Creative Zen Hybrid, quality does not have to be expensive

We analyze the Zen Hybrid supra-aural headphones, the new bet from the manufacturer Creative to convince most users that You don't have to spend a lot of money to enjoy good sound quality and more than decent noise cancellation..

Features

• Over-ear headphones, foldable
• Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connectivity
• Connectivity with 3.5 mm Jack cable (included)
• Frequency response 20-20.000Hz
• 2 x 40mm neodymium drivers
• Hybrid noise cancellation
• transparency mode
• Super X-Fi sound compatible
• AAC and SBC codecs
• Hands-free function for calls
• Autonomy around 27 hours with active cancellation
• Charge time 3 hours
• Charge with USB-C cable (included)
• Carrying bag (included)

We are facing supraaural type headphones, that is, they completely cover your ears. At a time when everything seems to be reduced to in-ear headphones, such as AirPods, we sometimes forget the comfort and sound quality that these types of larger headphones can offer us, in addition to, for obvious reasons. , a very long autonomy. They are very light (270 gr) and very comfortable to wear, thanks to the padding of the helmets and the very soft synthetic leather that covers it. Yes, in summer they are hot, but this is intrinsic to this type of headphones.

The build quality is good. We can't compare them to much more expensive headphones, but the fit of the parts and the feel of wearing them is that of a solid, well-constructed headset. Its design is very similar to that of Bose or Sony headphones, there is nothing new in this regard, and that in most cases is positive. Functional, discreet and with accessible controls, soda is better for experiments. The folding of the headphones is good and they take up very little space to carry them in the backpack or suitcase, and the transport bag, without frills, is practical.

controls

We have physical controls, something that after trying many headphones I think in the end is the best possible decision. Power button which is also the button to control playback, calls, etc., another button dedicated to active noise cancellation and transparency mode, or to disable both, the volume control and several holes for the microphones and the 3.5mm jack headphone input. In the other headset we have the USB-C connector to recharge the headphones, and nothing else.

With these few buttons we control everything we need, which means that we have to learn a little how the playback controls work, but it is not a problem because they are quite intuitive. The buttons have a correct press, they are identified quite well with the touch and they are well placed to avoid confusion.

Connectivity and autonomy

Creative's Zen Hybrids are designed to be used with Bluetooth, although we also have the possibility of using the Jack cable. The analog connection will allow us to enjoy high resolution sound if we use a service compatible with this quality, such as Apple Music, in addition to being able to use the headphones even without a battery, but I have noticed that in addition to not being able to use active noise cancellation, the sound they emit lacks strength when compared to using it via Bluetooth. But it is always appreciated that headphones have this possibility to be able to connect to any device regardless of whether or not it has a Bluetooth connection.

But you should not worry about running out of battery because they have a range of more than 27 hours according to the manufacturer using noise cancellation, which in my tests it stays closer to 20:27 p.m. than XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.but it's still pretty good. Without using noise cancellation, autonomy will be close to 30 hours. Full recharge is achieved in 3 hours, but 5 minutes will give you 5 hours of use, which is great for "emergency" cases.

Sound quality

The Zen Hybrid are the headphones that best fit the definition of "balanced sound". The low, medium and high frequencies coexist in perfect balance without one standing out over the other. This may disappoint some users who are looking for a more spectacular sound with very striking bass, but the reality is that this "spectacular" sound usually hides deficiencies in the rest of the frequencies, something that does not happen in these Zen Hybrids. Voices, percussion, guitars and other instruments are clearly perceived, and the experience of listening to music is really good.

No problem in the volume section, you have more than enough and although they behave very well in the maximum ranges, without distortions, is an amount of volume that is not recommended for your ears at all. The passive and active noise cancellation of the headphones works here in favor, and with a medium volume it is more than enough to enjoy your music and multimedia content without having to damage your precious eardrums.

What yes I miss is the possibility of sound equalization. The Creative Outlier Pro that we analyze in the blog (link) have this possibility in the Creative app, and it's a shame that these Zen Hybrids can't be equalized. Hopefully some update will allow it in the future because it would be a considerable improvement for many.

Noise cancellation and transparency mode

Creative uses what's known as Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, and it works really well. This system works with microphones that not only analyze the external sound but also analyze the sound that reaches your ear, through microphones located on the outside and inside of the headphones. I have to say that the active cancellation has surprised me given the price of these Zen Hybrids, and together with the passive cancellation that the headphones themselves perform by covering your ears, they are capable of eliminating almost all the sound around you.

At this time I can only compare them with the AirPods Max, the same type of headphones and with active cancellation, and obviously the latter come out the winner, but they are much more expensive headphones and the simple fact of comparing them is already a point in favor of the Creative headphones . I repeat, it is a good cancellation system that will not disappoint to nobody.

It also works fine transparency system that allows you to hear what is around you thanks to the microphones of the headphones, to be able to have a conversation without having to take them off or simply be aware of what is happening around you without isolating yourself from everything. The system can also be completely disabled, with no cancellation or transparency. All this is controlled with a single button that has a blue LED.

Super X-Fi Sound

Creative offers us support for Super X-Fi sound with these headphones. Similar to what Apple calls "Spatial Audio" and what other manufacturers have called by other names, it is surround sound that enhances the sound experience, or at least that's what all the manufacturers say. I'm not a big fan of this type of sound with music, although I quite like it when enjoying other multimedia content, but for some it may be an important addition when deciding on these headphones. The limitation they have is that it is not compatible with streaming music services, nor with Netflix or YouTube, it only works with music stored on your device.

Editor's opinion

For quality and price, these Creative Zen Hybrid are worth every penny of what they cost. They are very balanced headphones in all their characteristics: build quality, sound, cancellation, and comfort. They get a good grade in each of their sections, without being outstanding in anything, except in their price: €109,99 official price, but with discounts that make them even more interesting. Right now on Amazon (link) you have a 40% discount that makes them a super interesting purchase.