Jabra Evolve2 65 Review: A Compact, Yet Powerful Design

I spent hours as a teen with over-ear headphones, blasting music into my ears. While AirPods didn’t exist yet, earbuds certainly did, but I never found them comfortable until I got older. What I do remember vividly was the ache I’d get in my ears after just 30 minutes wearing those headphones.

Flash forward to this year. The second I picked up the Jabra Evolve2 65 headphones, I knew technology had improved. While I don’t blast music anymore, I do spend most of the day wearing earbuds, so I simply switched my usual AirPods for these headphones for a week and went about my day. Did my ears get sore? Was the quality and functionality as good as my AirPods? Let’s find out.

Unboxing and first impressions

The first thing I noticed as I unpacked the Jabra Evolve2 65 from the box was just how compact everything is. As the innermost box says, the company does what it can to minimize packaging.

When I opened the box, I saw how Jabra was able to squeeze these over-ear headphones into such a small space. The headphones fold up to a fairly small size, which is a big benefit. It comes with a storage pouch that includes a pocket that holds a USB-A Bluetooth adapter. You’ll also get a USB-C to USB-A cable.

My first impression of the Jabra Evolve 2 65 was just how lightweight it is. At the same time, it’s sturdy, and it’s clearly top-quality construction. The earcups are surprisingly well-cushioned without weighing things down or disrupting the audio in any way.

I expected to have to charge the headphones before I could use them, but they arrived almost fully charged. That meant I was able to sync them up and start using them right away.

Pros and cons

Price

The Jabra Evolve2 65 costs $289 for the headphones, carrying case, USB cable, and Bluetooth adapter. If you order it through Jabra, the headphones will ship for free. This is everything I need to enjoy the headphones, but there are some separately sold accessories you might want to consider.

The charging stand is the most enticing of all the accessories. It can be a convenient way to keep your headphones charged between uses. It comes in black or beige and costs $89. You can also buy a pouch that’s an impressive upgrade to the one that ships with the headphones. The carrying pouch costs $128.

Key features

Active noise cancellation

Noise-canceling headphones have always failed to impress me. Usually, plenty of noise gets through. But I can’t speak highly enough of the noise-canceling features of the Jabra Evolve2 65. When I put them on, the world around me may as well not exist. In fact, my husband walked into the room many times while I had them on and I had no idea what he’d just said.

One of the best things about the noise-canceling feature on these headphones is you can customize it in the app. More on that later.

Portability

One issue with over-ear headphones is it’s tougher to take them on the go. Wireless earbuds tuck into a small carrier that’s easy to squeeze into a purse or backpack pocket. You can even buy clips to attach them to your belt loop.

But these headphones pack plenty of portability. As I mentioned during the unboxing, they fold up to store in a small pouch that comes with the headphones. If you plan to tote them around regularly, I recommend upgrading to the separately sold carrying pouch. The headphones won’t squeeze into a backpack pocket, but I easily tucked them into my backpack with my laptop and power cord.

As for weight, these headphones are among the lightest I’ve experienced. They weigh a mere 6.22 ounces, so you’ll barely feel them when they’re on. Any discomfort I experienced came from the way the earcups pressed my ears toward my head, and that could be due to my head shape and personal preference, so your experience may differ.

App

Once you have the headphones in hand, you’ll want to download the Jabra Sound+ App, which lets you manage your sound preferences. It’s free and available for both iOS and Android devices.

Connecting my headset and getting into the app took a little time, but with some persistence, I was able to get past the screen asking me to pay for a subscription. You don’t need a subscription to use the app to tweak your headphones, so don’t be deterred by that.

My first step was to turn on Active Noise Cancellation, which was off by default. You can also choose HearThrough mode, which lets more outside noise in. You can easily toggle this on and off in the app.

My next step was to go to the Music Presets and try to reduce some of the bass. It’s set on Neutral by default, so I switched it to Speech. I’ll be honest. I didn’t hear much of a difference.

I could tell a big difference when I turned on Bass mode, though, so if you like your audio heavy on bass, I’d recommend trying out that preset.

Another feature Jabra offers in its app is the MySound app. You’ll go through a test and at the end, your sound will be tweaked to fit your hearing needs.

But the feature that makes the app a must download is “Find My Jabra.” If you ever lose track of your headphones, you just open the app, and your headphones will show on a map.

Water resistance

Wireless headphones are designed for movement, so I wore mine while tackling chores like loading the dishwasher and doing laundry. Since I once ruined an AirPod when it fell into a tiny water puddle in my washing machine, I’m understandably concerned about water resistance, especially since these headphones try to slide off every time I bend forward.

