Current testing methodology is v1.2
February 15, 2021
$36.35
JBLT510BTBLKAM
5.6 oz
8.07 x 1.89 x 8.78 in
The JBL Tune 510BT is a budget-friendly wireless headphone.
It’s part of the Tune Series by JBL, which you’re already familiar with if you’re in the audio hobby long enough. But in case you don’t know, JBL is a well-known American audio equipment manufacturer.
JBL Tune 510BT Headphones
Impressive bass and great battery life for the price.
TL:DR;
The JBL Tune 510BT shows characteristics of a V-shaped sound. They sound standard if you ask me, but they exceeded my expectations for their budget price.
The headphone is also voice assistant compatible. Ergo, we can talk to Siri or say, “Hey, Google.” It’s definitely an upgrade from its predecessor.
The JBL Tune 500BT, which only had 16 hours of playtime. It’s also portable, which means it can easily fit in your bag if you’re going to the gym for workouts or in school, and you need to put it in your schoolbag during classes.
The Specs
- Driver: 32 mm Dynamic Driver
- Power Supply: 5V 1A
- Charging Time: 2 hours
- Frequency: 20 – 20,000Hz
- Impedance: 32Ω
- Sensitivity: 03.5 dB SPL@ 1kHz 1mW
- Weight: 160 g / 0.35 lbs.
- Bluetooth Version: 5.0
- Bluetooth Transmission Frequency Range: 2.4 GHz – 2.4835 GHz
What’s in the Box?
- JBL Tune 510BT Headphones
- USB-C Charging Cable
- Warranty Card
- Quick Start Guide
Stuff I like
- Portability and long battery life
- Buttons that are easy to use
- Decent mic for calls
- Bluetooth multipoint connection
- Easy to operate
Stuff I like less
- Lacks stability when worn
- Headband stiffness
- Inadequate noise-cancellation
- Not recommended for big heads
Where to get it
Comparable products to consider
The Sennheiser HD 206 offers good noise isolation for audiophiles on a budget.
Review Metrics
First Impressions
The JBL Tune 510BT comes in a minimalist box with an image of the headphones on the front.
On the back of the box, there’s a see-through part that’s shaped like the JBL Logo and it gives you a sneak peek of the headphones. The box is also spammed with JBL’s tagline “Dare to Listen.”
The headphones come in four color variants: Black, White, Blue, and Rose. I got the black one because black is my favorite color and I don’t like light colors because they can get stained easily.
A Type-C cable is included and this is used for charging the headphones. It also comes with a quick start guide and a warranty booklet.
JBL didn’t include an extra ear pad which I find disappointing because I can’t find any replacement from the official JBL online store.
Build Quality
The build quality of the JBL Tune 510BT is honestly a bit disappointing. The design is nothing special and it looks like a typical headphone you’d see at bootleg stores.
It’s made of a plastic material that feels cheap and not that flexible. The headband looks like it won’t sustain that much bending. The ear pads are soft but feel generic.
I also didn’t like the material used for the ear pads because they make screeching noises when I move the headphones, interrupting my listening experience.
The only thing I liked about the 510BT’s build is that it’s so light and portable. You can put it in a small bag or just leave it hanging around your neck, and you won’t feel much weight.
Fit and Comfort
As I said earlier, the JBL Tune 510BT is so light that wearing them feels like nothing. I’d recommend it for people with skinny or small heads because of its size and lack of flexibility.
I won’t recommend this for audiophiles with larger heads. If you have a big head, you might feel a lot of stress from the headband and this might result in a pressure buildup in your head.
The ear pads aren’t that big. That’s why they’re gonna rest on your ears and not around them. I also won’t encourage you to buy these headphones if you wear glasses.
Sound Quality
The JBL Tune 510BT is tuned for casual listeners. It has a slightly V-shaped sound with an emphasis on the bass.
The soundstage quite impressed me because of its nice width but it lacks naturality.
The sound isolation isn’t that good and we all expect that this is at the bare minimum when buying headphones. Still, the JBL Tune 510BT cannot block low to mid-frequency noises. However, it’s pretty good at reducing high-frequency noises.
