Jabra Evolve2 75

Available in black and beige, the Jabra Evolve2 75 weighs 198 grams and adapts perfectly to the shape of your head with its swivel and tilt ear cups. Since there is little contact pressure and the fit is loose rather than tight, the headset can be worn for long periods without any problems. Another good feature is that there is hardly any noticeable heat build-up on the ears, even in high summer temperatures. For an on-ear system, the design offers a high degree of shielding from the outside world. Given the price range, the choice of materials could have been of higher quality, but as it is you have to make do with artificial leather and many plastic elements.

Battery life

The Jabra Evolve2 75 is powered by an enduring lithium-ion battery, which provides a good 43 hours of runtime in basic mode when listening to music. However, with active noise cancellation in the maximum setting, a listening time of 31 hours and 30 minutes can be achieved, and the headset is fully charged again after just under two and a half hours via the USB-C connection. If you’re in a hurry, there’s also a quick-charge function that, according to the manufacturer, provides battery capacity for up to six hours after a fifteen-minute power-up.

Model options

Jabra offer their range of headsets in different configurations. For the Evolve2 75, a USB-A version can be purchased with a corresponding USB-A Bluetooth adapter and USB-A to USB-C charging cable, or a USB-C version that comes with a USB-C Bluetooth adapter and USB-C charging cable. There are also differences in certification, as one model variant is tailored to Microsoft Teams Open Office, while the UC variant is recommended for use with Google Meet, Zoom and other popular communications platforms. A third option is a headset and docking station bundle, with the desktop charger also available separately as an accessory.

Operation

On a PC or Mac, the Jabra Evolve2 75 automatically connects to the Bluetooth adapter via the slider on the left side of the ear cup when it is switched on. Smartphones or tablets can be paired once the headset has been put into pairing mode again using the slider, with Android devices benefiting from Google’s Fast Pair service. In addition, the headset supports Bluetooth standard 5.2 as well as multipoint connections with two devices, which enables parallel use via Bluetooth adapter and, for example, a smartphone or from two mobile devices at the same time. The wireless connection in combination with a smartphone or tablet proved to be stable and not susceptible to interference, as even several rooms could be bridged without dropouts, and a range of up to 35 metres was possible in the open air. However, with a Bluetooth adapter, walls could quickly lead to dropouts, while a distance of up to 28 metres was possible without obstacles.

For media control, the headset has a 3-button remote on the right side, with the middle button used to start and stop playback, while the two buttons on the outside control the volume. Track navigation function is provided, making it possible to skip forward by holding down the plus button and back by pressing the minus button. Ambient noise can also be attenuated or amplified directly via the Jabra Evolve2 75 with the help of a separate button on the left ear cup, as it is possible to switch between ANC, HearThrough and basic modes at the touch of a button. The microphone arm, which can be cleverly integrated into the right ear cup by folding it up, has a voice button that activates voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa or mutes the microphone during a call. The central button on the right is used to answer and end calls, and on the MS Teams version, this supports other functions such as joining an active meeting or displaying voicemails and missed calls.

Software and app connection

A wide range of telephony and sound settings are available via the Jabra Direct software for Windows and Mac systems and the Jabra Sound+ app (Android and iOS), allowing the headset to be set up specifically for the user’s needs. From hearing protection and wearer recognition to configuring the microphone boom and acoustic feedback messages in the form of voice prompts or tones. In addition, there is access in each case to sound modes with ambient noise control, and the app additionally enables five-stage adjustment of the noise suppression and amplification to the environment. As well as the EQ section, the app also offers the option of completing a listening test to generate a MySound listening profile. A tracking function can be activated for mobile use so that the headset can be located in the event of being lost. Firmware updates can be done both via software and via the app.

Voice quality

For mobile use, the Jabra Evolve2 75 is equipped with integrated microphones that can be used instead of the microphone boom for everyday use and these ensure good speech intelligibility on both sides of the conversation. However, a direct comparison reveals a clear quality gain in favour of the headset microphone boom, which transmits your own voice very cleanly and with precise intelligibility. This is also successful in a busy background environment, with a consistent noise level, such as might be experienced in an open-plan office, virtually undetectable by the caller on the other end of the line thanks to the noise-reducing technology. Another advantage is offered by the SideTone function, which creates a natural conversation situation, with this function whether, and to what intensity, one’s own voice is heard can be set via the software or app.

ANC and HearThrough mode

In the Jabra Evolve2 75’s ambient mode, slight background noise has to be tolerated, but otherwise, there is an extremely effective, clear amplification of external noises, making it possible to communicate with other people even in the second stage when playback is paused. In the maximum setting, voices and announcements can also be understood perfectly over longer distances, especially as there is good responsiveness in the immediate environment, even during playback.

This on-ear headset offers quite high passive shielding, but in ANC mode, it primarily achieves effective attenuation in the low-frequency range. In contrast, the filtering of high-frequency sources of interference seems rather marginal. Voices also only seem to be moved a little into the background and mostly remain perceptible, so there is still room for improvement in noise suppression.

Sound

The basic sound of the Jabra Evolve2 75 is characterised by a warm, bass-driven reproduction with a good-natured character. The headset’s core competence lies in a pleasing reproduction of voices, offering speech intelligibility with high clarity, while sibilants and peaks are rounded off smoothly. Even energetic, shrill voices seem less demanding in a positive sense without appearing artificial, which means that your hearing tires less quickly, both when talking on the phone and when listening to podcasts or films.

When listening to modern, bass-oriented music styles or action-packed entertainment, the powerful bass reproduction also makes for pleasurable listening, which has definite fullness and reaches down quite deep without seeming too bulky. However, accents in the upper registers might be missed, as the treble reproduction can seem rather restrained. With the EQ, however, a more balanced reproduction can be realised by slightly boosting the upper-frequency range and slightly lowering the low-frequency range, if necessary, to broaden the overall sound image. We would also recommend using the MySound hearing profile, which compensates for asymmetries between the left and right ear and can counteract age-related hearing loss. Especially when used in combination with the EQ section, the personal sound profile provides a real added value that enhances media playback and makes this headset a flexible all-rounder.