Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 Review: The Best Rugged Earbuds Yet
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds may have a terrible name, but they are designed for users with an active lifestyle, offering a blend of durability, comfort, and high-quality sound. Priced at $229 (2 690 SEK), these earbuds stand out due to their robust features and solid performance.
Design and Durability
One of the standout features of the Elite 8 Active is its IP68 rating, making them dustproof, watertight, sweatproof, and resistant to drops from up to 1 meter. This level of durability is particularly impressive, surpassing many competitors in the market. The earbuds also feature Jabra’s ShakeGrip technology, ensuring a secure fit during intense workouts.
Sound Quality
The Elite 8 Active delivers a rich, balanced sound with a good mix of highs, mids, and lows. While the bass and treble are well-tuned, users can customize their sound profile using the Jabra Sound+ app, which offers various EQ presets and the ability to create personalized sound settings. The earbuds also support spatial audio for a more immersive listening experience with Dolby Atmos content, although they lack head tracking, which is available in the more expensive Elite 10 model.
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Noise Cancellation and Call Quality
Equipped with adaptive hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), the Elite 8 Active adjusts its performance based on the surrounding noise levels, effectively minimizing background sounds. The HearThrough feature allows users to hear their surroundings more naturally, which is beneficial for outdoor activities. Call quality is decent, with 6-mic call technology and wind noise-reducing mesh, although it doesn’t quite match the clarity of the Elite 10.
Battery Life and Connectivity
The earbuds offer up to eight hours of playback with ANC on, and the case provides an additional 24 hours, supporting both wireless and fast charging. Multipoint connectivity allows for simultaneous pairing with two devices, which is handy for those who need to stay connected on multiple fronts. The earbuds use Bluetooth 5.3 and support AAC and SBC codecs, but they lack support for high-resolution audio codecs like aptX or LDAC.
Comfort and Usability
The Elite 8 Active maintains a comfortable fit with three sizes of ear tips, ensuring a good seal for effective passive noise isolation. Unlike some other models, these earbuds feature physical buttons instead of touch-sensitive controls, which can be more reliable during workouts. The Jabra Sound+ app also offers seamless integration with Google Assistant, although Alexa support has been dropped in this version.
Conclusion
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is an excellent choice for those seeking durable, high-performing earbuds for an active lifestyle. While they might not cater to audiophiles due to the lack of high-res audio codecs, their robust build, customizable sound, and effective noise cancellation make them a solid investment for fitness enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers.