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JBL Tour PRO+ TWS True Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds, Noise Cancelling, up to 32H Battery, 3 mics, Wireless Charging, Google Assistant and Alexa Built-in (Black)

Purchase options and add-ons, about this item.

• JBL SIGNATURE SOUND: From rich, punchy bass to thrilling top notes, you'll always experience the ultimate sound experience with our JBL Tour Pro plus TWS 6.8mm dynamic drivers powered by JBL Pro Sound.
• Product Note : If the size of the earbud tips does not match the size of your ear canals or the headset is not worn properly in your ears, you may not obtain the correct sound qualities or call performance. Change the earbud tips to ones that fit more snugly in your ears
• ADAPTIVE NOISE CANCELLING: JBL's Adaptive Noise Cancelling technology utilizes internal and external mics to minimize distractions while maximizing audio quality as you enjoy the soundtrack of your life. With Smart Ambient Technology, stay alert to the world around you or hear friends and colleagues clearly with the touch of a button or via the JBL app.
• CLEAR MICROPHONE: Noisy environment, No problem, JBL Tour Pro plus TWS ensures perfect voice clarity during calls with an array of two outer beamforming microphones and a third to reduce wind and other distractions.
• UP TO 32H OF BATTERY LIFE AND WIRELESS CHARGING: Stay connected all day with up to 32 hours of battery life, Qi-compatible wireless charging, and three power-ups in the case. Plus, even if you do eventually run out of juice, you can speed charge back to an hour of playtime in minutes.
• HANDS-FREE HEY GOOGLE AND AMAZON ALEXA: Stay connected to your digital world wherever you go. Activate your preferred Voice Assistant just by using your voice. You can even talk to Hey Google to control your headphones. Voice prompts are available in multiple languages.

Buy this product as Renewed and save $29.96 off the current New price.

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For over 75 years, JBL has helped people own their sound with Headphones, speakers and audio gear designed around expression. From the history-making stages of Woodstock to the thrilling sports stadiums, music venues and movie theaters you visit today, JBL amplifies truly unforgettable experiences.

Booming bass, rich detail and the freedom to feel the moment, wherever you are.

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JBL Tour Pro Series

True Adaptive Noise Cancelling Technology That Tunes Out Distractions So You Can Enjoy Your Favorite Audio.

JBL Tune Series

On-Ear & Over-Ear Stereo Headphones With Wireless Bluetooth Technology. Built In Microphones For IOS And Android Devices.

JBL Quantum Series

Hear every detail of the environment around you with the superior sound of JBL Quantum. Take on new challenges. Dare to level up.

JBL Endurance Series

Enjoy JBL Pure Bass Sound While You Work Out. Stay Focused On The Task At Hand With Music That Starts And Stops When You Do.

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• JBL has brought music to life in a way people can feel for over 70 years.
• From iconic concerts to thesporting events, our sound has powered the world's musicians, athletes and venues.
• We unleash the power of music so you can live life to the fullest wherever and whenever.
• JBL speaker components deliver powerful sound.

What's in the box

• 1 x JBL Tour Pro+ TWS headphones
• 1 x Type-C USB charging cable
• 1 x 5 Sizes of ear tips
• 1 x Charging case
• 1 x 2 Sizes of stabilizers
• 1 x Quick start guide
• 1 x Google Assistant set up guide
• 1 x Amazon Alexa set up guide
• 1 x Warranty / Warning (W / !)
• 1 x Safety Sheet (S / i)

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JBL's Premium Buds - PRO+ TWS

Trisha Hershberger <3

Jabra Elite 10 vs 8 Active vs Tour Pro 2 vs Buds FE Mic Test

Aaron X Loud and Wireless

Customer Review: They be pretty great.!

Daniel J Huth

Customer Review: Love these!

Pixel Buds Pro vs JBL Tour Pro 2 vs Liberty 4 NC Mic Test!

Looking for specific info, product information, warranty & support, product description.

Propel your productivity with the smart features and unrivaled comfort fit of JBL Tour Pro+ TWS powered by JBL Pro Sound. Stay connected your way, all day with Adaptive Noise Cancelling, Smart Ambient technology, 3 mics for crystal clear connections, a compatible app for ultimate customization, and 32 hours of playback.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Customers say

Customers have negative opinions about the stability and connectivity of the headphones. For example, they mention that they keep falling out of their ears and that the connectivity doesn't work consistently with phone calls. Opinions are mixed on battery life, value, quality, fit, sound quality, and comfort.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Customers have mixed opinions about the sound quality of the headphones. Some mention that the call quality is good, the sound is good and the noise cancelling is excellent. However, others say that the higher pitched sounds are muffled and the volume wasn't super load. Some customers also report that the noise cancellation does little to no cancelling, the right ear piece has an echo, and the right headphone volume started fading.

"...acclimated to them...or possibly the earbuds burned in...the sound became more involved and I can hear a wider soundstage than with other..." Read more

"These earbuds really do sound amazing . I used them for nearly a year, when the right ear bud stopped taking a charge all together...." Read more

"...Some higher pitched sounds are more muffled than totally cancelled but when music is playing most noises are unnoticeable...." Read more

"...But, the sound is outstanding , so I can still use them, but not during workouts. Ultimately, I am still a JBL fan and trust their products...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the quality of the headphones. Some mention that it's a great product, with wonderful sound quality. Others say that the ear buds to the case is absolutely terrible, and has left them frustrated and dissatisfied. They get sweaty, pop out, and become almost unusable. The quality continued to decrease after a while, and the app is buggy and glitchy.

"...The baked in eq is pretty good but is also very customizable if you don’t care for it. That said, these earbuds sound pretty fantastic...." Read more

"...Amazon replaced them. (Thank you Amazon)These have been working great . I was fortunate to catch these under $100...." Read more

"...fall out of my ears and if they get sweaty, they pop out and become almost unusable ...." Read more

"...Absolutely LOVE the app. Can do some really cool things with it.With everything said... I plan on keeping them as my daily pair...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the battery life of the headphones. Some mention that it has good battery life, while others say that it depletes while powered off.

"...Very good fit, amazing noise cancelation, good battery life ." Read more

"...(Best ANC and exceptional sound quality, but battery depletes while powered off )JBL Tour PRO+Technics EAH-AZ60..." Read more

"... Battery will last longer than my phone , and working in a factory setting, I keep them in for the noise canceling all day without recharge...." Read more

"...However it’s not a deal breaker. It’s decently built nice mate rubber finish.Connectivity: the connection has been not the best at time...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the value of the headphones. Some mention that they are great for the price and high-end earbuds, while others say that they're not worth the money, a waste of money, and not cheap.

"...near the cost of the gold standard option but for my budget they are not cheap . Here is the process to using them...." Read more

"...Worth the wait. These are high-end earbuds for sure. As high end as Bluetooth can be anyway. I believe they are now back up to $200...." Read more

"...Even listening to people talk while watching videos was unenjoyable . When there was a S consonant spoken it was super sharp and piercing...." Read more

"They were once the cream of the crop. Not anymore. Over priced , probably get similar quality with knock off buds" Read more

Customers are mixed about the fit of the headphones. Some mention that they fit well in their ears, with an adjustable fit. However, others say that they don't fit well due to the very large size of the bud and case fitting misalignment.

"...Sony LinkBuds SJBL Live FreeNC+ ( very small , nicely compact case, but limited custom eartip selection that will fit in the case)..." Read more

"...There are also troubles when recharging the buds. They don't always line up with the charger, so I get the message "battery power low" even after I..." Read more

"...I was fortunate to catch these under $100. Very good fit , amazing noise cancelation, good battery life." Read more

"First, they are huge and heavy, and no matter what bud size I tried they were very uncomfortable to the point it was hurting the canal of my ears...." Read more

Customers are mixed about the comfort of the headphones. Some mention that they're pretty comfortable after about an hour of wear, while others say that they are extremely uncomfortable and make their ears sore after a couple of minutes. The design is smooth and feels high-end, but the reality is that they make their ear sore.

