JBL Tour Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds Review: A Compelling Case

Value When Reviewed

$249.95

Finest Costs At the moment: JBL Tour Professional 2

Ever since true wi-fi earbuds first emerged in 2015, most have retained the identical core design. Two small buds (usually with a brief stem) that sit instantly in your ears whereas in use, then dock right into a pillbox-shaped case for charging. 

Just a few firms have deviated barely from this blueprint, however none fairly as a lot as JBL on the Tour 2 Professional. Whereas the buds themselves look very acquainted, the case is the primary to have its personal built-in show. 

And it presents a formidable vary of performance, from controlling audio and adjusting key settings to beginning timers and even turning right into a torch. Thankfully, this hasn’t come at the price of most different key options, although you can find higher worth for cash elsewhere. Right here’s our full assessment. 

Design & construct

• Spectacular 1.45in touchscreen on case
• Case barely larger than regular
• Earbud match could possibly be higher

There’s just one place to start out in terms of design: that case show. It’s a 1.45in LCD touchscreen, offering simply sufficient room to comfortably swipe throughout the straightforward person interface. 

JBL hasn’t quoted a particular decision for this display, but it surely doesn’t actually matter. There’s greater than sufficient element for it to be comfortably seen in nearly all lighting circumstances, which is the principle factor.  You may select between three ranges of brightness (low, mid and excessive), although even the bottom setting is sufficient more often than not. 

A easy proper swipe unlocks the display, avoiding the necessity for a fiddly PIN or password. This lockscreen wallpaper could be customised, utilizing both one of many preset designs or one thing of your individual. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The latter depends on the JBL Headphones app, accessible on Android and iOS. It’s additionally the place you select which of the six non-compulsory pages are proven on the case show: Ambient Sound Management (for ANC and transparency modes), Spatial Sound, Equalizer, VoiceAware (voice detection sensitivity), Auto Play & Pause and SilentNow (ANC activated with out music taking part in for a set period of time). 

Alongside core playback and quantity controls, timers, a bud discovering characteristic and flashlight, there’s an in depth vary of performance right here. You may even use the case to reply calls and show notifications, although the latter usually cuts off key info.

Even so, I used to be stunned by how a lot I used the case as an alternative of my telephone – it will possibly do nearly every little thing you want it for.

The one exception is telling me what track/podcast is at the moment taking part in. I can simply play/pause audio or return to the earlier/subsequent monitor, however ended up checking my telephone to see what was arising anyway. Controlling music on the case nonetheless feels somewhat an excessive amount of such as you’re utilizing an previous iPod Shuffle.

However did JBL actually need to incorporate an LCD show? Many of the person interface is black and white, and an e-ink panel can be a lot simpler in your eyes. 

Fashionable variations can nonetheless be responsive, and it could have advantages for battery life. Utilizing the case is preferable to getting distracted in your telephone, however squinting on the small color show nonetheless isn’t superb.

To accommodate this display, the Tour Professional 2 case is larger and bulkier than most. At 10 x 16 x 4.6 cm and 73g, it’s not fairly as straightforward to pop in a trouser pocket as most wi-fi earbuds. It’s a minor change, although, they usually’re nonetheless extraordinarily transportable. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Except for glass on and across the display, the case is all plastic. However a shiny end helps it look premium, particularly on the black mannequin I examined. You can too get the Tour Professional 2 in a beige ‘Champagne’ color in case you’d favor. 

The USB-C charging port is discreetly hidden on the backside, whereas a easy flick up simply above the show reveals the buds themselves. 

A brief stem design is one thing we’ve seen many instances earlier than, and the uncovered metallic means they appear good in your ears. However the remainder of the buds are created from a moderately cheap-feeling plastic, and I hoped for extra from such a premium product. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

There are three sizes of silicone eartips included within the field, and the JBL Headphones app features a easy take a look at to verify in case you’re getting a great seal. 

Nevertheless, even after discovering the best eartip dimension for my ears, the buds by no means felt safe. I used to be usually frightened that they could fall out whereas strolling down the road, so something extra strenuous is out of the query.  

After all, that is solely my private expertise. You would possibly discover the Tour Professional 2 to be a significantly better match for you, but it surely’s positively one thing to pay attention to. 

