Sony WH1000XM3 vs Jabra Elite 85h

Sony WH1000XM3 review
vs
Jabra Elite 85h review

Nowadays the popularity of wireless headphones is constantly rising. Therefore, I decided to compare two devices Jabra Elite 85h vs Sony WH1000XM3 both of which can be used without an audio cable. They are closed-back and over-ear.

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Features

Sony WH1000XM3 has 16 Ohm of impedance and 104 dB of sensitivity. There is a significant difference between their frequency responses. Sony WH1000XM3 works in a range of 4 Hz - 40 kHz which is much wider than the frequency response of Jabra Elite 85h — 10 Hz - 20 kHz.

With the device made by Sony you can use Siri and Google Assistant and with Jabra Elite 85h Amazon Alexa is available too. Both of them have app control and Bluetooth. Additionally, Sony WH1000XM3 supports aptX and NFC. The battery of the device produced by Sony lasts 30 hours, while the battery life of Jabra Elite 85h is 36 hours. Without noise-canceling appliances can work 38 and 41 hours respectively. Charging of Sony WH1000XM3 takes 3 hours and these headphones have a free-listening battery mode. With regard to Jabra Elite 85h, they have a speed charge function.

Sound

The devices of both brands have noise-canceling and, whatever headphones you buy, it is possible to adjust its level. The 1000XM3s are really fun to listen to, with some amount of thumping bass and nice sparkling clarity in the mid- and high range.

If you want to have an incredibly accurate audio that matches the depth and spatial awareness, you will definitely enjoy Jabra Elite 85h.

Comfort and design

Jabra Elite 85h is a better option for traveling since it has water resistance. For its control, you have to use built-in buttons, while the other device also has a touch and in-line control. The considered headphones come with a detachable wire which is 120 cm long in the case with Jabra Elite 85h. They also have a built-in microphone that might be convenient for making phone calls.

Sony WH1000XM3 vs Jabra Elite 85h folds. The headband of the appliances is adjustable. The weight of the model WH1000XM3 is 380 g, whilst the Elite 85h weighs 295 g.

Sony WH1000XM3 pros and cons

Sony WH1000XM3 pros and cons

Pros

  • Feels incredibly robust and resilient to knocks and drops
  • The ear cups are roomy and well padded
  • The zippers of the carrying bag are splash resistant
  • Call quality is excellent

Cons

  • Touch controls are finicky

Jabra Elite 85h pros and cons

Jabra Elite 85h pros and cons

Pros

  • The ear cups are plush and leave a lot of space for even the most outward-facing ears
  • Folding the device flat automatically turns them off
  • The ear cups can be rotated

Cons

  • Cloth surfaces collect dust and debris

Votes 11 11
Rating 4.8 4.8

Headphones comparison chart

Overall
Sony WH1000XM3
9.6
Jabra Elite 85h
7.5
10
7
10
10
9
8
Sony WH1000XM3

Sony WH1000XM3 review

May 18, 2020

In the Summer of 2017 a well-known Japanese audio company Sony represented its new model of wireless...

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Jabra Elite 85h

Jabra Elite 85h review

May 25, 2020

Jabra Elite 85h are versatile over ear headphones of an American brand. They have closed back cups a...

Read More
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Common

Product

Sony WH1000XM3
Jabra Elite 85h

Model

WH1000XM3
Elite 85h

Brand

Sony
Jabra

Reviews

15747
911

General

Wearing style

over ear
over ear

Enclosure

closed back
closed back

Wireless

Wired

Specifications

Transducer

dynamic
dynamic

Driver size, mm/inches

40/1.5

Impedance, Ohm

16

Frequency response, Hz

4Hz-40KHz
10Hz-20KHz

Total harmonic distortion (THD), %

Sensitivity (SPL), dB

104

Magnet type

neodymium

Weight (headphones), g/oz

380/13.4
295/10.4

Comfort

Adjustable headband

Foldable

Noise cancelling

Active noise cancelling

Adjustable noise cancelling level

Microphone

Built-in microphone

In-line microphone

Detachable microphone

Cables

Detachable cable

Audio cable length, cm/ft

120/3.9

Jack connection (TRS)

3.5
3.5

Balanced connection

Control

Built-in control buttons

In-line control

Touch control

Voice control

Google Assistant, Siri
Google Assistant, Siri, Amazon Alexa

App control

Control functions

volume, answer/end, play/pause, next/previous track, fast forward/rewind, noise cancelling, voice assistant
volume, answer/end, play/pause, next/previous track, fast forward/rewind,noise cancelling, voice assistant

Wireless connectivity

Bluetooth

Bluetooth version

4.2
5.0

aptX

aptX HD (Hi-Res Audio)

Bluetooth profiles

A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, PBAP, SPP

NFC

Wi-Fi

Battery

Battery type

rechargable
rechargable

Battery life, hrs

38 (30 without noise cancelling)
36 (41 without noise cancelling)

Charging time, hrs

3

Charging port

USB-C
USB-C

Charging cable

USB-C to USB-A
USB-C to USB-A

Speed charge

Battery free listening mode

Battery level indicator

Additional features

Water resistance

Light indication

Additional audio features

HearThrough

In the box

Audio cable

Carry case

Charging cable

1/4 Adapter (6,35 mm)

Interchangeable ear pads

User manual

Manual

Sony WH1000XM3
Jabra Elite 85h
Sony WH1000XM3
Jabra Elite 85h

Headphones HeadphonesArena comparison rating

  • better
  • worse
  • 9.6
  • 7.5
  • 9.6Sony WH1000XM3
  • 7.5Jabra Elite 85h

The Sony WH1000XM3 is better headphones in this comparison. Check Sony WH1000XM3 price