"...They are difficult to get a good fit , even with third party foam inserts to try and make them fit better...." Read more

"...might have a longer life span, they are comfortable and have a slick smooth cover . Only problem is that the left bud did not work...." Read more

"...Other than a having a hard time finding a comfortable fitment for my smaller ears, as these buds are bigger than most, the pros of this product..." Read more

"...The design is curvy, smooth and feels high-end, but the reality is there is very little stabilizing structure holding it in the ear...." Read more

Customers are dissatisfied with the connectivity of the headphones. They say that the buds simply do not work consistently with phone calls, the app never connects, and the left bud stopped connecting. Some customers also report that the Bluetooth faulty and does not work with iPhone or Samsung.

"...They would not stay connected to a laptop ...any laptop. I tried several and the buds would just disconnect from them...." Read more

"...Connectivity: the connection has been not the best at time. Most of the time it works fine...." Read more

"The sound is awsomeBut I can't connect to 2 items at one time" Read more

"...The connection is frustrating as they’ll both be in the charging pod yet its still connected...." Read more

Customers have negative opinions about the stability of the headphones. They mention that they keep falling out of their ears. Some customers also say that the headphones do not have any anchoring structure and are difficult to keep in their ears when running.

"...They constantly fall out of my ears and if they get sweaty, they pop out and become almost unusable...." Read more

"...ones that come with it but nothing juuuust right so they tend to fall out at times when I'm talking on them.Right ear piece has an echo...." Read more

"...as adjusting the bud in my ear frequently since they do not have any anchoring structure ) there is a shrieking, high-pitched piercing feedback noise...." Read more

"...ok these function great, sound is incredible just found difficult to keep in my ears while working with head moving a lot...." Read more

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JBL Tour Pro Plus review

Jbl's wireless earbuds deliver favorable noise cancellation and flawed sound.

Tom's Guide Verdict

The JBL Tour Pro Plus packages strong bass and ANC into a familiar design, but it requires fine-tuning in key areas.

Excellent smart controls

Adaptive noise cancellation

Ample battery life

Features galore

Sound is not as balanced as other JBL models

Weak call quality

Uncomfortable to wear

Why you can trust Tom's Guide Our writers and editors spend hours analyzing and reviewing products, services, and apps to help find what's best for you. Find out more about how we test, analyze, and rate.

Price: $199

Colors:  Black

Battery life (rated) : 6 hours (ANC on), 8 hours (ANC off), 24 hours (with charging case), 32 hours (with charging case and ANC off)

Connectivity : Bluetooth 5.0

Processor : N/A

Size : 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 inches (per bud), 2 x 2 x 1.5 inches (charging case)

Weight : 0.3 ounces (per bud), 2 ounces (charging case)

JBL continues its onslaught of new audio releases, bringing to market its latest flagship wireless earbuds: the Tour Pro Plus. Originally debuting at CES 2021 , this in-ear version of the Tour One headphones comes with signature JBL bass-forward sound, adaptive noise cancellation, sufficient battery life and a plethora of features that are accessible through the companion app.

The Tour Pro Plus boasts one of the more dynamic spec sheets in its category, combining smart listening modes with advanced proprietary technologies for intelligible performance. Sadly, it also drops the ball in areas where other JBL models have excelled, making this model a questionable purchase for those seeking an elite AirPods Pro alternative for less. Read our full JBL Tour Pro Plus review to see whether these drawbacks are dealbreakers.

• The  best wireless earbuds overall
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JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Price and availability

• Multiple retailer options, though only one color

You can buy the JBL Tour Pro Plus for $199 at major online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy or directly from JBL . It is sold in one color: Black.

This pair of buds shares the same MSRP as other popular wireless ANC earbuds, including the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro and the JBL Club Pro Plus . It's also priced higher than the newer Beats Studio Buds ($149), but lower than the AirPods Pro ($249) and Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279).

For all of the latest wireless earbuds sales, bookmark our best headphones deals page.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Design and comfort

• Well-styled buds and case
• However, buds get uncomfortable quickly

JBL’s design pedigree for its premium wireless earbuds is understated, yet classy. The Tour Pro Plus features an all-black color scheme, oval shape and nicely minimalist detailing. Build quality is superb, thanks to a durable shell that resists scratches well, as well as IPX4-rated sweat resistance.

The charging case is really no different than the Club Pro Plus’ case. Size-wise, it’s bulkier and larger than the cases of its Apple and Sony rivals, but is still light enough to carry around and has a sturdier exterior. Furthermore, the magnet for the flip-top lid is strong to keep the buds secure when charging on the go. Small details like the flush pairing button at the bottom and the tiny LED below each charging port are nice touches.

You may think that due to the buds’ bulging form that they would make for an uncomfortable wear, and, well, there’s some truth to that. Those who can tolerate the buds pressing up on the concha won’t mind sporting them for 2 to 3 hours before giving their ears a breather.  Others, like myself, couldn’t endure the soreness that was inflicted after an hour of use.

I was concerned about the buds falling out because of their weight and how much they stick out. However, they provided an honest fit. The sound port inserts easily into the ears, while the tips create a tight seal around the canal and the stabilizers mold to the cymba for proper stabilization. JBL also developed its own ear tip fit test (Check My Best Fit) that works well to achieve optimal fit.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Touch controls and digital assistant

• Touch controls extensive and dependable
• Impressive digital assistant implementation

JBL always programs its headphones and earbuds with a wide variety of controls, and the Tour Pro Plus is no different. Users receive a full suite of media controls, including playback, call management, volume, digital assistance, and listening mode activation. 

All of these can be assigned in the JBL Headphones app and employed through single, double, and triple taps or the long-hold gesture. The touch panels are highly responsive for seamless operation. On-ear detection is just as reliable, automatically pausing music when removing the buds from your ears and resuming playback when placed back on.

Adding to their smart capabilities is Google Assistant and Alexa voice activation, giving you hands-free functionality when speaking their respective wake-work commands: “Hey Google” or “Alexa.” The feature doesn’t skip a beat and JBL’s mics are highly intelligible, registering verbal commands with precision and responding to them quickly. You can enable the digital assistant manually when wake-word access doesn’t oblige, which is rare. Siri also works with the buds on iOS/Mac OS devices, but not the “Hey Siri” function.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Active noise cancellation

• Not great, not poor
• Decent wind resistance

The Tour Pro Plus isn’t a model you’ll find on our best noise-cancelling earbuds list . Noise neutralization is average at best, which is disappointing since the Club Pro Plus offered better ANC. These buds are designed to deal with low-frequency sounds, so you’ll be able to avoid noises like engine rumble or vibration echoes from electronic devices like smartphones or massage guns . Common household distractions such as doorbells, loud televisions, and specific kitchen appliances will be silenced too. 

I emphasize "specific" because while the ANC circuitry on these buds can cancel out something simple like the humming from a refrigerator, it won’t tame the grinding effects of a blender.

High-frequency noise is another area where the Tour Pro Plus struggles. An early morning walk had bird chirps, car horns, and crying babies break through and invade the soundscape. Wind resistance, meanwhile, was OK. The whisking effect created by gusty winds was noticeable, but not so much when speeding cars passed by.

JBL also included the Silent Now function, which keeps ANC engaged while disabling Bluetooth and audio functions. Essentially, it was developed to give you some quiet time and preserve battery life simultaneously. I get the idea, but since the noise reduction technology isn’t all that effective anyway, you’re not going to block out much without playing some music.

Ambient Aware was a bright spot on the Tour Pro Plus that increased my environmental awareness. I picked up on people’s conversations from several feet away, as well as any fracas coming from across the street, which was helpful during night walks. TalkThru was even more useful, dropping volume down to 10% to hear people clearly; this was my go-to every time the missus inquired about small babysitting tasks during work hours.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Sound quality

• Immense bass presence for a pair of earbuds
• Lacking in detail, however

These buds are calibrated for contemporary, bass-forward music. The neutral sound profile you get right out of the box unleashes deep, boomy lows. Listening with ANC on slightly increases the bass levels. Mids can be middling at times and highs aren’t emphasized much. However, you can enhance audio by turning on the EQ in the app and sticking with the default EQ (Club Pro+), which gives music an even warmer presence. 

The snares on A Tribe Called Quest’s “Check the Rhime” knocked hard, but it’s the pounding bass drum rumble that shakes your skull with energetic vibrations. This is one head-nodding session all the way through. Unfortunately, the vocals take a hit and lack crispness, with the rappers sounding fuzzy at certain points. 

