Review van de Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2: De beste sportoordopjes zijn nog beter geworden.

Building on the Elite 8 Active’s universal acclaim, Jabra wasted no time creating a follow-up, one that features bigger specs and an innovative charging case. Say hello to the Elite 8 Active (Gen 2). 

This next-gen Elite 8 Active — on sale now from the Jabra website and online retailers including Amazon — not only take over the reins as Jabra’s true sporty flagship, but they set new standards for the sub-category.comes with stronger adaptive active noise cancelation and spatial audio, plus a smart case that doubles as a Bluetooth transmitter to stream audio to the buds. Series staples like a damage-proof design and high battery life also remain intact.

The control scheme hasn’t changed, nor have some of the shortcomings present in the first-gen release. Even so, the Elite Active 8 (Gen 2) are undeniably the best workout earbuds and outshine the top-selling Beats Fit Pro with excellent performance across multiple verticals. 

Jabra may have announced that it is pulling the plug on its Elite and Talk consumer ranges, but support is expected to continue on all new products for at least the two-year warranty period and beyond.

Here’s my full review on Jabra’s Elite 8 Active Gen 2 wireless earbuds.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Price & Availability

€30 price increase compared to originalNew color options

The Jabra Elite 8 Active (Gen 2) are selling for $229/ £199/ €329 and can be purchased directly from the Jabra website or popular online retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Four colors are available: black, coral, navy, and olive. 

This version introduces a €30 price hike over their predecessor, making it more expensive than the €199 Beats Fit Pro, yet more affordable than the €249 AirPods Pro 2 (both Lightning and USB-C versions). 

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Design

Jabra’s strongest-ever earbuds (IP68) and charging case (IP54)Secure fit with Jabra ShakeGripPhysical buttons affect comfort 

What else can be said about the Elite 8 Active’s design other than it’s indestructible and well built. Jabra put these buds through military testing to establish an IP68 certification for dust- and waterproof protection. They can survive huge dust clouds, as well as 1-meter drops and 1.5-meter submersion. A 2-year warranty is guaranteed against failure from dust and water.

The new smart charging case is IP54-rated for dust and water resistance. Compared to other Jabra cases, this one is larger, but slimmer, and has a sleek, curved rectangle design. It weighs nothing at 1.6 ounces and slides into denim pockets.  Added to this version is a pairing button on the front that also activates Bluetooth transmission when wired into an audio source.

Jabra’s ShakeGrip technology enhances stability and sustainability. A “liquid silicone sock” is wrapped around the buds to prevent corrosion and produce a comfy and secure fit. Never once did they fall out or require adjusting on runs. I also didn’t experience any fatigue when wearing them for 4-hour stretches daily. The silicone material also staves off scratches better than the plastic used on standard Elite models.

It’s time for Jabra to consider touch controls because their physical button setup remains problematic. Every press pushes the buds further into your ears, causing unwanted soreness around the concha.

Jabra Elite 8 Active review Gen 2: Features

Feature-filled companion appIntuitive pairing options Shortcut widget simplifies listening mode activation 

Nearly all functionality runs through the Jabra Sound+ app. Here is where you’ll find all the major audio features, including EQ, music presets, Sound Modes (ANC/Hearthrough), and Spatial Sound. Call Experience lets you adjust different settings (equalizer, sidetone) on voice calls, MyControls is for control customization, and Soundscapes hosts multiple audio vignettes for stress relief. Rounding out the app are battery level indicators, Find My Jabra (earbuds), firmware updates, and a sleep timer function. 

Two features you won’t find on the Elite 8 Active (Gen 2) that are exclusive to the Elite 10 (Gen 1 and Gen 2) are Advanced ANC and Dolby Head Tracking.

Outside of the app are special wireless features like Bluetooth multipoint and one-tap pairing for Android and Windows devices. There’s even a shortcut widget to enable the listening modes (ANC/Spatial Sound) without entering the app. It automatically appears on the notification bar of your smartphone. You’ll also see it pop up on the touchscreen when waking your device from sleep mode.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Controls

Multifunctional buttons are reliable for operation — and painfulDigital assistance is on-pointSpotify Tap doesn’t work 

Single-, multi-, and long-press gestures are responsive, and tactility feels fluid. As previously stated, pressing the buttons will push the buds further into your ears. This becomes frustrating and painful after several attempts. One way to limit using them is assigning your most used functions to the one-press gesture or using voice activation for playback, call management, or volume. Google Assistant and Siri demonstrate flawless speech recognition and execute commands accurately.  

Spotify Tap is onboard, but like the Elite 10 (Gen 2), the feature doesn’t seem to work when toggled.

Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 review: Sound quality

Energetic sound with fine-tuned bassSmart case streams audio to budsSpatial audio doesn’t match up to rivals and head tracking is MIA

The original Elite 8 Active was revered for its powerful, bass-heavy sonics. It’s unknown if Jabra tweaked their 6mm dynamic drivers or soundstage, but the low end continues to dominate the frequency curve and sounds more balanced on these buds. There are still some nice sounding mids and highs to digest. You can also tweak sound in the companion app by creating a sound profile via EQ or selecting from six well-engineered presets that complement their respective categories.  

I revisited Dead Prez’s “Hip Hop” on the Elite 8 Active (Gen 2) and loved the adrenaline boost it provided before a treadmill run. The record’s monstrous bassline and pounding kick and snare rhythm were reproduced superbly, fueling