When Jabra entered the ‘true wireless earphone market’ a few years ago with their Elite Sport, I was immediately impressed. They fit reasonably well and sounded great. The Jabra 65t built on that first offering in significant ways, including comfort, sound, and much more. (Read our review.) Their latest offering, the Jabra 75t, takes things to an entirely new level.
I was perfectly happy with Jabra’s last generation of true wireless earphones. The Jabra 65t (now just $99.99) and the updated Elite Active 65t (currently only $119.99) sound great, are quite comfortable, and even add access to voice assistants like Amazon’s Alexa.
With this latest offering, however, Jabra has been he moved into a new era. They seem to have gotten everything right this time, and it makes for true wireless earbuds that, are without a doubt, among the best on the market as 2019 comes to an end. They are smaller, they get better battery life and, at least from the perspective of those of us on Gear Diary’s team who have tried them, they sound a bit better.
Inside the box, you get the earbuds, a charging case, a USB-C cable, three sets of silicone ear gels, and some paperwork.
Yes, with this new iteration of their true wireless earbuds, the company has moved into the world of USB-C. Well done, Jabra!
Elite Sport, 65t., and 75t.
If you have used Jabra’s previous TWE (True Wireless Earbuds), the first thing you notice is how small the charging case is.
The case that came with earlier models wasn’t large, but the 75t’s charging case is even smaller. It measures 62.4 x 36.6 x 27.0 mm and weighs just 35 grams. That makes it more pocketable but also means it is easier than ever to lose.
As mentioned, the charging case now uses USB-C. That’s great, but I was disappointed that this model doesn’t charge wirelessly. (The paperwork mentioned wireless charging, so I assume the next update to this model will move in that direction? I can’t wait!)
Despite the smaller size, the new charging case does a great job in the battery department. It adds up to 20 hours of playback to the earbuds. The case takes two hours and twenty minutes to recharge if you are using a 500mA USB wall adapter, and it delivers up to an hour of playback when the earbuds are placed in it for just fifteen minutes. Standby times are up to six months! That’s excellent news since it means the odds of actually running out of juice are quite small. But, were they to have wireless charging so you could put them on a charger at night as part of your evening ritual, you would never run out of battery. Oh well, we’ll likely see that in a year or so.
Elite Sport, 65t, and 75t.
The 65t was smaller and more comfortable than the Elite Sport with which Jabra entered this market. The 75t is smaller yet and each earpiece weighs just 5.5g. I wasn’t initially sure I would like the smaller size. I had no complaints with the comfort of the 65t and didn’t think Jabra could do much better, but they did!
Thanks to their smaller size and minor design tweaks, the new earbuds sit inside my ear more comfortably and securely than any other TWE I’ve tried. Moreover, once in place, the 75t won’t come out until you take them out.
Up to 28 hours of battery life: Jabra Elite 75t can last up to 7.5 hours on a single charge, with the charging case carrying a total of 28 hours. The fast-charging feature enables you to get up to an hour of battery life from just 15 minutes of charging.
And while one might think the smaller size translates to a reduction in battery life… think again. When Jabra moved from the bulkier Elite Sport to the 65t, they reduced the battery life from 9 to 5 hours before needing to recharge in the case. The 75t gets up to 7.5 hours per charge, which puts this new offering right in the middle despite the small size. Moreover, while the 65t get a total of up to 15 hours between the earbuds and the charging case, the 75t get a total of up to 28 hours of playback. That’s an impressive feat of engineering if I’ve ever seen one.
Controls on the earbuds are, as one would expect, expect, minimal. That doesn’t mean you don’t have control over your music or calls, but it does mean users will have a learning curve before finding the controls anything close to intuitive. The good news is that Jabra opted to use a physical button rather than a capacitive one. Thay makes the earbuds far easier to control. After spending some time with the 75t, it becomes fairly easy to use them.
For example, when listening to music, a single push on the right earbuds plays or pauses the music. If you push and hold, it increases the volume. A double press on the left earbud skips to the next track while a triple push repeats the previous one. A long press decreases the volume.
It is similar when using the 75t for calls. A single push on the right earbud answers a call while a double push hangs up. A single push on the left earbud mutes and unmutes the call. The volume up and down controls remain the same with a long press on the left earbud, decreasing the volume and a long press on the right earbud increasing it.
To pair or repair the earbuds, you simply push and hold the buttons on both earbuds to power them on and then wait for the voice prompt to begin pairing. And because the 75t uses Bluetooth 5.0, you can pair up to eight different devices and have two devices connected at the same time.
Proven true wireless connection: With Jabra 4th generation true wireless stability, your music and calls will be more stable, with no wires to get in the way. No audio dropouts, no interruptions.
Bluetooth 5.0 also means the connectivity is better than ever. I never had much of an issue with Jabra TWE losing their connection, but the 75t is rock-solid in the department!
Tested for secure fit: Designed and tested for a secure fit, so your earbuds will stay put. The new small design makes them the ideal fit for every type of ear, while the ergonomic shape makes them exceptionally comfortable.
I had mixed feelings about the fat and comfort of the Elite Sport, but those concerns were addressed with the 65t. The new 75t is even better, though. The smaller size means they fit more fully inside my ears with less of the earbud showing. They also fit with a level of stability that I’ve not seen previously. (I love the Master and Dynamic TWE I reviewed and still think they offer the best sound of all the TWE I’ve used, but in the comfort and secure fit departments, the Jabra 75t edge them out!)
The Jabra 75t also ups the game when it comes to making calls. These don’t have active noise cancelation, but between the secure fit and their 4-microphone technology, they sound fantastic. Wind noise is reduced, and much of the ambient sound that might disrupt a call gets filtered out. Part of the reason Raina loves her AirPods is the ability for her to make work calls all day long. The Jabra 75t blows them away in this and many other, departments.