Orchestral recordings like Ahmad Jamal’s “Stolen Memories” are where the buds lose their sonic focus. Instrumental separation isn’t a smooth as it is on the Club Pro Plus or WF-1000XM4; the double bass produces overly aggressive reverberation that results in some distortion. Hi-hats are pronounced, which shows that the Tour Pro Plus can give highs some attention, but they end up taking a backseat as the low-end dominates the entire recording.

Despite some mishaps on the music end, the Tour Pro Plus is a solid performer when it comes to video content. YouTube clips were loud and clear, which was perfect for ESPN commentary clips, movie trailers, and podcasts. Action movies were also engrossing to watch with explosions and weapon fire sounding distinctive for a lively listening experience.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: App and special features

• Customizable EQ
• Lots of other bonus features

The JBL Headphones app is where all extended functionality lives, and there's a lot to explore. I previously touched on some of the more notable features, including ANC, Ambient Sound (Ambient Aware, TalkThru), Silent Now, the ear tip fit test, and voice activation. What else is left?

Let’s go back to the EQ. What I didn’t mention was that it can be personalized to create your own sound profiles by manually adjusting the frequency levels. If tailoring sound to your hearing seems like too much of an ambitious task, there are four presets to select from: Bass, Jazz, Vocal, and the aforementioned Club Pro+ TWS EQ. Each one is well engineered, but the Club Pro+ gets you the best sound on these buds.

Smart Audio & Video is a newer feature that has shown up on current JBL releases and lets you prioritize performance by connectivity or sound. Normal keeps connection stable in busy areas, Audio is optimized for sound, and Video is set for synching audio and video accurately. The first two work as advertised, though I’m not entirely sold on Video mode this time around; any improvements were more noticeable on the Club Pro Plus. Most video clips looked and ran the same whether in Audio or Video mode.

You can set a timer for music to play before entering Silent Now with My Alarm. There is also an Auto-on function to place the buds in sleep mode when inactive for a certain amount of time. Another key feature is Find My Buds for helping locate misplaced buds. Rounding out the app are battery level indicators for the earbuds and charging case, multi-language voice prompts, toggle controls, and firmware updates.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Battery life and charging case

• Pretty average uptime with ANC
• Supports wireless charging

Battery life is rated at 6 hours with ANC on, 8 hours with ANC off. Take volume, streaming, and other special features into account and playtimes drop by about 30 minutes to 1 hour, which is still great for several days of moderate use. This is also longer than the AirPods Pro (4.5 hours), but also shorter than luxury models like the Master & Dynamic MW08 (10 hours).

The charging case holds between 24 to 32 hours, depending on how you use the buds. Again, more portable power than the AirPods Pro charging case (24 hours). You can either charge the case via USB-C or wirelessly by placing it on a Qi-enabled wireless pad. Speed charging is available to expedite the charging process; 10 minutes in the case generates 1 hour of use.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Call quality and connectivity

• Unreliable mic quality in calls
• General Bluetooth performance much better

If you’re thinking about using the Tour Pro Plus as a calling headset, set your expectations low. Several friends mentioned that the clarity wasn’t good on my end. My wife also mentioned that there was too much muffling; she compared the quality to using the phone with my hand covering the mic. One client even mentioned that my voice was cutting in and out during video calls. Outside was worse, with wind creating a crackling noise that made it tough to communicate. 

Bluetooth 5.0 is what the Tour Pro Plus operates on, which is odd considering the older Club Pro Plus runs on Bluetooth 5.1. Nonetheless, you get some strong range (roughly 43 feet) out of these buds. Connectivity is on point with buds instantly pairing to devices. Google Fast Pair also expedites the process for Android phones.

Dual Connect + Sync comes part of the package. The name kind of makes you think that this the company’s version of multipoint technology, but this feature does not allow for the buds to be paired to two devices simultaneously. Instead, it acts as a faster solution for switching the connection from one device to another recognized device.

JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Verdict

For a flagship model, the JBL Tour Pro Plus doesn’t live up to the standards that come with the status; the older Club Pro Plus proves to be the better performer. 

That’s not to say you won’t get any value out of these wireless earbuds. JBL’s monstrous bass is loud and impactful, and there's plenty of cool features to enjoy audio across different media formats.

But is the Tour Pro Plus worth $199? Not when compared to the competition. Headphones like the Beats Studio Buds offer better sound and noise cancellation for a lower price, and the poor call quality and uncomfortable design are put-offs as well. Shave $50 off the MSRP and it might be a different story, but for now there are superior alternatives.

• More: The best headphones with a mic for voice and video calls

A lifestyle journalist with an affinity for consumer products, Alex has over a decade of experience and has worked with popular publications such as Complex, Thrillist, Men’s Health, Gear Patrol, AskMen, and Hoop Magazine. He currently focuses on audio, reviewing the most coveted headphones in the market for both Tom’s Guide and Laptop Magazine.

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JBL Tour Pro 2 review: these earbuds have a screen

The touchscreen offers quick access to earbud settings along with extras like timers and even a flashlight. it’s not a super compelling addition right now, but this is only the beginning of what’s sure to become a trend..

By Chris Welch , a reviewer specializing in personal audio and home theater. Since 2011, he has published nearly 6,000 articles, from breaking news and reviews to useful how-tos.

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Am I holding the future of wireless earbuds in my hands? Or are JBL’s Tour Pro 2 buds — with a charging case that has its own built-in display — a parlor trick negated by the smartwatch? Do you need these controls directly on the physical product when they’re all easily accessible via an app on your phone? I’ve been testing the new $249.95 noise-canceling earbuds for a couple weeks now, and strangely enough, it’s a difficult question to answer.

The Tour Pro 2 are the first to come to market with an interactive case; HP has announced something similar (albeit focused on enterprise customers), and Apple patent filings suggest that the AirPods maker is at least exploring this concept. But JBL’s earbuds are here now and start shipping today in the US after launching in other markets earlier this year.

Look, I know we’re all in this together for the zany case-with-a-screen experiment. So let’s get the earbuds part of this equation out of the way first. The Tour Pro 2 include an exhaustive, well-rounded list of features. Their adaptive noise-cancellation, which adjusts in real time based on the loudness of your environment, is impressively strong and comparable to the upper tier of competition. Battery life is another highlight and rated at up to eight hours of continuous listening with ANC on or 10 with it off — plus another 24 or 30 hours from the case, respectively. That outlasts the AirPods Pro, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, the Nothing Ear 2, and other premium options. 

According to JBL, the sound signature from these 10-millimeter drivers follows the revered Harman response curve , albeit with some extra bass tacked on. And while the Tour Pro 2 sound perfectly good, I still prefer the audio fidelity from the second-gen AirPods Pro, Samsung’s flagship buds, and Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds. To my ears, those earbuds have more depth, greater dynamic range, and just lend more definition to whatever music is playing. The Tour Pro 2 don’t fully sound like $250 earbuds to me, so yeah, the case is factoring into that price. You get several equalizer settings to pick between, and JBL’s Personi-Fi feature can further tune the audio output frequencies based on your own hearing traits and preferences. 

The company also piles on other tricks like multipoint, proprietary spatial audio profiles (music, movie, games, etc.), an earbuds locator utility, and speech detection for automatically activating ambient sound mode. That transparency / ambient sound mode was where I was least impressed; it just sounds very stuffy, inarticulate, and lags modern competitors quite substantially. Voice call performance is clear and satisfactory, however, and the earbuds are rated IPX5 for water and sweat resistance. 

To sum it all up, the Tour Pro 2 are comfortable, sound good even if not great, and they pack plenty of battery endurance. JBL also notes that the earbuds are ready for LE Audio spec and will be updated to enable it once the spec goes mainstream. That could lead to more efficiency and even better battery performance. For now, Bluetooth codec support is limited to AAC and SBC.

Now for the main attraction: that case. It’s pretty large by today’s standards thanks to the built-in 1.45-inch touchscreen LCD on the front. But there’s support for wireless charging, at least, which isn’t always guaranteed , even for the bulky ones. Do I wish the screen used something cooler like OLED or even E Ink? Sure. As is, you can adjust between three different brightness levels, but even the lowest setting isn’t particularly dim. Unlike the buds inside, the case only offers the slightest amount (IPX2) of water protection, so you’ll want to keep it dry. JBL tells me it might offer standalone replacement cases down the line since “I dropped my earbuds and broke the screen” is a dilemma that now exists, but it will likely replace both earbuds and the case in the event you damage any of them individually.

