Creative is always producing new audio products that have impressive value for money. Their Outlier Air series of true wireless earbuds were a huge success. And Creative seems to be starting the same for headphones with the new Creative Zen Hybrid. It is a pair of over-ear headphones with Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and Ambient Mode, retailing for S$149.
Unboxing
Inside the box, you will find the following items:
- Creative Zen Hybrid headphones
- Drawstring pouch
- 0.8m USB-A to USB-C charging cable
- 1.2m 3.5mm AUX cable
- Quick start guide
Tech specs
| Driver size | 40mm Neodymium Driver x 2 |
| Frequency response | 20Hz – 20kHz |
| Battery | 27 hours per full charge (with ANC on) 37 hours per full charge (with ANC off) – 1.5 hours charging time to full – 5 min quick charge for 5 hours playtime |
| Weight | 271g |
| Bluetooth version | 5.0 |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, 3.5mm AUX-in |
Design and build quality
Creative Zen Hybrid only comes in one colour, which is white with gold accents used for logo and text. Apart from the circular text surrounding the ear cup, I think the overall design looks quite clean. Creative Zen Hybrid is made from plastic with a matte finish which has decent quality, not the most premium but definitely not cheap feeling. The headband is actually made of a synthetic leather instead of the plastic body, which is kind of cool.
Creative Zen Hybrid can also be folded down for greater portability. I like how Creative included a drawstring pouch to protect the Creative Zen Hybrid when you’re bringing it around. Overall build quality is pretty good given there is minimal flex heard when stretching the headphones.
Controls and connectivity
Creative Zen Hybrid uses physical button controls. The buttons are all located on the right ear cup, which are the power, volume rocker and ANC button. The power button also functions as a play/pause and a trigger to summon your voice assistant. You can refer to the full controls below:
Besides using the Creative Zen Hybrid wirelessly, Creative offers option to use it wired with the included 3.5mm AUX cable. You can still use the ANC or Ambient Mode feature if you power on the Creative Zen Hybrid while listening on wired mode. As for charging, the USB-C cable is located on the right ear cup.
Fit and comfort
Creative Zen Hybrid is generally comfortable to wear. At a weight of 271g, it is quite light and I do not feel much pressure on my head as the headband is also well cushioned. The clamping force feels just nice for my use.
The ear cushions are made from synthetic leatherette which do provide a nice soft support around my ears. The only thing I wished the Creative Zen Hybrid had was larger space in the ear cup. There is enough room for my average-sized ears, but people with larger ears would probably appreciate more space.
Sound quality
The sound signature of the Creative Zen Hybrid is fairly neutral, but not completely flat. There is a slight boost in the bass to provide a warm depth to the overall sound, but it isn’t overly done. Mids are delivered with good amount of detail, but it could do with a little bit more push to be more forward for vocals and instruments to shine. Treble is clean sounding and well balanced for extended listening without fatigue. Soundstage on on the Creative Zen Hybrid is fairly closed for a more intimate experience. Overall, I’d say the Creative Zen Hybrid has a rather well-balanced tuning with slight boost in the low end to offer a slightly warm sound compared to a truly flat tuning.
Using the Creative Zen Hybrid in wired mode seems to offer louder volume and brighter treble as well. As aforementioned, you can use Creative Zen Hybrid in wired mode and turn the headphones on to engage ANC. However, I did find that turning ANC on in wired mode changes the EQ noticeably, causing the audio to sound thin. This wasn’t the case when having ANC turned on in wireless mode.
ANC performance
The word ‘Hybrid’ in the name of the Creative Zen Hybrid, refers to the Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation technology used. It is similar to the Outlier Pro, whereby microphones both inside and outside the headphone work together to accurately cancel noise.
ANC on the Creative Zen Hybrid is pretty good for its price point. It is not as strong as Sony flagships for example, but I feel it does a great job at removing consistent low-end noises such as engine on a bus. Higher frequencies noises such as rail squeal can be still be heard at reduced volumes. The overall ANC effect is not overly done too, so it doesn’t give off any uncomfortable cabin pressure effect.
Ambient Mode
Ambient Mode allows the Creative Zen Hybrid to push in external surroundings sounds into the headphones, so you can be aware of what is going on around you. Creative Zen Hybrid‘s Ambient Mode is feels very similar to cupping your ears with your hand. Voices do sound natural but can be “distracted” but a noticeable focus on wind in the background.
Microphone quality
Microphone on the Creative Zen Hybrid is surprisingly good. Though slightly distant, voice pickup is accurate and clear, with a touch of warmth for a more natural sound. In noisy environments, Creative Zen Hybrid does a good job in cancelling out the noises but the voice clarity also suffers as a result of it. But if you’re purely intending to use this at home for Zoom call, I’d say the Creative Zen Hybrid is a reliable option.
Battery life
Creative Zen Hybrid can provide 27 hours of music playback with ANC turned on, which isn’t too far off Sony WH-1000XM5’s 30 hours. With ANC turned off, you get 10 hours more play time at 37 hours. Creative Zen Hybrid also supports fast charging, of which a quick charge of 5 minutes will give you about 5 hours of use, which is really impressive. Charging is done via USB-C.
Pairing and latency
Creative Zen Hybrid is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0. The headphones automatically goes into pairing mode when switched on, and connecting to remembered devices takes about 4-5 seconds. As for latency, there is no audio video lag when watching YouTube videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11.
Conclusion
Creative Zen Hybrid has most of the bells and whistles that a flagship pair of headphones should have in 2022, and costs just S$149. The ANC and Ambient Mode perform pretty well here, and isn’t just some gimmick slapped on to the spec sheet. If you’re looking for a well-balanced sound profile then the Creative Zen Hybrid is also that. As with all Creative products, you’re getting lots of value for your dollar and this is no expectation.