This is somewhat unique territory for Jabra because it usually replaces rather than replicates its flagship products. Yet here we are with the Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2, a pair of earbuds that look and feel a lot like their predecessors, only this time with extra features that would have been nice to have in the first place.
The good thing is that Jabra didn’t break anything in its attempt to create a wider version of the Elite 10, making these Gen 2 headphones among the best you can put in your ears. It’s just an odd situation considering the brand is also stepping away from its consumer audio business with this launch.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2: Price and Availability
Jabra launched the Elite 10 Gen 2 in June 2024 and should be widely available in retail stores and online stores until the company discontinues them. They start at $280, but watch out for potential price cuts at certain points along the way if retailers want to unload inventory. Despite exiting the consumer headset space, Jabra says it will continue to support and update existing headsets, including this pair, for “years.” Available in glossy black, titanium black, soft white, cocoa and denim.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2: What’s good
The Elite 10 Gen 2 look like carbon copies of their predecessors, right down to the build, placement details, and casing. The dimensions are the same as the ear tips. Indeed, the ear tips from the original Jabra Elite 10 will fit these Gen 2 buds perfectly, maintaining the tight continuity that manifests itself in many ways while wearing them.
They were already so comfortable to begin with, so there was no need to change the way they fit. Still comfortable and easy on the ears, the rubberized finish remains an excellent design choice, as does the IP57 rating for dust and water resistance. It’s rare for headphones that aren’t clearly marketed as “sport” or “active” to have this level of protection, so it’s a big plus if you’re ready if you’re looking for a pair to run or work out with. get the included four pairs of ear tips to find the right fit.
Jabra focuses a lot on usability as a way to expand on the existing foundation, so there’s less focus on redesigning how good the sound is on Gen 2. A prime example is turning the case into a Bluetooth LE Smart Case that lets you plug into any USB-C or 3.5mm jack and wirelessly stream audio (via the LC3 codec) to your headphones. Where would this be useful? Think entertainment screens on a plane or even your TV at home when you don’t want to disturb anyone. Some exercise devices also offer a plug-and-play method, making it easy to perform cord-free.
The Elite 10 Gen 2 headphones aren’t the first to offer this kind of setup, as I’ve heard it before from LG and Bowers & Wilkins in particular. Jabra goes the extra mile by including spatial audio and head tracking in the mix. Not only can you listen to audio through the case, but you also get a virtual surround sound effect to it.
It works very well, and since Jabra’s cable includes both USB-C and 3.5mm extenders, you can pretty much plug it into any playback device. I tested it on a number of devices, including ones without a headphone jack like the Google Pixel Tablet, and it worked perfectly. Same with laptops and my TV, including when I use a USB-C-to-USB-A adapter. Remove the headphones from their case, plug the case into the USB or headphone jack and hold down the button on the case until a white light appears and you should hear a ping for the connection.
Jabra does a good job of implementing all of this without much fuss. Even if you’re listening to audio streamed through the case, you can still take phone calls because the Elite 10 Gen 2 doesn’t lose connection with your phone. Multipoint connections already exist here, allowing you to pair with two devices at the same time, so this just feels like a nice extension of that.
In addition, LE Audio brings the added benefit of reducing latency through the LC3 codec, which you may find more apparent when plugging the box into devices using an older version of Bluetooth. Computers definitely come to mind for this, as do TVs, where LE Audio improves audio/video sync. This is great for watching a show or during video calls.
I can tell that Jabra hasn’t changed the way they set up the Elite 10 Gen 2, but it’s clear that the company has chosen to improve the sound through other means. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is great. Jabra previously claimed that the Elite 10 were 2x better than their predecessors (the Elite 7 Pro) and now makes the same claim 2x with the Elite 10 Gen 2 over their first generation brethren.
It’s hard to be precise about such things during testing, but I can say that the ANC is better in the areas where Jabra says it should be, which is in mid and low frequency noise. This time, rattling noises like fans or engines will not penetrate as much and the differences in street noise are also reduced. Not to mention, the wind reduction mode adds another level of background noise blocking, but you have to turn it on separately through the app. The overall ANC results still won’t match what Sony and Bose can deliver, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.
HearThrough is also better at carrying more natural ambient noise, making it easier to hear messages or speak clearly to someone without taking the headphones off. An offshoot of this is that phone calls feel a little more natural because you can now hear your own voice a little more.
