AKG K81 DJ vs Jabra Elite Sport (2017)

Despite the compact size. the bass is full, has great impact, deep extension yet is not loose. The low end also has a natural quality to it that makes these headphones great for music that is performed using real instruments.
The mids are slightly recessed, but also have a natural tone. The highs are the most recessed or rolled-off, but the detail and airiness of the music is not totally absent. This quality helps give the sound a smooth and pleasing tonality.

The K81 can be used “DJ style”, wherein only one ear cup is in contact with the head. The cups have a smooth swivel action so they can be rotated to face outwards. A user can choose to hold one ear cup up to his or her ear while flipping switches or turning knobs on the mix board with the other hand.

While these are already quite compact, the ear cups can be folded into the headband to reduce their size even further. This makes them easy to stuff inside a bag and travel with.

The clamping force is not too much at all, so acceptable levels of pressure will be applied on the ears. Also, the ear pads are thick with ample pleather padding on the surface. This combination provides adequate cushioning between the ear cups and sides of the head.

The aluminum headband itself has some good flex. Combined with the sliding mechanism of the ear cups, K81 can be adjusted to fit a wide range of head sizes. Also notable are the numbered steps on each side of the headband, which allow for accurate and consistent ear cup positioning.

Although it's mostly made of plastic, the materials don't feel cheap at all. Aside from feeling sturdy, the plastics have a smooth rubber coating which makes them feel premium to the touch. Also, the headband is made out of aluminum which is significantly more durable than an all plastic one.

In this mode, the mic picks up audio from your surroundings. You can hear sound from around you mixed in with your music.

There is an integrated heart rate monitor which can connect to Jabra's fitness companion app. This combination should make it very easy for you to see fitness related data.

The Elite Sport sounds quite balanced with no harshness or muddiness. The highs are clear and deliver good detail. Mids sound natural and rich, while the bass is tight and controlled instead of bloated. With these headphones, you will get decent punch from the usually bass-centric workout tracks, yet you will still be able to enjoy a refined sound when listening to more mellow or instrument focused music.

These resist sweat and other liquids as they are IP67 rated. They can be submerged in water without getting damaged as long as the water is not too deep and they are not submerged for a long time.

You can attach wing tips to the earpieces, which allow for better in-ear fit for reduced chances of the earpieces falling off. The tips are quite soft so they will not have too much of a negative impact on comfort.

Each earpiece has two buttons which you can use to control playback or to answer/end calls.

The charging case has an internal battery that can add up to 6 hours to the Elite Sport's battery life.

There are microphones integrated in the ear pieces so hands free calls are possible. Voice quality from the mic is actually pretty good.

You get a charging case, 3 pairs of silicone ear tips in different sizes, 3 pairs of premium Comply ear tips in different sizes, 3 wing tips in different sizes as well as a charging cable.