The Jabra Evolve2 65 is not exactly waterproof, but it does offer more water resistance than my recent model AirPods Pro. They offer an IP57 rating, which makes them safe against sweat and temporary immersion in water. Compare that to the AirPod Pro’s rating of IP54, making it only safe for water splashing, sweat, and dirt. As I learned, temporary immersion in water is bad for AirPods, but these Jabras could survive a tumble into a puddle, as long as I grabbed them quickly and dried them off.

Microphone

If you’re using your Jabra headphones for phone calls or as a gaming headset, the microphone is an important part of the build. I personally love the way the microphone tucks into the right earcup. It’s not even visible while you’re wearing them.

The quality of the microphone is impressive, as well. The site promises 23% less background noise, and that seemed to be the case. I tested it both through recording some audio and making phone calls, and the sound came through crystal clear.

Is Jabra Evolve2 65 right for you?

As I mentioned, I mostly stick to AirPods these days, but that’s in large part because I spent years trying to find something comfortable. I wear headphones for the vast majority of the day, whether I’m walking the dog or sitting in front of my laptop. That can make any pair of headphones uncomfortable.

But some people simply prefer over-ear headphones. If that’s you, these are definitely worth considering. They aren’t cheap, but the comfort and sound quality make them a bargain. If you listen to music or need headphones with a built-in mic, these headphones are a great choice.

The Jabra Evolve2 65 is also great for those who need to shut out the world for a while. For instance, I’ve found listening to audiobooks on airplanes is challenging, so effective noise-canceling headphones are a must. A bonus with over-ear headphones is they make it obvious you’re not open to conversation, which comes in handy if you’re concerned about being seated next to someone chatty.

Performance

Sound

Under the memory foam earcup padding, you’ll find two 40 millimeter speakers, each powered by an advanced chipset. Each speaker has a maximum output capacity of 30 megawatts with a frequency range of 20 to 20,000 Hertz.

Specs aside, I found these headphones very bass heavy, but you can adjust that in the app. I listen to very little music through any headphones I wear, so heavy bass doesn’t benefit me. To test them fully, though, I spent some time listening to music, watching HD movie clips, and enjoying my usual podcasts, audiobooks, and TV shows. The sound was crystal clear and immersive.

The speakers are also leak-resistant, which means the sound stays in your ears. I can hear sound from them when I take them off, but when they’re on, the volume has to be pretty high for the person next to you to hear.

Battery life

Let’s start with the specs Jabra lists for these headphones:

• 37 hours on a full charge
• 1.5 hours of charging time for a full charge
• 15 minutes of charging time for eight hours of use

I can confirm these headphones offer some serious battery life. I’ve been using them throughout the day for five full days and I’m still at 40%. Due to the comfort issues, though, I don’t use them for more than an hour at a time. Still, I’m impressed with how long I’m able to go without reaching for the charger.

Bluetooth range

The Jabra Evolve2 65 is wireless, so being able to walk away from your device without disrupting sound is one of its biggest benefits. If you’re on a conference call, you can wander around the office and keep talking and listening. Whether you use a device with built-in Bluetooth or you connect using the included Bluetooth adapter, the Jabra Evolve2 65 promises to keep you connected for up to 100 feet.

I think 100 feet is underselling it. I work from a 1,500-square-foot home and I’ve walked from one end of the house to the other wearing these headphones. They hold the connection without a single glitch. That’s something even my AirPods can’t do. The area that’s always a dead zone with my AirPods picked up the audio crystal clear with these headphones.

Design and build quality

When it comes to headphones, comfort is the top priority for me. My biggest issue with headphones in my younger years was ear soreness. I don’t have that problem with Apple’s earbuds. I can wear them all day. I was curious to see if comfort had improved in the years since I last tried headphones.

For short time periods, the Jabra Evolve2 65 wireless headphones worked well for me. But after a couple of hours of wear, I started to feel it in my ears. Your mileage may vary on that, and I have to say, the lightweight build and soft earcups make these headphones more comfortable than most, but wearing them for a while gave me a renewed appreciation for my earbuds.

As for durability, time will tell how well they’ll hold up. However, it’s clear from looking at them that careful thought was put into their development. They may be lightweight, but they’re anything but flimsy, so I have high hopes they’ll still be in tiptop shape even after years of use.

Final verdict

The Jabra Evolve2 65 offers a lightweight, portable design without sacrificing quality and durability. You’ll get high-quality sound and clear call quality with customizable noise-canceling features. It is a little on the pricey side, but when compared to other high-quality headphones, it’s still a bargain.