CREATIVE SOUND BLASTER EVO ZX
If Tony Stark were to design a pair of headphones, they might just look a lot like the Creative Sound Blaster Evo Zx. The red and black aesthetics seem to be Iron Man-inspired while the glowing center of the headphones does bring to mind the superhero’s shining core. While looking modern and trendy, Creative’s choice of plastic doesn’t quite match up to the luxurious feel of the Sennheiser Momentum’s leather, for example.
The Evo Zx are billed as wireless headphones, made possible thanks to Bluetooth. To help reduce the hassle of pairing your smart device with the cans, the Evo Zx is also compatible with NFC. Creative’s execution seems a little awkward, as pairing involves tapping your smartphone to the right ear-cup.
The Evo Zx comes fitted with Creative’s SB-Axx1 audio processor. Coupled with SBX Pro Studio technologies, the headphones are packed with a host of features. Users have access to the Sound Blaster Evo Control Panel which is available for both the PC and smart device platforms. This particular piece of software allows users to switch between profiles intended to optimize the audio from the Evo Zx for different use scenarios. Additionally users are also given access to settings and EQ levels to play around and customize the sound according to their preferences.
In terms of audio characteristics the Evo Zx leans towards bassheavy audio, much like the Momentum. But while the Sennheiser headphones were able to deliver controlled and defined low frequencies, the bass from the Evo Zx didn’t come anywhere close. The bass response was markedly loose, while both trebles and highs were subdued and lost in the mix. On Melt My Heart To Stone, Adele’s vocals sounded sluggish and failed to convey the emotion of the song. Fiddling with the settings and EQ levels helped bring the lost highs slightly back to the fore, but the overall tone still falls far short of neutral.
You do get three different preset profiles, which to help
“IN TERMS OF AUDIO CHARACTERISTICS THE EVO ZX LEANS TOWARDS BASSHEAVY AUDIO.”
give the Evo Zx a measure of versatility. In particular, we were impressed by Movie mode which widened the soundstage, as well as Dialog Plus which enhanced voice tracks for the film. The gaming profile also increased the enjoyment of titles such as Battlefield 3. It must be said though that increasing the surround sound effect did lessen the accuracy for sound directionality. As with any customization option, it is up to the user to find their personal sweet spot.