LG Tone Free FP9 review

LG’s ToneFree series is known for good earbuds offering excellent music and a UV Nano sanitization charging case. Recently, I started using LG Tone Free FP9 earbuds that promise Meridian Sound, ANC, 24 Hrs Battery, and more. LG Tone Free FP9 buds are priced at Rs. 29999. In this detailed review, I will talk about everything you need to know about the buds before buying them.

If you buy TOne Free FP9, here are the things you will get:

• Buds
• Charging Case
• Extra Ear Tups
• Type-C cable for charging
• Type-C to headphone jack cable

Buds feature an in-ear design and come with a medium-size tip pre-added. You also get large and Small-sized ear tips. Buds also have an Optical Sensor for Wear Detection to automatically pause audio when you remove it from the ears. Buds feature a touch-sensitive area to control music, volume, call and summon Google Assistant. FP9 also comes with an IPX4 water resistance rating, so it can withstand water splashes or light rain.

I am really impressed with the comfort and fitting buds offer. In my usage of 15 days, buds never fell even if I am running or doing any workout.

Buds come with a round charging case that easily fits in the pocket. The charging case is made of plastic and has a matte finish to give it a premium look. There is a USB Type-C on the back and a slider switch to enable the ‘Plug and Wireless’ feature. At the front, there is a battery status indicator LED and a tiny indicator for UVnano. It is disappointing to see that the charging case doesn’t support wireless charging.

Like other Tone Free buds, FP9 also comes with UVnano technology. The charging case has UV lighting that kills germs on the tips of buds when you put buds in the charging case.

LG partnered with Meridian for turning the Tone Free FP9 buds. If I talk about music performance, this is certainly one of the best buds in terms of music experience. Buds pack 8mm drivers that are bigger than the 6mm drivers used in its previous flagship buds ToneFree FN7. ToneFree FP9 supports SBC and AAC audio codecs. Buds offer detailed music, surround sound, and really immersive and engaging soundstage. You will get a premium music experience on ToneFree Fp9.

The Tone Free app also lets you choose from different EQ settings including Immersive, Natural, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, and 3D Sound Stage EQ presets. You can also customize it manually.

I have used these buds with both Android and iPhone. So, I have used them with both Siri and Google Assistant. Both the voice assists were responsive every time I wanted to use them.

Buds pack triple microphones set up for ANC and calls. The ANC blocks the ambient sound efficiently. So, external noise won’t interrupt you. You just need to long tap on the bud to switch between ANC and Ambient sound mode. When you are listening to music, enable ANC. When you want to have a conversation with other people without removing buds, enable ambient sound mode. ANC works pretty well but not the best in this price segment.

You can also download and Install Tone Free companion app to configure several things in the buds. The app lets you configure touch controls, change equalizer settings, lock the touchpad, and more. The app also offers a feature to find earbuds if you are not able to locate it. Buds will produce a chirping sound. Explore the app to see what options are available.

If you want to use the buds for gaming, you can enable Game mode that reduces audio latency for an improved gaming experience. There is also a Whispering mode that lets you use the right earbud close to your mouth as a dedicated mic while using the left earbud for listening to calls.

Buds offer a pleasant calling experience. Microphones pick your good sound and your voice will always be clear on the other side. Never faced any issues while using FP9 for calls.

FP9 offers around 6 hours of music playback with ANC on and a total of 15 hours of music playback with the charging case. Without ANC, buds offer 10 hours of music playback and up to 24 hours with the charging case. Battery life depends on the pattern of usage. If you mostly listen to music at a loud volume, you will get slightly less battery backup. The charging case packs a 390mAh battery. The case also has an LED light to show you the battery level. It takes about an hour to charge the case from 0 to 100%. Surprising thing is that Tone Free FP9 doesn’t support wireless charging while last year’s FP7 had.

One of the most notable features of Tone Free FP9 is Plug and Wireless. It lets you use buds with a device that doesn’t have Bluetooth connectivity. You just need to activate the feature by using the slider switch present on the side of the case. When using the Type-C to 3.5mm to connect the device to the charging case. Once the cable is connected, the charging case acts as a Bluetooth transmitter and streams audio from the device to buds.

LG also offers a shell for the charging case. I received this shell with Ganesha artwork. It feels nice but I wasn’t really comfortable using it because it makes the charging case a bit bulkier. This is also a personal internet. Several people may find it really good.

LG Tone Free FP9 has a price tag of Rs. 29,990 but is available at a lesser price on different online stores. LG also bundles a free Ganesha-themed shell cover for the charging case. LG Tone Free FP9 sounds really good and offers a premium experience. At this pricing, the earbuds compete against premium buds from Sony, Apple, and Samsung. So, it is obvious to have a comparison. Although LG Tone Free FP9 is good, I still feel that Galaxy Buds2 and Apple AirPods Pro are better in terms of sound. That means LG Tone Free FP9 is not offering the best audio at this price. Plug and Wireless feature makes FP9 unique, but I could hardly think of scenarios when it could be useful. The Whispering mode seems a nice addition.