Do you want the best headset? 
Jabra headsets are known around the world as being a premium brand for use in business, and for pleasure. One Jabra wireless headset that enjoyed a lot of global popularity is the Jabra Evolve 75.
For many good reasons, the Evolve 75 has been the favorite, go-to headset for those engaged in business, or just chilling while listening to music or a podcast.
But, like with any product that has a following, it’s bound to get a refresh at some point. The Jabra Evolve 75 got one in the Evolve2 75.
Before I get into the review, here's some information you might find helpful:
Headset Highlights
Bluetooth version
Evolve 75 - Bluetooth version 4.2
Evolve2 75 - Bluetooth version 5.2
Compatability
Evolve 75 - computers and mobile devices via USB-A Adapter and Bluetooth. Remembers up to 8 devices,with two simultaneous connections
Evolve2 75 - computers and mobile devices via USB-A, USB-C Adapters and Bluetooth. Remembers up to 8 devices with two simultaneous connections.
Design
Evolve 75 - Headset design and use of red accents is dated when compared to today's models.
Evolve2 75 - Modern appearance and design with a modern color scheme
Battery
Evolve 75 - 18 hours talk time, 17 hours music, 2 hours to recharge
Evolve2 75 - 24 hours talk time, 36 hours music, 30% battery life after 35 minutes on the charger.1 hour 40 minutes for a full recharge. Talk time goes to 18 hours if the ANC or Busy Light is on.
Speaker
Evolve 75 - 40mm
Evolve2 75 - 40 mm
Microphone
Evolve 75 - Medium-length boom arm with noise cancelling uni-directional ECM microphone
Evolve2 75 - 4 analaog/4 digital MEMS Noise canceling mics. Mic on Evolve2 75 stows out of view when not needed.
Wireless Range
Evolve 75 - up to 100 feet
Evolve2 75 - up to 100 feet
Weight
Evolve 75 - 6.25 ounces
Evolve2 75 - 6.9 ounces
Busy Lights
Evolve 75 - yes, light ring on ear cups
Evolve2 75 - Yes, LED's on edge of ear cups for greater visibility
Active Noise Cancelation (ANC)
Evolve 75 - yes
Evolve2 75 - yes, with enhanced ear cup design for improved noise control.
Hear surroundings w/o removing headset
Evolve 75 - yes, via the Listen-In feature
Evolve2 75 - yes, via the HearThrough feature
Warranty
Evolve 75 - 2 years
Evolve2 75 - 2 years
Pricing - Jabra MSRP
Evolve 75 - $355.00
Evolve2 75 - $403.00
More details below
If you're looking at both of these headsets and aren't sure which one to choose, then the following information should be helpful. I'll provide further detail on how these headsets compare which will give you a little more information to base a buying decision on.
Before I begin, I wanted to let you know that we recorded a side-by-side product comparison which might make it more convenient for you to obtain this information. So, if you’re like me, and countless others who prefer to watch video content over reading it, then make sure to check out our video below.
For the past four years, the Jabra Evolve 75 has been a highly popular headset, and for several good reasons.
- The Evolve 75 is Lightweight
- It has a great sounding microphone
- It comes with Active Noise Cancellation for maintaining focus
- It can be used as a wired or wireless headset
- The Evolve 75 has a built-in busy light
- The microphone boom arm magnetically attaches to the side of the headband to keep it out of the way when a microphone isn't needed.
The color scheme used on the Evolve 75 is a matt black with red accents, and though that made for a great looking headset at the time, it’s become dated in appearance.
The new Jabra Evolve2 75 has eliminated the red accents in favor of a more stealthy black, almost Darth Vader type look. The updated appearance makes it look far more contemporary over the Evolve 75.
Here are some things to consider when comparing these two headsets.
Wireless Range
Both headsets are stated to provide up to 100 feet (30 meters) of wireless range. So, you should expect both to provide you with an equal amount of distance to walk and talk. Neither headset has an advantage here, but the amount of wireless range you should expect really comes down to your environment, and the type, and number of obstructions because obstructions are known to reduce wireless range.
