The Jabra Elite 5 have been my go-to earbuds for the last couple of years now as they are just perfect in regard to fit and sound. So, when earlier this year they announced Jabra Elite 10 and Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 would be the last the brand would produce. I had to get a pair in for review.
In this review, we got hold of a pair of Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 which are the upgrade on the Jabra Elite 8 Active which some say was one of the best workout-based true wireless earbuds but could the Gen 2 be even better?
First Impressions
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are covered in a shakeGrip coating to prevent slippage. I have been wearing these for two weeks now and found them very comfortable for long periods of use. I have mainly used these while at my desk working but have also taken these to the gym and had no concerns, that they would fall out even with the most high-tempo workout.
These buds come with IP68 which offers water and dust resistance allowing for even the most sweaty of workouts in any environment. The charging case also comes with an IP54 rating means it could handle a summer trip to the beach without any issues. The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen2 have also passed US Military standards for ruggedised electronics (810H).
Jabra has also kept ear detection sensors it has had in previous models that automatically pause your music when you take an earbud out and then resume when you place it back in your ears. Jabra has also kept that physical button for very responsive controls but there is a small risk the buds get pressed too deep into your ear canal.
Jabra has provided you with four colour options for the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 they are Black, Blue, Olive & Coral. However, If you want the Coral colour option it is only available at Jabra.com and they are available for £159 but as I always advise shop around as some sites (Amazon) seem to have them priced much higher. In this review, we got sent the Olive version which was a nice change from the normal black I get sent for reviews.
Design
The first thing you will notice with the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is they are smaller than the previous model. Now Jabra uses ShakeGrip technology to ensure they stay in your ears during sessions at the gym and do not move about in your ear at all.
These earbuds are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 which keeps a solid connection even at the dreaded train station. They also come with AAC, SBC codecs, Multipoint pairing Bluetooth 5.3 up to two devices and even Google Fast Pair. You also get an interesting feature called LE Audio. This can retransmit audio from analogue sources wirelessly to your earphones ideal for when you’re in the gym. Simply plug them in and tap the button on the front of the case and you’ll start hearing audio through the headphones.
Regarding comfort, they are just as good as they have always been but with a more secure seal. If you need to adjust the fit Jabra provides you with small, medium and large ear tips so you can find the ideal fit. The Jabra Elite 8 Gen2 come with 6mm dynamic drivers and a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz.
Now each earbud has a flat, clickable control surface that in testing did not get shoved deeper into my ear canal.
Moving onto the controls a single press on the left bud will switch between ANC & HearThrough modes. Make a double press and it will activate your phone’s voice assistant such as Seri. It’s worth knowing if you’re using Google Assistant no need to press any buttons as that works hands-free. You will notice the triple click has been left unassigned, but this can be changed in the Jabra app.
The right bud when a single press is made controls the playback (Play & Pause), two clicks skips forward a track and three taps navigate back a track.
A long press and hold will adjust the volume:
- Left Bud for Decrease Volume
- Right Bud for Increase Volume
Got a call coming in a single press on either bud answers the call or two presses rejects or ends the call. Maybe you need to mute your conversation quickly. During a call a single tap mutes or unmutes the call.
As mentioned earlier in this review the buds come with an IP68 rating meaning they are waterproof and dustproof and can handle anything from a splash near the pool in the summer to heavy rain in the winter. This is fantastic from Jabra! The charging case is even IP54 rated so you are fully protected, and this is one of the reasons I just love this brand.
In terms of the design of the charging case, it has a flip lid with a status LED on the front with just a subtle bit of branding. The base of the case is where the USB-C port is included. It’s worth knowing they also provide you with a USB-C to USB-C cable to charge and very handy loop a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter around the end for LE Audio. The inclusion of Bluetooth LE Audio allows you to connect to gym equipment or even in-flight entertainment systems which is a real bonus.
