Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC review (2023)

Offer active noise cancellation and solid audio performance in a waterproof design.

Adidas has a lot of prestige, so a pair of earbuds like the Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC already has a lot of brand recognition, even though the two brands don’t seem to go together. Everyone wants a piece of a market that is growing quickly, and this is no different. Adidas is one of those brands whose name and emblem are known all over the world.

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC: Description

Its history in clothing doesn’t indicate that its tech goods will be a sure thing, but in this case, it’s more about licensing and style than anything else. Zound Industries licenses and makes items like the Z.N.E. 01 ANC wireless earbuds, which are likely designed to appeal to a wider audience in terms of style and function.

It wouldn’t be fair to merely call these copies of the AirPods, as they are more than just a set of stems. They have both active noise cancellation (ANC) and an ambient mode called Awareness, which makes them like many other earbuds on the market. You may also change them a little bit with the sliders in the settings section of the Adidas Headphones app.

At this point, I’d expect all of those, including the ability to use apps, from earbuds that cost this much. What’s more important is how well they do. The good news is that the Z.N.E. 01 ANC are really comfy and perform a fantastic job of blocking out background noise. It works best with low-frequency noises, and when the slider is all the way up, it can block out higher frequencies.

Pros and Cons

Pros

  • IPX5 water resistant
  • Comfortable, secure
  • Decent sound quality

Cons

  • Some connectivity issues
  • Build quality could be improved

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC: Specification Table

SpecificationAdidas Z.N.E 01 ANC Headphones
Headphone TypeOver-ear
Driver Size40mm
Frequency Response20Hz-20kHz
Impedance32 ohms
Sensitivity100dB
Active Noise CancellationYes
Bluetooth Version4.1
Battery LifeUp to 20 hours
Charging Time2 hours
Weight330g
MicrophoneBuilt-in
ControlsTouch-sensitive earcup
AccessoriesCarrying pouch, charging cable

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC: Design

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC review

The Adidas are a little set of wireless earphones. Each earbud has a stem that fits on your earlobe while the ear-tip fires sound directly into your ear. The fit is tight at first, which keeps the wearer from hearing what’s going on around them. The small-to-large ear-tip sizes give you more room to adjust the fit to your ears.

The housing of the Z.N.E. 01 ANC is constructed of something that feels like hard plastic. It is light yet rough. Even though Adidas says their shoes are comfortable all day, I didn’t feel that way for long periods of time. When I wore the headphones for around 40 minutes, they gave me a dull ache, which got worse when I wore them in chilly temperatures.

The touch controls on the Z.N.E. 01 ANC work really well. There’s a nice push and sound when you press a button, and the control scheme is easy to get the hang of. The controls for playback (play/pause and track skipping) are the same on both sides. The Adidas Headphone app lets you change things up with custom actions (holds).

The charging case is just as small as the earbuds, and it has a worn aspect that makes it stand out from other packing. The Z.N.E. 01 ANC earbuds have an IPX5 rating, which means they can stand up to low pressure and a steady stream of water. In theory, this means you could wash them.

App Features

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC review

The Adidas Headphones app, which is available for both Android and iOS, enables you access several functions, like as on-screen ANC controls, an Awareness Mode that lets you hear what’s going on around you, and some basic on-ear control modifications. You also get an EQ section, although Adidas didn’t do a great job with it. You can’t change the five bands of EQ manually; instead, you have to choose from several presets. This is a big omission, since most other machines in this price range have this capability.

In the settings menu, you can also make custom actions, which are just typical functions that you can set to a long-press on the earpieces. You should download the app to get the newest firmware upgrades, however because Adidas is a sports company, we expected to see some kind of sporting function.

Sound Quality

Zound Industries gave the Z.N.E. 01 ANC a touch of sound. On modern songs, the lows stand out and hold up well, and the mids and highs sound surprisingly good. There’s enough music here to keep you happy on your way to and from work and while you’re working out. Green Day’s “Basket Case” helped me get ready to hit the road with its smashing cymbals and peppy snare hits that didn’t come on too hard.

Some bass fans might think that the low end isn’t strong enough, but I thought it was very well-balanced to maintain the production sounding good. The pulsing bassline in “Turn It Up/Fire It Up (Remix)” by Busta Rhymes got my adrenaline going around a mile into a run. It had just the appropriate amount of power without taking away from the song’s other great parts, like the vintage Knight Rider synth sounds.

