Smooth, matte and an invitation to caress, the pebble-shaped wireless charging case with unique Bluetooth transmitter sets the LG Tone Free FP9 apart as one of the most aesthetically distinctive audio companions on the market. That said, it goes beyond skin deep but into its true (no pun intended) raison dʼêtre.
LG has partnered with Meridian Audio for several years now and the latest LG Tone Free FP9 is a top-of-the-line true wireless earbuds delivering unbeatable user-friendliness via a retinue of expected (for its price category) and unexpected smart features.
The LG Tone Free FP9 has five distinct audio profiles like Bass Boost and Treble Boost, with the remaining three boasting Meridian Headphone Spatial Processing (HSP) capabilities. While the first two are self-explanatory, where the Tone FP9 excels is truly the HSP audio processing technologies that avoid turning sound outputs into some “fake” echo-y room experience. Our favourite mode happens to be “3D Sound Stage”; fans of acoustic performances will particularly enjoy this.
Again, Meridian x LG Tone FP9 avoids rendering the sound with a booming bass (without being unduly heavy à la Beats) and somehow avoids fake sounding reverb while replicating the concert hall/live experience with unexpected fidelity.
Having road tested it for an average of six hours a day, culminating in an 11-hour fl ight to Hamburg, we can say with some finality that the Tone Free F9 is quite likely the most comfortable wearing in-ear buds, period. Icing on cake, anyone who has used earbuds for these great lengths of time would probably know that these things can get pretty “funky” over the week and UVnano, unique to LG, bathes your earbuds in a cleansing UV light bath.
Even with the pandemic in the rear view, loud conversations on public transport are still frowned upon. But LG Tone FP9ʼs whispering mode is perfect for noisy spaces or when you need to be discreet. You never need to speak beyond a whisper and voice clarity is guaranteed even when speaking from behind a face mask.
The in-case bluetooth transmitter is also a nifty feature usually found on pricier luxury audio brands, toggling a switch on the side of the charging case and connecting a 3.5 mm cable to the output deviceʼs line-out that allows you to have wireless audio ‒ perfect for recreating those Guardians of the Galaxy old-school Walkman moments when you no longer possess old 3.5 mm earphones.
If youʼre a fitness freak, Voice Alert is yet another unique feature youʼd fall in love with: you can set the earbuds to read out incoming app notifi cations. Despite the routine of high-intensity sets and rapid direction change sprinting, the contoured design and soft ear tips remained firmly in the ear concha without feeling uncomfortable or “stuffy” ‒ pretty remarkable given that typically competing brands which remain snug by exerting in-canal pressure with the rubber tips, will also have at least shaken loose during strenuous activities.
Retails at S$230
(Images: LG)
