Review on LG Tone Free FP9 Cancelling by Pamela Howard

Previous generations of LG Tone already pack a lot of technology, and the new FP9 headphones aim to add even more. At first glance, the oval-round case looks like any other LG Tone case. It has a matte black color that helps prevent smudges and fingerprints, and is lightweight and compact enough to carry in your pocket. There's a USB-C port, a battery status LED, a UV status LED, and a Bluetooth adapter switch (more on those two later). When LG said the FP9 was compact, they weren't kidding! Although they now have traditional legs, I'm glad they don't protrude at all and are flush on the side. In fact, sometimes people can't tell I'm wearing buds. They are also black, but luster could be dispensed with as they get dirty quite easily; not a deal breaker but worth mentioning. Because they're so light, they're so comfortable it'll seem like you're only wearing earbuds. The ear tips sit very snugly and securely in my medium sized ear canals and the super soft gel tips seal well. They are classified IPX4, the current standard for protection against sweat and rain. FP9 supports Bluetooth 5.2, so it is future-proof and supports Googler Fast Pair and Swift Pairing, which is very convenient on an Android device. I also tested them on an iOS device and a laptop. I haven't experienced any crashes or dropouts while walking around my medium-sized apartment, and I haven't noticed any lag or sync issues while watching videos or playing games. Now the Bluetooth adapter switch is a smart feature as I can connect the case to any 3.5mm jack with the included USB-C to AUX cable and transfer data to my headphones. Ideal for connecting to a console controller. The charging case has antibacterial UV radiation that should kill 99.9%. I don't really have a way to test this, but it's really nice to know as I train sometimes. In addition, the medical grade ear pads are hypoallergenic, further enhancing this benefit. The battery life isn't low either, I tried to drain the battery in a 7 hour session and I ended up with some left over. Just in case, the headphones have a 5-minute quick charge, which adds 1 hour of playback. Thats all I need. The fall adds approximately 14 additional hours. Unfortunately, there is no Qi wireless charging option, which is disappointing in this price range. I'm also glad that the touch controls do everything I need, from playback to voice assistance, ANC, and volume control. You don't have to pick up the phone at all. The earbuds also feature independent playback, allowing you to listen to one earbud at a time, and a handy auto play/pause when an earbud is removed. Active noise cancellation works pretty well. Of course it's not the best I've heard, but I appreciate that the level can be adjusted depending on the situation. I was able to enjoy my sound regardless of the environment. Ambient mode works well too, allowing outside sounds to become self-aware without creating an unnatural "out of body" experience. The call quality is excellent. I was a little concerned that the short legs would pick up my voice, but they worked well, allowing my voice to be heard clearly in both quiet and noisy environments. Another great feature is the "whisper mode" where I can take out an earbud and use it as a microphone to speak softly. This is particularly useful when answering a call in a quiet or noisy environment, such as in a car park. B. at work or in traffic. The most important thing for me is the sound quality. Here the FP9 prevails thanks to its integrated equalizer and the sound signature provided by Meridian. Out of the box, the sound is amazingly clear. Bass is well defined, punchy and there's plenty of subwoofer bass. Mids are well represented, allowing vocals, rhythm instruments and dialogue to thrive when needed, and while the highs can be a bit too high, they're never harsh. There's plenty of channel separation and a powerful soundstage. Interestingly, there's a 3D Sound Stage option, which I think is good, if a bit useless. Choosing the right size gel tips allows for an even better experience. I almost forgot that there are no aptX or LDAC codecs to seal the deal. If you don't like the default audio, LG has a great LG companion app. There you can adjust EQ and select presets, reduce latency with game mode, enable whisper mode, ANC/ambient levels, touchpad mappings, find my kidneys, notifications (love this feature), and more. . This is one of the best headphone apps available. Sure, the FP9s sell for a pretty hefty price tag, but as you can see LG has managed to pack a lot of cool, innovative quality-of-life features and technology into such a small size. Buds worth trying for yourself.