Mis à jour le 18 April 2023.
With a global reputation for creating high-quality domestic and professional speakers, JBL also shines when it comes to powerful headphones and True Wireless earbuds. Constantly innovating, the brand has launched its first earbuds whose charging case features an LED touchscreen: the JBL Tour Pro 2. The perfect everyday companions, these wireless in-ear monitors benefit from an autonomy reaching 40 hours, noise-cancelling, as well as an ambient mode. Sold for €249, is the JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds’ sound as impressive as their innovative case?
JBL Tour Pro 2: packaging & accessories
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earphones come with their charging case. The box also contains the USB Type-C charging cable, as well as a quick start guide and the warranty leaflet. Lastly, the JBL Tour Pro 2s also come with three pairs of silicone ear tips in sizes S, M (already on the earbuds) and L.
As a reminder, the choice of ear tips is very important for both the sound reproduction and comfort. Ear tips that are too small will allow outside noise to filter through and reduce the presence of the bass. Conversely, ear tips that are too big can affect the fit of your IEMs and even cause them to fall out. Choosing the right size ensures a perfect fit inside the ear. The JBL Headphones app allows you to check the placement of the earbuds.
JBL Tour Pro 2: presentation
Audio design
The JBL Tour Pro 2 True Wireless earbuds are equipped with 10mm transducers. The latter have a frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz and a sensitivity of 100 dB. These JBL IEMs benefit from the JBL Spatial Sound mode. This exclusive technology ensures optimal immersion with sound that emanates from all around the listener. With three customizable settings, JBL’s Spatial Sound adapts to all types of content, from movies to music and video games.
In order to provide a sound reproduction in keeping with your preferences and the music genre you listen to, the JBL Tour Pro 2s feature an equalizer that is accessible from the app or the charging case. Consequently, it is possible to choose one of the following presets: jazz, vocal, bass, club or studio. Well-designed, the app also allows you to create your own 10 band equalizer.
Intelligent charging case + touchscreen
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds really stand out from the crowd with the touchscreen on their charging case. The latter measures 3.68cm (1.45”) in diagonal and provides access to an abridged version of the app. JBL had to make the case bigger in order to add the display, but it remains compact enough to be placed in a pocket.
To avoid unintentionally using the screen, it is unlocked by swiping. To make it more pleasant to use, three different backgrounds are available. The brightness of the screen can be adjusted with three modes: low, med and high. Note that with the high mode, the screen remains legible in sunlight.
The screen first displays the earbuds’ connection status (the Bluetooth icon is red when they aren’t connected). As well as the time, you can see the remaining battery level for each earbud (left and right) and the charging case. It is also possible to personalize how long the earbuds remain active before switching to standby mode.
Moreover, the JBL Tour Pro 2 IEMs’ touchscreen lets you control playback (play/pause/next track/previous track) and the volume. You can also activate the active noise cancelling (RBA), as well as the Ambient Aware (transparent), Talk Thru and Silent Now modes. In addition, the case allows you to answer incoming phone calls.
The earbuds are also equipped with a touch sensitive interface allowing you to play or pause the music, use the voice assistant, answer a call, and activate or deactivate the noise cancelling and Smart Ambient modes.
The display built into the case offers several advantages. In addition to eliminating the need to whip out your smartphone, it allows you to access all the operating parameters when connected to a device that does not have the app, such as a TV. However, we would have liked to be able to choose a playlist on Spotify or Qobuz and see the title of the track we were listening to, like you can on smartwatches, for example.
For those into sports, the screen of the JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds (which are certified IPX5) provides easy and quick navigation without having to use a smartphone. As for public transport users, it allows you to keep your phone tucked safely away in a purse or backpack, reducing the risk of theft.
Application
The JBL Headphones app provides access to many features. In addition to those that can be accessed via the touchscreen on the charging case, it is possible to check the fit of the earbud, test your hearing (Personi-Fi), configure the voice assistant and find tips on how to use the JBL Tour Pro 2 True Wireless earbuds. Based on the results of the hearing test, the sound amplification can be adjusted and a volume limiter added to protect your hearing.
Very comprehensive, the JBL Headphones App lets you customize the majority of the settings, notably the ambient sound controls, the equalizer, Spatial Sound, the touch controls, the intensity of the VoiceAware mode, the voice assistants, etc. Finally, the application allows you to update the JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds. And if you happen to lose the earphones, you can play a high-pitched sound to find them! However, this only works if they aren’t in the case and are connected to the smartphone.
Adaptive noise cancelling and Smart Ambient
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds benefit from adaptive active noise cancelling. This feature is particularly useful for listening to music in noisy environments such as public transport, considerably reducing background noise and providing a more immersive listening experience.
Moreover, the earbuds feature Smart Ambient technology (transparent mode) that allows you to remain aware of your surroundings by letting background sounds filter through. This is very useful when listening to music while traveling or if you need to know what is going on around you.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 IEMs’ noise cancelling is particularly effective with low frequencies. In a car, bus or tram, the sound of the engine and the road/tracks is effectively reduced. The noise cancelling system’s adaptive feature is very convenient, as you don’t need to adjust the intensity manually in the control app. However, surrounding conversations aren’t blocked out as effectively by the ANC. The Smart Ambient mode is effective, but creates audible white noise that can be distracting.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 offer a Silent Now mode that is ideal when you need a moment to shut out the world. This feature allows you to create a bubble of silence by disconnecting the Bluetooth and activating the ANC. It is possible to choose the time limit, the duration and to set an alarm. A good way to escape on the train or to improve concentration in an open space office, for example.
