True wireless headphones may be all the rage these days when it comes to personal audio, but old-school neckband-style headphones are still popular even today. The most important brand in this space is undoubtedly OnePlus, whose iconic Bullets Wireless range of headphones dominated the space when Bluetooth reached affordability and practicality. Interestingly, OnePlus remains one of the few major proponents of the neckband form factor, having recently launched the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC in India.
Pricing is rupee. 2,299 people, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is pretty much what you’d expect when you see the name, with a classic and familiar design and the convenience of active noise cancellation; it’s a small step ahead of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Is the addition of ANC enough to make this headset (and the form factor itself) relevant again? Or should you buy truly wireless headphones? Find out in this review.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC design and features
As the name suggests, the core of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is the Bullets Wireless Z2 with the addition of active noise cancellation. As a result, the design of the neckband wireless earphones is largely unchanged, in fact, if you buy the black version, you’ll be hard-pressed to distinguish it from the older OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2. Interestingly, the ANC version also comes with a green color option, while the non-ANC version does not have this option.
Like most neckband wireless headphones you can buy now, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC feature a flexible neckband, a short cable that connects to the headphones, and controls on the neckband itself. Power is controlled by a magnetic switch on the earpiece; pulling them apart turns the earphones on, while connecting them together turns them off. As before, this is prone to accidental switching, with the earphones often turning on accidentally due to their tendency to detach.
Buttons on the neckband (all located on the left module of the neckband) control volume, playback, switching between ANC and transparency modes, and quick switching between two paired devices. The underside of the left module has a USB Type-C port for charging, while the right side is bare with only the OnePlus logo. Like its predecessor, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is IP55 rated for dust and water resistance.
As mentioned before, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has only one major change in the feature set – the addition of active noise cancellation, which is said to provide up to 45dB of noise reduction. Other returning features include fast device switching between two pairing source devices, automatic low-latency mode activation, and support for Google Quick Pair on compatible devices.
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has two customizable buttons along with volume controls
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC Apps and Specs
App support for neckband headphones is unusual, but not unheard of, and the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does come with this feature. The HeyMelody app on Android supports the headphones, and if you use a compatible OnePlus or Oppo smartphone, you can access these settings through the system Bluetooth settings when the headphones are paired and connected.
The actual controls and customization settings are understandable but cover the key features of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC. You get approximate battery levels, the ability to switch between active noise cancellation and transparency modes, basic customization with two modifiable buttons, and equalizer settings. There are four equalizer presets for easy access, but advanced users can choose to create custom equalizer modes based on their own listening preferences.
The key specifications of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC are not expected to change much; the earphones feature 12.4mm dynamic drivers with a frequency response range of 20-20,000Hz and a sensitivity rating of 112dB. In terms of connectivity, the earphones use Bluetooth 5.2 (an improvement over Bluetooth 5 on the non-ANC models) and support SBC and AAC Bluetooth codecs.
On select OnePlus and Oppo phones, app-based features can be accessed through system Bluetooth settings
OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC performance and battery life
The similarities between the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and its non-ANC predecessor go beyond design and specs—even the sound is nearly identical. While the customizable EQ means you can change it as needed, you get a pronounced bass-heavy tone for a natural, flat EQ setting.
For my review, I connected the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC to a OnePlus 9 Pro and an Apple iPhone 13 Pro. Considering there is no support for advanced Bluetooth codecs and the headphones use the AAC codec on both smartphones, I didn’t notice any difference in sound between the two source devices. App settings are only accessible on OnePlus devices, but that’s the difference between the two platforms.
Design-wise, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is very similar to the older, non-ANC model
As before, the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC are very loud, with volume levels well beyond what most other neckband wireless headphones can achieve. While you’re unlikely to turn it up very high for your own listening purposes, you’ll still be able to achieve loud enough listening levels even at the 50% volume mark. In particularly noisy environments you may want to set it to around 70%, but any setting beyond this range is unnecessary and unsafe.
Depending on the type of music you typically listen to, aggressive-sounding bass can be a good thing or a bad thing. For example, the uptempo and fast attack of most of Croatia Squad’s tracks sounded excellent, and the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC easily replicated the sound signature and huge subwoofer-style feel of an EDM concert.
On the other hand, when listening to Dua Lipa’s “Dance The Night,” the song’s vocals and melody seem to be overpowered by the powerful bass. Of course, you can use the equalizer settings to turn the sound down a notch if you want, but there’s a certain intensity to the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC’s sound signature that I found difficult to switch out – at least when listening to the right music for this purpose. This can lead to some listening fatigue over time, but oddly enough, it’s part of the fun for me.
The big change with the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is that the earphones come with active noise cancellation, which is pretty good for a pair of earphones priced around Rs. 2,000. Most low-pitched ambient sounds, both indoors and out, are appropriately drowned out, leaving only a faint hum like the whirring of a ceiling fan and the occasional breeze.
Overall, this is a usable level of ANC that will come in handy when listening to music and talking on the phone, no matter where you are. Transparency mode sounds a bit too contrived and over-amplified, and I generally avoid using it. Call quality is also good for the most part.
Power is controlled via a magnetic switch, which often turns the headphones on accidentally
For a neckband-style wireless headset, the battery life of the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is impressive, especially considering that ANC has been added as a feature. With ANC on and volume at moderate levels, I got about 18 hours of use from the headphones on a single charge. The 220mAh battery charges quickly, and fast charging ensures that even 15 minutes of charging is enough to fully charge the battery; this is still something where competitors can’t match the OnePlus.
judgment
The neckband wireless headphone market isn’t what it once was, and is largely limited to today’s affordable segment. However, there are still some worthwhile options, and you do get better performance in terms of good hardware and features in exchange for giving up the convenience of a true wireless connection. The OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC isn’t a completely different or revolutionary product by any means, but it’s enough to keep its price relevant.
Bass-heavy performance is hit or miss depending on the type of music you listen to, and the magnetic power switch is easy to accidentally turn on, but the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC delivers on just about everything else, including good active noise cancellation . You can also choose to buy the non-ANC variant for a little less, but in my opinion, it’s worth spending a little more for the ANC variant.
Svlook
