Verdict
There was arguably no better pair of physical exercise - focalise true tuner than the Elite 8 Active in 2024 , but with improved phone , a beneficial primed , and raise noise - cancellation , the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 is now the model to beat .
Pros
Cons
Key Features
Introduction
Jabra ’s passing from the consumer headphone market in 2024 showed just how elusive the market has become . The elect 8 Active Gen 2 pit its last duet of fitness - focused earbuds .
I felt the Elite 8 Active were one of the best workout - ground true radio , but the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are even good .
Design
Unlike theElite 10 Gen 2 , which did n’t alter its appearance much aside from a alteration in colours , Jabra has hold set to make the Gen 2 version of the elect 8 participating belittled – and I retrieve it ’s a overbold choice .
The one job I had with the elect 8 Active was the fit was n’t the most good . Jabra does n’t rely on wing - tips , preferring to use Shakegrip technology to ensure that it remain in your ears during physical exercise . I found that while the elect 8 Active stayed in my ear , I had to readjust them evenhandedly often as they would move about and the seal would loosen .
That ’s not a problem with the elect 8 Active Gen 2 , which not only stays put but does n’t move about in my ear . The comfort level are just as good as before but the seal is more secure , which means that during run and gymnasium physical exertion I ’m not have to niggle about with the fit . I would have though bigger is better in term of size but Jabra has prove me wrong on that front .
You get little , average and large auricle - tip to find a comfortable and dependable fit .
The accent with the elect 8 Active Gen 2 is on surviving everything you switch at it – they ’ve overstep US Military Standards for ruggedise electronics ( 810H ) , along with Jabra ’s own corrosive tests ( Highly Accelerated Corrosion Testing ) . The earpiece themselves are rated to a gamy IP68 evaluation , which think of they ’re waterproofed ( for about 30 minute of arc ) and insubordinate to dust . The caseful itself is rated to IP54 .
I ’ve dunked these headphones into a crank of water for some prison term and they ’ve outlast , though do n’t assume they ’ll be in perfect working precondition once you take them out . They do need some metre to dry , one of the earphones produced some weird mellow rake noise when I tried to use it , but a day subsequently they were dead fine . I wasslightlyworried that I ’d broken them .
Jabra mystify with physical button , which always provide that sense of comfort and knowledge in that you wo n’t endure from missed swipe and the like with effort fingers . Onboard loudness control is supported , though be aware that if you activate voice restraint ( Google Assistant ) , you misplace the ability to hold in book through the earphones themselves , which is a bit annoying .
The case is the newLE Audiosmart fount that can retransmit audio recording from parallel origin wirelessly to the earphones ( utilitarian , say , for plugging into the turn tail machines at the gym ) . Plug them in and tap the button on the front and you ’ll start hearing audio recording through the headphones .
The colour have been refreshed with an Olea europaea , coral ( exclusive to the Jabra website ) , navy and black option available .
Features
There ’s no modification in the elect 8 Active Gen 2 ’s wireless support , withBluetooth 5.3that supports multipoint for duple - gimmick connection , as well as pullulate in SBC , AAC , and Bluetooth LE Audio . It ’s slight disgrace Jabara never seemed interested in high quality codecs such as aptX Adaptive andLDACfor its premium earbuds .
There isGoogle Fast Pair(for Android devices ) and Microsoft ’s Swift Pair ( for Windows gimmick ) , to get the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 hook up chop-chop .
Battery biography remain on similar term , so while Jabra claim 8 hours per billing I view you could get more than that at nonpayment mass . An minute ’s drain at 50 % loudness see it drop around 10 % ( the left over earbud was a lilliputian more ) , so 10 hours does n’t seem out of the interrogative sentence . A five - moment charge offers another minute of performance .
What has change is the noise - cancellation performance , which has been improved . The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 employ Adaptive Hybrid Noise - Cancellation , which is not as brawny as the Elite 10 Gen 2 , but using the new bud on runs and in the gymnasium , traffic was noticeably quieter and wind noise successfully suppressed . Indoors there was hardly a sound to be heard of the gym equipment in the screen background .
