JBL Tour One M3 evaluate: Good headphones with good extras

The JBL Tour One M3 is JBL’s newest assault on the premium phase of over-ear headphones. Released round a 12 months and a half in the past, JBL has lately launched a sound improve to tackle Sony, Bose and Apple. And at a now considerably lower cost and a powerful characteristic package deal that makes many a competitor look outdated. Our detailed check reveals whether or not the headphones additionally justify the value declare when it comes to sound.

Technical information of the JBL Tour One M3

The product	Tour One M3
Headphone sort	Over-ear headphones
Bluetooth model	5.3
Bluetooth codecs	LDAC, SBC, LC3
Drivers	40 mm, dynamic drivers
Frequency vary	10 – 40,000 Hz
Special options	True Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0, LDAC (Hi-Res Audio Wireless), Personi-Fi 3.0, Smart Talk, Auracast
Battery life	with out ANC: 70 hours, with ANC: 40 hours
Charging time	2 hours
Connections	3.5 mm jack, USB-C
weight	278 g
Colors	Black, Blue, Mocha, Green
Scope of supply	Over-ear headphones, USB-C to USB-A cable, USB-C to USB-A adapter, jack cable, carrying case, person guide
Price	€ 269.00 *

JBL Tour One M3 Review: design and workmanship

Visually, the JBL Tour One M3 is in acquainted territory: the spherical ear cups and compact silhouette are already acquainted from its predecessor, the Tour One M2. JBL stays true to the form and delivers the headphones in three coloration choices: black, darkish blue and a heat mocha tone. Recently, there’s additionally a darkish inexperienced coloration variant. If you worth an understated look, the plain black is the correct selection; if you wish to deliver just a little coloration into the workplace, go for the blue. Our check mannequin is available in mocha.

You need to be trustworthy in regards to the selection of supplies: The Tour One M3 is made virtually fully of plastic. The housing seems solidly made and doesn’t give manner beneath stress, however doesn’t really feel as premium within the hand as the value suggests. Especially in direct comparability with equally priced fashions from Bose or Bowers & Wilkins, it’s noticeable that the plastics used are arduous and just a little sober and never fairly as high-quality. They merely don’t convey the identical feeling of luxurious. This shouldn’t be a high quality defect, however a degree the place I’d merely have anticipated extra given the value.

In phrases of carrying consolation, the headphones do a whole lot of issues nicely: the scarf will be adjusted exactly, the contact stress is nicely balanced and never too tight. The ear cups, that are padded with reminiscence foam and synthetic leather-based, are smooth in opposition to the pinnacle. However, it will possibly get heat beneath after lengthy intervals of wear and tear. At 278 grams, the Tour One M3 is pleasantly mild and will be worn for a number of hours with out tiring.

For commuters and vacationers, the included arduous case is a sensible bonus: The headphones fold flat and match compactly into the case, which reliably protects them on the go. Unfortunately, JBL doesn’t present IP safety in opposition to sweat or rain, which is why you need to be cautious when unsure.

Features of the JBL One M3

The JBL Tour One M3 reveals what it will possibly actually do when it comes to performance and the vary is spectacular. Bluetooth 5.3 kinds the idea for a steady and fashionable wi-fi connection. The codecs SBC, AAC, LC3 and LDAC are supported. The latter allows high-resolution audio playback with considerably much less compression than normal codecs, whereas LC3 is a part of the brand new Bluetooth LE audio normal and is about to interchange SBC in the long run. If you join the headphones on to a supply through USB-C cable, you’ll be able to even profit from lossless, wired playback in high-resolution high quality. A characteristic that even the considerably costlier Sony WH-1000XM6 (our check) doesn’t supply.

Eight microphones are distributed throughout each ear cups and care for voice help, telephony and noise suppression. Multipoint reference to two units concurrently can also be on board, as is NFC for quick pairing. If you don’t want an IP safety class, you’re getting one of many best-equipped headphones in its value vary.

Also on board, however provided that you spend just a little more cash: Auracast, the brand new Bluetooth broadcast know-how that enables an audio sign to be despatched to a number of appropriate headphones concurrently. This could sound like a gimmick at first, however the optionally available accent (the so-called Smart Tx transmitter) offers it actual on a regular basis worth. This small field with a coloration touchscreen will be related to any audio supply through a jack or USB-C, even to older units with out Bluetooth, after which streams the sign wirelessly to the headphones. The airplane leisure system, the video games console with out Bluetooth, the outdated document participant: all of those will be related wirelessly.

It’s a disgrace that the accessory, which costs around 130 euros, shouldn’t be included within the scope of supply. Even if there’s a bundle with a receiver. But we didn’t get one to check, so I gained’t go into it any additional.

Battery life and operation

The JBL Tour One M3 delivers excellent battery life figures. With ANC activated, it lasts 40 hours, with out ANC even as much as 70 hours. This means it noticeably outperforms many direct rivals such because the Sonos Ace or the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e. A worth that clearly leaves the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen (round 30 hours) and the Apple AirPods Max (round 20 hours) behind. Fast charging can also be included: 5 minutes on the socket is sufficient for round 5 extra hours of music enjoyment. Nevertheless, the runtime shouldn’t be record-breaking. An Edifier WH950NB (2026), for instance, delivers considerably extra with 80h/45h and for lower than half the value that JBL prices.

