Jabra Evolve2 55

The headset can be worn for several hours in the best conditions without discomfort; this is even possible in warmer months, as the heat development on the ears is moderate. However, we noticed that more stability for smaller head shapes could be required, as this model can definitely slip during fast, jerky movements.

Headset variants

The Evolve2 55 is offered by Jabra in different configurations as a mono or stereo version. There are differences in the connection method, with USB-A or USB-C versions with a corresponding Bluetooth adapter and charging cable available. In addition, one version is certified for Microsoft Teams, whereas the UC model is tailored to Google Meet, Zoom and other common communications platforms. If you wish, you can also purchase the headset as a bundle with a desktop charger, although the docking station was also available separately.

Battery life

In basic mode, this Bluetooth headset can achieve 33 hours of listening time when played at a boosted volume. When noise cancellation was active, up to 25 hours was possible, with the Evolve2 55 fully recharged after 80 minutes; it can also be used wired via the USB port while charging on a laptop or computer. High flexibility was also provided by the quick-charge function, with more than half of the battery capacity restored after just 30 minutes.

Operation

The lightweight headset supports Bluetooth standard 5.2 and Google Fast Pair for quick connection of Android devices and multipoint connections with two devices at the same time. This allows the Jabra Evolve2 55 to be connected in parallel with the Bluetooth adapter and a smartphone or two mobile devices. The wireless connection gave the impression of above-average stability both via Bluetooth dongle on a PC or Mac and in combination with a smartphone or tablet. In the garden, a distance of up to 35 metres could be bridged, while inside buildings, a change of floor was possible without any problems and several rooms could be covered.

For media playback, the headset is equipped with a 3-button remote, which is used to control playback as well as volume control and track selection. In addition, the microphone technology and the Busylight can be switched on and off manually via the remote buttons. An additional ANC button switches between basic mode and noise cancellation and enables the activation of voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. Incoming calls can be accepted either via the central button on the right earcup surface or by folding down the microphone boom. The microphone arm can also be used to mute the microphones during a call if the function has previously been activated in the headset settings of the app or software. In the MS Teams version, the switch button also supports other functions, such as participating in an active meeting or displaying voicemails and missed calls. Overall, the operation was reliable and without problems. A good feature was that the microphone boom was completely out of the field of vision when folded up and did not interfere with screen work.

Jabra Direct Software and Jabra Sound+ App

With the software connection for Windows or Mac systems and the app for Android and iOS devices, numerous telephony and sound settings were available, allowing you to set up the Jabra Evolve2 55 to suit your personal needs. This starts with hearing protection or configuring the microphone boom, voice prompts and feedback tones. Furthermore, the sound can also be adjusted via a successfully implemented EQ section, and as with the Jabra Evolve2 75, a MySound hearing profile can be generated via the app; this is intended to counteract age-related hearing loss, for example. Various soundscapes and a tracking function, which enables the headset to be located, can also be used in mobile operation. In addition, firmware updates can be made via the software and app.

Speech quality of the microphones

According to the manufacturer, the Evolve2 55’s microphone technology is designed to isolate speech and suppress noise to ensure clear, distinct and realistic voice transmission. Your own voice was perceived as natural, present and very easy to understand, and this works brilliantly. The representation of the person on the other end of the call was also pleasantly warm and round, which made energetic or shrill-sounding voices seem less strenuous and demanding. In addition, the monitoring function can be adjusted quite finely using six intensity levels to create a conversation situation that is as close to reality as possible. However, there was a certain amount of noise suppression during speech with wind noise being transmitted which was an impairment. Ambient noise, on the other hand, was noticeably attenuated, but it could be perceived discreetly in the background by the person on the other end of the line. But during pauses in speech, they could not hear any noise at all and silence reigned.

Noise cancellation (ANC)

A slight background noise was present in ANC mode, but this did not further affect the playback. Respectable results were achieved in the low-frequency range, which was clearly and quite widely attenuated. This made background voices seem brighter, but otherwise, they remained perceptible, as the reduction was rather slight. More effective attenuation would be desirable in the upper-frequency range; for this reason, the noise cancellation of this headset would not meet higher expectations.

Sound

The Jabra Evolve2 55 supports a higher-quality audio codec for media playback with the AAC format and has a harmonious, down-to-earth basic sound. At the same time, the deep bass playback was powerful and full-bodied, which ensured listening pleasure with modern music styles or action-packed movie fare. The bass range could be more controlled and a bit crisper, but it was not too heavy. This was followed by a warm, full midrange that was cleanly structured and pleasantly clear, which benefited the headset’s voice reproduction. There was excellent speech intelligibility for spoken content as well as for watching films and listening to music, and the reproduction was charming and buttery smooth. The high-frequency reproduction was not at all straining, without being too timid. Only in the upper registers did we notice a slight drop, but this can be easily remedied with the EQ. In addition, media playback can be optimised by using the MySound listening profile; this can reveal more details and convey a more spacious listening impression.

Conclusion

The Jabra Evolve2 55 features extensive telephony and sound settings, as well as a lightweight, handy shape that was comfortable to wear. Apart from the wind noise transmission, the voice quality offered by the microphones was also excellent. While the active noise cancellation of this wireless headset was primarily impressive in the low-frequency range, the sound reproduction had some appealing all-rounder qualities that can be further enhanced with the personalised listening profile.