FEBRUARY 2022 T3 61Running earbuds
abra has slowly and quietly become a real
market leader in true wireless headphones
and the Elite 7 Active is the jewel in its crown.
Like the other buds on test here, there is
nothing about their look or feel that makes them
obviously ‘running headphones’ or ‘workout earbuds’.
They are not massive or ostentatiously ruggedised, and
there are no hooks of any kind to keep them in place. Nor
is the sound excessively bassy or pumpin’, as was
practically always the case with workout buds of yore.
They sound excellent, in fact, with a forceful and
exciting sonic character that is perfect for workout music
of all kinds. The sound quality is also more than acceptable
outside the gym; these are the only buds you’ll need.
There’s ANC and ambient noise hear-through as well and,
while they’re not quite out of the top drawer, both these
invaluable sonic additions are excellent for the price.
When running or working out, the secret of the Elite 7
Active’s success is a coating that helps them ‘stick’ to the
inside of your ear. It does this without actually feeling
sticky, which would just be unpleasant. A bit of practice is
needed to insert the Elite 7 Active correctly, but once
mastered, they felt unlikely to go anywhere.
There’s IP57 protection from dust, sand, water and
sweat. That absolutely trounces the other earbuds in thistest. Battery life of eight hours is also very good indeed,
and the battery case adds a further 22 hours to that,
despite being extremely compact.
The only slightly irksome design element is that the
volume and playback controls are placed on the earbuds
in such a way that pressing them pushes the buds further
into your ears. The upside to this is that the buttons are
large but it’s not the most pleasant feeling. You can also
activate Alexa (iOS and Android) or Google Assistant
(Android only) with a press.
Jabra also provides the excellent Sound+ app. You don’t
need to use this to operate the buds, but it does add an
excellent graphic equaliser to tweak the audio to your
liking and regular software updates to add new features.
For instance, early 2022 will see the arrival of Bluetooth
Multipoint, for seamless switching between two
simultaneously connected devices.
With their multitude of features, compact size, lack of
big ear hooks and app-powered future proofing, the Jabra
Elite 7 Active will surely appeal to most. Champion buds.XIAOMI MI SMART ELECTRIC FOLDING BIKE
A coating helps the buds ‘stick’ to the inside of your ear, which makes them
feel very secure without sacrificing comfort
J
JABRA ELITE
7 ACTIVE
PRODUCT 01:
A splendid pair of buds that will stick
with you through thick and thinThey have an exciting
sonic character that is
perfect for workout music
JABRA ELITE 7 ACTIVE