Weight - Heavyweight, Lightweight or something in between
The Jabra Evolve 75 weighs 6.25 ounces.
The Evolve2 75 weighs 6.9 ounces.
There's really not enough of a weight difference to give an advantage to either of these models.
But when discussing weight, it’s normally a topic that goes hand in hand with the matter of comfort. Weight does matter, there’s no denying that. But, comfort also involves other things such as design, the type of materials used, size of ear cushions, amount and type of padding, the type of headband and how it's designed, and the amount and type of padding used on the headband.
The Evolve 75 is a comfortable headset which is only partly why this has been such a popular headset. The Evolve2 75 is also a comfortable headset, but if I had to choose one over the other, I'd take the newer, Evolve2 75 simply due to its improved design because from a weight perspective, they both weigh about the same. So it comes down to how the headset is designed, and the materials used which work together to deliver a comfortable wearing experience. And from that point of view, I give the Evolve2 75 my enthusiastic nod.
Jabra has done a magnificent job to give you a comfortable wearing experience with the Evolve2 75. The design of this headset clearly lends itself to comfort, and the way the headband has been designed really helps to give you a comfortable fit. Add to that, the acoustically designed ear cups, and memory foam ear pads, and it's easy to see that Jabra succeeded in making a headset you can wear for long periods of time comfortably. And for anyone who spends their day on calls, these new design elements on the Evolve2 75 really make a difference.
Microphone Comparison
The Jabra Evolve 75 has a noise cancelling uni-directional ECM microphone that can be placed on the right or left side.
The Jabra Evolve2 75 features 4 analog MEMS, and 4 digital MEMS microphones, but unlike the Evolve 75, the microphone can only be located on the right side. This might be disappointing those who prefer a left side mic placement, or those who want to switch up the side they place the microphone. Not a deal breaker in all liklihood, but a point worth noting.
The microphone boom arm on the Evolve 75 magnetically attaches to the outside of the headband when it’s not needed. And as unique and helpful as that might sound, we've experienced flaws in the design.Based on personal use, and customer feedback, we found that the magnet doesn’t consistently hold the mic boom in place which can cause the boom to detach from the headband. This issue isn't limited to the Evolve 75 because other Jabra headsets with this same feature, such as the Evolve 80, have the same issue.
It appears that Jabra took notice of this magnet issue because when designing the Evolve2 75, they did away with this feature entirely. Instead, they went with a totally new design where the mic boom on the Evolve2 75 stows out of sight into a compartment on the ear cup housing. Simply slide the boom arm up, and into the cavity, and it’s now out of the way for those times when you’re not on a call, and don't need the use of a microphone.
If you’d like to hear how both of these headsets sound with no background noise, with office noise, dogs barking, wind, and of course, no sound test would be complete if it didn’t include our signature noisy, annoying blender test, make sure to check out my video here.
Bluetooth version
The Jabra Evolve 75 uses Bluetooth 4.2, where the Evolve2 75 uses Bluetooth 5.2.
Most would agree that when you move from one version of Bluetooth to a newer that's preceeded by a decimal point, such as from 4.2 to 4.4 for example, the improvements are generally minor. But, if you go from 4 to 5 as an example, that's a more meaningful technological improvement. With that being said, the Evolve2 75 would be the better choice.
If you’d like to know more about the differences between Bluetooth version 4.0 and 5.0, here’s an informative article written by Josephine Engel of Dignited.
Battery
Here’s an area where you’ll find a notable difference between these headsets.
The Jabra Evolve 75 has a battery that provides you with:
- 18 hours of talk time
- 17 hours of music
- 120 minutes to recharge
The Jabra Evolve2 75 battery delivers:
- 24 hours of talk time
- 36 hours of music
- 160 minutes to recharge
As with any wireless device, batteries play an important role, and I feel safe in saying most of us want as much battery life as we can get. If you’re among those that do, then clearly the Jabra Evolve2 75 will be a headset you’ll be far more interested in. Though it takes a little longer to recharge, that, in my view, is offset by the additional talk and listening time you get on the Evolve2 75. And with the extended talk time, you'll recharge less often too.
