Bring a comprehensive sound experience - listen to the innovative Zen Hybrid Pro
2024-03-21 / tech
Although many new TWS earbuds have been launched recently, innovation has not ceased in the development of over-ear headphones. Indeed, we have recently received a new over-ear headphone model from Creative, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI. This product can be said to embody the latest wireless audio technology as well as Creative's unique "black technology." What are its features? How does it perform in practice? Follow this article to delve deeper into it.
Product Specifications
Wearing Style: Over-ear
Connection: Bluetooth 5.3
Audio Codecs: LC3+, LC3, AAC, SBC
Noise Control: Hybrid ANC, Ambient Mode
Driver Unit: 40mm full-range titanium-coated dynamic drivers
Frequency Response: 20Hz~20kHz
Battery Life: 80 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)Charging: USB-C
Special Features: Ultra-low latency mode, Super X-Fi, voice assistant support, DDN noise reduction technology
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Dimensions: 151mm × 80mm × 184mm
Weight: 282g
Reference Price: 1099 yuan
Series Flagship with a Refreshing Design
The sample received by MC, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI, belongs to the new Creative Zen Hybrid Pro series, which includes three sub-models: Zen Hybrid Pro, Zen Hybrid Pro Classic, and Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI. In simple terms, the three models are identical in most aspects such as headphone drivers, battery life, Bluetooth technology, and noise control. The differences mainly lie in whether they have a detachable boom microphone, different types of audio transmitters, and hardware support for Super X-Fi technology. The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI is the flagship model of the series that integrates all the features.
Compared to Creative's previous Zen Hybrid over-ear headphones, the Zen Hybrid Pro series adopts a completely new design style. Taking the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI as an example, the first impression it gives is a stronger sense of fashion, in line with the current popular minimalist aesthetics. The headphone casing is oval-shaped, with a circular flat surface on the front, devoid of any unnecessary decorations except for the "ZEN HYBRID" lettering and the RGB light ring. The integration of the Y-shaped headband with the headphone casing is also neat, giving the front view of the headphones a strong sense of unity.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI is a compact and lightweight type among over-ear headphones, with a metal frame for the headband and the Y-shaped headband, and the exterior is made of lightweight plastic material. With excellent craftsmanship and fine coating, its overall texture remains good, with a delicate touch. In terms of practicality, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI is also well-considered; the ear cups can be adjusted for pitch and yaw angles, as well as folded inward for flat placement. However, a portable carrying bag is not included in the accessories. Users who need to use it outdoors may consider purchasing a carrying case for easy portability.The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI features a combination of different materials at points where it comes into contact with the user's face, ears, and the top of the head. The ear cushions are wrapped in a very soft leather material with thick memory foam filling inside, and the ear cups are lined with breathable mesh fabric marked with gold L and R letters.
The headband is covered with a breathable fabric featuring a honeycomb pattern, and the inner side of the headband that comes into contact with the head is also filled with soft material. However, compared to the filling of the ear cushions, the texture feels different: the ear cushion filling is slower to rebound and softer; the filling on the inner side of the headband is more responsive when pressed by hand. The ear cushions are designed to be replaceable, allowing users to choose different materials for the cushions to achieve greater comfort.
The headband of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI connects to the frame with a telescopic structure, providing a clear sense of increments when adjusting the length. When worn, it should be contracted to the shortest length, placed on the head, and then adjusted downward by holding the ear cups with both hands. The damping is moderate, and the feel is quite good. As mentioned earlier, the Y-shaped frame of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI headphones has multi-angle adjustment and folding functions, making it easy to adjust the headphones to a comfortable and fitting position during actual use. The weight of only 282g also brings a very comfortable wearing experience. The ear cups can just encase the ears, and the soft ear pads reduce the pressure on the ears and face, providing a comfortable wearing sensation. The pressure of the headband inward is moderate, and the pressure on the top of the head is slightly greater. I would be accustomed to adjusting the headband position backward to reduce the pressure on the top of the head, without significantly affecting the stability of the wearing.
In addition, the passive noise reduction effect of the headphones is excellent, effectively isolating the noise from the surrounding environment. Considering the overall performance of comfort, stability, and portability, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI is quite suitable for use on the go. Even without purchasing a carrying case for it, when not listening to music, pulling the headband frame to the longest and hanging it around the neck feels quite relaxed.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI has quite a few actual buttons, distributed on the lower part of the frame of both ear cups, making them easy for users to operate. On the right ear cup, there are up and down track selection buttons, a play/pause button, and an ambient control button. Additionally, the USB-C charging port is also located on this side.
