Parrot’s Zik 2.0 is built for high performance and offers a good user experience.
When a device costs as much as the Parrot Zik 2.0 does, which is around AED 1600, there are great expectations from it, which might not be met always. But Zik 2.0, right from the first glance, is built for not only high performance but also to impress.
If you are a casual listener looking for a great sound experience, you have certainly bought one of the best options available in the market today. The 2.0 indicates that it is Parrot’s second edition of the Zik series. The company has done a commendable job in making this offering better than its predecessor. Having teamed up with the French designer, Philippe Starck, Parrot has been able to create a device, which looks elegant and premium. The leather that has been used for the ear cups is rich in both feel and look and fits snugly with provision to adjust the head band depending on the users’ comfort levels. The only negative aspect is that the response time of the touch controls on the right ear cup was slow at certain times. However, it doesn’t have a major impact on the overall user experience. And besides, users can also answer phone calls with the device.
In addition to sporting a sleek design, the device also offers a good sound experience. Unlike traditional headphones, the Zik 2.0 comes equipped with a rechargeable battery that powers it and a Bluetooth connection that can be paired to a smartphone via the Zik software. The interface of the Zik 2.0 application is simple and easy to use. Through the software, users can control the main features of the device, which includes noise cancellation and concert hall.
The interface has a simple 5-page setup with each page allowing users to control or adjust noise cancellation, equalizer, concert hall setup and presets. The device’s built-in microphones give access to users to control the amount of noise cancellation as preferred, which allows better flexibility. The equalizer is unique in the way it is accessed; users can move the central touch point in different directions with a circle that allows them to adjust to different sound profiles such as pop, vocal, crystal, club, punchy and deep. With a simple swipe to the right, the Parrot Concert Hall can be accessed, through which users can control how music exits the headphones in relation to the ear, creating a variety of effects within the basic setup of either a Silent Room, Living Room, Jazz Club or a Concert Hall. This feature adds great depth to the quality of the sound. However, what makes the Zik 2.0 stand out from the rest is the Downloadable Presets. There are several free downloads available and those users who wish to achieve a more customised experience can mix their own mids, highs and lows, to suit to individual tastes and preferences.
The battery life is around 8 hours and it also has the ‘flight mode’, which increases the battery life to almost 18 hours. When in flight mode, the device shuts off the Bluetooth connection and the headset has to be used with the provided cables. You do lose the advantage the Zik 2.0 software brings to the table but that’s not a big compromise when considering it can be used for a much longer time.
All in all the second version from Parrot is a great buy, both for build and sound quality. The downloadable (iOS and Android) software plays a big role in getting the sound experience up there with the big boys.
