Airpods vs Bragi Dash vs Jabra Elite Sport

[xthine]

I've had the Dash for over a month, Elite Sport about a month and Airpods were delivered today.

Only tested the Airpods for less than 5 minutes. They're the easiet and quickest to pair out of all 3. Easy to switch from one iPhone to another (tested on my iPhone 7 and daughters 6s). Kind of fumbled around trying to take it out of the case, i thought they were supposed to pop out?
As you can see in the photo, the sleekest carrying case.
They fit well and I'm VERY surprised by how secure they fit in my ears. Shaked my head a few times and it didn't come off flying. By far the most comfortable out of the 3.
Still getting used to tapping the Airpods to summon Siri. Successful about 1/3 of the time. Found the Dash easier to control, may just need more practice with the Airpods. Tried airplane mode to simulate Siri offline, the double tap play pause worked okay.
The Airpods were lacking in audio quality compared to the other two. I haven't used stock earbuds since the original iPhone. Not used to the lack of seal with the Airpods, I could see why there's no need for audio transparency (unlike the Dash and Elite Sport). Which may be good since that means i may be able to get away with using both buds while trail running. It looks like I can use one Airpod at a time if I need to.

Very curious to see if they'll still stay in the ears even with running on technical terrain. I was hoping to test them out while trail running this weekend unfortunately it looks like we're going to get some rain and possibly snow.. so that's most likely a no go.
I don't know how the Airpods will perform when I'm out running in wilderness where signal is spotty. I often skip songs and rewind, adjust the volume.. I don't want to have to look down on my wrist (Garmin) to do that. Connectivity wise so far the Airpods seem to fare better (more range).

I think I'll keep the Airpods as a backup pair..or for just using around the house/office.
For workouts though I will still use the Dash and Elite Sport. Don't have to worry about sweat/water resistance, easier to access playback controls even with data offline.

 

[CoriG]

Thanks for your review. I have the both Jabari elite sport and AirPods and I am starting to think I like the jabras much better. Yes, the airpods do connect quicker, are comfortable, and have better battery life, but I love being able to control volume, music etc without pulling out my phone. Plus, when I worked out at the gym, the AirPods dropped the audio and stuttered quite a few times. Lastly, the AirPods were not that loud while watching a video - I could barely hear the dialogue with all of the background noise.

Lastly, I found the range of the AirPods only a few feet better than the jabras. I am torn which one I am going to keep- I can't justify keeping both.

 

[blairh]

Your photo highlights my favorite thing about the AirPods. That case. It's a huge deal. If you want to take your truly wireless headphones with you and want to use a front pocket you'll need something small and compact.

I'm returning mine in the morning. Ambient noise, lack of inline controls, and sound quality all let me down. I still recommend them to others. I have my X3's arriving tomorrow. I don't see any truly wireless headphone on the market right now that I want. I'll keep an eye on the reviews for the JLab Epic Air's when they are available.

 

[44267547]

Fair review. But the Airpods really shine with the quick charging capabilities and compact carrying case. The Siri controls are subjective. But lots of room for improvement with the Airpods. Looking forward to mine being delivered.

 

[palemonkey]

Thanks for this comparison.

 

[The Game 161]

I think controls wise is a an issue for some. Can't see I use siri often with my air pods. Maybe when nobody is around but i think these are great for those with an apple watch. It feels like apple expects people who use these to have an apple watch.

 

[hubieonekanubie]

I've been using my AirPods since I received them on Monday. I had tried to find the Jabra Elite Sports but never was able to get them. I did have the Bragi Dash for about 2 days and they were horrible, even after the difficult process of updating to the latest 2.2 firmware. I carry my phone in my left pocket and they would not stay connected whatso ever if I moved my head even slightly to the right. I can walk anywhere in my home with no dropped signal with the AirPods. I've had no issues using Siri to turn volume up or down but mainly use my Apple Watch( this is also why I'm not too keen on the fitness tracking of the bragi or jabra). In my opinion, they get quite loud at 100% volume. I charged mine in the case for the first time last night since getting them at around noon on Monday. I've used them in both ears and in one and each method works great. My biggest issue is my left ear gets a little sore, hoping to just toughen up that ear as it's on the outer part of the ear where they sit. Finally, I did a short head shake video. Not sweaty but I've read a lot of people concerned about bumping into people and having to "run to catch the bus/train". I can't see them falling out. Here is the video, enjoy .

