Welcome to the JBL Tour One M2 review!
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones stand as the evolution of the acclaimed JBL Tour One model, showcasing a refined and enhanced audio experience. With a host of innovative features and improvements, these headphones aim to redefine how we engage with our music and surroundings. In this review, we’ll dig deeper into the intricacies of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, exploring their design, sound quality, noise cancelation capabilities, microphones, app integration, connectivity, battery life, and much more.
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are designed to provide both comfort and performance. Wrapped in supple faux leather padding, these headphones offer a luxurious feel against the skin. They’re engineered to be lightweight, tipping the scales at a mere 278 grams, and their foldable design adds to their portability, making them ideal for life on the go.
However, these headphones offer much more than just comfort and portability. They boast a rich and immersive auditory experience powered by the legendary Hi-Res certified JBL Pro Sound. Equipped with a 40mm driver unit, these headphones deliver audio that’s been finely tuned to capture every nuance and detail of your music. What’s more, the integration of JBL Spatial Sound technology transports listeners to the heart of the soundstage, whether it’s the ambiance of a theatre, the energy of a live concert, or the precision of a studio recording. This technology ensures that the sound appears to emanate from all around you, creating an enveloping and captivating experience.
Here’s a summary table of the key features and specifications of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones:
| Feature | Description |
| Design | Comfortable design with faux leather padding on ear cups and headband |
| Sound | Hi-Res certified JBL Pro Sound with 40mm driver unit |
| Immersive Audio | JBL Spatial Sound for 360-degree audio environment |
| True Adaptive Noise Canceling with Smart Ambient Mode | True Adaptive Noise Canceling with Smart Ambient mode |
| Microphones | 7 built-in microphones for noise cancelation and call quality |
| App Integration | JBL Headphones App for EQ customization, ANC control, touch customization, and more |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.3 technology for seamless wireless connection |
| Codec Support | SBC and AAC codecs, possible future support for LC3 and LC3+ codecs |
| Multipoint Connection | Switch seamlessly between connected devices |
| Voice Assistant | Supports Google Voice Assistant, Siri, and Alexa |
| Battery Life | Up to 50 hours without ANC, up to 30 hours with ANC, quick 10-minute charge for 5 hours of playback |
| Additional Features | VoiceAware mode for self-voice monitoring, Smart Talk for quick conversations, Personi-fi 2.0 for personalized audio |
| Cons | Large appearance on small heads, plasticky look and feel, average noise isolation, lack of support for certain codecs |
| Price | Approx. $300 |
| Accessories | Carrying case, 3.5mm audio cable, flight adaptor, USB Type-C charging cable |
This table provides a concise overview of the main features and specifications of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, giving you a comprehensive understanding of what they have to offer.
In the subsequent sections of this review, we will dive deeper into the distinct facets of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, examining their noise cancelation prowess, microphone capabilities, seamless connectivity, battery life, and the array of additional features that make them a standout choice in the market. So, stay with us as we uncover the intricacies of these headphones and discover how they bring music to life in a whole new way.
Table of Contents
JBL Tour One M2 Review
Design and Comfort
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are a testament to the fusion of functionality and aesthetics. Designed for extended listening sessions, these headphones feature a comfortable and luxurious design that ensures a pleasurable experience from the moment they’re worn.
The ear cups and headband are adorned with faux leather padding, elevating the comfort factor to a new level. This padding not only contributes to the headphones’ sumptuous appearance but also provides a soft, cushioned feel against the skin. It’s a thoughtful touch that makes long listening sessions a breeze.
Weighing in at a mere 278 grams, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones are a testament to modern engineering. This lightweight build is a boon for those who seek comfort during extended periods of use. The headphones are designed to minimize the strain on the neck and head, allowing you to immerse yourself in your favorite tunes without discomfort.
But comfort isn’t the only aspect that has been considered. The convenience of portability has also been taken into account. The headphones are ingeniously designed to be flat-foldable, allowing them to be easily stowed away in your bag or suitcase. This flat-folding feature enhances their portability, making them an ideal companion for travelers, commuters, and anyone constantly on the move.
