANC). It offers a fast wired charging function (five minutes of charging provide, according to the manufacturer, up to 60 minutes of autonomy), and can be placed on a Qi-compatible wireless charger.
A noise reduction that deals with the essentials
Let’s move on to the evaluation of Active Noise Reduction (ANC). A Review in the street shows that she is doing her job well and masks the most disturbing sounds. However, it turns out to be much less effective than that of the Oppo Enco X. For example, we would have liked to hear less of the sound of cars which remains very present. Same verdict in public transport: noise reduction still allows certain sounds to pass, but makes the trip more pleasant. With a touch control, we have activated the LAS (Listen to the Ambiant Sound) mode which allows you to hear your surroundings without having to remove the headphones. This mode is useful for conversations and for listening to information messages in public places.
On the sound side, the measurement of the frequency response has a nasty surprise: the headphones clearly favor the mediums, much more than on the previous model. Certainly there is a little treble, but it is not enough.
Where’s the bass?
This is confirmed when listening, no problem to enjoy the latest AC / DC loaded with guitars, but fans of jazz or classical will be disappointed by the sound which lacks detail and depth. The situation is not hopeless, however, as we were able to correct the situation by installing the free LG Tone Free app.
It has a full equalizer with preset modes, but also custom settings. We then increased the treble, and especially the bass, to obtain a pleasant sound. In addition, if you have misplaced your headphones, the app has a function to make them sound like a smart health connected keychain!
The app also allows you to customize the touch controls of the HBS-FN7. Good point, the touch zone easily falls under the finger thanks to a small protuberance at the top of the rod and the headphones react quickly.
We were able to customize the touch controls (touch once, twice or three times the area) of the two headphones through the app to adapt them to our needs, but it is not possible to customize the long press, which would have been well suited to the volume control.
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