Is the JBL Tour One M3 worth the upgrade from the Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT?
Verdict
Clear upgrade
Going from the Audio-Technica ATH-SR50BT to the JBL Tour One M3 buys you 28.6 points of HearWiki score - a clear step up that reviewers agree on rather than a marketing refresh. The gains are concentrated in noise cancelling (3.2 to 8.7), battery (5.2 to 9.6) and calls (4.2 to 8.1). On paper: battery life 28 h to 70 h, active noise cancelling and bluetooth 5.0 to 5.3. Worth checking: weight goes 262 g to 278 g and driver size goes 45 mm to 40 mm. That costs $30 more, or about $1 per point of score - reasonable value for the jump. If your current pair is worn out or the gains line up with how you listen, this one is worth the money.
What actually changes
Sub-scores both products have, on the same 0-10 scale. Bars extend right for a gain, left for a loss.
- Sound7.48.0
- Noise cancelling3.28.7
- Battery5.29.6
- Calls4.28.1
Spec differences
Only where the two genuinely differ - everything they share is omitted.
| Spec | ATH-SR50BT | Tour One M3 | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery life | 28 h | 70 h | |
| Active noise cancelling | No | Yes | |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX | LDAC | |
| Weight | 262 g | 278 g | |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.3 | |
| Multipoint pairing | No | Yes | |
| Full charge time | 330 min | 120 min | |
| Driver size | 45 mm | 40 mm | |
| Drivers per side | 2 | 1 | |
| Microphones | 1 | 8 | |
| Custom EQ | No | Yes | |
| Wear detection | No | Yes | |
| USB-C | No | Yes | |
| Controls | buttons | touch | |
| Driver | 2× 45 mm dynamic | 40 mm dynamic | |
| Frequency response | 5 Hz - 40 kHz | 10 Hz - 40 kHz |
About this verdict
Direction matters here: this page answers "ATH-SR50BT to Tour One M3". 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.