In trends for audio devices, it’s perhaps more prevalent that most casual listeners are opting for wired earphones over wireless ones out of sheer convenience. From losing individual buds, or just from the fact that we have to charge them to use them — just like the millions other tech gadgets that keep our life going — traditional earphones just look more attractive and complementary to our busy lifestyles today.

Why would someone go one step further to consider headphones then? The very fact that one might want to wear the chunkier version already reflects a more serious attitude to toward sound consumption. But even then, sound quality seems to be of the lowest concern nowadays; most devices have nailed their ANC features and offer the sound customisation toggles that make sure everyone gets their cup of tea, so that’s somewhat guaranteed across the board.

So what really matters? The other features that affect the headphone experience: battery life, connectivity for the wireless options, call quality, comfort for long-wear and aesthetic. JBL’s sleek Tour One M3 Smart Tx may not be that seamless addition to a one-brand suite of personal tech, but it does have quite a bit bagged that makes it a worthy competitor of the trusty, old school wired earphones.

One of the most defining characteristics that makes the Tour One M3 Smart Tx different is the wireless JBL Smart Tx audio transmitter. It’s one more device to bring around, but here’s what it enables: everywhere entertainment from any USB-C or analog audio sources such as an inflight entertainment system, PC, tablet or television. The direct proprietary wireless connection between transmitter and the headphones improves latency, stability and call quality, making it the perfect pairing for any audio content form, wherever the listener is; the JBL Tour One M3 is fully device, source and content agnostic.

In other words, you could listen to a podcast on the plane or take a call at a cafe and decide to get up to get refreshed in the toilet, but you won’t have to go through the hassle of removing your headphones and pausing the audio in that process, plus maintain Zoom-certified, crystal-clear quality.

The impressive JBL Auracast feature introduced last year also now works for the Tour One M3 Smart Tx, which makes this headphone incredibly suited to listening parties or audio guides in experiential spaces. The audio sharing of course requires a JBL lineup, but it’s nonetheless an attractive feature that might increase the chances of building that empire to begin with.

For listeners who want to stay more aware of their surroundings, Ambient Aware and TalkThru can be also customised in the JBL Headphones app to control what and how much is heard. But there’s also a Seamless SmartTalk function that automatically pauses music and enables ambient noise via voice recognition.

Another attractive aspect of the Tour One M3 Smart Tx is its battery life. It delivers up to 70 hours of playback (slightly less than 3 days), and just 5 minutes of charging time adds 5 hours to that capacity. And the JBL Smart Tx? Up to 18 hours of battery life. Less needing to charge means less likely of carrying a dead-weight around when the headphone is out of juice. And the perfect complementary feature? The lush fit. Lightweight, tactile, and smartly designed so that we get to actually enjoy all 70 hours without throbbing headaches or earaches.

This is not all to say the actual sound specs fall below the quality of its other features. Engineered with JBL’s newly developed 40mm Mica Dome drivers, the JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx is precisely tuned to deliver deep bass, balanced mids, and crystal-clear highs. A inclusion of next-generation JBL Spatial 360 feature also allows integrated head tracking, so sounds stay fixed in space even when you turn your head — your portable studio that you can readily immerse yourself in whenever you need to.

Last but not least, you have the JBL Personi-Fi 3.0 — a customised hearing profile set-up option you can access through the accompanying JBL Headphones app. The new user experience and algorithm make the Personi-Fi 3.0 more accurate than ever before with a 12-band EQ and separate L/R balance optimisation.

Priced at $499, JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx is available in Black, Mocha and Blue at selected JBL authorised dealers and online store here. Once you are done with this story, click here to catch up with our June/July 2025 issue.