Introducing the TOZO HT2, an inexpensive alternative to big brand wireless headphones in the market.
What makes it stand out is its hybrid active noise canceling (ANC) feature. The HT2 can detect and analyze any external sound patterns of any incoming noise you may or may not want.
So if you’re dealing with noisy surroundings at home, work, or even in transit—the headset is a solid pickup if you’re looking for an immersive listening experience without going over budget.
But how good is it though?
Let’s hop right into the article and find out!
Table of Contents
What’s in the box
Potential buyers can expect a 3.5mm analog audio cable made for users that prefer using wired headphones. A charging cable is also available as the TOZO HT2 charges via USB Type-C.
Box contents aside, we would have appreciated a case to highlight the HT2’s foldable design and for better protection when stowed away.
Design and Feel
Fresh from the box, the HT2 reminds me of modern Sony headphones. If you don’t believe me, Google the exact words right this moment and compare it to the image below.
But to clarify, our review unit sports a black color with a matte finish. Most of the headset is made out of smooth polycarbonate materials. The glossed TOZO logo adds a nice touch in contrast with the non-reflecting matte finish.
The HT2 also has an adjustable band that features a brushed metal finish, extending the headband as users see fit.
It’s coined as a customizable head beam for a perfect fit on their official site. Personally, I feel like the head “beam” could have been improved in terms of build quality.
The top part of the headband also has a cushion for added comfort.
The soft ear pads felt pretty comfy themselves, fitting my ears with an ample amount of room left. During an extended listening session, my ears didn’t even feel sore from having them on for about 5-6 hours.
However, I did feel some moisture from the heat after taking a long morning walk. I believe that’s to be expected because of the suction.
Moving on to buttons, I have to commend TOZO’s designers for intuitive design.
The power button and volume buttons are found behind the right ear cup. In front of the right ear cup, you’ll find the noise cancelation button.
In short, you can easily use your thumb or index finger to press the buttons a little bit more ergonomically. With where the buttons are placed, you can feel them around the ear cup by enacting a pinching motion around it.
Some might say it’s a small detail, but it’s quite a considerate designer’s touch either way.
As for the ports, the headphones have one for audio next to a USB Type-C charging port at the bottom of the right ear cup. The audio port is nifty, giving users options for using a wire or sticking with Bluetooth.
The HT2’s also great if you need to pack light because it can also be folded inward. If you’re in a hurry, you can also fold it for flat surfaces.
But yeah, it’s pretty light either way as it weighs 254.5g.
Overall, it feels great when you’re stationary indoors and debatable if you hate feeling moisture when you’re out and about. It certainly looks good, as the headset isn’t too flashy on sight yet not too drab aesthetically.
Features and App
The HT2 has Bluetooth 5.3, with an effective range of 10 meters. This should be about half of a tennis court before the audio becomes a bit choppy.
The headphones also feature a mic. When the mic was tested for calls, my producer at the other end of the line mentioned it’s what you would expect from a headset mic. Consensus is that it’s decent enough and does its job.
I should also add that the HT2 can connect to multiple devices at once. However, it has like a two second delay before it recognizes which device is playing. It’ll stop and prioritize the most recently played device.
Next, we have the TOZO HT2’s ANC feature, which identifies sound patterns of incoming external noise and heavily reduces it.
But for transparency, the HT2 won’t compete with the best of the best that the ANC market has to offer.
We ran a few tests, and the ANC doesn’t feel as isolating as it should be, albeit it’s still effective.
We tried turning on the HT2’s ANC without music playing while talking, and when speakers were on full blast. It drowns it out a bit, but doesn’t completely block it off.
But, if you’re listening to a song at about 70% of your volume and turn on ANC—it works as intended. The HT2 does its job well in this condition, getting rid of intrusive noise from its environment.
I’d score it a modest 5.5 out of 10 for the value anyone would get for how it’s priced.
However, the TOZO HT2 can get better when you use its app!
Apart from actively blocking external noise, you can find up to four additional ANC-centered features in the TOZO app.
Listen to ambient sound with transparency mode. This is perfect for when you might need to lend some of your attention elsewhere.
Next, you have leisure mode—where you can set noise to a preferred level for when you might need to talk to someone while doing your tasks comfortably.
You can also leave the noise reduction to the HT2 itself. With adaptive mode, the HT2 automatically levels noise you take in based on how loud your environment is.
And lastly, the straightforward reduce wind noise feature.
The app also lets you tinker with the HT2’s equalization (EQ) levels to help adjust how loud frequency ranges are. We’ll get more in-depth with this in Sound Quality.
Sound Quality
For its price, the TOZO HT2 has an unexpectedly balanced sound profile. The 40mm Dynamic Driver Units deliver an immersive listening experience across different genres.
If users found the base sound profile lacking, I recommend tinkering with the EQ on the TOZO app. The EQ section of the app also has pre-made profiles per genre that you could try out.
The headphones have a lot of focus on bass, which I like. However, the mids and highs are only satisfactory at best.
Battery
The TOZO HT2 is powered by a 500mAh battery. The headphones have a maximum playback time of up to 60 hours without ANC in default settings at 50% volume. With ANC on, the HT2 can play music for up to 40 hours with the same settings.
Final Thoughts
As I wrap up this review, we’ll go over the answer to how good the TOZO HT2 is for its price.
Looking at the headphones now, the TOZO HT2 is available for USD 49.99 directly from their official store. At the time this article was written, this roughly converts to PHP 2,800.
On Lazada 39 however, it is being resold locally for PHP 3,600. That’s roughly PHP 4,000.
So, if you were to ask me if a pair of active noise canceling headphones is worth it..
I’d say yes, it sure is.
Nowadays, people either need to work on-the-go or just be able to drown out any intrusive noise. Having the tools to focus up just a bit more can go a long way, and the HT2 checks all the marks so far.
The TOZO HT2 is compact, inexpensive, and efficient. It’s undoubtedly a worthy companion that gets the job done and will surely help you get yours done as well.
It may have areas to improve on from an audiophile’s perspective, but it certainly has more redeeming qualities than none. After all, it’s made for the nuances of securing users from the noise of loud places and big spaces.
So, any thoughts on the TOZO HT2? Let us know in the comment section below!
What we Liked:
- Compact and lightweight
- Inexpensive ANC alternative
- Long-lasting battery
What we Didn’t Like:
- Lack of a case
- Adjustable band material
- Needing an app to cycle through different ANC modes
TOZO HT2 specs:
ANC & ENC Noise Cancellation
2x 40mm dynamic drivers
16Hz – 45kHz frequency response range
AAC/SBC audio codec
500mAh battery
USB Type-C charging port
3.5mm audio port
Microphone
Bluetooth 5.3
Comfortable Soft Ear Pads & Cushioned Headband
Adjustable Design
Foldable Design
254.5g (weight)
Black/Blue/Pink/White/Khaki