The left ear cup features a microphone mute/unmute button, a multifunction button, and a volume dial. The volume dial is a design I really like because volume adjustment should be the most frequently used function, and the dial offers a much better experience than button operation. The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI comes with a detachable boom microphone, and its connector is also located on the ear cup on this side. In terms of actual operation experience, buttons located at the back of the ear cup are more convenient to operate, such as the volume dial, power switch, ambient control, and play/pause button, which are easy to operate with the thumbs of both hands. The front buttons are relatively more awkward to use, requiring operation with the index fingers of both hands, but their functions are not as commonly used, so the impact is minimal. The buttons on the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI are well-spaced, and the power switch even features a special concave design, making it easy and accurate to locate them by touch.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI does not provide a 3.5mm headphone jack, and the USB-C port is only for charging, so it cannot be used as a wired headphone; it is a completely wireless headset.The latest Bluetooth technology is now integrated with innovative "black technology" in the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI, which notably supports Bluetooth LE Audio (LE Audio). The included BT-L4 SXFI audio transmitter also features a built-in Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip, allowing users to experience the unique Super X-Fi holographic audio technology for an immersive listening experience in gaming, movies, and other applications.
Let's start with Bluetooth LE Audio, which enables the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI to support not only common audio encoding formats like AAC and SBC but also higher quality LC3+ and LC3. Additionally, the headphones support Broadcast (BIS) mode, facilitating seamless audio sharing. LE Audio operates in two modes: Unicast mode (CIS), which transmits audio from one device to another audio device, and Broadcast mode, which sends audio from one device to multiple devices.
Users can connect the BT-L4 SXFI audio transmitter to a PC, laptop, or smartphone and enter Broadcast mode by pressing the transmitter's button twice. They can also switch between Ultra Low Latency (ULL) mode and Unicast mode by pressing the button three times. The working status and mode can be determined by the color and display pattern of the indicator light on the transmitter. Headphones that support LC3+ and LC3 can then connect and operate under these encoding formats, with the transmitter automatically selecting the supported format based on the audio device.
If operating and determining the working mode through buttons and indicator lights requires a learning curve, connecting the BT-L4 SXFI audio transmitter to a laptop's USB-C port and switching modes via the Creative application on the computer is even more convenient. In the "Device" - "Bluetooth Device" menu of the application, I enabled Broadcast mode and experienced it with the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI and the innovative Zen Air Pro TWS earbuds, which also support Bluetooth LE Audio. Both headphones searched for and connected to the wireless audio signal emitted by the BT-L4 SXFI from the laptop and began playing content, with the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI's status indicator light displaying purple. If there are other headphones that support Bluetooth LE Audio Broadcast mode, they can also listen to the content being played on the laptop. The experience is akin to the laptop becoming a radio station, with any audio device that supports the mode able to receive the "station's" broadcast, making it very easy to share sound. According to the application's description under Broadcast mode, the wireless signal it emits can be received by an unlimited number of Bluetooth headphones that support the broadcast signal, making it useful in both work environments for video conferences and quiet listening scenarios at home.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI not only employs the innovative "black technology" of Super X-Fi holographic audio technology but also integrates the Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip into the BT-L4 SXFI audio transmitter. Super X-Fi holographic audio technology is an AI-integrated audio computation technology that uses computational audio to reconstruct the listening experience of high-end multi-speaker systems found in professional studios, customizing personal audio for users through a simple head and ear mapping process. Before applying it, users take photos of their face and both ears with the Sound Blaster App on their smartphone, which generates a personalized audio setup based on the head and ear model. At this point, connecting the BT-L4 SXFI audio transmitter to the smartphone allows the "Use Personalized Head and Ear Model" feature to be activated in the App. The built-in Super X-Fi UltraDSP chip adds holographic effects to various music and sound effects in real-time at the hardware level.
In addition to using it on smartphones, users can also install the SXFI application on PCs and laptops, and after logging in, the head and ear model data from the smartphone will be synchronized.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI also supports innovative gaming sound modes—SXFI Battle Mode and Scout Mode—which enhance immersion in games, strengthen sound details, and provide users with an immersive audio experience in games, allowing for better sound localization.
I personally experienced the effects of the Super X-Fi technology. First, when listening to music, I compared it with and without the feature turned on, and the most noticeable change was in the difference in the soundstage space. With it turned on, the music's soundstage expanded significantly, a full-dimensional expansion, both in terms of horizontal and vertical space and depth. The layers of the singer and the accompaniment became more distinct, with a clearer and fuller imaging contour, slightly pushed back in position, and the sound details were presented at a moderate level. The low frequencies were also a significant change, with noticeable increases in quantity and elasticity, and improved transient performance, without becoming muddy, maintaining good cohesion. The high frequencies were slightly brighter, with improved extension, while still maintaining a comfortable listening experience, not dry or harsh. This feature provides a stronger sense of presence for listeners when playing large-scale music and live performances. However, in pop music dominated by vocals, I prefer not to turn on this feature.
When watching movies, the characteristics of the Super X-Fi technology can be fully utilized. I listened to several monster battle scenes from the movie "Godzilla vs. Kong 2". The most noticeable change after turning it on was the sense of envelopment in the sound effects and music during large-scale scenes, the kind of sound atmosphere that can only be experienced in a movie theater, with a stronger sense of immersion. At the same time, the soundstage space also expanded significantly, with clearer sound layers, full and powerful low frequencies, and a sustained sense of diffusion.I also experienced the performance of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI in games like "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds". With the SXFI Battle Mode enabled, the in-game sound effects become more prominent and focused, such as gunfire, grenade explosions, and footsteps, which are all rich and clear. Moreover, the spatial positioning and accuracy of the in-game sounds have improved, making it easier to perceive the direction from which the sounds are coming.
