JBL Tour Pro 3 review: Feature overload or just what you need?

We tested the JBL Tour Pro 3: true wireless earbuds with a smart case, LDAC support and features like head tracking, Auracast and impressive battery life. But do they actually sound good? And how do they handle calls, fit and controls? Here's our JBL Tour Pro 3 review and test.

In this article

• 1. Specifications: JBL Tour Pro 3
• 1.1 Sound quality
• 1.2 Microphone: calls and video meetings
• 1.3 Fit
• 1.4 Earbud controls
• 1.5 Battery: how long do they last?
• 1.6 ANC
• 2. Conclusion: our verdict
• 3. Alternatives

Pros and cons

These are the pros and cons of the JBL Tour Pro 3, so you can quickly see whether these earbuds are right for you.

Wait, 3 cables?! That's right: USB-C, USB-A and, at the bottom left, an analog 3.5mm jack. No shortage of options.

*The Smart Charging Case lets you adjust and control almost everything.
** We'll take a closer look at these clever features later in the review.

JBL Tour Pro 3 specifications

• Price: €296
• Driver: 10 mm
• Codec: SBC, AAC, LDAC (Hi-Res 24-bit/96kHz)
• Bluetooth: 5.3
• Microphones: 6
• Range: 10m
• Case battery: 850 mAh (33 hours)
• Earbud battery: 65 mAh (11 hours without ANC, 8 hours with ANC)
• Cable: USB-C / USB-A / 3.5mm jack
• Water resistance: IP55 (splashproof)

 

JBL Tour Pro 3 sound

Let's get straight to it: the Tour Pro 3 sounds good, very good. Period. That's no surprise after all JBL's promises. And with a price tag just shy of €300, you'd expect something in return. But what exactly makes these earbuds sound so good?

The sound is rich and lively. You can clearly distinguish individual notes, even at low volume. JBL has fitted each earbud with dual drivers, which help give the audio its energy. One driver handles the lows and mids, while the other takes care of the highs.

Sound quality score: 9

What also stands out to me is the detailed sound you get with every music genre, complete with JBL's full, pleasing bass. You can also fine-tune the EQ to your preferences, and presets are available through both the Smart Case and the app. It all adds up to a high-quality listening experience. More on that in a moment.

If you "just want good earbuds," you probably won't notice all of this. Earbuds under €50 will do just fine. But if you're an audiophile, or simply a keen listener, you want to hear every instrument, chime, riff and beat clearly. And the JBL Tour Pro 3 delivers that.

These JBL earbuds sit in the premium segment. In my view, the Tour Pro 3 can hold its own against the Sony WF-1000XM5, AirPods Pro 2 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra, for example. On sound quality, the Tour Pro 3 keeps up, helped by an app packed with EQ options and other settings. Let's take a closer look, because you'll definitely be using that app.

JBL app: Android & iOS

If you buy the Tour Pro 3, you're bound to use the app. What does it offer? A lot. Here's a list, followed by a closer look at the highlights. You could write a whole book about the app, the settings and the earbuds themselves. That might be a bit much, though... unless it were an audiobook?

What can you do with the app?
- Sound balance, volume limiter and LDAC
- Select audio source: movies/gaming/music
- EQ and custom equalizer settings.
- Spatial sound + demo test
- Personi-Fi (hearing test)
- Manage all features
* (Adaptive) ANC / Ambient Aware / TalkThru
* Set up earbud controls
- Smart Talk
- Silent Now and relaxing sounds
- Find my earbuds + case
- Earbud + case battery status
- Adjust call settings.
- Smart Case settings
- Check my fit
- Updates

Keep in mind that the Smart Case can handle many of these options too.

That's quite a list, but let's start with what matters most: audio. Adjusting the EQ helps you get the best sound. Find that tricky or too much hassle? No problem. Personi-Fi can run a hearing test and create a profile that you can use to adjust the EQ. Then all you need to do is try a few presets, and you're set.

That's "only" 5 presets, but it was a good choice by JBL. The presets keep things simple and easy to navigate. And you can create seemingly endless custom EQ settings. Seriously, I've already made 16 profiles for this test, and I can still add more!

Making your own adjustments works well too. Tap the line and a dot appears, which you can adjust exactly how you want. Plenty of freedom to experiment. And as we say at Eardopes: "Freedom feels good!"
OK, we don't say that very often, but it fits here. Moving on.

For an even better listening experience, there's Spatial Sound. It places sound in a 3D space, giving it more depth and dimension. Is it really that impressive? Well, it depends on what you use it for. If you're watching a movie or playing a game designed with this in mind, it can definitely add something. Luckily, you can tell the app what you want to listen to, and there's a foolproof option here too: a demo track so you can try it yourself.

