INTRODUCTION

   I recall a time when the most impressive portable audio device in my possession was a Philips Waterproof Discman that came bundled with a nice pair of earphones which to me they seemed to perform better than anything i had ever used in the past. Because of that and also because of the price tag that particular Discman had i never actually even thought about finding something better and i left it at that (i still have that Discman in very good condition). That however was roughly 15 years ago so today i always try to find the best headphones and earphones in the market not only because it's what i do obviously but also because i really want to see how much technology can advance until having to change the entire concept behind the how such devices work. Noontec is a company we just learned of almost 2 months ago and since their headphones have won quite a few awards around the world we decided to take a few of them for a ride the first of which is the ZORO HD (High Definition) Fashion Hi-Fi Headphones.

   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.

   During the past 2 years we've seen a very large number of small and lightweight headphone sets designed for people who not only wish to use them in the comfort of their homes but also in other places such as the gym or while on the go. Personally i always like to use earphones when I’m on my way to someplace since i like a more settle approach and i don't really like drawing attention to myself. However it wasn't until just recently that i actually saw the difference between a normal headset and one of the really small ones when used out in the open (this occurred in the local superstore when two kids came in one wearing a Dr.Beats headphone set and one wearing a quite larger one by Sennheiser). Unlike me however it seems that noontec is well aware of this so their Zoro HD headphones are not only very small and very light but they are also very durable. Specs-wise things are equally good since noontec has chosen to use two 40mm dynamic drivers featuring a frequency response of 13Hz-26KHz with 32 Ohm impedance and 108dB sensitivity. How do all of the above translate in terms of performance is something which we will see later on.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Noontec packs the Zoro HD inside a white box with a product picture at the front right next to their logo and the HD meaning.

A picture of the headphones this time folded is placed at the rear of the box.

The front opens up like a box to reveal a product picture used to showcase the main features on one side and a small clear plastic window on the other from where you can see part of the product along with the available color versions.

Along with the Zoro HD Headphones you will also receive a nice cloth carrying pouch, 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable and the instructions manual.

THE ZORO HD

The Zoro HD headphones are primarily made out of glossy plastic (piano crafting varnish) which gives them the very low weight of 147g.

I was actually surprised to see that the Zoro HD is even smaller than the Jabra REVO Wireless headset.

Noontec has placed their logo on the exterior of both earcups.

The product name is placed on both sides just over the two headband joints.

Left/Right markings are placed on the interior right above the earcups.

The 3.5mm input port is placed at the bottom of the left earcup.

Both earcups feature a protein skin-friendly material which according to noontec is breathable and will not instigate skin allergies through long term usage (all i know is that it looks nice and is quite soft).

The material on the interior of the headband is not much but regardless we had no issues with it since it’s enough for the lightweight design of the headphones.

You can extend the headband a total of 25mm on each side via 10 visible increments.

As seen on the previous page the Zoro HD can fold to reduce their size and make it easier to carry. The hinges are reinforced with steel so it takes a bit more power to fold the headphones but that's a good thing in the long run.

The company name and logo are also placed on the exterior of the headband.

Noontec has used a special material called TPE (Thermoplastic elastomer) to make the flat audio cable and has also added an in-line microphone along with an answer/end call button.

Both 3.5mm connectors are gold plated and have the company logo placed on them.

CONCLUSION

   The Zoro HD is the first headphone set we've received from noontec so based on the specifications sheet i was hoping that it would stand out of the crowd and after testing it for 5 days in a row i believe that it does at least partially. You see i used the Zoro HD with a wide variety of PC games (using the X-Fi Titanium HD), two smartphones and my Archos MP3/4 player and although i found out that it offers very good and clear audio reproduction with near excellent/crisp mids/highs (enough to impress me actually) i can't say the same about its bass levels since they were very low. At first i thought that the 40mm dynamic drivers used in this particular unit didn't react well when watching movies so i switched to play a few games followed by several songs only to find out that they just didn't want to produce a good amount of bass. Of course i can't expect miracles from 40mm sized dynamic drivers and i never do but i was hoping for more. A pleasant surprise was the in-line microphone since it's one of the best we've ever encountered with similar solutions but it doesn't seem to feature noise-cancelling technology so it also records loud surrounding noises (much like most similar headphone sets).

   Although i wouldn't recommend the Zoro HD by noontec to heavy metal and jazz music lovers the fact is that it's a very good set of headphones with quite a sturdy frame (that can also fold) and extremely good mids/highs so the current price tag of USD82.29 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 70Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) didn't come as a surprise to us. In the end it's all about what use you'd like to get an set of headphones for so if you want it to listen to music that doesn't have much bass or even to watch movies and play games then the Zoro HD is more than just ideal to you. The small and light frame is also a plus for people who'd like to use the Zoro HD out in the open without wanting to attract much attention not to mention that it's surprisingly comfortable. Personally my only problem with the Zoro HD Fashion Hi-Fi Headphones is the lack of bass but since they excel in every other area we are giving them our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Steel Reinforced Hinges / TPE Cable)
- Design
- Accurate And Crisp Mids/Highs
- Comfortable (Just 147g / Protein Breathable Earpads)
- In-line Microphone
- Carrying Pouch Included
- Can Fold (Less Space Required)
- Gold Plated Connectors
- Available In Several Colors

CONS

- Lack of Bass