Jabra Elite 7 Pro are your everyday true wireless earbuds showcasing a balanced sound, solid battery life, and unmatched comfort. On the other hand, effective passive isolation carries the ANC, which barely does anything.
Unlike the sportier Jabra Elite Active 75t (replaced by the Elite 7 Active model), the Elite 7 Pro target the general audience of commuters and frequent phone callers.
The sound quality, battery life, passive noise isolation, HearThrough feature, and comfort are a few things that earbuds do right.
On the flip side, active noise cancellation only slightly improves low-frequency reduction, with passive noise isolation doing most of the heavy lifting. However, the end performance is far from the competition.
Should you consider Jabra Elite 7 Pro for their asking price of $180? What are they best used for?
Find out in the full review below.
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- Balanced sound out-of-the-box that gets better with EQ
- Comfortable fit for long listening sessions
- High IP57 rating and premium-feeling build
- Good battery life of 8 hours per charge & wireless charging support
- Jabra+ app has overwhelming amount of features
- Impressive passive noise isolation
- Mediocre active noise cancellation with almost no effect
- Custom EQ doesn't let you tweak frequencies above 7kHz
Sound
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have a balanced signature out of the box, with immersive soundstage and imaging. Unfortunately, the custom EQ is too limiting to fully correct their tuning.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Sound Comparison
Learn how to understand sound comparisons.
Affordable Jabra products usually have a V-shaped sound signature, whereas their high-end stuff sticks to a more balanced approach.
That said, Jabra Elite 7 Pro could’ve offered slightly more, especially in the treble. Let’s dive in the details.
Bass: Smooth and fairly controlled
The bass is boosted by a few dB above neutral, adding a little warmth without being too punchy.
While the bass quantity is OK, users who want more can add some using the custom EQ in the Jabra+ app. More on that later.
Low frequencies can reach quite deep and deliver a subtle rumble when listening to hip-hop music. Like during a chorus in “Umbrella” by Rihanna.
The bass control and detail are pretty good when listening to bass guitars and with decent speed when a song contains faster drumming.
Further boosting the bass in the app’s EQ results in a slightly muddier performance.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Frequency Response
Midrange: Polite and quite natural
Mids are slightly recessed around 1kHz, making instruments like electric guitars less apparent.
On the other hand, vocals stay relatively unaffected, with good texture and natural tone. However, the default tuning is prone to occasional sibilance.
The harshness gets less present by boosting the 1kHz and 4kHz regions. Also, the instruments play a bit louder, with a harder-hitting snare drum as well.
Treble: Shimmery but lacking detail
While high frequencies extend pretty well, the upper region isn’t very present. You get the air and shimmer but very little detail.
Consequently, cymbal crashes don’t produce that natural, textured, crackly sound. Instead, they only shimmer, making them very uninteresting. That’s due to the lack of energy between 10kHz and 16kHz, and a bit too much energy between 6kHz and 9kHz.
Unfortunately, the custom equalizer only offers 7kHz as the highest frequency to adjust. That means that lowering the 7kHz in the EQ reduces the entire upper treble frequency response.
By adding the 12kHz (or higher) band to the EQ, Jabra might have helped improve the sound quality. Who knows, maybe in the future.
Until now, try out my custom EQ, which helps make the sound slightly more balanced.
Unexpectedly, the soundstage is pretty broad on Jabra Elite 7 Pro.
In conjunction with accurate imaging and instrument separation, earbuds create a very engaging listening experience, with sounds coming all around and slightly out of your head.
Furthermore, active noise cancellation and HearThrough features don’t affect the sound performance or quality.
Overall, Jabra Elite 7 Pro are balanced/slightly bright across the board, with some corrections needed to sound the best.
The tuning is best for casual users who don’t nitpick small details but mostly want an inoffensive listening experience during their daily commute.
Comfort & Fit
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have an ergonomic design with a long nozzle and ear tips that don’t cause annoying pressure. They’re also reasonably stable but not for the most intensive workouts.
Jabra earbuds are known to be very comfortable, and the Elite 7 Pro are no exception.
Earbuds are relatively average in size and should fit all but the smallest ears. Also, due to the long nozzle, the pinna barely feels the pressure of the housing, which helps reduce wearing fatigue.
Speaking of a long nozzle, the included silicone ear tips do a good job of preventing pressure build-up inside your ear canal.
The deep insertion also helps with overall stability. Since ears lack ear wings to lock themselves in place, a good ear tip seal is crucial.
