JBL’s Tour Pro 2 boast a pretty graph that masks the sheer lack of dynamism in the sound.
- Carrying case allows a lot of customization without opening up the app
- Very good battery life
- Comfortable to wear for longer periods
- Good microphone performance
- Very good ANC performance
- BT multipoint
- Academically “well” tuned with no harshness
- No LDAC/AptX support; L3 support is still scarce
- Display on the case ends up being a party-trick
- Heavy, bulky carrying case
- Compression in the microphone
- Sound lacks dynamics
- Severely falls behind in terms of resolution, imaging, and staging
JBL has a long history attached to its name, with the legendary L-series of speakers being a mainstay of many households and recording studios during the 70s and 80s. Since then, JBL has transitioned into the mainstream and has lately been mostly focused on portable speakers.
The Tour Pro 2 are somewhat of an oddball offering from JBL. These flagship TWS IEMs intend to differentiate themselves through an interactive carrying case display. It’s a novel idea that might border on ridiculous for some, but let’s not be too rash to judge.
However, more than having a novelty is needed in this cut-throat market, as sound quality is the prime parameter – one where the Tour Pro 2 have to prove their worth.
Unboxing and First Impression
Case ⓘ
Battery ⓘ
- Battery Life: 30 hours (no ANC), 24 hours (ANC)
- Connector: USB Type-C
- Wireless Charging: Yes
- Battery Capacity: 850 mAh
Battery life is outstanding, with the case holding 24 hours of extra charge. This takes the total battery life to about 32 hours (with ANC on). I have to charge the JBL Tour Pro 2 once a week.
The Tour Pro 2 support Qi wireless charging. So, the type-C port is not the only option for a quick top-up.
UX ⓘ
- Can be opened easily with one hand: Yes
- Pass the shake test: Yes
- Display: Shows detailed battery levels, customized functions
The case can be easily opened with one hand. The earbuds themselves are held with strong magnets.
The front capacitive touch display is the star of the show here.
The screen indicates detailed charging stats about the case and each earbud. Moreover, you can choose ANC modes, select EQ presets, and enable/disable a litany of other features without ever opening the app. Nifty indeed.
Design ⓘ
- Shape of the case: Rectangular with rounded edges
- Material: Plastic
- Build Quality: Premium
The case is built really well. The lid shows no creak or wobble. The added weight makes the case feel denser, resulting in a sense of robustness rarely found in TWS cases.
Portability ⓘ
- Weight: 73g (case only), 97g (with earbuds)
- Volume: 6 cm x 6 cm x 3 cm = 108 cm cu
- Portability: Average
The carrying case has noticeable weight, and it’s not one to disappear in your pocket. I am not a big fan of such bulk, but given the large battery and the front display, the extra weight is understandable.
Earbuds ⓘ
Battery ⓘ
- Battery Life: 8 hrs (with ANC), 10 hrs (without ANC)
- Charge Time (15 mins): 240 mins playback time
The earbuds last about 8 hours before they run dry (with ANC on). You can turn off the ANC and get 10 hrs on a single charge.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 need about 2 hours to charge fully (with the case), but you can get up to 240 minutes of playback time with just 15 minutes of charge.
UX ⓘ
- Control Mechanism: Touch
- Touch Accuracy: Reliable
- Control Symmetry on both earbuds: Yes
- Mono Use: Yes, both sides
The stem has a fairly responsive touch-sensitive panel built-in. Accidental taps and activations are minimal. The various touch controls can be remapped to whatever you prefer via the app.
Design ⓘ
- Profile: Low
- Material: Plastic
- Comfort: Outstanding
- Fit: Outstanding
The JBL Tour Pro 2 have a bland, unremarkable design language.
The build is all plastic, resulting in a look that doesn’t befit the price tag. There is also a wear-detection sensor on the inside, which works well in practice. At the bottom, there are the charging pins.
Fortunately, the fit is great. The earpieces fit snugly and are stable even when working out.
There is one vent near the nozzle. I did not notice any pressure buildup when wearing the Tour Pro 2.
Mic ⓘ
- Noise Cancellation: Good
- Voice Pick-up: Outstanding
Thanks to six dedicated microphones, the mic has exceptional voice pickup in a quiet environment.
In very noisy environments, the very aggressive noise cancellation results in some break-up. However, such extreme cases should not arise in a day-to-day situation.
The VoiceAware feature allows you to reroute your voice back to the earpiece for a more natural sound during calls.