For an even better listening experience, there's Spatial Sound. It places sound in a 3D space, giving it more depth and dimension. Is it really that impressive? Well, it depends on what you use it for. If you're watching a movie or playing a game designed with this in mind, it can definitely add something. Luckily, you can tell the app what you want to listen to, and there's a foolproof option here too: a demo track so you can try it yourself.

A nice addition to Spatial Sound is head tracking. When you move your head, the audio adjusts. Turn your head and the sound stays correctly positioned, emphasizing sound from different directions. You can really hear the effect, and it can make gaming or a tense movie feel more immersive.

There's also a volume limiter to protect your ears. And if the movie gets really tense, watch out for Smart Talk. When it's enabled, the audio goes silent as soon as you speak, while the music or movie keeps playing. Your microphones switch on, bringing you straight back to your surroundings. Handy when you're paying at the checkout. Finished talking? The music comes back on.

Less handy when you're happily singing along to that chorus. That's a reality check you didn't ask for. But you can turn off the voice trigger. JBL calls this feature Talk Thru, and you can activate it separately from Smart Talk. It's still impressive how well the voice detection works. Speaking of which, let's take a closer look at the microphones.

Nice, right? You can even put a picture on the smart case. Here, it's an Eardopes logo.

Microphone: how are calls on the JBL Tour Pro 3?

Taking calls with earbuds is great, as long as it works well. And yes, the Tour Pro 3 passes the test. We went outside to make calls in the wind, braved city noise and joined online meetings on a laptop. Speech was quite easy to understand in all of these situations.

The earbuds are also handy when you're working and listening to music on your laptop. As soon as a call comes in, they automatically switch to your phone thanks to multipoint connectivity.

The JBL Tour Pro 3 has six microphones, three per earbud. The outer ones pick up your voice, while the inner ones isolate noise. Thanks to multipoint, the earbuds switch automatically between your laptop and phone.

Want to know more about multipoint? See the full explanation.

The Tour Pro 3 has 3 microphones on each earbud.
2 microphones on the outside pick up your voice, including one on the "stem." The other microphone sits on the inside and isolates noise. Combined with the wind-resistant design, this delivers good results.

To round things out, JBL includes an Optimizer. It balances the volume of the voice at the other end of the call to an optimal level. Handy when you're calling your soft-spoken grandma. In the app, you can also adjust the tone of both your voice and the other person's. Plus, you can choose how much of your own voice you hear during meetings. Useful.

Microphone score: 8

The app offers options such as voice optimization, hearing your own voice (sidetone) and adjusting call audio.

View on Bol View on Coolblue

Fit: how does the JBL Tour Pro 3 feel?

The box includes 5 sizes of silicone ear tips: XS, S, M, L and XL, plus 1 pair of foam ear tips for the JBL Tour Pro 3. There should be something in there that fits your ears. JBL doesn't specify a size for the foam ear tips, but next to the silicone ones, I'd estimate M, perhaps L. It's worth noting that you can squeeze the foam ear tips so they mold more closely to your ears. This also blocks unwanted sound without switching on ANC.

Beyond the ear tips, we also look at the earbud housing. At first glance, the earbuds look a little bulky, which makes sense when you consider all the technology inside. Fortunately, they don't feel large. Their slightly curved shape helps them sit comfortably in your outer ear.

They're light and stay securely in your ears when you move. I was a little skeptical, so I wore them while doing everyday chores. Let's be honest, chores are better with music. I also went for a bike ride and a walk, and they stayed put. For running or intense workouts, though, you're better off looking at earbuds with ear hooks, for example.

Another sign that this is a premium product: the app includes "Check my best fit." This hearing test checks within a few seconds whether the earbuds form a good seal. You can also tell the app whether you're using silicone or foam ear tips. JBL then works a little magic to give you the best audio experience.

Overall, I'm very happy with the fit. It's a shame you only get 1 size of foam ear tips. If your ears are very small or large, they might not fit. On the plus side, the app helps you check the fit, the housing feels comfortable and the earbuds don't fall out. They're splashproof too, so if a little rain doesn't stop you, they'll keep you company on that bike ride.

Fit score: 8

The case: what can the Smart Case do?

A whole section for the earbud case? Absolutely. JBL has gone all in on the case, or rather, the Smart Charging Case. This could be the deciding factor in choosing these earbuds.

At least, if you want lots of features and less phone use. Less phone use? Yes, because the Smart Case lets you change a lot of settings without opening the app.

Here's how it works: create your own EQ in the app. Once that's done, you can switch between all your presets and custom settings through the Smart Case.

Tried the Spatial Sound demo in the app? You can activate the feature through the Smart Case. You can also choose head tracking and the audio source (movie/game/music) on the case. Switch ANC, Ambient Aware or Talk Thru on or off. Adjust the volume, check the battery status and see which song is playing on Spotify, all on the case's screen.

The touchscreen is larger than its predecessor's, which is a real improvement. Sensitivity and accuracy can be a little hit-or-miss, though.
At 6x4x5.5 cm, it's a large case. And that can get annoying in your pants pocket.

