JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed Jul 14, 2021 at 09:24am
Tested using Methodology v1.5 
JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless
7.5
Neutral Sound 
7.8
Commute/Travel 
8.2
Sports/Fitness 
7.3
Office 
5.9
Wireless Gaming 
5.8
Wired Gaming 
6.5
Phone Calls 
 2

The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are in-ears designed for business professionals. They have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system that offers good overall performance, especially if you're trying to block out chatting coworkers. They also have a neutral sound profile, and while they lack a bit of low-bass, you can customize them to your liking using their companion app's parametric EQ and presets. On the downside, their roughly four hours of continuous playback time is fairly short, and their integrated mic offers a sub-par recording quality.

Our Verdict

7.5
Neutral Sound 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus are good for neutral sound. They have a very neutral sound, although they lack a bit of low-bass. A dip in the mid-mid also pushes vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. However, they have a less-than-immersive passive soundstage due to their closed-back, in-ear design.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built design.
  • Parametric EQ and presets available.
Cons
  • Bad passive soundstage.
7.8
Commute/Travel 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus are good for commute and travel. Thanks to their ANC, they can block out a fair amount of noise like the low rumble of bus or plane engines. They also have a comfortable, well-built design, and their small size makes it easy to put them in most pockets or bags. However, their roughly four hours of continuous playback time may not be enough for long trips.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built design.
  • ANC with good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 4.2-hour continuous battery life.
8.2
Sports/Fitness 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus are great for sports and fitness. They have a comfortable, breathable fit, and thanks to their stability fins, they should stay in your ear during moderate physical exercise. They also have an IPX5 rating for water resistance, but we don't currently test for that.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built design.
  • Stable fit.
Cons
  • 4.2-hour continuous battery life.
7.3
Office 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus are decent for office use. They have a comfortable, breathable fit, and their ANC can block out office chatter around you. However, their continuous playback time of just over four hours may not be enough to get you through your shift without pausing to recharge them.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built design.
  • ANC with good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • 4.2-hour continuous battery life.
  • Bad passive soundstage.
5.9
Wireless Gaming 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus aren't recommended for wireless gaming. While you can connect them to a Bluetooth-enabled PC, the latency is likely to be too high for gaming. They also aren't compatible with PlayStation or Xbox consoles.

5.8
Wired Gaming 

The JBL Tour Pro Plus are Bluetooth-only headphones that can't be used on a wired connection.

6.5
Phone Calls 

The JBL Tour Pro TWS are fair for phone calls. Their integrated mic does a sub-par job of recording your voice, so you sound unnatural. The mic also struggles to separate your voice from moderate background noise, which may be a problem if you're taking a call from a busy street. Luckily, their ANC cuts down a good amount of noise so that you can focus on your call.

Pros
  • Comfortable and well-built design.
  • ANC with good noise isolation performance.
Cons
  • Sub-par recording quality.
  • Mic struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise.
  • 7.5
    Neutral Sound
  • 7.8
    Commute/Travel
  • 8.2
    Sports/Fitness
  • 7.3
    Office
  • 5.9
    Wireless Gaming
  • 5.8
    Wired Gaming
  • 6.5
    Phone Calls
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Aug 10, 2021: Updated information regarding IP rating in 'Build Quality' box.
    2.  Updated Jul 14, 2021: Review published.
    3.  Updated Jul 07, 2021: Early access published.
    4.  Updated Jun 30, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus come in one color variation: Black, and you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant of these headphones, please let us know in the discussion section below, and we'll update our review.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus are in-ears designed for business professionals. They're similar in overall performance to the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless but now come with five differently-sized ear tips and stability fins. They can block out a good amount of ambient noise around you, although their passive capabilities outweigh their ANC system beyond the bass range. On the downside, their continuous battery life of just over four hours is short and probably won't get you through a long day at work without recharging them again.

    If you're looking for more headphones, check out our recommendations for the best true wireless earbuds, the best earbuds and in-ear headphones, and the best wireless earbuds for Android.

    Apple AirPods Pro

    The Apple AirPods Pro are better in-ears for most uses than the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable and well-built, the Apple's ANC can block out significantly more ambient noise around you, and the Apple have a longer total battery life. Their H1 chip also allows you to seamlessly pair them with your Apple devices. However, the JBL have a more customizable sound, thanks to their companion app's parametric EQ and presets. 

    JBL Tour One Wireless

    The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are better overall headphones than the JBL Tour One Wireless. The Tour Pro+ are in-ears that are better built, have more consistent audio delivery, and have a more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their ANC also does a significantly better job of blocking out background noise. However, the Tour One support multi-device pairing and longer continuous battery life.

    Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro

    The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro. While both headphones are comfortable, the JBL are better-built, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their ANC can block out a bit more background noise. They also have a better battery performance, and you can customize their sound profile using their companion app's parametric EQ and presets. However, the Samsung's integrated mic has a better recording quality.

    EarFun Air Pro True Wireless

    The EarFun Air Pro True Wireless are slightly better in-ears than the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless. While both headphones are comfortable, the EarFun have a somewhat v-shaped sound profile that some users may prefer, and their ANC can block out a lot more ambient noise around. They also have significantly better battery performance. However, the JBL are better built, and you can adjust their sound to your liking using their companion app's parametric EQ and presets. 

    Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Truly Wireless

    The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds Truly Wireless are slightly better headphones than the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless. While both headphones are well-built, the Bose's ANC system does a significantly better job blocking out background noise, and they have longer continuous battery life. Some users also may prefer their sound profile's touch of extra bass. However, the JBL are more comfortable.

    Beats Solo Pro

    The JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are better headphones than the Beats Solo Pro. The JBL are more comfortable, have a more neutral default sound profile, which some users may prefer, and their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound to your liking. However, the Beats have a better noise isolation performance and a longer continuous battery life. They also have an H1 chip that allows you to seamlessly pair them with Apple devices.

    JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless

    The JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless and the JBL Tour Pro+ TWS True Wireless are similarly performing headphones. Both headphones are comfortable, well-built, and their ANC systems both offer comparable performances. However, the CLUB PRO+'s microphone offers a better recording quality and a better overall battery performance.

    Overhauling Our Audio Measurements And A New Multi-Curve Graphing Tool

    We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.

    For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.

    We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!

    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    TypeIn-ear
    EnclosureClosed-Back
    WirelessTruly Wireless
    TransducerDynamic

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have a plain and non-descript look. They're round with a silver brand logo on each earbud. There's also the word 'Tour' on the side of the bud. They only come in black.

    7.5
    Comfort
    Weight0.03 lbs
    Clamping Force
    0 lbs

    The JBL Tour Pro TWS are comfortable. Like the JBL CLUB PRO+ TWS True Wireless, they don't put pressure on your ear. They also come with five sets of ear tips to help you get the best fit. However, the buds are bulky and stick out.

    6.5
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    Not OS specific
    Ease Of UseDecent
    FeedbackGood
    Call/Music ControlYes
    Volume ControlNo
    Microphone ControlMute/Unmute
    Channel Mixing
    No
    Noise Cancelling ControlOn/Off
    Talk-Through
    On/Off
    Additional ControlsVoice Assistant

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have fair controls. To connect them via Bluetooth, you can touch either bud once and hold. There's an audible tone when pairing. With the right bud, you can tap once to play or pause audio, tap twice to skip the track forward, and tap three times to skip to the previous track. The left earbud allows you to turn ANC on, off, or access ambient mode, and there's an audible tone when switching between modes. A double-tap activates talkthough. You can also tap twice to answer or reject a call, hold to mute and unmute your microphone, or hold either bud to activate voice assistant. There's even a Silent Now feature you can access by holding both buds for five seconds that keeps the ANC on but turns off Bluetooth and music.

    If you prefer, you can customize the controls using their companion app. However, you lose access to some controls if you're only using one earbud. Ambient Sound controls can also only be adjusted while you're wearing them. There's no audible feedback when you double or triple press either.

    9.2
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.Difference0.8 °C

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have outstanding breathability. Thanks to their in-ear design, they don't really cover your outer ear. You shouldn't notice a temperature difference when you're wearing them, and you shouldn't sweat more than normal.

    9.4
    Portability
    L1.5" (3.8 cm)
    W1.1" (2.9 cm)
    H1.1" (2.8 cm)
    Volume1.89 in³ (31.00 cm³)
    Transmitter RequiredNo

    These headphones are incredibly portable. Like most truly wireless headphones, they have a small and lightweight design that should easily fit in most pockets or bags. Their carrying case is also fairly small.

    7.5
    Case
    TypeHard case
    L2.2" (5.6 cm)
    W2.1" (5.3 cm)
    H1.3" (3.4 cm)
    Volume5.86 in³ (96.00 cm³)

    The carrying case is good. It's plastic, and there's a magnet to hold the buds in place. There's an LED light near the charging port that lets you know its charging status and two LED lights inside the case for each bud. These two lights turn off a few seconds after opening the case.

    8.0
    Build Quality

    Update 08/10/2021: Following reader feedback, information regarding the headphone's IP rating has been added. The score hasn't been changed, but the text has been updated.

