JBL Tour Pro 3 Vs Sony WF-1000XM5 Comparison Review

When it comes to premium true wireless earbuds, the Sony WF-1000XM5 and the JBL Tour Pro 3 offer two distinct experiences. Sony, known for its exceptional noise-canceling technology and balanced sound profile, faces off against JBL, a brand synonymous with bass-heavy, fun listening. Both earbuds come loaded with impressive features, from ANC to spatial audio, making the decision between them anything but straightforward. In this comparison, we’ll dive into the design, functionality, sound quality, and more to help you determine which pair best suits your needs. Whether you prioritize battery life, audio codecs, or comfort, this guide will give you the insights you need.

What You Get

Look & Feel

This is a stemmed design versus a classic earbud design, so whichever you prefer will inform your purchase. The XM5 is definitely bulgier than the Tour Pro 3, but it still possesses an ergonomic fit. In terms of style, they both have a classy design, with the XM5 having a more professional look, while the Tour Pro 3 has a bit more gloss and flash to it.

Design & Functionality 

Sony’s X driver has been around for a while now, and the Tour Pro 3 takes advantage of this by featuring a hybrid configuration that more true wireless earbuds are incorporating. It’s surprising to see JBL do this before Sony and it can mean more potential for the sound signature. What you might be more concerned with though is noise-canceling, and the XM5 should be your pick for that. Sony’s ANC technology is more advanced, and it results in superior isolation for your music. The Tour Pro 3 still has good noise-canceling though, so if you find yourself liking more qualities of JBL’s earbuds, then you don’t need to sacrifice ANC too much.

Both earbuds use touch sensors and are almost equally responsive. The Tour Pro 3 is a bit more refined with its touch gestures, including its wear sensor that also controls playback. It also uses the touch screen charging case as another way to interact with your earbuds, which the XM5 doesn’t have.

Bluetooth 

While featuring the same version of Bluetooth(5.3) and some of the same high-quality CODECs like LDAC, the Tour Pro 3 has more updated features like LE Audio and Microsoft Swift Pair.

Battery Life

The Tour Pro 3 has a better battery life than the XM5 by a few hours. You get 11 hours compared to eight depending on ANC, but both earbuds should still last a few days before needing to charge.

Soundstage

Listening to how the Tour Pro 3 uses channel separation in comparison to the XM5 makes a big impression on me. While the XM5 shows some average width for a pair of true wireless earbuds, the Tour Pro 3 seems more organized, adding more distinction between the left and right channels and making each sound come from a more specific place. Neither set of earbuds reproduces much movement in imaging, but the Tour Pro 3 has clearer stereo properties. In contrast to that is the addition of spatial audio on both earbuds, which the XM5 excels at much more than the Tour Pro 3. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio is more developed than JBL’s in-house 3D option, and it sounds more like a gimmick than how the XM5 handles it.

Low End

Both brands are known for their punchy, fun bass response so they’ll satisfy bass heads easily. The Tour Pro 3 has a certain texture to it that characterizes it with a specific JBL smoothness that comes across as less boomy but also less warm and impactful. You get a thicker tone with the XM5, giving it a more direct and dominant response. I prefer the flavor of bass that the Tour Pro 3 takes on but it’s hard to be disappointed by the XM5’s efforts in comparison.

Mids

One of the biggest distinctions between both earbud’s V-shape mids is how full one sounds over the other. While the XM5 and Tour Pro 3 have their share of fogginess and lack of weight in their midrange presentation, the Tour Pro 3 has the fullest response. The XM5 feels dominated by low-mid warmth, while the Tour Pro 3 tries to strike the clearest balance it can. You get this feeling especially when you mess around with the studio preset, which flattens out the response much better than you can get with the XM5’s EQ. Transients are smoothed over, but it does end up sounding cleaner than the XM5.

Highs

Name brands like JBL and Sony are never going to go overboard with their treble response. With that said, the XM5 has some surprising detail in the highs that I appreciate more than the Tour Pro 3’s general smoothness. Both earbuds are relatively easy-going in the highs, but the XM5 has more distinctly clicks and clarity throughout the region, especially when boosted with EQ. Neither the XM5 nor the Tour Pro 3 feel entirely natural, but the XM5 definitely feels less synthetic.

Summary

Both the JBL Tour Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 offer exceptional audio performance, but their distinct differences make each one a unique choice depending on your priorities. If you’re seeking advanced noise-canceling capabilities and a more immersive spatial audio experience, the Sony XM5 may be the better option. However, if you prioritize battery life and a clearer soundstage, the JBL Tour Pro 3 could be your go-to. Ultimately, both earbuds offer high-quality sound with their own set of strengths, so your decision will come down to which features matter most to you.

The JBL Tour Pro 3 and Sony WF-1000XM5 are available at Audio46.