When you tap on the display, your chosen wallpaper appears. (There are presets, but you can also use custom images. JBL preloaded The Verge’s logo onto our review unit.) Slide your finger to the right, and you’ll start cycling through the different functions. And there are more than you might think:

• Playback controls
• Sound mode (ANC, transparency, etc.)
• Timer: the earbuds will power down after your chosen time elapses
• Spatial audio 
• Screen brightness
• Wallpaper selection
• VoiceAware: this determines how sensitive the voice detection is
• SilentNow: you can enable ANC even without music playing for a preset amount of time
• Automatic play/pause ear detection
• Notifications
• Find My Buds

That’s a lot of widgets to constantly be swiping between. You can (and should) remove the ones you don’t want through JBL’s mobile app for Android or iOS and cut that list down to a more manageable five or six screens.

Track controls and volume adjustments work well enough, although you’re never shown what song is currently playing; it’s just the controls. (You can’t fast forward or rewind by long-pressing the buttons, either.) Other core tasks like switching audio modes or EQ modes also pose no issue. But even here, I’m already questioning whether the display is necessary and how much convenience it adds. You can perform several of these functions through the remappable earbud gesture controls with the case stowed away. And yes, they’re all present in JBL’s app on your phone. 

I’m doing my best to ignore the possibility of ads on an earbuds case someday

But some inherent benefits do come with the screen. For one, there’s never any mistaking whether or not your earbuds are charging or how much battery remains. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve wound up with one fully charged AirPod — insert any earbud brand here, honestly — and the other fully depleted just because the contacts needed cleaning or didn’t align perfectly. But with the Tour Pro 2, that information is always visible in a small font at the top of the display. And since it’s the most pressing data for earbuds, it remains there as you swipe through the other widgets. 

There are even some rudimentary, super basic smartwatch-like features tossed in: the case lets you see and answer / reject incoming calls, and it can show an alert whenever you receive messages on your phone. When I say an alert, it literally just says “new message on mobile device” most of the time, so don’t expect much context. The message notifications disappear so quickly that they’re rarely helpful, so I left them off.

Does the case make life easier overall? …Perhaps ? Technically it’s faster to grab the case and change some random setting than it would be to pull out your phone, unlock it, find and open the JBL app, and go hunting for the same toggle. And it’s nice to have the Find My Buds tool right there if you open the case and discover one or both buds to be missing. 

But all of these “benefits” come with a big assumption: do you really carry your earbuds case on your person at all times? More often than not, I leave mine in my backpack or my coat’s chest pocket. If that’s you, the advantages of this interactive case go out the window unless you change your habits and keep it within reach. 

The earbuds case needs to be within reach often for the display to be useful

I can’t imagine anyone who routinely wears a smartwatch will see much to get excited about with the Tour Pro 2, either. Apple, Samsung, and Google all provide deep controls over their respective earbuds right from their wearables; hell, the Apple Watch can now tell you how much noise the AirPods Pro (or Max) are canceling in real time. There’s only more synergy growing in these walled-off gardens. But JBL doesn’t have a horse in that race. Many companies don’t. So if you think about it that way — a platform-agnostic audio brand trying to stand out — the Tour Pro 2 make a bit more sense. 

Agree to Continue: JBL Tour Pro 2

Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate.

By using JBL’s Tour Pro 2 earbuds, you’re agreeing to:

• JBL / Harman terms of use
• Harman privacy policy statement

The final tally is two mandatory agreements.

And they’ve definitely got me pondering what’s to come. How long will it be before earbuds are a fully independent source of entertainment? It’s not hard to imagine some company building flash storage into an earbuds case and letting you sync music to it from your phone. You can already do so with a smartwatch; why not just extend that to the actual listening device? Maybe several years from now, we’ll be using AirPods with an iPod nano crammed into the case. 

I haven’t uncovered any singular compelling reason that will keep me using the JBL Tour Pro 2 in place of my favorite wireless earbuds. The surefire battery status is handy, but I’m too set in my ways to give earbuds valuable pocket space. That’s true for this first try, at least.

This concept isn’t going to begin and end with JBL — or HP, for that matter. I predict we’ll see others try their hand at “smart” earbud cases. Truthfully, no idea has ever struck me as more Samsung, but I suppose the Galaxy Watch lineup covers similar bases. Maybe someone will figure out a brilliant reason for earbuds to have a screen. For now, this feels like one screen too many.

But I can’t knock creativity and an attempt at something new. The Tour Pro 2 don’t measure up to the best earbud contenders when it comes to sound, but they definitely have a unique gimmick. They’re offbeat and weird. Let’s keep getting weird. Something good has to come out of that.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge

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JBL Tour Pro+ TWS

True wireless noise-cancelling earbuds

Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient

JBL's Adaptive Noise Cancelling technology utilizes internal and external mics to minimize distractions while maximizing audio quality as you enjoy the soundtrack of your life. With Smart Ambient Technology, stay alert to the world around you or hear friends and colleagues clearly with the touch of a button or via the JBL app.

JBL Pro Sound

From rich, punchy bass to thrilling top notes, you'll always experience the ultimate sound experience with our JBL Tour Pro+ TWS 6.8mm dynamic drivers powered by JBL Pro Sound.

Up to 32 Hours of total music playback, wirelessly

Stay connected all day with up to 32 hours of battery life, Qi-compatible wireless charging, and three power-ups in the case. Plus, even if you do eventually run out of juice, you can speed charge back to an hour of playtime in minutes.

Voice clarity with 6-mic technology

Noisy environment? No problem! JBL Tour Pro+ TWS ensures perfect voice clarity during calls with an array of two outer beamforming microphones and a third to reduce wind and other distractions.

Boost your productivity

Create an ideal sound world where you can fully focus on your tasks. Need a quiet space? SilentNow has you covered. Auto Off powers down your headphones after a period of time of your choosing. Get help waking up with My Alarm, fine-tune your sound with Smart Audio & Video and automatically pause your headphones when taking them off. All these features are controlled via the My JBL Headphones App.

Dual Connect + Sync with Fast Pair

From the moment you open the case, Dual Connect starts the Bluetooth sync process for an ultra-stable connection. Each earbud connects independently, so you can assign functions to the left or right earbud and take calls from either or both.

Hands-free Voice Control

Stay connected to your digital world wherever you go. Activate Hey Google (*) or Alexa (**) just by using your voice. You can even talk to Hey Google (*) to control your headphones. Voice prompts are available in multiple languages. (*) Only supported on Android (**) Android 6.0 or higher is required for full access to Alexa features when using this device.

Customize with the free My JBL Headphones App

Personalize the soundtrack of your life with the My JBL Headphones App. Download the free app to set up custom EQ, switch on Adaptive Noise Cancelling, or adjust your Ambient Sound Control settings. .

Personalize How You Listen

With the JBL Headphones App

Specs & Downloads

Item# JBLTOURPROPTWSBLK

Product Description

Control your environment, power your productivity, general specifications, audio specifications, control and connection specifications, what's in the box.

• 1 x JBL Tour Pro+ TWS headphones
• 1 x Type-C USB charging cable
• 1 x 5 Sizes of ear tips
• 1 x Charging case
• 1 x 2 Sizes of stabilizers
• 1 x Quick start guide
• 1 x Google Assistant set up guide
• 1 x Amazon Alexa set up guide
• 1 x Warranty / Warning (W / !)
• 1 x Safety Sheet (S / i)

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The latest owner's manuals, quick start guides, and documents.

Quick Start Guide (Multilingual)

Declaration of conformity, amazon alexa setup guide (english, french, spanish, german, japanese), google assistant setup guide (multi-lingual), jbl headphones app, jbl global warranty card, spec sheet (english), quick start guide (english).

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JBL Tour Pro 2 review: totally tricked-out wireless earbuds

“They're easily the most feature-rich wireless earbuds you can buy.”

