Jabra Evolve2 75 Review – Hybrid Work ANC-enabled Headphones for the New Work Order

The aftermath of the pandemic has resulted in a literal new work order. Today, a typical hybrid work environment combines equal parts of working from home and from an office but each locale has its own unique challenges, least of all distractions and background noise in different levels of intensity which in turn also affect call quality. 

Attempting a clear work call over the sound of screaming neighbours next door sharing their own live rendition of Cher’s greatest hits is an entirely different challenge from the usual clatter of keyboards in the office which is where the likes of Jabra’s new Evolve2 75 wireless headphones come into the picture.

Intended as the premier hybrid work headset for the new normal, the Evolve2 75 leverages Jabra’s extensive experience in making business related headsets for call centres, offices and more to ensure superior performance but is it worth its lofty price tag? Here’s our Jabra Evolve2 75 review where we put it to the test and see if it’s really worth what you pay for.

What is the Jabra Evolve2 75 headset?

The Jabra Evolve2 75 is a wireless on-ear headset optimised for making and taking calls and listening to content across a gamut of work environments in the new normal ranging from home offices, quick work calls in cafes and on the commute as well as in the confines of a corporate office without any loss in capability or performance. 

To that end, the Jabra Jabra Evolve2 75 comes with almost everything except the kitchen sink in order to offer superior call quality, excellent audio and noise cancellation support, comfort and enough battery life to last through even the most gruelling (and tedious) conference call.

What’s the difference between the Jabra Evolve2 75 vs Jabra Evolve 75

Intended as an upgrade to the earlier Jabra Evolve 75 released in 2017, the Evolve2 75 has a host of upgrades across the board including 26% improved noise cancellation versus its predecessor, a dedicated audio chipset for better sound and call performance and comfier cans thanks to a new Dual Foam design on each earcup.

The Evolve2 75 also features a 33% shorter yet equally effective flip-down microphone boom arm over the original Evolve 75. In effect, it’s superior in every way to its predecessor.

Jabra Evolve2 75 Review – Specifications 

Seeing the diverse needs of different businesses and differing IT standards, the Jabra Evolve2 75 comes in a variety of different configurations with some being optimised for Microsoft Teams and others for the Unified Communication standard for Zoom calls. 

There’s no compromise in performance with either standard save for a slight change in controls for each one to cater to each communication platform’s nuances but either Evolve2 75 subvariant is capable of tackling other communication platforms like Webex, Skype and whatnot with equal capability. Another possible variant also involves the inclusion or omission of a separate matching coloured charging stand. You’re also able to acquire the Jabra Evolve2 75 in a shade of beige.

Our Jabra Evolve2 75 review sample is a variant optimised for Microsoft Teams that comes with a charging stand with both the stand itself and the headset done up in black. 

Regardless of variant, all Evolve2 75 models come with a pair of 40mm drivers to kick out quality audio from each can along with a whopping 8 microphones enhanced by Jabra’s own algorithms and a dedicated chipset for active noise cancellation and superior call quality.

Both cans are plushly upholstered with what Jabra calls Dual Foam technology for more secure, comfier wear. What this involves is a hard foam ring for the exterior portion of the ear cushions with a softer interior to offer an optimised blend of comfort and passive sound insulation. Added to this is a faux leather cover that also layers the equally comfy headpiece for added comfort. 

While the headpiece itself is non-adjustable, the cans themselves are able to swivel on aluminium armatures in a 135-degree arc while the right headpiece is extendable to some degree to offer a more secure fit for differently sized heads. Combined, this allows the headphones to fit all but the smallest or largest bonces without issue. 

The right headphone features a flip down microphone boom for video calls, a dedicated button to answer and end Microsoft Teams notifications along with a set of three tactile buttons along the edge. One button increases volume or plays the next track, another plays or pauses music while the last one reduces volume or winds back to a previous track.

The left headphone has a USB-C port for charging and a set of charging pins for the bundled charging stand though this doesn’t come bundled with all variants of the Evolve2 75, a power on and Bluetooth pairing slider and an ANC/HearThrough mode toggle. 

Both cans also feature a busy light to helpfully inform any colleagues within visual range that you’re otherwise busy in a call or other work. Here’s how our Jabra Evolve2 75 stacks up on paper:

Price	RM1,950 (no charging stand), RM2,230 (with charging stand)
Speakers	40mm
Speaker max input power	30W
Speaker frequency range	20Hz – 20,000Hz
Audio codecs supported	AAC, SBC
Microphone	4 Analogue MEMs/ 4 Digital MEMs
Microphone sensitivity	-35dBv/Pa (analogue) / -26dBFS/Pa (digital)
Connectivity	Bluetooth 5.2 with A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, PBAP and SPP , USB-C, USB-A
Battery	Lithium Ion (33 hours with ANC on / 36 with ANC off music playback – Quoted); 60% in 70 minutes, 160 mins for full charge
Size/Weight	145 x 67 x 190mm / 197g

Bundled with our Jabra Evolve2 75 review sample was the headphones itself, a soft zippered carrying case, a USB charging cable, a charging stand and a USB-A Bluetooth Jabra Link dongle for pairing up to devices which lack or have weaker Bluetooth connectivity. The Jabra Link dongle itself also comes with a USB-C variant in other versions depending on which variant you buy.