JBL includes another mode called TalkThru, which is accessible via the case and by pressing the left earbud twice. In theory, the ability to reduce sound volume and activate the transparent mode to have a quick conversation seems useful, but in reality, this feature takes a while to activate. It is generally quicker to remove the earbuds.
Calls and voice assistants
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earbuds are equipped with 6 microphones and use an algorithm that improves call quality, even in noisy or windy environments. Tested in the street and in a shopping center, the JBL Tour Pro 2 earphones provided great sound quality during phone calls.
The VoiceAware feature is also present on the JBL Tour Pro 2s. It allows you to adjust the volume of your own voice by modifying the audio input level of your microphone so you can concentrate on your conversation more easily and avoid talking too loudly.
In addition, these earbuds are compatible with the Google and Amazon voice assistants, as well as the one installed on your smartphone or computer.
40-hour battery life
The JBL Tour Pro 2 True Wireless earbuds provide up to 40 hours of music playback by using the wireless charging case. Each JBL Tour Pro 2 earbud has an autonomy of 10 hours, and the case adds another 30 hours. Charging the earbuds for 15 minutes provides 4 hours of use. Charging is done using the included USB-C cable. And it only takes 2 hours for a full charge (case + earbuds).
A sensor detects when the JBL earbuds are removed and pauses the music. In addition to no longer missing any of your playlist, this feature reduces battery loss when the earphones aren’t being used.
JBL Tour Pro 2: key specifications
- 10mm dynamic transducers
- Frequency response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Certified IPX5
- Modes: ANC, Smart Ambient, Voice Aware
- Bluetooth 5.3 – Multipoint
- Voice assistant compatibility
- Multifunction touch control on each earbud
- 1.45”/3.68cm touchscreen
- Microphones: 6 MEMS, omnidirectional
- Weight (per earbud): 6g
- Weight (case): 73g
JBL Tour Pro 2: listening conditions
To test the JBL Tour Pro 2 headphones, we connected them to an Android smartphone and a Windows computer. We listened to tracks stored on the phone and on the Qobuz streaming platform.
Google and Microsoft Swift Pair compatible, the earbuds only took a few seconds to pair to the computer. Pairing with the smartphone was also quick. Note that a Multipoint connection is possible to listen to content on the computer without missing any phone calls. The controls are easy to access, whether it is via the touch sensitive buttons on the earbuds, the charging case or a smartphone.
JBL Tour Pro 2: our impressions
From the very first tracks, we could tell we were listening to a pair of JBL earbuds. The latter highlighted the bass and were clearly geared towards more modern styles, like rock, hip-hop, pop and electronic music, fully bringing them to life. A perfect example was Scorpions’ Still Loving You, which was perfectly reproduced with deep lows and well-defined vocals.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 True Wireless earbuds also impressed us with another genre. With the R&B/Soul track Let Me Go by Daniel Caesar, the vocals were ideally emphasized while the percussion instruments and backing vocals were perfectly positioned in the background.
With Rema’s song Soundgasm, the bass was sometimes too pronounced, but the equalizer allowed us to easily correct the reproduction. After a few adjustments, the vocals and different acoustic guitar notes were clearer, all while retaining the intensity of the track.
It is possible to use the Personi-Fi feature that automatically adjusts the sound profile depending on the gender, age and preferences of the listener to provide them with the best possible experience. During our test, Personi-Fi worked really well and allowed us to adapt the sound to our preferences.
As for the benefit of the JBL Spatial Sound technology, we did enjoy a slightly wider soundstage, especially on rock songs. However, on certain tracks, it added an echo and made the vocals too distant. Nevertheless, the technology is interesting when used to watch a movie or play video games.
JBL Tour Pro 2: compared to…
Marshall Motif ANC: the Marshall True Wireless earbuds are lighter and are compatible with the aptX Bluetooth codec for higher-quality wireless transmission. While the Marshall control app has quite a few settings, the JBL Tour Pro 2s provide many more features. The Motif ANCs are also beaten by the Tour Pro 2s when it comes to autonomy, which reaches 26 hours compared to 40. Lastly, the touchscreen makes the JBL earbuds more intuitive.
JBL Tour Pro 2: who are they for?
Although it could be considered by some to be nothing more than a gadget, the JBL Tour Pro 2 True Wireless earbuds’ innovative display will appeal to tech lovers, those looking for an easy way to enjoy music during sports sessions, and commuters.
Music lovers with eclectic playlists will appreciate having plenty of choice when it comes to audio customization. The app’s many features make these earphones very intuitive and versatile. Finally, travelers will like the long battery life and the effective ANC to suppress engine or road noise.
JBL Tour Pro 2: conclusion
The JBL Tour Pro 2s stand out from the competition with their touchscreen that allows you to control the earbuds and display information without having to use your smartphone. An interesting idea that deserves to be taken further with the display of song info and the possibility to browse through playlists.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 earphones benefit from great musical qualities. With the customizable equalizer, the brand shows how far ahead of the competition it is regarding the sound settings of the app. In addition, the active noise cancellation works well for low frequencies (aircraft engine noise, public transport, etc.). Finally, the excellent battery life is a real plus, as is the comprehensive and easy-to-use app.
We liked
- The touchscreen
- The equalizer
- The long battery life
- The intuitive app and its many features
- Bluetooth Multipoint
We would have liked
- Access to our playlists and song info on the screen
- More efficient noise cancelling for mid and high frequencies
