Do you want the best headset? 
When shopping around for a good quality, comfortable wireless headset for your business and entertainment needs, it can be confusing as to which one to buy.
Comfort, sound quality, connectivity and price are all common elements of what people look for when in the market for a new wireless headset.
In this blog, I won’t be breaking down all the available headsets in order to showcase the best of the best, but I will be doing a good side by side comparison of two good quality wireless headsets from two well known manufacturers.
Specifically, the Jabra Evolve2 65 vs. the EPOS (formerly Sennheiser) Adapt 260 models.
These two headsets are priced towards the lower end of the wireless headset economic scale. Many models are priced higher than these headsets, while a few may be a few dollars less. That means that these headsets won’t take as much of your budget, while still providing you with good sound quality and comfort.
Before I jump into this comparison, I did want to mention that I recorded a Youtube video on this same headset comparison. In it, I not only discuss the similarities and differences, but I also do a sound test so you can hear how the microphones sound.
I also put them to the test against distracting background noise. And finally, I take them outside of my office to see how much wireless range they provide.
So, if you’re more inclined to watch content versus reading it, I encourage you to check out this video. I’ll insert it immediately below for easy access.
I was once told that BLOT was a good thing. You might be wondering what the heck is BLOT? I know I’d be thinking that, if not asking out loud. BLOT refers to Bottom Line On Top.
With that in mind, the bottom line here is both of these headsets are good. Both of these headsets are priced under $250.00 (EPOS Adapt 260 MSRP is $179.00, and the Jabra Evolve2 65 has an MSRP of $249.00). That said, when you look closely at these two headsets, you’ll see a distinct difference between them.
Weight
The EPOS Adapt 260 is lighter than the Jabra Evole2 65. It weighs a mere 4.26 ounces which is light for an over the head, double ear type headset. Does weight really matter when it comes to appearance and comfort? I’d say so. Visually, the EPOS headset looks much thinner and lighter because it is when you compare it to the Evolve2 65.
As a general rule, lighter normally translates to more comfort simply because there’s less mass resting on and against your head and ears.
The Jabra Evolve2 65 weighs 6.2 ounces which is more in line with what you’d expect a typical over the head, double ear headset to tip the scales at. Does this mean that the Evolve2 65 is uncomfortable because it weighs this much? Not at all.
Not only does the weight matter, but the design, and available padding. In this case, the padding refers to the degree of generosity of padding on ear cushions and the headband itself.
In these two areas, the Evolve2 65 does well. There’s ample padding on the ear cushions that help to make wearing it for extended periods of time possible. And, with the generous amount of padding found on the bottom portion of the headband (the area that sits on your head), helps to make this headset easy to take on long rides throughout your workday.
The underlying message here is either way you go, you should expect to have a comfortable headset that you can wear for short, or long periods of time. Given that the EPOS Adapt 260 is 33% lighter, you should find it a pinch more comfy if using it for long periods of time in spite of the fact that the cushioning is less stout compared to the jabra.
Battery Life
When it comes to a wireless headset, battery life matters. For example, if you have a wireless headset that gives you only 6 hours of talk time, and you forget to charge it overnight, you’ll be faced with a dead battery when you arrive at work in the morning. If your headset had, say, a 24 hour battery, you’d still have sufficient battery life even if you didn’t charge it overnight.
Maybe you’re in the middle of a very important call, and your battery is dying on you. It’s moments like these where you come to appreciate a wireless headset that has a stout battery. With this in mind, let’s take a look at these two wireless headset models, and see how they score.
EPOS Adapt 260 provides up to 27 hours of talk time. In a sub $200.00 wireless headset, I’d say this is a decent amount of battery life. You don’t have to look too far to find other wireless headsets that give you less, so well done EPOS on the battery life.
Jabra Evolve2 65 has a battery that’s rated for up to 35 hours of talk time with the busy light off, and up to 24 hours of talk time if you use the built in busy light. If you’re listening to music, you can expect to receive up to 37 hours. Translated, this means that you could conceivably use your Evolve2 65 all week, and never recharge it. That’s pretty impressive really. Recharge time is a short 90 minutes, and you’ll get a full 8 hours of battery life in a short 15 minutes of charging.
Both models are good when it comes to battery life, but the nod clearly goes to the Evolve2 65.
Comfort Features
It’s hard to disagree with the idea that having a comfortable headset is important. This carries more meaning and significance for those who are power users that spend all day on the phone.
An example could be a Call Center professional. Just imagine for a moment that you’re required to wear a headset for a full 8-10 hours, and if what you’re wearing is causing your head and ears to cry out in pain, well, you’re in for a long day, week, month and career.
What things help to contribute towards making a headset comfortable?
- Weight (I covered that earlier in this blog)
- Ear speaker design
- Ear cushion size and padding
- Headband padding
- Adjustability
Between these two wireless headsets, the Jabra Evolve2 65 has thicker, more cushioned ear pads when compared to the EPOS Adapt 260. This isn’t to say that the Adapt 260 will result in a painful wearing experience. What I am saying is that when you compare the two, you’ll quickly see that the Evolve2 65 is more generously cushioned.
An important point for anyone who’s seeking the most comfort possible. The Evolve2 65 ear cushions utilize memory foam material known to adapt to the contour. In a headset, that’s meaningful.
In terms of ear speaker design, the EPOS Adapt 260 speakers move up and down along the side of the headband, and they rotate as well. Rotating ear speakers are pretty common on most wireless headsets, so nothing out of the ordinary here.
However, having the ear speakers that move along the track of the headband is a feature you don’t often see on a headset in any price range.The value of this is the headset ear speakers can move up or down to align with ears. Not everyone has ears located in the same exact location, so having the flexibility to adjust for this is a real plus when looking for a personalized fit.