Though, don’t expect a rock-steady fit. While earbuds can easily hold themselves during walking and some light exercising, you might risk losing them when jumping or running on uneven trails.
Durability
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have a hard plastic housing with a smooth, silicone-textured layer to add a more premium feel. Also, they’re rated for an IP57, making them waterproof. However, the case is sturdy but left unprotected.
The Elite 7 Pro definitely feel premium. They have a minimalistic design made with a mixture of plastic and what feels like silicone.
The latter makes them smoother to the touch but also more prone to catch grease from your ears, which you later transfer into the case (which has an even smoother finish). Here is how to keep your earbuds clean.
Earbuds are put together from at least 3 parts, one being a big physical button with the “Jabra” logo.
When pressing the physical button, you push against the part of the outer ear called the concha and not directly into your ear canal. As a result, you don’t get that annoying pressure sensation like with many other earbuds using physical controls.
Even though Jabra Elite 7 Pro aren’t meant for sports activities (Jabra Elite 7 Active are better suited for that job), they carry an IP57 rating. That makes them fully waterproof (up to 1 meter in depth) and dust resistant.
To match the premium feel of the buds, the charging case shares a similar minimalistic yet sleek design. It’s made of matte black plastic on the outside and an almost suede-like finish on the inside.
The case feels reasonably sturdy. However, the thin lid and the plastic hinge don’t look like they would survive a drop on a hard floor.
Furthermore, the case lacks an IP rating itself. But that’s rare for earbud’ cases.
Battery
Jabra Elite 7 Pro offer a fantastic battery life of 8 hours and 20 minutes per charge (with ANC enabled), beating even the best noise-cancelling earbuds in this category. The Qi wireless charging case holds another 22 hours of juice.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Battery Comparison
Active noise cancellation uses a lot of energy, so ANC earbuds were never mind-blowingly great when it comes to battery life. However, Jabra Elite 7 Pro are thinking otherwise.
In our test, letting earbuds play music at 50% with ANC enabled, we got:
- 8 hours and 20 minutes of battery life.
That’s 20 minutes more than what Jabra advertises. Also, that makes the Elite 7 Pro (so far) the longest-lasting ANC earbuds since we started testing battery life.
That said, since Jabra’s noise cancellation is nothing to write home about, many of you will probably leave it off. Meaning you can expect an even longer battery duration.
Furthermore, the Elite 7 Pro’s charging case support Qi wireless and fast charging:
- You get 1 hour of juice after a 5-minute charge
- 30 minutes of charging equals 50% of the battery
- Earbuds and the case charge up from 0-100% in 2.5 hours
For those who will use the earbuds every once in a while, the standby time is up to 292 days.
Features
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have many features, and almost all are hidden inside the Jabra+ app. Also, earbuds deliver loud and clear microphone audio.
If you want to squeeze the most out of Jabra Elite 7 Pro, you must pair them with the app. Thankfully, it doesn’t require enabling the internet and GPS to connect, as some other apps do.
The list of features you can access within can be almost overwhelming. Here’s all that the Jabra+ app offers, on top of renaming your buds and selecting voice assistant.
MyFit
This feature checks how well earbuds seal your ear canal by playing a short sound (like a sine sweep).
It can be helpful to ensure you are using the proper ear tips. However, if you don’t hear much of the ambient noise, then you probably have a good seal.
MySound
The app plays continuous beeps at different frequencies, from very quiet to increasingly louder. You tap on the screen when you hear the beep.
Ultimately, the app creates a personalized sound profile that works quite well. I see people using their designated profiles as they genuinely improve the sound.
MyControls
You can select commands based on whether you’re listening to music, have an incoming call, or are in the middle of a call.
Gestures vary from one to triple presses, but unfortunately, you don’t have an option for volume controls.
Soundscapes
Here is where you find various sounds to either comfort you or to help mask ambient noise. Sounds range from simple pink or white noise to nature and even crowd noise.
What makes this feature excellent are the high-quality recordings of those sounds. Furthermore, a wide soundstage from the earbuds boosts the immersion.
Other features include multipoint support and a personalized ANC, which I’ll discuss later.
Microphone Quality
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have pretty reliable mics for calls, but the background noise reduction works funny in noisy places.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Microphone Test
Starting with quiet environments, earbuds can keep your voice nicely understandable and free of distortion. However, it’s also a bit muddy and lacks clarity.
Similar voice quality continues when you step into a noisier place, with microphones managing to keep your voice understandable at all costs.