The companion app has an equalization built in so you may change how the sound sounds. You can choose among Adidas, Rock, Pop, Electronic, Hip-Hop, and Vocal Boost. Adidas is the default. The Adidas EQ doesn’t enable you manually change frequencies and make your own sound profile as other EQs do. This isn’t a deal-breaker, especially because the presets do a good job with the types of music they are meant for. Hip-Hop provides bass more punch, and Vocal Boost is a no-brainer for ballads and podcasts.

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC: Performance

Depending on the pricing, the Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC competes with the Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro, the Jabra Elite 7 active, the Jaybirds Vista 2, both of the Google Pixel buds, and alternatives from Apple and Beats. Even though there is a lot of competition, the Adidas choice stands out. For me, it’s all about how well the design works.

Even while the case might let you fully charge the earbuds 4 or 5 times, that isn’t enough to make up for the low 4.5 hours of ANC-enhanced listening time. But the bumps on the sides make it easier to hold on to. Even better, the earbuds have the same design. It’s a simple thing, but it makes them easy to grab and easy to live with. When it comes to everyday use, so many truly wireless headphones fail, yet Adidas really succeeds in this area.

Given how much a good pair of headphones costs, most people only have one set. The Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC stay in place while riding a bike. They aren’t too tight, but they don’t move either. In this circumstance, the Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC are a good choice. Later, when they are in the kitchen talking on the phone, the extension and the ridges make it easier to grab them. Even if you wear them for a few hours while working or on a long commute, they never get too uncomfortable. Either earbud works when I’m cycling outside or talking on the phone.

Battery Life and Connectivity

The Adidas Z.N.E 01 should last about five hours on a single charge, and the case will add another 20 hours. In a pinch, you can get 1.5 hours of playing from a rapid 15-minute charge. Even though most earbuds last 6 hours or more these days, the battery life is not the best. But with the case, these should be good enough to survive through a week of workouts and leisure listening.

Bluetooth 5.2 lets you connect, and setting it up for the first time is quick and easy on PCs, Macs, and Android and iOS devices. You just hold down the button on the bottom of the case, go to your device’s Bluetooth settings, and finish the pairing process. You can’t quickly switch between devices because there isn’t multi-point connectivity, but that’s not a deal-breaker.

Once paired, however, the Adidas Z.N.E 01 connect fast to your chosen device as soon as they’re taken out of the case and keep a steady connection. The range is mediocre, and if you move to another room, they stop working. If you want to take them to the gym, make sure your device is always close by.

Price and Availability

Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC review

The Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC costs $189 on the Adidas website, but you can get it for $155 on Amazon right now. You can only choose between light grey and night grey. There’s a charging case, a USB-C cable, three sets of ear tips, a user handbook, and a warranty within the box.

Even though it costs less than luxury workout headphones like the Beats Fit Pro ($199), it is also more expensive than well-reviewed variants like the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro ($149) and the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC ($99). All of these have something in common, such ANC, customized sound, and support for companion apps. Mark our top headphones offers page so you can find out about all the latest sales on wireless earbuds.

Final Words

Like the RPT-01 on-ears, the Z.N.E. 01 ANC are good in certain ways and about average in others. They sound much better than I expected they would, however there are some problems with comfort, noise cancellation isn’t great, and the battery life isn’t great either. Still, you should think about them, especially if you’re interested in the Adidas Running app.

John Brister
John Brister
Meet John Brister, the prolific content writer renowned for his perceptive comparison articles on Bollyinside. Specializing in topics ranging from TVs to headphones and other accessories, John's knack for breaking down intricate details into reader-friendly insights has garnered him a dedicated following. Beyond his literary pursuits, John is an avid swimmer and equally passionate about tracking, often exploring new trails and routes, feeding his sense of adventure.

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The Adidas Z.N.E. 01 ANC headphones are one of the most comfortable and user-friendly options in the crowded true wireless headphone segment. The noise cancellation is top notch and the physical design is fantastic. However, they come up short when it comes to battery life and app performance.Adidas Z.N.E 01 ANC review (2023)