BETTERING THE BEST

Back in February I reviewed the Jabra Elite 75t true wireless earbuds. It was a pleasure, to say the least. At the time I declared them to be pretty much the best buds I'd ever tried.

I've been through a fair few other makes and models in the months since and that original opinion pretty much still applies. In fact, more often than not my Jabra Elite 75t's are the ones I go back to.

Now there's a variation from Jabra, the Elite Active 75t. I know. It's confusing. Not only is the name basically the same, it turns out, so are the buds. I'm not complaining. I loved the originals, remember?

So maybe we just go through that February review and see if it still holds up...

To start with, one of the things I liked about the non-Elite version was the lack of flash and bling. This follows through here, the Active Elite 75t's have the exact same form factor. Same size, shape, case, everything. The colour choice could be considered a little more out-there I suppose - copper/black, sienna, mint or navy, as pictured above. Don't worry, still no shocking pink or neon yellow.

Like the non-Elite version, the Actives also carry a 2-year warranty against dust and water damage. But this is the really big difference; they're IP-57 rated to resist dust and water, not just IP-55. This may not sound like a big jump but it actually means they'll probably survive being completely submerged (temporarily of course).

The point is, if you work out a lot, go really hard on your runs or you just live somewhere really, really hot, your sweaty earholes won't kill these things. That's what makes them so "Active". There's supposedly a more durable coating to make them more grippy for your damp workout digits. I can't say I've detected a massive improvement but then I'm probably not working out hard enough to appreciate it.

The Jabra website also makes a big deal about the silicon EarGels, also treated with a special dry film, soft touch, grip coating. Like the non-Elites though, there are still only three size options and I still can't quite seem to find the absolutely perfect fit for my left ear. Right ear? Rock solid. Damn my lopsided brainbox.

Everything else really does match up feature for feature between the Elites and the non-Elites but it's still interesting to go though them because I've been using those non-Elites for four months so you can get a good idea of their longevity.

As far as I can tell, Jabra's claims of up to 7.5 hours of continuous use from a single charge, with a total of 28 hours from a fully charged battery case are still totally valid. I hardly ever put the case on to charge and when I do, it charges very quickly. There's a tiny LED on the back of the case that lights up briefly when you shut the lid. It changes colour when it's time to charge up. Works for me.

The itty-bitty battery case, as I've mentioned, is exactly the same for the Actives, although it comes in a matching colour obviously.

Whatever those silicon EarGels are coated with, they still provide a fantastic passive noise isolating fit. Remember; there's also a "HearThrough" mode, activated with a push of the left bud, introducing a feed of what's going on around you into your personal mix. I find this helpful when it's time to stop ignoring the other people in my house completely.

Sound-wise, both the Actives and non-Actives boast identical hardware which is great news, because the Elite 75t's are still the best true wireless buds I've listened to. Which of course means the Active version is also the best set of true wireless buds I've listened to. I've revisited the Sound+ app and discovered there are more ways than ever to customise your listening experience, from personalised EQ's to choosing between voice or tone connection notifications.

Over the last few months I've really come to appreciate the tap controls on the Elite 75t's - unlike so many other setups I've tried, the physical press controls are easy to find, comfortable to use and they make sense.

Bluetooth connectivity still impresses, as does call quality - these are things Jabra gets right every time. Just a reminder, you have the advantage of being able to use the Elite Active 75t's with just one earbud if you want and you can use the Sound+ app to control whether your audio feed pauses automatically when you remove one bud or not.

Because the Actives are the exact same shape, that means they're also about the smallest, lightest true wireless buds available. I love subtle design like this and I really appreciate the way they hardly protrude from my ears at all.

The Jabra Elite 75t earbuds come at a price. I think that's okay because they really are among the best true wireless buds I've used - if not the best. The Actives come at a $30 higher price. Probably not so much more to pay for the peace of mind you need if you work out hard.


Click here for more information on the Jabra Elite Active 75t true wireless earbuds.