When comparing Parrot Zik 2.0 vs Sony MDR-1000X, the Slant community recommends Sony MDR-1000X for most people. In the question“What are the best headphones for blocking out open office noise?” Sony MDR-1000X is ranked 4th while Parrot Zik 2.0 is ranked 8th. The most important reason people chose Sony MDR-1000X is:
The ear cups can be folded into the headband. This reduces the headphones' size so that it can easily fit inside bags.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Detailed highs and punchy bass
The highs are the highlight of the Parrot Zik 2.0's sound signature. They are very clear and crisp without adding any harshness to the sound. The bass is also very good as the headphones can produce a very satisfying rumble and punch in the low end. The mids are slightly recessed, so instruments like guitars and the vocals are not too prominent, but are still clear.
Pro Decent battery life
From a full charge with all of the audio features on, you can get anywhere from 5 to 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.
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 2.0's Presence Sensor detects such motions, negating the need to manually pause/play the music.
Pro Tapping on the outsite of the cup activates Siri or Google Now
Pro Wired and wireless connectivity
The Parrot Zik 2.0 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 Light and comfortable
Pro Excellent adaptive noise-cancellation
Consisting of 8 microphones (4 inward facing, 4 - outward) these headphones have excellent noise-cancellation. A feature called "Street Mode" uses the microphones to add noise from the outside to whatever's currently playing allowing you to be aware of your surroundings. You can also adjust how much outside noise you wish.
Pro Informs of who's calling
Pro A number of color variants available
Aside from the sleek looking design, the Zik 2.0 also comes in a number of colors including black, white. blue, red and many more. These options are great if you have a specific color preference.
Pro Right ear cup accommodates gesture controls
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 Companion app offers lots of customizability
There are iOS and Android companion apps for advanced settings. These allow for equalization, virtualization, turning noise-cancellation on and off, changing output frequencies and sound stage among other things. These settings can be applied on an artist/album/song basis and shared with other owners of Zik headphones.
Pro Headphones can fold down to a more compact size
The ear cups can be folded into the headband. This reduces the headphones' size so that it can easily fit inside bags.
Pro Good noise isolation
These have great noise isolating properties and can block out a good amount of sound even with the noise cancelling off. The ear cups are closed back, the ear pads go over the ear and seal well, and this effectively minimizes sound leakage to and from the headphones.
Pro Quick Attention mode allows easy conversations
If you need to talk while using these, all you need to do is to cover the right ear cup with the palm of your hand. This activates Quick Attention mode which cuts off the music and amplifies voice for easy conversation. To get back to listening to music, all you need to do is to remove the palm from the ear cup.
Pro 4 noise cancelling modes to choose from
Users can set the feature to fully on or off, or set it to Ambient Sound which then offers 2 more options. Normal Mode allows some outside noise through, while Voice Mode allows voice frequencies through the noise cancelling.
Pro Effectively cancels outside noise
The MDR 1000x's active noise cancelling is one of the best in the market today. With the mode activated, a significant amount of outside noise is blocked, allowing you to really enjoy your music with minimal distractions.
Pro Noise cancelling otimizer
The noise cancelling optimizer runs a series of quick tests, with beeping noises, to adapt to ambient noise.
This is handy against construction work noise in front of your window.
Pro Can be used wired or wireless
You can use these headphones wired using the detachable 3.5mm cable or you can go wireless with Bluetooth.
Pro Fun-sounding with good details to the audio
The bass is impactful and controlled and works really well with most genres that are popular today. The mids are slightly forward at just the right levels, which ensures that the vocals can be clearly heard. The highs are emphasized and sound great with a lot of clarity and detail, especially on the upper registers.
Pro Right ear cup functions as touchpad remote
Swiping or tapping on the right ear cup's surface can pause or play track, go to the next track or go back to the previous one and can control volume levels as well.
Pro Built in mic makes taking calls very easy
There is a built in microphone which negates the need to remove the headphones to answer a call.
Pro Carrying case allows for easy and secure transport
This comes with a carrying case that is made from high quality materials. It should provide extra protection to the headphones against scratches and minor impacts, which are quite common when taking these while traveling.
Pro Long battery life
The internal battery can give up to 20 hours of listening to music.
Cons
Con Charging can be slow
You may need to remember to charge these headphones on a frequent basis. It takes around two and a half hours to charge this battery from empty to full, which may be too long, especially if you are always on the go.
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 2.0 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.
Con Highs can be too piercing
The boosted highs add a lot of detail to the sound that these headphones produce.This also makes it too harsh for some.
Con Weight can cause comfort issues
If heavy headphones are not your thing, then these may not be for you. The use of quality yet hefty and the internal battery contributes to the overall weight. As such, these can put a little extra strain on the head and neck when worn for long periods.