The microphone performance on the Bullets Wireless Z2 is good. There is audible compression when speaking even in quiet environments but voices still sound relatively clear with good tonality. In noisier environments, the AI scene-model algorithm does a good job of reducing ambient sounds and prioritizing the voice, which sounds fairly similar to speaking in quiet environments.

The larger 12.4mm drivers are a major differentiator between the OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 and the Bullets Wireless Z, and this has made a positive difference to the sound quality. The sonic signature in particular sees some changes, with the Bullets Wireless Z2 sounding a bit more punchy and driven, while maintaining the reasonable level of detail and clarity that the original Bullets Wireless Z introduced to the budget audio category in 2020. Latency can be reduced to as low as 94 ms when paired with select OnePlus phone devices, with Pro Gaming mode turned on.

Specification

With a OnePlus 10 Pro, the phone would frequently lose sync between audio and video while watching YouTube videos, and it would take several seconds before the two synced again.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 has exceptional battery life. During my battery drain test, the headset ran continuously for 28.5 hours, which is very close to the 30 hours claimed by OnePlus. After a ten-minute charge, the headset went on for 20.4 hours, which is just over the 20 hours claimed by the company. With normal use, the headset should last well over a week on a single charge. Conclusion Thankfully, the six-band custom EQ does help out a lot. Using the preset shown above, I was able to get a much more balanced tuning going, which then helped focus on other aspects of the sound. Unfortunately, both the custom EQ and the more sane presets require the installation of the app, which many people never bother with.Finally, connectivity performance was stable with the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC and there were no observed issues with connection quality or stability. Battery and charging What's disappointing, though, is the transparency mode, which sounds muffled and not particularly transparent. It's fine if you just want to walk around without completely being oblivious to your surroundings but I still found it better to just unplug the earbuds to hear better. The tonality of the sound is similar to OnePlus' recent products, with neutral-leaning mids and treble and over-the-top bass. The Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC does not have a lot of features so options are limited here. You can switch between ANC on, off, and transparency mode. You can flip between the four EQ presets and also make your own. And finally, you can do very basic customizations of the physical switches.

The Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC have mediocre audio quality by default. The sound is the same overwhelming bass-heavy assault that has now become the OnePlus house sound. That leaves audio quality and the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC is the latest victim of OnePlus' bad default audio tuning. Thankfully, it is easy to work around it and get a decent listening experience that is adequately good for the price. To ensure the normal use of your earbuds, update your Wireless Earphones (ColorOS 11 or later, OxygenOS 12 or later), OnePlus Buds (OOS 11), or HeyMelody (Android 7.0 or later, iOS 13.2 or later) app to the latest version using your local app store. Enabling automatic updates is recommended to ensure you can use the latest software and functions. The ANC data comes from the OnePlus test laboratory. Actual performance will vary depending on user customization and environmental conditions. The high-end is disappointing. There simply isn't enough energy at the top end to balance out the sound, which especially makes the overall sound signature dark, muddy, and lopsided.This is a shame because the mid-range is actually quite good. Vocals have a smooth and mellow timbre that's very pleasing to listen to. Instruments have a similarly pleasant tonality to them, with everything from the piano to the guitar coming through quite well. There is also a multi-function button provided, which actually just does two things. You can press and hold it to start the pairing mode or you can double-press it to instantly switch to the previously connected device. All the buttons work well and have a good quality feel to them.

To top it off, the treble performance is great as well. It shares some of the mellowness of the mid-range so there's no unwanted harshness or sibilance at the cost of some air and brilliance. However, it still comes across as detailed and articulate without being dark or muddy. OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC has a battery life of 28 hours with ANC off, 20 hours with ANC on and 16 hours of talk time. Endurance test data is based on OnePlus laboratory tests conducted at 50% volume. Specific endurance performance will vary based on actual conditions and is affected by volume, output source, environmental interference, product features, software versions and usage habits. OnePlus Bullets Wireless Z2 has 16 hours of talk time and with a standby time of 80 hours on a single charge. Endurance test data is based on OnePlus laboratory tests conducted at 50% volume. Specific endurance performance will vary based on actual conditions and is affected by volume, output source, environmental interference, product features, software versions and usage habits.Latency in applications was poor. Games and music apps demonstrated notable delay, with apps like piano players having almost half a second of latency after a key was pressed. As usual, I would recommend wired audio if latency is important to you or if you want to use the microphone while gaming. In my testing, the Bullets Wireless Z2 ANC lasted for 19 hours and 38 minutes with ANC enabled and 27 hours and 7 minutes with ANC disabled. After a 10-minute charge, the earbuds played for 14 hours and 36 minutes with ANC enabled and 20 hours and 21 minutes with ANC disabled. In terms of technical performance, Bullets Wireless Z2 have a moderate level of resolution and detail in the sound. This usually comes down to the choice of drivers used rather than the codec, although a higher bit rate codec couldn't have hurt. Imaging and soundstaging were unobjectionable and offered some space and directionality to the sound that made the overall presentation pleasant to listen to.