LG TONE Free FP9 TWS Buds Review: Underrated TWS with a lot of potential

• LG Tone Free Buds are available at a price of ₹29,990
• Tone Free FP9 is the successor to FN7.
• These TWS Buds support ANC and spatial sound

LG recently introduced a new pair of TWS buds, the LG Tone Free FP9. Here to replace the FN7, the FP9 sticks to some classic features. It follows a minimalistic design, promises great audio performance with its ANC and features UV nanotechnology. Priced at par with some more exciting and well-received products like the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple's AirPods Pro, the Tone Free buds have some tough competitors. So does it fare well? And is it worthy of your ears? I answer that question in my in-depth review.

Price & Availability
LG Tone Free FP9 is available for a price of ₹29,990 on LG’s official online store and Amazon.

Design & Build
LG’s execution for the FP9 is different from its predecessor, the FN7. We still see a shell-shaped case, but it’s slightly bigger. A bigger case also means more real estate when carrying it. So, carrying it in your pockets can be tricky and require adjustment. Yet, its design makes it smaller than Airpods Pro.

The variant with me is in white colour and looks premium. It sports a minimalistic design since there are no strikes or curves that look out of place. There is only a “Tone” branding on top. I wish it had a matte finish, though, since carrying it in your pockets without a case means scratches which spoil the look.

The case also has an LED indicator that signifies the connectivity status and battery life. I appreciate LG’s attention to detail here. A green indication reads that the case has a sufficient battery backup, an orange LED indicates it has reached halfway through, and a red indicator means it’s running low. This helped me stay updated about the battery situation and charge it accordingly.

There is also a USB Type-C charging port and a slider button to shift it to wireless charging.

Perhaps, the most unique proposition of the case is inside of it. The UVnano lights, according to LG, protect the buds from 99.99% of bacteria. While I can’t verify the claimed protection, I believe it might give some mental peace to a certain section of buyers. Especially since we are in the middle of a pandemic.

Where I can comment is this feature's impact on battery life, which I will do in the latter half of this article.

Moving on to the buds, the FP9 are smaller than Airpods Pro or the regular Airpods. Unlike the dot design we see on Samsung Galaxy Buds, the tone-free version of the traditional TWS design is a shrunken-down version. And it does work! The buds are of the right size, giving you ample space to interact with them while not troubling you when walking around.

The build quality is also top-notch. They feel robust, and the plastic on them is of high quality. Aesthetically LG could have done better since the buds don’t look as swanky as the Airpods or the Galaxy Buds. Considering the price point, I expect something fancier in the next iteration.

In terms of comfort, the FP9 hit the target. Their small size combined with an ergonomic build makes them a solid choice for sitting at a desk or working out. The FP9 are IPX4 water resistant, which adds to the durability.

I used them with the default ear tips on the buds, and the experience was fairly good. The buds did not budge while I was sitting or moving around. While working out, I had to push them in sometimes, but nothing that would jargon your routine. LG also provides three pairs of extra ear tips inside the box, so it won’t be a problem for you to find your perfect fit.

Performance

Pairing and Connectivity-

The FP9 features Bluetooth 5.0, which works well, and minor hiccups. During my testing, I paired them first with an Android device, the OnePlus 9RT. Quick to show up in the list, this was a two-tap process. Especially with swift pair, the case automatically pops up the FP9 if your device’s Bluetooth visibility is turned on.

My Android smartphone was connected to the buds in under 10 seconds. This was very impressive. However, the situation was the opposite when I tried connecting them with my iPhone 12. I had to refresh the Bluetooth list multiple times for it to show up. It was on the 4th attempt when they popped up in the list. To be sure, I tried connecting them with another Apple device, the iPhone 11 and the struggle was constant. I tried to connect them back to an Android smartphone, and it was as quick as the first time.

What remained constant in both situations was the fact that once paired up, the buds provided robust connectivity. In my month of usage, the buds have not shown me any sudden disconnections or connectivity loss.

Another highlight is multi-device pairing which is convenient if you work from home. Switching between my laptop and smartphone was easy; I didn’t have to disconnect the buds to pair them again manually.

Here I would like to point out that if you are buying TWS buds or any Bluetooth audio product, I strongly suggest getting one with multi-device pairing.

Gestures
The FP9 are touch-enabled and comes with a pre-set of gestures. As mentioned before, the right size of the buds makes it easy for you to interact with them. For added convenience, LG also provides a dedicated touch point where you can tap to interact with the buds.

The execution is commendable for two reasons. First, it doesn’t miss out on any of the prompts you make; second, it’s easy to remember how to use them.

You can do a lot from the buds. A single tap on either bud means playing or pausing your media. Double tap on the right bud means an increase in the volume, while the same on the left bud means decreasing the volume. A triple tap will help you move forward or backwards in the playlist. These gestures are easy to learn and very minimal. A long press on either bud turns on the Active Noise Cancellation.

