When comparing V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless vs Parrot Zik 3, the Slant community recommends Parrot Zik 3 for most people. In the question“What are the best over-ear, active noise-cancelling headphones with Bluetooth capability which have the option of plugging in the headphones and work once battery runs out? ” Parrot Zik 3 is ranked 4th while V-MODA Crossfade 2 Wireless is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose Parrot Zik 3 is:
The Zik 3 features a solid build. The headband is made out of metal and can flex a good bit without breaking. Headband adjustment is quite stiff, which ensures that your adjustments stay in place. The ear cup surfaces are covered with leather which makes the headphones look and feel premium.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Well-built
These headphones feel high quality, and give the impression that they will last long. The headband is made out of metal which is very resistant to damage, yet also is quite flexible. The ear cups are made of thick plastic and not feel brittle, while the aluminum shields add a satisfying heft and premium feel to the headphones.
Pro Boosted treble and highs
The Crossfade 2 Wireless produces detailed audio with a good level of oomph. The highs are boosted, so you’ll be able to hear a lot of detail from your music. However, the high frequencies do not get harsh, so these are quite easy to listen to for extended periods. The bass is powerful, as with most of V-Moda’s headphones. However, the bass does not sound bloated, so overall clarity of the audio is still very good, and the punchy bass helps make music sound more exciting.
Pro Comfortable
These headphones won’t have a pinching effect on your head. The ear cups as well as the headband feature really thick cushioning, so these headphones will feel very soft on the head.
Pro Great battery life
You’ll get long hours of wireless music listening off these headphones. The Crossfade 2 can deliver around 13 to 14 hours of music playback from a full charge. Should the battery run out, these headphones can also function wired, so you can go on with your music listening.
Pro On-ear cup buttons
You can easily control your music using the buttons on the left ear cup. You get a pause/play/skip/digital assistant button, as well as volume adjustment functionality.
Pro Clamshell case is included
These headphones can get adequate protection from scratches and bumps if you use the included case. It is a hard shell plastic case with a felt inner lining and is durable enough to withstand minor impact. The case is compact (modeled after the headphones when folded) so you can easily fit the case in your bag.
Pro Folds down to a compact size
These headphones can be easy to travel with. You can fold the ear cups and yokes up to the headband, reducing the overall footprint. You can easily chuck these headphones into a bag or large purse with ease.
Pro Very good build quality
The Zik 3 features a solid build. The headband is made out of metal and can flex a good bit without breaking. Headband adjustment is quite stiff, which ensures that your adjustments stay in place. The ear cup surfaces are covered with leather which makes the headphones look and feel premium.
Pro Interchangeable battery
You can remove the right ear cup cover to gain access to the headphones’ battery. You can replace the battery if the performance is diminishing, or you can bring a spare, charged battery to swap in with the depleted one for longer playback use.
Pro Punchy bass with good clarity
The bass reproduction is full and punchy, yet does not get overpowering. Bass hits sound tight, fast and have fairly good depth. The mids sound natural while the highs are clear, yet a bit rolled-off. This allows the Zik 3 to deliver fairly clear sound without getting harsh.
The punchy bass makes these heapdhones work well with popular modern genres like EDM, hip-hop and the like yet can still work well with pop, jazz, classical and similar music genres.
Pro Good at blocking ambient noise
The noise cancelling is fairly effective. While it does not cancel out all ambient noise, the feature reduces a good chunk of it, so it does not interfere too much with your music.
Pro Gesture controls on right ear cup
You can swipe left or right for previous or next track, tap to play or pause as well as answer calls with the headphones on. This can be very convenient, as you do not need to deal with small and difficult to press buttons.
Pro Wired and wireless connectivity
The Parrot Zik 3 features Bluetooth as well as NFC connectivity for wireless use, which is great for modern smartphones or devices. If your music player does not have wireless connectivity, a 3.5mm jack can be used.
Pro Music automatically pauses when taking these off
When you take the headphones from your head or put it back on, the music can automatically pause or resume. The Zik 3's Presence Sensor detects such motions, negating the need to manually pause/play the music.
Pro Decent battery life
From a full charge with all of the audio features on, you can get around 7 hours of listening time. However, if you choose to run these in airplane mode (wired connection with noise cancellation) you can get around 16 to 18 hours of use.
Cons
Con Heavy
The Crossfade Wireless 2 tips the scales at a little over 300 grams which may cause strain on the head and/or neck.
Con Presence Sensor can be too sensitive
At times, even slight unintentional movement of the head can trip off the Presence Sensor, pausing the music. This can get very annoying if it happens frequently.
Con Can be a hassle to take on the go
The industrial design of the Parrot Zik 3 looks amazing, but also comes at the cost of the portability. The ear cups cannot be folded into the headband. You will need to account for its size when travelling. An alternative will be for you to hang these off your neck while on the go, which may not always be comfortable.