The Jabra Engage 55 came in the usual style box with the features called out on the packaging. The earphones are noticeably lighter than many predecessor units, while had the usual features in terms of headset flexibility adjustments and came with the typical Jabra charging stand.
Accessories
The Kit came with a carry case, cables, charging stand and a USB DECT adapter instead of a wireless base. You can see the unboxing here and walkthrough by Jim who has also tested this headset and finds it a “must have” piece of kit.
Setup:
The setup as described on the packaging is easy – plug in the supplied Link 400 adapter in the USB laptop port, turn on the power on the headset and are ready to go. Corporate laptops may need to have the USB port checked if locked down to facilitate access.
Jabra direct
Optional software may be downloaded to upgrade the firmware on the unit or additional features
Charging & battery life
The Earphones come with approx.13 hours battery which can be charged via the supplied charger holder or via the USB A charging cable supplied. (An audio warning is given in the event of low battery) During a call should be a low waring audio sound these earphones can be plugged into a laptop, or wall charger to ensure no drop in the call.
Range:
The range as quoted by the Jabra is a staggering 150 Meters from your computer using the compact USB DECT Link 400 adapter. To put this in perspective, UK football stadiums are typically 105 by 68 metres while Croke Park pitch covers an area 145m long by 88m wide. As per my test, this is measured by “Line of sight” (LIS), with no opticals blocking in the way from the laptop to the headset allowing clear conversation. This worked well in the back garden but as I tested in the front, with various walls, and barriers the range diminished quickly albeit the dect technology is far superior to Bluetooth as the DECT wireless range is 15 times the average range of Class 2 Bluetooth® device. (i.e., do not expect anything close to 150 Meters in a built-up area while may work in an open warehouse, or office plan type area). This will also diminish how many people are using the network.
Security.
In modern-day, most businesses train their staff on phishing, vishing and the treats of using Wi-Fi in the local café in terms of hacking. The Jabra Engage 55 steps up this in terms of technology with the Secure Dect wireless adapter, which has additional FIPS military-grade 256-bit encryption algorithms, to prevent snooping and keep communication, and exchanges away from prying ears or technologies.
Audio quality.
This is one of the first areas many people ask, is the Audio, ok?
In essence, most of the teams/ video calls are not focused on the high and low frequencies of classical music but on the background, noise heard on the calls. The Jabra comes with a great ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) Microphone that is designed to block out noises like a dog barking, or a lawn mower going in the background. This can easily be demonstrated when using a noisy keyboard, the sound of the keystrokes is dramatically reduced using this headset. Surprising when listing to YouTube music etc the quality is good. The earphones ensure conversations are concise and clear while the microphone must be positioned correctly to ensure this quality.
Hearing Safety
This is an area often forgotten which maybe become more apparent in years to come as many users try to turn the volume to max and use earphones for full-day use. This is similar to builders using high power tools. in the past now suffering from hearing loss, The Jabra brand came with a SafeToneTM 2.0, in hearing protection which consists of PeakStop™ prevents sudden loud audio spikes and IntelliTone™ 2.0 limits overall audio exposure. This type of technology should be mandatory for the future to ensure we are not damaging our future generation’s hearing,
Niggles,
If using the hybrid model to travel to the office, you have to carry a dongle and a spare USB A lead, this is a step backwards from the C charger lead as used in most newer Android phones. This is to facilitate the docking station which works if the unit is placed in a stationary environment, Jabra would do well to replace the supplied USB A cable with the modern USB C Cable.
These earphones are not compatible with smartphones coming with no Bluetooth option which means the dongle has to be plugged into the laptop at all times which is another part of the laptop when on the move, ( should you require a Bluetooth option possible look toward the Engage 75 or Jabra Evolve 2 75 which has multimode allowing 2 Bluetooth devices connected at the same time, https://techbuzzireland.com/2021/12/08/tech-review-jabra-evolve-2-75/
Warranty
This comes with a 2-year warranty with the option to replace the battery if required at a later stage. This is great to see on a quality product.
Conclusion:
The Jabra Engage 55 is a headset that out of the box works well with no technical setup required while has advanced options for the firmware via the free Jabra direct software. The key features in terms of being lightweight, excellent range and call security are inbuilt also. This has the often-forgotten hearing safety built-in without any deterioration to the audio of the unit. ANC works well to reduce unwanted back noise to ensure superior quality calls. There are slight personal niggles on the cables supplied but just personal choice and do not affect the operation of the unit. Again, the unit is not designed for Bluetooth products, but Jabra has many other products that work in this area. The future proof in terms of the option to upgrade the firmware and, warranty, battery replacement is excellent.
The Jabra Engage 55 delivers on quality, power, range, and security with ANC to ensure an immense user experience effortless from a trusted brand.
https://www.emea.jabra.com/business/office-headsets/jabra-engage/jabra-engage-55
