Working out certainly doesn’t mean you forget all about the music that you love. In fact, the tracks energise and motivate you to keep going.

Jabra’s Elite 7 Active, as you can see by the name, has been created as a workout companion. It starts with the design…

It’s all plastic and feels it, but compact and easy to carry about in any pocket worth its salt. The case shows any natural oil on your fingers but it’s easily wiped clean. I didn’t find myself particularly thrilled with the opening method because it needs you to look carefully and use both hands. There’s no easy way to flick it open with one hand. 

The buds are rounded clumps and require a bit of twisting about to fitting in your ear. Once in, they’re secure and comfortable enough. There are extra ear-tips provided. The earbuds are covered in softened synthetic material, are IP67 water and sweat resistant, and are designed to not slip out or be ruined from fluid. 

Connectivity concerns

It’s essential to get the Jabra Sound+ app which has all settings and controls, and any firmware updates. I found an update waiting to happen, which was meant to tackle some connectivity issues. I certainly experienced quite a few of those — first, I got barely any volume on an Android phone; then, only one earbud worked; and then, the earbuds refused to connect afresh to other phones, including an iPhone. With the update, these were sorted out and I heard the Elite 7 Active come into their own. 

The sound quality on these earbuds is quite nice. A little heavy on the bass, but overall satisfying and well-rounded. The equaliser is the app has six pre-set sound profiles but also lets you set your own.

The active noise cancellation is pretty good and comes out with the input of the seal as well. There’s a hear-through mode and you can toggle between these two or nothing at all with a press on the earbud. The controls on the earbuds are nice because they involve pressing a clicky button instead of a big tap which sends a thump resounding into your ear, a method I always find thoroughly unpleasant. 

The noise cancellation and good sound quality seal you off effectively from the outside world and leave you to concentrate on your workout. The ear-gel material makes them quite comfortable to wear for a long session.

Strong battery

The battery is meant to last eight hours before going back into the case. In total, you get 30 hours. Quick charging is supported. A 5-minute charge brings you an hour’s playback in case you’ve forgotten to top up before a workout. 

As ever, Jabra is good with phone calls on its earbuds. You can use one bud at a time — pop the other back into the case. These are tough, comfortable and have great sound. With good battery life and active noise cancellation, there are a lot of wins as long as you have the patience to sort out any connectivity issues you bump into.

The earbuds cost ₹9,999

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