In this article we will be reviewing two new ISOtunes bluetooth noise isolating earbud models, the ISOtunes Pro 2.0 model and the Free model. ISOtunes provided me with a free product sample and I will give my honest and unbiased feedback. I am not paid or swayed in any way to give a positive review.
ISOtunes is a well-known brand that makes earbuds that provide excellent noise isolation and hearing protection. Theyve come out with several models and updates that have improved their offerings over the years.
These models offer excellent noise isolation/reduction. They are rated at 27 decibels for Pro 2.0 models and 22 decibels for ISOtunes Free models. These don’t offer advanced noise cancellation circuitry, but they offer noise reduction by using memory foam eartips. They are much more effective than silicone tips and help to block out some noise.
Both the Pro 2.0 and Free models have a Bluetooth connection for wireless audio streaming. The Pro 2.0 model has the traditional ISOtunes design of an earbud wire connecting the two earbuds. It is virtually identical to the Pro version. The new ISOtunes Free version features a set TWS, or true wireless earbuds with no wires. This is similar to Apple’s Airpods.
Now with the basics of the two new models out of the way, lets get started with the review starting out with the ISOtunes Free model.
ISOtunes Free True Wireless Earbuds Review
Ive reviewed and tested several ISOtune models in the past and all have something in common, while many are bluetooth wireless, they have a wire connecting both earbuds. These bluetooth headphones are not my favorite. The whole point of wireless bluetooth headphones, at least for me, was to be wireless. I prefer the classic headphone design that has a hard band connecting both speakers and wrapping around your head. With true wireless earbuds becoming more popular, I was thrilled to learn that ISOtunes had created a set of wireless earbuds using the Free model. Two small, wireless earbuds from ISOtunes are the ISOtunes Free model. They each have their own bluetooth connection and can pair up with one another and your electronic device. Each earbud can be charged independently and has its own battery. The set includes a small, pill-shaped case that doubles as the charger and protects each earbud. Battery runtime for each earbud is rated at 7+ hours plus you get an additional 14 hours of runtime from the charging case. The runtime of the right earbud with 70% volume was 5 hours and 41 mins and the left earbud took 7 hours. This is much better than the wireless earbuds that last on average 4 hours, but not as long as the 7+ hour rating. The difference in runtime between left and right buds is due to the fact that the right earbud connects to both the electronic device as well as the left bud. It basically has two wireless connections running at once, while the left bud connects to only one bud and thus uses less battery power.
I liked that they earbuds magnetically connect to the case and snap in place and they also auto-pair with your phone when removed from the case and auto turn off when stored inside the case. One thing missing from the charging case is the ability to use the case as a power bank. The case can only charge two wireless headphones, but it cannot be used as a power bank for charging your phone while on the move. This would have been a great feature to add. Hopefully ISOtunes can make a power bank charging case on the next model update.
The sound reduction on these is rated at 22 decibels and I tested them out while doing some yard work running a cordless string trimmer and mower. The earbuds were able to reduce noise even though they weren’t playing any music. I could still hear the mower and string trimmer running and other environmental noises in the background but they were reduced. The sound reduction wasnt as good as a regular pair of earmuff hearing protection but much better than nothing at all. You could also hear my equipment if you played music at medium volume. However, it was not as noticeable.
Since these are headphones we all want to know how well they sound. ISOtunes’ sound quality has not impressed me in the past. The original models sounded decent but had distortion at times. The next set of models offered better audio quality and got rid of distortion, but they still didn’t wow me. ISOtunes seems to have listened to my past reviews and has improved the sound quality. The headphones’ audio quality was not what I expected at first. The headphones were not distorted at high volumes, but there was some loss of detail and the drivers couldn’t reproduce vocals or instruments well. They would have been fine for the average person, but I am used to hearing aids. However, after testing them for runtime, I realized that the problems I had with these headphones were no longer there. They sound almost as good now as my Harmon Kardon bluetooth headphones and Cambridge Audio Melomania3 cms. Paint me impressed for a product coming from ISOtunes! These headphones have a nice sound stage with good bass and clarity and dont sound like they are muffled as some of their other models have been in the past, and no distortion but then again, they addressed that in the previous generation. If theres any complaint in the audio quality department, its that they could use more bass but as is the bass is good enough.
These headphones have built in mics and can also be used for calls. They sound great, according to the person who answered the phone. They did say there was some cutting out at first but I cant tell if that was due to the cell connection or the headphones but the caller said it was very brief and was fine after that.
These ISOtunes Free earbuds can be used in combination or separately, just like most wireless earbuds. You can even use either the right or left bud when used one at a time and both have built in mics to make calls. One ear can be used at a time, so you can hear the surroundings and other people speaking while you listen to music. You can also extend the runtime of your device by charging one while the other is charging. This allows you to use both devices simultaneously, rather than waiting for them to recharge. And the included case means you have extra hours of runtime on the go.
