Review: Jabra On-Ear Headsets – Better Audio for All

During numerous lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we have all become rather adept at video calls on platforms such as Zoom, Teams, WebEx, FaceTime, Skype and Google Meet. How quickly things can change.

The quality of your lighting, backdrop, and webcam are all essential to convey the message that you’re working hard whilst WFH.

Too often, however, the quality of the audio on a call can be the difference between other people listening to what you have to say – ignoring the misaligned photo hanging on the wall behind you.

Thankfully, Jabra and Poly each have on-ear headsets that give you clear, crisp and comfortable audio.

Poly Voyager Focus 2

The Poly Voyager Focus 2 is a wireless Bluetooth headset that perfectly matches the Poly P5 Webcam that we have already reviewed.

Working with other members of the family is nothing new. Apple has been doing that for years. That being said, what Poly does very well with the Voyager Focus 2 headset is to deliver an exceptional audio experience if you’re listening to your favourite working playlist, doing a bit of gaming, or enduring a 2-hour online meeting that could have finished after 30 minutes.

Everywhere you look on the Voyager Focus 2, there is a function to help you. No hiding lights under bushels here.

Features

• Say goodbye to distractions. The three-stage digital Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) is incredible considering these are on-ear headphones.
• An automatically adjustable head cusion with 10 stage racheted adjustment for each ear ensures a comfortable fit every time.
• Thanks to a universal adjustment the Poly Voyager Focus 2 can be worn with the microphone boom on your right or left to ensure crystal clear audio thanks to the multiple microphone Acoustic Fence technology that all but eliminates ambient noise around your mouth.
• A USB bluetooth dongle is included for rapid and interference-free connectivity to your Mac or PC. Bluetooth 5.1 is built into the Voyager Focus 2 so smartphone connectivity is also super simple.
• The stylish “floating” desk-stand serves two very important purposes. Firstly to keep your Voyager Focus 2 charged, and secondly giving you somewhere to safely store your headphones when you’re not using them.
• On the road, the Voyager Focus 2 can also be charged via a micro-USB connection with the battery giving you up to 19 hours of talk-time.
• Speaking of speaking, the Dynamic Mute Alert feature ensures you’re always heard and will ‘nudge’ you if you’re still on mute.

Conclusion & Pricing

These are certainly a premium wireless set of on-ear headphones that easily justify the ~$300 price tag.

Very comfortable and responsive, the Poly Voyager Focus 2 will help you do just that – ‘focus’ on the task at hand and get things done whilst enjoying and providing a superior audio experience.

Jabra Evolve2 30

I’ve got quite the crush on Jabra at the moment. Their Elite 75t and 85t earbuds are my current walking companions so I am very interested to see what they can do when I get back to my desk to be productive.

For all intents and purposes, the Evolve2 30 headset is the Elite 45h wireless on-ear headphones with a microphone boom and 1.5m cable with a USB-C connector. A pretty good recipe.

The other very evident characteristic of the Jabra Evolve2 30 headset is the weight (or lack thereof!).

At just 125g these are easily in the featherweight division which means comfortable, distraction-free productivity hour after hour.

Features

• Whilst the Evolve2 30 headset is super light, the audio experience is large thanks to 28mm diameter speakers delivering a full sound experience.
• The microphone array ensures that every word you speak is heard perfectly and those distracting ambient noises are minimised.
• A very handy LED staus light leats others around you know when you’re on all call.
• Microsoft Teams-certifification is built-in and delivers a number of enhanced features:
  • Automatic selection as the default audio device.
  • A dedicated Microsoft Teams button to:
    • Notifications of Microsoft Teams LED flashes purple when
      • Microsoft Teams meeting ready to join
      • Microsoft Teams missed call
      • Microsoft Teams voicemails
  • Microsoft Teams LED flashes green with an incoming Microsoft Teams call
  • Invocations
    • Answering incoming Microsoft Teams calls
    • Opening the meeting “pre-join” screen
    • Open missed calls screen
    • Open Microsoft Teams voicemail screen
    • Bring up Microsoft Teams client from the background
  • Voice prompt when the user is wearing the headset
• The USB-C plug includes a handy LED that indicates when you’re muted.
• Integrated volume, track, and mute buttons are easily at hand on the right speaker.

Conclusion & Pricing

As with all Jabra products, the build quality of the Evolve2 30 is exceptional.

The materials – right down to the unique packaging – have been chosen with the environment, portability and comfort in mind. This is the go-anywhere headset that’s engineered to be functional, reliable, and very comfortable. At ~$145 they are additionally well priced to up your audio profile.

My only gripe is that they don’t come with a USB-C to USB-A adapter although this can be specified at check-out.

Thankfully the Jabra Office Headsets range is extensive, so you will be sure to find the right fit.