Sennheiser HD 598 SR vs Jabra Elite Sport (2017)

The large ear pads feature a velour surface and a soft foam material underneath. The comfort of the headband is also notable. It features a synthetic leather material with a thick foam inside. In combination, these cushioned parts feel like pillows on the head.

These headphones are in a price range that is quite affordable, yet offers sound and build quality that is beyond the standards in its price bracket.

The bass takes a bit of a back seat compared to the other frequencies, yet is still enough to give fullness and punch to the sound. The mids are the star of these headphones' sound signature. They are clear and a little bit forward, which give a lot of extra detail and presence to guitars and vocals. The highs are pretty crisp and clean, and complement the other frequencies really well.

Even for open back headphones, the soundstage that the HD 598 produces is amazing. It is quite wide yet natural at the same time, which makes it feel like you're listening to the artist perform in front of you live. This wide sound stage and great imaging also make these ideal for games and movies, as these can enhance audio immersion.

This makes the headphones quite easy to store, and the cable easy to replace. Also, the attachment mechanism is a twist to lock system which minimizes the chances of the cable getting disconnected while in use.

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.