Just when you thought earbuds had gone about as far as they could go, Jabra has pushed the tech just a little bit further with its Evolve2 Buds.

I've been a massive fan of Jabra's entire range of true-wireless earbuds for years now. Although perhaps not as well-known here as some other phone and home audio brands, Danish-based Jabra has actually been around for over 150 years, these days probably most recognised for its business-focussed AV solutions - things like reception headsets and online meeting equipment for conference rooms.

However, I've found Jabra's more personal devices like headphones and earbuds are just as innovative, reliable and stylish - and the latest addition, the Evolve2, is a perfect example.

While I've lumped the Evolve2 in with Jabra's other personal accessories, they're pitching them more at the intersection of work-life meets home-life. These are the earbuds you can use for the gym, your commute, online meetings and to monitor computer audio - the whole shebang.

In fact, to ensure they're absolutely tailored to your individual requirements, Jabra offers several different variants, including a Microsoft Teams-certified version (the one I'm using) specially modified to integrate with Teams shortcuts and commands. As you'll notice from the pictures, the Evolve2 Buds include a separate USB bluetooth adapter (either USB-A or USB-C). This guarantees a strong, lag-free connection with your Mac or PC and while the buds and dongle are already paired straight out of the case, you can customise controls, update firmware, check your fit and adjust other settings via Jabra Direct a desktop app for both dongle and earbuds.

Meanwhile, if you're just connected via Bluetooth 5.2 to your phone, Jabra Sound+ is the app you'll need.

Like just about every other Jabra earbuds I've tried, the Evolve2 Buds fit better than pretty much anybody else's. Whatever material Jabra is using for its ear gels is in a class of its own when it comes to comfort and security. These buds simply do not budge. They're light, well-balanced and very comfortable for sustained listening sessions - eg: travelling on a plane perhaps.

So we've nailed connectivity and comfort. Let's have a listen.

One album I've been auditioning to put the Evolve2 Buds through their paces is Kimbra's latest masterpiece, "A Reckoning." She's always been one of my favourite artists ever since seeing her looping live back in the day. The attention to detail on her tracks is truly revealed when listening via a lossless streaming service like Apple Music, to make the most of the Dolby Atmos effects. 

The Evolve2 Buds are a great way to navigate through this intriguing, stirring and at times jarring track listing. Kimbra's quirky use of bass, percussion and multi-layered vocals is reproduced with divine accuracy. The 6mm drivers seem to push all sounds with equal emphasis across the spectrum - low, mid or treble.

This sublime aural experience is further enhanced by Jabra's fully customisable Active Noise-Cancellation - again, like the fantastic fit, up there with the best I've encountered. I've used these buds quite a bit when mowing the lawns (all this wet, steamy weather has me back out there every second day it seems) and the exceptional ANC has no problem keeping the sound of the mower, line-trimmer and even leaf-blower at bay.

The wind noise reduction is just as impressive - and just as important when it comes to mic performance too. I've used the Evolve2 Buds out in a rainstorm (don't worry, they're rated IP57 against rain and sweat) and recorded crystal-clear voice tracks as demonstrated in the video below. This is an essential part of the equation once we bring things back home - or to the office - for online video conferencing. If you've been considering adding an external microphone and headphones to your WFH setup, you might find that simply isn't necessary. The mic quality here really is quite impressive.

After using the Evolve2 for a week or two, I'm left thinking there may be a few tweaks to come in future software updates. This is because I've run into some confusing situations when paired simultaneously with my iMac via the dongle and directly with my phone. For some reason I haven't been able to fathom, from time to time the Evolve2 Buds think they're muted on the computer when they aren't. I know they think this because the LED on the USB dongle shows red, indicating muted. The weird part is when this light is red I can still hear what I'm playing on my computer - but not what I'm playing on my phone. Perhaps this is some kind of deliberate feature to ensure you don't confuse two different sound streams from two different sources but I've found the easiest way to sort it out is to simply remove the USB dongle when not in use. No chance of losing it; it slots neatly into the charging case, nestled safely in between the two buds.

The case itself is a bit longer than those housing other Jabra buds but not excessively so - still easily pocketable and most importantly, it provides plenty of charge. The buds themselves will play for up to eight hours, even with ANC on. That itself is pretty crazy. Yet the total, including a fully charged case, will provide up to 33 hours - which is incredible. Over the two weeks I've been using them, I've only put the case on to charge once. Thankfully, it charges both wirelessly and via USB-C. These days I can't go without the convenience of wireless charging. Life's too short to fiddle about with cables unnecessarily.

The Evolve2 Buds are unquestionably right up there with the very best because they excel in so many different areas; battery life, sound quality, noise-cancellation and above all, the fit. Then on top of all that, you have the addition of the USB dongle to ensure a strong, no-lag connection with your computer. These are headphones, microphone, online-meeting and audio editing accessories combined into one, easily rechargeable package. As such, Jabra has set the standard for cutting-edge, in-ear innovation in 2023.