The LG Tone Free FP9 earbuds currently sit in India’s most premium category of TWS earbuds. Priced at Rs 21,990 (roughly 17,500 on Amazon), the earbuds are designed for ‘hygiene’ conscious customers – similar to the LG Tone Free HBS-FN7 from last year. What it means is that the charging case includes built-in UV-C lights to sanitise the earbuds that could seemingly kill 99.9 percent of bacteria harbouring inside the ear tips. In theory, this sounds great, as many of us wear earbuds during sweaty workout sessions that could be a hotbed for germs. Other key features include active noise cancellation, find my buds, and ambient sound mode.
For customers who are looking for a more affordable option, the company has even launched the LG Tone Free FP5 (Rs 8,990 on Amazon); however, its charging case misses out on the crucial built-in UV-C light to sanitise the earbuds. Apart from that, the features are almost identical to Tone Free FP9. Now, it remains obvious that LG Tone Free FP9 are super costly, but are these earbuds worth this premium tag? Here’s our breakdown.
LG Tone Free FP9 Design: Earbuds these days come in various shapes and sizes, but the fundamental design remains the same. All true wireless earbuds aim to snugly fit into the ear’s concha region – the outer hollow area next to the ear canal. By doing so, earbuds could cause discomfort after prolonged usage. It could be more painful for customers who are not blessed with big ears.
The LG Tone Free FP9, on the other hand, are by far the most comfortable earbuds I’ve used, and I am among those not blessed with big ears. I did not feel any discomfort after wearing the earbuds for hours at work. LG assures this comfort by adopting two designs. Maybe three.
Firstly, the weight of the LG Tone Free FP9 earbuds is barely noticeable in your ears. Each earbud weighs roughly 5.2 grams, and we get a short stem design. These are comparatively lighter (without charging case) against some high-end rivals like Apple AirPods Pro (5.4 grams), Sony WF-1000XM4 (7.4 grams), and Klipsch T5 II (5.5 grams). Secondly, the size and the concha-shaped design make these earbuds comfortable to use. The LG Tone Free FP9 aren’t obviously the lightest in the market, and these resemble Nothing Ear 1 – significantly cheaper at roughly Rs 5,949. However, the Tone Free FP9 earbuds feature a smoother finish, making them more comfortable to wear.
Lastly, these earbuds include “non-toxic, hypoallergenic silicone” tips to ensure a comfortable fit. It could be difficult to spot the difference between regular silicone tips and LG’s non-toxic silicone ear tips, but customers only care about the comfort that the Tone Free FP9 ensure. Moreover, the box includes three pairs of ear tips (S,M, and L).
LG Tone Free FP9 Charging Case: The round-shaped charging case adopts the same colours as the earbuds, and customers can choose between Charcoal Black and Pearl White. We received the pearl white edition that I absolutely love. The case has a smooth finish with an anti-fingerprint coating. Users will get USB-C chase for charging, but unfortunately, there’s no wireless charging, which is a big disappointment in this price range. The UV-C lights are inside the case, and the earbuds will need to rest for five minutes to self-sanitise. The clamshell hinge mechanism is solid – neither light nor too stiff.
Another key feature of the LG Tone Free FP9 is the ‘Plug into Wireless’ support. With a USB-C to AUX cable inside the box, users can plug it into devices with no Bluetooth support like treadmills and even onto airplane seats to establish a wireless connection. It essentially turns the case into a transmitter for the earbuds. It may not be the most anticipated feature, but nonetheless, a good addition when you’re paying over Rs 20,000 on TWS earbuds.
Customers can even purchase an in-house Ganesha Hard Case for Rs 1,499. It offers a similar smooth finish that is a thoughtful yet expensive addition to protect your premium earbuds.
LG Tone Free FP9 Performance and App: Customers with Apple iPhones, Android smartphones, and Windows PCs can connect to the earbuds via Bluetooth (earbuds get Bluetooth 5.2v). The earbuds can pair with at least two devices simultaneously. Although establishing a connection is pretty straightforward from the Bluetooth menu, the earbuds did not offer a quick pair solution with either an iPhone or an Android phone. I used the LG Tone Free FP9 with both devices and a Windows laptop. However, the company claims the earbuds support Google Fast Pair Service.
Safer to say, users won’t notice a lag in music as long as they are close to the source of the audio. The LG Tone Free FP9 also offer tap gestures, which I highly prefer and recommend. Earbuds with physical buttons can be annoying as stiff taps push the earbuds into the ears, oftentimes causing discomfort.
Using the Tone Free app for Android and iOS is easy, and it gives a variety of options. Users can tweak equaliser or choose preset modes like Bass Boost, Natural, Treble Boost, and more. The tap gestures are also customisable, as you’d expect from a device in this range. The Tone Free app for LG Tone Free FP9 lets users choose between ANC modes and ambient modes. For those unaware, ANC eliminates ambient noises for a more immersive listening experience. Ambient mode, in contrast, amplifies surrounding sounds for better safety on road. Both sound modes work efficiently, and customers can switch between them via a long press on the earbuds.
In terms of battery, the LG Tone Free FP9 with the case take roughly two hours to fully charge (using a 65W OnePlus charger). Each earbud delivers almost seven-eight hours of battery with ANC off. With the case, the total battery backup extends to 22 hours (without ANC) – pretty standard among TWS earbuds these days.
LG Tone Free FP9 Sound: With sound tuned by British company Meridian, the LG Tone Free FP9 offers a good audio experience, but not the best. When you compare them to rivals like Apple AirPods Pro and Galaxy Buds 2, the high frequencies are sharp, though the lows are quite average. We also get a good amount of bass, if not the punchiest.
That being said, the audio output on the LG Tone Free FP9 isn’t poor by any metric, it is the price that calls for this scrutiny. Most customers won’t be disappointed by the device in terms of audio output; however, the LG Tone Free FP9 need to improve the bass or at least the low frequencies (maybe via a dual-driver setup) to gain an edge.
In contrast, the audio input quality with a three-mic setup is fantastic. The earbuds even filtered the sound of the fan on calls. LG has added a ‘whisper mode’ that users need to enable manually. It essentially lets them whisper in a crowded place, ensuring that the conversation remains private. Users will need to hold the right earbud close their mouth, and whisper during calls – this works efficiently.
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LG Tone Free FP9 Verdict: Overall, the LG Tone Free FP9 earbuds are feature-packed with good audio output and standard battery backup. LG may claim the selling point is the sanitising-charging case that could resonate with many health-conscious customers. Without a doubt, it is a bit gimmicky as we all have used headphones/ earphones for years and very seldom do these devices lead to some kind of bacterial infections. After all, there’s still a 0.01 percent chance of getting an infection with LG Tone Free FP9.
In my opinion, one should consider the LG Tone Free FP9 mainly based on comfort and reliable ANC. I’ve said in all my past interviews that wearing TWS earbuds for hours becomes tiresome, especially for those with small ears (like me).
But that’s not the case here. These light earbuds fit snugly, and at times, one forgets they are resting in your ears. At Rs 21,990 (or roughly 17,500 on Amazon) – the main question comes down to whether you’ll choose the LG Tone Free FP9 for comfort or clear sound output – as both have a dedicated customer base.
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