INTRODUCTION

   One of the main reasons (if not the only one) i avoid listening to music both with wired and wireless headsets/earsets while on foot is the absence of awareness for my surroundings. Now as some of you already know from past reviews i used to do that up until the moment a car almost hit me (in all fairness it was raining, he was speeding and i was wearing a hoodie so the wireless earphones i was using/testing back then where just the cherry on top). Still thanks to relatively new technologies found/used in some wireless headsets/earsets (for example the well-known hearthrough mode) this is no longer an issue, at least not when i happen to be testing one such model. A few months back i reviewed the latest Elite 75t wireless earbuds by Jabra and just like in the past with the 65t series today I’ll be testing the more sports oriented Active model.

   Jabra, part of the GN Group, is a leading developer and manufacturer of communications and sound solutions. We are committed to letting people hear more, do more and be more than they ever thought possible. We believe that through sound, we can transform lives. Jabra innovates and empowers with sound solutions for businesses and consumers, producing corded and wireless headsets, portable and in-office speakerphones, and sports earbuds. Jabra employs 1,000 people worldwide, and produced an annual revenue of DKK3.5 bn in 2016. The GN Group operates in more than 90 countries, and has almost 150 years’ experience in innovation and delivering reliability and ease of use. Founded in 1869, employing over 5,000 people, and listed on Nasdaq Copenhagen, GN makes life sound better. www.jabra.com

   Just like in the case of the Elite 65t and Elite 75t models the Elite Active 65t and Elite Active 75t come very close in terms of specifications since both feature two 6mm dynamic drivers (20Hz-20KHz frequency response with 16Ohm impedance, 103dB sensitivity and 8mW max input), 4 digital MEMS microphones (100Hz-10KHz frequency range with -38dB sensitivity - microelectrical mechanical system microphones offer advanced noise cancellation with hearthrough and sidetone controls), IP57 certified enclosures (dust and water proof) and Bluetooth v5.0 connectivity (10 meters range/ 2 simultaneously connected devices/ up to 8 paired devices in total / supports A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.7, HSP v1.2 and SPP v1.2). Of course, Jabra has performed several tweaks so aside the longer battery life (7.5 hours for the 75t vs 5 hours for the 65t) offered by the lithium-ion rechargeable battery packs the new Elite Active 75t feature a slightly different design (engineered based on thousands of ear scans for optimal fit), are more compact (21.9x19.4x16.2mm for the 75t vs 27x30x22.5 for the 65t) and probably also a tad larger driver (the Elite Active 65t had an 6mm by 5.1mm driver whereas the new Elite Active 75t seems to have an 6mm in diameter driver). The bundled charging case is also improved and offers more than twice the battery life (20.5 hours max for the 75t and 10 hours max for the 65t) while at the same time being far more compact (62.4x36.6x27 for the 75t and 72x51x26.5 for the 65t). Also, for all of you who may not like the Navy Blue color featured in my reviews the Elite Active 75t is currently available in 6 colors (Navy Blue, Titanium Black, Copper Black, Grey, Sienna and Mint) and is covered by a two year warranty against dust and water damage.