A pinkish noise test to compare the sometime elect 8 Active and Gen 2 model take in the latter reduce and thin out randomness much well . And with a better fit , the seal is less prone to being broken , making for a more logical performance .
The HearThrough mode is clearer too , and it latches onto mass ’s voice with more confidence so if you wanted to find out what ’s been said , that is possible , which again is a whole tone up from the original elect 8 Active .
The well - appointed Sound+ app allow for customisation of the sound with a five - band EQ and several presets . There ’s also Dolby ’s Spatial Sound feature ( this adaptation does n’t have the head - tracking the Elite 10 Gen 2 has . you could also customise the controls , the amount of haphazardness you get wind in the HearThrough modality , activate Spotify tap , and select between build - in Google Assistant or the nonpayment option on your equipment .
Sound Quality
The Elite 8 Active were bass - heavy , which is often the tuning with workout earphone . The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 flip this on their head with a public presentation that ’s a ) more balanced and b ) absolved .
It ’s a similar change Jabra enact with the Elite 10 earphones . Bass only becomes observably richer with the volume push up , but at normal levels a listen to Bodyrox Yeah Yeah present there ’s more particular and clarity present across the frequency image . That has the impact of a slenderly clear performance with vocals in the midrange ; though this revised tuning does mean that if you like the bass profoundness of former Jabra true radiocommunication , there ’s a reduction in basso depth and prolongation with the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 .
With GoGo Penguin ’s Atomised , the gamy frequencies sound slenderly brighter where the original sounded richer but reined in , so there ’s less need to fine-tune the audio with the Treble Boost EQ like I take to with the previous dead on target wireless .
There ’s also higher levels of definition where musical instrument and sound essence are concerned , so with the elect 8 Active Gen 2 , it feel as if you ’re hearing more of what ’s present in the cut .
In full term of heartiness , there ’s not much going on , but that ’s been the case with several Jabra true wireless phone I ’ve try . Reproducing the highs and lows in a track does n’t seem to be of interest for Jabra .
Focusing on the vocal with Annette Askvik ’s Liberty and there ’s a better sense of definition provided to her voice , but her telling also sounds more natural than before . The Elite 8 Active have a hazy quality with vocal music but the new model top that up well . With Jacob Collier ’s Sky Above and the vocals sound light , defter , and clear , dropping the warmness for a performance that ’s a clear improvement on what came before .
Lastly , the Dolby Spatial Sound feature lead for the same effect at undertake to create more profoundness and press vocal music more forward in the sound mix . The effect sounds warmer , the soundstage is slightly minuscule , and there ’s less point and definition to voices and legal document – at least it does n’t sound as deform as it did on the elect 8 Active . It ’s better but not as convincing a saltation in quality as it was with the Elite 10 Gen 2 .
Latest deals
Should you buy it?
It ’s a bit pestering that Jabra announce the elect 8 Active Gen 2 so soon after the previous mannequin , but the sound and feature of speech betterment make it a suitable replacement .
A jump in price by £ 30 / $ 30 over theElite 8 Activedoesn’t seem like much , but with the older model discounted by £ 50 / $ 50 in some places , it might make you think double about getting the Gen 2 model .
Final Thoughts
Like with the flagshipElite 10 Gen 2 , Jabra took the substantial foundation built with the elect 8 Active and upped the performance . The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 sound more balanced , fit better , and cancel noise with more confidence and consistency .
It does come at a jump in cost but arguably it ’s worth it ( if you did n’t grease one’s palms the old earphones ) considering the bump in performance you receive . Jabra has saved the best for last with its Elite 8 Active Gen 2 .
Trusted Score
How we test
We try every headphones we review good over an lengthened menstruation of time . We use industry received test to equate features properly . We ’ll always tell you what we discover . We never , ever , accept money to retrospect a product .
incur out more about how we test in ourethics policy .
FAQs
There ’s no aptX musical accompaniment on this modelling , the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 streams in SBC , AAC , and LE Audio .
