Do you want the best headset? 
Right out of the gates I have to admit that the sheer number of wired, and wireless headsets available for business use, is nothing short of astonishing.
There are countless options available from the biggest names in the business, such as Jabra, Poly, Yealink, Discover and just as many from lesser known brands. That, to me, complicates the decision making process for those who are in search of new headsets for individuals or teams.
To further cloud the issue, what if you have a limited budget that requires you to seek out a low cost model? At the lower end of the headset spectrum, the risk rises exponentially as the price declines. In other words, if you pay a premium price, there’s less risk of getting a headset that’s problematic, or sounds bad. The same can’t be said for models cheaply priced. Adding to the risk is buying an unknown brand from an unknown manufacturer which only draws into question what kind of support you can expect.
With a tight budget, and a need to outfit a team with affordable computer headsets, what headset can you buy that’s
- Professional sounding
- Comfortable
- Affordable
- Backed by a reputable company
In this blog, I'll provide you with a solid, low cost, comfortable, professional sounding wired USB headset that's friendly on the budget, and backed by a familiar name.
But, before I dive into the details, you might be interested to watch our product review of the headset I'm referring to, feel free to watch, read, or both.
Jabra Evolve 10 - An Affordable Headset Solution
One option well worth your time to consider is the Jabra Evolve 10 wired USB dual ear headset.
There are several reasons why this headset should be on your short list with cost being at the center, because the Jabra Evolve 10 fits well into any budget because it’s a sub $40.00 headset making it ideal from a price perspective. But, there’s more to this headset besides its attractive price.
Here are the key features of the Jabra Evolve 10. Have a look, and then you can decide if this is the right headset for your needs. I’ll start with what comes in the box, followed by the different features.
What Comes In The Box
Most of us want to know what we can expect to receive if we purchase something. In the case of the Jabra Evolve 10, here’s what you get when you plunk down that hard earned money:
- Jabra Evolve 10 wired USB headset
- Leather-feel ear cushions
- USB Controller (call control unit)
- Warning and Declarations documents
NOTE: user manual and other downloads can be found at the bottom of this blog
Professional Sounding Microphone
The Importance Of Sound Quality. The Jabra Evolve 10 would typically be used in a business environment, which means sound quality ranks high in importance. After all, when you’re on calls or in meetings, you need to be heard, loud, clear and professional. Anything less compromises your image, and risks your message getting lost in the noise.
The microphone on this headset sounds solid, especially when you consider the price. Jabra headsets overall sound great, and the Evolve 10 sounds clear, and can easily be used on any important calls.
Noise Reduction. Besides sounding professional, the Evolve 10 microphone cancels out background noise. Granted, no headset removes all the noise, but this headset does a decent job at noise reduction so the sounds around you won’t distract your callers. And for those who deal with higher levels of noise, you can pair the Jabra Evolve 10 headset with neep ai noise canceling software. This seamless pairing takes noise reduction to a whole new level. To learn more about neep noise canceling software, or to request your free trial, just go to neep.com
Right Or Left - Your Choice. The microphone on the Evolve 10 can be worn on the right or left side. As simple of a feature as they may seem, surprisingly, many headsets, including premium priced models, restrict the microphone placement on one side only. And, most of us do have a preference as to which side to place the microphone. So it’s nice that Jabra didn’t cut that corner.
Convenient Controls
Conveniently Located Buttons. Many people get a bit annoyed when searching across a headset to locate a particular button, such as the mute, or volume controls for example. The Jabra Evolve 10 eliminates that frustration because the buttons are conveniently placed on an inline controller located on the headset cable. So whether you want to adjust the volume, or mute the microphone for example, the buttons are in one place, and close by for easy access.
The inline controller also has an integrated LED that displays three status colors:
- Incoming call: blinking green
- On call with unmuted mic: steady green
- Muted mic: steady red
- Call on hold: steady yellow
So in spite of the fact that this is a budget (okay, cheap) headset, it does offer some decent features, with the inline controller being one of them.
All-Day Wearing Comfort
Evolve 10 - A Lightweight. The Jabra Evolve 10 headset weighs just over 4 ounces, which makes it lighter than most dual ear headsets. Clearly, the weight of a headset matters when it comes to all-day comfort, but weight isn’t the only factor when it comes to finding a comfortable headset.