Sound Quality and Immersive Experience
At the heart of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones lies an audio experience that’s been refined and elevated to meet the demands of discerning listeners. The headphones are armed with the Hi-Res certified JBL Pro Sound, a mark of their commitment to delivering audio of uncompromising quality. This feat is achieved through the integration of a 40mm driver unit, which serves as the powerhouse behind the headphones’ captivating audio output.
The 40mm driver unit is meticulously engineered to reproduce every sonic nuance, from the deepest bass to the most delicate trebles. This results in a well-balanced sound profile that caters to a wide range of music genres and audio content. Whether you’re diving into the intricacies of classical compositions or immersing yourself in the pulsating beats of electronic music, the JBL Tour One M2 ensures that you’ll hear it all with remarkable clarity.
But the JBL Tour One M2 goes beyond mere sound reproduction. It introduces an immersive experience through the groundbreaking JBL Spatial Sound technology. This innovation is designed to envelop listeners in a three-dimensional audio environment, where sound seems to emanate not just from the headphones themselves, but from all around. Imagine being transported to the front row of a concert, the heart of a theatre production, or the inner sanctum of a recording studio. With JBL Spatial Sound, the barriers of traditional headphone audio are shattered, and users are treated to an unparalleled sense of immersion.
What sets JBL Spatial Sound apart is its ability to create a 360-degree audio environment. This means that when you put on the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, you’re not just listening to music; you’re enveloped in it. The technology manipulates sound in a way that tricks your ears into perceiving it coming from various directions around you. The result is an audio experience that’s akin to being at the center of the action, whether it’s the resonance of a movie scene, the intimacy of a live performance, or the intimacy of a studio recording.
Noise Cancelation and Smart Ambient Mode
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are not just about delivering exceptional sound quality; they also excel in providing an immersive listening experience by managing the external auditory environment.
These headphones are equipped with True Adaptive Noise Canceling technology, which serves as a shield against unwanted ambient noise. This advanced technology employs a network of microphones that constantly monitor the sounds around you. It then processes this incoming audio and generates sound waves that are the exact opposite in phase, effectively canceling out the undesirable noise. This intelligent noise cancelation ensures that whether you’re on a bustling city street, a crowded train, or a noisy café, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones cocoon you in a serene auditory cocoon, allowing you to indulge in your music or podcasts without interruptions.
However, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones don’t just isolate you from your surroundings; they also provide a mode that keeps you connected to the world around you. Enter the Smart Ambient mode. This feature taps into the microphones embedded in the headphones to pick up sounds from your environment. It then feeds these sounds into your ears, allowing you to stay attuned to what’s happening around you while still enjoying your audio content.
The practicality of the Smart Ambient mode is manifold. Imagine navigating through a busy airport while still being able to hear important announcements or conversations. Or perhaps you’re on a run through your neighborhood, able to enjoy your playlist while also being aware of traffic and potential hazards. This feature strikes a balance between immersive entertainment and situational awareness, catering to the diverse scenarios and lifestyles of modern users.
Microphones and Call Quality
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are not just about delivering remarkable sound; they also excel in capturing your voice and ensuring crystal-clear communication in various scenarios.
These headphones are equipped with a total of 7 built-in microphones, each with its distinct role. These microphones work in tandem to enhance both your audio experience and your ability to engage in seamless conversations.
Four of these microphones play a crucial role in the True Adaptive Noise Canceling technology. They’re strategically positioned to capture the ambient sounds around you. By doing so, these microphones provide the headphones with real-time data about your auditory environment. This information is then utilized to generate anti-noise that effectively cancels out unwanted sounds, creating an undisturbed listening experience.
Three other microphones plus one shared with the noise canceling function, making a total of 4 microphones, elevate the call quality offered by the JBL Tour One M2 headphones. When you’re engaged in a call, these microphones work diligently to isolate your voice from the cacophony of surrounding sounds. This ensures that your voice comes through loud and clear on the other end of the line, even in environments where noise is prevalent. Whether you’re walking through a bustling city street, sitting in a windy park, or even in a noisy café, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones’ microphones adeptly filter out the undesirable elements and focus on transmitting your voice with precision.
App Integration and Customization
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones not only provide exceptional audio quality but also offer a personalized and tailored experience through the JBL Headphones App.
This dedicated app is designed to be your digital command center for fine-tuning and optimizing your headphone experience. It serves as an interface through which you can unlock a range of functionalities and customize your audio journey.
