Live and tour series presented: JBL 2021 sends five new headphones into the race!
Live and tour series presented: JBL 2021 sends five new headphones into the race!
By Editor 2 months ago
HARMAN International is kicking off 2021 with “HARMAN ExPLORE,” providing the first glimpse of new products and technologies in headphones and true wireless.
In addition, the new year is marked by the 75th anniversary of the JBL brand, which was founded in 1946 in Los Angeles, California, by James B. Lansing.
JBL LIVE Series
JBL is expanding its JBL LIVE headphone series with three new models: the JBL LIVE PRO+ as a TWS option in the trendy stick design, as well as the over-ear model JBL LIVE660NC and the on-ear variant JBL LIVE 460NC will round off the series from the spring. Among other things, they introduce adaptive noise cancelling with Smart Ambient and shine with long-lasting batteries as well as numerous other features.
JBL announces three new headphones, the JBL LIVE PRO+, JBL LIVE 660NC and JBL LIVE 460NC, to complement the successful LIVE series. With one True Wireless model and one each of on-ear and over-ear products, JBL covers all requirements and promises its customers an outstanding listening experience without compromise. All headphones come with JBL Signature Sound, noise cancellation features as well as Smart Ambient and hands-free control with integrated voice assistants. This is how JBL gets the most out of high-quality audio.
Features of the JBL LIVE PRO+
- JBL Signature Sound
- Adaptive noise cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Wireless charging (Qi compatible) or USB-C fast charging
- Microphones with echo cancellation
- Dual Connect+ Sync
- Auto play/pause
- Up to 7 hours of battery life with the earbuds (up to 6 hours with ANC use)
- Compact carrying/charging case with up to 21 hours of battery backup
- All-access touch control
- IPX4 waterproof rating
- Fast pairing
- Multi-voice assistant voice control (Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa)
- Hotword and device action support
- Customizable via My JBL Headphones app
The JBL LIVE PRO+ is scheduled to be available in April 2021, with a suggested retail price of EUR 179.00. The color palette includes four colors: black, white, pink, beige.
For those who prefer an over-ear headphone, the JBL LIVE 660NC is a true endurance headphone with up to 40 hours of battery life when using adaptive noise cancelling or even up to 50 hours without using this option. With its battery reserves, the headphones are the perfect companion for traveling or even working from home. The JBL LIVE 660NC supports multipoint connections and can be conveniently switched between two separate devices. Similar to the JBL LIVE PRO+, the over-ear model supports hotword and device actions, making it convenient to access voice assistants via voice command or by pressing and holding the control panel on the ear cup.
Features of the JBL LIVE 600NC
- JBL Signature Sound
- Auto play/pause
- Adaptive noise cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Hands-free voice control (Google and Amazon)
- Stereo calls
- Multiple connection
- Up to 50 hours of playback (up to 40 hours when using adaptive noise cancelling)
- Fast charging (10 minutes for 4 hours of music enjoyment)
- Hotword and device action support
- Customizable via My JBL Headphones app
The JBL LIVE 660NC is scheduled to go on sale in March 2021 with a suggested retail price of EUR 179.00. Color options include black, blue and white.
Marking the optimal price/performance combination in the new JBL LIVE portfolio is the on-ear JBL LIVE 460NC model. The headphones also offer adaptive noise cancelling with Smart Ambient as well as functions for activating voice assistants via hotword or device actions. A battery life of around 50 hours and the quick-charge functions make this product particularly attractive.
Features of the JBL LIVE 460NC
- JBL Signature Sound
- Auto play/pause
- Adaptive noise cancelling with Smart Ambient
- Hands-free voice control (Google and Amazon)
- Stereo calls
- Multiple connection
- Up to 50 hours of playback
- Fast charging (10 minutes for 4 hours of music enjoyment)
- Hotword and device action support
- Customizable via My JBL Headphones app.
The JBL LIVE 460NC is also scheduled for release in March 2021. At a recommended retail price of 129.00 EUR, the color versions black, blue, white and rose are available here.
JBL Tour headphones
The JBL Tour series marks the first time HARMAN has introduced a line of headphones under the JBL brand specifically designed for business users such as office users or business travelers. To launch in May, JBL will initially ship the JBL Tour Pro+ true wireless model and the JBL Tour ONE over-ear headphones. Both are said to impress with adaptive noise cancelling, crystal-clear voice quality, strong battery life and numerous personalization options.
The features of the JBL Tour ONE
- True adaptive noise cancellation
- JBL Pro Sound with dynamic 40-millimeter drivers
- Hi-Res Audio certified, supports frequencies up to 40 kHz
- 50 hours of music playback maximum (Bluetooth enabled only)
- Up to 25 hours of music enjoyment via
- Bluetooth with noise cancelling active
- Fast charging via USB-C (10 minutes of charging for an additional 2 hours of playtime)
- Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru
4-microphone technology for superior voice quality in phone mode - Hands-free voice control from Google and Amazon
- Auto play/pause
- Silent Now and “My Alarm” for travel
- Smart Switch optimized for listening to music versus a movie
- Compatible with the JBL Headphones app to customize listening and usage patterns
Fast Pairing
The JBL Tour Pro+ is designed as a True Wireless variant, addressing users who prefer compact in-ear headphones. With its adaptive noise cancelling, these headphones block out all ambient noise – or allow it in the background. For example, in situations where users need to be aware of their surroundings. Thanks to Fast Pair, the headphones automatically connect to their user’s (Android) device as soon as the charging and carrying case is opened. In addition, Dual Connect+ Sync allows users to seamlessly enjoy music or make calls with one or both Earbuds, respectively. The JBL Tour Pro+ achieves up to 30 hours of playtime and is equipped for Qi wireless charging. With beamforming array technology and three microphones each, these true wireless earbuds guarantee crystal clear voice quality and are great for streaming and entertainment, as well as a workday full of calls and activities.
The features of the JBL Tour Pro+
- Adaptive noise cancellation
- JBL Pro Sound with dynamic 6.8-millimeter drivers
- Approximately 30 hours total runtime (headphones + charging cradle)
- Approx. 6 hours with noise cancelling activated
- Approximately 8 hours of pure playtime in Bluetooth mode
- Fast charging (10 minutes of charging for 1 more hour of playtime)
- Adaptive Ambient Aware and TalkThru
Clear speech intelligibility with 3 microphones in beamforming array technology - Dual Connect+ Sync and Fast Pair
- Hands-free voice control from Google and Amazon
- IPX4 sweat resistant
- SilentNow and My Alarm
Smart Audio and Smart Video, for optimized listening in music or video mode - Custom control panel
- Option to check the perfect fit of the earpieces via app (“Check My Best Fit”)
- Compatible with the JBL Headphones app to customize listening and usage patterns
Both the JBL Tour ONE and JBL Tour Pro+ have already been named “Best of Innovation Honorees” in the prestigious CES 2021 Innovation Awards. This puts the JBL Tour Pro+ in line with three other JBL True Wireless headphones that have also been honored. The CES Innovation Awards are owned and operated by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). The annual competition honors outstanding design and development skill in consumer electronics in 28 product categories. A panel of distinguished judges, including representatives from media, design and development, reviews all entries based on innovation, technology, functionality, aesthetics and design.
Price and availability
The JBL Tour Series is scheduled to go on sale in May 2021. The recommended retail price is EUR 299.00 for the JBL Tour ONE and EUR 199.00 for the JBL Tour Pro+, respectively. Both headphones will be offered in black.
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