If you dive further into the settings, the Elite 3 is compatible with Find My Jabra if you misplace an earbud and you can also activate sidetone during calls so you can monitor your own volume. HearThrough mode is also all or nothing, there’s no slider like there is for some of the company’s other earbuds. Unlike other Jabra models, there’s no manual EQ and obviously no noise cancellation control. On the main screen, there’s the usual battery level percentage up top, a HearThrough (ambient sound) control and a collection of six audio presets. The Elite 3 works with Jabra’s Sound+ app that supports a lot of its earbuds, headphones and headsets, but the options this time around are very limited. Lastly, Jabra has enabled a mono mode on this set, so you can use a single earbud at all times, even while the other is charging. There’s also a handy mute control on the earbuds, disabling the mics with a single press on either side. Jabra does make up for its shortcomings with a few handy features, though.įirst, the Elite 3 automatically switches to HearThrough mode on calls and you can enable sidetone to pipe in even more of your voice so you don’t feel the need to yell. These earbuds are perfectly serviceable for phone and video calls, but they’re far from “crystal clear.” You end up sounding like you’re on speakerphone, and there’s a dull roar in the background at all times. And like much of the competition, that claim doesn’t pan out. Like a lot of headphones companies, Jabra promises “crystal-clear calls” with the Elite 3. So for all the times you might want transparency, you still feel shouty when you’re having a quick chat IRL. Things are muffled though, and the earbuds only pick up your voice when you’re on a call (sidetone). Don’t get me wrong, it does its job piping in the noises around you when you activate it. The Elite 3 is equipped with ambient sound, or HearThrough as Jabra calls it, but the audio quality here isn’t as good as some more expensive sets. Even though Jabra only gives you a few presets to adjust the EQ with, it doesn’t matter: the Elite 3 outshines pricier competition with sound quality thanks to a mix of balanced tuning, punchy bass, great clarity and inviting depth. Little things like string noise and gritty guitar distortion throughout Chris Stapelton’s Starting Over add another dimension to the album. On the aforementioned CHVRCHES track, you can easily hear finer touches like the rattle of the snare drum. Jabra’s sound profile here is also adept at highlighting details. Even the best-tuned cheap earbuds can have sound that feels compressed, and that’s far from the case on the Elite 3. Songs that were recorded to sound open and airy, like CHVRCHES’s “How Not To Drown” or John Mayer’s “Last Train Home,” are just that. The kick drum is deep and dynamic across rock tracks, and beats are energetic with hip-hop and electronic styles. The tuning is well-balanced, but the low-end tone booms when it's needed. I was immediately impressed with the Elite 3’s sound quality. Anker’s Soundcore line is an exception to this, and now you can add Jabra to that list as well. When it comes to audio quality with sub-$100 earbuds, you typically get muted, muffled sound that lacks any kind of depth or bassy thump. Android users can also opt for quick access to Spotify, but you’ll have to replace the ability to summon your assistant. There’s nothing assigned to the triple press on the left earbud. On the left, the same actions cover turning ambient sound on/off (single), activating your voice assistant (double) and volume down (press and hold). On the right side, you can play/pause (single press), skip tracks forward (double press), skip tracks backwards (triple press) and turn the volume up (press and hold). This means you actually have to press them, but it also means they’re more reliable. Like previous Jabra models, the on-board controls are physical buttons as opposed to touch panels. So like a lot of the competition, there’s a good portion of each bud resting in your ear canal. The inside of the earbuds are still the nozzle-like design Jabra has used in the past. All of the microphones are around the edge - one close to your face and the other up top. With the Elite 3, the button is a triangle now and covers the entire outer surface. A small triangular elbow that pointed down towards your face housed microphones. Previous Jabra earbud models, up through the Elite 85t, all had a circle button for the on-board controls.
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