The JBL Headphones App empowers you to tailor your audio settings to suit your preferences. You have the ability to adjust the Equalizer (EQ), enabling you to fine-tune the audio profile to your liking. This level of customization ensures that the headphones deliver the sound quality that resonates with your unique taste in music.
Additionally, the app lets you take control of the Adaptive Noise Canceling (ANC) technology. You can adjust the ANC level to match your environment and desired level of isolation. Whether you’re in a busy café craving tranquillity or walking along a serene beach, you have the flexibility to find your ideal balance between immersion and awareness.
The JBL Headphones App extends the personalization further with touch customization. You can configure the touch controls on the headphones, tailoring them to match your interaction preferences. This means you can easily play, pause, skip tracks, adjust volume, and engage with features without reaching for your device.
Furthermore, the app lets you choose your preferred voice assistant, whether it’s Google Voice Assistant, Siri, or Alexa. This seamless integration allows you to access information, manage tasks, and control your headphones using voice commands, adding an element of convenience to your daily routine.
Beyond customization, the app offers an array of features that enhance the overall experience. This includes checking for the best fit of the headphones, adjusting how they respond to touch gestures, and even shaping the headphones’ behavior through interactive customization tools.
Connectivity and Compatibility
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are engineered to seamlessly integrate with your devices, providing a hassle-free and immersive listening experience.
One of the standout connectivity features of these headphones is their incorporation of Bluetooth 5.3 technology. This cutting-edge wireless connectivity standard takes the headphone experience to the next level. Bluetooth 5.3 offers enhanced data transfer speeds, lower latency, and improved stability compared to its predecessors. This means that you can expect a smooth and uninterrupted audio stream, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in your music, podcasts, or calls without interruptions or audio lag.
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones come with support for multiple audio codecs, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of devices. The headphones natively support the SBC (Subband Coding) and AAC (Advanced Audio Codec) codecs, which are commonly used for wireless audio transmission. These codecs ensure that you’re getting high-quality sound even when streaming wirelessly.
What’s more, the headphones promise future support for the LC3 (Low Complexity Communication Codec) and LC3+ codecs through updates. These codecs are designed to deliver even better audio quality over Bluetooth connections, enhancing the overall listening experience.
These noise-canceling headphones go beyond single-device connectivity. They feature Multipoint Connection, a technology that allows you to seamlessly switch between two connected devices without needing to manually disconnect and reconnect. This is especially useful for those who need to toggle between, say, a smartphone and a laptop, without the hassle of constant re-pairing.
Battery Life and Quick Charge
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are engineered to accompany you on extended journeys and keep the music playing for hours on end.
The headphones offer a remarkable battery life. With True Adaptive Noise Canceling turned off, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones can provide you with up to an astounding 50 hours of playback time on a single charge. This extended battery life means that you can enjoy multiple days of music, podcasts, or calls without needing to worry about recharging.
Even when the True Adaptive Noise Canceling is activated, the headphones continue to impress. They offer up to 30 hours of playback time with ANC turned on. This is a testament to the efficient power management and optimization that JBL has incorporated into the headphones, ensuring that you get the most out of each charge.
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones not only excel in longevity but also in convenience. With their quick charge feature, you’re never far from your music. A mere 10-minute charge provides you with an additional 5 hours of playback time. This means that even if you’re running low on battery and you have a short break, you can quickly top up your headphones for continued enjoyment.
Whether you’re heading out for a long commute, embarking on a cross-country flight, or just spending a day immersed in your favorite audio content, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones have you covered with their impressive battery life and quick charging capabilities.
Additional Features
The Tour One M2 headphones come loaded with a range of innovative features that elevate your audio experience and make them more versatile in various scenarios.
- VoiceAware Mode: The VoiceAware mode is an intriguing addition to these headphones. It lets you control the amount of your own voice that you hear through the earbuds. This self-voice monitoring can be incredibly useful, especially when you’re engaged in a conversation while wearing the headphones. With the VoiceAware mode, you can avoid speaking too loudly unintentionally, making interactions with others more comfortable.
