Before the madness of CES 2021 kicks off, JBL has announced a lineup of new audio products, including headphones, earphones, Bluetooth speakers, and soundbars. Basically, if you need to outfit your home, or yourself, with audio gear, JBL has you covered.
JBL Tour ONE and JBL Tour Pro Plus
JBL announced two new additions to its Tour series: over-ear noise-canceling headphones and true wireless earbuds. Their designs, features, and prices cater to two different crowds, so it’s a matter of finding your personal preference.
The JBL Tour One are over-ear noise-canceling headphones that JBL says “instantly monitors environmental sound and adapts to the perfect level of noise cancellation for the user’s environment.” There’s also a “SilentNow” feature that allows users to enabled noise cancellation mode without activating Bluetooth. Sometimes you need to block out noise without listening to anything in particular.
Here are the JBL Tour One’s specs:
- True Adaptive Noise Cancelling
- JBL Pro Sound powered by 40mm dynamic drivers
- Hi-Res Audio Certified to support frequencies up to 40kHz
- 50 hours of total music playback
- 25 hours with Noise Cancelling and Bluetooth on
- 50 hours with Bluetooth only
- Speed Charge (10-minutes of charging = 2 hours of playback)
- Adaptive Ambient Aware & TalkThru
- 4-mic technology for superior call quality
- Hands-free voice control by Google and Amazon
- USB-C charging
- Auto Play/Pause
- SilentNow and “My Alarm” feature for traveling
- Smart Switch, optimized for listening to music versus a movie
- Compatibility with the JBL Headphones App to customize listening and using behaviors
- Fast Pair
Next up is the JBL Tour Pro Plus, true wireless earbuds that feature adaptive noise cancellation. They support Fast Pair, Dual Connect + Sync, and promise over 30 hours of total music playback.
Here are the JBL Tour Pro Plus’ specs:
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling
- JBL Pro Sound powered by 6.8mm dynamic drivers
- Over 30 hours of total music playback
- 6 hours with Active Noise Cancelling
- 8 hours with Bluetooth only
- Speed Charge (10-minutes of charging = 1 hour of playback)
- Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru
- Voice Clarity with 3-mic beamforming array technology
- Dual Connect + Sync and Fast Pair
- Hands-free voice control by Google and Amazon
- IPX4 Sweatproof
- SilentNow and My Alarm
- Smart Audio & Video, optimized for listening to music versus a movie
- Customized tap panel control
- “Check My Best Fit”, allowing users to check the ear fit by app
- Compatibility with the JBL Headphones App to customize listening and behaviors
JBL Live Pro Plus, JBL Live 660NC, JBL Live 460NC
JBL also announced three new earbuds in its Live series. There’s something for everyone in the new lineup, including true wireless, over-ear, and on-ear earbuds, so you can choose the model that works best for you.
The JBL Live Pro Plus are in-ear earbuds that feature a design similar to Apple’s original AirPods. There’s an earbud with a stem that sticks out, offering a secure fit for workouts or simply walking around town. The JBL Live Pro Plus feature adaptive noise cancellation and smart ambient features, so you can block out noise or let noise in.
Here are the JBL Live Pro Plus specs:
- JBL Signature Sound
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Wireless Charging; Qi compatible
- Echo Cancelling Mic Technology
- Dual Connect + Sync
- Auto Play/Pause
- Up to 7 hours of playback in the earbuds (6 hours if using noise cancelling feature)
- Compact charging case that holds up to 21 hours of battery life
- All-access touch control
- Customizable with My JBL Headphones app
- IPX4 water resistant
- Fast Pair
- Speed charge via USB Type-C
- Hands-free voice control by multi voice assistant (Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa)
- Hotword and Device Action support
The JBL Live Pro Plus will be available through JBL.com in April for €179 in black, white, pink, and beige.
The JBL Live 660NC are over-ear headphones that feature adaptive noise cancellation, multi-point connect support, and up to 50 hours of playback time. The headphones also support a fast charging feature, so you can get up to four hours of playtime in just 10 minutes of charging.
Here are the JBL Live 660NC’s specs:
- JBL Signature Sound
- Auto Play/Pause
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Hands-free Voice Control by Google and Amazon
- Stereo calls
- Multi-Point Connection
- Up to 50 hours of playback (40 hours if using adaptive noise cancelling feature)
- Speed Charge (10-minute charge = 4 hours playtime)
- Hotword and Device Action support
- Customizable with My JBL Headphones app
The JBL Live 660NC will be available through JBL.com in March for €179 in black, white, and blue.
There’s also the JBL Live 460NC, which the company says are the most economical option in its update Live series. The on-ear headphones feature adaptive noise cancellation, smart ambient technology, and up to 50 hours of total battery life.
Here are the JBL Live 460NC’s specs:
- JBL Signature Sound
- Auto Play/Pause
- Adaptive Noise Cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Hands-free Voice Control by Google and Amazon
- Stereo calls
- Multi-Point Connection
- Up to 50 hours of playback
- Speed Charge (10-minute charge = 4 hours playtime)
- Hotword and Device Action support
- Customizable with My JBL Headphones app
The JBL Live 460NC will be available through JBL.com in March for €129 in black, blue, white, and rose.
JBL Charge 5 portable Bluetooth speaker
According to JBL, the Charge 5 features a racetrack-shaped driver, separate tweeter, and dual passive radiators for the best possible sound. The speaker offers 20 hours of playtime and a built-in power bank, so users can charge their phone while listening to music. The Charge 5 can be connected to other JBL portable speakers for a more expansive sound.
Here are the JBL Charge 5’s specs:
- Built with an IP67 rated waterproof and dustproof design
- Enabled with JBL PartyBoost
- Wireless Bluetooth v5.1 Streaming
- Built-in 7500mAh Powerbank: Rechargeable Li-ion battery supports 20 hours of playtime and offers the ability to charge devices via USB-Charge Out
- Racetrack-shaped driver, separate tweeter and dual passive JBL Bass Radiators
- Packaged in paper-based, eco packaging
The JBL Charge 5 will be available through JBL.com and select retailers in March for €179.
JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam soundbar
The last product in JBL’s new lineup is the JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam, a soundbar that features Virtual Dolby Atmos and the company’s proprietary beamforming technology. The compact design means it will fit in any living space, while still offering expansive sound.
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam comes equipped with four passive radiators for booming bass and doesn’t require a subwoofer for a movie theater-like experience. JBL says the soundbar can easily be integrated into multiroom ecosystems and is compatible with Alexa Multi-Room Music, Apple AirPlay 2, and Chromecast.
The JBL Bar 5.0 MultiBeam will be available on JBL.com and select retailers in spring for €399.