Our Verdict
The Parrot Zik 3 make for decent everyday headphones. They have an above-average sound quality that's highly customizable. They also isolate enough for most environments and do not leak much. This makes them versatile enough for most use cases but their short battery life may be somewhat of a deal breaker for some listeners. Also although they perform much better than typical Bluetooth headphones, they still have a bit too much latency to be suitable for gaming and watching movies.
- Great sturdy and durable design.
- Feature packed.
- Minimal self-noise generated by ANC.
- Sensitive touch controls.
- Poor treble audio reproduction.
Decent for neutral listening. They have a have a moderately well-balanced sound with a lot of bass. However, they also have a slight bump in the high-mid that pushes instrument a bit too forward in the mix but isn't as detailed because the treble is a bit recessed. They also have a closed back design that prevents them from creating a spacious soundstage. But on the upside, you can always EQ them to sound a bit more the way you like, and although they won't be the best headphones for more neutral listeners, their sound quality should be good enough for most.
Good for commuting. The Parrot 3 are comfortable and have a decent control scheme. They're well built but are not too cumbersome and additionally their great adaptive noise canceling works well in loud environments. They would fare well on a busy commute or noisy flight.
Decent for sports use. They're comfortable and wireless, with a good control scheme. However, their size and design are not be optimized for strenuous exercises. They will make your ears fairly warm and they are not the most stable headphones for more intense exercises.
Suitable for office use. They don't leak much at regular volumes and isolate enough to prevent the ambient noise of a lively office from seeping into your audio.
Below-average for gaming. They have a decent sound with a lot of bass and a good wireless range. Unfortunately, they have a mediocre-at-best integrated mic and a lot of latency which is not really suitable for gaming.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Aug 10, 2017: Converted to Test Bench 1.1.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Parrot Zik 3.0 are well-built headphones with a decent, slightly bass-heavy sound quality that's easily customizable with the Parrot Zik app. Their noise canceling is also efficient enough to block the ambient noise of most environments and most commutes. Unfortunately, the touch-sensitive control scheme can get a little frustrating and their battery life is a lot shorter than some of the more recent headphones we've tested. See our recommendations for the best over-ear headphones, the best closed-back headphones, and the best wireless headphones.
If you want a wired headset, then the Bose QuietComfort 25/QC25 are a better choice but if you prefer a wireless option for most of your use cases, then get the Parrot Zik 3/Zik 3.0 Wireless instead. The Parrot have a lot more features and also come with an audio cable to use wired. They have a sturdier more durable and premium looking design than the Bose. They also have a customizable sound since they are active headphones that come with a good app. The Bose, on the other hand, have a much more comfortable over-ear fit that you can wear for hours without fatigue. They also have a slightly better sound quality and an easier-to-use design for most users.
The Parrot Zik 3.0 are slightly better than the Parrot Zik 2.0, but not by much. The Zik 3.0 have a slightly more durable design with earcup pads that will last longer than on the Zik 2.0. The Zik 3.0 are a bit more customizable and have fewer bugs in their software than the Zik 2.0. The 2.0, on the other hand, have a slightly stronger isolation profile that isn't as adaptive but cancels a bit more noise overall.
The Bose QuietComfort 35/QC35 Wireless 2016 are a slightly better wireless headset than the Parrot Zik 3/Zik 3.0 Wireless. The Bose are a lot more comfortable and lightweight when compared to the Parrot. They're also easier to use with a better-balanced default sound and a much longer battery life. They also have a slightly stronger isolation performance, but you cannot control their level of isolation. This is where the Parrot performs better than the Bose. They have a lot more customization options that you can edit and change with the Zik app. You can EQ their sound quality, noise cancellation, and even room effects. You can also share presets with other Parrot owners. Lastly, the Parrot are much better built and look more premium than the Bose.
The Sony WH-1000XM2 are a slightly better wireless headset than the Parrot Zik 3.0. The Sonys have a much better battery life and a more optimized and adaptive noise cancellation feature than the Zik 3.0. They're also easier to use with a better-balanced default sound and a much longer battery life. They also sound a little better than the Zik 3.0 out of the box and have a better wireless range. On the upside, the Parrot Zik have a slightly sleeker and more durable build quality. They also leak a bit less at higher volumes and have less latency for watching movies and playing video games.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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