[Taz777]

The Jabra Elite 85t wireless IEMs haven't got a thread of their own and are mentioned quite a few times in the 'Going fully Wireless IEMs. Too Soon?...' thread here:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/goi...e-we-there-yet.861024/page-2315#post-16430013

Some of the posts about the 85t can get lost in that thread, hence why I'm creating this thread. I'm sure there are quite a few people who have the 85t wireless IEMs and they do seem to be underrated and the underdogs in comparisons with the 'big guns' of the true wireless IEM market. I got these recently and they are my first proper wireless true IEMs. My initial impressions were posted in that general thread:

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/goi...soon-or-are-we-there-yet.861024/post-16419975

The more I listen to these for extended periods of time, the more impressed I am with them. Here's a few things that I've noted in my short time with the Jabra Elite 85t true wireless IEMs:

1. When inserting them into your ears, don't try to force them in! They are designed to be just placed lightly into your ears. My procedure is simple: with the pointy bit pointing directly downwards, place them lightly in your ear and then rotate them slightly forward so that the pointy bit (where the mic is) points to your mouth.

2. Use different sized eartips if you need to. Always use the MyFit test in the Jabra Sound+ app. I was a bit surprised when my right earpiece didn't pass the test and I had to go one size up on the eartip. I do have a set of Spinfit CP360 tips on the way, but I'm not sure I'll need them as the stock tips are just fine.

3. A/B the sound against your favourite wired IEMs. I compare then to my Beyerdynamic Xelento wired IEMs. Of course, the Xelentos are noticeably better in sound quality overall, but, and it's a BIG but, I don't get that 'ears plugged' feeling when I'm active and wearing the Jabra Elite 85t IEMs. This is the most underrated feature of the 85ts in my opinion. Being able to walk and exercise with them with you ears being able to 'breathe' adds to the enjoyment of using them in a very large way.

4. I barely ever feel the urge to adjust them! Once again, this cannot be understated in terms of the wearability of the 85t IEMs. Every IEM I've ever owned felt like it had to be adjusted regularly, even though the fit was spot on. With the 85t IEMs, they just 'vanish' after a while and I only notice the music.

So, feel free to post your impressions and, in particular, any tips that you may have for getting the best out of the 85t IEMs.

 

[matteventu]

I've been owning them since November and, to be honest, I don't think they're worth what they cost (for me personally, at least).



What I like:

- design and fit are IMHO excellent

- the app is very well done

- connection is instantaneous when you take them out the case and connection is stable

- bluetooth multipoint

- they've got buttons, not "touch" buttons

- they've got voice prompt

- they've got "mute" mic function for calls

- ANC works reasonably well, and transparency too

- sound is fairly good for who likes a warm signature (still not overly boomy)



Cons:

- no Google Fast Pair

- no aptX

- battery life is awful (5.5 hours max WITHOUT ANC), and the discharge is totally unequal between the two earbuds (the slave bud still has 40% of charge when the master bud runs out of juice)

- hearthrough can't pause the music

- the auto play/pause (i.e. in-ear detection) doesn't have an actual in-ear sensor, it just assumes that when the two buds are within a certain distance then they're both in the ears, and when you take them more than about 25cm apart one from each other, then they assume that they're not anymore in your ears so will pause the music. This is flawed in so many ways I'm not even gonna list them here, if anyone is interested in knowing more please let me know

- the Android app has an annoying "finding your Jabra" notification that not too rarely gets stuck in your notification shade and you have to force close the app to make it go away (I've reported this to Jabra countless times, they could either fix it or just put the standard notifications in a separate notification channel so that we could disable at system level the notification that get stuck, which by the way is also a best practice when developing an Android app, but they haven't done this either)

- the L bud can't be used independently (just the R one can) as it doesn't even have Bluetooth (they use NFMI to link the two buds together, not Bluetooth)

- the default sound signature doesn't really match my tastes, neither does any of the presets, however with some EQ tweaking I got acceptable sound (still, I have to leave the sound in the my personal cons list)


They don't have *many* cons, but to me, the few ones they have (useless wear sensor, no aptX, awful battery life and uneven discharge, plus sound that I don't like) really don't make them a purchase I would make at £220.

If anybody has any questions, I'm happy to answer.

 

[old tech]

I purchased these last week on special as the store was clearing out their gold beigue stock. I was hoping these could replace my bulky Bose qc headphones for commuting and walking.

Its my first foray into IEMs so i don't have a baseline for comparison. They generally sound ok, very clear, but fall short of my expectations based on reviews i've read. Firstly the bass is weak (i haven't played with the EQ on the app yet but i still expected it to be better out of the box). Secondly, the anc is poor, even at maximum cancellation. I can still hear the TV and household appliances in the background. The anc pales in comparison to the Bose, but I suppose that is to be expected with an IEM.

I am thinking of returning them as i'd rather put up with the bulky Bose headphones than compromise bass and anc performance. I suppose i could try other IEMs, like the top line Sony or Senheisser but i suspect the gap will still be there.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

 

[Taz777]

I purchased these last week on special as the store was clearing out their gold beigue stock. I was hoping these could replace my bulky Bose qc headphones for commuting and walking.

Its my first foray into IEMs so i don't have a baseline for comparison. They generally sound ok, very clear, but fall short of my expectations based on reviews i've read. Firstly the bass is weak (i haven't played with the EQ on the app yet but i still expected it to be better out of the box). Secondly, the anc is poor, even at maximum cancellation. I can still hear the TV and household appliances in the background. The anc pales in comparison to the Bose, but I suppose that is to be expected with an IEM.

