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LG’s Tone Free Fit earbuds ($199), also known as the TF8 or TF8Q, join the Tone Free T90 ($229) as the latest entries in the company's noise-cancelling true wireless earphone lineup. They deliver strong audio, are surprisingly customizable via a companion app, and offer decent active noise cancellation (ANC). Notably, they eschew all the gimmicky spatial audio features of the pricier T90 in favor of a fully waterproof design, which is easily worth the trade-off in our book. Ultimately, the $199.99 Jabra Elite 7 Pro earphones remain our Editors' Choice winner in the high-end exercise-friendly segment, with more effective noise cancellation, slightly better mics, and a more pleasing default sound. The TF8 in-ears are a strong alternative, however, with better dust protection, a more granular app experience, and a charging case that converts wired audio to Bluetooth.
Available in black with green accents, the TF8 earpieces are chunky but lightweight. Silicone ear hooks ensure a secure, comfortable fit even during vigorous exercise. The earbuds ship with three pairs of “medical grade silicone” eartips in small, medium, and large sizes, as well as three sizes of removable ear hooks.
Internally, 6mm dynamic drivers deliver the audio. The earphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3, plus support the AAC and SBC codecs, but not AptX. That last omission makes these a tougher recommendation for Android users.
The capacitive touch panels on the outside of each earpiece are easy to operate—in-ear audio prompts accompany each tap and provide useful feedback. The default control layout is sensible: Tap once on either earbud to control playback or answer a call; tap twice to turn the volume down (left) or up (right); and tap three times on either earpiece to skip forward a track. Finally, press and hold to toggle between ANC and Ambient settings. Notably, the companion app lets you add an option to the touch control selections to turn off both the ANC and Ambient modes, as well as remove any of the existing options. You can also set the triple tap gesture on the left earbud to go backward one track, a function LG oddly leaves off by default.
An IP67 rating is excellent, and rare to see for ANC true wireless in-ears. The first digit in the rating (6) means the earpieces are dustproof, while the second digit (7) means you can submerge them at depths of up to a meter (3.3 ft) for as long as 30 minutes without issue. The pair can also withstand modest water pressure from any direction, so you don't need to worry about them breaking after a sweaty workout, a dunk in the sink for cleaning, or a rain shower. The aforementioned Jabra Elite 7 Pro and Jabra Elite 7 Active ($179.99) earphones offer close to the same durability with IP57 ratings, but the LG model still has the upper hand. That rating doesn’t apply to the charging case, however, so make sure to fully dry the earpieces before docking them.
The oval charging case features a grip-friendly, textured exterior and opens like a clamshell. Two status LEDs sit on the front: One shows the battery life and the other turns blue when the internal UVnano feature is active. LG says the latter uses ultraviolet beams to fight bacteria on the eartips, though we can't confirm this claim. A USB-C port resides on the back for the USB-C-to-USB-A charging cable, as well as for the USB-C-to-3.5mm audio cable (both are included). With the 3.5mm cable, you can use the case as a Bluetooth transmitter. In testing, it took us only a few seconds to start streaming audio from an iMac after we connected the case to it. This feature is useful for any non-wireless audio source that has a 3.5mm output.LG estimates that the earphones can last roughly 10 hours per charge (with ANC off) and that the case holds an additional 20 hours of charge (again, with ANC off). This battery life is particularly strong, though your results will vary based on your typical listening volume and use of ANC.
We tested a beta version of the Tone Free app (available for Android and iOS). Beyond the standard features—you can install firmware updates, adjust the on-ear controls, and access a user manual—you get two customizable EQ presets with eight bands between 64Hz and 8kHz. Meridian audio presets are also present, but we’re not fans of their heavy-handed approach. Mixing and mastering engineers work very hard to make sure audio sounds its best on a variety of platforms, and these presets mask the true sound. Of course, hardly any earphones provide a truly accurate audio experience, but the Meridian presets take you far away from that standard. Keep things simple: Either subtly tweak one of the custom EQ presets or leave everything off altogether.
Otherwise, the app offers on-screen controls for the ANC and Ambient modes—you can toggle both settings, as well as switch between the two Ambient presets (a default option and one that focuses on voices). You can also enable multipoint pairing and toggle the auto-play/pause setting. The Find My Earbuds feature and a low-latency Game Mode round out the experience.
The TF8 in-ears aren't a standout in the noise cancellation department, but they're still competent for the price. They dial back powerful low-frequency rumble (like you hear on an airplane) to an extent, but not nearly as well as the top-tier Sony WF-1000XM4 earphones ($279.99). In testing they cut back the lows and mids from a recording of a busy restaurant with clanging dishes and boisterous conversation to a degree, but plenty of the highs—along with some audible high-frequency hiss—passed through. In the same scenario, the Sony earphones are more effective against all the frequencies (particularly the lows and mids), and they add far less hiss to the mix.
As for the Ambient modes, both let in natural-sounding environmental nose without needing to remove the earpieces. The voice-focused mode is clearly better for conversations.
The app defaults to the Meridian Bass Boost EQ preset, but you can choose between Immersive, Natural, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, or 3D Sound Stage presets, too. The first and last choices add obvious spatial effects and we recommend leaving them off. But we also think you should turn off the Bass Boost mode—it's an odd choice for a default setting, and the two Custom EQ presets start you off at a more neutral place; you can leave the audio signature alone or make adjustments to taste with these custom presets.
With no adjustments to the standard custom EQ profile, the in-ears pack some serious bass punch. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the pair delivers strong low-frequency response. At top volume levels, no distortion is present, and at more moderate volume levels, the lows still sound robust.
Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, better reveals the sound signature. The drums on this track sound natural and full in the Custom EQ mode (with no adjustments)—they are neither bass-boosted nor thin. Callahan’s vocals have a solid low-mid presence, while the high-mids and highs lend the vocals some additional definition. Meanwhile, the higher-register percussive hits and acoustic strums sound bright and detailed. Adding in a little (or a lot) of bass in the EQ gives the drums and vocals more low-frequency weight than they need but, if you like that sort of audio signature, you can certainly tune the earphones toward that sound. And, of course, the Meridian settings are there to try; they are equally harmless whether you like them or hate them. One important note: The Meridian presets pump up the volume quite a bit compared with the Custom EQ settings. Be careful when you switch modes so the volume change doesn't catch you off guard.
On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop receives an ideal high-mid presence, allowing it to retain its punchy attack, while the background vinyl crackle and hiss step forward in the mix. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat come across with solid depth, too. These elements exhibit some modest rumble, but not to an overwhelming degree. Boosting the bass in the EQ or switching to the Bass Boost option fattens up the drum loop, but has a far less obvious impact on the sub-bass synth hits—the drivers can't quite reach down to thunderous depths like many competing models. Most people won’t find fault with the bass response in any case. The vocals on this track sound clear, though perhaps with a hint of sibilance.
Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, sound bright and detailed, with some pleasant low-frequency anchoring. The focus is squarely on the higher-register instrumentation, but the track still sounds full and not overly bright.
The mic array works fine, and we had no trouble understanding every word from a test recording on an iPhone. We noticed some occasional Bluetooth artifacts, but the signal still sounds stronger than that of most true wireless models. You shouldn't have any issues with call clarity.
The LG TF8 earbuds offer robust audio performance and are tough enough to survive almost any scenario. We particularly like the companion app, which has enough features to help you tailor the experience, but not too many that they overwhelm. Compared with LG’s other recent true wireless earbuds, the T90, the TF8 are slightly more affordable, better for exercise, and free from gimmicky head-tracking and spatial audio features. Jabra's Elite 7 Pro ultimately remain our Editors’ Choice winner for the premium exercise earphones category because of its more effective ANC and pleasing default sound quality, though we can’t deny the LG T8 pair's strong app experience and superior dust protection.
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