Anyone looking for wireless Bluetooth earbuds will quickly find the well-known brands, but this new trend also offers room for new brands. Today we look at the PurePlay Z3 from Lypertek, a brand that has also been active on the Dutch market for a few weeks.
Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0
Price €99,-
wireless Bluetooth 5.2
Weight 5 grams per ear
Battery life 10+70 hours of listening time
Bluetooth codecs SBC, AAC and AptX support
Additional Waterproof (IPX7)
Website www.lypertek.com
9 Score 90 
- Pros
- Sound quality
- Battery life
- Comfort
- Negatives
- Large charging box
- No ANC
If you’ve never heard of Lypertek, you’re probably not alone. Although the brand has been around for several years, the products were previously not available in the Netherlands. The Lypertek Pureplay Z3 2.0 is the first model that is officially for sale in the Netherlands, so in this review we look at whether this newcomer is worth it.
Specifications
It should be noted from the list of specifications that Lypertek does not focus on having special features with the Pureplay Z3. For example, there is no active noise suppression or support for spatial audio. However, that does not mean that they have nothing to offer at all. For example, the case supports wireless charging and provides approximately 70 hours of extra listening time. Furthermore, the earphones are waterproof with an IPX7 rating and each earphone has a button for basic functions such as volume and play/pause. Of course there are microphones with support for the well-known speech assistants and there is also a so-called hear-through mode.
This hear-through mode is one of the features accessible through the app for android and iOS. In it you can also adjust the equalizer and activate a feature called LDX Audio, but more on that later. A feature that has already helped me while writing this test is the “Find my Earbuds” button. This allows you to see where the phone was last connected to the earphones. Since the connection is turned off when you put the earphones in the box, this function will unfortunately not work if the earphones were in the box when you lost them.
Sound quality
So what is the Z3 all about? sound quality. The graphene 6mm drivers provide a stunning listening experience that even wired earphones in this price range can sometimes not match. When it comes to sound quality, it is better to compare them with the well-known Shure SE215 than with the Apple Airpods Pro. The bass goes deep, but doesn’t drown out the rest and highs are surprisingly clear. At high volumes, some sounds can become a bit sharp, but at that point the volume is already too loud to listen comfortably.
If the transfer is not entirely to your liking, it can be adjusted in the PureControl app. There is an equalizer that offers many possibilities with nine presets and two custom profiles. For these custom profiles, Lypertek has divided the spectrum into seven segments, each of which can be attenuated or boosted by up to 7dB.
Instead of using the equalizer, LDX Audio can also be activated. What this function does exactly with the audio signal is not known, but a number of striking things happen to the sound. In addition to a slight increase in volume, there is a clear improvement in the soundstage and the sound is slightly warmer compared to the flat equalizer.
What is also striking about the sound quality is that it is significantly better in combination with Android than with iOS. This may be due to the codec used (AAC or aptX), but it is a bigger difference than we are used to. It may of course be the case that it is now simply more noticeable because the general sound quality is higher than average.
Finally, there is another factor that has a great effect on the sound quality: the tips used. The Z3 comes with four pairs of tips: the traditional silicone tips in three sizes and a few tips made of memory foam. These memory foam tips not only block more ambient noise, they also have a positive effect on sound quality. Especially in the middle and low frequencies, more detail can be obtained from the music, with a slightly warmer transfer. We cannot predict whether that also applies to your ears, because the memory foam tips will not be equally comfortable on everyone.
Comfort and design
That the sound quality is good is of course nice and nice, but with wireless earphones the comfort is actually much more important. If the earphones are not comfortable, do not connect properly or simply fall out, the high sound quality is of no use at all. While we can’t speak for everyone, of course, we can rate the Z3 as fairly comfortable overall. The earphones are relatively compact, weigh only 5g and come with plenty of different tips. This combination also ensures that they stay in place during movement, so you can exercise with them without any worries.
Unfortunately, they are not equally comfortable in all situations. Especially if you regularly lie in bed with earphones in your ears, it is better to look for another pair. The sound box protrudes a bit, so that the ears are pressed into your ear when you lie on it. In addition, they are not so suitable for people with very narrow ear canals, because even the smallest tips will not be small enough for everyone.
The design is also quite simple with little fuss. The Z3 2.0 is available in white and black with matching boxes. These boxes are on the large side and unfortunately do not slide easily into your pocket due to the fabric used. They do look very stylish and offer more than enough protection and battery capacity.
Note: It is important to note that there are currently two variants of the Pureplay Z3 on the market: the original Z3 and a Z3 2.0. Lypertek has sent us the renewed 2.0 which has some improvements compared to the existing model such as wireless charging, bluetooth 5.2 and access to the app. Although only the 2.0 is officially available in the Netherlands and has to replace the old model, it is wise to always check whether you are not accidentally ordering the 1.0.
Conclusion
The Lypertek Pureplay Z3 is a very pleasant newcomer to the market. The wireless earphones may not have the latest features, but they offer astonishing sound quality that you rarely encounter in this price range. The delivery of memory foam tips is also a nice extra and you can keep listening for days without having to take a charger with you.
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