I am thinking of returning them as i'd rather put up with the bulky Bose headphones than compromise bass and anc performance. I suppose i could try other IEMs, like the top line Sony or Senheisser but i suspect the gap will still be there.

Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks

I use mine during 1.5 hour evening walks regularly and they are perfect for me. I don't use the EQ or ANC. Things to try:

1. Check the fit - there is a function in the Jabra Smart+ app for testing your fit.

2. Try not to insert them too deeply into your ears. The insertion is very shallow.

3. Also in the Smart+ app, once the fit has been confirmed, there is a tuning function that tests your hearing and applies correction - this is one of the best features.

I also own the Sennheiser MTW 2 IEMs and the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless over-ears. Both deliver a better overall sound quality than the 85t. However, I don't use them as the fit and comfort is not comfortable for active use like long, brisk walks. They also don't feel as comfortable as the 85t.

A lot depends on your priorities. Priority number one for me was comfort. When I'm active and wearing the 85t, sound quality is hugely compromised by the ambient noise on traffic and also you can hear own body sounds as you walk. Once again, the 85t scores due to its vented design so you don't get that ear blocked feeling.

 

[old tech]

I use mine during 1.5 hour evening walks regularly and they are perfect for me. I don't use the EQ or ANC. Things to try:

1. Check the fit - there is a function in the Jabra Smart+ app for testing your fit.

2. Try not to insert them too deeply into your ears. The insertion is very shallow.

3. Also in the Smart+ app, once the fit has been confirmed, there is a tuning function that tests your hearing and applies correction - this is one of the best features.

I also own the Sennheiser MTW 2 IEMs and the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless over-ears. Both deliver a better overall sound quality than the 85t. However, I don't use them as the fit and comfort is not comfortable for active use like long, brisk walks. They also don't feel as comfortable as the 85t.

A lot depends on your priorities. Priority number one for me was comfort. When I'm active and wearing the 85t, sound quality is hugely compromised by the ambient noise on traffic and also you can hear own body sounds as you walk. Once again, the 85t scores due to its vented design so you don't get that ear blocked feeling.

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have used the Smart + app to test the fit as well as the hearing correction function (which I agree is a very useful feature). I may experiment a bit more with the fit though along the insertion line you suggested.

I guess I may have expected a bit too much from IEMs from reading reviews and in my head, comparing them with full size cans without considering a base line for IEMs.

 

[Taz777]

Thanks for the reply.

Yes, I have used the Smart + app to test the fit as well as the hearing correction function (which I agree is a very useful feature). I may experiment a bit more with the fit though along the insertion line you suggested.

I guess I may have expected a bit too much from IEMs from reading reviews and in my head, comparing them with full size cans without considering a base line for IEMs.

It's a massive trade-off and, for me, different use cases for full-sized vs IEM headphones. For me it's the value-for-money proposition of the 85t that appeals - the ability to tick a lot of boxes. I have better IEMs (up to the wired Beyerdynamic Xelento) but I always reach for the 85t for my evening walks for comfort and convenience.

 

[KopaneDePooj]

I have the 85t for one month. My initial search was for a vented TWS for around 60 bucks. The "vented" feature was essential for me because I had full closed IEMs in the past (Shure SE215) and I simply could not use them because of that ear-canal pressure that they are causing so I had to sell them.

When it comes to vented TWS there's not a lot to choose from. What is clearly advertised as vented are the Air Pods Pro, Galaxy Buds Pro and Jabra 85t. If there are others at the time I'm writing this I'd be very curious. Maybe there are some with tiny front-vent holes as some wired IEMs but they are hard to come by.

The other aspect that I searched for was a warm sound signature with full-bodied vocals and relaxed highs. So for me the 85t ticks two important boxes, other than that I found a great deal - open box / perfect condition for $150, so I bought them.

Now, in terms of fit, they are not perfect for my large ears, they don't lock in very securely partly because of the oval ear-tip design and short stem that is not meant to go deep in the ear-canal, and partly because of my large ear they don't touch the upper part of the ear. I hope I can fix this with some earwings that I ordered and I'm waiting to arrive. But I learned to live with the light insertion, they actually only feel like they can fall off, but they never did. I'm using them for mountain trail walks and walks in general.
In terms of tips size, I use the largest but for the left ear I still need a bit larger one. Generally the app reports good fit but sometimes not for my left ear.
One con is that is hard to find third party tips for them because of the oval shape not only of the tip itself but also the connector part, and the built-into-tip wax guard/grate.
There are some latex ones on aliexpress, Misodiko, Comply and Diofit. And actually as I'm writing this I found something new on amazon, that I think will be the perfect solution for a better fit because they use an adapter that will lengthen the part that goes inside the ear-canal so the fit will be more secure:

New SpinFits for Jabra 85t and Buds Pro! >> https://www.amazon.com/SpinFit-CP1025-CPA2-Galaxy-Jabra/dp/B0978ZZ61W
And the best thing is that using that adapters you can fit any regular tip!
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61ckap-HDrS._AC_SL1500_.jpg

I love the sound signature, it is exactly what I like and hoped to find. Excepting maybe the bass that I would have liked to be more tight/punchy and less enveloping. But not a big deal. The app is very good, I only wish "Moments" switching could be assigned to button presses because I have different EQ for ANC on and off.