Jabra Elite 8 Active Workout Earbuds: Impressively resilient

Concerning the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic

• Worth: $199.99
• Battery life: As much as 8 hours with ANC (14 hours with out); as much as 32 together with case with ANC (56 with out)
• Quick charging: 1 hour of playback in 5 minutes
• Colours: Black, Caramel, Grey, Navy Blue
• Eartips sizes: Small, medium, giant
• Ambient sound modes: Adaptive Hybrid ANC, HearThrough transparency mode
• Audio system: 6mm drivers
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3
• Audio codecs: AAC, SBC
• Mud/water resistance score: IP68 (charging case: IP54)
• Weight: 5g (every earbud); 46.4g (charging case)
• Additional options: Multipoint, Dolby spatial sound

Sliding off the field cowl and opening the flaps reveal the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic charging case and earbuds, together with a USB-C to USB-A charging cable and two further eartip sizes. The Jabra Sound+ app (out there for each iOS and Android) permits for personalization of the earbuds’ sound profile, HearThrough setting, ANC, and Dolby Spatial Sound. It’s extremely simple to make use of—the most effective headphones apps on the market.

The Jabra Elite 8 Energetic are impressively resilient—an essential trait for earbuds designed for exercises and out of doors actions. Their IP68 score means the earbuds are mud tight (the perfect it will get) and may face up to being submerged in as much as 1.5 meters of water. You’ll by no means have to fret about rinsing them off after a exercise or operating within the rain. Saltwater additionally isn’t a difficulty if you wish to take them to the seashore (though nonetheless make sure that to rinse them after). They’ve even been examined, passing 9 sturdiness exams, to satisfy the US Navy Customary for rugged electronics. The charging case alone, rated at IP54, has higher mud and water resistance than many earbuds available on the market (the ever-popular Apple AirPods Professional 2 are solely IPX4). What I’m saying is these items are powerful.

The Elite 8 Energetic have a slim profile and liquid silicone rubber coating that assist them keep put in your ear and make them straightforward to take away once you’re achieved utilizing them. They’re snug, feel and look unobtrusive, and have a stable match. On a number of lengthy runs throughout testing, I used to be by no means involved they’d fall out of my ears.

The Jabra Elite 8 Energetic’s sturdiness is off the charts and a number of the finest you’ll discover.

ANC is improved over earlier fashions (Jabra says its Adaptive Hybrid Energetic Noise Cancellation is 1.6x extra highly effective than Jabra’s Customary ANC) and the development is noticeable. Low-end drones (similar to airplane cabin noise) are suitably diminished and may simply be lined by music or different leisure. The Elite 8 Energetic don’t match the highest ANC available on the market from the likes of the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Professional 2—our favorites with regards to blocking out the world—however it will get the job achieved.

HearThrough has a five-point slider that adjusts the depth, largely within the midrange so you possibly can hear voices.

The Elite 8 Energetic sound moderately good with good, supportive bass and a wealthy midrange, however the excessive frequencies sound too sizzly (drums’ excessive hat cymbals particularly are a bit harsh). That harshness can creep into voices as properly. I’m choosing nits right here, however when in comparison with equally priced earbuds they don’t fairly measure up. Within the Jabra Sound+ app is a 5-band EQ that may take a number of the edge off, though its frequency bands don’t fairly goal the troublesome frequencies.

Turning on Dolby Spatial Sound is meant to create a wider soundstage, which it does however provides an excessive amount of additional processing, for my style. In reality, I discovered it eliminated me from the musical expertise as a substitute of immersing me in it. Vocals—throughout take a look at tracks together with Pearl Jam’s “Evenflow”, “Love Music” by Sara Bareilles, and David Bowie’s haunting and poignant “Lazarus”—misplaced a few of their presence, sounding additional set again. Ladies’s voices misplaced a superb little bit of their energy, because it sounds just like the setting pulls again midrange efficiency normally.

Must you purchase the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic?

Sure, they’re glorious exercise earbuds

There are two main necessities for exercise earbuds—sturdiness and match—and the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic have them in spades. The IP68 score (and the rugged army testing) is the perfect you’ll discover, and the grippy exterior retains the earbuds securely in your ear. Add in a wonderful app and fairly good sound and the 8 Energetic are an actual winner.

If you’d like the additional safety of wings or hooks, JBL has a pair nice choices. The JBL Mirror Aero TWS use wings to safe themselves (it takes some trial and error to search out the eartips/wing mixture on your ear form) and the JBL Endurance Peak 3 have a hook design to maintain them in place (I by no means encountered a dropped earbud whereas operating with them). Then there’s the tried-and-true Beats Match Professional, which I admittedly nonetheless attain for sometimes.

However for the most recent and finest, the Jabra Elite 8 Energetic are the plain winners. Consolation, sturdiness, and sound rolled into one which’ll preserve your toes transferring with out fear.

Jabra Elite 8 Energetic

The Jabra Elite 8 Energetic are the perfect exercise earbuds out there, with actually spectacular sturdiness and a safe match.

Meet the tester

John Higgins

Managing Editor, Tech

@johntmhiggins

John is Reviewed’s Managing Editor of Tech. He’s an ISF Degree III-certified calibrator with bylines at ProjectorCentral, Wirecutter, IGN, House Theater Evaluation, T3, Sound & Imaginative and prescient, and House Theater Journal. When away from the Reviewed workplace, he’s a sound editor for movie and musician, and likes to play video games along with his son.

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