JBL Tour Pro 2 Wireless Earbuds Review
Although there are many choices for truly wireless earbuds, there are only a few primary design directions, which even the users and the author find boring. Therefore, it is admirable that JBL Tour Pro 2 has added a screen to the charging case of true wireless earbuds and has come up with targeted features even before trying it out.
The previous JBL Tune Flex Ghost Edition with a complete sense of transparency was already satisfying, and the JBL Tour Pro 2 with a screen is the most remarkable breakthrough in design.
Design
The predecessor of JBL Tour Pro 2 is JBL Tour Pro+, but their appearance and specifications are quite different. In terms of appearance, it is closer to the previously introduced Tune Flex. The earphone design has changed from the handleless design of Tour Pro+ to the current handled design, which has a metallic feel visually.
In terms of specifications, it uses a 10mm dynamic coil unit, which is very different from the 6.8mm unit of the previous JBL Tour Pro+. In terms of functions, it has added adaptive noise reduction, ambient sound mode, and the TalkThru function. The built-in six microphones can significantly improve call quality in addition to serving noise reduction and ambient sound.
The Bluetooth has been upgraded from 5.0 to 5.3, saving more power and making the connection more stable. When the active noise reduction is turned on, the earphone can last up to 10 hours and up to 40 hours when used with the charging case. Speaking of design, the new charging case cannot be ignored.
The charging case has a 1.45-inch LED touch screen, which introduces different operation and setting functions. It is also the most creative part of JBL Tour Pro 2.
The operation settings of JBL Tour Pro 2 can be divided into three parts: headphones, mobile app, and charging case. The headphones’ operation is similar to mainstream products, with touch areas on both sides of the headphones that support single, double, triple, and long press gestures.
The left side is set to activate the active noise-canceling effect, while the right side is responsible for music playback and calls. As for the mobile app, there are many detailed settings options, such as adjusting the sensitivity of the ambient sound, setting the EQ, and selecting the music mode.
The focus, however, is on the charging case with a touch screen. When connected to a mobile phone, the charging case can replace the mobile app to operate playback, volume adjustment, noise-canceling, ambient sound, TalkThru function, change EQ, sound playback mode, VoiceWare settings, etc. The charging case can also be used as an alarm clock, fill light, and even to locate the headphones, with full functionality and exciting ideas.
Each channel is connected to an earplug that weighs 6.5g, which is not a particularly remarkable number. Still worn on the ear, it feels comfortable and secure due to its normal canal design and in-ear earplugs. In addition, the JBL Tour Pro 2 has been upgraded to Bluetooth 5.3, which increases the bandwidth, considers latency issues, and reduces interference.
There were no obvious interference issues during testing, making for a satisfying user experience. The shorter ear handle also makes it less noticeable to users.
Sound Performance
It uses a 10mm dynamic driver unit, and the overall sense of surround from the low-frequency is outstanding. The low-frequency sense is reasonable, and the sound is relatively buried. Regarding three-frequency output, the high-frequency is slightly less, which barely impacts the overall clarity.
There won’t be a big difference when listening to pop music, but when listening to pure music, occasionally, you may feel that the instrument’s power is lacking. However, it is worth mentioning that the noise reduction function of Tour Pro 2 is excellent. After turning on the noise reduction, the sound quality is also significantly improved, which deserves praise.
Conclusion
The sound quality of the JBL Tour Pro 2 is reasonable and belongs to the upper-middle level among such true wireless earphones. Especially the noise reduction function is exceptionally outstanding, which can achieve a completely isolated music space when walking on the street or taking a car or boat, allowing it to produce similar sound effects in different spaces.
As for whether the addition of a touch screen is worth promoting, the author believes that the touch screen has certain practicality, especially for switching noise reduction and adjusting the volume, which is quite convenient. As for the practicality of the charging case as a remote control, the author thinks it is creative and valuable. The touch screen can play an important role when the earphones are used on a computer or tablet.
