I have a rather peculiar relationship with Jabra. The review of the Jabra Evolve2 50 will actually be the first headset review of this company that I’ve ever done in my life. Yet, I’ve known about the company almost since the very beginning of my career — starting with old magazines about mobile phones. Those magazines introduced me to a world where there was always a section dedicated to wireless mono headsets.
Like the Jabra Talk or Stealth series. But that’s not the main point. The mobile phones in those magazines changed every season. Motorola would be replaced by Samsung, Nokia by Siemens, and LG by Sony Ericsson. But Jabra was always there. Almost from the very beginning — and all the way to the end.
Video review of the Jabra Evolve2 50
Technical characteristics
- Active noise cancellation (ANC): present
- Speaker size: 28 mm
- Maximum input power of the speaker: 30 mW
- Speaker frequency range: 20-20000 Hz
- Supported audio codecs: SBC
- Microphone type: 2 analog MEMS / 2 digital MEMS (stereo)
- Microphone sensitivity: -38 dBv/Pa (analog microphone)/-26 dBFS/Pa (digital microphone)
- Microphone frequency range: analog 20 Hz – 10000 Hz
- User hearing protection: PeakStop™, Jabra SafeTone™, EU Noise at Work, G616
- Certification and compliance: Alcatel-Lucent, Avaya, Cisco, Unify, Zoom, Google Meet, Amazon Chime, Microsoft Teams
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, USB-A, USB-C
- Bluetooth profiles: A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.6, HFP v1.8, HSP v1.2, PBAP v1.1, SPP v1.2
- Bluetooth version: 5.2
Market position and price
However, the cost of headsets from back then isn’t really relevant today. The company now offers models priced under $50 or even $20. The Jabra Evolve2 50 doesn’t fall into that category, as the cheapest version starts at $136 or €121.
And even that price might seem surprisingly high, considering the appearance of this model—but we all know how deceptive looks can be.
Package contents
The headset package includes both a user manual with warranty information and a rather high-quality fabric pouch for transportation.
It’s not hard, but it provides enough protection against scratches. As far as I know, there are no hard cases available for the Evolve series at all.
Exterior of the Jabra Evolve2 50
Visually, the headset is an on-ear wired model. It’s not over-ear like gaming headsets, meaning the ear cups don’t fully enclose the ears—they just press against them. Theoretically, this should reduce sound isolation, but since the ear cushions are extremely soft, the ear still noticeably “sinks” into them.
As you may have guessed, this model is quite unique. It’s not designed for gamers or music enthusiasts. It’s made for work—for calls, consultations, prestigious call centers, and more. It doesn’t need to be cheap or visually complex. Its purpose is to be lightweight, comfortable, compact, yet powerful in its performance.
The build quality here is flawless. Most of the body is made of sturdy matte plastic. I didn’t find a single spot with unnecessary gloss, which, in my opinion, deserves special recognition. Stainless steel is visible in the headband, while the ear cushions are made of eco-leather.
The only thing I can point out as a disappointment is the cable. It’s long—170 cm—but it’s non-detachable and lacks any braiding.
Ergonomics
In terms of ergonomics, on the contrary, everything is luxurious. The cups rotate around a vertical axis, and the headband extends 35 mm on both sides, so the fit is as versatile as possible. On the right side of the cup are control buttons and a microphone on a long stalk.
The control buttons include two for volume and one for playback. There are also separate buttons for Bluetooth connection and noise cancellation. These buttons are located on the edge around the microphone mount.
There’s also a button for managing calls located at the center of the mount. All the buttons are very tactile and pleasant to use, making it difficult to confuse them. Additionally, there’s an LED indicator for busy status, also known as the Busylight.
Next, I should note that there are two versions of the headset: the stereo model, like the one I have, and a mono version, which is designed for one ear. There’s also a completely wireless model available, the Jabra Evolve2 55.
Specifications
The dimensions of the headset are 193 × 65 × 175 mm, and it weighs 148 g. The speakers have a sensitivity range from 20 to 20,000 Hz. The microphone sensitivity is -38 dB, with a frequency range from 20 to 10,000 Hz, and it is equipped with four additional MEMS microphones—two analog and two digital.
Regarding the noise-canceling quality, you can refer to the video above for examples of sound recordings. The most surprising feature I’ve encountered in a headset of this type, and indeed in any wired headset, is the Bluetooth button.
The thing is, the Jabra Evolve2 50 doesn’t have a battery inside. If you disconnect the USB, it won’t work wirelessly. In other words, the headset must be connected to a PC or laptop first. Then you press the Bluetooth button to sync it with a tablet or smartphone.
This feature allows you to intercept calls from your mobile while sitting at your computer. It’s an important function because wired headsets typically don’t offer this capability. Traditional wireless headsets do allow it, but they tend to be bulkier and come with input lag and connection limitations, especially if they rely on Bluetooth. Support for 2.4 GHz dongles is quite rare in these devices, and compatibility issues can be a problem as well.
Proprietary software and certifications
As you may have already guessed, the Jabra Evolve2 50 is a professional headset designed for remote communication. It naturally comes with official certifications from Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Google Meet, Cisco, and more.
The manufacturer also promises support for proprietary software on Android and iOS – Jabra Sound+ App.
In the app, you can customize the sound quality with an equalizer, toggle voice control, automatically mute the microphone volume, and more. However, at the time of writing this review, the Evolve2 50 model was not listed among the supported devices—only the 55 and 65 were included.
Jabra Evolve2 50 experience
The sound quality is excellent, with a balanced frequency response, though the emphasis is, of course, on voice. Conversations are transmitted with maximum detail. The same applies to the microphone—it activates automatically when you lower it from the upright position.
The microphone quality is predictably compromise, with a maximum focus on conveying information. What does this mean? Don’t expect the quality of condenser models, like the Sennheiser MKE-600. For Microsoft Teams, you don’t need to reproduce your voice naturally. In fact, you don’t need to convey your voice as such; you just need to relay the information.
Even if the noise cancellation on the microphone doesn’t perform perfectly—and the Jabra Evolve2 50 does effectively reduce noise at 55 dBa from a nearby fan—the headset will still do its job better than any other. What’s even more important is that it works well with both background noise and the voices of other people around you. This is an invaluable feature, especially for call centers.
The Evolve2 50 sits very comfortably on the head; it’s easy to wear. The active noise cancellation (ANC) on the speakers works reasonably well. However, it’s not as effective as any noise cancellation found in full-size headsets, which have larger ear cups that provide some passive sound isolation. That said, the perceived loudness of the fan is reduced by about 10-15 dBa. While it’s not completely silent, it definitely makes for a more comfortable experience.
There are also a few clever features to note. For example, there’s SafeTone, which consists of two functions: PeakStop and IntelliTone. IntelliTone works by monitoring how long a person uses the headset. If the average sound level in the speakers and the surrounding noise exceeds 85 dB over a certain period, the headset automatically reduces the volume by a few decibels. This is enough to protect your hearing. Meanwhile, PeakStop safeguards against sudden noise spikes of 118 dB or more.
It’s important to emphasize that the Evolve2 50 has two primary noise-cancellation features, both of equal importance. They are effectively balanced for incoming and outgoing sound. This is something to keep in mind, as both functions are designed to ensure that you can hear the person on the other end and that they can hear you, no matter what’s happening in the background.
Conclusions
In summary, the main reason to buy the Jabra Evolve2 50 is its utility for those who are constantly on calls. It is specialized rather than universal, but for those seeking exactly that kind of headset, it will be a perfect fit. I can guarantee that for such professionals, the price of $136 will feel like a small investment.
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