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have a great build quality. They're mostly made of plastic but feel sturdy and solid. They come with stability fins and five different pairs of ear tips, but the ear tips seem potentially weaker than other parts of their design. The buds themselves are rated IPX5 for water resistance, but we don't currently test for that.

    7.5
    Stability

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have a stable fit. They come with a variety of differently-sized ear tips and have stability fins to stay put in your ears while you're moving.

    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

    • JBL Tour Pro Plus headphones
    • 5x ear tips
    • Stability fins
    • Charging case
    • USB-A to USB-C charging cable
    • Manuals
    Sound
    Sound Profile
    See details on graph tool
    Bass Amount
    -0.34 dB
    Treble Amount
    0.1 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have a very neutral sound profile, making them suitable for lots of audio content. That said, if you want to customize their sound, their companion app offers a parametric EQ and presets.

    9.6
    Frequency Response Consistency
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    0.08 dB

    These headphones have outstanding frequency response consistency. Like most in-ears, once you achieve an airtight seal, they should deliver audio very consistently each time you use them.

    Raw Frequency Response
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    9.0
    Bass Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    1.26 dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    27.48 Hz
    Low-Bass
    -2.2 dB
    Mid-Bass
    0.44 dB
    High-Bass
    -0.69 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have outstanding bass accuracy. They're a little underemphasized in the low-bass range, so your mixes lack a touch of thump and rumble. That said, the rest of the range is very flat and neutral, resulting in a warm bass.

    8.3
    Mid Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    2.29 dB
    Low-Mid
    -1.5 dB
    Mid-Mid
    -3.42 dB
    High-Mid
    0.01 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have great mid accuracy. There's some underemphasis in the low to mid-mid, so vocals and lead instruments are thinned out a bit and pushed to the back of the mix. The high-mid is very neutral, though, which helps their clarity and intensity.

    8.6
    Treble Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    2.2 dB
    Low-Treble
    -0.85 dB
    Mid-Treble
    -0.63 dB
    High-Treble
    -4 dB

    These headphones have excellent treble accuracy. It's very slightly underemphasized, but it shouldn't be too noticeable. Vocals and lead instruments are present but lacking a touch of detail, while sibilants like cymbals are slightly dulled.

    8.2
    Peaks/Dips
    See details on graph tool
    Peaks
    1.09 dB
    Dips
    1.06 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have great peaks and dips performance. The slight peak in the low to mid-bass adds extra thump and rumble to your mixes, while a dip in the mid-mid pushes vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. Another peak in the high-mid can harshen vocals and lead instruments a bit. The uneven mid-treble can make sibilants like S and T sounds alternatingly dull and piercing.

    9.1
    Imaging
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Weighted Group Delay
    0.39
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    1.29
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    0.16
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    1.02

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have fantastic imaging. Their weighted group delay falls below the audibility threshold, resulting in tight bass and transparent treble. The L/R drivers of our unit are also well-matched in phase, amplitude, and frequency. It's important for accurately placing and localizing objects like footsteps and instruments in the stereo image. However, these results are only valid for our unit, so your results may vary.

    0.9
    Passive Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    N/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    N/A
    PRTF Distance
    N/A
    Openness
    2.5
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    1.3

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have a terrible passive soundstage. To create a speaker-like soundstage, the outer ear has to be activated with sound. However, since they have an in-ear design, they bypass the outer ear altogether, resulting in sound being perceived as if it's coming from inside your head. Their closed-back design also means that their soundstage doesn't seem as spacious as headphones with an open-back enclosure.

    0.0
    Virtual Soundstage
    Head Modeling
    No
    Speaker Modeling
    No
    Room Ambience
    No
    Head Tracking
    No
    Virtual Surround
    No
    8.3
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    See details on graph tool
    WHD @ 90
    0.179
    WHD @ 100
    0.073

    The weighted harmonic distortion performance is great. The entire frequency range falls within good limits, which results in clean and pure audio reproduction.

    Test Settings
    Firmware
    2.5.0
    Power
    On
    Connection
    Bluetooth 5.0
    Codec
    SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
    EQ
    Off
    ANC
    On
    Tip/Pad
    Silicone (small)
    Microphone
    Integrated

    These are the settings used to test the JBL Tour Pro Plus, and our results are only valid in this configuration.

