JBL’s Tour One M3 headphones wirelessly connect to older devices using a touchscreen transmitter

JBL announced a pair of premium headphones at CES today that can be purchased with an optional transmitter that allows the Tour One M3 to be used wirelessly with audio sources like a plane’s in-flight entertainment system. The headphones will be available starting on April 13, 2025 in black, mocha, and blue for $399.95, but can also be purchased without the transmitter.

The option to connect to audio devices without wireless connectivity is a feature borrowed from JBL’s Tour Pro 3 wireless earbuds which incorporates the functionality into a charging case. With the new JBL Tour One M3 headphones, it’s offered through a small touchscreen accessory called the Smart Tx audio transmitter that connects to devices with a USB-C or a 3.5mm audio cable.

The Tour One M3 can connect to devices over Bluetooth, but the Smart Tx audio transmitter uses a “direct proprietary wireless connection” that JBL says offers reduced latency and improved stability. The Smart Tx’s touchscreen can also be used to adjust headphone settings like ANC and EQ, control music playback, answer phone calls, and broadcast audio “to an unlimited amount of Auracast enabled devices.”

The headphones feature “newly developed 40mm Mica Dome drivers” that JBL says are “precisely tuned to deliver deep bass, balanced mids, and crystal-clear highs.”

They reduce noise using JBL’s True Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0 technology which relies on eight microphones that are also used to boost ambient sounds when you want to be more aware of your environment. And in addition to offering EQ adjustments that can be customized for each ear, you can take a hearing test through JBL’s app to tailor the sound of the Tour One M3 to your liking.