USB Connectivity
The Jabra Evolve 75 connects via USB to micro USB whereas the Jabra Evolve2 75 uses USB C. USB C is superior over micro USB from the standpoint of ease of connecting, faster charging, and improved audio quality when using the headset in wired mode.
USB-C is becoming the new standard, and we're seeing micro USB being phased out. That's another point in favor of the newer, Evolve2 75.
Active Noise Cancellation
If you’re not aware of this term, I'll quickly explain it so you’ll have a better idea of what I’m referring to in this section.
Active Noise Cancellation, or ANC as it's often referred to, is an electronic feature that’s built into some headsets that acts as a countermeasure to ambient room noise. Sometimes noise in our work environment can be distracting, and prevent us from staying focused.
ANC allows you to apply some controls over how much of that room noise you hear. When you activate this feature, the noise is blocked out so you can stay focused on your work. With that in mind, here’s a quick comparison on how these two headsets compare.
The Evolve 75, and the Evolve2 75 both have ANC, but there are some differences.
The Jabra Evolve 75 ANC is an on/off feature.
The Jabra Evolve2 75 ANC provides you with 5 levels of adjustment, and when you download the Jabra Direct software, you can not only update your headset firmware, but make additional adjustments to ANC and adjustments to a host of other features such as the headset audio equalizer, and the HearThrough feature among others.
ANC is a great feature, and even better when you’re given more options on how much noise you want to hear. Having ANC on the Jabra Evolve 75 is great, but having 5+ levels of ANC adjustments on the Evolve2 75 is even better.
How much do both headsets cost?
The Jabra Evolve 75 has an MSRP of $355.00
The Jabra Evolve2 75 has an MSRP of $403.00
Both come with a 2-year warranty, and both are available to be purchased though I don’t think the Evolve 75 will be available for too much longer.
Bonus
Budget tight? Here’s an idea
While on the topic of purchasing options, Headset Advisor offers a unique, one-of-a-kind, Device as a Service (DaaS) program. This program gives you the option to lease your headsets for a very affordable, low monthly rate, and it includes everything such as shipping, setup assistance, replacement parts and accessories like ear cushions, microphone wind screens, headbands, batteries and more. This is a very convenient, pay as you go program that makes outfitting your team with new headsets simple, easy and affordable.
And you'll be happy to know that this unique program also includes free, technical support.so help is always a call or click away. You simply won't find another program that's so affordable, and convenient.
Contact us for more information.
Have old headsets?
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Final Thoughts
Do you feel that the Jabra Evolve2 75 is worth a crisp $50.00 bill over the price of the Jabra Evolve 75? To me,this is a no brainer. Yes, I'd gladly pay the extra $50.00 to get the Evolve2 75. Here’s why:
- The Jabra Evolve2 75 sounds better, though I know that sound is subjective, I still prefer the sound quality on the Evolve2 75.
- The Evolve2 75 has a better battery that delivers longer performance. When it comes to battery life, more is always better. And, as wireless headset wearers, we all want as much as we can get.
- The Evolve2 75 Active Noise Cancellation feature offers more. Rather than on/off, it gives you five levels of adjustment so you can better regulate how much noise you want to hear.
- The Evolve2 75 uses an up-to-date version of Bluetooth that carries with it some advantages over v4.2 that’s used on the Evolve 75.
- The Jabra Evolve2 75 is more comfortable, in spite of it weighing a little more. Like sound quality, comfort is also a topic that can be considered subjective. Still, I prefer the feel and fit of the Evolve2 75.
- I like, and appreciate, the new microphone boom storage feature on the Evolve2 75. I think Jabra did a splendid job of improving that feature over the Evolve 75's use of the magnetic mic boom storage, which as I noted earlier, has been shown to be problematic.
- Last, but not least, I think the Evolve2 75 just looks better. And, if you’re someone who will be wearing a headset throughout the day, why not have one that looks good, right?
Evolve2 65 vs. Evolve2 75 vs. Evolve2 85
If you’d like to watch a comparison video we recorded that compares the Jabra Evolve2 65, Evolve2 75, and the Evolve2 85, I’ll post it below. I think you might find it interesting, and informative as well.