 

[nikeagogo]

I know you just posted this yesterday, but it was that apparent that the Jabra had a better sound profile? Or just the Airpods didn't sound all that great? Maybe the result of the lack of a seal? Have you given the Airpods more play time?

I know some of the early reports are varying, but most seem to think they sound marginally better - if not on par - with the Earpods. Funny thing is, the few Jabra reviews I have seen don't really touch on the sound quality at all, though maybe this is more of a positive than a negative in that the quality isn't exactly poor.

I am torn, but leaning towards the Jabra for a few reasons, so your thoughts are appreciated!

 

[CoriG]

I know you just posted this yesterday, but it was that apparent that the Jabra had a better sound profile? Or just the Airpods didn't sound all that great? Maybe the result of the lack of a seal? Have you given the Airpods more play time?

I know some of the early reports are varying, but most seem to think they sound marginally better - if not on par - with the Earpods. Funny thing is, the few Jabra reviews I have seen don't really touch on the sound quality at all, though maybe this is more of a positive than a negative in that the quality isn't exactly poor.

I am torn, but leaning towards the Jabra for a few reasons, so your thoughts are appreciated!

I honestly think the jabra have better sound but that is because there is not as much ambient noise coming through because of tighter seal of the Jane as. I have not used the Apple EarPods in years so I can't compare the sound. That being said, they do sound good if you are not in a noisy gym.

Personally, I am used to having earbuds in my ears and prefer for them to have a tighter seal. know that a lot of people have complained about how uncomfortable the jabras are, but found them fine.

The thing that drives me crazy about the AirPods is I can't control the volume.... they are perfect if you have an Apple Watch. I now regret returning my watch a few months ago.

I really want to love the AirPods, but So far I am pretty happy with the jabras. If they had longer battery life, they would be perfect.

 

[palemonkey]

I currently own the Jabra elite sport and picking up a pair of AirPods tomorrow so will post a comparison. The sound on the Jabra's can't really be faulted in my opinion and I'm quite fussy.

 

[nikeagogo]

I honestly think the jabra have better sound but that is because there is not as much ambient noise coming through because of tighter seal of the Jane as. I have not used the Apple EarPods in years so I can't compare the sound. That being said, they do sound good if you are not in a noisy gym.

Personally, I am used to having earbuds in my ears and prefer for them to have a tighter seal. know that a lot of people have complained about how uncomfortable the jabras are, but found them fine.

The thing that drives me crazy about the AirPods is I can't control the volume.... they are perfect if you have an Apple Watch. I now regret returning my watch a few months ago.

I really want to love the AirPods, but So far I am pretty happy with the jabras. If they had longer battery life, they would be perfect.

Good stuff, that's a big help and personally where some particular points of interest fall. The seal is something I am looking for, its role in translating sound quality important, but then again the headphones have to actually deliver. After posting I found this thread you and a few others were discussing the headphones in more detail and I feel much better about the sound quality being reported.

Your point about the inline controls is fair, and the apple watch tandem is probably great but I don't usually wear watches so that's almost a deal breaker.

Appreciate it!

I currently own the Jabra elite sport and picking up a pair of AirPods tomorrow so will post a comparison. The sound on the Jabra's can't really be faulted in my opinion and I'm quite fussy.

Awesome, thanks. Definitely interested in hearing your thoughts and I'm sure others are, too.

