As promised, today Jabra has released a free firmware update for its Elite 75t and Elite Active 75t true wireless earbuds that give these models active noise cancellation (ANC). It’s the first time ANC has been added to a set of true wireless earbuds post-launch.
Once the update has been installed, the Jabra Sound+ app walks you through a quick personalization sequence, so that you can fine-tune the ANC performance to your tastes. Afterward, ANC mode can be triggered at any time by using the button on the left earbud to cycle through ANC on, HearThrough (ambient sound), and off. If you prefer to toggle between two of the modes, you can select which two you want inside the app.
The ANC effect isn’t quite as pronounced as on a product like the AirPods Pro, but this is to be expected: Unlike most ANC true wireless earbuds, which use a hybrid ANC system consisting of internal and external microphones, the Elite and Elite Active 75t only have external mics to work with.
Nonetheless, it’s a noticeable difference. Standing in a bathroom with a fairly loud extractor fan, turning ANC on resulted in an immediate reduction of the fan’s sound. The emphasis seems to be on lower frequencies, which should translate into very good ANC performance for situations like air travel.
To get the free upgrade, make sure you’ve got the latest version of the Jabra Sound+ app for iOS or Android (version 4.7.1), then remove the Elite 75t or Elite Active 75t from their charging case.
As soon as the app detects the earbuds, it should automatically prompt you to download the latest firmware. If it doesn’t, check the Discover tab to see if there’s a message about the update.
Once you agree to the update, it will download to the earbuds (keep the earbuds connected to your phone, and don’t return them to the charging case).
When the download is finished, you’ll be told to return the earbuds to the charging case, where the update will be installed. The LED light on the back of the case will flash purple for the duration of the update procedure (about 5-6 minutes).
After the update completes, you can pull the earbuds out and once they reconnect to your phone, the Sound+ app will invite you to add the ANC feature to the Elites and start the personalization process.
Some ANC earbuds, like the Sony WF-1000XM3, let you customize the amount of noise-canceling the ANC mode produces, but so far, I’ve never seen an app that lets you personalize the ANC effect. Jabra does this using an intuitive grid display, that lets you fine-tune the way the ANC system responds to your environment and your hearing.
For me, the best setting meant a slight favoring of the left ear over the right. If you don’t like it, you can alter the settings at any time using the app.
As good as this ANC upgrade is, we’re only a few weeks away from the launch of the Jabra Elite 85t, the company’s first set of hybrid ANC earbuds, which should offer even better noise-canceling performance. They’ll cost $30 more than the Elite Active 75t ($50 more than the Elite 75t) so we’re curious to see just how much better their ANC system is.
