INTRODUCTION

   Once upon a time it was extremely hard for consumers and especially audiophiles to find a Bluetooth wireless headset with balanced audio performance, respectable battery life and a compact enough size for used while on the go. I'm obviously exaggerating since this was actually just a couple of years ago but thanks to advancements in technology and the never ending competition between manufacturers today things have changed for the best. Granted such headsets are still quite rare to come across in the market today and most of those do cost quite a bit but there are always some manufacturers willing to go the extra mile in order to offer products with a good price/performance ratio. Noontec may not be the first name to come in mind when you think about a high quality and performance wireless headset but their latest Zoro II Wireless Limited Edition model with its quite interesting specifications could change that.

   Noontec is founded on his commitment to bring all end-users fabulous personal experiences and feelings with his own consumer electronics featured by elegance, fashion and high quality, Noontec now is presenting fashion Hi-Fi headphones, HD media players, Android TV BOX and Apple accessories; Most of them with honorable Design Awards, are well received and have gained a highly reputation all over the world. Embracing the idea of continually bringing superb personal experiences & feelings to the end-users, noontec has been strictly observing the international standards to elaborate every individual product. Hence, noontec branded products have internationalized developing management, fashionable design conception and globalized sales channels.

   Just like the quite successful wired Zoro II HD headset the Zoro II Wireless headset also wears two 40mm Votrik HD400 dynamic drivers that feature a frequency response of 13Hz-26KHz with 32Ohm impedance, 108dB sensitivity and a maximum power of 60mW. The Zoro II wireless headset also features Bluetooth v4.0 connectivity with NFC (near field communication) and A2DP (uses aptX audio codec by CSR), 3.5mm port (can also be used wired), steel reinforced hinges for extreme durability, foldable design, dual built-in microphones and a 650mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack which gives it up to 35 hours of music playback. So is it safe to assume that the Zoro II Wireless is basically a Zoro II HD headset with added Bluetooth v4.0 connectivity and a few extra goodies? I certainly hope so and that's why it's time to continue with the rest of our review.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

 We received the Limited Edition model inside a white box which as expect has a product picture at the front right beneath the company logo.

Some of the features are mentioned on the left side of the box.

A few words about the product are printed in 9 languages at the rear of the box right beneath yet another product picture.

Packaging is very good especially since the headset is placed in its carrying/storage case.

Along with the Zoro II Wireless Limited Edition headset and its carrying/storage case the package also contains a 3.5mm cable with gold plated plugs, USB to micro USB charging cable, wireless pairing guide, user manual and a warranty information paper.

THE ZORO II WIRELESS LIMITED EDITION

 Weighing just 190g the Zoro II Wireless Limited Edition is less than 30g heavier compared to its predecessor the Zoro II HD.

In terms of size the headset is almost identical (perhaps a tad larger) to the Jabra REVO Wireless.

The company logo is placed on a piece of metal placed on the exterior of both earcups.

Right above the left earcup we see the NFC area and the product name.

Left and right markings are placed over the earpads.

The 3.5mm port is placed at the base of the left earcup while at the base of the right one we see the micro USB charging port.

At the rear of the left earcup Noontec has placed the power button/answer/end calls and pause music button and four LEDs showcasing the current battery life (in 25% increments).

Noontec has also placed two buttons at the rear of the right earcup which can be used to increase/decrease the volume and change tracks (previous/next).

Unfortunately although quite soft and comfortable the earpads are small and that means limited noise isolation.

Just like the Zoro II HD headset the Zoro HD Wireless also features a foldable design to reduce size.

The headband extends up to 2cm on both sides (4cm total) via 7 increments visible from the interior.

Here you can see just how spacious the carrying/storage enclosure really is so you can also store the cables inside not just the headset.

Typically the company name is imprinted on the exterior of the headband.

CONCLUSION

   Our first encounter with Noontec was with their Zoro HD headphones which proved far better than we had originally hoped with surprisingly good mids and highs. Still due to their severe lack in bass levels they were far from great so Noontec took things to the next level with the release of the Zoro HD model which brought significant improvements in that specific area. Well the new Zoro II Wireless Headset is basically identical to the Zoro II HD model since leaving out some minor audio tweaks made by Noontec we had a hard time telling them apart (yes once again we placed the new guy up against the old one). Mids and highs are very clear and accurate just like with the Zoro II HD while in terms of bass levels/richness i could go as far as to say that the Wireless models does even better (slightly). Everything else also remains pretty much the same from the design of the headset and the materials used (the Limited Edition we have here is indeed slightly different to the normal - piano finish - one due to the "volcanic rock" powder coating) up to the steel reinforced hinges which offer impressive durability. The dual microphones is a good touch but they are probably not of the noise-cancelling family since people on the other end could hear background noises when talking with them (still better than what most wireless headsets offer). As for battery life we may not have been able to cross 27 hours of continuous playback which is not even close to the 35 hours reported by Noontec (as we've stated numerous times in the past these numbers are reached with the volume levels at mid and not at max) but the good news is that you can recharge the headset while using it to listen to music wirelessly a feature not supported by most similar headsets in the market. I also liked that the limited edition model is not just different in coating but that it also comes bundled with a durable carrying/storage case which is obviously better than any carrying/storage pouch.

   The Zoro II HD headset didn’t come very cheap and we were actually fine with that since it combined very good audio quality/clarity with plenty of bass (for its size) with a rather compact and durable frame. The Zoro II Wireless Limited Edition Headset continues on that successful recipe by adding Bluetooth v4.0 connectivity and a large enough battery pack that allows it to keep going for an impressive 35 whole hours. Unfortunately although the asking price of USD119.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) is quite reasonable the same can’t be said about the 180Euros you are required to pay if you live inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk). Overall the Zoro II Wireless Limited Edition Headset has it all, compact size, durable frame, foldable design, very clear and accurate mids and highs, good bass levels and even a nice and again durable carrying case and although we just can’t justify the asking price in the EU (we did cross reference it and it’s not just Amazon) it still deserves our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Steel Reinforced Hinges)
- Compact Design
- Accurate And Crisp Mids/Highs
- Bass Levels
- Up To 35 Hours Of Battery Life
- Comfortable (Just 190g / Protein Breathable Earpads)
- Dual Microphones
- Foldable Design (Less Space Required)
- Gold Plated 3.5mm Cable
- Bluetooth And 3.5mm Wired Use
- Carrying/Storage Case Included
- Current Price (USA)

CONS

- Current Price (EU)
- Noise Isolation Could Be Better