 

[xthine]

Thanks for your review. I have the both Jabari elite sport and AirPods and I am starting to think I like the jabras much better. Yes, the airpods do connect quicker, are comfortable, and have better battery life, but I love being able to control volume, music etc without pulling out my phone. Plus, when I worked out at the gym, the AirPods dropped the audio and stuttered quite a few times. Lastly, the AirPods were not that loud while watching a video - I could barely hear the dialogue with all of the background noise.

Lastly, I found the range of the AirPods only a few feet better than the jabras. I am torn which one I am going to keep- I can't justify keeping both.

You're welcome. The Jabra Sports Elite I could definitely see being better to use for workouts. Plus it can be used for fitness/activity tracking if you do not have a stand alone fitness tracker.
I was testing out the Airpods in the car yesterday and I was still able to hear the audio from the car even with the volume turned up on the Airpods.

Your photo highlights my favorite thing about the AirPods. That case. It's a huge deal. If you want to take your truly wireless headphones with you and want to use a front pocket you'll need something small and compact.
.......

Small and compact indeed. I wish the Airpods would just pop out of the case versus trying to pick them out.

Thanks for this comparison.

You're very welcome

I think controls wise is a an issue for some. Can't see I use siri often with my air pods. Maybe when nobody is around but i think these are great for those with an apple watch. It feels like apple expects people who use these to have an apple watch.

The Apple Watch and Airpods make for a good combo. I do not see myself going back to using my Apple Watch though (I use a Garmin which has music controls too).

I know you just posted this yesterday, but it was that apparent that the Jabra had a better sound profile? Or just the Airpods didn't sound all that great? Maybe the result of the lack of a seal? Have you given the Airpods more play time?

I know some of the early reports are varying, but most seem to think they sound marginally better - if not on par - with the Earpods. Funny thing is, the few Jabra reviews I have seen don't really touch on the sound quality at all, though maybe this is more of a positive than a negative in that the quality isn't exactly poor.

I am torn, but leaning towards the Jabra for a few reasons, so your thoughts are appreciated!

I have not used stock earphones in a long time so going back to something like the sound quality of the Airpods was a letdown. Of all the three the Jabra Elite Sports has the best sound quality , it also has the best seal out of all the three. Not an audiophile but the sound is deeper (fuller?) and more bass. I used the Airpods yesterday in the office and they are the most comfortable of the three, slightly better range than the others. It is hard for me to say that I *enjoyed* listening to my music while I was using the Airpods because the sound quality was just lacking for me.

**Side note: Jabra just came out with an update for the Elites and now there's a function called Find my Jabra (also Auto Sync to Strava and Automatic Rep count). Pretty nice!

-----------------------------------
Still want to see how the Airpods compare to the other 2 for trail running. I could see the lack of seal as a PRO for that kind of activity since I like to be somewhat aware of my surroundings. I tried using the Dash and the Elites (with both earbuds and audio transparency on) while out running and I was just too worried about not hearing a mountain biker racing downhill.

 

[CoriG]

You're welcome. The Jabra Sports Elite I could definitely see being better to use for workouts. Plus it can be used for fitness/activity tracking if you do not have a stand alone fitness tracker.
I was testing out the Airpods in the car yesterday and I was still able to hear the audio from the car even with the volume turned up on the Airpods.



Small and compact indeed. I wish the Airpods would just pop out of the case versus trying to pick them out.



You're very welcome



The Apple Watch and Airpods make for a good combo. I do not see myself going back to using my Apple Watch though (I use a Garmin which has music controls too).



I have not used stock earphones in a long time so going back to something like the sound quality of the Airpods was a letdown. Of all the three the Jabra Elite Sports has the best sound quality , it also has the best seal out of all the three. Not an audiophile but the sound is deeper (fuller?) and more bass. I used the Airpods yesterday in the office and they are the most comfortable of the three, slightly better range than the others. It is hard for me to say that I *enjoyed* listening to my music while I was using the Airpods because the sound quality was just lacking for me.

