Jabra Elite 8 Active TWS Review: Crisp Sound To Tough Build, Zenith Of Perfection For Gym And Sports Devotees

I have been using the rugged offering to prepare a long-term recipe of its potential. For starters, the Elite 8 Active offers a minimal design, a rich sound experience, a superb companion app and good battery backup for the price. However, are these pros enough to skip the accompanying not-so-good bits?

Also Read: Audio-Technica ATH-SQ1TW TWS Review: A Melodious Delight For The Ears Under Rs 7,500

The buds attract minimal fingerprints with moisture in the hands. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

I will try to answer and share my thoughts on whether you should get the premium TWS at its asking price or not. But before delving deep, let's kick off with the design.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Design:

Out of the package, the TWS and the case offer a matte finish. The housing gets dual LEDs to monitor the battery status of the outer shell and the buds. Wrapped in a single shade, the earbuds and the housing blend in without any sassy design sparkle. I would have preferred a more colourful or dual-tone makeup.

The magnets to hold the tiny buds and the hinge quality are also good for the price. As for the buds, the soft silicone ear tips and the rubberised coating ensure they are comfortable for prolonged usage. You can choose from three EarGels sets to adjust the fit based on your ear canal.

You get the case Elite 8 Active, three EarGels sets, a USB-C to USB-A cable and documentation in the package. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

From jumping jacks in the gym to running outdoors, these do not fall from the ears once you achieve the right fit (Jabra advertises it as an outcome of the 'ShakeGrip' technology). Coming from an ocean of TWS offerings that offer touch-based controls, the button controls were challenging to adjust. Every press to manage the functions pushes the buds further in, which can get uncomfortable for some people.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Sound:

The Elite 8 Active comes with 6mm drivers for sound. Before you construct inferences from the single digit, let me tell you that get ready to be surprised. Sporting in-ear detection, the earbuds come with balanced sound quality. Be it the latest episodes of Shark Tank or music, vocals and mid-tones are super crisp and loud in the default preset. Watching movies and web series on the Elite 8 Active on the move was engaging too.

The Elite 8 Active supports AAC and SBC audio codes. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

The bass is one of the best for a TWS (based on the products I have tested at a similar price). The high notes are good but slightly lag the lush details (as evident in instrumental tracks), which you can hear in the Sony, Sennheiser or Audio-Technica counterparts. However, the trade-off in those products is loudness and a less rugged build. Plus, the listening experience on the buds can be further tuned using the companion app.

Speaking of peak performance, subtle sound leakage at maximum volume is evident in silent ambience. But, it is not a point of concern as such. Stereo separation and Spatial Sound (keep it off for music) ensure an immersive experience in movies and 360 surround videos. While the output is not as refined as the offerings from Apple, the sound stage is wide enough to engage a user.

The case's outer LED blinks in four colours - green, red and yellow depending on the battery percentage and violet (update installation). (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Sound+, ANC and Calling:

Jabra's 'Sound+' offers a range of features such as battery status, custom equaliser presets (with manual toggles), and Find My Jabra to track the last paired location. The tuning of the in-app equaliser is commendable. Even with one frequency boosted, you do not miss the other one completely. As for some peace, Active Noise Cancellation works fine on the buds and cancels a range of background frequencies.

On a busy road, I could only discover that a car/bike was approaching once it was a few metres away (HearThrough recommended outdoors). During a routine WFH day, it suppressed the typical noises in the household while placing vocals in a hearable range. Secondly, wind noise and daily chatters of the environment outdoors were toned down to a comfortable level.

Sound+ app's UI (Image:Jagran English)

On the other side, HearThrough amplifies the spoken word to make it sound louder (and artificial sometimes). You can also adjust the levels depending on your taste and surroundings. As for calling, the TWS' six-mic system offers good sound output during calls (special mention to 'Wind Noise Reduction' here). I did not face any significant issues with calling. Sound recording via the buds was also usable.

Gaming and Connectivity:

For seamless connection, it gets Bluetooth 5.3, Google Fast Pair, Swift Pair and Multipoint to switch across devices. As for gaming, the Elite 8 Active screams outdoor activity. I can safely say go for a gaming headphones for the price if you want minimal latency in games. The Elite 8 Active is decent for gaming (but not the best out there). A dedicated gaming mode for latency reduction would have been a welcome addition.

The earbuds come with an IP68 rating and the case comes with an IP54 certification. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

Battery Backup:

In my testing, I was about to churn out roughly seven hours of battery life with ANC and 85-90 per cent volume on a single charge with the buds. The case helped me sail through four days with moderate usage ranging from six to eight hours daily. The use case included movie playback, music streaming, gaming and calls. If you hate cables, the case also supports wireless charging. Depending on the connected adaptor's wattage, you can charge the buds in roughly 2.5-3 hours.

Also Read: Sonic Lamb Review: Vibrant Listening Experience For 'Eargasm', But Deserves A Feature-Packed Spin

Jabra Elite 8 Active Price In India and Verdict:

If you are a gym devotee or sports lover looking for a premium TWS in the sub-Rs 17,000 price, get the Elite 8 Active [Period]. This rugged wearable is 'THE TWS' to beat because of its incredible build and lenient feature set at this price. From IP ratings to 'Military Standard: MIL-STD-810h' certification, it can handle daily torture with flying colours while sounding pristine.

Even Lelo tested the durability of the Elite 8 Active for a while. (Image:Vikas Yadav/JE)

But, if you are willing to forgo that robust construction and prefer similar sound performance, check out offerings from Marshall, Sennheiser, Bose, Samsung (if you are in the Galaxy ecosystem), Apple and others. Many of these can offer a competitive audio experience (and better codes) while putting some money in your purse back.

Thirdly, if you are among those looking for a premium TWS that offers all the bells and whistles for the price and a complementary tough build that does not require regular pampering, get the Elite 8 Active from the Danish company. Priced at Rs 16,999, it comes in Black, Navy, Caramel and Dark Grey and is available across leading e-commerce sites and retail stores. You can also check out bank offers to grab it at a discounted price.