While the wireless audio space is very diverse with many brands in every price segment, older names like Jabra still earn a lot of respect. Among the oldest brands in wireless audio, Jabra is often stuck in the premium category when it comes to true wireless headphones, with Rs. 17,999 won Jabra Elite 85t delivers a class-leading experience with features like active noise cancellation and a six-microphone setup for better performance on calls. The company’s recent products represent a shift in strategy, aiming to better serve the affordable true wireless space.
NS Jabra Elite 3 are one of the company’s newest true wireless earbuds and are priced at Rs. 5,999 in India. It is also unique to Jabra, in that it has a number of features that are particularly suited for use with Android smartphones, unlike previous true wireless headsets that were often device agnostic. Are these new true wireless earbuds from Jabra worth the price? Find out in this review.
Jabra Elite 3 true wireless earbuds IP55 rated for dust and water resistance
Support for Qualcomm aptX codec on Jabra Elite 3
Jabra’s Elite line of true wireless earbuds has been significantly redesigned with recent products from the brand, including the Elite 3. The new design is a bit sharper and completely unlike the industrial design. of the 85t and its predecessors, and the lower price of this headset is not reflected in the materials used in the slightest. The headphones don’t feel as premium as the Elite 85t, but they look and feel pretty good for the price.
The headphones are sized to fit in the ear canal, with a total of three pairs of silicone ear tips of different sizes included in the box. The controls are via a physical button on each headset. I found the Jabra Elite 3’s fit to be quite tight, but not completely uncomfortable for a couple of hours. Passive noise isolation on the headphones is excellent thanks to a snug fit and the headphones are IP55 rated for dust and water resistance. The charging case is simple but functional, with a magnetic cover, an indicator light on the front, and a USB Type-C port for charging.
The controls on the headset are not customizable, but cover all the important functions. You can control listen-through mode, invoke the default voice assistant on your smartphone, adjust the volume, control playback, and answer or reject calls directly on the headset. While it took me a while to learn the different button-based controls, I’m quite pleased with the fact that I don’t have to use the smartphone as much when the headphones are paired and music is playing.
The Jabra Sound+ app can be used to customize some of the Elite 3’s features, including activating listen-through mode and choosing equalizer presets. You can also consult the user guide and a quick guide to the controls, update the firmware, and choose whether you want to use the double-tap gesture on the left earbud to activate the voice assistant or open Spotify. While the app doesn’t do much, it covers the basics of the headset.
Key features that make Jabra Elite 3 more suitable for use with Android devices are Google Fast Pair, linking the headset to your Google account, and support for the Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth codec that promises better sound quality. Support for the AAC codec, which Apple uses on iOS devices, is notably absent.
There’s also the ability to open and play music through Spotify with a quick gesture on Android, enhanced Amazon Alexa integration that links the headset to your Alexa account and apps, and hands-free voice commands. when the Alexa app is open and running on the smartphone. Jabra Elite 3 uses Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity and supports the SBC codec in addition to aptX. It has a 6mm dynamic driver and two microphones in each earpiece.
The battery case is simple but functional and has a USB Type-C port for charging
Battery life on the Jabra Elite 3 is decent, with the headphones going for over five hours per charge with my use, and the charging case giving the headphones three more full charges. This produces a total of about 21 hours of battery life per charge cycle, which can be improved slightly depending on your usage. There’s also fast charging for the earphones, which is said to run for an hour with 10 minutes of charging inside the carrying case. While not exceptional, these numbers are good enough for the price and feature set of the Jabra Elite 3.
Powerful, exciting sound on the Jabra Elite 3
The pairing process on my Android smartphone was very convenient, with the Jabra Elite 3 using Google Fast Pair to link to my Google account, display visual battery prompts, etc. Importantly, the aptX codec is selected by default, for stable audio transmission and clear sound. This highlights the tuning characteristics of the Jabra Elite 3 precisely.
Starting with Hold On (Sub Focus Remix) by Rusko and Amber Coffman, the Jabra Elite 3 created an energetic and offensive sound. The powerful lows of this drum and bass track sound rich and full, making for an enjoyable listening session no matter the volume level. Despite the encroachment of sub-bass frequencies, there is subtlety and coherence to be heard even in the mids and highs.
Jabra Elite 3 tuning is done with care and consideration, and is designed to maximize performance with the Qualcomm aptX codec. There’s plenty of detail to be heard despite the obvious bias towards the lows, with the headphones consistently reproducing the ever-changing patterns of The Avalanches’ If I Were A Folkstar. The faint elements, carefully incorporated by the artists to set the mood of this template-based digital track, sound clear and rich, even as the catchy rhythm keeps the track’s flow. is the center of my attention.
The passive noise isolation on the Jabra Elite 3 is excellent, and the listen-through mode works well enough
I found the soundstage a bit dull and unimpressive in the first half of Lifafa’s light and light Jaago, but much more involved and enjoyable in the more powerful second half. Individual instrument elements feel lively and engaging, uniquely supported by powerful bass and fast percussion.
I felt the same way when I heard Kamasi Washington’s Gentle and Slow Truth; The Jabra Elite 3 is at its best with speed and attack, and doesn’t quite deliver a compelling and immersive listening experience with slower and more careful tracks, even when there’s enough detail to listen. .
While there’s no active noise cancellation, there is a listen-through mode on the Jabra Elite 3, which I find useful because of its very effective passive noise isolation. It works as expected, but I find the sound a bit awkward. I usually just like to take off my headphones so I can hear my surroundings clearly at home, but it certainly comes in handy outdoors, allowing me to have some traffic and surroundings awareness even while playing music.
Call quality on the Jabra Elite 3 isn’t particularly impressive. While there are two microphones on each earphone and performance is good enough, there isn’t any environmental noise cancellation to reduce background noise. I found the headset decent for calls in quiet indoor environments, but not quite as good as similarly priced options like Nothing Tai 1.
Identify
Jabra is known for its premium true wireless earbuds, but the Elite 3 prove that the company is also capable of making more affordable options. Valuation Rs. 5,999 in India, Jabra Elite 3 is designed with Android smartphones in mind and works well with them. Sound quality is very good thanks to Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth codec support and good tuneability. That plus the excellent passive noise isolation design and battery life make this a capable headphone for the price.
Call quality is poor, and the lack of support for the Bluetooth AAC codec makes this headset unsuitable for use with iOS devices. However, Jabra Elite 3 should be on your list of options if you have a budget around Rs. 6,000. It’s a capable headset in terms of sound quality, and features like Spotify and Alexa integration can come in handy for some.
Many similarly priced options have active noise cancellation, so it might be worth looking at the competition such as Nothing Tai 1. You can also consider more affordable price Redmi 3 Pro Headphones offers a similar set of specs and features, but the Jabra Elite 3 sounds better than the Redmi headphones.
