Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 true wireless earbuds are the last consumer-grade earbuds the company will launch, but the comfortable design and outstanding features still make them noteworthy.
Merit:
- Clear, balanced sound
- Comfortable design with excellent dust and water resistance
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Stable and feature-rich app
- Lots of features
- Button control
- Good call quality
- 支持头部追踪的 spatial audio (空间音频)
- The pluggable docking station lets you stream audio from amplifiers and old TVs
Shortcoming:
- Battery life is acceptable
- The noise reduction effect is not as good as the top products
- There is no adaptive ambient sound mode
- As Jabra's last consumer-grade earbuds, it's unlikely that new features will be added
- Docking stations are a bit of a chicken for most people
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
Jabra's earbuds have always been a favourite of me. In the early days of true wireless earbuds, Jabra's nascent Elite range helped prove the concept useful. Just like Apple's first-generation AirPods, Jabra's earbuds are already working while most of its competitors are still struggling with basic features. Recently, however, Jabra has been a bit out of step with its competitors. While its sporty earbuds still rank highly, the flagship Elite 10 lags behind its counterparts from Apple, Bose, Sony, and other brands.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
That's not to say that Jabra hasn't continued to innovate, it's just that other brands have evolved faster, offering more advanced features, better noise cancellation, and in some cases, better value for money. In this case, it's no surprise that Jabra's parent company has decided to abandon consumer-grade earbuds altogether. The new Elite 10 Gen 2 and Elite 8 Gen 2 will be the final Jabra releases.
The company is exiting the market in a relatively vigorous way. The second generation of the Elite 10 offers more competitive noise cancellation, as well as an interesting new feature that turns the charging case into a wireless transmitter via any 3.5mm or USB-C audio output. Considering that no new features will be added in the future, the $280 price tag still makes it difficult to make an easy purchase decision. But the comfortable fit, powerful performance, and some cool new features make the Elite 10 Gen 2 worth paying attention to.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
The core design of the new Elite 10 hasn't changed, and that's a good thing. The earbuds give a high-end feel to everything from the grip-resistant hardware exterior to the tactile buttons, which allow you to easily control playback commands no matter the situation. Unlike many noise-canceling competitors, the Elite 10 Gen 2 has excellent dust and water resistance, and its IP57 rating proves that it is resistant to dust and can be rinsed or even soaked after a run or gym workout.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
Like the previous Elite 85t, the Gen 10's "semi-open" design eases the feeling of ear canal congestion. The oval-shaped cavity is designed to be ergonomic – Jabra claims they measured 64,000 ears to do this – both comfortable and stable. While these earbuds aren't as comfortable as my favorite Technics EAH-AZ80, I can wear them all day with only minor discomfort. Four sets of earbud covers can help you find the right size.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
Jabra's reliable (but a bit feature-rich) Sound+ app (iOS, Android) covers almost all of the features of the Elite 10 Gen 2. You'll find multi-band equalizers and presets to adjust your sound, Find My Jabra functionality, customisable controls and automatic pairing options like Google Quick Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair at your fingertips.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
By pressing and holding the outer button, the earbuds can be easily paired with two devices, allowing you to seamlessly switch between your phone and computer. This isn't something we've tested with the new earbuds, but as I'd expect, the Elite 10 Gen 2 works without hassle.
As with previous Jabra models, you can customize your experience by turning the auto-pause sensor on or off, adjusting the volume at which you hear yourself during a call, and even adjusting the call equalizer. When it comes to calls, these earbuds work well both indoors and outdoors, and the built-in wind noise buffer switch allows you to optimize them in inclement weather.
The earbuds are a bit lacking in terms of battery life. With only 6 hours per charge (27 hours total with the wireless charging case), which is lower than most of its competitors, it has advanced processing features such as a noise-canceling mode that responds to the environment, with the exception of the AirPods Pro Gen 2. The Elite 10 doesn't have these features, and it doesn't have the same environmental adaptability or conversation mode that the Sony WF-1000XM5 has.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
Despite Jabra's claim that noise cancellation is "2x stronger than the previous generation", the Elite 10 Gen 2 is still not as good as the best noise-cancelling headphones. After testing in a processed studio and noisy outdoor environments, the Elite 10 performed well in most situations, but was beaten by Bose's QuietComfort Ultra noise-cancelling headphones, which seemed to kill out ambient sound without mercy. Every year, the noise-canceling headphone wars push us closer to complete silence, and Bose is currently the leader.
Compared to other noise-cancelling headphones, the Elite 10 performs much better, such as last year's AZ80, and easily beats top budget options like the Anker Sound A40. In fact, this equates to being able to effectively suppress HVAC noise and the noise generated by robot vacuums, and even high-frequency noises such as lawn mowers or dog barking, especially when playing music.
The performance of Transparent Mode also belongs to the second tier in its level. The sound of the surroundings is not as natural and clear as the AirPods Pro, but it is enough to stay safe in places with heavy traffic and even have conversations without problems. Again, the earbuds' transparency mode is roughly comparable to the AZ80 here.
Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 真无线耳机测评
quality
This is not the case in terms of sound quality, though. As one of the best-sounding earbuds you can buy, the AZ80 offers better detail and instrument separation that can reveal more subtle nuances across frequencies. The Elite 10 still listens very well, with smooth, bright mids, clear highs, and refreshingly rich bass that is deep and solid without overpowering. Their tonal balance never made me feel the need to tweak the EQ, and their open design provides an equally open and wide soundstage.
Unlike Technics, Jabra's earbuds also offer spatial audio, which allows you to better virtualize 3D audio tracks and videos, if that's what you like. The coolest part about spatial audio is that it works with another of the Elite 10 Gen 2's most distinctive audio features, the plug cap for wireless transmission.
One downside is that new TVs are increasingly abandoning the 3.5mm output, not to mention that they often allow you to connect wireless earbuds directly via Bluetooth. Using the new Bluetooth LE Audio format, the Jabra's lid transmits audio virtually without delay.
The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 is the last consumer-grade true wireless earbuds the company will launch, but the comfortable design and outstanding features make it still worth paying attention to.
The earbuds themselves have a high-grade texture, excellent dust and water resistance, comfortable fit, and good fit. The battery life is slightly lower than some of its competitors, but it is still enough for daily use. Jabra's Sound+ app is powerful and lets you customise a variety of settings.
Noise cancellation has improved, but it's not as good as the best noise-cancelling headphones on the market today, such as Bose's QuietComfort Ultra. However, compared to some other noise-cancelling headphones, the Elite 10 Gen 2 performs admirably.
In terms of sound quality, the Elite 10 Gen 2 is still very good, but in comparison, Technics' AZ80 does a better job in terms of detail and instrument separation. The Elite 10 Gen 2 also supports spatial audio and can be used with its unique feature of plug capping for wireless transmission. This feature allows you to convert the audio signal from your older TV or stereo into a wireless signal and transmit it to your earbuds for playback.
All in all, the Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 performs well in every way, with no particularly outstanding strengths, but there are few drawbacks either. It's versatile and adaptable, making it ideal for those who need to use a plug cap to connect a traditional source to a wireless earbud. However, due to the imminent discontinuation and higher price, the AirPods Pro, Bose QC Ultra, or Technics EAH-AZ80 may still be the more attractive option for most people.