Jabra Elite 10 Review | Trusted Reviews

Verdict

A pair of earphones that put in a strong all-round performance, the Jabra Elite 10 offer plenty of value and performance with their now reduced RRP. There are better-sounding models on the market if you favour a top-quality listening experience and it’s worth bearing in mind that they’ll be replaced by the Elite 10 Gen 2 sooner rather than later.

Introduction

Once upon a time (or in early 2024) the Elite 10 were Jabra’s flagship true wireless earphones. Now they’re being replaced by the Elite 10 Gen 2.

Plus, in something of a shock announcement, the Elite series is being wound down as Jabra exits the consumer headphone market. Suffice to say, this took me by surprise.

So where does this leave the Elite 10? Having been nudged off the top shelf by the Elite 10 Gen 2, they’re now positioned as the less expensive ‘flagship’ model in the Elite series.

Given Jabra’s pedigree, the wide range of features these earphones cover, plus the historical performance of the Jabra Elite models, the Elite 10 might have just become a bargain ‘premium’ buy.

Design

• Semi-open design
• Physical controls
• Choice of five colours

Compared to the Elite 85t, the Elite 10’s proportions have swelled but visually they’re a sleeker and more svelte looking true wireless pair. They have a more sophisticated look than the Elite 85t.

Part of that is down to the choice of colour options. The cream sample I reviewed looks lovely, especially the surface of the physical controls; and there’s cocoa (brown), matte black, gloss black, and titanium black, which harks back to the Elite 85t.

The fit is what Jabra refers to as semi-open, and they sit in my ears comfortably without exerting undue force. I do find the earbuds are slightly loose and there’s some movement when walking or when using public transport. It’s not the tightest fit but feels snug enough though I feel the presence of the Elite 10 more than I did with the Elite 85t, which felt lighter.

There are small, medium, large and extra-large ear gels options available, and it’s very easy to detach and attach them.

Jabra prefers using physical controls over touch and it’s a sentiment I appreciate as you get the certainty that comes with an intentional press as opposed to a tap. There’s control over playback, noise-cancellation and voice assistants; though Jabra doesn’t do the best job of informing users that there is volume control (with a hold).

Controls can be customised in the Sound+ app, though it’s worth noting that if Google Assistant is activated, you lose the ability to control volume on the earphones.

The case is not too different from the Elite 85t (a little taller) but its dimensions shouldn’t pose a problem for tight jean pockets. The cream version is susceptible to dirt but it can be easily wiped off. The earphones are rated to IP57, which makes them waterproof and covers against sweat and dust, but there’s no coverage stated for the case itself.

Features

• Adaptive ANC
• Six hours battery per charge
• Sound+ app

The ANC performance is very good but not up to the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II’s level. Wearing them in Seoul, Korea and the Elite 10 got rid of plenty of surrounding ambient noise, but voices were still audible. It’s not quite the near silence the Bose earphones offer.

They work efficiently to get rid of persistent sounds but again the Jabra doesn’t remove them completely, though in some environments (a plane) they’re better than the newer Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

Despite that, and even with music playing, I can still hear external noises peeking through. While the Elite 10 are strong at cancelling noise, they aren’t quite at the top table for ANC.

The HearThrough mode is clear, amplifying external sounds so you have a better sense of your surroundings, without sounding too unnatural or loud like the Jabra Elite 7 Pro did.

Jabra claims that battery life is at six hours from a single charge, and 27 hours with the charging case in tow. Playing my Spotify playlist at 50% volume, the Elite 10’s battery fell to 85% which indicates that six hours claim (or just above) is on the money.

Turn ANC off and that bags you 8 hours from a single charge, and 36 hours overall. Wireless charging is supported, as is fast charging, with a five minute boost providing another hour. A full charge from 0% takes three hours.

Jabra’s never been one to adopt more advanced audio codecs, so although there’s Bluetooth 5.3 support, the buds only stream in SBC, AAC, and LE Audio quality. I haven’t encountered any issues with wireless connection anywhere I’ve been however, and there’s also Microsoft Swift Pair and Google Fast Pair support.

Call quality is solid enough by true wireless standards. The person on the other end couldn’t hear any background sounds, so the noise-cancelling is effective, but the main issue was the inconsistent voice pick-up. There were times where my voice came through clearly and other times where it was low and mumbly.

The Sound+ app offers the scope to personalise audio either through presets or tailoring the EQ. You can customise the noise-cancellation, start firmware updates, edit the touch controls, select a voice assistant, use the ‘find my’ headphones service and more – it’s a fully featured app that lets you adapt the performance how you want.

The Elite 10 also have Dolby Atmos, which can be toggled in the app, creating a sense of width and depth along with a Head Tracking feature that recalibrates the position of sound in front of you. Turn your head and the music stays where it is so it’s always “centred”. It’s a neat trick.

Sound Quality

• Not the most dynamic or exciting
• Enjoyable levels of detail
• Dolby Spatial Sound mix

I’ve spent a bit of time pondering the type of sound the Elite 10 are going for. Is it rich? Is it balanced? Is it neutral? Well, it’s sort of all those things rolled into one, which makes the Elite 10 the type of earphone suited for broad appeal.

They produce a spacious soundstage with highs that are clearly described, a weighty bass performance and a midrange that’s clear, smooth and filled with detail.

Listening to Takuya Kuroda’s Everybody Loves The Sunshine from his Rising Son album (Qobuz), there’s nice kick to the percussion throughout the track that gives the Jabra’s performance an enjoyable sense of punch.

The midrange is lent a smoothness that works well with José James’ warm, inviting voice, capturing the inflections of his vocals. It’s an enjoyable presentation that holds my attention throughout the track’s nine minute plus runtime.

Where that smoothness detracts from the Elite 10’s performance is in describing the cymbal crashes, which lack that crisp sense of definition and detail.

The bass performance is weighty, with a nice richness lent to GoGo Penguin’s Atomised. With the same track the highs are described in clear terms, though they lean more towards the richer end, which leaves them a little shorn of brightness and sparkle.

They’re not the most energetic sounding true wireless when listening to Audioslave’s Cochise or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ Y Control, preferring a more measured take than the coursing energy heard with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4.

I also note that compared to the Sennheiser the Jabra’s powers detail retrieval isn’t as high – the Jabra doesn’t offer the level of insight the Sennheisers can, and it leaves them sounding a little less clear and sharp.

They’re not the most dynamic – moreso in a broader sense – or necessarily the most exciting listen, and rhythmically they’re fine but compared to a pair like the Sennheisers they lack the same level of verve and drive that the Momentum True Wireless 4 showcases with David Bowie’s Modern Love.

They’re a fine, entertaining true wireless pair for those who want a more casual, relaxed sound. If you want that extra level of fidelity, especially if you subscribe to high quality streaming services, there are better options available.

A word on the Dolby Spatial Audio, which like most 3D upmixes works well but defaults to a smoother, less detailed sound. With Dolby Atmos tracks (such as Raye’s Genesis), the sense of space and depth created is good, as is the accuracy and responsiveness of the head tracking, though to create that sense of depth it reduces the size of voices by placing them further back in the soundstage.

It’s the lack of detail and sharpness that means the Spatial Sound isn’t much more than a interesting diversion. Here’s hoping the Elite 10 Gen 2 can further improve on this good first step though.

Latest deals