Jabra Evolve2 Buds Review

The Evolve2 Buds (starting at $269) are the latest entry in Jabra's formidable lineup of noise-cancelling true wireless earphones. Unlike most consumer-centric earbuds we test, these are ready to serve your professional needs with an extremely clear mic and a USB accessory that improves call stability. They also deliver a crowd-pleasing sound signature and support lots of customization options via their companion app. Unfortunately, they struggled far more in our noise cancellation tests than they should have for this price. The Apple AirPods Pro ($249) and the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II ($299.99) offer top-tier active noise cancellation (ANC) and equally strong audio, so they remain our top picks for most people. But if you need a headset for your job and don't want to buy a separate device, the Evolve2 Buds are still worth considering.

Available in black with a semi-matte finish, the earbuds have an almost snail shell-like contour with flat outer panels that bear the Jabra logo. They fit securely and feel comfortable enough for long listening sessions. In the box, you get three pairs of black silicone eartips in small, medium, and large sizes.

Internally, 6mm drivers deliver a frequency range of 20Hz to 20KHz. The earphones are compatible with Bluetooth 5.2 and support the AAC and SBC codecs, but not AptX.

Unlike most true wireless models, the Evolve2 Buds rely on a push-button outer surface rather than capacitive controls. By default, the buttons on each earpiece handle different tasks. On the left earbud, a single press handles playback, a double press skips forward a track, a triple press goes to the previous track, and a three-second hold summons your device's voice assistant. For the right earpiece, a single press answers incoming calls, mutes your mic, opens Microsoft Teams, or allows you to view notifications depending on the scenario. A double press on that same side ends or rejects a call or toggles between a noise cancellation mode and a transparency mode that lets you hear your surroundings.

You can adjust the control layout to a degree in the app by switching between various modes (Music and Media, Incoming Calls, or Active Calls). Within these subsets, you can reassign gestures to different functions. In testing, we found the controls easy to operate and never felt like we needed to shove the earpiece further into the ear canal to get them to work. One minor annoyance: There's no way to add an off option to the ANC/transparency cycle, which means you have to use the app to listen without either.

The earbuds have an IP57 rating, which is impressive. The first digit (5) means they are highly resistant to dust, while the second digit (7) means you can submerge them in water at a depth of up to a meter for 30 minutes without issues. Just make sure to fully dry the earpieces before you dock them for charging because the case doesn't offer the same durability. If you need something even more exercise-friendly, the JBL Reflect Aero earphones ($149.95) lead the segment with an IP68 rating.

The charging case is slightly bulkier than the one for the AirPods Pro. The front houses a status LED, while the back has a USB-C port for the included USB-C to-USB-A charging cable. The case can also charge wirelessly via Qi-enabled pads; Jabra sells one for an extra $40.

Inside the case, there's a dock for a USB adapter in the middle of the two earbud cavities. This included accessory enables a more stable connection to your computer or any Unified Communications (UC) platform, including Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Zoom. At the time of purchase, you choose between USB-A and USB-C variants, as well as specify if you need the model that is specifically optimized for Microsoft Teams. In testing, it was simple to connect the adapter to an iMac and use the earphones for Zoom calls. The only step is to select the Jabra option from the drop-down list of available mics in that application.

Jabra estimates the earbuds can last up to eight hours per charge with ANC on, or up to 10 hours with it off. The case holds up to an additional 25 hours of battery life, again depending on your use of ANC and typical listening volume level. The company claims you can recharge the earphones in about two hours and that five minutes of charging gets you roughly an hour of playtime.

Upon initial setup, the Jabra Sound+ app (available for Android and iOS) lets you customize the app experience, check the in-ear fit, and personalize both the ANC mode and the audio signature. Of course, you can just as easily skip each of these steps.

Once you're past the setup process, the app shows an image of the product with battery life readouts for each earpiece and the case. Below this, you can select between ANC, HearThrough (transparency), or off modes. If you select either the ANC or HearThrough options, a fader appears that lets you control their respective intensity.

Further down, there's an adjustable 5-band EQ. You can save custom presets or pick from various preconfigured choices. The app also offers soundscapes—soothing recordings like ocean waves and pink noise that can help you relax or focus. Otherwise, you can install firmware updates, access a user manual, set up the Find My Jabra function, and find links to Jabra's support pages.

If the Evolve2 Buds are any indication, Jabra hasn't maintained pace with market leaders in the noise cancellation department. At default settings, they modestly cut back powerful, low-frequency rumble like from an airplane, but not nearly to the extent of the aforementioned Apple and Bose models, which almost eliminate those sounds. We noticed some improvement after dragging the app's ANC slider to the max, but it still isn't competitive.

The earphones were particularly ineffective against a recording of a busy restaurant with clanging dishes and boisterous conversation. In fact, it was difficult to tell whether the ANC mode was active at all. At least they manage to avoid one common pitfall—we didn't hear anything in the way of a masking hiss in quiet environments.

For our audio tests, we turned off the ANC mode and reset the EQ to default settings. On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the earphones deliver a solid low-frequency response. The drivers don't distort at maximum volume and still sound full at more moderate levels. The boosted lows match well with the sculpted highs.

Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the sound signature. The drums on this track pack some extra thump, but they don't ever come across as unnatural. The highs get an extra bit of emphasis, too—the tape hiss seems louder here than usual. Callahan's baritone vocals receive some crisp high-mid presence to match the rich low-mids, while the guitar strums sound clear. The sculpting here is obvious, but there's still balance across the frequency range.

The earphones effectively reproduce the deepest sub-bass tones at the 34-second mark of Kendrick Lamar's "Loyalty" with audible rumble. The vocals have plenty of detail and never compete for space in the mix despite the boosted lows.

The lows in orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, get some extra emphasis, but the effect is more subtle here than on a typical pop mix. The higher-register brass, string, and vocals sound crisp, and the additional lower-frequency presence simply lends a little additional weight.

The four-mic MEMS array (which works in combination with dual bone conduction sensors in each earpiece) offers strong intelligibility. We had no trouble understanding every word from a test recording we took on an iPhone. The signal emphasizes clarity and seems to capture a bit more in the midrange than typical. It was a bit quieter than we prefer, but the in-ear mic levels help keep voices at an ideal volume for clear communication. Our experience on Zoom test calls was similar—ideal clarity, even if the signal could be slightly louder.

The Jabra Evolve2 Buds deliver crisp, bass-forward audio and we appreciate that their app has an adjustable EQ for tweaking the sound signature to taste. Mic clarity is also top-notch, while the included USB accessory ensures a consistent call connection. Those qualities make the Buds a solid choice for people who spend as much time listening to music as sitting on video calls. But the ANC performance simply doesn't match up with the Apple AirPods Pro or the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II. We can cut Jabra a little slack because those models don't offer nearly as advanced mic systems, but those are our top picks if you're more concerned with noise cancellation than with UC compatibility.

The work-ready Jabra Evolve2 Buds deliver strong audio and mic clarity, but their noise cancellation doesn't match up with their premium price.

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