Jabra Elite 5 in the test: a good compromise

Jabra recently launched a new model of headphones, the Elite 5. These are rated as new mid-range headphones above the Elite 3 I’ve already tested in the blog, but below the Elite 7 Pro . For example, the Elite 5 lacks a personal hearing test and bone conduction feature. The new TWS model offers aptX, which is unfortunately absent from the flagships. During the test, I listened to the Jabra Elite 5 more closely for you.

I test the Jabra TWS headphones here on the blog every year, going back to Elite Sport in 2017. I always find their form during workouts unmatched. However, I have now switched to a bone conduction model from Shokz, even for running, which I can highly recommend. As far as sound is concerned, the “classic” in-ear headphones are of course ahead. I still consider the Elite 85t to be Jabra’s most powerful model, which was really convincing with its 12mm speakers. The Danish manufacturer is now compromising in favor of a more compact and lighter design. The Elite 5 uses 6mm drivers.

Jabra Elite 5 Specifications

• TWS headphones (in-ear)
• Companion app: Jabra Sound+
• Hybrid ANC, Seamless Mode
• Driver Size: 6mm
• Speaker bandwidth (music mode): 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz
• Speaker bandwidth (voice mode): 100 Hz to 8000 Hz
• Codecs: SBC, AAC, Qualcomm aptX
• Bluetooth version: 5.2
• Microphone Type: MEMS
• Number of microphones: 6
• Microphone bandwidth: 100 Hz to 8000 Hz
• Battery life: up to 9 hours (without ANC) or 7 hours (with ANC)
• Charging time: about 180 minutes
• Quick charge: charge 10 minutes for 1 hour of playback
• Special features: Google Fast Pair, Spotify Tap, direct access to voice assistants, wireless charging (case), automatic music playback pause, multipoint
• Weight per earphone: 5 g
• Protection index: IP55
• Scope of delivery: headphones, 3 sets of EarGel, charging case, USB-C to USB-A cable, warranty and warning notice
• Price: €149.99

The Jabra Elite 5 is priced at 149.99 euros. The Danish flagship, the Elite 7 Pro / Active, is now only slightly more expensive than the public price at 169.99 euros. Is it really worth picking up the new mid-range model? As I said: with aptX there is definitely added value despite the waiver of some other functions.

equipment and processing

The processing of the Elite 5 is very similar to the flagships. Here too, Jabra uses its new design, which was recently created in almost identical form for the Elite 3 and the Elite 7. As a result, the rather oval headphones sit very comfortably in the ear and feel very light. The case comes with Qi wireless charging and is made of relatively insensitive matte plastic. The usual colored LED is located on the front, which signals charging status when you close the case or plug in the USB-C cable for charging. Inside, the headphones find space on the contacts and are held there magnetically.

The headphones are also matte plastic with haptic control surfaces. Some like it, others are bothered by the fact that pressing the control panels can, of course, move the earbuds in the ear. I like Jabra’s approach because there is so little risk of misdetection. You can remap the panels in the Jabra Sound+ companion app. You can start playback, skip songs, control volume, or call voice assistants.

Since the Jabra Elite 5 supports Google Fast Pair, you can store them in your Google account, making it easy to pair with other devices. Incidentally, Jabra’s battery life is very good. Seven hours with ANC is easily achievable. A note from me about the pause function: the Elite 5 automatically stops playback if you remove one or both earbuds from your ears. Unfortunately, playback does not automatically resume when you use it again. It should also be mentioned that although they are protected against dust and water according to IP55, the Elite 7 Pro / Active are a bit more robust with IP57.

Jabra Elite 5 field test

The Jabra Elite 5 sit very comfortably in the ear due to their shape and low weight, especially since they also have a pressure equalization channel. Although they are not ideal for sports, I see the earrings as a prerequisite for the best grip, I was able to use them for running without having to constantly readjust them. But you should experiment a bit with Eargels. It is also possible that you have different sizes on the left and right for a better fit. Jabra does not provide the fit test for the Elite 5 that you can perform with the Elite 7. The hearing test to adapt the sound to your personal hearing ability has also been omitted here.

The equalizer has been retained and you can also adjust the intensity of the ANC or use the transparency mode (HearThrough). Then the microphones specifically amplify ambient noise so that you can e.g. For example, you can listen to announcements on train platforms or airports without having to remove the headphones from your ears. Incidentally, I was skeptical about the sound of the Elite 5: you can always modify the software at this point, but if the drivers go from 12 to 6 mm, there are simply compromises that I have already noticed with the ‘Elite 7.

Here I can give the green light: thanks to aptX support, the Elite 5 even sounds better in some scenarios than the Elite 7, which only supports SBC and AAC. The sound is a little more sterile than the models from Sennheiser for example, but remains differentiated and dynamic. I see weaknesses in the bass range, which is less pronounced than in competing models, which is probably also due to the small size of the speaker. As I listen to less rhythmic and more melodic music, this inconvenience does not weigh on me that much. But those who like to listen to dance, hip-hop, club music and the like might judge more strictly.

Phone call quality, known to Jabra with its extensive experience in the business customer market, is also very good with the Elite 5. Ambient noise from wind, passing cars or other sources of interference are also thoroughly filtered. This also applies to ANC when playing music, which I personally didn’t think was worse than on the top-end model. However, Jabra hasn’t marked the top there either. B. Suppliers like Sony have already gone a step further.

Conclusion

Above all, the Jabra Elite 5 have to live with the disadvantage of currently being very close in price to the Elite 7 Pro / Active. The latter offer more customization options in the app, such as the personalized hearing test, and are also a little better protected against dust and water. When it comes to sound, however, the Elite 5 shows no weaknesses and, ironically, sometimes even trumps the top model thanks to aptX. The ANC doesn’t come close to top dogs like Bose and Sony, but it’s rock solid.

I think the ergonomics of the Jabra Elite 5 are excellent, but it’s a shame that this came at the expense of the driver size, which has been reduced from 12mm to 6mm since the Elite 85t. You can optimize a lot in the background, but size plays a role in sound. Of course, that’s not to say the Elite 5 sounds bad. But the Audio-Technica ATH-CKS50TW, which only costs 10 euros more, is here, for example. B. massive front.

One of the strengths of the Jabra Elite 5 can be found in phone calls, where the manufacturer always benefits from its experience with professional customers. For now though, I would have a bit of a hard time recommending the Elite 5 over the Elite 7 due to the small price difference. If you are interested in the Elite 5, which is good in itself, I advise you to wait for a small price drop.

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