    Isolation
    7.5
    Noise Isolation
    See details on graph tool
    Isolation Audio
    Overall Attenuation
    -19.48 dB
    Noise CancellingYes
    Bass
    -15.84 dB
    Mid
    -15.23 dB
    Treble
    -27.11 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have good noise isolation. They have an active noise cancelling (ANC) system that does a fair job of cutting down the low rumbles of bus or plane engines. However, their passive noise isolation capabilities are slightly better than their ANC when it comes to the mid to treble range. That said, they can still block out office chatter and the high-pitched hum of an AC unit.

    8.9
    Leakage
    See details on graph tool
    Leakage Audio
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    27.98 dB

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus' leakage performance is excellent. Leakage is mostly concentrated in the treble range, which sounds thin. However, if you like to listen to your audio at high volumes, people around you shouldn't be able to hear it.

    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    Yes
    In-Line
    No
    Boom
    No
    Detachable Boom
    No
    MicYes
    5.6
    Recording Quality
    See details on graph tool
    Recorded Speech
    LFE
    111.52 Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    10.38 dB
    HFE
    8,010.97 Hz
    Weighted THD
    2.718
    Gain
    -9.42 dB

    The integrated mic has a sub-par recording quality. Your voice sounds full but muffled and unnatural.

    6.5
    Noise Handling
    See details on graph tool
    SpNR
    3.06 dB
    Noise Gate
    Always On
    Speech + Pink Noise Handling
    6.5
    Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
    Speech + Subway Noise Handling
    6.5
    Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

    The microphone has okay noise handling. It struggles to separate your voice from moderate background noise, so you may have some trouble being understood if you're calling from a busy street.

    Active Features
    6.7
    Battery
    Battery Type
    Rechargable
    Continuous Battery Life
    4.2 hrs
    Additional Charges
    3.0
    Total Battery Life
    16.8 hrs
    Charge Time
    1.5 hrs
    Power-Saving Feature
    Auto-Off Timer
    Audio While Charging
    Yes
    Passive Playback
    No
    Charging PortUSB-C

    The JBL Tour Pro have an okay battery performance. Although they're advertised to have roughly six hours of continuous battery life, we measured just over four. However, battery performance can vary depending on usage, so your real-life experience may vary. They have roughly three additional charges in their carrying case and have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life while not in use. You can also use one bud while the other one charges.

    8.0
    App Support
    App NameJBL Headphones
    iOSYes
    AndroidYes
    macOSNo
    WindowsNo
    Equalizer
    Parametric + Presets
    ANC Control
    On/Off
    Mic ControlNo
    Room Effects
    No
    Playback Control
    No
    Button MappingYes
    Surround Support
    No

    The JBL Headphones app is great. It has a parametric EQ and presets so that you can customize their sound to your liking. You can also remap the button layout to set volume controls or to adjust the layout of other controls. You can also set the auto-off timer or turn it off if you prefer, as well as turn on or off auto-play/pause when they're in your ear. The app also has an ear tip fit test to help you get the best possible fit.

    Connectivity
    6.9
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    5.0
    Multi-Device Pairing
    No
    NFC Pairing
    No
    Line Of Sight Range
    334.65 ft (102.00 m)
    PC Latency (SBC)
    312 ms
    PC Latency (aptX)
    N/A
    PC Latency (aptX HD)
    N/A
    PC Latency (aptX-LL)
    N/A
    iOS Latency
    284 ms
    Android Latency
    273 ms

    The JBL Tour Pro Plus have fair Bluetooth connectivity. Unfortunately, they don't support multi-device or NFC pairing. Their latency is also high on PC, iOS, and Android, which could be disappointing if you like to stream video. However, some apps compensate for latency, so your real-life experience may vary.

    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
    N/A
    Non-BT Latency
    N/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    No
    USB Audio
    No
    DetachableNo
    LengthN/A
    Connection
    No Wired Option
    Analog/USB Audio Latency
    N/A

    These truly wireless headphones can't be used with a wired connection. They come with a USB-A to USB-C cable to charge their carrying case.

    PC Compatibility
    Analog
    No
    Wired USB
    No
    Non-BT Wireless
    No

    These truly wireless headphones can only connect to Bluetooth-enabled PCs.

    PlayStation Compatibility
    PS4 Analog
    No
    PS4 Wired USB
    No
    PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    No
    PS5 Analog
    No
    PS5 Wired USB
    No
    PS5 Non-BT Wireless
    No
    Xbox Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    No
    Xbox One Wired USB
    No
    Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Analog
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
    No
    Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
    No
    2.2
    Base/Dock
    Type
    Charging Case
    USB Input
    No
    Line In
    No
    Line Out
    No
    Optical Input
    No
    RCA Input
    No
    Dock Charging
    Yes
    Power Supply
    USB-C

    These headphones come with a portable carrying case that charges via USB-C.