Jabra Elite 10 review: Great ANC, comfy fit, so-so call quality

Best Prices Today: Jabra Elite 10

Jabra has earned a reputation for launching audio devices that stand out for both their build quality and distinctive sound, as well as their many useful features. So it’s no surprise that the Jabra Elite 10 is another model that just ticks a lot of boxes for me.

Although not perfect and not as focused on physical activity and endurance as the Jabra Elite 8 Active, the Elite 10 allow you to enjoy your favorite music in great quality, both in the comfort of your home and in noisier places thanks to the improved ANC.

However, you may ask, should you really spend $249.99 on the Jabra Elite 10? I’ve spent many hours with them over the last few weeks while working from home and listening to music out on the town, testing them out to help you make the right choice.

Design & build

• Five color options
• Silicone coating
• IP57 rating

The Elite 10 come in four different colors: Cocoa, Cream, Gloss Black, Matte Black, or Titanium Black.

The Jabra’s Advanced ANC is highly effective and doesn’t induce any uncomfortable pressure sensation in your ears.

If you’ve had previous experience with Jabra’s earlier flagship earbuds, you’ll immediately notice their distinctive design. For the Elite 10, Jabra added a protective and textured silicone cover to the casing of each bud, further improving their grip in the hand.

This review is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best noise-cancelling headphones.

As a result, I also had no problem keeping the buds clean, while IP57 resistance against dust and water is an added bonus.

The Elite 10 are very comfortable. This is likely due to the well designed silicone tips, which have a special shape so that when inserted into the ear, they simply fit and stay in, even without additional wings or hooks. They also do not cause unpleasant discomfort or pain after several hours of wear. In my case, the pre-installed tips were the best, but you can always choose the right ones from the four available sizes in the set.

Moving on to the case, I have no complaints. It is lightweight and thin enough to accommodate two buds as well as a long-lasting battery. It also fits well in the hand and opens with the same ease as removing and inserting the buds from it.

Smart features

• Easy pairing
• Six EQ modes

Having experienced previous Jabra earbuds, I expected an easy-to-use and quick setup process, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Simply take the buds out of the case, press and hold the buttons for 3 seconds until the LED starts flashing blue, then simply go into the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone or other device and select the earbuds to pair with.

The Jabra Sound+ app, available for both iOS and Android, allows you to unlock additional features and thus the full capabilities of the Elite 10.

This is where you can adjust the EQ settings, configure button functions, and fine-tune the Jabra’s Advanced ANC. The latter deserves a special mention as it automatically adapts to the ambient sound, effectively mitigating challenging environments with greater efficiency than any previous Jabra Elite models–more on it later.

EQ settings allow you to mix and match the sound to your preferences, as well as choose one from six predefined audio presets: Neutral, Speech, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Smooth, and Energize.

The app also offers support for Spotify Tap and is compatible with Google Assistant on Android and Siri on iOS. For Android users, the convenience is extended thanks to the app’s discreet control notification that displays quick information like head tracking and Dolby Atmos usage.

Sound quality

• 10mm drivers
• Dolby Spatial audio
• Jabra Advanced ANC

The Elite 10 earbuds feature 10mm drivers and support AAC and SBC codecs for audio. Despite not having premium codecs like aptX or LDAC (so there’s no high-resolution support here), the overall audio quality is impressive.

Jabra doesn’t market itself as a Hi-Fi brand, which suits those who prefer outstanding audio without complications. One minor critique is the desire for more detail in high frequencies. Back on the plus side, the Elite 10 earbuds offer Dolby Atmos with and without head tracking.

The Jabra’s Advanced ANC is highly effective and doesn’t induce any uncomfortable pressure sensation in your ears. It does, however, slightly impact audio quality, so I wouldn’t recommend using it at all times. Nevertheless, it functions as intended without the discomfort experienced with some other earbuds. The pass-through feature also performs well; however, I sense that the sounds from the surroundings are somewhat muted.

Unreliable call quality can be problematic at times, although the headphones will cope with normal phone or video calls. However, if you intend to use them regularly when taking video calls or outdoors on windy days, your caller may have trouble understanding everything you say.

Battery life & charging

• Up to 36 hours battery life
• 5-minute charge for 1-hour listening

The Elite 10 earbuds are rated for approximately six hours with ANC enabled and eight hours without it. When you include the case’s battery, the total usage extends to around 27 hours with ANC and 36 hours without.

Bear in mind that playing audio at high volume levels and using spatial audio features will reduce the earbuds’ battery life. While this isn’t significantly different from the performance of the AirPods Pro 2, which offer up to 7 hours of usage, it falls noticeably shorter compared to the Sony WF-1000XM5, which provide approximately 10 hours of playtime.

In my experience, I managed to go for about 2 days with mixed usage (with and without ANC), using them for about three to four hours each day, before needing to recharge.

According to Jabra, it takes up to three hours to fully charge the earbuds from empty, but just a five-minute charge should provide you with approximately an hour of listening time. In my experience, it actually takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes to get a full charge, but the three-hour charging time should always be kept in mind. As for the 5-minute charge, it works as advertised.

In summary, the battery life has been outstanding for my usage. Additionally, the ability to charge the Elite 10 wirelessly, along with the convenience of USB-C, is a bonus.

Price & availability

The Jabra Elite 10 is priced at $249.99, and you can purchase them from Jabra and Amazon. Jabra provides a two-year warranty in case of any issues.

If you’re looking for similar high-end earbuds that offer great sound and advanced ANC, there are other great models like Sony’s WF-1000XM5 or Apple AirPods Pro 2, as well as brands you might not know so well like Denon, Huawei and JBL.

Should you buy the Jabra Elite 10?

When I got to know and test the Elite 10 earbuds, they had to face my high expectations. To be honest, they have not only met but exceeded them, and their overall performance aligns with their price point.

I have encountered no issues with connectivity and I am very impressed by their comfort. The advanced ANC and sound quality are also great, even though there is a slight lack of detail in high frequencies and call quality isn’t always the best.

Considering their build quality, comfort, audio performance, and long battery life, the Jabra Elite 10 earbuds get you a flagship experience that’s worth the money but does not really stand out from its competitors, of which there are many.

Specs

• 10mm drivers
• Six-microphone array
• Wireless: Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.8, PBP V1.0, TMAP V 1.0
• Button controls
• Battery life: Up to 27 hours (with ANC and with case), up to 36 hours (without ANC and with case)
• Works with Jabra Sound+ app
• Supports Dolby Spatial Audio
• Supports AAC and SBC codecs
• Siri and Google Assistant support
• 33-foot range
• Jabra Advanced ANC
• IP57 rating (buds only), IP54 water resistance (case)
• Weight: 5.7g per earphone, 45.9g case

This review was originally published on TechHive’s sibling site, Tech Advisor.

Best Prices Today: Jabra Elite 10