• Tons of features
• Very good ANC
• Solid sound quality
• Strong battery life
• Custom EQ and controls
• So-so call quality
• No high-quality codecs
• Smart case doesn't add a lot of convenience

Rumors began to swirl that Apple might be considering the addition of a touchscreen to the charging case of the AirPods Pro 2. This was followed up by a rendering that imagined what such a touchscreen case might look like. Reactions to the concept were varied, from enthusiastic, to deeply skeptical. Digital Trends’ own Christine Chan was among the latter, claiming it was the worst thing she had seen that week .

Most of the objections, including Chan’s, were simply about the utility of adding a touchscreen to an object that really only exists in order to charge and protect a set of earbuds when not in use. Does it really make any sense? We may never know for sure — Apple’s patent applications rarely see the light of day as actual products — but we’ve got a very good idea thanks to JBL’s new $250 Tour Pro 2 wireless earbuds .

• Cambridge Audio’s first AirPods Pro competitor has lossless audio, massive battery life
• Audio-Technica’s latest hi-res earbuds debut at CES 2024 for $199
• Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 debut with lossless audio, but skip the spatial trend

Among the many enhancements to JBL’s second-gen Tour Pros, the most notable by far is the inclusion of a touchscreen on the charging case, which is almost exactly what the Apple patent appears to describe.

JBL’s version of the smart charging case lets you perform a wide variety of actions without removing your phone from your pocket. Ordinary things like playback and volume control, less ordinary things like changing how the earbuds respond when you remove them from your ears, and even some really extraordinary things like using the built-in screen as a flashlight. It can even flash a notification and the first dozen or so characters from an incoming email.

Some functions are always present on the case (e.g. playback) and some are optional — you can decide how many of the optional ones are included using the JBL Headphones app for Android and iOS.

The case itself is a bit bulky, but not much bigger than the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II or Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2, so JBL still deserves props for keeping things relatively compact.

The screen is surprisingly responsive and with the included brightness control (yet another function) it’s easy to read even in relatively bright light. You unlock it with a single swipe from left to right. But the question remains: is it easier to use your charging case than your phone? Most wireless earbuds — the Tour Pro 2 included — come with plenty of controls built into the actual buds, making several of the case-based options mere duplicates (triplicates if you include your phone). Of the remaining options that can’t be performed with the buds, how often do you really need to access them?

I definitely enjoyed playing with it — there’s a real novelty factor to it — but I mostly use my earbuds when I’m out for a walk or going to the gym and in both situations, I leave my charging case at home. For me, that makes it hard to develop a habit where I’d reach for the case instead of my phone (or the earbuds).

Most of the features are only relevant when the buds are connected to your phone, like playback, volume, spatial sound (I’ll get to that in a moment), and EQ settings. However, some remain useful even with no connection at all, like ANC, reminder timers, find my buds, and the flashlight.

In fairness, the whole case versus phone choice may be a red herring. If you’re using the Tour Pro 2 with a computer or tablet (or even a second phone) that doesn’t have the JBL Headphones app installed, the case can give you access to nearly every one of the app’s settings — that’s pretty handy.

Still, I can’t help but wonder about the other phone-less features that JBL could have included that might have made the Tour Pro 2’s smart case even more useful. It could act as a Bluetooth transmitter for times when you need to plug into a physical headphone jack (airplanes) — the Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2 does this — or it could have a small amount of built-in music storage for times when you don’t want to bring your phone with you, like an Apple Watch.

Those examples will likely never come to pass, but here’s one that might: With support for Bluetooth 5.3 and LE Audio , the Tour Pro 2 will probably be Auracast -compatible when this clever Bluetooth broadcast technology rolls out. At that time, you may be able to use the case to discover and connect to Auracast streams, with no phone needed.

For the Tour Pro 2, JBL abandoned the round, all-in-one earbud style it used on the original Tour Pro+ in favor of a more AirPods-like stem design. That was a good move in terms of comfort — the Tour Pro 2 don’t make your ears feel as full as the first version — I’ve worn them for hours with no problems. However, it’s not as easy to get a super-secure fit. So while the IPX5 water-resistant rating makes them robust enough to survive sweaty workouts or runs, you may find they don’t stay put through high-impact activities.

Speaking of Apple’s buds, the Tour Pro 2 offer a compelling alternative to the AirPods Pro 2 when it comes to sound quality. Depending on your settings, the two models can sound very similar, but JBL has a big advantage here: a highly customizable 10-band equalizer with factory presets and the ability to create and save your own custom recipes.

When pushed, these tweaks can give the Tour Pro 2 a big, commanding bass response, or they can be used to give the mids and highs greater presence. Admittedly, without any advanced Bluetooth codec support (they’re SBC/AAC only), these earbuds can’t live up to their full potential, but JBL goes a long way to make them sound great. Not only do you get adjustable EQ — but you can also leverage some new tools like Personi-Fi, which attempts to personalize the EQ based on your age, sex, and ability to hear various frequencies.

I’ve used lots of these systems over time and sometimes they produce impressive results, and other times, not so much. Personi-Fi accurately assessed my slightly diminished high-frequency sensitivity, though when I flipped the personalization setting on and off, I couldn’t hear much of a difference.

The Tour Pro 2 also attempt to compete with the AirPods Pro 2 in the realm of spatial audio , but in this case, I think the Tour Pro 2’s approach is less effective. Enabling spatial sound will take whatever you’re listening to and apply one of three digital signal filters: music, movies, or gaming. Each accentuates a different aspect of your sound — movie mode goes for a cinematic effect, music tries to create a greater sense of realism, while gaming enhances the precision of high-frequencies so you can develop a better idea of what’s happening inside your game.

You should think of them as three more EQ presets that you can play with. If you like them, great — go nuts. If you don’t, leave them turned off. But they are not the same thing as listening to an actual spatial audio source, like Dolby Atmos for movies, or Dolby Atmos Music . Moreover, they do not perform the same trick as Apple’s head-tracking for spatial audio, which alters the presentation of spatial audio based on your head movements.

I liked the sound of JBL’s filters — movie mode was my favorite — but I still prefer the sound of Dolby Atmos content. The good news is that missing head-tracking aside, these buds will still let you hear Dolby Atmos and Dolby Atmos Music as long as your smartphone and apps support it.

And that’s just the start of a startling list of tech tools that JBL throws your way via the Headphones app. You can perform a fit test, an ear canal test that ostensibly improves active noise cancellation (ANC), and there’s even an option for leakage compensation. Uh, pardon me? It’s sound leakage. ANC requires a strong seal to do its best work, but getting a perfect fit can be hard to achieve let alone maintain, so leakage compensation attempts to correct for those changing seal conditions. It’s the flip side of adaptive ANC, which adjusts itself based on how outside noises change from moment to moment. The Tour Pro 2 has this, too, and you can turn it on and off in the app.

I found ANC on the Tour Pro 2 very effective at blocking a variety of sounds from traffic to the whine of a vacuum, and it even helped reduce the intrusion of nearby conversations as I was trying to write this review. It’s at its best when you’re listening to podcasts, preserving the sound of hosts’ voices even in very noisy environments. It also works well as a tool for diminishing unwanted sounds when you’re not listening to anything at all, although in this situation, you’ll get the best results by using the Silent Now option. This disconnects the Tour Pro 2 from Bluetooth entirely and leaves ANC mode on. You won’t get any notifications or distractions. You can set the duration for Silent Now and the buds will automatically reconnect when the time is up.

This not only preserves battery life but also deals with an anomaly in how the earbuds work with audio connections to your phone or computer. When you’re not listening to any audio, the Tour Pro 2 still react to small changes in your device’s activity — like an incoming text message notification — which can affect how ANC works. It usually presents itself as a slight hiss that sticks around for a minute or two and then goes away until the next notification. Silent Now eliminates this.

The Tour Pro 2 has four versions of transparency. Ambient mode lets in as much outside sound as you want, TalkThru does the same thing but also dips the volume of any audio that’s playing so you can have a conversation, VoiceAware (sidetone) lets you adjust how much of your own voice gets piped back into the earbuds during phone calls, and Personal Sound Amplification is designed to make conversations easier in busy environments.

All four do an excellent job of bringing the outside world in, for greater awareness of your surroundings, but even at their maximum settings, my voice did not sound natural to me — nowhere near as truly “transparent” as the AirPods Pro 2. This diminished the value of TalkThru, VoiceAware, and Personal Sound Amplification.