The Evolve 10 also features an adjustable headband for a personalized fit, and padded ear cushions provide further comfort for short, and long term wearing.
Ditch The Pain. Comfort matters especially if you’re someone who’s frequently on long calls, or on many calls throughout the day. When you go home at the end of the workday, you don’t want to leave with a headache, or soreness from wearing a headset for extended hours. And the good news is the Evolve 10 won’t have you looking for that bottle of Tylenol when you call it a day.
Double Play. Worth noting is the Evolve 10 is only available in a dual ear configuration. That means this isn't the right headset for those who prefer a single ear wearing style.
Plug And Play
Life can throw a lot of complexities at you, so keeping things simple is always a good thing. The Evolve 10 takes a simplistic approach by making it a plug and play device.
There are no applications to download, and nothing complicated to get up and running. Simply take the headset out of the box, plug it in, and you’re ready to take on the world. Keep in mind that this is a USB-A headset, so if your computer uses USB-C ports, then you’ll need to get a USB-A to USB-C adapter. The good news is these adapters are readily available, and very inexpensive with many priced under $2.00.
Sound Quality
What can you expect from the Jabra Evolve 10 in terms of speaker sound quality? For openers, the sound quality won’t blow you away, but having said that, it’s decent. The Evolve 10 features 30mm speakers which is a bit surprising considering many higher priced models come with 28mm ear speakers.
Gets The Job Done. The sound on calls is solid, but when listening to media, it's just ok, meaning not great, but at the same time, not bad. And when you keep in mind the price of this headset, it makes it hard to knock the sound quality which is not to say that it sounds bad, because it doesn’t. But what I am saying is you should keep your expectations within reason when you factor in what you’re paying for this headset. If you want sound that blows you away, you really should be looking at a totally different headset such as Bose or Sony which will cost significantly more.
Eco Friendly
If you’re someone who pays attention to products that meet environmental standards, then you’ll be happy to know that the Evolve 10 is TCO certified.
Over 50% of the plastic components used in the Evolve 10 were made from recycled plastic materials. That helps to make the Evolve 10 environmentally friendly, and a point that will get attention from those who prefer to buy products with less carbon footprint.
Longer Warranty
2-Year Peace Of Mind. For any sub $50.00 headset, you’d expect to receive a 1-year warranty, and in some cases, you won’t even get that. You’ll be happy to know that the Jabra Evolve 10 USB headset comes with a decent 2-year warranty. And that’s not a warranty that you’ll have trouble taking advantage of as may be the case with offshore, or no name brands, because this is a Jabra headset.
Rest assured that support will be there when you need it because it’s backed by one of the most reputable, global headset companies in the industry. And when you purchase your headsets from Headset Advisor, it’s like getting double coverage because we serve as your primary support contact, with Jabra support standing by if needed. So between Jabra, a global headset leader, and Headset Advisor, a 30 year California based company who specializes in headsets, you get support that simply can’t be beat.
Overall Impression
It’s hard to argue that the Jabra Evolve 10 doesn’t represent a solid value for those in search of a budget friendly headset for computer use.
- It has a professional sounding microphone that removes background noise
- It’s lightweight and comfortable
- Has buttons and LED status indicators centrally located on the inline controller
- Allows you to place the microphone on the right or left side
- Comes with 30mm ear speakers for better than expected sound
- It’s USB-A plug and play so no complicated setup instructions
- It’s priced under $40.00
- And, it comes with a 2-year warranty with two company support coverage
So, for those who have tight budgets, but need to outfit a team with low cost, professional headsets, it’s hard to go wrong in considering this model. And, the fact that it’s backed by Headset Advisor, and Jabra is like frosting on the cake.
Finally, as a footnote, the Evolve 10 isn’t compatible with the Jabra software and Apps like Jabra+, Jabra Direct and Jabra Xpress. For most people though, this isn't a huge drawback.
Have Questions Or Need Some Help?
Finding the right communication solution can be tricky. Whether you’re looking for new headsets, speakerphones, or video conferencing equipment, don’t hesitate to contact us for some straight forward, professional assistance you can count on. Headset Advisor has been assisting customers with the communication challenges for over 30 years. Let one of our friendly and knowledgeable Advisors provide you with the information you’re looking for,