External environmental sounds can be let in and also eliminated.
The Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI features hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC). It is designed with four dedicated microphones on the left and right sides for hybrid active noise cancellation, combining the mixed method of feedforward and feedback ANC systems, capable of eliminating up to 98% of surrounding environmental noise. Of course, the popular ambient mode is also available on the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI. Once activated, the surrounding environmental sounds can be clearly transmitted to the ears, allowing users to better understand their surroundings or communicate easily with others.
It is recommended that everyone installs the Creative App on their phones, through which various settings for the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI can be adjusted. Upon the first connection to the Creative App, a firmware update window pops up after a successful connection, indicating that an upgrade to the latest firmware is available. The main functions of the App are concentrated on the home page, including battery display, equalizer, active noise cancellation/ambient mode, and lighting. By clicking on "Environmental Control," users can select active noise cancellation and ambient mode, or turn them off. Both active noise cancellation and ambient mode have five levels from minimum to maximum, allowing users to choose different levels according to their situation to achieve a moderate noise cancellation or ambient mode effect.
Through the App's "Equalizer," users can choose from dozens of preset EQs, not only including music genres such as classical and pop but also covering games, movies, and even specific EQs for certain games like "Cyberpunk 2077," "Genshin Impact," and "Counter-Strike."
The RGB light ring on the front of the headphones can also be adjusted in color within the App, with customization options for up to 16.8 million colors. For users who do not like light decorations, they can also choose to turn it off.
I personally experienced the active noise cancellation and ambient mode of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI. In fact, after putting on the headphones, I could feel that some of the surrounding noise was isolated. With the maximum level of active noise cancellation enabled, the surroundings became quiet all at once. In the office, the sound of the air conditioning unit and some low-frequency noise were mostly blocked, and the sound of footsteps on the floor and keyboard typing became more restrained. When walking outside on the street, various noisy sounds can be effectively eliminated, and the tire noise of passing vehicles is suppressed around the wheels, with very weak diffusion. It is commendable that even at the maximum level of noise cancellation, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI does not exert significant pressure on the ears, making it comfortable to wear for extended periods, and I recommend everyone to keep it at the maximum level regularly.
After switching to ambient mode, it is evident that the surrounding sounds flood into the ears. Compared to the listening experience without headphones, the former's sounds are more concentrated around the ears and have a stronger sense of three-dimensionality. Compared to in-ear headphones with ambient mode, I believe the effect of ambient mode is more pronounced on over-ear headphones. This is because in-ear headphones are not as sealed as the latter, and some products can allow users to relatively easily hear the surrounding environmental sounds even without enabling ambient mode. Even without using the active noise cancellation feature, the excellent sealing of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI reduces the likelihood of users hearing surrounding sounds, making the ambient mode more important. As for the level selection, I think the maximum level can be chosen in indoor environments, and the second or third level can be selected in outdoor environments.With active noise cancellation (ANC) turned on, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI's built-in battery can support up to 80 hours of playback. When ANC is turned off, the playback time can reach an impressive 100 hours. Additionally, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI supports fast charging, achieving the effect of "5 minutes of charge for 5 hours of listening."
40mm Driver Unit
Audio Quality is Praiseworthy
Creative has adopted a custom 40mm full-range titanium-coated dynamic driver in the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI. I connected the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI to my phone via Bluetooth and listened with the noise cancellation mode on. The sound signature of the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI leans towards a pop-oriented style, with a slightly warm tone. The bass is ample, with moderate depth, providing a relaxed listening experience without being muddy, and it does a good job of conveying the atmosphere of the music. The vocals are full-bodied, with just the right amount of character added without affecting the fidelity of the tone. I particularly enjoy its rendition of male vocals, which are dense and detailed, making for a more engaging listening experience. The high-frequency section offers a clean and transparent sound, with moderate overtones and a slightly limited sense of extension. In terms of soundstage creation, without the "black technology," the scale is relatively small, but the positioning within the soundstage is still clear and distinct.
In Conclusion
Creative can be considered one of the most proactive manufacturers in promoting Bluetooth LE audio in new headphone products, and most of its recently launched TWS and over-ear headphones provide support for it. From the experience with the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI, it indeed has practical applications. Especially its broadcast mode, which can greatly expand the application range of wireless headphones and enhance the user experience, making it more convenient to share sound.
Returning to the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI, it not only features a brand-new design but also boasts a more fashionable and refined appearance. The foldable, multi-angle adjustable headband and stand make it both practical and portable. More importantly, it has comprehensive features, from Creative's own pride, the Super X-Fi technology, to active noise cancellation, ambient mode, and detachable boom microphones. Whether for listening to music, watching movies, or playing games, the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI has targeted features to enhance the user's auditory experience in various applications. It can be said that the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI is the culmination of Creative's over-ear headphones. With a sufficient budget, I would recommend the Zen Hybrid Pro SXFI among the three products in this series, as it offers a comprehensive audio experience for users.
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