Call quality on the Tour Pro 2 is surprisingly poor. Not poor in the sense that it’s bad — it’s not. Compared to many other wireless earbuds, it’s on par. I mean poor in the sense that it’s worse than on their predecessors, the Tour Pro+, and much worse than the similarly-priced AirPod Pro 2. Background noise is very effectively canceled, but my voice paid the price for this aggressive processing, becoming warbly and compressed-sounding in anything but the quietest of locations. If you’re primarily using them indoors, it won’t be a problem, but when outside, your callers will be aware of it.

Unbelievably, we still haven’t touched on all of the Tour Pro 2’s features. So before your eyes completely glaze over, let me give you the broad strokes. The charging case will charge wirelessly on any Qi charger, or you can plug it in with the included USB-C cable. When fully charged, it can recharge the earbuds three times from empty.

Battery life on the buds themselves is decent when using adaptive ANC, at a claimed six hours, better when you use non-adaptive ANC (eight hours), and very good when turning ANC off (up to 10 hours). Under ideal conditions, that means you can get as many as 40 hours of play time without needing a power source.

Keep in mind, these numbers all assume a 50% volume level, which may not be loud enough in all situations.

The earbuds have wear sensors and they can be turned on or off depending on whether you want auto-play/pause when you insert or remove them from your ears. I found it was very responsive when turned on.

You can use each earbud independently, and they support Bluetooth Multipoint for connecting two devices simultaneously — a very handy feature for jumping between a phone and a computer. It worked very well, with one exception: when connected to an iPhone and a Mac, the JBL Headphones app wouldn’t always recognize the earbuds. The fix was to disconnect the Mac, open the app, then reconnect the Mac. I didn’t have the same problem with two simultaneous smartphone connections (e.g. iPhone/Android).

Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair are both supported, for one-tap/click pairing on compatible devices.

The Find My Buds feature is rudimentary — there’s no Bluetooth location tracking in the app — but it can still be effective: one or both earbuds can be forced to emit a very loud tone to help you find them. It does not work if the buds are in the case, and unlike the AirPods Pro 2, you get no help in locating a misplaced case.

The notifications on the case — for texts or emails, etc. — is only moderately useful. If the case happens to be located where you can see it, you may notice the very quick, one-line message pop up, but if you miss it, there’s no way to get it back. A small envelope icon in the corner of the screen is your only clue that you missed one.

The lock screen art can be customized in the app. In the accompanying photos, you can see the Digital Trends logo that JBL preloaded onto our review sample, but you can use almost any image you like.

Your phone’s default voice assistant can always be triggered from the earbuds, but Amazon Alexa is also an option on both iOS and Android.

Finally, JBL even gives you some choices when it comes to controls. It’s not nearly the level of customization offered by Jabra or Sennheiser, but each earbud can be assigned one of three function groups: ambient sound control (for all ANC-related features), volume control, and playback/voice assistant control. Unfortunately, you can’t have all three at once, so some tradeoffs must be made.

If there were a prize for the most tricked-out set of wireless earbuds, the JBL Tour Pro 2 would win by a mile. No contest. It’s hard to think of a single feature JBL has left us wanting, with the possible exception of better Bluetooth codecs like LDAC or the aptX family. They’re comfy, they sound very good, and their ANC is more than capable. With excellent battery life and a charging case that is undeniably unique, I was only really let down by the Tour Pro 2’s handling of my voice both on calls and generally when using transparency modes.

Still, for the price, JBL’s latest flagship earbuds offer a ton of value.

Editors' Recommendations

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Along with updated party speakers, Bluetooth speakers, and tons of wireless earbuds and headphones, JBL has something new to show CES 2024 attendees: its first set of open-ear earbuds. They're called the SoundGear Sense, and JBL expects they'll be available by March 2024 for $150, in both black and white colors.

As with all open-ear earbuds, the SoundGear Sense let you hear your music, calls, and podcasts while allowing you to maintain perfect awareness of your surroundings. Instead of sitting inside your ear and/or sealing your ear canals with silicone tips, the SoundGear Sense sit just outside your outer ear and use air conduction (as opposed to bone conduction) to let you hear audio.

Ahead of CES 2024, Raycon, the audio brand that gets a lot of love from social media influencers, has created a new tier for its flagship Everyday lineup of wireless earbuds and headphones: the Everyday Pro.

Both the Everyday Earbuds Pro and the Everyday Headphones Pro are priced at $149 and come in three color choices: white, black, or blue. You'll be able to buy them at the end of January.

Only days ahead of the official start of CES 2024, JLab has given us a look at its continuing move into higher-performance audio with the $80 JBuds Lux ANC Wireless Headphones. They can be preordered starting January 3 in four different colors: white, graphite, sage, and mauve, with shipping expected to start as soon as late February.

JLab is also debuting its latest budget-priced noise-canceling wireless earbuds, the $60 JBuds ANC 3 True Wireless Earbuds, available in black, starting January 3.

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• CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless

JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless Headphones Review

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are well-built, comfortable headphones. Thanks to their ANC feature, they can block out a good amount of background noise. Their default sound profile is very neutral and balanced, and the parametric EQ and presets in the JBL Headphones app makes it easy to customize their sound to your liking. While their 7.4-hour continuous battery life may not last through longer days on-the-go, their portable charging case offers around three extra charges.

Our Verdict

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are good for neutral sound. Out-of-the-box, their balanced, neutral sound profile makes them suitable for a wide range of audio content. If you prefer a different sound, you can customize them using the parametric EQ and presets in the JBL Headphones app.

• Consistent audio delivery.
• Parametric EQ + presets.
• Terrible passive soundstage.
• High PC latency.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are very good for commute and travel. They're comfortable enough to wear during long flights without a lot of fatigue, and their portable design makes it easy to carry them on-the-go. Thanks to their ANC feature, they can block out some background noise, including bus and plane engines. Their 7.4-hour continuous battery life may not be ideal for long international flights, but at least their charging case offers around three extra charges.

• Good noise isolation.
• Comfortable, stable fit.
• Portable design.
• No multi-device pairing.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are great for sports and fitness. These comfortable, well-built headphones have a stable fit, so they shouldn't fall out of your ears during low-intensity workouts. They're lightweight and portable, so you can easily bring them on-the-go. However, they don't have an IP rating for water or dust resistance.

• Not water-resistant.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are good for office use. They're comfortable enough to wear through your workday, and they don't leak a lot of noise. They can also block out background noises typically found in an office, like the sounds of coworkers chatting nearby. Their 7.4-hour continuous battery life may not last through your 9-5, but fortunately, they come with a portable charging case.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus aren't compatible with PS4 or Xbox One. While you can use them with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their latency is likely too high to be suitable for gaming. That said, if you're into mobile gaming, they have a Video Mode feature that helps reduce audio latency within good levels.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus can't be used with a wired connection, so they aren't suitable for wired gaming.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are fair for phone calls. Their integrated microphone has a decent recording quality, so your voice is natural but also a bit thin. They can also block out a lot of background noise to help you focus on your call. However, the mic struggles to separate your voice from background noise, so they're better suited to making calls in quiet settings.

• Mediocre noise handling performance.
• 7.6 Neutral Sound
• 7.9 Commute/Travel
• 8.3 Sports/Fitness
• 6.1 Wireless Gaming
• 5.9 Wired Gaming
• 7.1 Phone Calls
• Updated Sep 29, 2022: We've added a comparison between these earbuds and the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless in Noise Isolation .
• Updated Feb 25, 2022: Added Video Mode latency values to 'Bluetooth'.
• Updated Aug 04, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5 .
• Updated Dec 24, 2020: Review published.
• Updated Dec 17, 2020: Early access published.
• Updated Nov 27, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
• Updated Nov 26, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
• Updated Nov 16, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus come in 'Black', and you can see the label for the model we tested here .

If you come across another variant of these headphones, let us know in the discussion section below so we can update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are truly wireless headphones with an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature. They do a good job blocking out background noises, though their noise isolation performance isn't as impressive as some of the other truly wireless in-ears we've tested. On the upside, they have a very neutral sound profile, and their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. See also our recommendations for the  best JBL headphones , the best Bluetooth earbuds , and the best noise cancelling earbuds and in-ear headphones .