To ensure that the charging case is fully charged, you can plug it into the included USB C cable. I really like that ISOtunes made the case charge port connection via USB C which is the latest USB connection which means that I dont have to juggle with separate charge cables, plus the USB connection is better anyway. A charge cable is included though youll still need to provide your own outlet plug. The only thing I did not like about the charging case was the lack of a fuel gauge. This is unlike my Cambridge Audio Melomanias which has a 5-light fuel gauge that shows me how much battery power I have so I can know when I need to recharge. Luckily the earbuds do show how much charge they have left with a little display Icon on my Android phone, a carry over feature of ISOtunes headphones from past.
These earbuds have a built in button to raise and lower volume, answer and end calls and to skip tracts though these functions are divided between the two earbuds. They are comfortable and can be used for a short time if you have the right size tips. They include several size foam tips and two sizes for the silicone tips.
These are water, sweat, and dust resistant according to ISOtunes. These claims were not tested by me so I will just rely on their words. I dont think sweat should be much of a problem for these because in my experience, the only part touching my ear was the foam tips as the rest of the earbud is just suspended away from your ear.
They are now available and priced at
ISOtunes did an excellent job with their first truly wireless headphones with the Free model. While I did not get 7 hours of runtime (rated at 7+), they had a 5+ hour test, which is more than the average runtime for true wireless earbuds. ISOtunes are well-known for their sound reduction. However, while they can reduce outside noise, they don’t offer the same protection as normal hearing protection earmuffs. I did like that the included case charges the earbuds for even longer runtime on the go though would have liked if they case had a fuel gauge for the case and if the case doubled as a power bank to charge my phone on the go.
ISOtunes Pro 2.0 Review
These models are based upon the Pro model, so they look identical. These offer a wireless bluetooth connection to your device although they have a wire connecting both earbuds. Youll find a small controller thats used to turn these on, skip tracts, adjust volume, answer/end calls and mute and unmute. They also offer sweat, dust and water resistance and the earbuds have an over ear loop for better retention just as the originals. This model has an upgraded version with a 16+ hour battery life and better audio quality. I also noticed the earbud foam tips are improved as well as the inner tube is far recessed and doesnt scratch my ears as the tips go in.
Noise reduction is rated at 27 decibels and I tested these out while doing yard work with a battery powered mower and string trimmer. These offered better noise reduction than Free models, although not as effective as regular hearing protection earmuffs. However, they were much closer to the Free models. They were able to drown out the sound of the string trimmer or mower with high-volume music. It almost seemed like they are muting the outside world. These noise-reduction devices were almost as effective as hearing protection, and can also play music via bluetooth!
When it comes to testing out the audio quality, my experience was exactly the same as with the ISOtunes Free models. Initially the audio quality wasnt impressing me and had some issues but after a break in period, the audio quality was just as good as the Free models. Audio quality on the Pro 5 cms is nearly as good as my Harmon Kardon over ear bluetooth headphones and Cambridge Audio Melomania 3 cms. I am impressed by a product from ISOtunes. These headphones sound great with excellent bass and clarity. They don’t sound muffled like some of their older models, but they did address that issue in the previous generation. The only complaint about the audio quality is that they could use more bass, but the bass is great enough.
Comfort was improved, and they are comfortable for short periods. However, I don’t like the over-ear loop design. It makes it more difficult to place in the ear because there is already a juggling act to place memory foam tips in your ears. The ear loop just adds to the hassle. But once installed are fine and not a bother.
These headphones also have built in mics for making calls and according to the person on the other line, they sound just fine and said these sound little bit better than the Free models.
Although the wire holding both earbuds together is slightly longer than I would like, ISOtunes has a clip that reduces its length. However, I would prefer the wire to be shorter and perhaps have a behind-the-head/neck design.
They are rated at 16+ hour runtime so I did my normal runtime testing of 70% to maximum volume. With 19 hours and 57 mins, I managed to complete almost 20 hours. This was more than the 16+ hours. So runtime is exceptional and you can go at least 2 work days if not more.
These ISOtunes Pro 2.0 earbuds dont come with a slick charging case like the Free models do but they do come with nice pleather zip case that holds the earbuds and has extra room for the additional tips and charge cable. They still use the micro USB charging cable. Its a bummer they didnt go with USB C but at least the cable is included though youll still need to provide your own outlet plug.
These are available now and are priced at
Overall, they sound just like the original ISOtunes Pro. They have excellent noise reduction, better comfort and much longer runtime. Still I would rather use truly wireless earbuds or traditional headphones with over the ear cans and band as Im not a fan of the long cord holding both earbuds together.
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