Is the JBL Tour One worth the upgrade from the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC?
Verdict
Downgrade
The JBL Tour One actually scores 40.0 points below the Audeze Maxwell 2 ANC, so on aggregate review consensus this is a step backwards. It loses ground on sound (9.3 to 6.8) and noise cancelling (8.5 to 6.3). On paper: battery life 40 h to 50 h, weight 560 g to 273 g and microphones 2 to 4. Worth checking: codecs goes SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC to AAC and bluetooth goes 5.3 to 5.0. It is at least $129 cheaper, so the lower score comes with a saving. Only worth it if a specific feature above matters more to you than overall quality does.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound9.36.8
- Noise cancelling8.56.3
- Battery8.07.6
- Calls9.06.8
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | Maxwell 2 ANC | Tour One | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 40 h | 50 h | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3, LC3plus, LDAC | AAC | |
| Weight | 560 g | 273 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.3 | 5.0 | |
| Battery life (ANC on) | 35 h | 25 h | |
| Driver size | 90 mm | 40 mm | |
| Microphones | 2 | 4 | |
| Driver | 90 mm planar magnetic | 40 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 10 Hz - 50 kHz | 10 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "Maxwell 2 ANC to Tour One". The other direction is a separate question with a different answer. Scores blend published review verdicts across over-ear and shift as new reviews land, so a marginal call today may not be one next quarter.