However, the noise reduction tech for calls can’t block background noises. Instead, it muffles them so that people might think you’re standing in the middle of a flood.
Overall, while it’s impressive that earbuds can maintain your voice clean and distortion-free, you might want to avoid noisy places when making phone calls.
Noise Isolation
Jabra Elite 7 Pro passive noise isolation is truly impressive, beating all their competition. They can even outperform earbuds with foam ear tips.
You can achieve good passive noise isolation by having denser tips (like foam ones), more than one seal (like with multi-flanged tips), or a very deep seal. The Jabra Elite 7 Pro go by the latter.
Surprisingly, the deeper fit doesn’t feel intrusive nor creates pressure, so you don’t even notice how deep the ear tips reach.
The result is excellent passive noise isolation that smoothly surpasses most, if not all, earbuds I’ve tested.
While the low-end rumble remains relatively unchanged, the middle and high frequencies noticeably reduce in loudness.
You might as well use these as hearing protection when handling loud power tools if there are no earplugs around.
Furthermore, Jabra Elite 7 Pro also don’t suffer from sound leakage. People will barely hear what you’re listening to, even if you blast them in the middle of a library.
Noise Cancellation
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have rather disappointing adjustable noise cancelling for the price, with minimal reduction in the low frequencies. Some cheaper alternatives can do much better.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Active Noise Cancelling Test
When toggling between ANC on and off, you realize it heavily relies on passive noise isolation. The latter basically does all the work.
The only difference that active noise cancelling does is slightly reduce the low end. However, you can still hear the hum, which is the very thing you want to block when traveling or commuting.
That’s quite disappointing since most true wireless earbuds that support ANC can do better, even much cheaper ones.
For example, Edifier W240TN, which cost $80, blow the Elite 7 Pro out of the water.
What about ambient sound mode?
For the most part, the HearThrough performance is clean and natural, not bright and peaky like on 1MORE Evo, a similarly priced flagship from 1MORE.
While you hear the ambient sound slightly quieter than you would if you take the earbuds out of your ears, you can easily use the HearThrough to reply to people next to you.
Bluetooth
Jabra Elite 7 Pro have a reliable Bluetooth 5.2 connection with up to 60 feet of indoor coverage, multipoint support, and no visible lag for videos (but a small one during mobile games).
Connectivity-wise, you shouldn’t have any problems using the Elite 7 Pro. Throughout my testing, I have yet to experience a random stutter and lost connection.
Even the indoor connection range with 2 brick walls in between is above average, lasting 60 feet (18.3 meters) before completely cutting off the audio.
Furthermore, you can use earbuds in mono mode and have them paired to 2 different devices simultaneously (multipoint). That way, the earbuds switch from your laptop to a phone when you receive a phone call.
How to pair Jabra Elite 7 Pro?
- Earbuds automatically start pairing when you take them out of the charging case.
- To pair them to another device, you must take the earbuds out of the case and hold both buttons for 3 seconds until the small LED lights start blinking.
What Bluetooth Codec Do They Use?
Like all Jabra earbuds and headphones, the Elite 7 Pro also come with SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs. That should cover the basics of both Android and Apple devices running iOS.
Is There an Audio Lag?
None when watching videos on YouTube and social media. The start might be a bit junky, but the audio quickly syncs with the picture.
On the other hand, you can see a split-second delay when playing mobile games. It isn’t much, but still annoying if you’re a professional competitive gamer.
Should You Get Jabra Elite 7 Pro?
For the asking price of $180, it’s hard to disregard the poor active noise-cancelling performance. Especially since Jabra Elite 7 Pro’s target audience is commuters who want good ANC.
The above-average noise isolation definitely helps improve the listening experience, but that’s no excuse for Jabra not to do better next time.
In conclusion, if you’re a commuter looking for classy earbuds with balanced sound and many customization options, then you’ll find the Elite 7 Pro very compelling.
In contrast, active users should look towards the Active Jabra earbud models due to their better stability and higher IP rating.
How do Jabra Elite 7 Pro compare to the competition?
- They have a balanced sound signature which is somewhat common in this price range, even among sport-oriented earbuds.
- Battery life of around 8 hours per charge is on par, if not slightly better, than in competitors.
- The Jabra+ app has more features than most apps out there.
- Their IP57 rating is higher than other premium earbuds but on par with similarly priced sports buds.
- They can passively isolate far better than most true wireless earbuds out there.
