PurePlay Z5 are the first wireless headphones I have reviewed from Lypertek and I have been impressed when I take into account performance, price and features.
The Lypertek PurePlay Z5 will not win any design awards due to a shape that goes back to a few years ago. This is not to say that they look bad and in general they prefer a bud with a stem which makes them easier to use. The case and the knobs have a matte black plastic surface without any other color options available. I have been using the Z5 for a while now and they have held up well to bumps and bangs of use.
The case is of medium size but a little bulky in the pocket. I love that it has a flat bottom and the top lid is rounded with a nice Lypertek logo embossed on the top.
The front of the case has a single LED to indicate battery status and the back has a USB-C port for charging. The case can also be charged wirelessly, which is always a welcome alternative.
The buds have a shaft that makes it easy to remove them from the case or ears. I also think that handling earphones with shafts avoids accidental and unwanted touch controls.
The outside of each knob has a silver ring and a touchpad for controls. You can use touch to control calls, ANC modes, volume and call your voice assistant. The touch controls work well and it is good that you can customize them via the PureControl ANC app.
The speaker end of the Z5 earpiece is oval and you get ten different earbuds in the box. Eight of these are made of silicone but you also get two sizes of memory foam-based ear tips. The latter provides the best seal and in my tests sound quality, but your mileage may vary. I found the PurePlay Z5 to be comfortable to wear after going through all the available lace options and had no problem wearing them for long periods of time.
With ANC enabled, you can get up to less than an average of four hours and a more respectable seven hours with ANC off based on 50% volume. However, I rarely listen to headphones for longer than four hours at a time and you get four extra charges from the case for a total of 28 hours.
PurePlay Z5 has an IPX4 waterproof rating for odd splashes or heavy sweat.
They have most of the latest audio codecs including aptX, aptX Adaptive, AAC and SBC but not LDAC.
Bluetooth 5.2 ensures a stable connection for up to 10 meters and they connect to your paired device as soon as you remove them from the case. Unfortunately, they do not support simultaneous connections to two devices. There is also no wear detection, so they do not pause / play when you take them out of the ears and insert them again.
Lypertek’s PureControl ANC app lets you see the battery levels for each bud but not the case. You can update firmware and change ANC and ambient sound modes, but you can also enable auto-ambient. This is activated automatically when you stop / pause playback. When you resume playback, the earbuds return to ANC or normal – depending on your initial settings. I thought this was a very convenient feature. You can press either button to pause the music to talk to someone and auto-ambient will change the profile to ambient so you can hear what is being said without having to remove the headphones.
The app has a seven-band equalizer with preset and custom options. There is also LDX which provides a fully programmed and easy to choose audio profile specially designed for PurePlay Z5. Lypertek says that this adds power, energy and breadth for those who want more. LDX really makes a difference but is subtle and can be turned on or off.
Finally, the app helps you find your buds if they are outside the case via Find My Earphones on a map based on the most recent known location.
I was able to test the Lypertek Z5 on a flight and they do a decent job of reducing engine noise. I also thought that the foam tips were the best for both active and passive sound insulation, but I would not consider the ANC to be as good as the best on the market. The ambient mode sounds natural and I could hear myself clearly when I call, which is a big plus in my book. I find it very disturbing when my voice is muted during a conversation.
For a set of wireless headphones in this price range, the PurePlay Z5 has no right to sound so good. They are nicely balanced with a fairly neutral sound signature. Medium and treble offer lots of clarity with warm tones and decent levels of detail.
While some headphones will immediately impress with thumping bass, I discovered that after listening to a wide range of genres on the Z5, they offer a more enjoyable listening experience with a warmth and openness that is not always found in wireless headphones at this price.
And the best thing is of course that you can fine-tune the sound further via the EQ in the app. It is also worth noting here that the ear tips will affect the sound signature as well and my tests were done primarily with the foam tips. I also thought that the sound changed slightly with the ANC, which is not ideal.
Lypertek PurePlay Z5 are not the most stylish or first-class earphones I have tested, but they offer excellent sound quality and good ANC with a smart auto-ambient mode. The large selection of earphones really helps to find the best fit and sound quality that goes beyond what most suppliers supply with their earphones.
Lypertek PurePlay Z5 130 € at www.gear4music.ie
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