Treblab Z2 Wireless Headphones Review

Treblab Z2 Wireless Headphones

Bluetooth:
5.0

Battery Life:
Up to 35 Hours

Noise Cancellation:
Yes (ANC)

Signal Range:
33 Feet

Technical Specifications

Wireless Technology	Bluetooth 5.0
Signal Range	33 feet / 10 m
Battery	620 mAh
Playtime	35 hours
Charging time	3 hours
Phone Calls	Built-in mic, cVc 6.0
Functions	ANC, Voice Assistants

Without knowing too much about Treblab other than their products typically being well-received and affordable, I went into this review with an open mind and little in terms of expectations.

While the packaging doesn’t influence a product’s performance, I think we can all recognize that the aesthetic of the box can have some sway in how we view a company’s legitimacy. Treblab’s packaging looked clean, professional, and yet still exciting.

Inside the box, you’ll find the Treblab Z2 wireless headphones, a ribbon-style aux cable with an answer button for phone calls and a built-in microphone, a small carabiner, a charging cable, and a protective carry case.

Because these are made to primarily be wireless speakers for active use, I can understand why Trelab went with the shorter cables. The auxiliary cable is 4-foot long, which can be annoying if you have your computer set up further away from your desk. Ideally, I’d have liked to have seen an aux extension cable included, just to make it easier to use for those who do want to use them for regular computer use as well.

The charging cable is, however, unbelievably short (around 2 feet), meaning in most cases you will need to remove the headphones before putting them on charge. Again, this is something that was probably waved due to the focus on it being an active headphone. Thankfully, the Treblab Z2 does use a traditional micro-USB charger, so most of us probably already have several others lying around that we could use to solve this issue.

With most modern mobile phones having only a USB-C port, I’d have liked to have an Aux to USB-C adapter included since that is what would be used by most active individuals who are connecting these to their mobile source component. I can’t think of any compact, portable devices that I own that still uses an aux output.

The Design & Features

When I first picked up the Treblab Z2, I immediately noticed how light they were compared to other headphones I have lying around the testing station. The lighter weight makes them easier to carry around with you to the gym or when wearing them out on a run.

The Z2 has closed-back swivel earcups, meaning you’re able to get more flexibility and subsequent comfort depending on the shape of your head. They also prove useful for pulling to the side to hear someone talking to you without removing the whole earcup from your ear. This may not seem important, but the reality is that it will end up reducing the strain on the headband, which in and of itself seemed quite narrow compared to what I’m used to.

From a purely aesthetic standpoint, I feel the silver metal area of the headband connection points when the band is extended, are a little out of place. I don’t think this would really change anyone’s purchasing decision, but just from a personal preference I’d have liked it to be black and create a more solidifying appearance from the side. I have no doubt that many may prefer the silver tone more, however.

The matt black plastic design of the lower headband and outer earcups has a very pleasing, soft touch to it, despite also feeling durable.

Treblab has opted for a few branding placements on the Z2, with the logo on the earcups, the brand and model name written in small text on the lower part of the headband, and then finally having Treblab written along the top of the headband. Despite this sounding like a lot of branding, they actually come across quite tastefully. This is mostly thanks to the Treblab logo on the earcups looking like just a part of the design choice, while the headband text is a clean debossed logo that doesn’t take away from the design.

The left earcup features the ANC (Active Noice Cancellation) controls, while the right allows you to control your playlist and volume.

A pleasant surprise was the addition of an IPX4 water-resistance rating. While one does not typically see water-resistance ratings on headphones very often, the fact that these are water-resistance makes a lot of sense.

The Pairing Process

The headphones automatically enter pairing mode when you hold the power button down for 5-seconds. This was something I had a little bit of trouble with at first, in the sense that the headphones were turning on but not entering power mode. I followed the Treblab troubleshooting guide and within a few minutes, I had it rectified. Holding both the volume buttons down for several seconds turned the headphones off and perhaps does a bit of a ‘hard reset’ because after turning them on again they entered pairing mode successfully.

The power button can be a little tough to find if you don’t get the hint from the small lump on the center button. The center button (play/pause) doubles as the on button, so this is what you’ll want to be holding in to turn them on.

How Do They Feel?

Despite my initial concerns about the width of the headband and how that may impact the comfort, I’ve got to say that the Treblab Z2 are some of the more comfortable headphones that I’ve used in this price bracket. I was able to easily keep them on throughout the day at a desk without ever feeling like my head or ears were ever under any kind of pressure or discomfort.

I found that the swivel feature in the earcups made it easier to place them comfortably on the head with minimal need for additional adjustments. They also make it easier to find that perfect fit with small adjustments in their position. The earcup padding, while not as soft as that of the Sivga SV021, is still impressive and doesn’t cause any discomfort, even when used with sensitive skin over an extended period.

When it comes to using them wirelessly, I was concerned that due to the comfort there may be a sacrifice made in having them remain stable through exercise. I was pleasantly surprised to find that through all activities I tried (jogging, weight lifting, and housework), I found the Z2 remained firmly in place. One area in which I find wireless headphones often suffer is that they tend to become loose or fall off when leaning forward; for someone at the gym, picking up new weights regularly, this can be a real pain so having the Treblab Z2 sit firm while remaining comfortable was great.

