Review: Jabra Elite 75t Earbuds. Jabra’s Middle Child Becomes The Value Earbud Buy.

The Jabra Elite 75t earbuds currently sit in the middle position between the aging 65t models and the new 85ts. In some ways they exceed the new 85t specs, but not in important categories. But they are very competent earbuds that compete well with the standard Apple AirPods. At around $100 less than the new 85t headphones, and sporting the recent active noise cancelation software update, these earbuds make paying more a hard choice.

The often discounted $179.99 75ts come in in titanium black, black, and gold beige.

What we like

Improvements start with a greatly improved case. The USB-C charging port feeds a case that extends the 7.5 hours of earbud time by over 21 hours. It takes a little over 2 hours to fully charge the case and earbuds. The awkward opening 65t case has been replaced with a more elegant magnetic case closure, along with magnetic sockets to hold the earbuds in their case and ensure a charge. An optional Qi-compatible charging case transforms the 75ts into fully wireless devices.

The buds themselves sit easily in the ear, a little cleaner than their 65t predecessors, and almost identical to the 85ts with no dangles or protrusions.  I found not fatigue after hours of wear.

A 4-microphone array pickups voice, with ease. And for those who like to talk with Siri or Google Assistant, a tap invokes a favored voice assistant.

Unlike lower-end earbuds that arrive with a pre-configured sound profile, the Jabra offers an app that controls ANC, button functions, and hear through configuration. The app also includes a hearing test to personalize the sound profile.

And the sound. Outstanding. A customizable in-app equalizer helps best position the lows and highs to the music of the moment.

I see a lot of headphones. But most of them don’t stay in my pocket day-in and day-out. These would if not for their new cousins.

What could be improved

Jabra doesn’t need me to tell them what can be improved in the 75t model earbuds. They know. And they incorporated those changes into the 85ts, though in some areas, like battery life (28 total vs 25 total, 7.5 before charge vs. 5.5 hours) and IPX rating (IPX4 vs 5), that 75ts still exceed the 85ts specs. Wireless charging has been addressed by an optional case purchase.

Post the ANC update, I don’t expect a new version or any other updates. Look to the 85ts and subsequent models for additional innovations.

On the ecological side, the 85ts replace a larger, more plastic forward box with one more compact, mostly made of paper. 

As a side note, I experienced an regular issue with my Jabra Elite 65ts. The left ear often didn’t connect to the sound stream on first use. If I held the button down, the master earbud would find it eventually, but that bug often made the 65ts feel inferior to much less expensive, non-name brand earbuds that didn’t suffer from the flaw. The 75ts don’t exhibit in hesitation in connecting.

Jabra Elite 75t: The Bottom Line

The differences between the 75ts and the 85ts demonstrate why Jabra keeps its older models on the market. While the 65ts look like an aging model, at their low price they still appeal to those looking for better than average budget earbuds. 

Prior to the release of the Jabra 85t earbuds, the 75ts made AirPod buyers look twice. They still should, especially if they aren’t looking at the AirPod Pro. The ANC software update doesn’t take noise cancelation to the level of the 85ts with hardware-powered ANC, but it works, and it’s an impressive upgrade. Those looking for superior value earbuds from a known international brand should put the 75ts at the top of their list.

Jabra provided the product for review. Serious Insights LLC is an Amazon affiliate and may receive payment for clicks to Amazon.com.

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