Earlier this year, I got my hands on the Bragi Dash earphones. They were a novelty at the time; they were earphones with no cables — not even a connecting wire — and it was the first time I was trying on such a pair. They weren’t perfect though; I had some trouble setting it up and getting a good fit in the ear. Then earlier this month, B&O had their super sleek version — the Beoplay E8, which I also reviewed, and really wanted to love, but didn’t. Read the review to find out why.
So I approached this Jabra pair with some skepticism. If B&O can’t get it right, I thought there was little hope for everyone else. Apparently I put B&O on too high a pedestal, because these Jabra ones are so magnificent, I can actually say that I can’t live without them in my life now. And full disclosure: this isn’t a paid advertorial; it’s just an honest review from my perspective.
By Adele Chan
The Jabra Elite Sport may not be as sleek as the Beoplay E8 (it’s really hard to beat B&O in the design game), but they aren’t too shabby either. The charging case is still pretty compact, and fits into handbags and pockets easily.
DESIGN:
The Jabra Elite Sport charging case
The Jabra Elite Sport may not be as sleek as the Beoplay E8 (it’s really hard to beat B&O in the design game), but they aren’t too shabby either. The charging case is still pretty compact, and fits into handbags and pockets easily.
The Jabra Elite Sport earbuds (size in comparison to everyday objects)
Closeup of the Jabra Elite Sport earbuds
The earbuds sport wingtips that fit well and comfortably into the ear, securing the earbuds in place. It’s a good design — I wore these and ran for 30 minutes without the need to adjust them! The left side has the volume buttons, while the right activates the Jabra sporting app, and pauses / starts music. It’s a simple and intuitive setup with tactile buttons that you can feel and won’t accidentally press. The earbuds are also light and not bulky like many of the other brands with a similar offering.
SOUND:
These Jabras won’t give you the best or the worst sound. It’s decent for its price and purpose (for sports / every day use); mids are clear and importantly, not muddy. And although you won’t get that super shiok bass and crisp highs from high-end earphone models, the Elite Sports’ overall sound is well balanced. At the end of the day, they sound much better than Apple AirPods. So if you’re an AirPod user and can deal with its sound quality, these Jabra ones will sound like heaven.
USER EXPERIENCE:
Pairing with the new iPhone X was a painless experience. It was instant, and now every time I open the charging case, the earbuds light up and automatically and immediately connect to the phone. It’s convenient and the way wireless technology should be.
There’s an app that tracks heart rate and fitness levels. It also offers in-ear coaching — a function I have yet to really try out, since I’m tracking fitness on the Apple Watch instead.
Screenshots of the Jabra app on the iPhone X.
So not only do these sit tight in the ear, they are also waterproof! I took them into the pool with me and for the first time ever, I swam to the tunes of Daft Punk. NOTE: when the earbuds are submerged under the water, they disconnect; but they reconnect when out of water. It was both shocking and annoying the first few times it happened, but I’ve since come to accept that no earphones can be perfect. If you know of waterproof earphones that can stay connected underwater, leave a comment here for us!
TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY
The Jabra Elite Sport retails at $368 and comes in an all black version, and a grey/green combo. At $368, I think it’s a fair price. The Bragi retailed at $428 (it appears to have dropped in price to $238 here), while the Beoplay E8 is $429. I really do like that I can take these Jabras into the pool with me, and I can run without fear of them dropping out. Also, the sound is decent and connection is stable; so yes, BUY!
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