Jabra Elite 45H Review – A Modest Proposal
I’d liken Denmark-based Jabra to Volvo—solid build and sleek designs, with perhaps less horsepower and technological finesse than the mainstream Japanese brands. The <$100 on-ear 45H impresses with its very lightweight and comfortable (if not very stable) form factor, excellent battery life and good range and physical controls.
There’s no AptX or ANC, and the small earpads provide no passive isolation to speak of; however the Sound + app provides very useful EQ and customization features. Call quality is just okay.
The 45H have a warm and slightly syrupy tonality which emphasizes midbass and lower mids. Treble is nicely extended, if not mega-detailed, and retains some snap on cymbals and snares; it avoids harshness or sharpness even at high volumes. Midrange is slightly recessed—voices and horns are pushed back in the mix—but has good texture and clarity.
Low end is decidedly a mixed bag here–bass is voluminous and has a lot of propulsive thump, but is quite wobbly and even when boosted in the app misses the lowest octave. It’s not monotonic, but it lacks tightness and tends to detract from the phone’s overall coherence. However, once I got acclimated to its forward, boomy character I grew to like it—it gives body and thrust to the music.
Soundstage is fairly intimate and narrow, with limited height, but instruments are unexpectedly well-separated and accurately placed—think of hearing a band play a small club with a good sound system. These seem to be deliberately tuned to balance energy with smoothness—they avoid excess brightness or glare, but do not sacrifice dynamic slam and remain engaging despite their inside-the-head presentation.
The similarly-positioned Status Audio BT One have a more expansive stage and sounds a little more sculpted at the high end, but otherwise have a similarly warm tone and billowy bass. The AKG N60C (frequently discounted to $60 or so) has a very similar form factor (tho much inferior battery life) and are more analog-sounding and coherent, with less high-end information and less adrenaline, but better-tamed bass, while the Beats Solo on-ears sounds bassier but more compressed and flatter.
For the same $99 SRP, the 1More Sonoflow sound more open, with a more sculpted low end and a more neutral, less colored tonality; the 1More also have more tech features. However, I find myself reaching for the Jabra more often—the Jabra have the inalienable jump factor that the more polite 1More lacks.
Ultimately, the 45H are one of those quirky pieces whose ergonomic flaws and unruly bass are outweighed by its virtues—they’re not much good for the gym or air travel, but just about perfect for that dog walk or for caffeinating at Starbucks. Inessential, but considering you can easily find refurbs or used pairs for <$50, surprisingly endearing.
Non-disclaimer: bought ‘em on impulse.
Specifications Jabra Elite 45H
