Forget AirPods: These wireless earbuds offer clever features that Apple doesn’t

I will be candid. When JBL launched its Tour Professional 2 earbuds with a touchscreen case again in January, my quick response was one in every of cynicism. “Simply what I would like, one other display screen to have a look at,” I believed to myself. 

Additionally: These $169 Apple-owned earbuds have been made with Android customers in thoughts

Whereas the display screen was undoubtedly modern, and patents counsel that the thought of it’s on Apple’s thoughts too, what I — and most audiophiles — in the end worth is sound high quality, particularly with the Tour Professional 2’s $250 premium.

Nonetheless, after a number of weeks of testing the JBL Tour Professional 2, I am glad to report that, whereas not good, each the performance of the exterior show and audio efficiency has swiped and canceled my preliminary reservations. And there is a software program function which may be much more interesting to some. Learn on.

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JBL Tour Professional 2

The JBL Tour Professional 2’s standout function is the charging case touchscreen, which features as a distant management. 

To begin, the JBL Tour Professional 2’s headliner is that 1.45-inch touchscreen embedded within the charging case. Whereas a few of the touchscreen options are extra enjoyable than sensible, just like the customizable screensaver, tiny “flashlight,” and timer, the show remains to be very enjoyable to work together with. (Kudos to JBL’s PR crew, by the best way, for sending the tester with a ZDNET emblem preloaded!)

Additionally: These $169 headphones sound so good you’d suppose they’d value much more

Whereas the display screen has a slight delay between faucets and swipes and requires extra stress to navigate than that of your smartphone or pill, I used to be in a position to customise my private EQ settings and even use the built-in earbuds locator function. It additionally makes for a swift toggle from ambient to ANC mode, each of which galvanized when it got here to sound management.

I discovered that the Tour Professional 2 wasn’t too far off from matching the transparency mode of Apple’s second-gen AirPods Professional. Each successfully permit me to stay conscious of my environment, particularly within the busier streets of New York Metropolis, with out sacrificing my morning Taylor Swift listening ritual. 

The ANC wasn’t too far off from the AirPods’ noise-canceling, too. When toggled on, the buds supply a decent seal and might muffle out subway screeches. However, once more, the sound is barely thinner than different $200+ earbuds and much off from the present ANC champion, The Bose QuietComfort II. 

Additionally: Finest noise-canceling earbuds you should buy proper now

My favourite function, consider it or not, was not the buds’ touchscreen show or noise cancellation. As a substitute, I discovered the VoiceAware, which helps you to management how a lot of your voice you’ll be able to hear when making a name, probably the most spectacular. 

As somebody who despises the sound of their very own voice and primarily makes use of wi-fi earbuds for calls, this function not solely decreased how loud I sounded to myself when talking however was simply accessible due to the touchscreen show. The general microphone high quality was additionally satisfactory; I had little to no complaints from callers as I walked across the noisiest of streets.

For the worth, the JBL earbuds function the same old checklist of premiums like wi-fi charging, multi-point connectivity with as much as two gadgets, and 40 hours of battery life within the case. Whereas the touchscreen compromises a few of the compactness of the case, it nonetheless matches comfortably in a back and front pocket.

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Finally, I am impressed with the JBL Tour Professional 2. The touchscreen is in no way life-changing, nevertheless it additionally did not give me the impression of getting extra display screen fatigue. Sooner or later, I might like to see a display screen that requires much less stress to work together with and a faster contact response time. At $250, do you have to purchase these over the similarly-priced opponents? Sure, however provided that the added performance of a show and the blessing of lowered mic enter appeals to you.