Expert's Rating
Pros
- Comfortable to wear for long stretches
- ANC effectivlely filters out ambient noise
- Makes it easy to switch between listening to music and talking on the phone
Cons
- Music reproduction not as good as with dedicated headphones
Our Verdict
The Logitech Zone Wireless headset is an effective way to regain some privacy in open office settings.
Best Prices Today: Zone Wireless headset
Logitech’s Zone Wireless headset is designed to address a specific situation: open offices. This design trend might be great for collaboration, but it can be a hindrance when you’re just trying to work. Noise and lack of privacy can kill productivity and raise stress levels, ultimately leading to lower job satisfaction.
Many workers already combat the distraction by donning a pair of ear buds or headphones. But this workaround creates its own hassles, requiring separate headsets for music and phone calls. The Zone Wireless headset uses active noise cancellation to block out distractions, and a self-muting microphone that makes it easy to switch between listening to tunes and talking on the phone.
Design
The headset weighs 6.4 ounces and has a silicone-padded metal headband that provides a snug fit without feeling constrictive. Soft leatherette padding keeps the on-ear phones comfortable, and is breathable enough to be worn comfortably for hours. The microphone, which can be worn on the left or right, automatically mutes when you swivel it up and unmutes when you bring it down.
The headset’s power and ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) buttons are on the same ear cup as the microphone; they’ll be positioned on the back or front of the cup depending on whether you’re wearing it on the left or right ear. Play/pause and volume controls are on the outside to the microphone cup, and there’s a mute button on the arm of the mic itself. All of these are easy to control with a thumb or forefinger while you’re wearing the headset.
You can charge The Zone Wireless using the supplied USB cable, or with a third-party Qi wireless charger. The headset also comes with a travel pouch, and a USB-A dongle that enables you to connect the headset plus up to six other Logitech Unifying wireless products to your computer simultaneously.
Setup
To connect the headset to your phone, you press the power button for one second to activate Bluetooth pairing, and then select the Zone Wireless from the phone’s list of recognized devices. The headset’s voice prompt tells you when the pairing is successful.
Next, you’ll want to download the Logi Tune app. This gives you additional control over basic functions like the mic mute and ANC. It also provides an equalizer to optimize the audio, and a Sidetone volume control that lets you hear how loud you sound so you can set an appropriate volume level before a call.
Performance
I used the Zone Wireless in my home office, and though I don’t normally wear a headset I quickly found this one essential.
The ear cups were comfortable to wear for hours-long stretches. With ANC activated, the Zone Wireless filtered out most of the audio distractions I contend with daily, everything from the ambient hum of family activity to the traffic sounds from the freeway outside my office window. Even the clickety-clack of my typing was significantly reduced. Still, I never felt disconnected from my environment. If someone came up to talk to me, I could hear them clearly without removing the headset.
During phone calls, the audio was clear without any echo or drop outs. I found the Sidetone control particularly useful, as it eased worries that I might be “shouting” in that conference call. Though these aren’t headphones for dedicated music listening, playback quality was better than average, with clearly defined highs and lows.
The Zone Wireless does not come with a wireless charger, but Logitech provided one for this review. For wireless charging, you fold the ear cups together and place them on the charger. Though it’s an additional expense, I found the convenience well worth it.
Verdict
I’d recommend the Zone Wireless headset to anyone working in an open office or other busy workspace. It makes toggling between your playlist and your phone effortless, and provides the necessary peace and quiet when you have to get down to business.