Review: Jabra’s all-rounder headset for hybrid working

Article by Nathan Hew

Audio products must adapt according to demand and supply as well as modern technology. Headset brands in particular are ensuring they continue to do that. From moving towards wireless connections to supporting remote working capabilities, the industry continues to see innovation as brands look to offer the best product to consumers, be it for work or leisure. 

The “Hybrid Ways of Working” report by Jabra found that 80% of all meetings have gone fully virtual or are conducted in a hybrid setting since the COVID-19 pandemic. The report also indicated that younger workers, such as Gen Zs, consider their “office” to be their laptop, headset, and places with strong internet connection. 

That’s where Jabra’s Evolve 2 and Speak 2 series come in. “These new audio tools are able to support hybrid working by elevating flexible work to the next level,” said Agnes Koh, Product Marketing Manager for APAC. “They enable the modern office worker to work in the most productive way, looking, sounding, and being professional.” 

The new Evolve2 headsets are meant to empower users with the most valuable and professional features to protect their focus zone and enable them to take calls and meetings no matter where they are. Think about comfort, portability and efficiency. 

Tech Wire Asia had the opportunity to try the new Jabra Evolve2 55 headset (stereo variant with the optional charging case). Previously, we reviewed the Jabra Evolve 2 Buds and Jabra Elite 4. Here’s our review. 

The Jabra Evolve 2 55 headset 

Professional calls from your spare bedroom. Motivational playlists before a big pitch. Meditative sounds when it’s time to focus. There tends to be a lot going on when you’re on the move, so it’s crucial for users to have a headset that can keep up with these changing conditions.

Luckily, the Evolve 2 55 is engineered to go with your flow. Like with most Jabra products, it has an advanced Bluetooth Multipoint connection that allows users to connect to two devices at once — perfect for those who need to switch to mobile if they are in a meeting on their laptop. 

It operates on Bluetooth 5.2, offering users a wireless range of up to 30 meters (100 feet). The headset comes with a professional-grade USB adapter — a unique feature for certified headphones. It does help to provide a more stable connection and a significantly better experience on unified communications (UC) platforms. In our usage, we could switch between Spotify on the mobile device to the laptop for a call on Microsoft Teams seamlessly. 

Comfort for customer service agents

Customer service agents spend almost their entire working day with headsets. Having a headset that is comfort to the ear is essential, especially with customer service agents spending long hours engaging with clients on the line. Both the speaker and the receiver also need to have sharp and clear audio while the function keys on the headsets need to be ergonomically placed to optimize its use during calls and switches.

While there are many brands that do this, Jabra’s headsets have been proven to be a favorite among most customer service agents. Organizations currently using Jabra’s headset include DHL, T-Systems, Cisco, Uber Marriott and even education institutions.

For the remote and hybrid worker, in terms of call quality, the Evolve 2 55 works well in an office environment. Pull down the boom microphone on your right when you’re receiving an incoming call. A clever chipset powers its speech-separating, noise-cancelling algorithm and two premium microphones to filter out background distractions effectively. The 28mm custom speakers also offer a rich, full sound. 

Since the headsets are certified for apps like Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and Zoom, users enjoy not only customer service support from Jabra, but also Google, Microsoft and Zoom. 

The Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature has a novelty acoustic chamber design and a specially-designed chipset, plus two premium noise-cancelling microphones, to silence most of the noise from your surroundings. We found that the sound quality with the ANC turned on is slightly better than when it is turned off. 

Jabra Air Comfort technology creates comfort when wearing the headset for long periods. Layers of ultra-soft perforated foam inside the cushioned headband for the stereo variant stop pressure building up — offering a dreamy, light-as-air fit. Flexible, ergonomic ear cups add to this.

Users can use Jabra’s Sound+ app, which is packed with a number of unique features. Apart from being to toggle the ANC function, users can customize the sound profile of their headset based on their preferences. The preset settings in the app work perfectly for both work and leisure usage.

There is a status LED light on the left that lights up whenever you are on a call — a convenient indication to your colleagues or others that you’re busy. Users can also purchase an optional charging stand that charges the headset and stores it whenever it is not in use.

The verdict 

The Jabra Evolve 2 55 is a higher-end wireless headset that is an ideal listening device for hybrid workers that want to use a headset for both work and leisure. The audio quality is miles away from conventional headphones and the price point may deter those seeking a budgeted option.

On a full charge, the headset offers up to 10 hours of talk time with ANC on and busy light on and up to 18 hours of listening time with ANC off and busy light off. That said, a 30-minute charge can give you up to 50% of battery life. Still, this is less than the Evolve 2 earbuds, which offer 33 hours of battery life.

One great thing about the Evolve 2 55 is its call quality — as with other headsets in the Evolve 2 series. If you get your hands on a pair of Evolve 2 55, you are bound to get the best value for your money. 

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