The Jabra Evolve2 65 ear speakers rotate that help the headset to adapt to the angle of the ear, and with the adjustable headband, you can dial things in so you have a headset that’s right for you.
Both models allow for adjustment, and adaptability to the person wearing it. It’s easy to see that the Adapt 260 has used less material when it comes to padding for the headband, and ear cushions.
Not uncommon in a budget-friendly wireless headset. With that said, the Adapt 260 doesn’t have the look and feel of one of those disposable, cheap headsets. It looks far better because it is. If you were to draw a line between a plush, premium headset, and a cheap one, that’s where I see the Adapt 260 fitting. The features that aid in comfort are right down the middle; good, just not great.
The Evolve2 65 is a nice, richer looking headset that promises comfort and style, and in my view, delivers on both. The headband is fully padded, and more richly appointed when compared to the Adapt 260. The same could be said for the ear cushions as well. The Evole2 65 has a modern, well built look that’s made with good quality materials.
Dongle / Adapter
The Adapt 260, and Evolve2 65 both come with a USB dongle that’s pre-paired. That makes setup easy because you simply insert the dongle into the USB port and it automatically pairs to the charged headset.
Wireless Range
Wireless range is always one of those things that’s important to anyone shopping for a new wireless headset. We all want to walk and talk, and we want as much wireless
range as we can get. So let’s see how much wireless range you can expect from each of these two wireless UC headsets.
EPOS Adapt 260 is rated to give you an estimated 82 feet of wireless talk range. According to the EPOS specifications, this is line of sight which means you shouldn’t expect this range if you’re not in an immediate, direct path between the headset and the base (computer, tablet, phone etc). As you’d expect, not being in direct line of sight will yield less than the stated wireless range.
The Jabra Evolve2 65 makes claim of up to 100 feet of wireless range. We normally suggest you take the stated wireless range on any wireless headset, (100 feet in this case), and cut it in half. That should provide you with a more realistic estimate of the
range you’ll likely get. Applying this rule to the Evolve2 65 places it at around 50 feet of distance. In our tests, that seems to be pretty close to what most wireless UC Bluetooth headsets give.
Is there any big difference between these two headsets so far as wireless talk range is concerned? Not really.
You’d be splitting hairs if you wanted to crown one of them as the wireless range king because both should give you about the same. For anyone using a wireless UC Bluetooth headset, this should be sufficient in most cases. But, as I stated earlier, we always want more.
Shifting away from a Bluetooth wireless headset, and over to a DECT wireless model, you should expect to receive two to three times more wireless range. DECT headsets are designed for different uses compared to Bluetooth headsets.
Software
Both brands offer software for enhanced features and firmware updates.
The EPOS Adapt 260 for example, offers EPOS Connect, and EPOS Manager where Jabra wireless headsets can be enhanced and updated through Jabra Direct. It’s a simple enough process because all that’s needed is a quick download, and the rest is pretty easy from there.
Glitches in headset performance can often be resolved through firmware updates. Otherwise, features can be turned on or off or enhanced through accessing them via the software. This is very convenient, and helps you to get more out of your headset investment.
So Which Is Best?
Great question, and I really don’t have an answer for you. Much of this depends on a few things. Among them include what your available budget is. Given the EPOS Adapt 260 is approximately 30% less, that can make a huge difference if you’re looking to outfit a team.
This price difference becomes less important in the decision process if you’re looking for one for yourself. But, if money is tight, then the Adapt 260 might be your best call.
As a footnote here, keep in mind that Headset Advisor offers trade-in credit for your old, used headsets. This can make a difference when you’re working with limited funds because through the trade-in, you can lower your cost to acquire new headsets.
Another deciding factor could be how many hours a day you plan on wearing the headset. If you’re a power user, and you’re on voice and/or video calls throughout the day, then comfort may play a leading role in your decision.
If that’s the case, the Jabra Evolve2 65 would be my choice because it has more padding in the ear cushions, and headband. And, the ear speakers do rotate so you can find the right angle for you. Lastly, the headband is not only padded generously, but it moves up and down so you can align the speakers correctly to your ears. Comfort plays a huge role for those who wear headsets for long stretches of time.
Both of these headsets are optimized for use with Microsoft Teams, and both should work just fine on most all of your applications. The Evolve2 65 is optimized for remote call answering with RingCentral, which is nice because this feature allows you to answer incoming calls when you step away from your desk.
Sidetone
The Evolve2 65 has a sidetone feature that allows you to adjust how much of your voice you hear. This can be important to a lot of people, as it helps them to regulate the volume of their voice more easily. I don’t believe that the EPOS Adapt 260 has this feature.
Busy Light
The Jabra Evolve2 65 also has built-in busy lights that can be seen in any direction. This feature is designed to help eliminate unwanted interruptions when you’re on a call. Without a busy light, it’s hard for anyone around you to know if you’re on a call or not. Busy lights are nice, and this is a standard feature on the Evolve2 65.
Overall
Both headsets are good quality models. The EPOS Adapt 260 is smaller, thinner, lighter and has less cushion than the Jabra Evolve2 65. Some might prefer the
smaller lighter look and feel. Others might prefer the beefier Jabra Evolve2 65. Much of this comes down to personal preference.
Both models have noise cancelling microphones to help eliminate unwanted background sound. This is a must have feature in any headset you might be considering. If it doesn’t, you really need to look at a different model.
Both models come with a two year warranty. So, you won’t find any difference here either.
Bottom line is both of these wireless UC Bluetooth headsets will get the job done. It really comes down to what your budget is, how much you’ll wear it, and if you use RingCentral where you could benefit from the remote call answering feature on the Evolve2 65. Either way, you can’t go wrong with either of these two wireless headsets.
