Jabra Elite 85h

These eye-catching headphones stand out from the crowd, both in terms of appearance and their haptic credentials thanks to their non-slip finish and soft fabric coatings. The luxurious upholstery also brings stylish artificial leather to the table, combining with an overall earpiece shape and angled shells to deliver a snugger fit on the ears. However, wearing comfort is slightly dampened by heat build-up, but otherwise these headphones offer plenty of adaptability for the wearer thanks to swivel points and a folding mechanism. The build leans more toward loose than tight, making them an ideal option for those with pressure-sensitive concerns. Furthermore, the nano-coated inner core is protected against water and dust, while also offering certified weather resistance performance, making them a durable choice. A slight downside is the slightly abrasive suspension found with this design, while the folding mechanism can, at times, prove a little stubborn. In view of the asking price and compared to other models on the market, I would have wished the Elite 85h could have gone a little further in some areas. Little details like the plastic buttons at the side or attachments issues with the included cable dampen the overall impression of these otherwise enticing headphones.

Battery Life

Despite the complex ANC technology found here, there are only slight differences when it comes to running time than what you’d expect from conventional headphones. With a remarkable 36 hours promised, with ANC enabled, you’ve plenty of freedom when it comes to enjoying your audio on the move. When ANC is disabled, a total of 41 hours of battery life is promised after a full charge. Alternatively, you can use these wireless headphones with conventional cable connection via the 3.5mm input. A quick charge function means you can enjoy up to 5 hours of playback after a brief 15 minutes of charging time. A full charge via the included USB-C to USB-A cable takes approximately 2 hours 30 minutes.

Bluetooth Connectivity and Device Control

The Elite 85h supports Bluetooth 5.0, as well as multiple connection with two devices. In our test, we measured stable ranges of up to nine metres. This was true of both Android and iOS systems when tested in a typical urban environment. These Bluetooth headphones switch on automatically when the earpieces are turned into the wearing position. Pairing mode can then be activated by holding down the central button on the remote control. Switching off, on the other hand, is done by reversing the swivel movement of the earpieces away from each other, so that they’re lying flat next to one another. Since the over-ears have a so-called ear detection function, playback is automatically interrupted when the earpieces are pulled down, then resumed when they’re put back on correctly. This proved reliable in practice. If you don’t wish to use this feature however, it can easily be deactivated.

There are a total of three buttons available for device control. These are located at the base of the right-hand side of the headphones. They’re easy to identify, with clear pressure points allowing for fuss-free operation. The upper plus and minus buttons are used to adjust volume, as well as allow for track navigation when held down for longer. The middle multifunctional button can be used to start/stop playback manually, or accept or terminate phone calls. To activate your preferred digital assistant, such as Siri or Alexa, a separate button is available. This button can also be used to mute the microphones when making a phone call.

Jabra Sound+ App

The optional Jabra Sound+ app, which is free to download, is compatible with both Android and iOS systems and extends the base functionality of these headphones. The result allows the user to enjoy more personalised preferences, while also granting access to firmware updates. Personalisation options are diverse, with choices ranging from switching voice assistance on and off, as well as swap the set language, to making individual sound adjustments via a 5-band equalizer. Even the behaviour of incoming calls and HearThrough settings can be configured with the app. Such settings are then saved as individual profiles according to setting, with profile names like “My Moment”, “Public”, “Private” and so on. With this locked down and provided SmartSound technology is enabled via the app, automatic setting changes are then applied, depending on the individual environment you’re listening in. The integrated microphones are utilised in this respect, analysing ambient noise to decide what adjustments need to be made. It’s by no means an error-free function, but it works surprisingly well and demonstrates some real future potential. Busy rooms, for example, are detected with great accuracy, while ambient noises within the home, such as a kettle boiling, can sometimes be identified incorrectly.

Sound

The tonal tuning of the Elite 85h is balanced well and avoids embellishment. The result is a sound character that’s generally neutral and more honest in respect to the original audio. Although the basses have depth, there’s a superficial presence in the upper bass ranges. The bass foundation balances the constant, equally balanced highs. On the other hand, the midrange is a little more emphasised, with vocals in particular seeming somewhat exposed. Ultimately, however, these offer an appealing listening experience, with plenty of detail, even at high volumes. However, these over-ears can sound slightly foggy with a slight echo effect at times. While individual instruments are initially well defined and deliver clear contours, fading seems a little too stretched. Supporting vocals can in fact benefit from this effect, although lively instrumentals in fast-paced productions don’t.

I do find the lack of support for high-quality audio codecs like aptX (HD) and AAC a little bit of a downer. The Bluetooth standard SBC codec may be sufficient for streaming purposes, but the more sophisticated listener may only find what they’re after via a wired connection. Apart from a tendency toward reverberation and a slight haze, sound tuning is successful and can be adjusted to one’s own listening habits via the app with ease. Even those who wish to listen to bass-heavy productions or prefer a more reserved midrange can do so at any time. Considering this, the unnecessary reduction of wireless sound quality is regrettable.

ANC

Irrespective of the app, it’s possible to switch between three different sound modes via the handset itself. A button on the left-hand side allows you to switch between standard setting, ANC and HearThrough mode. Although the over-ears themselves offer good shielding already, active noise cancellation makes a noticeable difference once enabled. While the background noise of say, a kitchen radio, is greatly reduced, the beep of an alarm clock can still effectively penetrate through the ANC shielding. Suppression of background noises on a smartphone, which offers excellent speech intelligibility, even in loud environments and with strong wind interference, is greatly improved. In combination with the microphone technology of these headphones, the ANC function is able to completely suppress the environment of the speaking person.