In other words, in addition to updating the design of the earbuds, Jabra packed them with new technology that increases battery life and enhances the call experience for both sides of the call. They also carry an IP55-rating (the same as the Elite 65t), so the earbuds can get a bit wet and still work without issue. (They also carry a 2-year warranty* against dust and water damage.)
Your music, your way: Listen to your music exactly the way you want to, with a customizable equalizer built in to the Jabra Sound+ App. Simply set your levels; whether you want to boost the bass or turn up the treble, your music will always sound exactly how it should.
The sound quality of the Jabra 75t is also a bit better than its predecessors. Again, I was already quite pleased with the sound Jabra’s TWE offered, but these are even better.
Plus, thanks to the free Jabra Sound+ app, available in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store, users can tweak the equalizer settings to fit their taste and the style of music currently being played.
Voice assistants: One-touch access to your voice assistant Jabra Elite 75t lets you connect to Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant, allowing you to quickly access the information you need, while Bluetooth 5.0 allows you to seamlessly connect Elite 75t to your smartphone.
A double press of the right earbud accesses the voice assistant of your choice. By default, my 75t accessed Siri. Considering the mess that Siri has become (come on Apple get your SH*T together!), I changed the setting in the Sound+ app and didn’t have to deal with Siri any longer. I’m also happy to report that when I went to change the voice assistant setting, I received a notification that the earphones had a new firmware update available. One-touch of a button on my iPhone and the app walked me through the entire, and simple, process of updating.
I would be remiss were I not to mention the awesome HearThrough feature of the 75t. This already made its way into the 65t TWE but, at least in my experience, works even better with the 75t. A double-tap on the left earbud turns on HearThrough so you can hear your surroundings while still enjoying your music. This is an important safety feature and is one of the reasons Raina loves her AirPods. When she’s commuting to the city, she needs to remain aware of her surroundings. The “open” nature of the original AirPods does that simply due to the design of the earbuds. Something like the 75t is more problematic since they seal your ear canal. Jabra used technology to achieve the same thing and can pull ambient sounds in and feed it to your ears while continuing to play music.
Specifications:
- Passive noise cancellation (PNC): Yes
- Noise reduction on outgoing voice audio: Yes, 4-microphone call technology
- Wind noise protection: Yes
- Audio codecs supported: SBC, AAC.
- Speaker size: 6mm
- Battery: Music and talk time: Up to 7.5 hours with earbuds and up to 28 hours including charging case
- Sleep mode: Auto-off after 15 minutes without connection or 60 minutes without activity, configurable in the Sound+ app
- Standby time: 6 months
- Charging time: 2 hours and 20 minutes (Full charge with dedicated 500mA USB wall charger)
- Fast charge: Up to 60 minutes when charging earbuds for 15 minutes in the charging case
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0
- Supported Bluetooth profiles: HSP v1.2 , HFP v1.7, A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, SPP v1.2
- Operating range: Up to 10 meters (33 feet)
- Paired devices: Up to 8
- Multi-connect: Two devices can be connected at a time
- Auto pause music: Yes, when one earbud is removed from ear
- Auto power on/off: “ON” when earbuds are out of charging case. “OFF” after 15 minutes without connection or 60 minutes without activity
- Charging plug: USB-C
- IP rating: IP55
The Jabra 65t and Elite Active 65t were already great. I switched off between them and Master & Dynamic’s offering. Now that the 65t is under $100, I consider them the best TWE under $100 currently on the market. If you want the best possible sound, you can get the Master & Dynamic MW07 for $249 or the new MW07 PLUSfor $299. If, however, you want something that falls somewhere in the middle, the Jabra 75t TWE is the way to go. At an MSRP of $179, they hit a sweet spot for those looking to get premium true wireless earbuds. They tick all the right boxes. The 75t’s smaller shape offers a secure fit and comfort that is beyond anything I’ve used. There are other two wireless earbuds that sound phenomenal and others that are comfortable, but none strike a balance between comfort and sound that this one does. It hits all the right notes.
- The small size makes them more secure and comfortable. I’ve used them extensively when out walking my Goldendoodle Nava and all but forget they are there.
- The great battery life and quick charge technology means I won’t be left having to listen to myself hum when out with Nava, writing this review, or taking a trip.
- The HearThrough technology lets me stay aware of the world around me then I need that extra bit of security.
- The one-button access to my voice assistant of choice makes these earbuds smart without going over the top.
- Four-microphone technology means calls sound great on both sides.
- The audio is great right out of the box but, once connected to the Sound+ app, it’s even better and can be customized to each individual’s taste.
- The secure fit makes the lack of active noise cancellation less of an issue since it blocks a significant amount of ambient sound.
- The IP55 rating and generous warranty make these a decent investment.
Sure, I would have loved to have wireless charging, but the updates this time around are well worth putting the Jabra 75t at the top of your list. (And when the new version with wireless charging becomes available, expect to see these nicely discounted.)
If you are currently in the market for a pair of true wireless earphones, you can’t go wrong with the Jabra 75t! If you need to spend under $100, get the Jabra 65t. If you can spend a bit more but want to stay under $200, the 75t are my recommendation.
You can even choose from among these three color combinations! Check them out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Jabra 75t True Wireless Earbuds
What I Like: Smaller earbuds and case make them earners to carry and more comfortable to wear; Get great battery life; HearThrough lets you wear the earbuds but be safe; Call quality is excellent; Audio is great and customizable thanks to the Sound+ app
What Needs Improvement: I wish they already had wireless charging
