The Jabra Elite 85t are the latest wireless earbuds from a company that was among the first to break through when completely wireless earbuds became a big deal. The Jabra Elite 85t are an upgrade from the popular Elite Active 75t, aptly named the Elite 85t (the “Active” suffix has been dropped to make it clear they’re not so much for sports). The focus? Challenging the best noise-canceling earbuds with powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) to block out distracting outside noise, just like the Apple AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM4.
However, audio quality has been greatly improved thanks to a new pair of integrated 12mm speakers that are twice the size of the 75t headphones, offering a wider and more balanced soundstage. Along with even deeper bass, this adds depth to your favorite songs. Although the noise-cancelling technology impacts battery life, the 85t headphones still offer more than five hours of playback time per charge, which can be extended to an impressive 25 hours with the charging case.
All in all, this is a powerful pair of earbuds that is ideal for anyone looking for stylish, wireless noise-canceling earbuds that aren’t as big as Jabra’s competitors. Jabra is not a company that shies away from innovation. Often, the Danish audio brand is the first to market with innovative in-ear headphones that offer more compact form factors while maintaining the excellent sound quality the company is known for.
Fortunately, the same is true of the brand new Elite 85t headphones. As the name suggests, they follow in the footsteps of Jabra’s last product, the Elite Active 75t, with a very similar design. The main difference, however, is that they are not focused on sports. Instead, these headphones focus on enhancing the audio experience and feature ANC, which cuts out loud and distracting sounds in the environment, such as the rattle of a subway train or the dull hum of an airplane engine. But more on the ANC experience later.
As for the design, the Elite 85t have retained the sleek look of their predecessor. However, they are a bit more massive to accommodate the ANC technology, making them protrude a bit further from the ears than before. This isn’t as noticeable in the mirror, but it definitely affects the feel and comfort of the 85t headphones when they sit on the ears.
Another factor that affects the fit is the new oval ear cups. According to Jabra, this new “semi-open” design features pressure relief ports that prevent pressure buildup in the ear, while the silicone oval EarGels provide a more secure seal for better noise cancellation. In practice, it all sounds good, the design is round and it feels like they’re constantly falling out, even when rotated to sit deeper in the ear.
