A headset designed for the modern work environment
By Gabie Kur
"A great corporate device that can also work in the high-end consumer
headset market. Features like active noise cancellation and the USB
controller dongle make it versatile and enjoyable. However, this headset
is quite expensive so it won't appeal to the masses."
For
Active noise cancellation
"Do Not Disturb" feature
Microphone clarity
USB controller
Against
Price
Size
Portability
Overview and sound quality
For
anyone who works in an office, finding the perfect headset can be
difficult. Sound quality, microphone clarity and general comfort are
three of the most important pillars to consider when purchasing a
headset, especially if you're likely to be on calls for hours at a time.
Unfortunately, not many units offer all three features simultaneously. Whether
you're working at home or in a "cube farm," distraction is a real
obstacle. What I do involves a lot of email and voice communication, so
isolation from distractions with a headset seems like a good use of
cash. We tested the Jabra Evolve 80 ($329, £210, AU$380)
headset for a few weeks to see if it does in fact boost productivity in
noisy work environments. The company claims to deliver an "unmatched
solution for businesses of all sizes, enabling greater concentration and
focus in the open office." With modern office design trending toward
fully "open" floor plans and communal Sonos playlists, sometimes getting
some peace and quiet seems impossible. Jabra is a
leading manufacturer of innovative audio solutions. The Evolve's best
feature is the noise-cancellation technology, aimed at enhancing
productivity by providing a "concentration zone" for the user to tune
out the rest of the world. While we tested out the Jabra
Evolve 80, there are five headsets in the series - 20, 30, 45, 65 and 80
- all built for the purpose of shutting out the hustle and bustle of an
open office. This even includes features that signal when to just leave
that person alone – think of a "Do Not Disturb" sign from your
headphones, in the form of bright red rings around each of the sides of
the headphones. The box included the Jabra Evolve 80
headset, carry pouch, cable management clip, USB controller, along with
the User Guide & Warranty info.
One
of my favorite features about the headset was the boom microphone,
which worked very clearly. In an open office where everyone can hear
your conversation, I wasn't forced to yell into it or repeat myself
over-and-over in order to carry on a meeting. When it wasn't in use, it
wasn't clunky and obtrusive to the rest of the headset design. Instead,
it tucked back up parallel to the headset when it wasn't in use. The
microphone is perfect for sales representatives meeting with clients
on-line or for internal meetings. The more substantial microphone works
better than the chest-level type common in earbud headphones, which
often is too far away from the mouth, leading you to use one hand to
hold it closer to your mouth, obstructing the view of your facial
expressions and taking one hand away from typing notes. While this style
of microphone seems a bit dated and isn't the "sexiest," Jabra does a
good job of making it as sleek as possible. The headset
comes with a somewhat clunky USB controller, which includes an
answer/end call button, volume down, volume up, mute switch and the
aforementioned Busylight indicator.
The
controller has a convenient rubbery grip pad on its underside, which
prevents it from slipping around on your desk. This is more convenient
than other headsets, which usually have the controller hanging around
your chest or your knees. The desk option makes this easily accessible
for switching modes or optimizing volume. You can even accept and handle
multiple calls at the same time via the USB controller, which is great
for jobs that have a high volume of calls throughout the day.
Active Noise Canceling and verdict
Arguably the most important feature of the headset is Active
Noise Cancelling (ANC). An ANC system uses the materials the headphones
are made out of to block out outside noise, but also go a step further
and make their own sound waves to mimic, mirror and cancel out outside
noise. Passive noise canceling headphones work to block out sound waves
solely from the materials they are made out of. In the noisy workplace,
ANC is king. At first, it was a bit frustrating to have
to charge the headset for at least 3 hours via USB before the ANC would
even work ( this was difficult to do in transit, which I tried on a
plane). But, once it did work, it was a pretty awesome feature when it
came down to concentrating and blocking out background noise. Also, once
charged you can get up to 24 hours on the ANC, a decent chunk of
battery life and a great redeeming quality. The headset
is also compatible for mobile use, you just need to remove the USB
controller and use the 3.5mm plug, although this doesn't charge the
headset. This isn't a huge loss as most times you will be using the
headset with your computer as the headphones are a bit too large and
corporate-looking for use out-and-about, where smaller buds would likely
be preferred.
Comfort-wise,
I'd give the headset a 3.5 out of 5. While the speakers completely
surround your ears with cushions, this tends to be less comfortable for
glasses wearers. Plus, the types of headsets that sit around your head
tend to cause more achiness than buds during a long workday. In general,
the cushion along the top of the headset and around the ears is a nice
touch and makes the comfort level pretty reasonable. Plus, the fact that
the headphones sit around your ears, rather than on them, is a plus for
comfort, too. Sound quality for the headset was good,
but compared to other headsets I own (i.e., Bose QuietComfort buds), I
needed to turn up the sound relatively higher in order to achieve the
same full audio. But, given that these headphones will likely be mainly
used in-office (rather than on a noisy airplane or on commutes), this
doesn't seem like it will be too much of an issue. Others who are
looking for a more constant use of the set would likely disagree. The
headset worked great for making calls and sitting in on meetings, but
could improve for recreational use (i.e., watching movies).
We liked
Arguably
the most important feature of the headset is the Active Noise
Cancelling (ANC). An ANC system uses the materials the headphones are
made out of to block out, mimic, mirror and cancel outside noise. ANC
battery life will last for up to 24 hours, which is pretty sweet.
We disliked
The
worst aspect of the headset is its size – it takes some getting used
to, especially if you're accustomed to earbuds. They are difficult to
transport if you are hoping to use them outside of the office, as they
take up a lot of room in the backpack or purse you'd be carrying. The
carrying case is a nice touch for travel, as you'll want to keep the
wire from tangling or the cushions from getting too covered in dust and
dirty, but it isn't very sturdy or protective.
Verdict
All
in all, the Jabra is a solid corporate headset that can also be used by
a small group of niche consumers. Features like the active (rather than
passive) noise cancellation and the USB controller dongle make the
headset versatile. While this headset is by no means a budget headset to
issue to an entire fleet of office workers, this is definitely a good
treat for someone who just needs a little bit of sanctuary in the
workplace.