Mic demo
Sound ⓘ
- Driver: 10mm single dynamic driver
- Sound Signature: Neutral with sub-bass boost
- Bass: Average
- Mids: Average
- Treble: Substandard
- Sound Detail: Substandard
The JBL Tour Pro 2 utilize a single dynamic driver. Unfortunately, that’s all the details about the internals from the promotional materials.
The JBL Tour Pro 2 follow the Harman target closely, with some deviations in the treble region.
Taken in isolation, the graph is excellent if you are one of those “academically inclined” listeners who prefer their IEMs to hit a specific “target” curve.
Unfortunately, the sound is only “good” on paper. During actual listening, the Tour Pro 2 turn out to be dull, lacking in texture, detail, and dynamics.
The bass is slow and nebulous, with the strong sub-bass rumble being the only saving grace. Fast basslines are not rendered well, as the bass notes bleed into each other.
The mids sound correct for the most part, though there is some haziness in the lower-mids. The upper-mids are not shouty and mostly pushed to the front, resulting in well-articulated female vocals.
The treble is elevated more than the Harman target, but tends to sound very compressed and “low resolution.” Given the otherwise “perfect” frequency response, it’s a strange phenomenon. The upper-treble extension is also lacking, furthering the lack of overall resolution.
Staging is intimate, while imaging is mostly left and right with no sense of frontal projection or ordinal placement of instruments.
The macrodynamic punch is decent in the bass region but sounds compressed overall. Microdynamic shifts are imperceptible, resulting in subtle changes in volume not being picked up at all.
Overall, the sheer lack of resolution and other “technical” parameters make the Tour Pro 2 a severe letdown, especially at the given price point. They do not sound “bad” in terms of tuning, far from it, but there is no engaging factor in the sound. A shame, really.
ANC performance is very good overall as it reduces low-frequency noise drastically, whereas high-frequency sounds are dampened to a degree.
Connectivity ⓘ
- Audio Codec: AAC
- Bluetooth Version: 5.3
- Bluetooth Chip: N/A
- Auto-connect when: Case lid opened
- Average drop-outs in an hour: 0-3 times
- Multi-point connection: Yes
Multipoint support is present, and it is seamless to switch between an Android phone and a Windows PC. The latest Bluetooth 5.3 and class 1 support is here, resulting in a long connection range and exceptional stability.
Waterproof ⓘ
- IP Rating: IPX5
The IPX5 rating means that the JBL Tour Pro 2 are secure from minor splashes and water sprays, but there is no dust protection.
Software ⓘ
- Available on: Android & iOS
- 10-band EQ and Personi-fi 2.0.
- Spatial sound.
- Customizable gesture and ANC modes.
- Auto-Pause: Yes.
The ANC can be customized with specific levels of “feedback” from the environment that the user can dial in via settings. Many of the app functionalities can be accessed via the display on the case, so you don’t have to pick up your smartphone for a quick EQ preset change, for example.
The EQ is fairly comprehensive, offering 10 bands of adjustment. The Personi-Fi feature is a variation of the “sound personalization” feature that many competing TWS IEMs offer. It tended to boost bass consistently for me, so it’s probably not a good audiophile solution, but your mileage may vary.
The Spatial Sound presets worked well, with a convincing expansion of the stereo image without sacrificing details or imaging. The upper-treble was boosted too much at times, so I found myself turning this feature off for music.
In short: class-leading companion app with a dizzying array of customizability.
Conclusion
The JBL Tour Pro 2 get nearly everything right apart from the sound. The ANC performance is excellent, rivaling the best in class. The microphone array is competent, while the app is the most comprehensive I have come across.
Also, let’s not forget that display on the case, though it was nothing short of a gimmick for me in the long run.
Sadly, the Tour Pro 2 sound unrefined, and the lack of resolution for the asking price is a deal breaker. As such, I cannot recommend them since they fail at the most fundamental aspect – sound quality.
The current predicament might be a combination of poor quality driver, sub-optimal acoustic chamber design, and codec compression. I hope JBL can focus on refining the tuning and finding an engaging signature in the next release instead of relying on cool gimmicks.
Quality good sound
ya!!!!
What spinfit eartip model did you manage to fit in the Tour Pro 2? Do they fit snuggly well? Spinfit does not list this buds model on their website.
The Spinfit CP-1025 worked for me (it’s also added as a note in the review). The tips fit well and there were no issues placing the earbuds in the case.