Creative Zen Hybrid 2 review: Understated over-ears that deliver warm vocals and strong bass

The Zen Hybrid 2’s mostly plastic construction keeps weight down (287g). This may not appeal to everyone but is par for the course in this segment of the market. The headband sliders and earcup folding mechanism are reinforced with metal, providing added durability where it counts.

The cushioning on the headband and earpads was soft but remained comfortable even after three to four hours of use at a stretch. The leatherette material felt thin, so this could affect durability in the longer term.

My personal litmus test with over-ear headphones is whether they completely enclose my ears comfortably. The Zen Hybrid 2 did this easily, fitting completely over my relatively large ears. In non-airconditioned environments however, this also meant that they felt unusually warm.

The Creative Zen Hybrid 2 is controlled by three multi-function physical buttons on the right earcup. The volume button for instance, pulls double duty – push to make it louder, press and hold to make it softer.

AUDIO QUALITY

The Zen Hybrid 2 includes a 3.5mm audio jack so it can be used as an unpowered set of headphones. It’s a nice backup option but sound quality in wired mode is muffled – the Zen Hybrid 2 sounds best in ANC mode. While testing, I listened to the Zen Hybrid Pro 2 at its default flat sound profile and with device volume set to 50 per cent.

Music

These headphones sound best with ANC activated. In this mode, they produce warm vocals with a well-rounded sound profile that emphasises bass notes, without making tracks sound muddy. This apparent on a variety of rock and pop tracks, from Dua Lipa’s Levitating to The Vines’ Ride and Green Day’s Strange Days are Here to Stay.

Movies

This sound signature also makes it well-suited to action movies. John Wick: Chapter 4’s action sequences were immersive and conversations in The Penguin’s character-driven drama were warm and clear.

Latency – when there’s a delay in the sound and the on-screen action – wasn’t an issue. I tested across multiple platforms (Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, free-to-air channels), devices (phones, tablets, TVs, consoles) and Blu-ray discs.

Phone calls and meetings

The Zen Hybrid 2 is equipped with five omnidirectional mics that work with noise-cancelling algorithms to filter background noise. I used it on voice calls at the peak of lunch hour and on Zoom meetings and found it easy to hear other people on calls.

NOISE CANCELLING IRL: MRT, FOOD COURT, HOME

I put the Creative Zen Hybrid 2 through its paces on one of our underground MRT lines, the office food court during lunch and at home.

With my device volume set at 50 per cent, it blocked low, constant background noise. In the office food court, it reduced background noise significantly. Train noise and higher-pitched sounds and passenger announcements were still audible although significantly reduced.

At home, I ran a robot vacuum cleaner set to maximum power. Without any audio playing, the headphones reduced this to a soft drone. With music at 50 per cent volume, this was only slightly audible.

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