Sound high quality

• Excellent sound from 10mm drivers
• Numerous customisation choices
• No hi-res audio assist

So, how do the JBL Tour Professional 2 really sound? The quick reply is excellent, albeit not fairly on the degree of some opponents. 

Twin 10mm drivers assist give the sound a heat and depth that isn’t all the time current on wi-fi earbuds. It’s detailed sufficient to listen to every particular person instrument within the background of a track, but there’s nonetheless a satisfying hit of bass while you want it. 

This may be personalised to fit your tastes by way of the JBL Headphones app, the place you’ll discover an in-depth listening to take a look at. I didn’t discover any huge adjustments earlier than and after the take a look at, but it surely’s nonetheless a pleasant characteristic to have. 

For extra in-depth management, an equalizer can also be constructed into the case, permitting you to tweak the bass, mid and treble to your liking. There are 5 preset profiles – jazz, vocal, bass, membership and studio – all of which make a transparent distinction to the audio you hear. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

However the place the Tour Professional 2 loses out to rivals is the dearth of assist for hi-res codecs: you may solely output in the usual AAC or SBC right here. It means the likes of Amazon Music’s ‘Better of Extremely HD’ playlist received’t really be the CD high quality Amazon claims, however most songs nonetheless sound glorious. 

That features pop tracks akin to Lil Nas X’s ‘Trade Child’, the place a extremely produced backing monitor and thumping vocals nonetheless don’t sound overwhelming. ‘As It Was’ may be very completely different in tone and elegance, however the buds are nonetheless in a position to seize the subtleties of Harry Kinds’ voice. 

Even a way more stripped-back track akin to ‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish is spectacular, sounding deeply immersive because it builds to a crescendo. 

After all, the Buds Professional 2 don’t sound incredible throughout all genres. Basic rock akin to ‘Dancing Within the Darkish’ by Bruce Springsteen and Aerosmith’s ‘Dream On’ are a bit muddy and washed out at instances, whereas classical music is a little bit of a combined bag. 

However usually, you may count on a wealthy, vibrant sound that’s greater than ok for informal listening. If you happen to’re critical about getting the very best audio, although, you’ll need buds that assist at the very least a kind of hi-res codecs, such because the Sony WF-1000XM4 or the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Professional.

That is all far much less vital for voice-based content material, however relaxation assured that speak radio and podcasts come by way of loud and clear. That readability is considerably misplaced when talking, regardless of the six microphones in complete, however you may nonetheless be heard comfortably on calls more often than not.

To verify of this, there’s a slider within the JBL Headphones app known as ‘VoiceAware’, which helps you to modify the amount of your individual voice. If you happen to fear about talking too loudly or quietly whereas utilizing headphones, it may be helpful. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Noise cancelling & good options

• Efficient, personalised ANC
• Spectacular spatial sound mode
• On-bud controls could possibly be higher

Lively noise cancelling (ANC) is a vital characteristic on wi-fi earbuds lately, and JBL has carried out it properly right here. 

The ANC does a great job of blocking out most exterior noise, however solely while you get a great seal. With out it, various sound nonetheless reaches your ears, notably in loud environments. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

You may verify this by way of the JBL Headphones app by performing an ear canal take a look at, which supposedly scans your ear canal and adjusts the extent of ANC to greatest go well with it. Just like the personalised sound, this doesn’t appear to make an enormous distinction to how properly it really works, but it surely’s nonetheless value doing. 

There are two different most important listening modes accessible. ‘Ambient Conscious’ is JBL’s transparency mode, with an in-app slider permitting you to decide on how a lot sound is let by way of. At its most, this makes it very straightforward to listen to every little thing that’s occurring round you. 

You’ll additionally discover a devoted ‘TalkThru’ mode, which does a great job of amplifying the sound of voices, permitting you to have a full dialog with out eradicating the earbuds. Nevertheless, it will possibly’t be used similtaneously both of the opposite modes. If (like me) ANC is your go-to setting, you received’t get a lot use out of TalkThru. 

One other key audio characteristic is ‘Spatial Sound’, the place audio looks like it’s coming at you from all instructions. Not all songs are designed to be performed on this mode, however those who do sound spectacular. JBL presents three Spatial Sound modes – Film, Music and Sport – however I didn’t discover any distinction between them. 

