There are a few key boxes wireless headphones or earbuds need to tick off for me to consider them a “win.” The Jabra Elite 10 earbuds do just that and more. They’re extremely comfortable and produce some of the best, no-nonsense audio I’ve heard in quite a while.
Jabra has garnered a great reputation as one of the better audio brands out there based on build and not just over-advertised sound quality. The Jabra Elite 10 are poised as a do-it-all pair of earbuds. They don’t come with a massive focus on active lifestyles and durability, but it doesn’t ignore it completely. On the flip side, they don’t scream high-end audio but deliver it all the same.
Build & design
The Jabra Elite 10 earbuds are some of the best-designed earbuds I’ve seen this year. They carry that trademark Jabra design language and don’t stick out like sore thumbs in your ears.
Each bud has a silicone jacket surrounding the chassis, which does a lot to add to the feel of the earbuds. It also proves to be a material that’s easy to clean – we all know that earbuds are probably some of the dirtiest pieces of tech we own. You can take a quick alcohol wipe to each chassis and get everything back to out-of-the-box new condition. Each bud is also IP57 dust and water-resistant, so while you can’t expect to submerge these for upwards of 30 minutes, they won’t flinch when presented with sweat.
Jabra has also done a good job designing a proprietary set of silicone tips. They have a unique connector and overall shape, which I presume is partly responsible for the comfort these buds provide. The tips are angled in such a way that the buds lock in. After choosing between the four included ear tips, you should be able to find a size right for you. Once you do, you’ll likely experience one of the best-fitting earbuds on the market, though the way earbuds fit can vary widely from person to person.
These things are just downright comfortable. Flights, car rides, and long walks offer no obstacles, and no ear fatigue was ever felt. The underside of the casing, in combination with the angled ear tips, seems to hit that sweet spot where no extra pressure is applied to your ears. The silicone also adds a softness, so you don’t get irritation from hard plastics.
The case is another area where Jabra clearly did their research. The case is just thin enough to house each earbud while being big enough to enclose a long-lasting battery – more on that later. It’s just under an inch thick but has rounded edges to allow you to easily and comfortably pocket it. The top opens up, and each bud is presented with enough space for you to grab them with ease. Placing them is easy, as well – an area in which many earbud designs meet their downfall.
The pair I’m reviewing bears the Cocoa colorway, which is somewhere between brown and red. It isn’t my favorite color option for the Elite 10 series, but it’s not terrible. The buds also come in Cream and Black options – Black is available in both matte and gloss.
Audio quality & Dolby Atmos
Internally, the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds house a 10 mm driver in each bud that has a range from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz. On the software side, the Elite 10 earbuds can handle AAC and SBC codecs. Despite not offering something like aptX from Qualcomm or any other high-end codec, the audio I’ve been experiencing has been absolutely excellent.
At the outset, I mentioned that Jabra doesn’t position itself as a Hi-Fi or audiophile brand, which is fine because I’m happier experiencing humble, fantastic audio rather than an overcompensating sound that only leaves disappointment.
If I had to leave a criticism, it’d be that I think there needs to be a little more detail in the highs, though that’s a minor gripe. The overall audio quality is simply great.
If you want something a little extra, the Elite 10 earbuds also make use of Dolby Atmos with Dolby Head Tracking. It can come in two forms: Dolby Atmos with and without Head Tracking.
I generally opt to turn Atmos on without tracking simply because I feel that the added directional soundstage is distracting. It’s purely preferential, and I found myself listening for long periods without Dolby Atmos enabled. Artists’ voices appear to have more detail without the feature on, but the overall soundstage is wider when it’s toggled on.
Performance
There are a couple of key performance points that make the Elite 10 earbuds from Jabra one of the better earbuds I’ve used in a while. First, the controlling app on Android and iOS is built as a simple hub for settings, audio preferences, and utility, and it manages that in the most simplistic way possible.
There is one page of cards you can customize. Each card houses a different setting you can play with and control within a matter of seconds. If you don’t think you’ll use that setting, simply delete that card from your homepage.
On Android, the ease of use goes even further with the Jabra Sound+ app’s silent control notification. That notification is simply a status bar at the bottom of your notification shade that displays quick information like head tracking and Dolby Atmos usage. A quick expansion lets you change ANC and pass-through mode with ease.
This is the way to do it. There’s no need to open the app and fumble through settings, and if you don’t want to press the physical buttons on the earbuds – which work splendidly well, by the way – you can access the silent Sound+ app notification and make a quick change.
As far as ANC and pass-through go, that’s another area where I have very little to complain about. ANC is great and doesn’t result in a pressurized feeling in your ears. It does affect the audio quality a bit, so I would suggest leaving it off if you can, but otherwise, it works as it should without the uncomfortable pressure other buds offer. The Elite 10 buds have Jabra’s most advanced ANC packed in, and that fact is made immediately clear.
Pass-through is good as well, though I think Jabra could’ve set it to let more audio come through. I feel like what’s on the outside of the buds is slightly muffled, and I would’ve loved to hear things a bit more clearly.
From what others have told me, calls offer a good amount of detail, and the array of six microphones on the Elite 10 earbuds are doing their job well.
The Elite 10 earbuds also come with Google Fast Pair and Multipoint, which adds to the ease of setup and general usage.
Battery life
The Elite 10 earbuds are rated for up to 6 hours with ANC on and 8 without. Adding the case’s battery extends the total to about 27 hours with ANC and 36 without.
That has felt right on the money for me, and I genuinely feel like I’m getting better battery life than it’s rated for. Since getting the Elite 10 earbuds about three weeks ago, I think I’ve charged the case once or twice – no more than that. That isn’t to say I haven’t used them. My usage has been a lot of passive listening, doing things around the house or walking the dog. With that, I still feel like the battery percentage has barely moved.
All that is to say, the battery life has been great for me in my usage. Add on the fact that they can be wirelessly charged alongside USB-C, and that’s a win in my book.
Final thoughts
At $249, the Elite 10 earbuds from Jabra have a lot to live up to. I feel like they’ve done that, and in my experience using them, the overall performance of the buds is indicative of the price tag. I haven’t come in contact with issues with connection or a drop in quality, and I’m consistently impressed by their comfort.
When taking into consideration the build, comfort, and audio quality, I think the Elite 10 earbuds are deserving of the flagship status in Jabra’s lineup. I’ve had nothing but a good experience with the Elite 10 earbuds.
Buy Jabra Elite 10 earbuds:
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments