JBL Tour One M3 Review – Wireless, Noise Canceling & Travel-Ready

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Bluetooth headphones are what feels like an infinitely large category. There are quite literally hundreds to choose from on worldwidestereo.com alone! So how do you know what to look for when shopping for headphones? Wired or wireless? Bluetooth compatibility? What’s the isolation and noise canceling like? And... do your headphones come with a small touchscreen? What the heck even is this thing? I’ll help you decide what features are important to look for, and how the new JBL Tour One M3 may fit into your lifestyle. Let’s crack a pair of these open!

Wired vs. Wireless Connections

The first thing I want to talk about is wired or wireless headphones. A lot of people nowadays really want to not be tethered down to their desk or deal with the tangled mess of cables getting in their way. And others really want that hardwired connection for the best audio quality and reliability. Most high-end headphones will focus on one or the other, but the growing trend is to support both, which is nice to see. And JBL has done just that with these headphones.

Unboxing them for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised to see the inclusion of not just a USB-C cable for charging, but also a 3.5mm-to-USB-C cable as well! You have two options to connect via a cable to your laptop, phone, or anything else. USB-C is the standard moving forward in electronics, but JBL hasn’t forgotten about the USB Type-A people in the world and included a little adapter. And with the Smart TX device, which can act as a high-quality, low-latency audio transmitter, I feel confident in saying that no matter what your device is, you’ll be able to connect it to the Tour One M3. More on the Smart TX device later.

Carrying Case & Travel Features

The carrying case is something that is incredibly important to me. If you are someone that travels a lot for work or leisure, this is huge. The color of the case matches the headphones, which is nice, and on the outside, it includes a strap and carabiner to clip it to a backpack or luggage. Inside the case, you can see a little decal that shows you how to fold up the headphones to fit inside, and an accessory pouch with a Velcro seal. I think that’s a great inclusion so all your loose cables and chargers have somewhere to be secure. For travel, you could put your phone charger and cables in here too, which is handy.

Features & Connectivity

Next step is to fire these up! In the box, JBL does give you a 3-step quick start guide and a QR code to download a companion app to help you personalize the headphones and companion Smart TX device. You will also find a booklet that gives more details on what comes in the box. The JBL Headphones app gives you a ton of control options, and most of the app's functionality seems to be mirrored on the Smart TX device. Let’s talk more about this little guy now.

In a world where seemingly everything has Bluetooth, I struggle to find exactly where the Smart TX will be best used, but I can think of half a dozen examples where it could be used. For example, on a plane that has in-flight entertainment with only a headphone jack to connect to, you can use the 3.5mm cable to connect the Smart TX to the display and broadcast audio wirelessly to the headphones. Or when the Bluetooth built into a device is spotty, you can use the Smart TX as a more reliable option. I would say flexibility is the key, and with the combination of Bluetooth in the headphones, the cables JBL gives you, and the Smart TX device, I can’t imagine a scenario where you would run into compatibility issues.

While we are on the subject of flexibility, let’s talk about Auracast. In case you don’t know, Auracast is a new Bluetooth standard that allows one device to broadcast to multiple other devices. Traditionally, Bluetooth has been a one-to-one connection, but Auracast allows multiple users to essentially tune into the same broadcast. Cool for anything like kids in the back row of a minivan watching a show on a tablet, to a silent rave, or even as an option for people with hearing difficulty listening to a movie on different volume settings.

Design & Build Quality

Now onto the headphones themselves. They sound great! I’m pretty picky when it comes to audio quality, and I loved these headphones. Out of the box, the bass was punchy, the mids were clear, and the highs were sparkly. I ended up settling on an EQ preset called “CLUB,” which boosted the highs and bass a little bit, which tuned them more to my style of listening. The EQ presets range from pretty good to “I don’t know what they are trying to accomplish,” but JBL gets pretty in-depth with their custom EQ curves. You get access to take any of the presets and customize them to your liking with the 10-band visual equalizer, or make one from scratch.

Comfort and style are two other hugely important factors when it comes to headphones. Comfort matters a ton. If you are going to wear these for 2, 5, 8, or 14 hours on a flight, they better be comfy. And they definitely can last that whole flight, especially with a battery life up to 70 hours! I only wore them for about a 4-hour session while writing the script for this video, and they never posed any comfort issues for me. I found the ear cups and headband both very soft and spongy, and the headphones themselves are quite light.

The one thing that was a discomfort though was the noise cancellation. I’m incredibly sensitive to the pressure you can sometimes feel when noise canceling is turned on, and these felt particularly aggressive. But if you are looking to block out the world’s distractions, maybe that’s a good thing. It was incredibly effective though, but I opted to leave it turned off for most of my testing. The style of these is great. They don't stand out too much, but I absolutely loved the blue colorway with the bronze accents. I have two pairs of blue speakers at home, a matching blue turntable, blue MacBook, and blue iPhone. I guess I know what my favorite color is! The Tour One M3 also comes in black, and what JBL calls mocha, which is like a dusty off-white. I think these three colors are enough, but I’ll never say no to more.

Final Thoughts

I would recommend these headphones for people who think flexibility is a top concern, people who want to be able to broadcast audio easily with the Smart TX transmitter, or music lovers who want blue headphones as a vanity piece to match the rest of their blue tech like me. Seriously though, I think they are a great value and you should definitely consider them for your next upgrade.

Thank you for watching everyone! If you want to learn more about these, check out our listing on them linked down below. And if you want to stay updated with all of our reviews, guides, and more, please subscribe and ring the notification bell! This is Chris with World Wide Stereo, thanks for tuning in!

Shop: JBL Tour One M3 Over Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does the JBL Tour One M3 compare to other JBL headphones?

The Tour One M3 sits at the top of JBL’s over-ear lineup, offering premium noise cancellation, Auracast support, and flexibility with both wired and wireless connections. Unlike some entry-level JBL headphones, the M3 includes a Smart TX transmitter and USB-C audio support, giving it an edge for travel and multi-device use.

How long does the battery last, and how fast does it charge?

JBL rates the Tour One M3 for up to 70 hours of playback with noise canceling off, or around 30–40 hours with ANC enabled depending on volume. A quick-charge feature provides about 4 hours of playback from a 10-minute charge, with a full charge taking roughly 2 hours via USB-C.

What connectivity options are available?

You can connect wirelessly via Bluetooth (supporting the latest Auracast standard), or use the included USB-C-to-3.5mm or USB-C-to-USB-C cable for wired playback. The package also includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter for compatibility with older devices. With the Smart TX transmitter, you can wirelessly stream from sources that lack Bluetooth, such as in-flight entertainment systems.

What is the Smart TX device, and do I need it?

The Smart TX transmitter allows you to broadcast audio wirelessly from devices that only have a headphone jack or unreliable Bluetooth. It’s especially useful on airplanes, older laptops, or when you want to share audio with multiple Auracast-enabled headphones. While you don’t need it for standard Bluetooth pairing, it adds a lot of flexibility.

How comfortable and portable are the Tour One M3 headphones?

The headphones are lightweight, with soft earcups and a plush headband designed for long listening sessions. They fold neatly into the included hard-shell carrying case, which features an accessory pouch, strap, and carabiner for easy travel. They’re designed with travelers in mind.

How effective is the noise canceling?

The adaptive noise cancellation is very strong—effective enough for busy flights or noisy commutes. Some sensitive listeners may notice pressure when ANC is on, but you can easily toggle it off in the JBL Headphones app or on the headphones directly.

What customization options are available?

Using the JBL Headphones app (iOS & Android), you can access a 10-band EQ to adjust sound to your liking, select EQ presets, update firmware, and control noise canceling and other features. Most settings can also be controlled directly on the headphones or Smart TX device.

What colors does the JBL Tour One M3 come in?

The Tour One M3 is available in blue with bronze accents, black, and mocha.