Accessories

Breaking in the new JBL Tour One M3 at a silent concert

Experiential launch highlighted new audio innovation’s advanced features

Published

July 26, 2025

Manila Connoisseur

Graphics by Vincenz Lee | GadgetMatch

The JBL Tour One M3 was recently released in the Philippines, and JBL let us try the latest audio innovation out in true immersive fashion.

JBL’s approach was an experiential launch, letting us break in the over-ear headphones and see — or better yet, hear —for ourselves its advanced features.

Junkets with media members, influencers, and other distinguished guests are nothing new for brands when they introduce something new — be it products or campaigns. It’s just a matter of execution and ensuring everything clicks.

Right from the moment we stepped inside the event ballroom, JBL asked us to wear the Tour One M3. They quickly reminded us that from that point, everything we were about to hear throughout the event would be through the latest product offering.

The author’s vantage point inside the medium-sized ballroom.

It also meant that if you got curious and removed your headphones for a few seconds, you could hear how silent the room was. I personally loved how straightforward the entire activity was.

In a way, it’s a “show, don’t tell” approach. Nothing felt forced. And as someone who just continues to buff up knowledge on audio wearables, it gave a welcoming vibe.

Make no mistake, JBL still touched on some of the Tour One M3’s key advanced features and specs. Informative, but not overdone.

After a brief introduction and a snapshot of the products’ key highlights, we proceeded with the immersive experience.

Film viewing to highlight JBL Spatial 360

The first part featured us watching snippets from various classic flicks. This phase highlighted the JBL Spatial Sound of the JBL Tour One M3.

You could tell where the sound is coming from and it matched the visuals on the projector. The directional sound really takes entertainment to the next level, and you can benefit from this technology for gaming and other scenarios.

Silent concert with Clara Benin, Janine Teñoso

Then, two famous Filipino indie singers in Clara Benin and Janine Teñoso took the stage. For close to an hour, the artists serenaded us with hit songs that we all took in with the Tour One M3.

Throughout, the headphones provided studio level clarity and precision. There were no interruptions whatsoever and you could barely notice the latency from, say, the movement of the singers’ mouths to what you’re able to hear.

You’d hear nothing else except their voices, as well as the various instruments being played. You could also distinguish the different layers of sound quite easily.

For instance, from my spot from the very last row, I could recognize where the sounds where coming from as I glimpsed the guitarists and percussionists.

Smart Tx for Auracast

That’s where you can say the Smart Tx audio transmitter did its work. This small add-on allows Auracast, improving latency, stability, and call quality for various scenarios.

You can also plug the Smart Tx to audio sources like TVs and laptops and just connect and control as there is an interactive touch display on the Smart Tx.

And mind you, there were about 40 of us who enjoyed the silent concert together — all wearing Tour One M3s connected and synced seamlessly.

JBL Adaptive Noise Cancelling 2.0

Another standout feature on the new Tour One M3 is the JBL Adaptive Noise Cancellation 2.0. This lets the already clear and well-defined audio stand out even more.

Although it wasn’t noisy inside the ballroom to begin with, come production staff members were obviously talking in real-time to ensure a seamless program from start to finish.

With ANC 2.0 turned on, you couldn’t hear anything from them even if you could obviously see their mouths moving.

Personalized listening

The JBL Tour One M3, which succeeds the Tour One M2, features JBL’s newly-developed 40mm Mica Dome drivers.

They are precisely tuned to deliver deep bass, balanced mids, and crystal-clear highs from the get-go. But if that’s not enough, further personalization can be done via the JBL Headphones App.

There are six preset sound profiles, but you can add your own custom profile. You can also set up a customized hearing profile with JBL Personi-Fi 3.0.

Events like what JBL carried out make you appreciate what they’re offering as the entire presentation got the message across. And that is, the JBL Tour One M3 is keen on becoming a game-changer in the flagship audio wearable scene.

The new JBL Tour One M3 and JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx are now available in Black, Latte, and Blue at JBL stores, partner retailers, and the JBL website.

The headphones retail for PhP 19,999 while the variant with a Smart Tx is priced at PhP 26,999.

Customers in the Philippines can also experience the products up close at the JBL Tour One M3 Experience pop-up at SM North EDSA until July 30.

Accessories

2025 Black Friday Sale Gift Guide

Our Top Gift Picks With HUGE Savings!

Published

November 24, 2025

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

In the annual BLACK FRIDAY SALE, we’ve compiled and rounded-up our best picks with the best value you can get right now!

🧹 Get 50% off Dreame X50 Ultra on Amazon or click here on their website | Use code SAKITECH15 (5% off ’til Dec 1)

💧 Stay hydrated and get up to 30% off on the LARQ PureVis 2 here.

💡 Level up with Govee TV Backlight T2 or Govee Sync Box AI Kit 2.

> Samsung The Frame 65”

> Samsung The Frame Pro 75”

> Samsung The Frame Pro 85”

> Hisense C2

> Hisense C2 Pro

> Hisense C2 Ultra

> M4 MacBook Air

> M4 Mac mini

> Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

> Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

> Nomad Universal Cable for Apple Watch

> Nomad Tracking Card

> Nomad Base One Max

> Statik TireHero

> Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD

> Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

> Coffee Check Matte Black

Accessories

Unboxing EVERY Color of the very exclusive iPhone Pocket

And why it got sold out instantly!

