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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're on a budget, Creative Labs Zen Air might be the right choice as they are more affordable and offer good sound quality and excellent build quality for their price. They also have features like sweatproof certification and active noise cancelling which are great for exercise and travel. However, if you prioritize superior overall sound quality for a more immersive music and podcast experience and are willing to spend more, you may prefer the Grado GT220. Keep in mind that the Grado GT220 lacks active noise cancelling, which could be a drawback for use in noisier environments. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Creative Labs Zen Air
- Very good for air travel
Advantages of the Grado GT220
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Phone Calls
5.1
6.9
The Grado GT220 is only fair for phone calls, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
8.8
The Grado GT220 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
5.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the Grado GT220 is poor.
Cost
$30
$259
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Grado GT220 costs $259.
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Key similarities
Music
6.8
6.3
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Grado GT220 are both only fair for music.
Gaming
5.1
5.1
The Grado GT220 and Creative Labs Zen Air are both poor for gaming.
TV and Video
5.6
5.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Grado GT220 are both poor for TV and video.
Battery
5.0 Hours
5.5 Hours
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Grado GT220 has 5.5 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Creative Labs Zen Air to have excellent build quality, while the Grado GT220 has very good build quality.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Grado GT220 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Grado GT220 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $259 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Grado | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | September 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 6.4/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | 5.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | 5 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | 36 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | No | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | No | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 5 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | Integrated | |
Shopping
Creative Labs Zen Air
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphone Check
Maike Paeßens | February 2023
"The Creative Zen Air’s weak points are its low battery life and rather short Bluetooth range. On the other hand, the strengths of these weatherproof True Wireless in-Ears are the sound and the wide attenuation of the Active Noise Cancellation. Considering the price range, the speech intelligibility during calls is also exceptionally good."
Grado GT220
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Alex Schiffer | October 2020
"With its superb and functional interface and its highly satisfying imaging, Grado has shown a new talent for delivering a solid true wireless system, and with future improvements, has the potential to really be one of the best."
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Grado GT220
About Creative Labs
Creative Labs is a Singaporean technology company specialized in the manufacture of multimedia products. They created the world-famous Soundblaster soundcard back in 1989 which was a staple of the gaming community for a long time. Nowadays, besides still marketing their discrete audio systems, they offer a wide array of headphones, gaming headsets and speakers that still preserve that same heritage.
About Grado
Grado Labs is a small, family-owned, business based in Brooklyn New York that specializes in high-end, boutique, dynamic headphones and turntable cartridges. They boast a particular house sound, that is to say their products have a particular sound signature unique to Grado, that some audiophiles seem to really like and are unable to find anywhere else. Their high-end headphones are all hand made, completely in house, from a variety of exotic woods and materials going so far as to making one of their most popular products out of hemp.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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