The $519 Jabra Evolve2 85 is the rare Bluetooth headset that's just as suitable for the office as it is for your commute thanks to its collapsible boom mic, comfortable design, impressive audio, and useful active noise cancellation (ANC). But this level of adaptability comes with a high price. If you're in the market for a dedicated headset, Jabra's Evolve2 75 remains our Editors' Choice winner because it offers many of the same features for a more palatable $403. Meanwhile, if you want a traditional pair of noise-cancelling headphones with excellent sound quality and built-in mics that work well enough for occasional work calls, the $429 Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones are another top pick.
Design: Sophisticated Looks With Lots of Controls
Available in Black or Gold Beige, the Jabra Evolve2 85 looks like a typical pair of over-ear headphones. The earpads feature an incredibly soft leather-like lining and sound-isolating foam, while the headband has equally plush materials that ensure a comfortable fit. The headset comes with a sturdy zip-up pouch for storage, along with 3.5mm and USB-C cables. Internally, 40mm drivers cover a frequency range of 20Hz to 20kHz.
The headphones support the somewhat dated Bluetooth 5.0 spec and work with the AAC and SBC codecs. If music playback is a major factor in your search, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones offer both the newer 5.3 version of Bluetooth and the higher-quality AptX Adaptive codec for Android devices. In any case, the Evolve2 85 can remember up to eight paired devices and connect with two devices simultaneously (though only if you use the USB Bluetooth adapter).
The right earcup houses the boom mic, which collapses unobtrusively into the plastic frame. A slightly raised edge at the top of the cup makes it easy to pull the mic down and rotate it toward your mouth. The four-mic array captures a frequency range of 100Hz to 8kHz. You can use the button on the boom to mute or unmute the microphone when it's extended or activate your phone’s voice assistant when not on a call. To answer or end calls, press the flat round button on the back of the earcup. This button also works for opening Microsoft Teams notifications. The play/pause button for music playback sits between the up and down buttons on the bottom edge. With these, press once to change the volume or hold down to change tracks. We prefer headphones that don't combine these functions as it sometimes leads to misfires.
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Meanwhile, a button in the middle of the left earcup controls the ANC level and activates the transparency mode. The bottom of this earcup houses a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C charging port, and a power/Bluetooth pairing switch. Two charging pins on the back allow you to wirelessly charge them via an add-on charging stand ($57 at the time of purchase, or $85 separately). You can program the outer ring on both earcups to light up red whenever you are on a call so that coworkers know you're busy.
Jabra claims that the headset can last up to 37 hours per charge, though that estimate is a best-case scenario. Using ANC while listening to music, for example, will drop the battery life to a maximum of 32 hours. Talking with ANC active and the busy light on will drain the battery in 20 hours. Regardless, you can certainly get a full workday of battery life before you need to recharge. For comparison, the Evolve2 75 offers slightly less battery life across the board, while the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones can play music for up to 24 hours per charge.
Software Experience: Apps for Mobile and Desktop
You can download the latest firmware updates, program the busy light, listen to white noise soundscapes, and tweak the audio with a five-band EQ in the Jabra Sound+ app (available for Android and iOS). You also get six music presets if you don't want to adjust the EQ yourself: Bass Boost, Energize, Neutral (the default), Smooth, Speech, and Treble Boost. Finally, you can adjust aspects of the call experience, including the sidetone level (how loud you hear your voice on a call).
The headphones come with a Bluetooth adapter to plug into your computer (you get to pick either a USB-A or USB-C variant at the time of purchase). You can also pair them directly with your computer via Bluetooth if you don't intend to use the Jabra Direct app (a counterpart to the Sound+ app for macOS and Windows). The headset works with any VoIP service, but optimized versions are available for either Microsoft Teams or Unified Communications (UC).
