If you are looking around for a decent pair of wireless headphones, you have many options. While most are over the head and standard earphone sized ones that look a bit bulky and not so easy to carry around, there are others that are completely wireless to the core. Samsung and Apple had recently launched a great pair of wireless earbuds that are tiny and fit into the ear similar to a hearing aid. However, the prices are exorbitant and almost unaffordable. And the fear of losing one of the earbud is another issue. So what is the alternative option without compromising on quality?
ZOOOK had recently launched their wireless earbuds that makes an excellent choice if you don’t want to spend too much or give up on quality. The French company’s ZB Rocker TwinPods are pretty much similar in size of that you see on the Samsung Gear IconX or the Apple Airpods, sans the protruding tail. Though you can cut down on almost half the price, you should know that you will have to sacrifice on a few features too.
The ZOOOK Twinpods can be considered as a budget alternative to the IconX or the Airpods. However, at the price of Rs 5,499, it still does not sound as cheap, especially when you can get almost three to four pairs of in-ear headphones (wired) in the same cost. But these are different — and you won’t regret spending that little extra dough.
The ZOOOK TwinPods sport a similar body and design as seen on regular wired earbuds. They are Bluetooth-enabled (v4.2) and pair with each other to form a stereo headset. Operational distance is up to 33 feet with no obstacles. The TwinPods have a single button each, which help with powering on the devices, pairing them with the smartphone and also to take and receive calls. You can also use the button to pause and change music tracks by merely pressing the buttons. Sadly, we did expect the TwinPods to feature a touch button to do the job as pressing the buttons need a bit of precision, especially when you are running or doing some activity. Touch buttons could also help with possibilities of changing the volume as you would have to reach out to your smartphone to do that.
Coming back to the design, the TwinPods are fairly light and very comfortable. It bundles along with three pairs of extra silicon tips and a charging case and a supporting USB cable. The earpods weigh just around 7g each and feel like they almost aren’t in. the ear tips are sweat resistant, and the comfortable snug fit makes them suitable for running or exercise.
Both the earbuds have LED indicators for connectivity, power and pairing. When unused, you can place them in the case for easy mobility. The case itself is a charging dock for the earbuds. When placing them inside, the earbuds are charged and will be ready for action when you need them. You need to charge the case once in a while to ensure you never run out of power. Each earbud can last you a couple of days on a full charge, with moderate usage and clubbed along with the charging case. However, the company states that the earbuds can last you a maximum of 3 hours of continuous playback time on a single full charge. The charging case can additionally provide you with 16 hours of playback time.
Pairing the TwinPods is pretty simple. The single button on each earpod needs to be pressed (at times simultaneously) in order to pair with each other after powering on. For pairing with the smartphone, you need to initially press the button for a longer period (around 3 – 5 seconds) and the pairing can be complete. The rest is taken care of. Turn on your music, set the volume and be deaf to the world.
As for the performance, we see no issues in this department. The music is almost at par with most high-end earbuds we have used till date. The built-in CVC Noise Isolation technology does an impressive job with ambient sound disturbances. For those concerned with the audio performance, we can ensure you that the highs and mids are very clear. Though the bass is good enough, we found it to be lower than usual. It lacks deep bass that one would expect from an earbud. However, if you don’t cherish deep bass, these ones are just suited for you. Call quality is also great, although we did find some of our vocals being muffled on the other end when on a call.
The ZOOOK Twinpods are an excellent choice for those who need earbuds with a completely wireless solution. Unless you can spend for the higher brands, the ZOOOK is a good alternative. With regards to audio, build and performance, the ZOOOK ticks our checklist with ease.
