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When people think of noise-canceling headphones, a few big names usually come to mind first. But Sony, Bose, and Sennheiser headphones are expensive and don’t block out the outside world very well. JBL thinks it can fight on sound quality and undercut the competition on price. The JBL Tour One M2 headphones have everything you’d expect from a top pair, but they cost £50 less than the excellent Sony XM5.
Based on what the company has done in the past, there is every reason to hope for great things. Some of the best soundbars are made by JBL, and the JBL Reflect Pro earbuds were a close second to the Beats Fit Pro in our Stuff Gadget Awards 2022. The JBL Tour ONE M2 is now available. Now it’s time to see if that means over-ear headphones.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Driver size | 40mm |
| Frequency response | 10Hz – 40kHz |
| Impedance | 32 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100dB SPL/1mW |
| Battery life | Up to 50 hours with ANC off |
| Charging time | 2 hours for a full charge |
| Weight | 380g |
| Bluetooth version | 5.1 |
| Bluetooth range | Up to 10m |
| Microphone | Built-in dual-microphone array |
JBL Tour One M2: Design
Let’s start with the Tour One M2’s biggest flaw. The only real design feature of these headphones is a small JBL logo on each earcup. The headphones come in black or silver, both of which look the same. But hey, maybe you really like shiny plastic, or maybe you like your tech to be more understated.Everything feels solid, with just the right amount of bend and a lot of headband adjustments.
The ear cups can also be turned, so it should fit all types of heads. The hard shell carrying case that comes with the headphones feels safe and well-made. If you shake it, you won’t hear any rattles coming from the inside, so you can toss it into a backpack without worry. To get the ear cups to stay in place, you have to fold them in a certain way. This makes it a little trickier to use than some of its competitors. You can buy this headphone from its official website
JBL Tour One M2: Features
JBL likes to put as many features as possible into their headphones, and the Tour One M2 are no different. The best part is the adaptive noise canceling, and the speed is good, but not quite impressive.They do block out a lot of the noise around them, like the sounds of people walking by late at night in Shoreditch, as well as cars, buses, and vans, but some noise can still be heard. We did notice that the amount of adaptive noise cancellation wasn’t always the same, which makes sense since it’s adaptive, and that it often let more noise through than the “standard” ANC mode.
JBL Tour One M2 review: Sound Quality
Like JBL’s Live Pro 2 wireless earbuds, the Tour One M2 takes a balanced approach to sound that some may find boring. On the preset volume, they do sound quiet, the soundstage is small, and there isn’t much “fizz” to the music. But with just two small adjustments to the volume settings, the JBL sounds much better.
Erased by Sunlight by GoGoPenguin has clear high performance from the headphones, and the piano notes have a good range of tones throughout the song. You can feel how much weight is put on each piano note, and you can hear the sound of the note’s trailing edge as it lingers. Each note is brighter than it was on the Club One, which made it sound dull.
JBL Tour One M2: Battery Life
JBL says it can last up to 50 hours without active noise reduction and 30 hours with it. At 50% of my iPhone’s noise, I timed 31 hours of ANC being on. The JBL Tour One M2 takes about 2 hours to fully charge, but a quick charge at the beginning of the cycle can give it 5 hours of power in just 10 minutes.
Final Words
The JBL Tour One M2 is a great pair of over-ear headphones because it sounds great, fits well, and has a decent battery life. They are a good option to some of the more expensive headphones on our list of the best noise-canceling headphones.
The noise canceling isn’t the best, so commuters or people who move a lot may want to spend a little more, and there are some adjustments that need to be made through the app to get uninterrupted playback.
JBL Tour One M2 review: THE GOOD AND THE BAD
The Good
- Effective noise cancellation
- Clear, balanced sound
The Bad
- Unremarkable looks
FAQS
JBL Tour One, True Adaptive Noise Cancelling Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones, Hi-Res Certified, Pro Sound, Customize APP, 4-Mic Technology for Clear Calls, Up to 50Hrs Playtime, and Built-in Alexa.
Since the battery can last up to 25 hours, you can listen all day and night. Keep going with your own secret concert as long as you can.