MobileTechTalk We checked out the Lypertek Tevi back in 2019 and were very impressed with the build and audio quality for the price. Fast forward and the new name for the Tevi is the Lypertek PurePlay Z3. Along with the name change comes some new features which Lypertek hope will continue their good fortunes.
- Excellent build quality
- Real-to-life Audio
- Great battery life
- No ANC might irk some
- Annoyingly placed buttons
Disclaimer
Quick Links…
- Jump to… Overview & Unboxing
- Jump to… Spec Sheet
- Jump to… Audio & Use
- Jump to… Final Thoughts
Overview
So, it’s an upgrade, right? Yes, and no. Clearly, Lypertek wanted to provide some clarity to their product set with the name change. Their Levi, and Tevi products were very good, and they followed these up with their slightly lower-end offering with their SoundFree S20 buds. Whilst also good, it had a few cut corners that other products at the reduced price, don’t.
Step forward ‘the name change’. So, with the move from Tevi to Lypertek PurePlay Z3 2.0, there are a few things to discuss. Firstly, I’m unsure as to how this name change helps to clear up their product range, plus it’s a mouthful. It is now in line with their top-tier Z7 offering, but I think they could have been clearer still. That aside, the PurePlay Z3 picks some of the best bits from the Tevi/Levi devices and upgrades them too.
The same pill-shaped charging pod is in tow with LED charging notification, and magnetic pins in the cradle. It still has the same nylon finish which gives it a distinctive look and a USB Type-C charging port, with a carry handle. The buds look identical to the Tevi also with a plastic finish, notification LED and only a single button on the outer edge of each bud.
Spec Sheet
- Driver: Graphene, 6mm dynamic
- Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
- Connection: Bluetooth 5.2
- Style: True Wireless In-Ear
- Battery: 10 hours (volume at 50% with SBC)
- Charging: Wireless Charging and Fast Charge via USB-C
- Water Protection: IPX7
- App Support: yes, PureControl App for iOS and Android
- Additional Features: Hear Through, LDX Audio
In The Box
- Charging case
- Silicone tips
- Flexfit foam tips
- USB Type-C cable
- Quick start manual
Audio & Use
I love most Lypertek products. It’s not just the audio aspect that gets me, it’s the comfort. I’ve said many times that TWS buds were, for the longest time, not for me. These are easily inserted, and stay in place with a quick twist, easily. They are easy to pull out of the charging case too, something not to be taken for granted, especially near the cheaper end of the market.
The only niggle I have found, which strays into the comfort aspect, is the situation of the control buttons. Having these on the outer edge of the buds means that any control of volume, or track selection has you pushing a button directly into your ear. I’ve said this many times but it’s far from ideal. Some buds, such as the Edifier TWS NB2 or Lypertek’s very own SoundFree S20, have a slightly different take.
The Edifier solution is a touch panel, but there’s still an element of pressing into the ear. Alternatively, the SoundFree S20 has buttons on the top edge of the buds. Out of the two, I’d take the S20 deployment anytime, but I completely understand why companies take the route Lypertek have done here with the PurePlay Z3. It looks much clearer to integrate the button into the bud. I’d take function over form though, but that’s just me.
The soundstage is very well balanced with all genres sounding excellent in my testing. Streaming a mixture of Hip-Hop, Trance, Pop and some audiobooks saw the Z3 perform admirably. In instrumental tracks, the low end really comes to the fore, but not in an obnoxious way. As soon as vocals or percussion kicks in, the low end takes a small step back to fall in line and balance the overall output. It’s a very pleasing and warm listening experience. The highs can get a tiny bit scratchy on some tracks but that is a huge picking of nits! These just sound excellent.
Is No ANC A Deal Breaker?
Whilst a lack of ANC isn’t ideal, the general isolation helps with immersion, whilst the inclusion of cVc 8.0 helps with call quality. I received no complaints from recipients.
Finally, the battery life excelled. As has thankfully become the norm, you can’t really run out of battery life here. With the Z3’s marketed at 10 hours of continuous playback (at 50% volume, which is generous enough) and 70-hours utilising the charger, I doubt you’ll see an issue. I went through an entire day of working using these without having to put them back in the cradle. This use was a combination of calls, media playback, and standby when paired to my laptop. Excellent really.
When you do run out of battery and your cradle starts to run on fumes, don’t reach for the Type-C cable necessarily. Aside from the Bluetooth 5.2 and Hear Through Mode (ambient mode for transparency) one of the features added on the PurePlay Z3 2.0 is wireless charging. Be more 2021 and use that why don’t you? If you want to give your buds a quick charge though, 15-minutes on USB charge will give 2-hours of playback. Again, excellent.
Final Thoughts
The PurePlay Z3 2.0 maintains the same audio output, excellent isolation and battery life, whilst also delivering new features such as Bluetooth 5.2 for better range and power efficiency, along with wireless charging and Hear Through Mode. Lypertek manages to do this all whilst keeping the pricing keen. At £99, these retail for the same launch price as the Lypertek Tevi.
At the top end of the tree in terms of pricing for buds without ANC, you could be fooled into thinking that these should be passed on by. Far from it, the audio quality and other features make these compelling. They even have IPX7 water resistance!No doubt we will see ANC in future generations, something missing even from their top-tier Z7 offering too, but I personally didn’t miss it too much due to the good isolation.
If there is one word to summarise the PurePlay Z3 buds, it would be “awesome”!
