The Jabra Elite 8 Active True Wireless earbuds are top-tier sports earbuds, an upgrade from the Jabra Elite 7 Active. They feature a soft silicone coating to keep them secure, an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and a durable design, making them ideal for running and workouts. These earbuds also have active noise cancellation (ANC) and a companion app for sound and control customization. New features include virtual surround sound.
Jabra’s Elite 8 Active earbuds are lightweight and pocketable at 5g per bud and 46g for the case. They are designed to withstand tough conditions with military-standard materials, ShakeGrip technology for a secure fit, and six-microphone windproof call technology.
Design and Build of Jabra Elite Active 8 Earbuds
The Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds are a modest upgrade from the Elite 7 Pro and Elite 7 Active models. They come with six microphones, enhanced adaptive noise canceling, and wind-reduction technology, plus a higher durability rating. These earbuds are designed to be noise-isolating, providing a tight seal by jamming the tips into your ears. Jabra promotes them as the “world’s toughest earbuds.”
These earbuds fit well and feature physical control buttons for music playback, calls, and switching between noise canceling and HearThrough transparency mode. Available in Black, Caramel, Dark Gray, or Navy Blue, they have a soft matte exterior for a comfortable in-canal fit and come with three pairs of silicone eartips.
The earbuds house 6mm dynamic drivers with a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz and are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3, supporting AAC and SBC codecs. Future updates will add LC3 and LC3plus codec support, making them somewhat future-proof. They also support Google Fast Pair and multipoint connectivity for up to two devices
Features of Jabra Elite Active 8 Earbuds
The Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds offer great features, including effective active noise cancellation (ANC) and a user-friendly app with an equalizer. The app lets you tweak the sound with presets like Bass Boost, perfect for workouts.
The ANC is significantly improved from the Elite 7 Active, blocking most sounds except very low rumbles and high-pitched noises. The HearThrough mode allows you to hear your surroundings without removing the earbuds, and you can adjust the levels within the app.
The small charging case supports USB-C and wireless charging. The earbuds feature easy-to-use tactile buttons on the flat surface with the “Jabra” logo. These buttons allow you to control music, adjust volume, and handle calls, although pressing them can sometimes push the earbuds further into your ears.
Other features include multipoint pairing for up to 10 devices, ergonomic design with soft silicone tips for a comfortable fit, and excellent passive noise isolation. The earbuds are lightweight (5 grams each) and have an IP68 rating, making them dust-proof, watertight, sweat-proof, and drop-resistant. The case is IP54-rated, offering dust and splash protection.
Despite the solid button controls, some users might prefer touch controls. However, Jabra believes the physical buttons are more reliable. The Elite Active 8 earbuds also offer stable smartwatch connectivity and voice assistant compatibility, providing a seamless experience.
Sound Quality :
The Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds deliver impressive sound quality for their price. Out of the box, the sound is balanced with good bass, vibrant treble, and harmonious mid-range, often referred to as neutral in the Jabra Sound+ app.
The Jabra Sound+ app, available for both iPhone and Android, is easy to use and offers various sound customization options. You can choose from presets like Neutral, Bass Boost, and Energize, or create your own audio profile with the graphic equalizer. The app also includes soothing soundscapes for focus or relaxation, which I found particularly useful during intense work sessions.
In terms of performance, the ANC is excellent, blocking out most sounds except very low rumbles and high-pitched noises. This made a significant difference during workouts and walks through busy city streets, where the earbuds reduced noise to a barely audible level. The HearThrough mode, which allows you to hear ambient sounds, works reliably and can be adjusted through the app.
For calls, the Elite 8 Active earbuds are good but not exceptional. They perform well in quiet environments but struggle a bit in noisy settings compared to other high-end models like the AirPods Pro 2 and Sony WF-1000XM5. However, the call quality is generally clear, and the Bluetooth 5.3 connection is stable with various devices.
The sound is energetic and customizable. The 6mm dynamic drivers produce powerful, bass-heavy sound. For workouts, tracks like Dead Prez’s “Hip Hop” and Eminem’s “Till I Collapse” sound great, with a strong bassline and clear midrange. For a more relaxed listening experience, jazz tracks like Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight” are smooth and detailed.
The earbuds also support Jabra’s new Dolby Atmos-powered Spatial Sound, adding a sense of depth and arena-like acoustics to the soundstage. While not as advanced as Apple’s or Sony’s spatial audio technologies, it’s a noteworthy first step.
Overall, the Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds offer robust sound quality, effective ANC, and a customizable audio experience through the Jabra Sound+ app, making them a great choice for various listening environments and activities.
Battery Life of Jabra Elite Active 8 Earbuds
The battery performance of the Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds is fantastic. They offer 8 hours of playback with noise cancellation. These numbers are better than the Elite 10, which offers 6 hours with ANC on. Without noise cancellation, they can last an impressive 14 hours, which is remarkable given their compact size and comfort. Their passive noise isolation helps conserve battery life effectively.
The compact storage case, equipped with USB-C and compatible with wireless charging, holds three additional full charges. This brings the total battery life to approximately 32 hours, which is impressive. The case also provides a fast charge feature, giving you one hour of playback with just five minutes of charging. There’s an auto-off timer to save power, and you can use one earbud while the other charges.
For convenience, the Jabra app lets you view the exact battery life of both the earbuds and the case. LED lights on the earbuds and case indicate battery levels: green for high, yellow for medium, and red for low.
The Jabra Elite Active 8 earbuds provide outstanding battery performance, ensuring you stay powered through workouts, commutes, and daily activities with minimal charging interruptions.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Comfortable and secure fit
- Powerful, enjoyable sound
- Extremely durable design (IP68 rating for earbuds, IP54 for case)
- Satisfying sound and call quality
- Intuitive noise cancellation
- Lengthy playtimes (Good battery life)
- Impressive 3D audio performance with Dolby Spatial Sound
- ShakeGrip coating keeps the buds in place
Cons
- Sound is one-dimensional at times
- On-ear controls affect the fit
- Limited ear tip options
- Mediocre noise isolation
- Spatial Sound could use improvement
- Control scheme affects comfort
- Missing some upscale features
- Sculpted sound signature won’t appeal to purists