- Earbuds have a similarly sleek design, although some competitors feel slightly more premium.
- Active noise cancelling is barely making a difference.
Jabra Elite 7 Pro Alternatives
1MORE Evo
The Evo’s are one of the most premium-looking and feeling TWS earbuds. They have an overall balanced audio quality that gets harsh at higher volumes.
Interestingly, the ambient sound mode is worse than Jabra’s, but their ANC is much better. Also, they offer a slightly stabler fit.
With ANC, they last almost 6 hours per charge and offer Qi wireless charging. The case has a more premium metal construction, but the buds are only rated for an IPX4.
Anker Soundcore Liberty 3 Pro
Expect a bigger, punchier sound due to the dynamic/BA driver combo. Although they’re V-shaped out of the box, you can make their sound natural with EQ.
They’re much bigger than the Jabra, with a luxurious exterior that protrudes from your ears. Buds have ear wings but aren’t that stable.
Earbuds last 5 hours on a single charge and support fast and Qi wireless charging. For audio enthusiasts, buds also support LDAC codec.
JBL Live Pro+
JBLs provide a V-shape sound with a balanced midrange. The app offers an equalizer that could work better.
Earbuds are comfy and offer an equally secure fit as the Jabra’s. Furthermore, they have a similarly light ANC with minimal ambient noise reduction.
On the other hand, they have a longer battery life of over 7 hours, support Qi charging, but only an IPX4 rating.
What’s in the Box?
- Jabra Elite 7 Pro true wireless earbuds
- USB-C charging cable
- 3 pairs of silicone ear tips (S, M, L)
- Quick user guide
- Safety info guide
Specifications
| Type: | True wireless |
| Connection: | Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Back design: | Closed-back |
| Drivers: | 6mm dynamic |
| Frequency range: | 20-20.000Hz |
| Impedance: | n/a |
| Weight: | 0.2 oz (5.4 g) per bud |
| Mic & Controls: | Yes |
| Water resistance: | IP57 |
| Battery life: | 8h + 22h in case |
| Charging time: | 2.5h + quick charge – USB-C & Qi wireless |
| Active noise cancelling: | Yes |
| Bluetooth codecs: | SBC, AAC |
| Wireless range: | 60 feet (18.3m) |
| Microphone: | 4 microphones with bone conduction sensor & Jabra algorithms |
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From a childhood fascination with sound, Peter’s passion has evolved into a relentless pursuit of the finest headphones. He’s an audio expert with over 5 years of experience in testing both audiophile and consumer-grade headphones. Quote: “After many years, I can confidently tell which headphones are good and which are terrible.” Find his honest opinion in his reviews.
2 Comments
John Wright
I’m disgusted with Jabra. I have never heard ear pods with the sound quality the 75T produced. I was excited about owning them for weeks. Then, just as I was warned, one of them just quit working. I tried the Elite 7 and within the first 30 seconds I knew I had an inferior product. I forget why they too crapped out. Next I tried the 85T. Supposedly larger drivers but these too were inferior to the 75T. Same problem. Something crapped out. I don’t remember what the issue was. Finally the 75T was back in stock and I got excited again. I threw those bad boys in my ears and hit the EQ and I was off. Jamming like never before. The bass was rich, full, powerful & most of all, CLEAN. No bottoming out.The separates were insanely good with EQ. The high end with the EQ was phenomenal. I bragged to everyone about Jabra 75T. I be damned if the f’ing right ear pod once again crapped out. Unfortunately I have had a problem in my late teen years, 20’s & 30’s controlling my temper. NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF. In my 40’s after getting my relationship with JESUS CHRIST my GREAT GOD & SAVIOR where it needed yo be I got a handle on that problem. Now in early 50’s I have felt all of those bad feelings & emotions come roaring back at times due to the failure of these ear pods. Now 75T is no longer in production. The best sounding speaker Jabra offers they discontinued. Jabra has a brand new speaker out now Elite 7 Pro. First thing I heard in the first review on YouTube is “smaller drivers & better sound quality.” BULLSHIT. Ratings were 3’s & a couple 4’s here and there. Oh but noise canceling was a 4.5 isn’t that great? I’m finished with this brand. If you are reading this review, DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY.
Peter Susic
Sorry to hear you had such a bad luck with Jabra. We had some malfunction issues with Jaybird, which is also more sports oriented brand, but their customer service was quick and friendly.
So, you’re saying you have problems finding some other sports earbuds that would replace Elite Active 75T?