The controls are positioned on each ear cups. There is a quantity rocker change on the left, a slider for on/off and Bluetooth pairing on the correct and a devoted ANC button that switches between noise canceling, transparency mode and deactivated ANC. There can also be a contact subject on the correct ear cup for playback management and name features. It reacts shortly and reliably, however is positioned within the middle of the ear cup and is smaller than your complete floor, which is why it’s a must to hit it exactly. Unfortunately, swipe gestures usually are not supported; the system works solely with faucet gestures (faucet as soon as = pause, twice = subsequent observe, 3 times = earlier observe). It takes a number of days to get used to, however after that you just’ll be capable to use it with confidence.

For telephone calls, the identical applies as for a lot of Bluetooth headphones: the voice high quality is suitable and appropriate for brief conversations or Zoom calls, however sounds barely synthetic as a result of Bluetooth transmission. In very loud environments, the intelligibility for the opposite particular person decreases.

App connection

The free “JBL Headphones” app is on the market for iOS and Android and is among the most complete management apps within the headphone phase. The interface is clearly structured and visually interesting. The built-in 10-band equalizer permits the usage of presets (there are six to select from) in addition to fully user-defined changes. Those who prefer it bassier or clearer shall be nicely served. The app additionally presents the so-called “Personi-Fi” listening to check: it analyzes particular person frequency sensitivities and adjusts the sound accordingly, which is especially helpful for older customers or individuals with delicate listening to impairments.

Spatial audio can be activated within the app, both with or with out head monitoring. The algorithm transforms stereo music right into a broader 3D sound picture that seems surprisingly pure. Less artificial than many competing merchandise, albeit on the expense of some intimacy. Those who incessantly watch motion pictures can even discover a devoted film mode within the app, which reduces latency on the expense of audio high quality. Adaptive ANC, an adjustable auto-off operate and firmware updates spherical off the providing.

Particularly commendable: JBL rolled out a firmware replace after the launch that noticeably improves the usual tuning. With a 3-5 dB enhance within the 4-8 okHz vary for extra readability. The product sounds demonstrably higher as we speak than it did at launch.

Sound high quality, ANC and microphones

In phrases of sound, the JBL Tour One M3 is positioned as a relaxed, balanced headphone with out excessive emphasis on particular person frequency ranges. Neither the bass nor the treble are pushed to the fore at normal settings, which is good for fatigue-free long-term listening. The mids are wealthy intimately, vocals are clear and intelligible, and the 40 mm mica dome drivers guarantee a spherical, nice total sound. The bass reveals JBL’s typical signature: punchy, weighty and with good dynamics at massive quantity jumps.

However, if you happen to pay attention very loudly, you’ll attain a restrict: at excessive ranges, the headphones lose some management. The treble vary, which is already current and barely biting at regular quantity ranges, can develop into strained and sharp when the quantity is turned up. The sound picture then seems extra two-dimensional, particular person parts of a recording push ahead and the depth of the sound suffers. At a reasonable quantity setting, nevertheless, the Tour One M3 does rather a lot proper: the extent of element is sweet, the decision within the mid-range is strong. The sound is much less analytical than Sony or Bose rivals, however quite heat and pleasing. If you wish to go deeper into the frequency vary, use the equalizer. With the jazz preset, for instance, the bass and treble open up noticeably and the spatiality will increase.

On a optimistic notice, JBL has noticeably improved the sound of the Tour One M3 with the replace launched in April 2026. The sound is now a lot fuller and extra pure with a managed and textured bass basis. “This more precise tuning is particularly noticeable with high-resolution streaming services and modern audio technology,” guarantees the producer. And he’s proper.

The energetic noise canceling works convincingly and is appropriate for on a regular basis use. Engine noises, workplace noises and noise on buses and trains are considerably decreased. The JBL Tour One M3 are virtually on a par with the Apple AirPods Max and the Sony WH-1000XM6, particularly in relation to on a regular basis noises. Up to 30 dB energetic discount under 1 okHz ensures actual peace and quiet in on a regular basis life. However, if you happen to’re searching for the easiest ANC available on the market, you’ll nonetheless need to go for Bose, which presents even higher isolation on this self-discipline. The Tour One M3’s transparency mode is pleasantly pure: voices sound intelligible and the replica doesn’t come throughout as overly synthetic.

The high quality of the microphones is completely enough for infrequent conversations and distant calls. In very loud environments, your personal voice sounds just a little tinny to the opposite particular person, which is a system-related weak point of many Bluetooth headphones and never particular to JBL. The PSAP (Personal Sound Amplification) mode, which considerably amplifies the transparency mode and features as a sort of listening support, is a optimistic characteristic. A characteristic that the majority rivals on this value vary don’t supply.

JBL One M3 check: Conclusion

The JBL Tour One M3 is a flexible over-ear headphone that scores with a powerful characteristic set, glorious battery life and fashionable Bluetooth gear. Those who journey rather a lot will recognize the endurance and the optionally available Smart Tx transmitter as an actual distinctive promoting level. In phrases of sound, it impresses within the medium quantity vary with a balanced, nice sound that may be simply custom-made utilizing the equalizer. The lately delivered firmware replace has additionally improved the tuning considerably, which places the JBL One M3 manner out in entrance.

Weaknesses will be discovered within the quantity conduct (excessive frequencies can come throughout as aggressive) and within the materials high quality, which doesn’t fairly have the premium really feel that Bose or Bowers & Wilkins convey. Added to that is the operation, which takes some getting used to. If you might be solely searching for one of the best sound or the mannequin with the strongest ANC in its class, you must go for Sony or Bose. On the opposite hand, in order for you most endurance, connectivity and good extras at a extra enticing value (in comparison with the market), the Tour One M3 is an excellent selection.