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Updated April 11, 2024·
If affordability is a top priority and you need wireless earbuds for casual listening, commuting, or occasional calls, Creative Labs Zen Air would be a good choice, as they are more portable, offer wireless convenience, and have good noise isolation. However, if you prefer premium sound quality for music and movies, the Philips SHP9500 headphones, despite being more expensive, will provide a very good sound experience with an open design that enhances soundstage; but they are not suitable for noisy environments or exercising due to their open-back design and lack of sweat resistance. Keep in mind, the Philips SHP9500 lacks a microphone for calls, whereas the Zen Air includes this feature. 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 Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
6.8
9.2
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is only fair.
Gaming
5.1
7.2
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
8.0
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
TV and Video
5.6
9.0
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Creative Labs Zen Air is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
2.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air is good for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Battery
5.0 Hours
N/A
The Creative Labs Zen Air has 5 hours of battery life. The Philips SHP9500 does not have a battery.
Cost
$30
$48
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Creative Labs Zen Air has a price of $30 and the Philips SHP9500 costs $48.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Creative Labs Zen Air has excellent build quality, while the Philips SHP9500 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Phone Calls
5.1
4.9
The Creative Labs Zen Air and Philips SHP9500 are both poor for phone calls.
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How the Creative Labs Zen Air and the Philips SHP9500 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Creative Labs Zen Air | Philips SHP9500 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$30 | $48 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Creative Labs | Philips | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2022 | August 1, 2013 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wireless | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 6.9/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5.1/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 5.1/10 | 7.3/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 5.7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 6.9/10 | 4.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | 5 Hours | N/A | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | Yes | N/A | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | 2 Hours | N/A | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | 5 | N/A | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | 12 | N/A | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 2.5/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | Yes | N/A | |
Android App | |||
Android App | Yes | N/A | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | Yes | N/A | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | 7/10 | N/A | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7/10 | 10/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Medium | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 5 Grams | 294.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | Integrated | N/A | |
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."
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Get a great deal on the Creative Labs Zen Air or the Philips SHP9500
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 Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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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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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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