**Side note: Jabra just came out with an update for the Elites and now there's a function called Find my Jabra (also Auto Sync to Strava and Automatic Rep count). Pretty nice!

-----------------------------------
Still want to see how the Airpods compare to the other 2 for trail running. I could see the lack of seal as a PRO for that kind of activity since I like to be somewhat aware of my surroundings. I tried using the Dash and the Elites (with both earbuds and audio transparency on) while out running and I was just too worried about not hearing a mountain biker racing downhill.

Have you checked out Jabra's update? I am trying to get the Find my jabra to work.. just wanted to see if it works for you....

Edit - I got it to work by turning on my location settings and it is awesome.. I love that I can look and find out where I last left my jabras

 

[palemonkey]

Just been playing with my AirPods. I'm really impressed with the sound quality, I'm really fussy and love heavy bass and these are satisfying me in that department. I've only tested on a dead silent room, I'll test tomorrow in a noisy gym and report back. I absolutely love how they feel in my ears, so lightweight. In comparison to the Jabra Sport elite they feel significantly better, you barely know the AirPods are there where as the Jabra's tend to hurt after an hour or so. I love how they auto-pause, perfect in the gym when you want to pause and talk to your training partner for a few moments. Very impressed, love them.

 

[CoriG]

Just been playing with my AirPods. I'm really impressed with the sound quality, I'm really fussy and love heavy bass and these are satisfying me in that department. I've only tested on a dead silent room, I'll test tomorrow in a noisy gym and report back. I absolutely love how they feel in my ears, so lightweight. In comparison to the Jabra Sport elite they feel significantly better, you barely know the AirPods are there where as the Jabra's tend to hurt after an hour or so. I love how they auto-pause, perfect in the gym when you want to pause and talk to your training partner for a few moments. Very impressed, love them.

They are very cool! I am curious to hear about your experience at the gym.

 

[blairh]

Just been playing with my AirPods. I'm really impressed with the sound quality, I'm really fussy and love heavy bass and these are satisfying me in that department. I've only tested on a dead silent room, I'll test tomorrow in a noisy gym and report back. I absolutely love how they feel in my ears, so lightweight. In comparison to the Jabra Sport elite they feel significantly better, you barely know the AirPods are there where as the Jabra's tend to hurt after an hour or so. I love how they auto-pause, perfect in the gym when you want to pause and talk to your training partner for a few moments. Very impressed, love them.

I hated using AirPods at the gym. All the noise I didn't want to hear was leaking into my ears. (Men grunting, trainers talking to clients, music from gym sound system, casual convos on cardio machines.) I learned that I could never use a headphone that doesn't isolate noise moving forward.

 

[palemonkey]

I hated using AirPods at the gym. All the noise I didn't want to hear was leaking into my ears. (Men grunting, trainers talking to clients, music from gym sound system, casual convos on cardio machines.) I learned that I could never use a headphone that doesn't isolate noise moving forward.

I have just returned from the gym and I guess we have very different ears because I didn't experience any sound problems. Personally I think they're perfect for the gym I was weightlifting today and the auto pause function is great they feel so lightweight in your ears no pain after having them in for an hour. These are definitely the earphones for me, I'll be selling my Jabras.

 

[gorkt]

THe Jabras look great for working out. I am hesitant to run with my airpods because I am a bit afraid of them not being sweat or water proof. $250 is a lot though.

 

[blairh]

I have just returned from the gym and I guess we have very different ears because I didn't experience any sound problems. Personally I think they're perfect for the gym I was weightlifting today and the auto pause function is great they feel so lightweight in your ears no pain after having them in for an hour. These are definitely the earphones for me, I'll be selling my Jabras.

I think anyone using AirPods will experience ambient noise leaking in. Whether that bothers you or not is entirely up to you.
[doublepost=1482513434][/doublepost]

THe Jabras look great for working out. I am hesitant to run with my airpods because I am a bit afraid of them not being sweat or water proof. $250 is a lot though.