You can customise these settings as well from the TONE Free application. Although I won’t suggest changing these settings since the buds tend to struggle when you connect them to different devices.

Tone Free Application

A native application for high-end TWS buds is not uncommon; in this case, it is the LG Tone Free app. Available on Android and iOS devices, it offers some respectable options to customise the performance of the FP9. You can control ambient sound and ANC settings from the app. There are also three sound presets on board for different needs.

You can turn on the noise cancellation or turn it off completely. You can also choose the ambient sound option to hear the conversation and limit the ambient noise.

The app also lets you change the equaliser settings for the buds. The choices are straightforward: Immersive, Natural, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, and 3D sound stage. You can also create upto two custom sets according to your preference. What are the ones I prefer? I talk about them in the performance section.

Yes, the app does provide you with a plethora of options to choose from. However, LG should work on making it more stable. The app crashed multiple times in my month of usage and froze while I tried to create a custom preset. This problem was constant for both Android and iPhone.

Audio Performance

To start this section with a spoiler - FP9 wins big in audio performance. The 8mm drivers might not be big with the numbers, but the fine-tuned hardware delivers crystal-clear audio quality.

For reference, I have picked up 2 Bollywood classics that are famous across our nation. The first is the bassy number Dus Bahane from 2005. From the first note, you can make out the different sounds from the source. The high-energy track is a mix of guitar, drums, and electronic music, all of which create a party in your ears. The music output is also bassy, perhaps the best I have experienced since the WF-1000XM4.

The next song I played was Kal Ho Na Ho’s title track, sung by Sonu Nigam. This soothing number has low mids and an unforgettable tune. With the FP9, I could enjoy the low mids. While registering every possible instrument in the song.

The volume output of the buds was on the lower side initially, and I had to keep them at the 70% mark to enjoy the music. However, once I turned on the ANC, there was no looking back.

The execution of noise cancellation on the FP9 is commendable. Sticking to the first of the presets - ANC ON. The earbuds eliminated a considerable amount of noise around me, and I could feel the vacuum it created once I turned on the feature. For reference, AC and fan noise in a room does not penetrate your ears. Other cases include someone using their phone on speaker, but only a minuscule amount would reach my ears.

The ANC makes its presence felt in outdoor situations the most. Taking a metro ride with the FP9, I could not hear announcements in Delhi Metro. For that matter, the usual chatter was eliminated. Delhi Metro announcements are fairly loud, yet I couldn’t hear them with the ANC turned on. Long story short, I missed my stop, but it makes a strong case for its noise-cancellation prowess.

I would not recommend using the buds with ANC turned on with the high-quality setting with those surprising results. Especially if you are outdoors since it is very risky.

Going with the ambient sound option is what I would recommend. Since it not only allows you to be part of conversations but also reduces the risk significantly when you are walking outdoors. Yes, the audio performance feels underwhelming once you have used ANC in its full glory, but it’s not bad.

While the ANC on the buds is fairly impressive, it's important to point out that a pair of headphones generally fares well regarding noise cancellation. So, if you buy an audio device strictly for music, here is a heads-up.

Now coming to the audio settings. Bass Boost is the one I thoroughly enjoyed while I worked out, combined with ANC at low frequency.

I used the immersive preset while I was outdoors, mostly because it hits the right balance of bass and volume. I could keep the volume levels at 60% and walk around while enjoying my tracks and being aware of my surroundings.

It was the 3D spatial sound that left me disappointed. Pitched to create a surround sound experience, I tried watching a movie with this preset. Unlike what was promised, there was a major echo. I believe this can be fixed if you fiddle around enough on the TONE Free app, but who has the time? LG should have provided a more solid spatial sound preset.

The calling experience on the buds is decent. I noticed no call drops or breaks during my testing. The call reception was satisfactory, and the caller on the other end could hear me properly. I have also used them for my Google meets call with my laptop, and the connection was also stable there.

Battery
It’s time to highlight the battery life of the FP9. LG claims the entire package offers 24 hours of battery backup. Individually that translates to 10 hours on the buds and 14 hours on the case. This is in line with the competition like Sony WF-1000XM4.

The real-time mileage is considerably lower than what is claimed. On average, I was getting 5 hours of battery life on the buds, while the case did deliver two more charges on its best day. So that brings us to a total of 15 hours. This is not bad especially considering I had the ANC turned on throughout the day.

You can charge the FP9 both wirelessly and through a cable. I usually charge them with a cable because I find it more reliable. I used a 30W adapter to charge the buds, which would go from 0-100% in about 2 hours.

Verdict
The LG TONE Free FP9 is perhaps one of the most underrated audio devices on the market today. We can blame that title on poor marketing or the brand’s track record. But as of today, I strongly recommend going for these TWS buds if you are looking for one. You can get them for as low as ₹18,000 on a good day on Amazon. That being said, if you have deep pockets, there are plenty of options.