The Apple AirPods Pro Truly Wireless are slightly better headphones for mixed usage than the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless, thanks to their better noise isolation performance. However, the JBL are a bit better for neutral sound, as they have a better-balanced sound profile and more sound customization features.

The  JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless  are slightly better in-ears than the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless . The CLUB PRO+ are better-built and have a more comfortable as well as stable in-ear fit. Their sound profile is more neutral, which some users may prefer. However, the Live Pro 2 have a significantly better noise isolation performance, and they support multi-device pairing, meaning you can connect them with up to two devices at a time.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are similarly performing headphones. Both headphones are comfortable, well-built, and their ANC systems both offer comparable performances. However, the CLUB PRO+'s microphone offers a better recording quality and a better overall battery performance.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless and the Samsung Galaxy Buds+ Truly Wireless  are both decently versatile in-ears, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The JBL have better noise isolation and they leak less sound. You can also use their parametric EQ and presets to customize them to your liking, while the Samsung just comes with some EQ presets. However, the Samsung are more stable in your ear and they have longer continuous battery life.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless have different strengths, and you may prefer one over the other. While both headphones are comfortable, the CLUB PRO+ are better-built, have a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, which some users may prefer, and have a better battery performance. However, the Live Pro+'s ANC can reduce more ambient noise around you, and they have better controls.

The Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless and the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless have similar overall performances, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. Out-of-the-box, the JBL have a better-balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer, but both in-ears have great companion apps with lots of sound customization options. The JBL have a slightly better noise isolation performance, but the Jabra leak less audio.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are better headphones than the JLab Audio JBuds Air ANC Truly Wireless . The JBL are better-built, more comfortable, and have better noise isolation. Their sound profile is more neutral out-of-the-box, though some listeners may appreciate the JLab Audio's bass-heavy sound profile. However, the JBL have a parametric EQ and presets so you can customize their sound, unlike the JLab Audio.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are somewhat better than the  JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless . While both headphones are comfortable, the CLUB PRO+ are better-built, and their ANC can isolate more noise around you. Their mic also offers better overall performance, and they have longer continuous battery life.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are somewhat better for mixed usage than the JBL LIVE 300TWS Truly Wireless . The CLUB PRO+ are better-built, and they have better noise isolation thanks to their ANC feature. They have a longer continuous battery life, and their out-of-the-box sound profile is more neutral. However, thanks to their stability fins, the LIVE are more stable. You can customize the sound profile for both headphones using their parametric EQ and presets, which is nice.

The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless are better headphones than the Ultimate Ears FITS Truly Wireless . The JBL are better-built with a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box. They also have better noise isolation. However, thanks to their moldable ear tips, the Ultimate Ears have a more comfortable and stable fit.

The Jabra Elite 7 Pro True Wireless are better than the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless for most purposes. The Jabra have a better control scheme, a longer continuous battery life, and lower latency with iOS and Android devices. They also have a mic with significantly better recording quality. However, the JBL are better-built earbuds, and their mic has a much better noise handling performance.

Test Results

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are straightforward truly wireless in-ears. Like the Jabra Elite 85t Truly Wireless , they're a bit bulky, and they stick out of your ears slightly. They come in a sleek, all-black design, with silver logo accents on their touch-sensitive surfaces.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are comfortable. They don't put a lot of pressure on your ears, which is nice, and they shouldn't cause a lot of fatigue during your long listening sessions. However, some listeners may not like that the buds stick out your ears due to their bulky design.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have fair controls. On the right bud, you can tap once to play/pause, twice to skip forward to the next track, and three times to skip back to the previous track. On the left bud, you can tap to turn ANC on/Ambient on/off and tap twice for talkthrough. Tap and hold either bud to active the voice assistant, and double-tap either bud to answer/end/mute/unmute. There's some audio feedback, and their touch-sensitive surface is very responsive. You can even customize the controls using the JBL Headphones app. However, if you're only using one bud while the other charges, you lose some control functions since they're split between the left and right buds.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are incredibly portable. Like most truly wireless in-ears, they have a small, lightweight design, so they easily fit into your pockets. They also have a small carrying case, which should fit in your pocket or bag easily.

The case is good. It's mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. There's a magnet to hold the buds in place while they're charging. The one LED light near the charging port shows the charging status, and there are two LED lights inside the case for each bud.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus are impressively built. They're mostly made of plastic, which feels solid and durable. They come with three different sizes of ear tips, but these seem potentially weaker than other parts of the build.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have a stable fit. They should stay in your ears during casual listening sessions and low-intensity workouts, like jogging. However, unlike the JBL Live Free NC+ TWS True Wireless , they lack stability fins and they may fall out of your ears during high-intensity workouts.

• JBL CLUB PRO Plus headphones
• 3x ear tips
• Charging case
• USB-C charging cable

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have a very neutral, balanced sound profile that's suitable for listening to lots of different types of audio content. If you prefer a different sound, you can customize their sound profile using the parametric EQ and presets in their companion app.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have superb frequency response consistency. Like most in-ears, once you achieve an airtight seal, they should deliver audio consistently each time you wear them.

These headphones have exceptional bass accuracy. The entire range is flat and balanced, so you hear the thump and punch from bass instruments without it sounding too overwhelming.

These headphones have amazing mid accuracy. Vocals and lead instruments are clear, present, and detailed. There's a very slight dip in the mid-mid that may nudge these instruments towards the back of the mix, but it shouldn't be too noticeable.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have excellent treble accuracy. Vocals and lead instruments sound present and detailed, and sibilants like S and T sounds are present and bright.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have a great peaks and dips performance, though there's some frequency mismatch between the L/R drivers of our test unit. There's a slight peak in the low-bass so you really feel the thump in bass-heavy music. The dip in the mid-mids nudges vocals and lead instruments slightly towards the back of the mix, while the peak in the high-mids can make those same instruments honky. The uneven mid-treble can make sibilants alternately piercing and dull.

These headphones have good imaging. Their weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble. While the L/R drivers of our test unit are well-matched in phase response, their amplitude and frequency response is mismatched. As a result, objects like footsteps and instruments may not be accurately placed and localized in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our test unit, so your results may vary.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have a terrible passive soundstage. Due to their in-ear design, they bypass the outer ear, which is one of the key factors for creating a speaker-like soundstage. Also, due to their closed-back design, their soundstage isn't as spacious as that of open-back headphones like the Apple AirPods (2nd generation) Truly Wireless .

There aren't any virtual soundstage features.

Their weighted harmonic distortion performance is great. The entire frequency range falls within good limits, resulting in clean and pure audio reproduction.

These are the settings we used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when using these settings.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have good noise isolation. Thanks to their ANC feature, they do a fair job blocking out bass-heavy background noises like bus and plane engines. They perform better with higher-frequency sounds, meaning you won't hear the sounds of coworkers chatting nearby or the hum of a nearby AC unit. However, their ANC performs very similarly to their passive capabilities in the mid and treble ranges. If you're looking for JBL in-ears with a better noise isolation performance, it's worth considering the JBL Live Pro 2 TWS True Wireless instead.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have an outstanding leakage performance. They don't leak a lot of sound, and escaping audio sounds very thin, so you can listen to music at high volumes without really disturbing those around you.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have an integrated microphone.

The microphone has a decent recording quality. Your voice is natural and understandable, but it also sounds a bit thin.

The microphone has acceptable noise handling. It struggles to separate your voice from background noises, even if you're in a moderately noisy setting.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have a good battery performance. With their ANC on, they last 7.4 hours off of one charge, which is longer than the JBL Live Pro+ TWS True Wireless . Their portable charging case offers around three extra charges. They also have an auto-off timer to help conserve their battery life, which you can adjust in the app. While you can use one bud while the other charges, only some of the controls will be available.

The JBL Headphones app is impressive. There's a parametric EQ and presets to help you customize their sound profile to your liking. You can also use the app to see the battery level, find the buds, and customize the gestures or controls on the buds. Also, you can adjust the auto-off timer and turn the auto play/pause feature on and off.

Update 02/25/2022: These headphones' latency was tested using 'Video Mode'. With this mode, they have 21 ms of latency on iOS, 76 ms on Android devices, and 112 ms on PC. All results fall within good levels, and your audio and visuals should stay in sync if you're streaming video. The results have been updated to reflect this change.

