TOZO may be known for its fantastic range of wireless earbuds, but they’re rapidly becoming a contender in the over-ear headphones market, too. Much like how many of their earbuds offer class-leading feature sets at attainable prices, their headphones continue this trend, offering affordable yet high performant Bluetooth headphones and, as we are reviewing here, ANC headsets.
Table of Contents
The TOZO HT2 is an affordable hybrid active noise cancelling headset that is compatible with phones, tablets, laptops and can also connect to any device with a 3.5mm headphone port. Lightweight, comfortable and with an audio-tune customised for daily use, the HT2 has surprised me in all the right ways.
There are a couple of areas where I think TOZO could make improvements, but considering the price and that this is one of their newest over-ear headphones, I think TOZO has made a fantastic headset.
What’s in the box?
- HT2 Headphones
- Detachable 3.5mm audio cable
- USB-C charging cable
- Carrying pouch
- Quick-start guide
Design and build
I love some of the detail that has gone into the HT2. Anyone familiar with TOZO products will recognise the clean black-on-black design, but the way it has been integrated is very tasteful. The foldable design allows the headphones to store easily in the included pouch, making them ideal for travel or office use.
The ear cups are made of hardened plastic with a smooth matte finish. This is purely cosmetic, however, as the HT2 is a closed-back headset. The ear cups are chunky without being oversized, and they are very well assembled, with no creaking components when flexed.
The earpads are stuffed with plenty of soft foam and coated with supple leatherette. It’s very comfortable, but it can make your ears quite warm compared to fabric coverings. I found the sizing to be ample to completely cover my ears and wearing the headset correctly created a very effective acoustic seal, which is important for both sound quality and passive noise reduction.
TOZO has judged the clamping force perfectly; some headsets can squeeze across your temples or below your ears but these sit perfectly for my taste. The HT2 is also well suited to glasses-wearers, as the ear pads are soft enough that they won’t press on the arms and cause discomfort. It’s not quite on the same level as premium ProSpecs padding, as you do lose the seal slightly, but that’s a common thing glasses-wearers have to put up with, unfortunately.
Features and controls
All of the controls are located on the right ear cup, and I found them very easy to locate and operate. I like how it only takes a single press to turn on the HT2, rather than a press and hold; it’s a very minor quality of life improvement, but it’s one of those things that once you try it, you wonder why that isn’t the standard.
From top to bottom on the ear cup;
Power on/off and pairing, indicator light, USB-C charging port, 3.5mm jack for analogue connection, ANC toggle, volume rocker, play/pause button.
Having ANC control easily accessible is a bonus, and although there is no visual indicator while wearing the headset, there is a voice confirmation (“ANC on”/“ANC off”) so you don’t accidentally leave it off.
The HT2 uses physical volume controls, and they are reliable, without crackle or static noise that sometimes happens with cheaper adjusters.
I’m a little disappointed that the HT2 does not have custom onboard profiles without the app. The TOZO app, which is quite basic, gets the job done, but the omission of onboard EQ profiles feels like a missed opportunity. It’s not too hard to adjust settings within the app, but if you are using the headset on devices without the app, you are limited to the default sound profile.
Connectivity
The TOZO HT2 is a Bluetooth wireless headset, which can also be used with other devices via the included 3.5mm cable. Users will appreciate that the HT2 is very simple to pair with devices, so it is a straightforward plug and play connection. Although it has a USB-C connector, this is only used for charging and does not transmit audio.
You can use Bluetooth with phones, tablets and laptops, or use the analogue connection when the battery is low. This makes it a great all-round headset if you have multiple devices and don’t mind switching between wireless and wired as needed.
Wireless range is above average, maintaining connection up to around 7 metres without any drops, but this lowers if there are obstructions or interference. As this headset is geared towards travel and daily use you likely won’t have any issues with wireless range or connection stability, and I found the range more than adequate to allow wandering off to grab coffee or take a call away from your desk.
