- Published: 3/10/2023
Jabra is well-known in the commercial industry for producing some of the best headsets, video conferencing, and other business audio/visual devices. That premium quality shines through in the Jabra Elite 85H over-ear headphones to provide a great overall listening experience.
Here are all of the reasons why these should be your next pair of headphones to use in almost any situation…
Jabra Elite 85H: Review Topics
SmartSound™
Their Smart Sound and Active Noise Cancellation automatically adapt to your surroundings, so you don’t have to be an audiophile to get the most out of them.
Even though things like the frequency levels and noise cancelling are automated using the power of AI, their headphone app still provides complete control over your listening experience. Adjust your EQ, voice assistant, and more personalizations in the free Jabra Sound+ app.
They even have presets called Moments. These custom profiles allow you to preset ANC, transparency, and EQ settings for a few of your most common daily situations.
The coolest part is that the Moments are automatically triggered based on the surrounding noise. Basically, when you set it up in that common daily situation, whenever you re-enter or enter a similar sounding environment, Smart Sound automatically switches to that preset Moment.
Premium Build Quality
The build quality is evident just as much externally as it is internally. The solid build is finished with a minimalist combination of metal and fabric. In fact, the premium fabric touch controls are one of my personal favorite features. On top of that, they come in 5 chic color options: Classic Black, Titanium Black, Navy, Copper Black, and Gold Beige.
The other notable physical features are the thick, luxurious ear cushions and headband. They’re easily one of the most comfortable sets of headphones we’ve ever tested, so if you plan on using these for work or travel, it would be hard to find a better option for long term listening sessions.
Audio Quality
We can’t forget about the reason you’re wearing headphones in the first place. Audio quality.
They do an exceptional job at reproducing the sound of any genre of music. They have great bass for the hip hop and pop music lovers, and great overall range for the jazzheads and classic music lovers. With some of the best audio quality of any set of over-ear headphones we’ve tested, you’ll want to use these headphones everywhere!
In combination with Jabra’s own Smart Sound technology, you’re guaranteed to get the best possible listening experience in any environment. All without lifting a finger.
Durability
With premium quality build comes premium finishing. The Jabra Elite 85h’s internal components are nano-coated, which in plain English means they’re protected from light splashes.
Even though they don’t officially have an IP water resistance rating, they have good enough protection to resist sweat in most cases. That’s one of the main reasons why we rated them one of the best over-ear headphones for working out.
If you sweat like me, then you may want to look at a different set of over-ear headphones with an actual IP rating, like the BackBeat Fit 6100s. However, if you sweat like a normal person, they’re easily one of the best choices to wear in the gym.
Battery Life
Another personal favorite feature of the Elite 85h’s is the extremely long battery life. They boast an impressive 36 hours of listening time, and that’s with active noise cancellation turned on!
With ANC turned off, you can easily get over 50 hours of listening time. Plus, they have a fast charge feature that will get you around 5 hours with only a 15-minute charge!
Voice Assistant & Call Quality
First of all, they’re compatible with Siri, Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. We tested Siri and Alexa, and both performed well in various noisy environments like public transportation, crowded hotel lobbies, and among busy street traffic.
The best part is that the voice accuracy also translated to great call quality. Most of the time, it’s tough to know how you’re going to sound on calls using Bluetooth headphones, because it has a lot to do with your surroundings.
The Jabra Elite 85h has 8 built-in mics, and 6 of them are used for calling. Jabra’s call technology does an excellent job using those 6 mics to hone in on your voice and silence everything else.
Conclusion
The Jabra Elite 85H over-ear headphones are one of the best in most categories. For workouts or gaming, their audio range is perfect for keeping you in the zone. From the plane to the office, the unique SmartSound technology always keeps you in your own world.
With above-average durability and best-in-class comfort, your ears are in good hands.
Key Specs
- Water/Dust Rating – Rain Resistant
- Battery Life – 36 Hours
- Driver Size – 40mm
- Weight – 296g
- ANC/Transparency Mode – Yes (SmartSound™)
- Bluetooth – 5.0
Best Over-Ear Headphones For Working Out
The Jabra Elite 85H are great workout headphones for a few different reasons, and their extreme comfort is one. At the same time, everyone’s workout regimen is different and there are some other great options that might work better for you. Check out our review of the best over-ear headphones for working out and see how they stack up against the competition.