Jabra Elite 10 (L) and Elite 8 Active (R).
Jabra’s lineup of wireless earbuds can be confusing as there are multiple choices: We have Pros, Actives, and the Elite variants all vying for your attention. The two latest ones, the Elite 8 Active and the Elite 10 are currently at the top of the list. So, what are you getting with each one, and which one should you choose? I recently received a pair of each to test and review in my home. I’ll take a look at what you’re getting with each option, how they sound, what they’re made for and what they’re not, and if overall I think they are a good pick for you.
I’ve had the chance to review many Jabra headphones since the company first broke away from military headset manufacturing to enter the consumer arena. I’ve always loved the brand since over time they’re consistently been innovating, and they’ve repeatedly made durable products that sound great, connect easily, offer cutting-edge features, and are comfortable to wear.
Jabra Elite 8 Active review
As the name suggests, the Jabra Elite 8 Active is made for more sporty and active use. It features a sweatproof design made to withstand workouts, while also being comfortable enough to wear long-term. These buds also boast best in market battery life too, where even if you wear them all day they can still last you a week on a single charge. We’ll get to more on that coming up…
IP68 Rating
First on our list of features is the Elite 8 Active’s IP68 rating. That ’68’ signifies these buds can withstand water and dust like a champ, whether you’re caught in a sudden downpour on your run or accidentally drop one in the dirt on a trail run. They can even survive being dropped in over a meter of water.
Jabra even claims to have had the Elite 8 Active tested to meet U.S. Military standards for electronic devices, which makes it one of the toughest earbuds on the planet. Even saltwater, the bane of most electronics, shouldn’t be able to hurt these babies.
Worth noting, while the buds are IP68, the case is only IP54, so take care to protect it a bit more.
Jabra Shake Grip
One of the headlining features of the Elite 8 Active is the Shake Grip feature, which Jabra says ensures it’s never going to fall out of your ears.
The earbuds are coated with a silky yet grippy liquid silicone rubber that helps the earbuds stay in place even during intense workouts. So, even when the sweat starts to trickle down your ears, they feel like they’ll stay put no matter what.
Adaptive Hybrid ANC
Next up, we have the Adaptive Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). Now, this is as grand as it sounds and it goes back to what I was saying about Jabra being an innovator. This is noise cancelling made even better since it uses microphones both inside and outside your ear canal to listen to how much noise may be bleeding in, to better allow the earbuds to cancel it out.
By listening to not just whats’ happening outside the earbuds, but how much of it’s getting in, the earbuds can adapt better to block out unwanted noise.
HearThrough
Elite 8 Active.
On the flip side of ANC is HearThrough, which allows some sound to pass through. In the Elite 8 Active, you can toggle this setting on and off on the left earbud, but if you open up the Jabra Sound + app, you can actually dial the amount of sound coming in to your liking. If you need to be hyper alert for a crying baby or a flight announcement, you can open it all the way up so you don’t miss a thing. If you just need to hear sudden or loud noises; you can close your HearThrough window more. In my testing I found there’s a lot of latitude here, it works very well and the choice is completely up to you.
Sound Quality
Let’s talk sound quality. After all, what good is an earbud that doesn’t deliver top-notch sound, right? From the first moment I popped the Elite 8 Active in, I was impressed. With sporty headphones, you might assume they’ll be bass heavy, and focused more on durability and less on sound quality.
Fortunately, the Elite 8 Active delivers a hearty feast of audio with its 6mm drivers.
Whether it’s the pumping bass of your workout playlist, the delicacy of podcast dialogues, or the richness of symphonies, each tone rings clear and precise. The sound quality is impressive and makes me think these are made for audiophiles and music aficionados, not meatheads.
I loved the way these sounded right out of the box, but if you need a little more, the Jabra app offers not only audio presets to give you some other options, but a full music equalizer too.
With spatial audio compatibility you can also dial up an Apple Music Spatial Audio playlist and get all the 360-degree 3D sound benefits too.
Fit & comfort
I often have trouble finding good earbuds, as I find many are too large and cork-like for a woman’s ears. I was really happy to find the Elite 8 Active are super comfortable, soft and well sized to create a comfortable fit even during long meetings and listening sessions. Plus the soft, grippy silicone just makes them feel really nice too.
Battery Life & Charging
The travel and charging case is small and will easily fit in any pocket or small purse.
With 8 hours of listening time in the buds with ANC on and up to 14 hours if ANC is off, these are on the high end of earbud longevity. The case holds a further 32 hours (with ANC use) or up to an astounding 56 hours if you don’t engage ANC.
Overall review: Jabra Elite 8 Active
Overall I love these earbuds; they sound great, they’re wicked comfortable, the battery life is long and the ANC and HearThrough is killer. I don’t have any downsides that are obvious to me.
Jabra Elite 10 review
The Elite 10 is currently Jabra’s flagship all-around earbud that’s made more for at-home or in-office listening. Despite not having the ‘active’ tag, these will work just as well in a workout as the Elite 8 Active but they are missing the dust resistance, having an IP57 rating. Which is good but not as good as the Elite 8 Active.
What they lack only slightly in durability, they more than make up for in sound: they have the latest Advanced ANC with Spatial Audio paired with bigger 10mm speaker drivers.
The Comfort Factor: Jabra ComfortFit
Starting with the physical, the Elite 10 has been quite the talk of the earbud town, and a lot of that buzz revolves around its touted Jabra ComfortFit technology. Essentially, this techy term translates into a design that goes easy on your ears.