Jabra also puts more emphasis on spatial audio this time around. Each setting by the company’s engineers clearly focuses on this area. The previous Elite 10 already supports Dolby Atmos, so what you get here is finer tuning and clarity. I’d say you’ll hear it more while watching a show or movie in Dolby Atmos than you would listening to music on streaming services like Amazon Music, Apple Music, or Tidal.
Surround audio also applies when using the box’s LE Audio, adding another nice benefit to connecting the two features. Head tracking is exclusive to the Elite 10 Gen 2, as the sportier Elite 8 Gen 2 only offers standard Dolby Atmos. It also feels a little smoother here, especially in the way the spatial effect is calibrated for head movement.
The app is still a very useful resource for getting the most out of these headphones.
Jabra still has an edge over many competitors as it manages to offer a high level of protection and still retains physical button controls. They’re still very effective because of how easy they are to press and control, and you can always customize them further in the Sound+ app.
The app is still a very useful resource for getting the most out of these headphones. You can always adjust how you want them to sound via the onboard EQ, which is a must. Google Assistant is available natively, as is Spotify Tap.
Battery life hasn’t really changed, lasting up to six hours with ANC on and eight hours with it off. The case has three additional charges and supports wireless charging – even when you use it in LE Audio. For fast charging with a cable, plug it in for five minutes and you’ll get up to an hour of playback.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2: What’s not good
Going back to what made the previous Elite 10 so good is a smart move, but also a missed opportunity. The Elite 10 Gen 2 still doesn’t offer support for high-resolution Bluetooth audio codecs like aptX Adaptive or LDAC, reducing the chance of listening to higher-quality streams. I tried to see if LE Audio with the box changes this, but to no avail. Naturally, you’ll get the spatial audio effect, but not high resolution.
This doesn’t really correlate with the increased price for what are largely iterative headphones rather than newly designed and engineered replacements.
And then there’s the huge elephant in the room, which is that Jabra has no plans to make any new consumer headsets after these and the Elite 8 Active Gen 2, killing the Elite headset brand. I don’t know all the details yet, given that Jabra has previously indicated that this part of the business is profitable, but I suspect it’s about the money. Hearing aids and enterprise audio technology have much higher margins, so perhaps the powers that be at Jabra feel it is better to invest in building that portfolio further.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2: Competition
Jabra’s move seems even more puzzling given that the Elite 10 Gen 2 clearly deserve to be among the best wireless headphones out there. It builds on a solid and reliable foundation and changes the feature set and performance to compete with the best. But perhaps that hill is getting steeper to climb. The Sony WF-1000XM5 is still the best for the combination of sound quality and noise cancellation, as well as spatial audio and personalized listening.
The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are in a similar boat, boasting perhaps the best ANC you’ll find on headphones in most situations. You don’t get the same level of detailed controls offered by Sony or Jabra, but there’s still a lot to like. If you’d rather stay in the proverbial family and pay less, the previous Elite 10 is a good buy.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2: Should you buy them?
You must buy this if you…
- You want good sound with ANC support.
- You want a comfortable fit with physical buttons.
- Love the LE Audio idea.
- You want spatial audio.
You should not buy this if…
- You really want high resolution audio codecs.
- You don’t care about spatial audio and head tracking.
- You want longer battery life.
- Hate that Jabra is going out of business.
Any way you look at it, Jabra put these headphones in an odd spot. I’ve been a journalist for a long time, and I’ve rarely, if ever, seen a company launch a flagship product only to announce it’s exiting that business at the same time. The silver lining is that the company intends to continue supporting its consumer products for years to come with firmware and software updates. We have some evidence of this when we look at how good the Elite 75t and Elite 7 Pro are years later.
However, that’s cold comfort to those who really enjoy what Jabra does in this space every year. With that in mind, the Elite 10 Gen 2 are still excellent headphones across the board. They improve on some key features from the previous pair and retain the comfort and durability that make them unique in a crowded market. While Jabra may be leaving this market behind, you won’t lose out if you decide to use these headphones as your next pair.
The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 retain much of what made their predecessors so effective and take things up a notch with improved noise cancellation, spatial audio and the ability to plug into the LE Audio playback box.