An unexpected but useful feature is that if you connect the HT2 with the 3.5mm cable it turns off the headset completely, so you won’t be running the battery down. This is useful if you use your headset as a multi-purpose device; you can use Bluetooth during travel, then switch to wired at home, knowing you have plenty of battery left. However, there is a minor drawback in that ANC cannot be used in wired mode.
Sound Quality
Much like my colleague Andy noted when he reviewed other TOZO models, the HT2 has a very specific tuning for general listening. Rather than the bass-heavy profile many manufacturers use, the HT2 has a mostly neutral profile, with an emphasis on the mids and lower high end that makes the audio sound bright and clear. If you listen to a lot of different music styles you will appreciate this even more, as its native tuning is similar to enhanced modes on other headphones, adding clarity and a nice boost to vocals and instruments.
It’s refreshing to hear a sound profile that acknowledges what its target users need. The bass is still punchy, but it’s not overwhelming, allowing mids and treble to shine through.
There is a minor tendency for the sound to become muddied when there’s a lot happening across all frequencies, but compared to other headsets in this price range, performance is above average. Overall, I think TOZO has nailed the balance, especially in a headset that can often be picked up at an affordable price.
Although this tuning is great for daily use, it lacks warmth. If you spend as much time watching movies as you do listening to music there are better options, but it’s hard to complain when this is a very specific tuning that TOZO has chosen. As long as you have access to EQ within the app you can adjust it, but without adjustment, it does not give the cinematic impact that some may want.
Microphone quality
The microphone is about what you’d expect from a headset in this range. Clarity is decent but bass tones are subdued, meaning it’s not an accurate representation of your voice. It has an omnidirectional pickup pattern, which is great for picking up your voice if your mic is a bit out of place, but it will pick up background noise like keyboard clicks. This is another area where custom software controls would have been convenient, though I managed to fine-tune call quality using the app and device settings.
The mic connection is firm, and the length sits well off the corner of your mouth, preventing plosives and breathing from becoming a nuisance during calls.
Battery life
Battery life is rated at up to 60 hours, which is very good and more than enough for several days of use for most users. There is no detailed battery readout on the headset, but you will get a low battery warning indicating around 15 minutes of use remains before it shuts down automatically.
Although 15 minutes should be enough to finish your playlist or call, a higher threshold warning would be preferable to ensure you can charge before it gets too low.
Charging is relatively fast, even when using a laptop or power bank. Charging after a few days of moderate use took under two hours. The LED glows during charging and turns off when fully charged.
Gaming Experience
I’ve had the TOZO HT2 on my head while running around in Warzone and trying not to die in Rust, and it’s been a good time. The sound is clear enough that you can actually tell if someone is sneaking up when you’re looting, which saves you from those “where did he come from?” moments. Explosions have a decent punch, but it’s not the type that shakes your skull and makes you miss callouts.
Voices come through clean, so you can hear your friend yelling “he’s one shot!” for the tenth time, and it actually sounds like it. They’re comfy, too, so you can leave them on for a few hours without your ears begging for a break, which is handy for those “just one more game” nights that turn into “oh, it’s 2 AM.” The noise cancelling is good enough to drown out your neighbour’s dog while you’re in a last-circle standoff, which I’m grateful for. If you want a headset that just works for gaming without making a fuss, the HT2 gets the job done.
Summary
I’m impressed with what TOZO has achieved, especially as this is one of their first over-ear ANC headsets. It has a clean look and solid build quality that give it a premium feel beyond what you’d expect from a budget headset. The microphone could be improved, and more onboard controls would be welcome, but these are minor issues.
Overall, the TOZO HT2 hybrid active noise cancelling headphones are a brilliant wireless headset within its price range. Sound quality is understandably not on the same level as high-end headsets, but the crisp and clear audio tuning is well suited for music, podcasts and calls. If you are on a budget and want wireless ANC headphones that won’t let you down, the TOZO HT2 is a great choice.
The TOZO HT2 is available on Amazon.