Jabra claims to have tested 62,000 ears and has come up with an oval-shaped EarGel that would fit all ear shapes and sizes without any of that annoying in-ear pressure.
A Symphony in Your Ear: Jabra Advanced ANC with Spatial Audio
Now let’s shimmy over to the Elite 10’s pièce de résistance – its Advanced Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) paired with Spatial Audio. Like its cousin, it’s like having an invisible forcefield that zaps out outside noises.
Throw in the spatial audio with head tracking tech, and it’s not just a song you’re listening to; it’s an auditory experience. You can close your eyes and feel like you’re at a live concert right in the front row. It’s almost as if you could reach out and high-five your favorite band members.
Sound quality
Now, on to the nitty-gritty that makes these babies sing, or rather, makes everything you hear seem like it’s singing! The Jabra Elite 10 packs a 10mm driver in each bud— quite the powerhouse when it comes to sound quality. What will that mean for you?
Better power and loudness, in theory, and I can confirm these sound phenomental. It’s hard to say if they truly sound better than the Elite 8 Active, since both these earbuds are amazing. They are clear, vibrant, intricate and well balanced.
Jabra Boasts the ANC in these headphones is twice as good as its basic ANC offering. Not something I can accurately measure, so I’ll simply say it’s possible to create a big cone of silence while wearing the Elite 10. You can also activate adjustable HearThrough to let any amount of sound in that you want.
Battery life & charging
Elite 10 offer a little less battery life than the Elite 8 Active.
Here you get 6 hours of life with ANC on and 8 with it off. Still decent. The case holds 27 hours and up to 36 if you don’t engage the ANC.
Fit & Comfort
Much like the Elite 8 Active these earbuds have that silicone coating; here’s it’s not marketed as ‘Shake Grip’, but when I hold them both, it’s identical as far as I can tell. It provides a soft finish that keeps them from slipping.
The soft edges and reasonable size make these extremely comfortable even for all day wear.
Jabra Elite 8 Active vs Jabra Elite 10: An Earbud Showdown
Shake Grip vs ComfortFit
Shake Grip vs ComfortFitElite 8 Active boasts an unshakeable fit, thanks to Jabra’s Shake Grip feature. It promises to stay put even while it’s covered in a marathon’s worth of sweat.
On the flip side, the Elite 10 is tailored for a comfortable fit via the Jabra ComfortFit technology. Its barely-there fit is comforting, soft, and made for leisure time.
My verdict: Both earbuds are supremely comfortable and virtually identical in fit and feel.
Adaptive Hybrid ANC vs Advanced ANC with Spatial Audio
Both the Elite 8 Active and the Elite 10 claim to pack a serious punch when it comes to noise cancellation, but they deliver different experiences.
My verdict: While technically speaking the Elite 10 offers ‘better’ noise cancelling, it’s only a teeny imperceptible step up fro the 8 Active, so for me these two are in a tie for great and greater noise cancellation and HearThrough.
The Sound Quality Showdown: 6mm Drivers vs 10mm Drivers
Moving to the heart of any audio device – the sound quality. The Elite 8 Active sports 6mm drivers that promise crisp, clear, and energetic sounds.
On the other hand, the Elite 10 punches the ticket with 10mm drivers. Imagine a complete symphony orchestra playing a sonata directly in your ears.
My verdict: Not to sound like a broken record, but both of these earbuds sound amazing, and even those with finely tuned ears will love the overall audio quality, whichever option you choose.
Battery life showdown
Where the choice will likely be made for buyers is in the battery life and here we do have a clear winner: the Elite 8 Active. With far more battery life, these will be the go-to choice for commuters, travellers or those who get constant use from headphones.
Other features
Clear Call tech with wind resistance
Both earbuds also boast clear calls thanks to what Jabra calls its ‘Wind noise protecting mesh and noise cancellation algorithm’. In my testing, both earbuds delivered on clear phone and video calls, even in windy or noisy environments.
Bluetooth multipoint/multiple device connections
Both earbuds also offer multiple device connections, allowing you to connect to a phone and laptop or tablet or switch between them. I love this feature and Jabra is one iof the few that gets it right and allows you to connect instantly to other devices without manually having to swap Bluetooth connections.
Soundscape sounds
One other feature I love from Jabra is that the app has a built in chill out feature called Soundscape which will play white noise, or a variety of nature sounds, all for free inside the app. I love putting one of these sounds on while I’m writing and trying to focus, and the fact it’s right inside the app is just a great gift from Jabra.
The app can also find your lost headphones too using Find My Jabra as long as you activate the feature first.
Overall review and which Jabra to pick
Overall I’m in love with both these earbuds and I can wholeheartedly recommend wither one to you. Both the Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 are very similar in terms of features and benefits, comfort and sound quality. Where they have the biggest divergence is in battery life… and price.
Elite 8 Active sells for about $199USD/$249CAD and Elite 10 sells for about $249USD/$329CAD.
For my money, the extra battery life and similar features and performance makes the Elite 8 Active is your best value. You can check out some other headphone and earbud options like the Pixel Buds Pro or see why I’m not a fan of AirPods Pro in my reviews.
Also Read:
- Jabra Elite Sport truly wireless earbuds review
- Review: Jabra Elite Active 75t & Jabra Elite 85t truly wireless earbuds
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