- Smart Talk Feature: Another noteworthy feature is the Smart Talk functionality. This feature adds a layer of practicality to your listening experience. When activated, it allows you to engage in a quick conversation by pausing your music using the TalkThru technology. This is particularly handy when you need to communicate without removing your headphones, making it ideal for situations where you need to interact briefly without missing a beat of your audio content.
- Personi-fi 2.0: Perhaps one of the most intriguing features is Personi-fi 2.0. This advanced technology personalizes your audio experience based on your listening preferences. By using interactive customization tools and gathering precise information about your audio preferences, Personi-fi 2.0 tailors the audio output to match your individual tastes. It’s like having a personalized audio engineer adjusting the sound to your liking, ensuring that every note and beat resonates with you on a deeper level.
JBL Tour One M2 Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Legendary Hi-Res Certified JBL Pro Sound: The headphones deliver an exceptional audio experience, capturing intricate details and providing a well-balanced sound profile.
- True Adaptive Noise Canceling: The advanced noise cancelation technology effectively eliminates unwanted ambient noise, creating an immersive auditory environment.
- Comfortable Design: With faux leather padding on the ear cups and headband, the headphones offer a comfortable and luxurious feel during extended listening sessions.
Cons:
- Large Appearance on Small Heads: The headphones might appear large on individuals with smaller head sizes, impacting both aesthetics and fit.
- Plasticky Look and Feel: Some users might find the headphones’ build quality to have a plasticky appearance and feel.
- Average Noise Isolation: While noise cancelation is effective, noise isolation might be considered average, affecting the overall level of immersion.
- Lack of Support for Certain Codecs: The headphones do not support AAC, aptX HD, or LDAC codecs, potentially limiting compatibility with high-quality audio sources.
- Sub-par Breathability: Prolonged usage might result in reduced breathability, leading to discomfort during extended listening periods.
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones offer a range of pros, from exceptional sound quality to advanced noise cancelation and a comfortable design. However, they also come with cons such as a potential fit issue for those with smaller heads, a plasticky appearance, and limitations in codec support. Despite these drawbacks, the headphones’ strengths in audio performance and innovative features position them as a competitive choice for those seeking an elevated listening experience.
Price and Accessories
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones are a premium offering in the realm of audio technology, offering a host of features and capabilities that cater to discerning listeners.
These headphones are priced at approximately $300, reflecting their high-quality audio performance, advanced technologies, and the range of features they bring to the table. While they position themselves as a premium choice, their extensive feature set and audio prowess justify their price point for those seeking a holistic audio experience.
With your purchase of the JBL Tour One M2 headphones, you’ll receive a collection of accessories that enhance the headphones’ usability and portability. These accessories are thoughtfully included to ensure that you have everything you need to enjoy your headphones to the fullest:
- Carrying Case: A durable and stylish carrying case provides protection and easy transport for your headphones. It helps safeguard your investment and ensures that your headphones remain in pristine condition.
- 3.5mm Audio Cable: For situations where wireless connectivity might not be ideal, the included 3.5mm audio cable allows you to connect directly to your device. This ensures that you can enjoy your audio content even when Bluetooth connectivity isn’t available.
- Flight Adaptor: The flight adaptor is a handy addition for frequent travelers. It enables you to connect your headphones to in-flight entertainment systems, ensuring that you have a comfortable and high-quality audio experience during your travels.
- USB Type-C Charging Cable: To keep your headphones powered up and ready for action, the included USB Type-C charging cable allows you to easily recharge the headphones. The convenience of USB Type-C ensures fast charging and compatibility with a wide range of devices.
Final Thoughts: Recommendations & Verdict
The JBL Tour One M2 headphones stand as a formidable contender in the realm of audio technology. With their impressive sound quality, immersive experience, and effective noise cancelation, they cater to music enthusiasts, audiophiles, and anyone seeking an elevated audio journey. The customizable features, long battery life, and practical add-ons make them ideal companions for daily commutes, travel, work, and leisure.
However, it’s worth considering their physical appearance and codec compatibility based on individual preferences and device setups. These headphones are an investment in a comprehensive audio experience, making them a suitable choice for those who value both exceptional sound and advanced functionalities.
To sum it all up, the JBL Tour One M2 headphones showcase a synergy of innovation and performance, delivering an audio adventure that resonates with a diverse audience of online listeners seeking the best in sound quality and immersive technology.
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