OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC Review: Staying Relevant
In terms of personal audio, true wireless earphones might be all the rage right now, but the traditional neckband form factor is still widely used. With its legendary Bullets Wireless collection of earbuds having dominated the industry just as Bluetooth was reaching a degree of affordability and practicality, OnePlus is, without a doubt, one of the most significant brands in this market. Interestingly, OnePlus recently introduced the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC in India and remains one of the few big proponents of the neckband form factor.
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC, which retails for Rs. 2,299, offers a traditional and well-known design with the added convenience of active noise canceling; this is a modest improvement over the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Can this headset and the form factor become more relevant with the addition of ANC? Or should you invest in truly wireless earbuds? Learn more from this review.
Features of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC design
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC, as the name suggests, is just the Bullets Wireless Z2 with the addition of active noise cancellation. Therefore, most of the neckband-style wireless headset’s design has stayed the same. If you select the black color option, it will be difficult to tell if this differs from the earlier OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Interestingly, the ANC variant offers a green hue option that the non-ANC variant does not.
Indian market’s top active noise canceling (ANC) headphones and earphones
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has a flexible neckband, small cords attaching to the earpieces, and controls on the collar itself, just like most neckband wireless earphones available today. The magnetic switch on the earpieces manages power; separating their turns on the headset while connecting them shuts it off. Due to how simple it is to separate the earpieces, this is once again prone to unintentional switches, with the headset frequently going on unexpectedly.
The buttons on the neckband, which are all on the left module, are used to easily switch between two paired devices, control playback, switch between ANC and transparency modes, and control volume. The charging USB Type-C port is located on the left module’s underside, while the right side is empty, aside from the OnePlus logo. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance, just like its predecessor.
As previously stated, the addition of active noise cancellation, which is supposed to provide up to 45dB of noise reduction, is the only significant modification to the feature list of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC.
Other back features include:
- Automatic low-latency mode activation.
- Rapid switching between two linked source devices.
- Support for Google Fast Pair on supported devices.
Controls for the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 Anc Review
There are two customizable buttons on the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and volume controls.
Specifications and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC app
Finding app support on neckband earphones is uncommon but not unheard of, and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does. The HeyMelody app for Android supports the headset. When the headset is paired and connected, these settings are accessible through the system Bluetooth settings on a compatible OnePlus or Oppo smartphone.
Although the actual controls and customizations are reasonably simple, they provide access to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC’s essential features. The approximate charge level, transparency and active noise cancellation modes, rudimentary customization of the two customizable buttons, and equalizer settings are all included. Four equalization settings are available for quick access, but advanced users can design their equalizer modes to suit their listening preferences.
The main features of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC remain essentially the same; the headset has 12.4mm dynamic speakers with a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz and a sensitivity rating of 112dB. The headset supports the SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs and uses Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity (an upgrade from Bluetooth 5 on the non-ANC model).
Review of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 App
The app-based capabilities are accessible through Bluetooth settings on specific OnePlus and Oppo phones.
The battery life and performance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and its non-ANC predecessor share more than identical design and technical details; the sound is comparable. With the natural, flat equalizer option, you get a definite bass-heavy audio tuning, though you can adjust the EQ if you’d like.
I used a OnePlus 9 Pro and an Apple iPhone 13 Pro with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC for my review. The headset used the AAC codec on both smartphones because advanced Bluetooth codecs were unavailable, and there was no audible difference between the two source devices. The sole difference between the two platforms was that app settings could only be accessed on the OnePlus smartphone.
Review of the Oneplus Bullets Wireless Z2 Anc logo2. OnePlus
The appearance of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC resembles the earlier non-ANC model.
Like previously, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC can provide volume levels that considerably exceed most wireless headphones with neckbands. You can still reach loud enough listening levels at even the 50% volume barrier, even if you’re unlikely to push it to high grades for your hearing. You should increase it to about 70 percent in exceptionally noisy circumstances, but anything higher than that is unnecessary and dangerous.
The audibly powerful bass can be either a good or a bad one, depending on the music you usually listen to. For instance, the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC did a fantastic job of faithfully recreating an EDM concert’s auditory signature and big subwoofer-style vibe with Croatia Squad’s quick beats and swift attack across most of their tunes.
On the other side, when I listened to Dua Lipa’s song Dance The Night, the snappy bass slightly dominated the song’s vocals and melodies. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has a certain amount of intensity to its sound profile that I found difficult to move away from, at least while listening to the correct music. Of course, you can adjust the equalizer settings to turn things down a notch if you want. Over time, it would get tiresome to listen to, but it was part of the fun for me.
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has active noise cancellation, which functions admirably for a headset with a suggested retail price of about Rs. 2,000. Most low-pitched background noises, both inside and outside, were effectively muffled, leaving just a faint hum for some sounds, including the spinning of a ceiling fan and the sporadic sound of a light breeze.
A magnetic switch that controls power frequently accidentally turns on the headset.
Given that ANC has been introduced as a feature, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC’s battery life is exceptional for a neckband-style wireless headset. With ANC enabled and the medium-level volume, I could use the earbuds for about 18 hours on a single charge. Fast charging makes it possible to fully recharge the 220mAh battery in as little as 15 minutes, a feature the competition still needs to catch up to OnePlus.
Verdict
The neckband wireless earbuds market is now primarily confined to the more affordable price range, a shadow of what it once was. In exchange for giving up the convenience of genuine wireless networking, there are still worthwhile options to consider. You get more excellent performance in terms of solid hardware and functionality. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC isn’t in any way fundamentally new or groundbreaking, but it accomplishes enough to be helpful for the price.
The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does an excellent job with most things, including effective active noise cancellation. Still, the strong bass is hit or miss, depending on the type of music you listen to, and the magnetic power switch is particularly prone to being accidentally turned on. You can purchase the non-ANC variant for a little less, but paying a little more money and obtaining the ANC variant is worthwhile.
