The expert’s rating
Benefits
- Top-notch sound
- Flawless ANC
- Practical controls
- Practical Charging Box with Touch Display
- App is easy to operate
- AUX and USB connection
Disadvantages
- Sound with weakness in the middle
- Hi-Res certified sound with LDAC is only Android
Our judgment
The JBL Tour Pro 3 is more than just a competitor to Apple AirPods Pro. They are a counter design that scores with a comparable good sound, but with other features such as touch display on the charging box and USB sound connection.
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The JBL Tour Pro 3 earphones are equipped with two drivers per day. Earphone. The balanced anchor driver ensures clear reproduction of high frequencies, while the 10.2 millimeter speaker driver is responsible for dynamics and bass. The Tour Pro 3 supports the wireless hi-res-certified audio with LDAC, but it is only an Android feature not available to Apple Device users.
Tour Pro 3 has a total of six microphones controlled by JBL Crystal AI algorithm. Two external microphones on each earplug that are absorbed and transmitted the voice while an internal microphone insulates noise. The windproof design prevents distortion under windy conditions. The call equalization allows you to adjust your sound exactly and the sound level optimization reduces loud sounds and reinforces quietly. The JBL Tour Pro 3 is also zoom certified. The result is good understanding, but the naturalness suffers from the circuit.
The true adaptive noise -canceling 2.0 of the JBL Tour Pro 3 earphones analyzes the environment and adjusts the sound in real time. The JBL headphones app can be used to regulate how much or how little ambient clothing is to be released. An extra set of foam pads improves passive insulation. In practice, ANC impresses with effective noise cancellation that has a minimal influence on the sound. JBL’s extensive experience is evident here.
The algorithms can do more than just ANC and ensure a clean sound. If desired, the Tour Pro 3 may acknowledge that the wearer is talking and changing the music to pause and activate transparency mode. This allows you to have a conversation without removing earphones. This is unusual at first, but the more you use it, the better you get to use this feature.
The app also allows you to customize the sound and offers different settings. For example, the adaptive noise reduction can be adjusted to the shape of your ears. Or the settings for surrounding noise control can be optimized. You can also perform a best fit and find earphones using a high tone. Of course, settings for gesture control for the touch surface are also included. All in all, the setting options are among the most extensive in the market.
JBL-The spatial 360 sound function converts stereo sound into a 360-degree experience with head tracking, where the sound changes depending on the movement of the head. This is also impressive, though I prefer to turn it off because I find it unusual.
Up to 44 hours of music playback is possible. With the ANC Department, 11 hours playback plus three additional full fees with the charging case are realized, while with ANC -activated ANC there are 8 hours plus three additional full fees with the charging case. A 10-minute quick charge also enables three additional hours of playing music. The charging case can also be charged wirelessly, which will especially delight users of 3-in-1 charging stations.
Smart charging case
The smart charging case has a large touch display that shows status and checks for Tour Pro 3. The case has a sound adapter, and sound from any AUX or USB-C source can be transmitted wirelessly to earphones via the included jack and USB cables. We have successfully tested this on a Mac.
The only impractical thing is that you have to leave the charging box open. Alternatively, the Auracast button on the display of the charging box can be activated to share content with other Auracast devices nearby. This is done by connecting the device to the Tour Pro 3 Smart Charging Case.
Why a screen on the charging box? The screen makes sense in several ways. On the one hand, it is convenient to be able to check the charging status for the Tour Pro 3 and the charging box, check the music or set the ANC. And all this without having to pick up the iPhone. A lot of these controls could be obtained directly via the large touch surfaces on the earplugs, but visual confirmation makes it easier to use.
Smart sound
Listens to Living spirits Album by Depeche Mode, the Live atmosphere comes out very well. Dave’s voice is powerful and clear to hear, the bass literally shoots the audience. This fits perfectly with the rocking album, although tuning is not neutral but very powerful despite the equalizer being deactivated.
I change to the album Songs to a nervous planet of tears for fear. If you are used to the sound of cheaper earphones, you are in a revelation. The music is so much more open and fresh with JBL Tour Pro 3 to suit pop, rock and electronic music, where a clean and powerful bass is required.
Acoustic Jazz by Norah Jones brings the Tour Pro 3 back to the ground for small real wireless in-ear headphones. Instruments are nicely separated, but a weakness in detail of solution cannot be ignored when using Bluetooth with AAC. For jazz and classical music, the membrane area lacks a full sound, and Apple lacks a high resolution code, such as LDAC.
Ultimately, the Tour Pro 3 in their class impresses with a very good sound and the potential to set the sound of your own preferences using a good equalization. It’s not enough to knock the Apple AirPods Pro from their throne, but they are a real alternative.
Should you buy JBL Tour Pro 3?
The JBL Tour Pro 3 is more than just a competitor to Apple AirPods Pro. The Audio Dongle feature is quite useful, as is the accompanying app. Best of all, the sound is powerful and a lot of fun, depending on the music genre.
This article originally appeared on our sister publication Macwelt and was translated and located from German.