THE BEST DEALS OF THE DAY
One minute review
In-ear headphones do two things: fit comfortably and reproduce sound well enough to truly enjoy your content. In these basics there are auxiliary quirks that are supposed to enhance the experience. I could easily describe any in-ear pair this way, but the JBL Tour One Wireless makes an interesting case in that it's built to appeal to a larger audience. JBL can be hit or miss about its audio products, and the same could be said for the Tour One: the sound, while good, isn't unusual, and while the functionality is fine, we think they could have struck a higher note. JBL can release enhancements via an in-app firmware update, and it had already done so once while we were testing them. If the company keeps doing it, it could have enough to rise through the ranks as tougher contenders. For now, though, we'd still recommend two cans of Sony or Bose if you want top-notch noise cancellation.- JBL Tour One in Harman for € 299.95
Price and launch date
The JBL Tour One was released in May 1000 and cost €4 / €XNUMX (about AU$XNUMX). The challenge is that the approximate cost has many other headphones that can compete or play better, and that's where things get difficult here. For starters, it's a bit more affordable than the great Sony WH-XNUMXXMXNUMX, which we reckon is the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market, and the Bose QuietComfort XNUMX II, which is coming now. Because ANC isn't the JBL Tour One's strong point, the two feel like better values despite their higher cost.
Integrated
The Tour One Wireless doesn't have a singular design treatment to stand out in a frequented area. Look at them head on and they resemble so many others. Look at them from the side and the neutral look doesn't particularly stand out. The bronze and black color scheme is old hat now, but still works, so they'll fit right in if you're not looking for anything too noticeable. The faux leather headband is soft enough to sink in without feeling pinched after a while, while the ear cups have little room to maneuver when you put them on. This is great for stability, but maybe not so much if you want to let your ears breathe a bit. JBL may have done this by design to better capture the bass and prevent leakage that would otherwise dilute it. Either way, the fit can be split as, unlike the headband, you have little recourse for adjusting the headset. They curl, which helps to mold to the shape of your head and ears, but if you don't like the thinner padding or the way they sit, there's not much you can do about it. In addition to this, they trap heat, although we didn't find it stuffy enough to take them off as often for a rest. JBL tried to assign the controls symmetrically. The right earcup has a power switch that doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button. Volume controls are nearby, including a XNUMXmm headphone jack when you want to use the Tour One Wireless in wired form. The USB-C charging port sits on the left cup, with a lone button to activate your native voice assistant. Interestingly, the entire outer surface of the right ear cup is tactile and houses a series of controls. Play or pause with a single tap, or tap a couple of times to skip a track. Unfortunately, there is no way to reiterate one. We tried the triple tap and got nothing. Hold down and you can toggle between Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and Ambient Aware. JBL's Headphones app offers ways to customize these controls, such as assigning voice assistants (Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri, or Bixby) to the panel. For its part, you can also apply the perfect Ambient Aware mode to the button on the left earcup. While we didn't like not being able to reiterate a clue, we did like the effectiveness of the global controls. We've rarely made a wrong move, and that's not always the case with every pair of on-ear headphones.
Features
JBL includes a really nice case to go along with the Tour One Wireless, complete with pockets for the accompanying cables. Carrying and transporting them was a pleasure depending on how well everything fit inside. Pairing the Tour One Wireless was fairly simple, especially with Pixel smartphones, since JBL supports Google's speed pairing protocols. We had already downloaded the JBL Headphones app from previous reviews, so we were able to make that connection quickly as well. The application contains a lot of useful options. We liked the automatic play/pause when removing or turning on the Tour One, as an alarm in case we wanted to take a nap while listening to music or spoken content. And then there's the equalizer, which you have to play with because of the sound of these headphones. By default, they play with a balanced, if reserved, sound profile. The equalizer has a few presets, including one for bass, but we went ahead and made our own as well so we could see what we could achieve.
Performance
We have tested the Tour One Wireless in multiple conditions and situations to assess its sound. We mostly left ANC on, especially since JBL designed it to be somewhat accommodating, but we also kept Ambient Aware on frequently to see how well this feature worked. The bottom line is that the Tour One Wireless is stable enough not to jump over a proverbial audio gully, but these railings also force you to be more violent with the EQ. For example, at normal levels, these headphones feel limited. Drop the bass and they hit with a Swedish rumble that brings them to life. We immediately appreciated it when playing KastomariN's Friend and the live version of Maxwell's Ascension. With today's hip hop and EDM tracks, you feel the din even more. Then again, play rock or jazz and the treble can play a song brilliantly, like All Along the Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix. Point is, treble can sometimes sound piercing, and this is where EQ can help smooth out the worst treble excesses in audio ghosting. It helps, but it can't always sidestep the harsher elements, especially when you find that headphones treat the quieter parts of a song the same way they treat the louder ones. We also had to estimate how the noise features applied. JBL's True Adaptive NC regulates the ANC by increasing or decreasing the effect according to what is happening around you. The downside is that it makes a noticeable difference, so if you're riding down the street it adjusts a lot to compensate for drift in the low and high frequencies. We chose to hold ANC in daily mode for a more consistent approach. Ambient Aware was a mixed bag, not because we couldn't hear our environment, but more because they were confused at times. Perfect Mode worked better with other people's voices than multiple sounds, making Perfect Mode something to be used if necessary, rather than a reliable feature you can rely on. We found that phone calls were generally fine, especially when the ANC was on to block out other sounds. Despite this, we see much better results in stealthier environments, so these may not be the best for conversations when things are loud around you.Battery duration
JBL rates the Tour One Wireless for up to twenty-four hours per charge at standard default volume. In truth, we hit that number quite easily, going a notch above that level, getting closer to twenty-eight to thirty hours. We also took advantage of the auto-off setting to turn them off after fifteen minutes when left idle. Battery life is solid throughout wired playback, even with game consoles that use the TRS cable. It's just that you lose the microphones because only the audio comes through, which means that you won't be able to communicate in multiplayer games.Should you get the JBL Tour One?
Buy them if...
You are looking for easy and intuitive controlsWe appreciate the efficiency of global controls. We've rarely made a wrong move, and that's not always the case with every pair of on-ear headphones. You want an entertaining and serious sound
JBL is known for having a fun sound signature and it's no different. Unleash the lows, and they hit with a swedish thump that brings your music to life. Requires external headphones with long battery life
We easily achieve twenty-eight to thirty hours of battery life on a single charge at medium volume, which should make them great travel companions for people who are always and in all circumstances on the go.
Don't buy them if...
Your ears get hotIf you've ever felt overheated with on-ear headphones, you might want to skip the Tour One. You like taking phone calls through your headphones.
The JBL Tour One sounds great, but unfortunately they don't make you sound great. They can be useful if you're taking calls in more secretive environments, but we wouldn't advise them if you're taking calls in a crowded office or walking down the street. You like features like Ambient Aware and Adaptive ANC
It's nice that the Tour One has active noise cancellation, but accompanying features like Ambient Aware and Adaptive ANC can take a bit more work. THE BEST DEALS OF THE DAY
