Noise Tune Duo review: Doesn't score high on design; audio quality is the saving grace

Price: Rs 1,999
Rating: ***

Specs: in-ear earphones, Bluetooth 4.2, dual drivers, voice assistant support, in-line remote, microphone, IP X4 sweat-proof


Noise as a brand has been expanding its budget-friendly audio line-up from the past few months. The Tune Duo is their latest addition to the growing crowd of budget wireless earphones. Noise is trying to stand out with their offering by offering dual drivers for superior sound output on the Tune Duo.

Being a budget earphone, the Tune Duo doesn’t score high on its design and build quality. We liked the translucent finish on the earphones that shows off the dual drivers. However, the wire connecting the left and right earphone is thin and feels fragile. The in-line control module has a matte finish with well-spaced buttons for ease of use. You even get a dedicated button to access the voice assistant which is a welcome addition. The trouble is that the microUSB charging port is covered with a thin silicon cover which feels it would get broken off after a few weeks of wear and tear. Another issue with the TuneDuo is that it does not have magnetic eartips to lock the earphones when not in use – they hang around the neck freely making them prone to slipping off anytime.

The big trouble with the Tune Duo is its fitting. Usually, earphones with in-ear design offer a secure fit for long hours of usage. With the Tune Duo we noticed that the earphones tend to get loose if you are moving about as they don’t have a locking in mechanism. While jogging, they tend to fall out after every few minutes which gets irritating.

Audio quality is the saving grace. The earphones deliver loud output with above average bass output. During our usage, we felt the bass output was good enough for Bollywood and Punjabi music but if you are in to heavy bass music, then these headphones will not suit your requirements. For watching videos as well as gaming, the headphones worked great with clear vocals. While we never felt the need to cross 70% volume level, if you go above 80% volume, the audio tends to get muddled up with treble overpowering the bass. The microphone works well if you are in a quiet room but when used in a noisy environment for voice calls, we got complaint of being inaudible.

Battery life is as advertised. Noise claims a 4 hour battery life and the headphones lasted us for four hours with around 5% battery to spare. At the time of writing, the Tune Duo are available for Rs 1,399 and even though we like its audio output, the iffy fitting is a turn-off. In the same price, you can consider the Boat Rockerz 255 which gives you a better design with magnetic eartips, fast charge support and similar bass heavy output.