Battery Life
Now Jabra states the Elite 8 Active (2nd Gen) will give you about 8 hours with ANC on and 14 hours when ANC off on a single charge and the charging case holds between 24 hours with ANC on or 42 hours ANC off. Now this was based on a 50% volume level so increasing the volume will impact the results. This charging case also supports fast charging where a 5-minute charge will provide you 1 hour of charge. The charging case also supports wireless charging and the LED on the front indicates the following:
Features
The big change when it comes to features from previous models is the noise-cancellation performance. They now employ adaptive Hybrid Noise-Cancellation and the result especially when hitting the gym or just blocking out traffic is you will notice they are noticeably quieter, and wind noise is also suppressed.
The HearThrough mode is clearer too, and it latches onto people’s voices with confidence so if you want to hear what’s being said around you that is also possible.
Jabra Sound+ App
The Jabra Sound+ app has been around for a little while now and is available for both iOS & Android users. The home page has 3 tabs at the bottom of the screen but if am completely honest you will only use the default page. The other two tabs provide news and tips on how to use the buds and also the chance to buy other products.
At the top of the default screen shows an image of the earbuds and has the battery life readings for each bud and the case. Under that is the sound modes (ANC & HearThrough) If you click on the HearThrough option you will see five levels of adjustment for this mode.
On the same page, you will then come across the spatial sound section for adding a Dolby-Audio-based effect to audio mixes. Jabra keeps this off by default, but I switched it on and enjoy what it offers.
You then get the Music EQ area where you can select to create a custom EQ with 5 bands for bass, mid-range and Treble. There are also 6 presets you can select from such as Bass Boost, Energize, Neutral, Smooth, Speech & Treble Boost.
Next up is something I have not noticed before on the Jabra app but I have always liked within the Tozo app and that is the soundscapes section. This allows you to play various ambient sound loops perfect if you want to focus or just chill out after a long day. Below are some of the options available:
Now if you need to access the settings there is a small gear icon top right of the home screen. Click here if you want to update firmware, switch the double tap gesture on the left earpiece from voice assistant to Spotify Tap. In addition to that you can name your headphones if you wish, enable wind noise reduction and adjust the on-ear controls. You can also find the location-based Find My Jabra feature.
Overall, the sound+ app allows for a good level of customisation of the sound with the five-band EQ and included presets. I was also pleased to see the Dolby Spatial sound feature and the chance to activate Spotify tap if you just want music instantly when you put the buds in your ears.
Sound Quality
We have been using the Jabra Elite 8 Active (Gen 2) every day now for 2 weeks as my day-to-day headphones. First Impressions offers a truly balanced experience.
When in the gym and listening to something that will get me moving bass only becomes richer when the volume is pushed up but at normal levels you get more detail and clarity present across the frequency range. The result is a slightly clearer performance with vocals in the mid-range though this revised tuning does mean that if you liked the bass depth of previous models you will find a reduction in the bass depth.
Listen to something more instrumental like Ascent by GoGo Penguin and the frequencies sound slightly brighter whereas the original sounded richer but reined in, so there’s less need to tweak the audio with any of the presets. I also found higher levels of definition where instruments and sound effects are concerned with these buds. You feel as if you are hearing more of what’s present in the track.
Listen to something like Run Away Girl by Alice Merton and the vocals get a better sense of the definition provided in her voice. Her voice sounds more natural and sound lighter and clearer dropping the warmth for a performance that’s a clear improvement on the previous model.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen2 also comes with Dolby spatial sound feature which creates more depth and pushes vocals more forward. The effect gives you a warmer soundstage that is slightly smaller and there’s less detail and definition to voices and instruments. You pick up the instruments in Hit the Ground Running by Alice Merton.
Verdict
If the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is one of the last consumer products this brand has provided us. They took the foundations of the previous model and took it up a notch. The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 sounds more balanced. Come with better noise cancellation and even fits better than the previous model. It’s not a bad way to sign off and they would make an excellent Christmas Present at £161 I feel they are a solid investment for any audio fan.
Product Rating
Design: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Features: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Battery Life: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Value For Money: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall ranking: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars – 5 stars
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is available via Amazon for £161.21
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