JBL Tour Pro Plus review
Our Verdict
The JBL Tour Pro Plus packages stiff bass and ANC into a familiar design, but it requires fine-tuning in key areas.
For
- Splendid smart controls
- Deep bass
- Adaptive dissonance counterfoil
- Ample battery life
- Features galore
Against
- Sound is not as balanced equally other JBL models
- Weak call quality
- Uncomfortable to wear
Tom's Guide Verdict
The JBL Tour Pro Plus packages strong bass and ANC into a familiar design, but information technology requires fine-tuning in key areas.
Pros
- +
Excellent smart controls
- +
Deep bass
- +
Adaptive racket cancellation
- +
Aplenty battery life
- +
Features galore
Cons
- -
Sound is non every bit counterbalanced as other JBL models
- -
Weak telephone call quality
- -
Uncomfortable to wear
JBL Bout Pro Plus specs
Toll: $199
Colors:Black
Bombardment 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 ten ii x ane.five inches (charging example)
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 audio, adaptive noise cancellation, sufficient bombardment life and a plethora of features that are attainable 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 functioning. Sadly, it besides drops the ball in areas where other JBL models take excelled, making this model a questionable purchase for those seeking an elite AirPods Pro culling for less. Read our full JBL Tour Pro Plus review to see whether these drawbacks are dealbreakers.
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JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Price and availability
- $199 MSRP
- Multiple retailer options, though only one colour
Y'all tin can buy the JBL Bout Pro Plus for $199 at major online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy or directly from JBL. It is sold in one colour: Blackness.
This pair of buds shares the same MSRP every bit 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), simply lower than the AirPods Pro ($249) and Sony WF-1000XM4 ($279).
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JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Pattern and comfort
- Well-styled buds and case
- Withal, buds get uncomfortable quickly
JBL'due south design pedigree for its premium wireless earbuds is understated, still swish. The Tour Pro Plus features an all-black color scheme, oval shape and nicely minimalist detailing. Build quality is superb, thank you to a durable shell that resists scratches well, as well equally IPX4-rated sweat resistance.
The charging case is really no dissimilar than the Social club Pro Plus' instance. Size-wise, it's bulkier and larger than the cases of its Apple and Sony rivals, just is still low-cal enough to deport around and has a sturdier exterior. Furthermore, the magnet for the flip-top chapeau is strong to proceed the buds secure when charging on the go. Small details like the flush pairing button at the bottom and the tiny LED beneath each charging port are nice touches.
You may think that due to the buds' bulging grade that they would make for an uncomfortable article of clothing, and, well, at that place's some truth to that. Those who can tolerate the buds pressing upward on the concha won't heed sporting them for 2 to 3 hours before giving their ears a breather. Others, similar myself, couldn't suffer the soreness that was inflicted after an hour of employ.
I was concerned about the buds falling out considering of their weight and how much they stick out. All the same, they provided an honest fit. The audio 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 besides 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 banana
- Impact controls extensive and dependable
- Impressive digital assistant implementation
JBL always programs its headphones and earbuds with a broad diverseness of controls, and the Tour Pro Plus is no different. Users receive a full suite of media controls, including playback, telephone call management, volume, digital assistance, and listening manner 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 vocalization activation, giving you hands-complimentary functionality when speaking their respective wake-work commands: "Hey Google" or "Alexa." The feature doesn't skip a beat and JBL'south mics are highly intelligible, registering exact commands with precision and responding to them apace. You can enable the digital banana manually when wake-word admission doesn't oblige, which is rare. Siri also works with the buds on iOS/Mac Os devices, just not the "Hey Siri" office.
JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Agile noise cancellation
- Not great, not poor
- Decent air current resistance
The Tour Pro Plus isn't a model you'll observe on our best noise-cancelling earbuds list. Noise neutralization is boilerplate 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 avert noises similar 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 exist silenced besides.
I emphasize "specific" because while the ANC circuitry on these buds can abolish out something unproblematic like the humming from a refrigerator, it won't tame the grinding furnishings of a blender.
High-frequency dissonance is another expanse 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 office, 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 thought, just since the noise reduction applied science 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 Bout Pro Plus that increased my environmental awareness. I picked upwards on people'due south conversations from several feet away, also every bit any fracas coming from across the street, which was helpful during night walks. TalkThru was fifty-fifty more than useful, dropping volume down to 10% to hear people clearly; this was my go-to every time the missus inquired almost small-scale babysitting tasks during work hours.
JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Sound quality
- Immense bass presence for a pair of earbuds
- Defective in detail, withal
These buds are calibrated for contemporary, bass-forwards music. The neutral audio profile you get right out of the box unleashes deep, boomy lows. Listening with ANC on slightly increases the bass levels. Mids tin can exist middling at times and highs aren't emphasized much. However, you can enhance audio past 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 Chosen Quest's "Cheque the Rhime" knocked difficult, only it's the pounding bass pulsate rumble that shakes your skull with energetic vibrations. This is one head-nodding session all the fashion through. Unfortunately, the vocals have a hit and lack crispness, with the rappers sounding fuzzy at sure points.
Orchestral recordings like Ahmad Jamal's "Stolen Memories" are where the buds lose their sonic focus. Instrumental separation isn't a smooth equally it is on the Club Pro Plus or WF-1000XM4; the double bass produces overly ambitious reverberation that results in some baloney. Hi-hats are pronounced, which shows that the Tour Pro Plus can give highs some attention, merely they cease upwards taking a backseat as the depression-cease dominates the entire recording.
Despite some mishaps on the music cease, the Bout 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 spotter with explosions and weapon burn down 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, Ambience Sound (Ambient Aware, TalkThru), Silent Now, the ear tip fit exam, and voice activation. What else is left?
Let's go back to the EQ. What I didn't mention was that information technology 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 ane is well engineered, but the Club Pro+ gets y'all the best audio on these buds.
Smart Audio & Video is a newer feature that has shown upward on current JBL releases and lets you prioritize performance by connectivity or audio. Normal keeps connexion stable in busy areas, Audio is optimized for sound, and Video is gear up for synching audio and video accurately. The start two work as advertised, though I'm not entirely sold on Video mode this fourth dimension effectually; any improvements were more than noticeable on the Order Pro Plus. Well-nigh video clips looked and ran the same whether in Audio or Video style.
You tin can set a timer for music to play before inbound Silent Now with My Alarm. There is also an Car-on function to place the buds in sleep mode when inactive for a certain amount of time. Another key characteristic is Find My Buds for helping locate misplaced buds. Rounding out the app are battery level indicators for the earbuds and charging example, multi-language vocalisation 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 driblet by about thirty minutes to i hr, which is still nifty for several days of moderate utilise. This is likewise longer than the AirPods Pro (iv.v 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 than portable power than the AirPods Pro charging instance (24 hours). Y'all can either charge the case via USB-C or wirelessly past placing it on a Qi-enabled wireless pad. Speed charging is bachelor 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
- Full general Bluetooth performance much ameliorate
If you're thinking well-nigh using the Tour Pro Plus as a calling headset, set your expectations depression. Several friends mentioned that the clarity wasn't skillful on my end. My wife also mentioned that there was too much muffling; she compared the quality to using the phone with my hand roofing the mic. Ane client even mentioned that my voice was cut in and out during video calls. Exterior was worse, with wind creating a crackling racket that made it tough to communicate.
Bluetooth 5.0 is what the Tour Pro Plus operates on, which is odd considering the older Gild Pro Plus runs on Bluetooth 5.1. Still, yous get some strong range (roughly 43 feet) out of these buds. Connectivity is on signal with buds instantly pairing to devices. Google Fast Pair also expedites the process for Android phones.
Dual Connect + Sync comes office of the bundle. The name kind of makes you think that this the company's version of multipoint engineering science, simply this characteristic does non allow for the buds to be paired to two devices simultaneously. Instead, it acts as a faster solution for switching the connectedness from 1 device to some other recognized device.
JBL Tour Pro Plus review: Verdict
For a flagship model, the JBL Bout Pro Plus doesn't live up to the standards that come with the condition; the older Club Pro Plus proves to exist the ameliorate 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 relish sound across different media formats.
Only is the Tour Pro Plus worth $199? Not when compared to the contest. Headphones like the Beats Studio Buds offer better sound and racket counterfoil for a lower cost, and the poor call quality and uncomfortable design are put-offs too. Shave $50 off the MSRP and information technology might exist a different story, but for at present there are superior alternatives.
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Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/jbl-tour-pro-plus
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