Jabra Elite Active 45e Wireless Sports Earbuds Review

If you are looking for a set of Bluetooth earbuds that perform well out on the trail or in the gym, then the Jabra Elite Active 45e’s are definitely worth considering. They have an IP67 rating against water and dust, allowing you to use them in almost any conditions. And thanks to the integrated microphone, you can even use them to make and receive calls.

Like all portable earbuds, they have their own pros and cons. So, let’s find out what they are in our in-depth Jabra Elite Active 45e Wireless Sports Earbuds Review.

Design and Fit

When you take the Active 45e’s out of the box, you will immediately notice how light they are. For over-the-neck type earbuds, these only weigh 29 grams!

Unlike some of the other models in Jabra’s Elite series of earbuds, these do not have a plastic neckband. This helps to cut down on weight. Instead, you will find a single flexible cable that will sit along the back of your neck.

Finding your fit…

Moving along each side of the neckband, you get to the left and right earpieces. These rectangular earpieces feature a bendable ear hook as well as a smaller inner loop and silicone earbuds.

To get the best fit, you will want to position the small inner ear loop into the ridge of your ear and then insert the earbuds into your ear canal. They come with four different sized gel earbuds allowing them to fit comfortably in different sized ears.

Controls…

On the right earpiece, you will notice two buttons along the bottom of it. These will allow you to control the volume up and down and to skip tracks forward or backward. You will notice a small button on the outside of the right earbud as well. This is a multi-function button that will enable you to pair, power, answer calls, and play or pause music, depending on how long you hold it down.

The left earpiece contains the micro-USB port used for charging the Active 45e’s. There is also a small button on the outside of this earpiece that allows you to mute the microphone or activate a voice assistant.

Comfortable, but not very durable…

Overall, the design is pretty well thought out, all of the buttons are easy to reach, and they are comfortable to wear over long periods. They are made from plastic, so you will want to be careful not to drop them.

Jabra also includes a two-year warranty against sweat and dust. This is nice to see, given they are not the cheapest wireless earbuds on the market.

Sound Quality

The sound quality of these wireless earbuds is pretty standard due to their open design. You will definitely notice sound quality degrade when moving from a quiet to a noisy environment.

That is because these earbuds are not particularly good at isolating noise, which is not necessarily a bad thing. If you are going to be riding your bike through town with these on, you will likely want to hear what is going on around you.

Good vocals…

We listened to a wide variety of music while testing these earbuds. No matter the genre of music, the vocals came out nice and crisp.

The same cannot be said for the middle and lower frequencies, though. Bass is somewhat underwhelming, and you will not be able to feel it like you would with full-sized over-ear headphones.

When it comes to the mids, you will also notice that they sort of blend in throughout the frequency range. Nothing overly pops.

Sound-shaping…

You can further fine-tune the sound of these earbuds by downloading the Jabra Sound+ app available on iOS and Android, thankfully.

With the use of the Jabra Sound+ app, you can calibrate each earbud to your hearing. You will also have access to a graphic equalizer and a few preset equalizer settings like ‘speech’ and ‘music.’ Using the app, you can also change the voice notification language, which we will go into further below.

Taking and making calls…

The Jabra Elite Active 45e’s come with two built-in microphones allowing you to make or receive calls. These work exceptionally well, even in noisy environments.

Your voice will come out nice and clear. The person on the other end might sound a bit drowned out because of the noise isolation issues we previously mentioned, though. The microphones also pick-up voice commands pretty flawlessly, from our experience.

While noise isolation is a concern, noise leakage is not. For example, you can wear these earbuds in the office without bothering anyone sitting at the desk next to you.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The Jabra Elite Active 45e’s come equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 technology, allowing you to use them up to thirty-three feet away from the device it is connected to. To connect these to your Bluetooth device, start with them powered off. From there, simply hold down the multi-function button for three seconds.

You will then hear a prompt coming through the earbuds, letting you know they are ready to connect. Simply head over to your Bluetooth device and select the headphones to finish connecting them.

Power-saving features…

Once connected, you can expect up to nine hours of playback on a full charge. They will also automatically turn off in fifteen minutes if they are not connected to a device or after sixty minutes of no activity.

When it does come time to charge them, you will hear another voice prompt notifying you to do so. Included in the box is a noticeably short micro-USB to USB-A cable that will need to be connected to a compatible adapter or computer. Charging time will take up to two hours. They also offer a quick charge ability that can provide one hour of use after only fifteen minutes of charging.

From time to time, you will receive firmware updates for the headphones and Jabra Sound+ app.

Jabra Elite Active 45e Wireless Sports Earbuds Review Pros and Cons

Looking for Something Else?

Not sure about the Active 45e? No problem, the perfect earbuds for you are waiting. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Sound Quality Earbuds, the Best Noise Isolating Earbuds, the Best Earbuds for Running, the Most Comfortable Earbuds, and the Best Earbuds Under $100 you can buy in 2023.

Also, take a look at our reviews of the Best iPhone Earbuds, the Best Wireless Bluetooth Headphones, the Best Airpods Alternative, the Best True Wireless Earbuds, and the Best Wireless Earbuds For Small Ears currently on the market.

Jabra Elite Active 45e Wireless Sports Earbuds Review – Final Thoughts

These earbuds are made for those who enjoy listening to music while doing sports. They are extremely portable and lightweight, making them amazingly comfortable over long periods of time.

Since they are IP67 rated, you can use them outdoors, no matter what the weather is like. The Jabra Elite Active 45e’s fit securely and comfortably, thanks to their gel earbuds and moldable ear hooks.

Hear your surroundings…

The Active 45e’s open design aids in breathability but does let noise in. You will most likely be using these headphones outdoors or in the gym, and being able to hear your surroundings is essential for safety’s sake.

We do wish the 45e’s had a bit more immersive sound profile, though. Fortunately, the Jabra Sound+ app allows for a better listening experience through custom sound profiles and preset equalizer settings.

Also, since you get nine hours of playback time, this will allow you to leave your charger at home. However, if you do run low on battery, and have your charger, a quick fifteen-minute charge allows you to use them for a whole additional hour!

Until next time, happy listening.

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