But do you really need to control all of this outside the app? That's a matter of personal preference. If you want to stay focused while working or studying, it can be genuinely useful. Leave your phone tucked away in your bag and still control all your audio.

If you still want to stay reachable, at least partly, you can set that up on the case too. You can receive notifications and/or message previews. Incoming calls work too, of course.

JBL has also thought about sensitive ears and overstimulated minds. Even without using Bluetooth, you can take the case along and activate Silent Now. This uses ANC to block annoying sounds so you can focus or relax. No phone needed.

The case also has settings for screen brightness and language, and even a rather poor flashlight. Luckily, the app lets you add or remove these options on the case. And if you've lost your earbuds, "Find my earbuds" is a smarter way to look for them than crawling across the floor with a white image on your little screen.

Auracast & transmitter

As I said at the start, at nearly €300, we expect something in return. And that's where a taste of the future comes in. The Tour Pro 3 supports Auracast, which is pretty cool. In short, it's a new way for you or someone else to broadcast a Bluetooth signal that others can tune into. When would you use it? Not all that often yet, but looking ahead, it could work at events with speakers, for example. No large sound systems, just tune into the signal.
 
Think of a packed bar showing a sports game. In the future, you might be able to tune into a channel and hear the live commentary. Anyone who isn't interested can simply skip it. You can also broadcast a signal yourself through the Smart Case for others to tune into. Handy for a small group at work, or for listening to the same anthem with friends at the airport to get into vacation mode. It may sound a long way off, and it's still not widely used, but one thing is certain: with the Tour Pro 3, you're ready for the future.

If you are flying, JBL's extra cable is your best friend. The USB-C to analog 3.5mm cable is a genuinely useful feature. It turns the Smart Case into a Bluetooth transmitter. Plug the cable into the audio source and you can use your own earbuds with the airplane's screen. For gaming, you can connect the case to your controller and use your earbuds while you play. Or think of an old record player or TV without Bluetooth. Your housemates are already in bed, but you want to keep listening? This cable makes it possible.

Earbud controls

Besides using the case, you can control playback on the earbuds themselves. The Tour Pro 3 doesn't support head gesture controls. So feel free to headbang to your music or nod along to an interesting podcast. If you do want head gesture controls, you'll find them on the Sony WF-1000XM5.

You control the earbuds by tapping them. A common and fair complaint is the lack of volume controls on many earbuds. It's such a simple thing, yet some brands still make you reach for your phone. How does JBL handle it? You can adjust the volume, but there's a catch.

You can assign tap controls for ANC/ambient sound, playback and volume. But that's three categories, and you only have two earbuds. Unfortunately, one has to go. A bit of a shame, but if volume matters most to you, at least the option is there.

JBL includes in-ear detection. You can enable auto play/pause so the music pauses when you take one earbud out. Put it back in and the music resumes.

Controls score: 7.5

How do the JBL Tour Pro 3 touch controls work?

For volume:
Tap 1x = Volume + 1
Tap 2x = Volume - 1

Battery: how long do they last?

A long time! The Tour Pro 3 lasts a little over 8 hours with ANC on. Turn ANC off and you get a solid 11 hours. Those are respectable figures, and they compare well with other high-end earbuds.

Even better, the Smart Case holds another 3 full charges. So without ANC, you get 11 hours + another 33 hours from the case = 44 hours.
With ANC on, that works out to 8 hours + 24 hours from the case = 32 hours.

A quick 10-minute charge in the case gives you another 3 hours of listening. Another reason the case is a handy companion. If you have a Qi-compatible charging pad, you can charge the case wirelessly too. Prefer a cable? JBL includes both USB-A and USB-C.

Battery score: 9.5

ANC

The earbud shape already gives you plenty of passive noise isolation, especially with the foam ear tips. But JBL's active noise cancelling is strong too.

The earbuds use clever technology to produce an opposing sound that counters noise. Combine ANC with the foam ear tips, and we'd go as far as saying the JBL Tour Pro 3 leaves the rest behind. Impressive work from JBL.

JBL also includes Adaptive ANC, which automatically adjusts the intensity of that opposing sound depending on whether you're on a busy train or somewhere relatively quiet. We're glad you can also adjust the noise canceling level yourself in the app. We like having control over the settings.

Ambient Aware lets you hear your surroundings. Handy when you want to stay aware of traffic, for example. Conversations work well with this feature on too, and sound natural. JBL has clearly put a lot of effort into this, and it shows.

ANC score: 9.5

Conclusion: our verdict

If you're still here, you're probably looking for high-end earbuds with excellent quality and good ANC. In that case, the JBL Tour Pro 3 is a good choice.

It's a real workhorse. With long battery life, Auracast and transmitter features, these earbuds have plenty to offer for a long time to come. The Smart Case can be a useful addition, depending on what you need. The downsides of all those features are the rather large case and the price.