These sports earbuds are Olympic-sized.
The Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are the perhaps best sports earbuds currently available. Without any real weaknesses, they're Olympic-caliber multi-taskers and can hold their own in individual disciplines.
When professional athletes retire, they wish for a strong exit with a final big performance. Something similar has been achieved by Jabra with the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, which are the last sports earbuds from the Danish manufacturer that is withdrawing from the industry. They leave nearly all the competition behind with an excellent overall performance.
The small, five-gram lightweight buds don't look like typical sports earbuds, as they don't require additional supports like silicone fins. Nevertheless, they sit securely in the ear with their pleasant matte rubber finish and stay in place even with vigorous movements. They're so comfortable that you hardly notice them and can wear them for several hours without issue.
Moreover, the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 are extremely robust. The earbuds are IP68 dust and water-resistant and have been tested to US military standards (MIL-STD-810H). The charging case also withstands a lot with IP58, which is not common for sports earbuds.
Talented Charging Case
But that's not all that makes the box extraordinary. You can also use it as a Bluetooth transmitter by connecting it to a TV, in-car system, or other playback source using the included USB-C to 3.5mm cable. The box then streams audio in LCR quality to the earbuds. In practice, this worked flawlessly, with the Bluetooth connection proving very stable.
The controls are also sports-ready, as they use mechanical buttons hidden under the outer surfaces of the buds. The pressure point is pleasant, although the clearly audible click sounds of the buttons are somewhat disturbing.
Simple Operation
The operation is also simple. You control all functions during playback and calls by pressing once, twice, or three times. You can also adjust the volume using the mechanical buttons by long-pressing the left or right side. If needed, you can also customize the functions in the app.
Additionally, there's reliable wear detection. This means that playback pauses automatically when you remove one or both earbuds. If you want, you can use one bud individually. This is not really necessary, though, as the Elite 8 Active Gen 2 have a good transparency mode that lets you hear external sounds quite naturally and with appropriate volume despite noticeable self-noise. You can also adjust it to be weaker if needed. When you remove an earbud, the mode is automatically activated.
The active noise cancellation is not quite as effective as that of the Elite 10 Gen 2, which Jabra released alongside the sports earbuds. However, it's still good. It reliably dampens consistent noise from the train or traffic, for example. The option to prevent wind noise is also effective, although it does somewhat affect the ANC.
This also applies to noise cancellation during calls, as long as you're not in very loud places. You'll be understood well and have no problem hearing conversation partners. Very good: You can adjust the strength of your own voice.
Great Sound, Long Battery Life
LCR or high-resolution Bluetooth codecs like aptX are not mastered by the earbuds, but their sound is also at a high level. If you're into powerful bass, they even outperform the Elite 10 Gen 2. Probably, Jabra has emphasized them a bit more in the default settings because during training, one might prefer a bit more punch in the ears. However, the lows are not dominant and allow excellent mids to take precedence. The highs are clear, deliver many details, and don't hurt even at high volumes.
To adjust the sound, the app offers an extensive equalizer with various modes and manual settings. There's also the option to enable 3D Sound, which significantly expands the stereo stage but doesn't always sound natural. The function is particularly effective on the TV, but there's no head-tracking, so the music remains centered when you turn your head. For Dolby Atmos content, Jabra recommends not using the 3D effect.
The Elite 8 Active Gen 2 also have great endurance. According to the manufacturer, they last up to eight hours with ANC activated. In practical testing, they lasted a bit over seven hours, which is still impressive. The charging case has additional reserves for around 24 hours. Empty buds take about three hours to fully charge, and after five minutes in the case, the earbuds last about an hour. The case can also be charged wirelessly.
Conclusion
Currently priced at around 230 Euros, the Jabra Elite 8 Active are sports earbuds that have no weaknesses but many strengths. Comfort and durability are top-notch, sound and ANC are strong, and battery life is high. They also come with a charging case that can act as a Bluetooth transmitter. It's a shame they won't have successors, but Jabra promises to support them with updates for several years.
The Bluetooth transmitter feature of the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2's charging case allows you to connect it to a TV, in-car system, or other playback sources, providing LCR quality audio streaming to the earbuds. The Bluetooth connection during this process proved to be very stable.
When you're in a noisy environment, the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2's earbuds offer reliable noise cancellation during calls, ensuring that your voice is clear and you can hear your conversation partners well, with the option to adjust the strength of your own voice.