I read an item on CNET maybe a month ago saying the Elite's would go on sale for $199 after Xmas.

 

[nikeagogo]

$199 would be the sweet spot for the Jabra. I have been using them for a couple days now and they do sound good.

While some of the fitness elements are pretty cool and potentially useful, the Jabra Sport Life app feels fairly generic. I could see cardio enthusiasts getting more use out of it, but the strength based offerings seem like they were just thrown in to bolster the 'content.' I think the pricing of these has forced me to look for reasons to justify it, and so far I'm not sure the fitness elements do, personally. I suppose it depends on what you are trying to get out of it.

They fit great. Though a little uncomfortable at first, it didn't take long to get used to them. The case is pretty small, but it's a bit too thick to comfortably carry in the pocket. The above picture really emphasizes how small and compact the Airpods case is. Unfortunately there is no way to tell how much of a charge the case has left. Definitely a positive with the Airpods, but I don't see this as a deal breaker.

Going forward, I can see this market of Bluetooth headphones being fleshed out and becoming quite popular. Between the fitness elements and the inline controls, it kind of makes the Airpods seem a bit barebones. But it also makes the price tag seem a lot more reasonable. Either way, encouraging signs for the Bluetooth market.

 

[SR71]

My biggest issue is my left ear gets a little sore, hoping to just toughen up that ear as it's on the outer part of the ear where they sit.

Going through the same thing here. They're both comfortable for about 20-30 minutes, then they'll start to itch and it's when I remove them that I realize how sore they are. My ears are slowly getting used to them, though. First day I used them for about 30 minutes at a time before they'd get sore and now I'm able to use them for 1-2 hours without getting sore. I'm guessing by next week my ears will be completely adjusted to them. Loving them so far.

 

[GalaDaliGirl]

I hated using AirPods at the gym. All the noise I didn't want to hear was leaking into my ears. (Men grunting, trainers talking to clients, music from gym sound system, casual convos on cardio machines.) I learned that I could never use a headphone that doesn't isolate noise moving forward.

Exactly. Whenever I used my stock ear pods instead of my $29.99 Amazon Bluetooth headphones I could hear stomping feet on the treadmills nearby and all that you noted. I don't know how people use anything but very powerful non ambient affected headphones in the gym. Earpods are the worst so I can imagine that AirPods are the same.

My $29.99 Amazon wireless headset is incredible. Volume controls and music controls attached. No Siri or internet connection needed.

 

[CoriG]

$199 would be the sweet spot for the Jabra. I have been using them for a couple days now and they do sound good.

While some of the fitness elements are pretty cool and potentially useful, the Jabra Sport Life app feels fairly generic. I could see cardio enthusiasts getting more use out of it, but the strength based offerings seem like they were just thrown in to bolster the 'content.' I think the pricing of these has forced me to look for reasons to justify it, and so far I'm not sure the fitness elements do, personally. I suppose it depends on what you are trying to get out of it.

They fit great. Though a little uncomfortable at first, it didn't take long to get used to them. The case is pretty small, but it's a bit too thick to comfortably carry in the pocket. The above picture really emphasizes how small and compact the Airpods case is. Unfortunately there is no way to tell how much of a charge the case has left. Definitely a positive with the Airpods, but I don't see this as a deal breaker.

Going forward, I can see this market of Bluetooth headphones being fleshed out and becoming quite popular. Between the fitness elements and the inline controls, it kind of makes the Airpods seem a bit barebones. But it also makes the price tag seem a lot more reasonable. Either way, encouraging signs for the Bluetooth market.

The elites are now 199 at Best Buy.

 

[nikeagogo]

The elites are now 199 at Best Buy.

Nice. Is this temporary? The Jabra site still has a $249 listing

 

[CoriG]

Nice. Is this temporary? The Jabra site still has a $249 listing

Not sure. I just saw the price change at Best Buy.