Jabra Evolve2 75 Review- Setup with Jabra Sound+ and Jabra Direct

Our Jabra Evolve2 75 review sample proved to be relatively easy to set up. The Evolve2 75 has Google Fast Pair support and was able to pair up with our Android phone in seconds via Bluetooth before it prompted to download the Jabra Sound+ app. The app itself is free to download on both the Google Play store and the Apple app store and allows access to customise its behaviour  some degree and, more importantly, modify the sound signature to taste.

The Jabra Sound+ app allows for an impressive level of customisation of the Evolve2 75’s sound profile and you’re able to tweak it to taste by using a series of presets or by customising an equaliser wave to your own exact specifications. 

Better yet, you can also use the app to create a personalised sound signature for best results as everyone’s left and right ears have different levels of hearing sensitivity and the app has you undergo a test to determine how good your hearing (or lack thereof) is. This level of customisation gives the Evolve2 75 a distinct edge versus the competition.

If you’re out and about, you can swap from Active Noise Cancellation to a HearThrough mode that allows more important sounds like an irate supervisor or oncoming traffic to filter through as opposed to the ability to nullify the vast majority of background noise.

That aside, the Jabra Sound+ app also allows for firmware updates and also allows for more nuanced control of its usage such as the ability to mute and unmute when you flip the microphone boom arm up and down or muting audio when taking the headset off.

You’re also able to interact with the Evolve2 75 and customise its settings via the Jabra Direct app for Windows PCs or macOS MacBooks.

It offers much of the same functionality as the Sound+ app, allows for control of other supported Jabra devices in your inventory and, more importantly, allows you to see at a glance your connection status for video call or chat apps you have on hand like MS Teams, Zoom and the like. 

Sorting out your preferred sound settings and its behaviour in tackling calls and audio takes an hour or so of your time but once you’ve done the groundwork, you’re all set and ready to rock and roll.

Jabra Evolve2 75 Review- Performance

After getting our Jabra Evolve2 75 review sample paired up with a Windows 10 laptop and an Android phone, it ran like a charm. Of particular note here is that the headphones support multipoint pairing, allowing for it to connect with up to two devices at the same time.

Where the headphone shines is call quality and our Jabra Evolve2 75 review unit’s combination of 8 microphones along with Jabra’s own algorithms allowed for excellent call clarity in the middle of a train station in rush hour, in a busy restaurant and amidst a bustling shared workspace in Kuala Lumpur when paired with our phone. 

This was also repeated in a more static setting with MS Teams and Zoom on a PC in several work meetings and online media conferences. Call quality was exceptionally crisp and clear on both sides of the divide and background noise was also sufficiently muted for an unimpeded conversation.

Fortunately, the ANC present is excellent and the headphones, in tandem with the modicum of passive noise insulation from the padded headphones allows for it to mute out the vast majority of background noise. You’re also able to toggle the headphones  to HearThrough mode which comes in handy if you’re on the move to hear vital announcements and oncoming traffic.

By default, our Jabra Evolve2 75 review unit had a flat, neutral sound signature which lacked bass but which was otherwise serviceable for general content consumption though it’s only after tweaking it with the Jabra Sound+ app and enabling a personalised sound profile that it’s full potential was realised.

After suitable personalisation,  the headphones were able to acquit themselves well with a great amount of detail, a pleasing amount of bass and reasonable depth when put through its paces with a selection of movies and music.

When going through Squid Games’ pilot episode, the headphones lent an eerier yet richer feel to the signature Way Back Then opening track and good clarity for the dialogue and ensuing carnage. 

The Eagles’ titular track ‘Hotel California’ was handled well with fair treble and a decent left/right sound staging but it’s not as deep as more specialised, entertainment oriented headphones.

For entertainment purposes, our Jabra Evolve2 75 acquitted itself well and can handle most musical genres and movies in a competent fashion though this isn’t its primary role which is to offer superior call quality for work scenarios.

In terms of comfort, the Jabra Evolve2 75’s heavy padding on both the headpiece and on each can worked wonderfully, allowing for exceptional comfort and viable all-day usage without fatigue or ear pressure.

Battery life was excellent as well and the built-in battery was easily able to tackle two full working days worth of calls and music listening.

On paper, the Jabra Evolve2 75 is rated for a whopping 36 hours of music playback with ANC off and 33 hours with ANC on and even after 2 days of use inclusive of several minutes worth of phone calls, it still had plenty of juice to spare. Charging it was a relatively easy task via the provided charging stand with a full charge from 25% required a couple of hours.

Should you buy the Jabra Evolve2 75

The Jabra Evolve2 75 achieves what it sets out to do, offering excellent call quality combined with good ANC, superb battery life and all-day comfort.

While it’s primarily intended for enterprise use, it’s a dab hand for enjoying content on the go and its understated low-profile design is ideal for urban environments. If you have the cash to spare for a business-oriented pair of ANC-enabled cans, the Jabra Evolve2 75 is well worth its lofty asking price.

Jabra Evolve2 75 review sample courtesy of Jabra. For more details please visit https://www.apac.jabra.com/business/office-headsets/jabra-evolve/jabra-evolve2-75##27599-999-998