INTRODUCTION

   Listening to music wirelessly while on the go or while exercising has always been very important to me and no matter how hard I’ve tried over the years i just can't seem to find the perfect stereo earbuds for me (and the same applies to many people i know). Now usually i mostly look for audio quality and volume levels whenever i use a wireless headset daily but battery life is equally important especially when you're working out (you can't really use a powerbank when you do) and to date i just haven't found one that ticks all three categories. Jabra seems to believe that their latest Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds may actually be the one and although it took some time for them to send a sample our way I’ve been using it for slightly over a month with very good results thus far.

   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

   Jabra seems to be onto something with the Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds since not only do they feature Bluetooth v4.1 connectivity (10 meters range with full support for A2DP v1.2/AVRCP v1.5/HFP v1.6/HP v1.2 profiles), 4 digital MEMS microphones (offer advanced noise cancellation with hearthrough and sidetone functions), IP67 rated enclosures (dustproof and water proof up to 1 meter) and battery packs which give them up to 3 hours of playback time but they also come ready with a clinical grade in-ear heart rate monitor and a Tri-axis accelerometer (TrackFit Motion Counting Sensor). The two 6.8mm dynamic stereo drivers feature a max input power of 8mW and combine a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with 108dB sensitivity and 16Ohm impedance while on the other hand the 4 MEMS (MicroElectrical-Mechanical System) microphones feature a frequency range of 100Hz-10KHz with -38dB sensitivity. Thanks to both the heart-rate monitor and the Tri-axis accelerometer the Elite Sport can also be used as your personal trainer since they have the ability to track/record time, speed, distance, pace, steps, cadence, calories, heart rate, heart rate zone, VO2 Max estimation, and repetitions. A bundled on-the-go charging case which gives an extra of 6 hours of playback time to the Elite Sport is here to complete Jabra's offering and yes if you’ve been following our reviews then you know that we consider such "add-ons" as especially important.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

A large product picture is placed at the front of the medium sized black and yellow box.

The Jabra Sport Life training app is mentioned on the left side of the box.

At the rear of the box Jabra has listed most of the main product features and the bundle contents.

As you can all see the front of the box opens up to reveal both the Elite Sport earbuds and the charging case.

In terms of bundle Jabra made no compromises and so along with the Elite Sport earbuds and their charging case you're also getting 3 sets of Eargels, 3 sets of Earwings (one is pre-mounted), 3 sets of foam tips, USB to micro USB charging cable, quick start guide, product warranty papers and a paper with a 2D barcode pointing to the Jabra Sport Life App.

THE JABRA ELITE SPORT

Each of the earbuds measures roughly 27x30mm, is just 22.5mm deep and weighs 6.5g. The plus/minus buttons placed on the exterior of the left earbud can be used to increase/decrease the volume, skip to the next/previous track and check the status of the battery while the two round buttons on the exterior of the right earbud can be used to play/pause music, answer/end calls, reject calls, Activate Siri/Google Now/Cortana, use the app and enable the hearthrough and sidetone features (the open areas next to the buttons are for the MEMS microphones).

Since we also have the TRELAB X11 here we placed them next to the Elite Sport to have a better idea about their size.

Left and right markings are placed on the interior of both earbuds just over the charging plates.

Jabra has used 6.8mm dynamic drivers with the Elite Sport and although these are not the largest ones used in such a product they do come really close.

By default the Elite Sport come with the round EarWings mounted but you might want to change that with one of the other two as seen above (more steady).

The 67g heavy charging base is also quite compact and measures just 72mm in length, 51mm in width and 26.5mm in height.

Like we did you will probably also notice just how durable it feels the moment you open it up.

The case has two formed areas inside in which you can easily place both earbuds (there are also two battery status LEDs in front of each area).

As for the charging case itself the battery status LED is placed right over the micro USB charging port.

JABRA SPORT LIFE APP

Just like with other earbuds by Jabra you can use the Sport Life App with your Elite Sport. The Jabra Sport Life app is a free app that offers VO2 Max testing (gives an accurate measurement of your fitness level), heart rate monitoring (track and analyze your cardio performance), race time predictor (accurately estimates your finish time), recovery advisor (helps detect signs of over-training) and also allows for direct firmware updating.

Once you install the app it will require some information about you such as your height, weight and age.

This app is also compatible with the Jabra Pulse, Coach and Pace models.

The app also gives you a quick lesson on how to fit and use the earbuds and i do suggest you pay attention.

You will also have to calibrate the app prior to using it both while walking and running as seen above.

After that the app is also able to record repetitions regardless of type (could be push-ups, pull-ups, anything).

CONCLUSION

   Jabra has a long record in the wireless headset industry and that has undoubtedly helped them create one of the best wireless earbuds in the market today (if not the best – we really can’t say). You see the Elite Sport is not just a compact set of earbuds but it’s also a very good performer in all areas. Audio quality may not be on par with what you’d be getting when using some larger models but it’s still very detailed with a good amount of bass and to our surprise so are its volume levels (still due to the rather small drivers they are limited). The same applies to build quality since it’s a lot better compared to let’s say the X11 by TRELAB (review soon) largely of course thanks to the IP67 rating which allows you even to wear the Elite Sport in the rain. Now I would like to see a touch controlled volume level adjuster (slide up/down) so the two left earbud buttons could be assigned to other functions so I do hope Jabra takes this into account with their next release. When it comes to battery life well Jabra reports up to 3 hours of playback time for the Elite Sport earbuds plus 6 hours from 2 full charges by the bundled case and after slightly over a month of testing we actually came really close to 8 and 1/2 hours of playback so 9 doesn't seem farfetched to us. As for the Jabra Sport Life app for Android and iOS devices it’s certainly a good help to both professional and amateur athletes alike since it helps keep track of your routine (not to mention it keeps a close eye to your heart rate) but honestly I’d probably get the Elite Sport even if they didn’t feature it.

   So just how much will the Jabra Elite Sport True Wireless Earbuds set you back if you decide to grab a pair? For good or bad the extras features do up the price so currently you find them for USD199.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 198.02Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). Jabra also recently released an upgraded version of the Elite Sport with improved battery life (13.5 hours total compared to the 9 of the original) so if you don’t mind spending slightly more on the new green/lime Elite Sport Earbuds you may want to check them out. At the end of the day we can’t say whether or not the Elite Sport is the best set of wireless earbuds in the market (too many manufacturers have released their very own offerings) but we do know that they easily outmatch several of the ones we have here (by TRELAB, Syllable and others) and so that combined with all the other extras are more than enough for our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (IP67 Rated)
- Design / Size
- Heart Rate Monitor / Tri Axis Accelerometer
- Hearthrough / Sidetone Features
- Impressive Audio Quality (For The Size)
- Excellent Stability
- Wireless Stereo
- Bluetooth v4.1
- Jabra Sport Life App
- Bundled Charging Case

CONS

- Battery Life (Only Up To 3 Hours)
- Current Price Tag
- Upgraded Lime Version Already Available