Published

November 24, 2025

GadgetMatch and Michael Josh Villanueva

In this video, we’re unboxing the iPhone Pocket in ALL ITS COLORS!

Also, it gives us a glimpse of Apple’s shared history with ISSEY MIYAKE.

Lastly, THE Michael Josh will show you what fits and how to style it.

Here’s our first look at this very exclusive accessory, the iPhone Pocket.

Accessories

BOYA mini 2: A step-up for content creators, more

Sub-US$ 60 package where audio quality, convenience, and portability align

Published

November 24, 2025

Manila Connoisseur

In today’s vertical-first, voice-over-heavy social media world, audio isn’t just important; it’s the dealbreaker. Better audio sets the tone instantly.

Content creators know this, especially that production for social media consumption has changed dramatically over the past half decade.

It’s only vital for creators to resonate with audiences clearly, as the latter are all ears aside from eyes on videos.

That’s where the BOYA mini 2 can come in and upgrade that aspect of content creation — mine included.

Portable, lightweight, easy to use

These thumb-sized, 5-gram transmitters are portable, long-lasting, and can give you a quick and easy workflow to finish whatever you’re working on.

Scour quickly on BOYA’s retail website and you’ll find plenty of sets to choose from. You can start with just a charging case and one transmitter and receiver, but you can also opt for two transmitters and both a Lightning or USB-C receiver.

I had the set that had everything, and this entire package costs just US$ 54.99 (PhP 3,290). There’s Matte Black and Lunar Silver color options as well.

The charging case is likewise small and portable, and having it is as if you’re just carrying earbuds along. It fits pockets, pouches, sling bags, handbags, and more. No extra baggage needed.

Plug and use

What you’ll love with the BOYA mini 2 is that it works right out of the box. The package I have had both the lightning and USB-C receivers.

Just plug which one is compatible with your phone and you’re ready to go. The default audio quality is already leagues ahead of muffled clip-ons and built-in phone mics.

Each mic lets you record up to 48Khz-24 bit quality audio, giving voices clarity with minimal distortion.

But of course, if you’re big on tailor-fitting the audio for what you’re about to produce, you can just download the BOYA Central app to make changes in several settings.

There is a 6-level gain, so you can have the transmitter absorb louder audio. You can also switch between mono and stereo recording if you have two transmitters turned on.

In addition, there are preset EQ modes, but you’re free to customize your own mix as well. My go-to is the Vocal Boost mode which amplifies whatever I say on record.

Speaker mode, meanwhile, allows you to review recorded audio or video immediately afterwards. This is helpful especially if you’re just recording with a phone.

Do note that the app needs internet connection to work, but other than that, you’re all set.

Noise Cancellation: A big help

Moreover, the 3rd-generation AI-powered Noise Cancellation feature works wonders. It blocks off unwanted noise (-21dB to -40dB) to a certain degree.

BOYA trained this with over 700,000 real-world noise samples. In practice, it shows.

There are times I recorded in crowded areas or had a cooling fan behind me for a food review, but I couldn’t hear them whenever I played such videos on my phone.

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Conversely, if your area is already quiet enough, the audio stands out even better.

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Obviously, if you have more high-end headphones, you’ll be able to hear more layers of sound, but considering the target audiences of creators who’ll likely play content from their phones, it’s all good.

And such feature is helpful for interviews, stand-uppers (i.e., talking-head shots), and more scenarios.

I can imagine traditional media leveraging this and the wireless nature of the mini 2 for packed media scrums where you can’t be in front of the guest/s.

A step-up for vloggers, content creators, more

In my case, I started making vlogs again back in 2023. Before that, I had a YouTube channel that lasted from 2018 to 2021 that focused mainly on Korean BBQ restaurant reviews back when the samgyup hype was at an all-time high.

My videos had the regular 16:9 aspect ratio and lasted about 5 to 10 minutes long. But those days are well behind us.

Nowadays, it’s all about vertical short-form videos with voice-overs. I was well aware of this and had to figure out how to keep up with this generation’s way of making vlogs.

While I’ve always trusted my skills and my midrange smartphones to deliver the visual part, the voice recording side was the one that’s tricky. I used to just record my voice inside my wardrobe closet to block off noise and absorb echo.

At some point, our ever generous managing editor did give me a condenser mic before, but using it also involved a lot of steps in the workflow. I had to use a laptop to start recording and then transfer the audio file to my phone.

Simpler process

This is where the BOYA mini 2 changed the game for me. The product’s versatility allows for a more simplified and seamless production flow.

My partner, on the other hand, was also able to use the system for her makeup product reviews with front camera shots.

She even leveraged the transmitters for livestreaming sessions so that she could use both arms for swatching different lipstick shades and focusing on Shopee or TikTok’s livestream controls.

A little patience goes a long way

As you’re not paying a fortune per se with the BOYA mini 2, don’t expect perfection either.

The one hurdle we had to deal with was whenever we switched from the Lightning to USB-C receiver, you will have to reconnect the transmitters again.

It takes a while to figure it out. Without reading the manual, I just double-pressed the button on the transmitter until it turned green after blinking steadily. You will also have to do the same with the mics, which restart several times before finally syncing again.

Other than that, there weren’t much problems encountered.