Stability
Lypertek used Qualcomm’s new Bluetooth chipset, the QCC3046. It supports Bluetooth 5.2 and AptX Adaptive codec. AptX Adaptive codec controls the bitrate and it is automatically adjusted between 279kbps and 420kbps according to the communication environment to ensure connection stability. In addition, by adopting a variable bit rate method using a new compression algorithm, it is possible to transmit 24bit / 48kHz. In my opinion, this is a step in the right direction. Who knows, we may see a Lypertek TWS with LDAC support in the future.
The QCC3046 is a brand new chipset that is fresh out of Qualcomm’s oven. I am not acquainted with it and this is my first set of TWS that features the 3046 board. I have been using the Z5 for the past 3 weeks and my experience with it is quite positive. Within my 3 weeks of usage, the wireless signal was not interrupted even once, and the unit continued to provide stable operation. The QCC3046 is a clear improvement over the QCC3040, which is used by nearly half of the TWS earphones on the market. Qualcomm marks the 3046 as a “mid-level chipset” according to Qualcomm’s in-house ranking system and it is nice to see a mid-level chipset in a TWS that costs a little over a hundred bucks. The range is also quite good, I can keep listening to the Z5 through 4 concrete walls.
In this section, I’ll talk about the delay and latency issues. If you’ve ever owned a wireless earphone in your life, you know why I’m looking at this as an ”issue”. No matter how good a product you make, the delay/latency issue is a common problem in this industry and not an easy one to solve. Unfortunately, the higher the bitrate, the higher the delay, and audiophiles who want to listen to high-fidelity music have little choice but to wait for the technology to take a big step in this regard.
So how is the situation with the Z5? It uses a new chipset and aptX Adaptive, so it must be better than the most, yes?
To enlighten you (& myself) I sought a detailed answer to this question. Starting with the Android’s YouTube app, the Z5 puts up a good show here, I felt no delay and everything seems to be in order. If I have to guess, I’d say 50ms of latency, which is pretty good. The Netflix app on the other hand is a challenging one. Half of the TWS in my inventory can’t provide a solid audio-video sync but Z5 managed to do pretty well here also. My guess would be around 75-125ms, which is quite in my opinion, especially for the Netflix app. Moving on to gaming, the testing app is the Pokemon Unite. The gaming tests are the toughest ones to beat and the Z5 is having trouble here, just like the rest of the TWS earphones in my inventory. I’d guess latency is around 250ms, which is easily felt and if you are a mobile gamer, I would not advise you to play competitive titles with this TWS, or any TWS honestly. Switching to SBC codec using Android’s developer options does help a bit but the latency is still there and easily perceivable.
Overall, the Z5 offers excellent signal quality and stability. The latency is quite good, compared to many TWS on the market right now. It is suitable for media consumption and light gaming. I like the new QCC3046 chipset, it’s great and with Lypertek’s implementation, the range, the stability is brilliant. The unit also pairs super fast and can be paired with multiple devices.
Controls
The Z7 had a physical button, just like the Z3, however, the Z5 now comes with touch controls. If you follow my reviews, you may know that I am not a huge fan of touch controls. I tend to adjust the fit or tidy up my hair and while doing so, I accidentally touch the faceplate and stop the playback or switch tracks. Well, luckily for me, Lypertek features an option where you can change the layout of the touch controls. There are two layouts available. They included a ”Safe” option for people like me, haha! The ”Safe” layout basically fixes the accidental touch issue by disabling single tap gestures. You can also adjust these options individually from the app and assign modes according to your taste. I switched to the ”safe” layout around 2 weeks ago and I am quite happy with it. No more interruptions for me.
Okay, back to the controls, the unit offers a wide range of gesture options, all customizable through the app. Via gestures, you can accept or refuse calls, skip to the previous or next song, activate Android or iOS assistant, toggle the Ambient or ANC mode and of course, play or pause tracks. For example, if you want to skip a song while using the ”safe” layout, you’ll have to tap and hold for a second to skip to the next track. Nice!
ANC & Call Quality
The Lypertek Z5 features hybrid active noise cancelling technology. It’s Lypertek’s first ANC earphone and it performs very well in my opinion. The 6 high-quality mics enable it to provide satisfactory ANC and superior call quality compared to other TWS on the market. It successfully eliminates the static fan noise of my desktop tower PC which is loud at around 35dBs. As with nearly all ANC earphones, the Z5 is better at eliminating low-frequencies. I tested the ANC feature in cafes, shopping malls, and public transportation. Also, the newly auto-ambient mode feature helped me a lot during my time with it. It is a feature that automatically activates the ambient mode when you stop or pause the playback. I didn’t have to take off my headphones while I was ordering coffee at the café, just stopping the playback enabled me to hear the person in front of me clearly with the auto ambient mode. It’s a useful and practical feature that needs to be in every TWS earphone.
Let’s talk about voice capture efficiency and call quality. The Lypertek Z5 features 3 microphones per side. The mics support cVc 8.0 echo cancelling and noise suppression technology. The rods give the Z5 an acoustic advantage over Z3 and the Z7. During my tests, I found out that the Z5 provides the best call quality among the Lypertek wireless earphones. It captures my voice clean and clear, it also performs better than the majority of TWS earphones that I have. I have performed several call quality tests and the quality was quite good, even with static background noise. If you’re looking for a TWS that you can rely on, mic-wise, this could be your best bet under $200 USD. Kudos to the team of Lypertek, job well done.
Battery Life
Lypertek has a wonderful track record when it comes to battery life. The Z7 offers one of the longest battery life that we’ve seen on a TWS and the Z3 is no different than its bigger brother. However, the feature-packed Z5, which offers a much slimmer housing and ANC, cannot offer the same kind of industry-leading battery life. It manages to still stay above the average with around 35h without the ANC. Using ANC constantly means slashing these numbers nearly in half. Unfortunately, 6 mics and processing power required for the ANC increase the consumption by a good margin.
One positive about this situation is that the Z5 supports fast charging. Only 15 minutes of charging provides about 2 hours of juice. The unit can be fully charged in under 1,5 hours. Additionally, the Z5 supports wireless charging and is compatible with Qi-Certified wireless charging pads.
The review continues on Page Three, after the click HERE or by using the jump below.
Page 1: Lypertek, Lypertek PurePlay Z5, Packaging & Accessories, Design, Fit & Build Quality
Page 2: Stability, Controls, ANC & Call Quality, Battery Life
Page 3: PureControl ANC App, Sound Signature, Low, Mid, High, Technical Performance, Comparisons, Conclusion