In addition, I observed some peaks in the treble section, which causes sibilance, especially in the S and T sounds. This may cause discomfort to listeners.
Bass
JBL is known for its speakers and headphones focused on delivering powerful bass. And most listeners love this because they thought more bass means better quality.
The JBL Tune 510BT’s bass sometimes comes a bit strong that it would overpower other frequencies. It has a nice boom that listeners might enjoy but it can also get tiring in the long run.
The bass response is a bit slow, but it can handle even the busiest tracks. The mid-bass is mediocre but adds flavor to the mix.
This type of tuning will favor listeners who like their bass heavy.
Mids
As for the mids, I’m hearing a good accuracy. There are times that the mids are too much that when the tracks get busy, it gets cluttered and muddy.
The overemphasized high-bass intrudes with the low-mids, which threw me off. It interrupts and clutters the instruments and the vocals.
Treble
The JBL Tune 510BT’s highs are kinda flat but bright, which is weird.
The treble also needs more clarity and definition, but the sparkle is there. Maybe it’s because of the overemphasized lows and mids.
There’s also a notable boost in the highs, which gave power to some higher or female vocals. Some vocals complemented nicely with the 510BT, and some didn’t.
There are rare cases of sibilance in S and T sounds, which some listeners might find harsh.
Test Tracks
Below are the tracks that I used to test the JBL Tune 510BT’s capability in presenting different genres. This greatly helped me in analyzing its sound quality.
- What You Won’t Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell (Soul / Jazz) – This song started with a jazzy trumpet with a funky bass line which the 510BT presented very well. I loved how good the separation of the vocals was. It didn’t interfere with the occupied instrumentals, which is crucial for this genre. The backup vocals, on the other hand, were muddy to listen to. There were lots of micro details that the 510BT failed to present clearly. The bass track remained overemphasized but was consistent with its safe frequency or level to avoid ear fatigue.
- Not a Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake (R&B / Pop) – The clean electric guitar and the acoustic guitar in the intro sounded nice and sparkly, but it could be better. The snare and the hi-hats in the drum track sounded flat, but the bass drum was punchy and packed with power and presence. The JBL Tune 510BT also gave a spotlight to the backup vocals. The micro details were also noticeable, which was nice because it added some flavor to the track.
- She’s American by The 1975 (Disco / Alternative / Indie) – It’s one of the songs by The 1975 with the busiest instruments. Still, the 510BT performed well in presenting it neatly. The complicated guitar riff in the intro survived the overemphasized bass. The vocal layering sounded nice but interfered with the song’s synth parts, hinting at poor separation. Drums like the toms and floor toms lacked thickness, but the hi-hat and snare compensated for it.
Gaming Impressions
The JBL Tune 510BT has a nice soundstage which is good if you’re going to use it for gaming. However, I noticed a millisecond delay which can affect your performance while playing.
I’d still suggest getting a headphone explicitly engineered for gaming. It can be cheaper than the 510BT.
Conclusion
If you’re on a budget and on the lookout for entry-to-mid-level headphones with a boosted bass sound, then the JBL Tune 510BT might be your perfect companion.
However, the JBL Tune 510BT’s comfort can vary depending on the person’s head and ear shape and size.
It’s also uncommon for a headphone within this price range to offer Bluetooth multipoint, which means you can pair your phone and laptop at the same time. The 510BT has that, which I think is pretty cool.
The JBL Tune 510BT is perfect for people who prefer listening to bass-heavy tracks. Its Pure Bass feature does all of it and won’t disappoint you.
I also like its all-around characteristic that tries to give every track you listen to the best version of it.
The JBL Tune 510BT’s versatility is its main selling point. It’s not perfect and not of the highest quality but considering its price, it’s a great option.
Shaik, a college student, part-time musician, and proud fur parent. Currently pursuing his degree in architecture.
As a part-time musician, Shaik enjoys expressing his self creatively through music. Whether it's writing original songs or performing covers, music is a significant part of Shaik's life
This post was last updated on 2024-11-14 / Some images from Amazon Product API & some links may be affiliate links which may earn us a commission from purchases.