Microphones: Several Connection Options and Clear Audio
Pairing the USB Bluetooth dongle with my computer was a simple process, as was connecting the dongle to the headset. From there, the headset did a good job of switching from playing audio from a Netflix movie on my computer to an incoming call on my iPhone 14 Pro. However, I found switching the audio back to my computer was a little tricky. Netflix didn't automatically resume playing when the call ended, so I occasionally had to restart the headset to get it to pair with my computer again.
I found the dongle distracting and didn’t like plugging it into my computer whenever I wanted to use the headset, so I mostly stuck with a direct Bluetooth connection. I didn’t notice any difference in audio quality between the dongle and direct Bluetooth connections when I watched movies or listened to music.
There are a few downsides to using your computer’s Bluetooth connection, however. Primarily, you lose the ability to connect to two devices at once. Therefore, you must manually switch the connection over to your phone for an incoming call if you're using the headset with your computer. You also can't access the Jabra Direct app for sidetone adjustments from your computer. I often had a difficult time hearing myself speak over FaceTime (especially with ANC on), so I sometimes resorted to uncupping one ear to make sure I wasn’t shouting.
The four-mic array does an excellent job of capturing audio I recorded via the Voice Memos app on my iPhone. Every word sounded crisp with no distortion. The boom mic is largely to thank here since it rotates toward your mouth for ideal placement.
Regular voice calls made via my phone were equally impressive. I didn't have any problems hearing people on the other end of the call, and all callers thought I sounded particularly loud and clear. The sidetone level was easy to adjust in the mobile app and I was able to easily hear my voice and thus speak at a normal level.
The audio quality and sidetone were less effective in FaceTime, Google Meet, and Zoom video calls. The sidetone level was good when I connected to the Bluetooth dongle, but was nonexistent otherwise. The audio quality was fine, though one of my friends said that I sounded a little compressed over FaceTime.
Noise Cancellation: Decent Overall
The headset does a superb job of passively blocking out unwanted noise and has no problem muffling the sound of my typing, for instance.
As for its ANC, the Evolve2 85 doesn't compete with industry leaders. It does a fair job of mitigating the heavy breathing of my sleeping dog and other quieter background noises, but I could still hear the humming of a small fan on my table and a bit of sound from a TV in another room. The Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Headphones eliminate both the highs and lows more effectively, silencing everything from the whirring of a fan or air conditioner to the sound of typing.
Sound Quality: Robust and Adjustable
As you might expect from a headset at this price, the audio performance is excellent. Deep bass on The Knife’s “Silent Shout” comes across with considerable depth but never overtakes the balance of the mix. I didn't hear any distortion at top volume levels thanks to the digital signal processing (DSP) that keeps everything in check. The headphones can still get plenty loud, however.
On Yes’ “Roundabout,” the acoustic notes sound clear and resonant, so every bit of the string’s texture is audible. The bass kicks in once the song picks up but is never overpowering. The guitar and drums are also potent, though the vocals remain the focus. I stuck with the default settings for testing, but you can use the in-app EQ to bring out various aspects of your music.
The orchestral backing overpowered Joy Woods’ dynamic vocals in “My Days” from "The Notebook The Musical." Selecting the Speech preset did an excellent job of cutting some of the bass while pushing Joy Woods’ voice forward.
Verdict: A Versatile, High-End Headset for Calls and Music
The premium Jabra Evolve2 85 headset impresses with a crisp boom mic, a plush design, and excellent sound quality, all of which help it justify its high price. Its ANC isn't quite competitive with class leaders, but it's still a fine choice if you want a headset that is just as competent for work calls as home listening. Overall, however, the Jabra Evolve2 75 remains our Editors' Choice winner because it offers similar mic, ANC, and audio performance for less money. If you only need to make calls occasionally and audio performance is more important to you than voice, we recommend the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, another Editors' Choice winner.
If you can afford its high price, the Jabra Evolve2 85 headset rewards you with a comfortable design, a clear boom mic, excellent audio quality, and a versatile set of features.
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