Given the low price, it’s difficult to get too worked up about the omissions made by Jabra in terms of specification. If you want active noise-cancelling at this price, for example… Panasonic’s astoundingly impressive RZ-S500W is your only option at this price. Besides, the Elite 3 can hold their own in other situations. Wireless connectivity, for example, is provided by Bluetooth 5.2, and Qualcomm’s aptX codec is also supported. A pair of 6mm full-range dynamic drivers deliver sound once installed. As long as you keep the asking price in mind, there isn’t much to complain about when it comes to the Elite 3’s design and finish. No, they don’t feel particularly luxurious, and the earbuds aren’t as easy to hold as you might expect. But they’re well-made, and their charging case is as well. The Jabras are among the smallest and lightest earbuds available, measuring just 27 x 20 x 21mm (hwd) and weighing 4.6g per earbud. This, combined with the included eartips, makes it simple to position them comfortably – and they’ll stay that way for the foreseeable future. Or until you use the physical control on either earbud, which can slightly alter the fit. The charging case weighs 33g and measures 29 x 64 x 35mm (hwd), and it has a simple design. Only a subtle ‘Jabra’ logo and a single LED provide visual interest. No, when it comes to true wireless in-ears, the Elite 3 allow you to express yourself through the color you choose. Select from black, beige, lilac, or navy blue. In a significant departure from the true wireless norm, the Jabra Elite 3 do not sound their best when EQs are set to ‘flat’ or ‘off’. Instead, the astute listener should use the ‘Smooth’ preset – it doesn’t produce an especially smooth sound, to be honest, but it’s the most convincing and appealing balance available. The Elite 3 are an uncomplicatedly engaging listen, especially with a nice chunky Tidal Masters file of Stevie Wonder’s Superstition playing. They’re pretty good at rhythmic expression, and can turn a fairly busy ‘drums/guitars/bass/keyboards/horns/vocal’ mix into something expansive, well-focused, and easy to follow. The timing is good, and there is a high level of insight and detail throughout. The lowest frequencies are nicely managed and controlled enough to show a nice straight edge when it comes to the attack and decay of individual bass sounds. They may appear to be disconnected from the rest of the frequency information, but they at least fight the overconfidence that can unbalance many of their price-comparable competitors.
