Adidas ZNE 01 ANC Small, Durable Sports Plugs
You're undoubtedly thinking that Adidas can't develop relevant headphones, especially when it comes to sports accessories makers. And you're not far off the truth; Adidas audio is owned by Zoundindustries, which also owns Marshall and Urbanears - two brands that aren't exactly low-end.
After all, under the Adidas name, there are four varieties of headphones on the market - one closed model for the ears and three models for the ears - basic, with ANC, and sports.
The model with the admirable Adidas ZNE 01 ANC distinguishes itself from the less expensive sister by the nickname ANC and is nearly half the price. A closer look reveals that the difference is also in the design, with cheaper headphones being spiky and the tested ANC model falling between the plugs.
The outer design of the headphones and case with subtle graphics, a striking trio of famous stripes, and also the white Adidas emblem on the front of the case, which is also a pairing button, is all plastic.
The plastic used is matte and creates a hard appearance, so it should survive; similarly, the casing may appear cheap at first look, but the materials chosen are deliberate.
Because the casing has rounded edges, you don't put it up; instead, you put it down. The lid opening angle is greater than 90 degrees, allowing the headphones to be removed gently without the lid hanging or pressing into your fingers.
A USB-C connector provides power, and the cable, as well as three pairs of silicone plugs, are included in the package. Overall, the factory processing is of normal good quality, with no clearances, burrs, or improper matching.
The headphones have a low profile, which allows them to blend in with the earlobe rather than protrude noticeably from the ear. The earplugs have a touchpad on the outside and an insertion sensor in the ear on the inside - and this is where you need to be careful: if the earpiece is loose in the ear canal and the inner part of its body is not attached to the skin, the earpiece behaves as if it were pulled out of your ear and pauses playback.
The control is provided by the touchpads on the outside of the headphones and is identical for both. To pause music or scroll through songs, use a combination of brief touches. To cycle through the noise-canceling modes, press and hold. Only the phone may be used to control the volume.
More detailed settings are available via the Adidas headphones operating the application, which also provides information on the battery status in the headphones and the case. You can customize the extended hold feature - in addition to noise cancellation, there's a voice assistant and connectivity with Adidas running and Spotify apps.
There are also numerous predefined equalization curves, but they cannot be adjusted, so you must settle for what Adidas has supplied. However, it should be noted that even the default flat profile performs admirably.