Battery Life

Here’s where the Treblab Z2 really shines. The Z2 makes use of a 620 mAh battery which is capable of providing up to 35 hours of use, despite the charging time only being around 3 to 4 hours. I was initially hesitant about the Z2s battery being as impressive as so many people claim, but during my testing, I found that my experience echoed these positive sentiments. I was able to get through several full day’s listening before needing to charge them each time.

The Treblab Z2 also brings with it a battery-saving function that turns the headphones off after 10 minutes of audio not being detected. This has been one of the few controversial points on the Z2 because some have claimed that their headphones shut off while they are using them. I personally never encountered this at all. Despite listening to streams, music, and Youtube videos at varying volumes, I didn’t have any cases where the headphones switched off during use.

If you’re using the Treblab Z2 for your gym workouts or your jogs around the neighborhood you’ll find that you can go for great lengths of time without having to charge them.

However, should one encounter this problem, Treblab has offered a way to turn off the battery saving mode, which essentially disables the feature through Windows (please note that the Treblab manual only covers how to do this for Windows 7/8/8.1/10.

How to Disable the Treblab Z2 Battery Saving Mode

If your Treblab Z2 headphones are turning off during use, follow the following steps in order to disable the battery saver mode and move the Z2 into stereo mode only.

Windows 7/8/8.1

Step 1. Connect headphones to your computer using the aux cable.

Step 2. Right-click the volume button on the bottom right taskbar and choose the “Playback devices” option.

Step 3. You’ll be provided a list of your devices, right click on the one that says “TREBLAB Z2 Hands-Free” and select “Disable” (leave the “Treblab Z2 Stereo” device as is).

Step 4. Ensure that any applications you use are set to use the default audio device.

Windows 10

Step 1. Connect headphones to your computer using the aux cable.

Step 2. Click the start menu then click the gear icon (settings)

Step 3. Then on the left of the new window click the “Sound” option

Step 4. On the right of the screen, there will be an option for “Sound Control Panel”, click this to open up your playback devices.

Step 5. Right-click on the one that says “TREBLAB Z2 Hands-Free” and select “Disable” (leave the “Treblab Z2 Stereo” device as is).

Step 6. Ensure that any applications you use are set to use the default audio device.

Sound Performance

Now to what is arguably the most important factor of any audio device, the sound quality.

Overall, the sound performance is very good for the price range. You’re going to get a sound signature that works well for most vocal-orientated music, while still offering depth with electronic tracks. The bass is good, though can become a bit distorted when pushed at max volume on already bass-heavy tracks. If you’re a bass-head and need something with a broad, punchy bass – you’re going to have a hard time finding it in this market space.

When put under the microscope the Treblab Z2 comes across as very pronounced on the mid and high-end frequencies, not to the point where it becomes obnoxious, but there is definitely a focus in this area. There are a couple of peaks that do present themselves, particularly in the mids. The bass performs is best in the mid frequencies of the bass range, too low and one starts to get a little distortion when the volume is pushed, while the higher end of the bass frequency is sometimes drowned out a bit by the more aggressive mid-tones.

While the Treblab Z2 isn’t particularly targeting gamers, there are a lot of customers who buy these for that exact reason. In turn, it only made sense that I see how I find the performance in a gaming situation. The sound quality itself was enjoyable, I was worried that the peaks in the mids and highs may cause less than ideal experiences in FPS where a lot of the weapon sounds fall into this range, however, I found the sounds to be quite level in practice and the directional sound was good too.

The biggest downfall when using these headphones, for PC gaming at least, is that the aux cable doesn’t come with a split for audio input. So while I was able to use the mic wirelessly with my phone, my computer wouldn’t detect any microphone when connected with the provided wired aux option.

In closing, I don’t think you’d be disappointed by the sound quality of the Treblab Z2 wireless headphones. It’s not the most balanced sound signature, with emphasis on the mids and highs – but it still sounds good and I know that personally, having audiophile quality isn’t the most important part of picking up a pair of headphones for active use.

ANC (Active Noise Cancellation)

I feel as though the ANC of the Z2 was better than that of the Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, which I also recently reviewed. It is able to reduce outside noise by a good amount, particularly the lows and perhaps the lower end of the mid-frequency as well.

While active noise cancellation often seems out of place with certain products, it fits perfectly with Treblab’s approach to the Z2. It’s going to help reduce the distractions of outside noise at the gym, and even reduce the interference of car noise when going out for a jog.

This ANC feature can be toggled on and off with ease as well, thanks to the button placement on the left earcup. You won’t need to jump into any additional apps to change this functionality.

Are They Worth Buying?

I feel as though I can honestly and confidently recommend the Treblab Z2 as a great set of affordable, wireless headphones. If you’re an active person looking for a pair of headphones for the gym, running, or even just using around the house, it’s difficult not to recommend the Treblab Z2.

You’re getting an IPX4-rated wireless headphone that is not only extremely comfortable but boasts some truly impressive battery life and audio quality that exceeds that found in a lot of competitor models.

If you’re only planning to use these at the computer, there are other choices out there for a bit less money that also offer great performance. Something like the HyperX Cloud Core Wireless DTS for example may make more sense if you’re looking for a pair of wireless gaming headphones in this price range. And if you aren’t particularly worried about whether it’s wired or wireless, you can always take a look at our list of recommended gaming headphones under $100 over here.