Parrot Zik 2.0 Might be the Smartest Headphones Around

The Parrot Zik 2.0, a follow up to the Bluetooth and noise cancelling Zik, have some new features and a slightly different shape. The aptly named Zik 2.0 weigh 270g, which is 17 per cent (or 55g) lighter than its predecessor.

It recovers all the original features, especially the large trackpad which this time is made of a soft-touch leather exterior. The right earcup has gesture controls for playback and volume, with NFC and the removable battery on the left side.

The headphones have no exposed metal, but still retain their touch and gesture ability. It retains the dual, near-ear sensors; one of which recognizes when the headphones are on your head (to pause and play music when you take them on and off) and the other, a bone-conduction sensor, picks up voice vibrations so it knows when you’re speaking, which helps with noise canceling during phone calls.

Parrot said the headphone has been redesigned from the ground up to address user feedback, and the most immediate difference you’ll notice is a weight loss. Parrot also tweaked the headphones’ overall battery life, which was addressed by giving users the ability to choose how they want to use them. Each mode comes with its own battery life rating. There’s Flight Mode, which gives listeners up to 18 hours when plugged in via wire. There’s Eco Mode, which gives seven hours of the noise-cancelling effects. And for those who want to go all out on features over Bluetooth, you’ll get up to six hours.

There’s a ‘Street Mode’ which is quite interesting. The headphones, using some of the built-in microphones, reinserts some of the surrounding ambient sound back into the headphones. This could be beneficial if you’re walking on a busy street, so you can still hear the traffic, or as Parrot points out, you can hear your own voice in your ears while talking on the phone.

With Zik 2.0, Parrot has leveled up the internal tech with a higher-grade DAC (digital-to-analog converter), which it says creates cleaner sound, as well as better noise cancelling and a new app that allows you to customize the way you want your music to sound with advanced EQ settings, in addition to adjusting how much noise-cancelling you want.

Zik 2.0 comes in six colors and is set to be available in November on the Parrot website and at Apple and Brookstone retail stores at $399.