The JBL CLUB PRO Plus have decent Bluetooth connectivity. Unlike the JBL Tour One Wireless , you won't be able to pair them to your smartphone and laptop at the same time. They also don't support NFC pairing. Their latency with PCs and Android devices is likely too high to be suitable for watching videos, though they perform a bit better with iOS devices. That said, if you want lower latency when streaming video, they have a 'Video Mode' that helps bring latency values within a good range, ensuring that you don't experience lip-syncing errors. Some apps compensate for latency, though.

These headphones are Bluetooth-only.

These wireless-only headphones can't be used with a wired connection. There's a USB-C cable to charge their case.

These headphones aren't compatible with Xbox One.

These headphones have a portable charging case that charges via USB-C.

JBL Tour Pro 2 review

Jbl’s flagship wireless earbuds have high ambitions tested at £250 / $250 / au$330.

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

JBL’s Tour Pro 2 are a solid pair of wireless earbuds, but you can find far better sound at this price elsewhere

Fun, innovative on-case display

Well-made and smartly designed

Packed with features

Sound is merely OK

Middling ANC

Serious competition at this level

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

It’s shameful to admit that we spent much of the time before composing this review trying to think of puns revolving around the word “case”. After all, there’s no escaping the exciting novelty that JBL’s Tour Pro 2 bring to the party with their cute display that gives full touchscreen functionality from the front of the earbuds’ charging case. Gimmick or not, it’s something unique to JBL .

Time will tell if that sort of thing catches on, and while such an innovation may be the first thing to grab your attention, we’re more concerned about high-quality sound than a touchscreen in a place we’ve never seen before. There’s little use in recommending a pair of wireless earbuds for sporting pretty patterns or fun gimmicks if they make your music sound like it was recorded at the local swimming pool.

This is the standard that the JBL Tour Pro 2 must live up to, and it’s a high one. At this price, there’s serious competition from the likes of Bose's QuietComfort Earbuds II , Sony's WF-100XM4 and of course Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 , so a fancy charging case isn’t going to be enough to stave off such heavyweight rivals if JBL can’t deliver genuinely outstanding audio. Let’s find out if the new Tour Pro 2 are up to the task.

Comfort & build

The JBL Tour Pro 2 are as stylish and comfortable as you’d expect at this price. Some of our team had a little more trouble making a full seal, while others found these new earbuds nestled happily in their ears after a little perseverance. If you don’t manage to get a perfect fit first time, you may find yourself limited by the fact that JBL only offers three choices of ear tips to accompany its latest pair of wireless buds.

General build quality, though, is good, and while the earbuds themselves aren’t particularly remarkable to look at, their ridged edge pattern and neat, short stems are far from offensive to the eye. That case is a lovely item, robust and sturdy while never straying into the realm of bulky or obtrusive. The coveted touchscreen, meanwhile, is relatively responsive and usually pretty precise, even if it can take a few attempts to get a reaction from some of the display’s fiddlier commands.

JBL’s latest pair of earbuds are well-furnished in the features department, boasting a large stable of tricks for an impressive wireless experience. The buds themselves are call-enabled, with a substantial 40 hours of total playback (if you’re a very frugal user) with the case. On a single charge on the buds, you'll get eight hours of play with ANC on (or 10 hours with ANC off), while a 15-minute charging session can bolster battery life by around four hours. For comparison, Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II offer around 24 hours in total, whereas Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 manage roughly 30.

As you’d expect, JBL has also brought active noise cancelling (ANC) to the Tour Pro 2 party, with the JBL app and smart case both offering access to the standard Noise Cancelling, Ambient Aware or Talkthru modes, and while there’s certainly a difference between these three options, none of these settings is especially remarkable. Standing next to a moderately busy road with Noise Cancelling activated removes the general rumble of traffic, but the louder wooshes and bumps of individual cars, not to mention other intrusions, still filter through.

Bluetooth 5.3

Codec Support AAC, LC3, LC3+, SBC

Noise-cancelling? Yes 

Battery Life Up to 8 hours (single charge in earbuds with ANC on), up to 10 hours (ANC off); total 40 hours (with charging case)

Finishes x2 (Black, Champagne)

Weight 6.1g (each)

Most of these functions, including spatial audio, ANC and JBL’s onboard equaliser, can be set and adjusted via the charging case screen as well as through the app itself. In a further attempt to justify its own existence, JBL’s novelty display also allows for your smartphone’s notifications and alerts to come through, as well as allowing control of VoiceAware settings to let you choose how much of your own voice you hear on calls, autoplay and a very handy Find My Buds feature. There’s even a case flashlight, but it’s so limited in its brightness that you’d struggle to light up a mouse’s cupboard with it.

The question, though, is whether that display on the case is really needed. Sure, it’s nice to be able to make adjustments on the fly from a new interface, but considering that you’ll likely be playing music from your phone as a source (and therefore always have it handy wherever your buds go), there isn’t much of a necessity to also have a case display in addition to your phone and the detailed JBL app. Maybe we’ll be proved wrong, but this feels more like Google Glass than Google Earth.

All of this agonising over novel charging cases shouldn’t distract us from the main event: sound. Considering the superb sense of refinement and balance offered by Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II, not to mention the effortless dynamic quality of the AirPods Pro 2, there’s some serious competition to be had at this flagship price level. Our expectations, frankly, were high.

Sadly, the Tour Pro 2 don’t quite meet them. There’s nothing actively wrong with JBL’s game effort, but little truly grabs us as we work our way through our favourite tunes. Few tracks are coloured by a predominant or overbearing sonic bias, but whether you’re wanting to groove to Noisette’s Never Forget You or rock out to Wig Wam’s In My Dreams, there’s just a slight lack of dynamism, detail or personality on display throughout.  

Cranking up Kanye West and Jay-Z’s No Church In The Wild should be an invigorating experience, but the Tour Pro 2 always feel as though they’re holding back somewhat. That primal, driving drumbeat just doesn't thump like you feel it should, and there’s a limit to the expression and feeling from the track’s charismatic performers. It’s far from an unpleasant listen, it’s just not quite an essential one, either.

Smoother, more chilled efforts fare a little better. Pick out a softer track from De La Soul’s seminal 3 Feet High And Rising album and you may find the JBL’s more muted presentation better suited to tracks like Eye Know or The Magic Number, even if heavier, punchier offerings just don’t feel as thrilling as you’d like. 

Spatial audio compatibility is one of the Tour Pro 2’s flagship features, adjustable via the JBL app and case to accommodate three different modes: Movie, Music and Game. Setting the Tour Pro 2 to Music before loading up Apple Music and digging out sections of Gorillaz’s Cracker Island sees the technology working respectably, with voices and instruments somewhat separated into their own distinct areas with relative conviction. However, the JBL’s implementation of this spatial audio tech pales in comparison to the AirPods Pro 2’s more assured performance; during the album’s title track, Thundercat’s upper-range vocals envelop you in an echoey fog, while the funky piano on Silent Running has a far more distinct personality all of its own when played on Apple’s wireless buds. The difference is stark.

Ultimately, then, the listening experience offered by the JBL Tour Pro 2 feels a little thin, limited by a lack of excitement and dynamism that rivals are able to offer at this level. The Tour Pro 2 aren’t a bad listen, but they fail to truly thrill on a sonic level. 

JBL had its work cut out if it wanted to muscle in on the action against some seriously impressive rivals. Hovering around this price are some of our favourite earbuds, be they the Award-winning Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II or Apple’s superb AirPods Pro 2, both exceptional performers that would have taken something seriously special to be knocked from such lofty perches. 

JBL’s latest don’t quite have the firepower to dethrone such worthy rivals. Yes, that case is a fun novelty and yes, everything’s well-made, well-designed and easy to use, but there’s something missing from the ensemble when it actually comes time to getting stuck into your catalogue of favourite songs. The Tour Pro 2 buds sound fine, but fine just isn’t going to cut it when you’re coming up against the best in the business. 

Read our review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2

Also consider the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

Read our Sony WF-1000XM4 review

Best in-ear headphones: budget to premium

JBL’s smart case is a fun innovation – but I can’t see it catching on

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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