The Jabra Evolve series is no longer a new model for this Danish brand. After several Evolve2 models launched since 2020, they are now back with the more recent Evolve3 series. In this review article, I will present my opinion on the Evolve3 85 which is said to be a headphone suitable for both office and casual use.
Specifications
Jabra Evolve3 85
Type Closed-back earphones
32mm drivers
Microphone 6 microphones
Battery 55 Hours ANC
120 Hours without ANC
USB-C charging port
Wireless charging Yes
CODEC AAC, SBC, LC3
Operating system supported All
Virtual assistant support All
Control pad Power switch,
Bluetooth button,
Touch button
Microsoft Teams button
Waterproofing None
Selling price RM3,000
Black, White, Yellow and Pink
Design & Usage
If you are used to seeing the design of the Jabra Evolve2 series, you will definitely be able to see the different design concept they have brought for this latest Evolve3. This time they use a design like most headphones on the market today because this attracts the attention of more other users. So this Jabra Evolve3 series is not only focused on work use but also casual use.
The absence of a prominent microphone like the previous model makes these headphones look more 'normal'. In terms of construction materials, the entire headphone uses recycled plastic construction materials and only the connector between the ear cups and the headband uses metal. With construction materials like this, it continues to be very light when used with a weight of only 220g.
What I like more is that these headphones can be folded for easier storage purposes. In addition, the storage case is also very compact and easy to carry anywhere. However, because it is too small, there is no extra space to carry other accessories such as a 3.5mm cable and charging cable, but it is not a big deal for me.
On the right side of the ear cup there are several buttons such as the AI assistant call button, a special Microsoft Teams button, a volume button and a media control button. On the left side there is only a power button and Bluetooth connection, an ANC or HearThrough control button, a USB-C charging port and a 3.5mm port. More interestingly, on the left side you can charge these headphones wired.
In terms of comfort on the ear cups of these headphones, it can be said to be okay. It is made of recycled fabric which is said not to make your ears hot quickly but for me it still feels a bit hot especially if you use these headphones outside of an air-conditioned area.
Audio Quality
I really like the new design of the Jabra Evolve3 85, but the question is how is the audio quality produced?. The Evolve3 85 uses a 32mm driver, which is actually quite small compared to some other brands on the market today. In terms of audio codecs, it supports AAC, LC3 and SBC.
The small size of the audio driver poses a big issue for me, which is that the overall output produced by these headphones is quite low. This issue will be more noticeable if you use these headphones daily and change places. In quiet places, it sounds fine but in noisy places you need to increase the volume.
In terms of the audio produced, it is not the best and not the worst. The bass produced lacks 'feel' due to the small size of the driver. For songs with deep sub-bass, some may not be able to hear it too clearly. However, going up to slightly higher frequencies, these headphones have no problem doing their job.
The vocals from male or female singers can be said to be balanced between the two because nothing sounds too bright or drowned out. The same goes for other instruments that sound balanced between them all. I can say that the sound profile on the Evolve3 85 is almost neutral, which may not be to most people's liking.
ANC and Transparent Mode
A wireless headphone is incomplete without the ANC function and transparent mode. The ANC quality on the Evolve3 85 is nothing that excites me personally, and the ear cups also do not help in providing passive noise cancellation, so it is 100% dependent on active noise cancellation. The sound of the Kelana Jaya LRT can still be heard clearly, and I can still hear my colleagues chatting in the office.
However, the HearThrough mode of these headphones surprised me. When activating this mode, it feels like you are not wearing these headphones because the sound from outside is captured well by the 6 microphones without being overly processed, only your own voice still sounds a little processed. I can say this is the best HearThrough mode I have ever tried.
Application – Jabra+
The Jabra Evolve3 85 also comes with its own application to control these headphones in more depth, namely the Jabra+ application. Once you open the application, you will be presented with a very easy to understand interface and it looks very simple. Even though it is my first time using this brand, I have no problems using the application.
From this application you can directly change the audio mode from ANC, HearThrough or turn these headphones off. There are several special features on these headphones that can be controlled through this application, for example Sidetone which allows you to hear your own voice so that you can control the volume when using the headphones. In addition, you can control the call audio and also the automatic busylight function which will light up when you are on a call.
Jabra still gives you the freedom to change the audio settings a little through the 5-band equalizer. It is not as deep as some other competitors but I am still happy to be able to change the sound production of these headphones a little according to your own taste. You can also still choose the audio presets provided and the one I recommend the most is the Energize preset which will give a little dynamics to the songs you listen to.
Battery
For the battery part of the Evolve3 85, Jabra promises up to 120 hours of use for playing music or 25 hours of calls. From my own experience, what Jabra promises is indeed reliable because during 2 weeks of continuous use with a battery remaining of around 70% I never had to charge the headphones again. My usage pattern on these headphones often changes, sometimes with ANC on or off so this may be a factor contributing to the battery life.
In terms of charging, the Evolve3 85 supports a 10-minute fast charge and can provide up to 10 hours of use for playing music. As I said before, these headphones also have wireless charging but you have to buy the charging pad separately.
Conclusion
The Jabra Evolve3 85 focuses on office use but still pays some attention to casual use. There are many features that can help you in doing your work while increasing productivity. For casual use, there are no big issues except for the size of the audio driver which is quite small for me.
The Jabra Evolve3 85 is sold at a price tag of RM3,000. For this price tag, I am sure many will compare it to several other brands. I can only recommend that you try these headphones yourself first to see if they are right for your taste or not.
Pros
New lighter design.
Foldable.
Small storage compartment.
Many physical buttons that make it easier.
Good battery life.
Cons
The size of the audio driver is quite small.
Unsatisfactory ANC quality.
Quite a premium price.