If you happen to like utilizing ANC only for some peace and quiet, JBL has one other mode for you. Often known as ‘SilentNow’, it prompts ANC but in addition disconnects Bluetooth, serving to to scale back energy consumption.

You may select when it begins, how lengthy it lasts for and in case you’d like an alarm to sound on the finish. SilentNow feels simply that bit simpler than ANC by itself, and is ideal for naps on a prepare or aircraft. 

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

As you would possibly count on, there’s additionally voice assistant assist. That is Google Assistant (Android), Siri (iOS) or Alexa (each). It’s triggered by way of a easy faucet and maintain of the best earbud, and works easily – offered your telephone is related to the web. 

Nevertheless, not all of the on-bud controls are fairly so seamless. Numerous faucets can be utilized to manage audio, change sound modes and make/handle calls, but it surely’s very straightforward to by accident set off them when making an attempt to regulate the match of the buds. 

There’s a big studying curve right here, so most individuals shopping for these buds ought to simply use the case as an alternative. 

Battery life & charging

• As much as eight hours with ANC on
• Round three full fees from case
• Helps USB-C or wi-fi charging

Battery life has been the most important shock relating to the Tour Professional 2 – in a great way. I used to be involved that having a show inside the case would significantly have an effect on how lengthy they lasted, however I needn’t have frightened. 

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

JBL claims you may stand up to 10 hours of music playback on a single cost, plus 30 extra hours from the case. Extra practical figures are eight hours and 24 hours with ANC on, however the adaptive ANC mode drops this to 6 hours and 18 hours respectively. 

Whereas I solely examined the Tour Professional 2 for a few weeks, that’s roughly consistent with my expertise. It means most individuals can use them for a full week without having to plug in to the facility. That’s consistent with most rivals, however none of these have a case show. 

The USB-C to USB-A cable within the field will likely be your most important charging methodology, though no energy brick has been included. You’re round two hours earlier than the buds and case attain 100%, which is affordable. 

You additionally get Qi wi-fi charging, however at solely 5W, that is a lot slower. 

Value & availability

The Tour Professional 2 are a premium pair of wi-fi earbuds, so that they don’t come low cost. 

Within the US, they value $249.95 direct from JBL and by way of Amazon or B&H. If you happen to’re within the UK, it’s £249.99 from JBL, Amazon, AO, Very or Currys. 

As the primary ever wi-fi earbuds with a display constructed into the case, that feels honest. However the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM4 ($280/£250) and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds 2 ($299/£279.95) are higher in most different methods, whereas there are many cheaper options in our greatest wi-fi earbuds chart. 

Verdict

Pretty much as good because the JBL Tour Professional 2 are, there’s just one purpose to purchase them over the competitors: that case show. 

It doesn’t revolutionise the way in which you employ wi-fi earbuds, however many individuals will favor it to utilizing a telephone or on-bud controls. It solely has one actual flaw, but it surely’s a giant one – you continue to can’t see what’s at the moment taking part in from the case itself.

However impressively, battery life hasn’t been compromised. Most individuals will nonetheless get a full week of utilization from the buds and case mixed, even with ANC on. The latter is customisable and really efficient, however the lack of hi-res audio means sound high quality takes a slight hit. 

Solely audiophiles will actually miss it, although, and most music nonetheless sounds glorious. Whereas the match and design of the buds aren’t good, neither needs to be a dealbreaker. 

However value could also be a sticking level, with the Tour Professional 2 up towards a number of the greatest wi-fi earbuds you should buy. Until you like the thought of a display on the case, you’ll discover higher worth elsewhere. 

Specs

• Lively Noise Cancelling 
• 1.45in LCD touchscreen (on case) 
• 10mm dynamic drivers 
• Six microphones 
• Wi-fi: Bluetooth 5.3, AAC, SBC 
• Voice management: Sure 
• Contact controls: Sure 
• Battery life: As much as 40 hours (together with case charging, ANC off)  
• Wi-fi charging 
• Ear suggestions and wing suggestions: Three sizes 
• IPX5 water resistance (buds) 
• IPX2 water resistance (case) 
• Weight: 6.1g per earbud, 73g case