Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 Review: Outstanding value for money

Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 Review: The true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds market in India has a boatload of options for every need and budget. Doesn’t matter if you’re looking to buy earbuds for a gaming experience that requires low latency and clear mics, or purely for the auditory experience, there is an ocean of TWS earbuds that you can go for. That said, it can be tricky when looking for the perfect earbuds for you. Most of the budget TWS earbuds come with flashy LED lights, which although look pleasing to the eye, do not do anything for the mediocre listening experience they provide. In a saturated TWS market, brands such as Oppo and OnePlus have made quite a name for offering the best listening experience and a wide range of features, all under Rs. 6000.

Now, a new player has entered the TWS market. Headphone Zone has collaborated with Lypertek to bring the PurePlay Z3 to India. This is the first time that Headphone Zone has announced a partnership with an audio brand to create a product that aims to offer an unmatched listening experience. But does it actually manage to hold its own in the face of stiff competition by bigger rivals, especially in densely populated sub-Rs. 6000 segment? After spending a couple of weeks with the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3, I think it offers outstanding value for your money. Here’s why.

Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3: Design, comfort and battery

If you’ve previously seen the Tevi, you’ll find the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 earbuds nearly indistinguishable. The earbuds come in a pill-shaped fabric-covered case which looks and feels premium to hold, along with a lanyard that makes it easier to carry the case. That said, it is a tad too big to fit in the pocket of your jeans (perhaps because of the mammoth battery). The earbuds themselves are made of plastic and carry the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 branding. They are stemless and quite lightweight at just 5g.

The Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 come with four sets of earbuds - Small, Medium, Big and Flexifit foam, offering more sizing options than its competitors. The latter promises a better ear seal and noise isolation. At the back of the earbuds, you’ll find physical buttons for changing tracks, and play and pause controls. This works just as well as intended, even during workouts, although pressing them takes some effort which can make or break your comfort levels. Coming to durability, the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 earbuds are IPX7-rated, meaning they’ll survive even when you’re drenched or you’ve dropped them in a puddle.

The Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 earbuds have an outstanding battery life. The earbuds promise 10 hours of playtime on a single charge, whereas the case gives you a mammoth 70 hours of additional playback time. This is hands down the best figure I’ve seen on TWS earbuds and the claimed figures almost match the real-life usage on most occasions.

Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3: Audio experience

Having a premium design and long battery life can only be considered a plus point if the audio experience holds up. And that is the case with the PurePlay Z3. The earbuds deliver outstanding sound quality for the price, even managing to take on some heavy hitters like the Apple AirPods Pro (1st Generation). They comfortably sound better than others in their price bracket such as the Oppo Enco Air 3 Pro, which until this point, had become my go-to over the AirPods Pro.

While it isn’t entirely an audiophile-quality experience, the neutral sound of the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 stands out no matter which track or genre you’re listening to. The earbuds neither have too sharp a sound that might sting your eardrums nor do they have a heavy and discomfiting bass that gives you a headache. The PurePlay Z3 hit a sweet spot, delivering a pleasing audio experience. In the box, you’ll find a list of test tracks for the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3, which includes Disco Yes by Tom Misch, Bandey by The Local Train and World’s Smallest Violin by AJR. These are cross-genre tracks that help you get the best out of your earbuds.

And if the existing experience isn’t good enough for you, then you can tweak the listening experience with presets present in the PureControl app. There are presets such as Pop, Rock, R&B and Jazz which fine-tune the music. There’s also an LDX mode which dials everything up to 11.

While the sound personalization options are great, the PureControl app itself isn’t. It took me a good half an hour just to connect the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 to it, and when I succeeded, it kept on disconnecting again and again. The earbuds themselves offer a great listening experience but miss out on Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and although the buds, when paired with the Flexifit foam tips provide decent isolation, it isn’t quite the same as ANC especially when you’re commuting. Moreover, there’s a weird humming sound that is constant when music is not playing which I found to be annoying. There’s also an ambient mode that promises to let you hear your surroundings, but it is moderate at best.

Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3: Verdict

Despite shortcomings such as a lack of ANC, the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3 deliver an unmatched audio experience. Priced at Rs. 5999, the earbuds not only leave behind rivals in the same price bracket, but they also manage to hold their own against heavy hitters such as the Apple AirPods Pro (1st Generation). Packed with a premium case, plenty of ear tips and long battery life, the PurePlay Z3 are a great option for those on a budget. The listening experience is pretty surreal on most occasions and it can be tweaked using the companion app. While connectivity with the app is a bit iffy, once everything is set, you’ll not want to switch to any other earbuds for quite a while now.

So, should you buy the Lypertex X Headphone Zone PurePlay Z3? Absolutely, the earbuds deliver outstanding value for money and an audio experience that is near-audiophile quality.