JBL revealed several new wireless earbud models Wednesday, including the new flagship Tour Pro 2 with a touchscreen for additional control via the “smart case.”
“The world’s first smart charging case,” as the company called it, features a 1.45-inch LED touchscreen that lets you control music, noise cancellation, calls and notifications. That gets you out of turning to an app on your smartphone — as long as you keep the case at hand.
JBL rolls out Tour Pro 2 wireless earbuds and other models at CES 2023
As the brand’s flagship buds in a growing lineup, JBL Tour Pro 2 will include 10mm drivers, JBL Pro sound, spatial audio, adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC), ambient sound mode and eight hours of battery life (10 hours without ANC), the company said in a press release.
Regarding battery life, the fully charged case gives you three times the life of the earbuds alone, for a total of 24 to 30 hours depending on your ANC use. The new buds support the latest Bluetooth 5.3 and are LE Audio-compatible.
Customization options
JBL, a Samsung subsidiary, uses a system it calls Personi-fi 2.0 for customization via app for iOS and Android. You can use it to tweak audio profiles. In addition, you can get the best fit using an Ear Canal Test, which is a feature similar to what Apple offers with its second-generation AirPods Pro.
JBL’s buds, which come with a sweat-proofing rating of IPX5, include six microphones with JBL’s VoiceAware technology for calls. The buds come with an “Oval Tube” design and multiple ear tip sizes for a good fit, JBL said.
Tour Pro 2 earbuds will go on sale in spring 2023 with a choice of black and champagne colors. You can expect to pay $249.95 at launch at JBL and retailers.
Other new or updated JBL earbuds
In addition to the Tour Pro 2 buds, JBL showcased numerous other new or refreshed earbuds ahead of the giant CES tech show, which starts Thursday in Las Vegas. They include three sets of earbuds at the $99 price point with a June 2023 release schedule. They are Tune Buds, Tune Beam stick buds and Tune Flex open earbuds with stems ($99). The company also plans to release a few budget earbuds.
