INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Danish brand Jabra is known for its enterprise-focus audio line, including wireless headphones and earphones
The company has a parallel line of consumer-centric products aimed at working professionals
Fresh in this line is the Jabra Elite 5, which was unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show 2023
These wireless earphones are brimful of features, including hybrid active noise cancellation, wireless charging, multi-point connectivity,
and IP55 rating for water and dust protection
On paper, the Jabra Elite 5 seems to be a value-for-money proposition in the premium wireless earbuds segment
Starting with the case, it is a rectangular tower-shaped unit made of plastic
Coated in black colour, the case has Jabra branding on the front followed by LED light for case battery and charging indication
On the rear, there is a USB type-C port for wired charging
The Jabra Elite 5 supports wireless charging and the company makes it clear by engraving Qi sign on the bottom of the case
Open the case by flipping the top and you see the earbuds resting and charging
The earbuds do not go deep down in the storage cavity and it is a good thing because this way you do not have to make efforts to take the
earbuds out from the case
Coming to the earbuds, these are not the best-looking units but seem purposefully constructed for good in-ear fit and feel
That said, the earbuds latch to the ears and do not come off accidentally
These are lightweight, making them suitable for extended usage
The ear tips, however, could have been better
They are made of hard material and cause discomfort after long sessions
The earbuds boast button controls, which may seem archaic compared to gesture and touch controls in modern-day earbuds but beat both these
Unlike most other wireless earbuds, these are focused on both audio and call experiences and boast dedicated features for each of these
For example, there is an auto-answer call feature that allows you to answer calls by simply putting in one or both earbuds
In a related function, there is auto-mute microphones feature that puts the call on mute if you remove earbuds from your ear
These call-related experiences are on top of generic audio functions such as auto-pause, which pauses music or media playing on the
connected devices if you take off one or both earbuds
The addition of calls-related features on top of audio-related features makes the Jabra Elite 5 one-of-its kind wireless earbuds geared
Multi-point connectivity is another feature worth mentioning
You can pair the Jabra Elite 5 with two supported devices simultaneously
The earbuds are smart enough to direct the audio from the device in use
For example, the earbuds automatically shift audio from laptop if you are in a video conference to smartphone if there is a voice call
The experience is smooth overall, but there is scope for improvement
The earbuds prefer connection with the first paired device and priorities audio from it in all occasions
This, sometimes, causes conflict and requires manual intervention
Important to note the features and customisations are available through Jabra Sound+ app, which is available on Play Store and App Store for
Android and Apple smartphones.Performance Audio quality is one area where the Jabra Elite 5 leaves one asking for more
The earbuds deliver quality audio, but at the cost of loudness
OneRepublic from Top Gun Maverick
There are equalisers to fine-tune the output based on personal preferences and there is a noticeable difference in output in each available
However, none of the EQs solve the loudness issue
The Jabra Elite 5 might not be the best wireless earbuds for audio experience, but these are the ones to beat in terms of call experience
With ANC, you can answer the calls even in loud environments and be confident about no distractions from ambient noise
Besides, the earbuds feature three-microphone on each unit that work well to pick voice sans ambient noise for clear in-call experience on
With a charging case, the earbuds can go up to 28 hours.Verdict The Jabra Elite 5 is aimed at working professionals on the go and it does
impress on core capability with astounding call experience and related features
It would have been an all-rounder if the audio experience for music and media has been on par with call experience, if not better
That said, the Jabra Elite 5 at Rs 14,999 is good for niche audience but not for masses.
