What are the Jabra Elite 65t?
The Jabra Elite 65t are true wireless headphones. All hardware and batteries are housed in the headphones, leaving no wires in the way.
These headphones are a close relative of the Jabra Elite Sport that we saw last year, but without heart rate tracking technology. In return, you get a smaller and easier-to-assemble headset. In addition, there is a built-in digital assistant from the first day.
However, the Elite 65t also has a less grandiose and interesting sound than the previous Jabra model. As such, they struggle to compete with the Sony WF-1000X, too.
Related: The best true wireless headphones
Jabra Elite 65t – Design
Jabra is one of the most important names in headsets for call centers and offices. This is not glamorous, but it is a good starting point for a hearing aid manufacturer.
Like most true wireless headphones, the Jabra Elite 65t headphones are thicker than average, with a small stem protruding from the end. This points the microphone towards your mouth. Additional microphones on the side are used to cancel the wind noise, so that your voice sounds clearer.
The Jabra Elite 65t still feels much smaller in its ear than the Elite Sport. Fitting the older set in the ears is similar to locking in a custom molded pair. You must push the cartilage out of the ear to put it in place, because the heart rate sensor requires a firm and secure fit.
The Jabra Elite 65t explodes in your ears with much less noise, since it lacks the extra rubbery part that sits behind its antitrag, the lip of the cartilage at the bottom of its ear.
In theory, this should result in a less secure setting, but I've used the Jabra Elite 65t while running without the slightest suggestion that they could fall out.
That said, if your race takes place in fields or on the street, I suggest the Elite Sport instead, as they are a bit more difficult to remove. [19659004] You should also prepare for a more invasive feeling than the Apple AirPods. Although it's easy to put in place, the Jabra Elite 65t fills your ears more than an average IEM headset (which is one with a silicone tip).
Jabra Elite 65t – Features
I would love to use the Jabra Elite 65t in the gym, but this model is not specified by Jabra for use during exercise. They are certified according to IP55, which means they will handle "low pressure water jets from any direction".
Upgrade to Jabra Active 65t and get IP56, which means it can withstand "high pressure" water jets. For most of us, the standard version is likely to be fine.
The Elite 65t battery from Jabra is excellent. Most true wireless headphones will last around three hours on a single charge. These last up to five hours.
Using them in the real world, resistance has not lived up to these claims. However, this is probably the result of keeping them lit in the jacket pocket between listening seasons. Clearly, the Jabra Elite 65t lasts much longer than the competition.
To recharge, the headphones should be placed in a neat little box; This offers enough juice for two extra loads. In total, you will get up to 15 hours of playback before the box itself needs to be loaded. Keep in mind that Jabra has trimmed the case a bit from the Jabra Elite Sport, now it's clean and easy to use.
However, it is the loading speed that I appreciate the most. I love wired headphones because I do not have to remember to charge them, but the Jabra Elite 65t allows you to use approximately 1.5 hours with a 15-minute charge. That's enough for a trip to the gym.
This is the kind of battery specification we need to see in all true wireless headphones.
Digital assistant support is another welcome extra. Press and hold the button on the right handset and Siri, Google Assistant or Alexa will connect on your device; The one you get will obviously be determined by the phone or tablet used.
Okay – but, ultimately, a mapping of a common feature between the remote controls of recent three-button headphones. I appreciate the redesign of the more buttons. In the Jabra Elite Sport, the buttons on the headset were quite stiff; pushing them too far may cause discomfort in the ears. The action of the Jabra Elite 65t button is lighter, less difficult for the cartilage of the ear.
You'll probably use the two little buttons on the left earpiece more. The rapid pulsations alter the volume; the longer ones skip the tracks backwards and forwards.
The Jabra Elite 65t does everything I ask of a true wireless headset, but its wireless performance is less than perfect. While walking through the city, the left earphone occasionally came in and out because it lost connection to the main right button.
This has been a common problem between the first wave of true wireless headphones, but after seeing the improvements in battery life, it's a pity that the connectivity between headphones still demonstrates a distracting problem.
Do not expect incredible recording / call quality from the built-in microphone, either. While the 4x MEMS array of microphones is ideal for reducing wind noise, the actual quality of voice recordings is correct.
Jabra Elite 65t – Sound quality
When testing the Jabra Elite 65t, I was quite impressed by its sound. Many true wireless headphones show a rather uninspiring sound quality, as many manufacturers (many of whom we will not know) launch into a new technological trend without necessarily perfecting each element.
These are not headphones that sound compromised for the sake of their wireless functions. They are clean, clear and detailed, with a better separation than the many real wireless headphones of less than £ 100 found online.
I could happily use the Jabra Elite 65t as my main headset, if I was not discouraged by its connection problems.
However, they are not as dynamic or imply the best true wireless headphones at the price. I expected the Jabra Elite 65t to sound like the Elite Sport, but it's not like that. The older Elite Sport has a more powerful bass and a much better bass response, which results in a more exciting delivery.
The Elite Sport media are also more complete and have a richer sound. Its tonal response through the mediums to the treble is more uniform, where the most stripped tone of the Elite 65t leaves an audible peak in the upper / upper treble.
One of the ways in which I analyze a headset is to listen to a clue with a prominent voice and ask "where am I listening to the details?". The Elite 65t does not give texture in the "zones" of low and medium range, as well as in Elite Sport or Sony WF-1000X. The upper middle peak also reduces a little the realism of the voices, and can give a slightly hard sound at high volumes.
When you go deeper into the specifications, you will discover that the Jabra Elite 65t seems to use a different controller for the Elite Sport. These have 6 mm drivers; The Sport uses 6.8mm drivers. In addition to providing a richer sound, the older Elite Sport has a wider sound stage.
However, most people will be completely satisfied with the sound of Jabra Elite 65t. But now the older pair is available for approximately the same price online, it seems important to highlight these differences.
Why buy the Jabra Elite 65t?
The Jabra Elite 65t solve one of the most troublesome problems of true wireless headphones: short battery life. Five hours is still short in the wider world of wireless headphones, but it is up to twice that offered by some rivals.
These headphones are also more comfortable than the old Elite Sport, thanks to its smaller size and easier to press. buttons.
However, they are not the best wireless headphones that really sound. The Jabra Elite Sport and the Sony WF-1000X are more attractive and dynamic, which is a problem now that they can be withdrawn for a similar price.
Verdict
Better battery life, better comfort, but it's not the best sound in this class.