Back in the bad old days of Covid isloation, those of us fortunate enough to work from home found ourselves getting intimately familiar electronic gear. One of the most important components in this assemblage is the headset. In a search for excellence the winner for me was Jabra Evolve 2 85 wireless headset.
Is become my BFF.
Why?
The Jabra Evolve 2 85 ($314 on Amazon) works like a charm for everything from Zoom meetings to client calls to music videos.
Let’s call it the Rolls Royce of wireless headsets. Not just because it’s expensive but it’s comfortable, even plush, and will keep you tele-commuting in style. As alluded to above, if you want to listen to music, it’s also first rate.
The headset supports up to two devices simultaneously.
How does that work?
If you’re watching a video on your tablet and a call comes in you can switch. You can pair up to 8 different devices! The batteries are formidable–when fully charged you’ll get 37 hours of time. Just plug in a USB “C” charging cable and you’re good to go. (For a little more, Jabra offers a charging stand for this device).
The best thing, from a practical standpoint, is that it provides supreme mobility around the house. I can place my phone on the kitchen table and walk anywhere in my home without a shift in audio quality/reception. A little fold-out boom mic offers enhanced voice quality or, you can use its other built-in mics in the headset without “deploying” the boom.
Notably, it has excellent passive noise cancelling capabilities. It will diminish the honk of a car or if you happen to be washing dishes while talking to a friend, it’s going to make your activities less obvious. (Of course, you’d never do anything like that, would you?).
I tested it on calls with the radio blaring, the faucet running, even (accidentally) dropping a baking pan and the “noise cancelling” was first rate.
You’ll also appreciate this product’s comfort–you can wear it all day.
It has large cups, reminiscent of earmuffs you’d see on a rifle range but the device is surprisingly light. Sure, it ain’t cheap but as my colleague, Cindy Ramirez, a local voiceover artist noted, you’re paying for consistent audio quality which is challenging to find in wireless headsets. Of course, you could invest in a really good wired headset and you’d also have great, consistent quality but the caveat is that you’d be tethered to your desk. (No washing dishes or feeding the cat!)
On a personal note this headset is light years better (for me) than earbuds which seem to tumble out of my ears at the worst possible moment.
Finally, when I review products, I always make a habit out of checking in with their tech support. Jabra’s is first rate.
If you’re interested in a Rolls Royce for your office, this is the ticket
Rob Kay, a Honolulu-based writer, writes about technology and sustainability for the Honolulu Star Advertiser and is the creator of fijiguide. com. He can be reached at Robertfredkay@gmail.com.