JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: solid over-ears with more than a party trick

When the time comes to grab yourself a pair of the best headphones out there, a handful of brand names should pretty quickly come to mind. It's no secret that the market has been dominated by a handful of players for years now, and these still tend to be the top picks.

I've been testing one of them recently. The JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx is an interesting product which takes the display from the Smart Charging Case on its range of earbuds, and offers it as a standalone add-on for the over-ears.

I'm no stranger to the concept, either. The JBL Tour Pro 3 earbuds have been my daily driver ever since they landed on my desk, offering some of the best sound quality I've ever known. Can these over-ear options stack up? Well, let's find out.

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Price and Availability

The JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx headphones have an RRP of £379.99 / €399.99 / $399.95 – no listing for the headphones currently exists on the Australian JBL website. In the UK and Europe, users can also opt to buy the headphones without the Smart Tx, costing £329.99 / €349.99.

The device was first announced at CES 2025, and went on sale from the 15th of April, 2025.

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Design

As you'd probably expect from the brand, there's a strong design language used throughout. My review sample comes in the Latte finish – a sort of opulent beige hue – but there are black and blue shades available, too.

There's a modern minimalist vibe about the headset, where only a small JBL logo breaks the clean aesthetic. Microphones and buttons are neatly kept within a single line around the outer edge of the cup, and become quite intuitive after a short while.

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Features

So, let's kick off by talking about that Smart Tx adapter. In essence, this takes the functionality of the Smart Charging Case on the brands earbuds and adds it as a separate unit for headphones users.

You'll have full control over all manner of functions and features, including EQ, ANC and volume. You can even change the wallpaper, for a more personal touch.

There's also the ability to connect the Smart Tx to just about any audio source and use the JBL Tour One M3 headphones with them. That includes planes, but also legacy devices. If you've ever wanted to dust off your iPod Classic, this is the pick for you.

Elsewhere, you'll find 40mm mica dome drivers, which are designed to offer a clear and consistent experience across the frequency spectrum. A built-in DAC ensures high quality lossless audio, including Hi-Res Audio via LDAC offering 24-bit sonic perfection.

You'll find other JBL specialties like Personi-fi 3.0 – used to tune your audio experience to your ears – and Spatial Sound, which fully immerses you in the sound you're listening to.

An array of eight microphones should also offer some seriously good active noise cancelling properties, while ensuring your call quality is clear at the same time.

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Performance

Specs are all well and good, but can they stack up? Well, strapping on the headphones for the first time is pleasant experience. You'll find the cushioned earcups comfortable enough to enjoy several hours of sustained usage without fatigue.

Sound quality? Yep, that's good too. You'd expect about as much from a pair of 40mm drivers, but the overall experience is solid with good fidelity throughout.

The LDAC is certainly good for detailed sources like podcasts or orchestral music, though it does seem to suck a lot of the punch from the headphones. Turning it off – which requires a device reboot – and opting for the Spatial Sound is much more pleasing for strong bass response.

As with just about any JBL audio product, the level of control you'll have over the EQ is immense. There are six presets, but you can also head in and create custom EQs for your own preferred sonic flavour.

It's not perfect though. Active noise cancellation is fine, but certainly nothing special. You never quite get the feeling that you're the only person left on the planet like you do with other devices, with a degree of outside noise always managing to creep in.

That's compounded by a flaw which really can't be blamed on JBL, but is no less frustrating. I found that quite often, the cup would separate from my head for a second, killing any ANC properties instantly. It's clearly an issue with the shape of my head, but it does render the noise cancellation a little redundant.

Something which definitely can be levelled at the brand is a persistent software glitch which cuts out audio and switches to Transparency mode. I can't fathom what's causing it – at one point, like Phoebe in that one episode of Friends with the random light switch, I thought I'd traced it to sharp head movements, but that wasn't the case – but it's really frustrating.

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Verdict

There's no denying there's some real quality on offer here. As mentioned, JBL are one of the ruling hands of the audio world, and offer some really killer products.

On the whole, the sound quality offered here is definitely on par. Once you've got things dialled, you'll enjoy some of the best sound quality available on JBL's consumer units, thanks to the sheer size of those drivers.

For me, the software glitches and just fine ANC performance do mar things ever so slightly. In the end, I just found myself longing for the JBL Tour Pro 3 units more and more often, which is likely to be the biggest competitor for something like this – albeit from a completely different product category.

If you're a staunch over-ear fan, or need the extra low-end and fidelity offered by that big driver, you could do a lot worse.

Image 1 of 2

JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx review: Also Consider

If you're dead set on a killer pair of headphones, there are a wide range of options available. Practically every single brand has something to offer, meaning you'll almost certainly spot something which fits the bill.

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are our top pick, offering some seriously impressive noise-cancelling properties. If you're more enamoured with a brilliant app and a solid all-rounder, check out the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones. Those are a classic for a reason, and should be on your must-try list regardless of what you're looking for.

If you've got some extra cash in the kitty, give some attention to the Sonos Ace. Those are said to be exceedingly comfortable, and offer a high-end audio experience to match the wearing one.