Tozo HT2 Review

Our Tozo HT2 Headphones Experience

The Tozo pairs with Android, iPhone, and other devices without issue. The process is straightforward, and downloading the app provides greater control and customization options.

These headphones come with a USB-A to USB-C charging cord and a 3.5 mm to 3.5 mm audio cable, but they lack any kind of case or carry bag. While this is a disappointment, especially for those who often tuck their headphones away for travel, the price makes it more palatable and less of a surprise. However, it is inconvenient, and we found ourselves buying a drawstring pouch to help keep them clean and free of accidental breaking.

Unfortunately, achieving a Multipoint connection was cumbersome. We had to turn Bluetooth off on the first device before pairing the second, but in the grand scheme, this is a minor hiccup that many competitors share. The Multipoint feature worked beautifully once both devices were paired, seamlessly switching audio between Apple and Android devices.

The Tozo were pretty stable, passing the deep back stretch test and falling off only with vigorous head shaking. However, they seemed almost too large for those with narrow faces, and we experienced them slipping off on the smallest setting. On the plus side, the 59 x 40-millimeter earcups fit even larger ears well.

The Tozo noise cancellation wasn't super impressive. It doesn't create a distraction-free environment, but it does effectively dampen background noise. It's more like it turns the volume down for outside noises than truly blocking them. While we wanted more for the price, it is hard to get too upset with what they provide. We had to crank up the volume to fully tune out ambient sounds, but we eventually felt immersed in our own sonic world. “The Battle,” an epic orchestral production by Hans Zimmer, showcases the HT2's great stereo spread.

The HT2 offers Reduce Wind Noise, Leisure, Adaptive, and Transparency. The wind mode cancels out the bass range, allowing speech to pass through with marginal success. Leisure mode is for those who experience disorientation or discomfort with typical ANC, allowing them to turn down the ANC to help alleviate some sensitivity. The adaptive mode automatically adjusts the ANC level to the environment. Transparency mode allows external sounds to pass through, but it can uncomfortably amplify the sound of certain ambient noises.

For a budget set of headphones, we were impressed and enjoyed using the Tozo. It felt good to feel like we got more than we paid for, and even better that if they were to be lost or damaged, it wouldn't crush our souls like headphones that cost six to eight times as much. These are an excellent pair for teens, people who frequently misplace items, or anyone seeking personal audio while pursuing hobbies where headphones could be damaged accidentally. Even just a puppy cutting teeth feels less offensive at this price.

Sound Quality

The Tozo provides a pleasant listening surprise. The sound mix is friendly and balanced with sufficient detailing. When cranking the volume, the HT2's 40-millimeter drivers maintain clarity across loud, powerful wails from favorite rock and metal. More discerning ears will notice the lack of pristine, crisp detailing and a fully expansive soundstage, especially when listening at low volumes. However, they do an incredible job for the price. Most casual listeners will struggle to distinguish the sound quality between the Tozo and the premium models.

The HT2's greatest strong suit is its widely appealing sound profile. It isn't too heavy in the bass, has warm and inoffensive mids, and presents highs with some glimmer and teeth. The bass has a powerful presence but doesn't dominate the mix. The heavy metal hit “Atlas, Rise!” by Metallica tends to overwhelm some headsets with its commanding bass drum and bass guitar, but the HT2 presents the right amount of thump without blowing out the mix.

The mids are pleasing and unassuming, though unlikely to reveal any new, minute details not previously noticed. Vocal harmonies in folk songs like “Helplessly Hoping” by Crosby, Stills, & Nash and indie tracks like “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence & The Machine are particularly delightful with the Tozo. The highs are forward and more than acceptable, but not as fully fleshed out with crisp detailing as others. Occasionally, the upper registers can bite, like when listening to the high-hitting Joni Mitchell in “California,” but not with enough consistency to fault the HT2.

Supplementing our assessment is a measurement of the Tozo's frequency response. Frequency response provides insight into the overall balance of the sound mix and highlights which music genres will shine or feel underwhelming. Our Target Curve tracks a broadly appealing sound signature, and the HT2 tracks our Target Curve almost perfectly. This pattern indicates it provides the right amount of emphasis at every frequency to create a balanced sound mix that most users will love.

Each musical voice comes through clearly with enough emphasis to acknowledge its unique timbre while contributing to a blended soundscape that sounds rich, balanced, and nuanced in texture and depth. The bass is slightly elevated above our curve, but doesn't sound overly emphasized. There's a narrow peak in the middle of the treble range, which explains why the highs can sometimes sound a bit shouty if they hit the 8-kiloHertz mark.

Soundstage

While it falls short of some pricier models, the Tozo delivers an admirable soundstage experience with sufficient instrument separation, allowing the listener to feel as if they are at a live performance.

The experience is rather impressive for such a cheap pair of headphones.

Comfort and Fit

Tozo appears to have drawn design inspiration from Bose when creating the HT2. The earcups and headband are softly padded and wrapped in a smooth faux leather that is a joy to wear for low-impact activities, such as housework and dog walking.

We wore them comfortably for six hours without issue. The earpads can get sweaty, and without a water resistance rating, you need to be careful to avoid moisture buildup in the earcups.

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The fit is fully adjustable with swiveling earcups and an aluminum slider-extending headband, but if you have a small or narrow head, the HT2 can feel big.

Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is one feature where the HT2 falls short. Sure, it has active noise cancellation (ANC), but it's largely ineffective.

With ANC enabled, the Tozo blocks an average of 21 decibels across the entire frequency spectrum, which is good but not great.

The ANC primarily works in the sub-800 Hertz frequency range, with the remainder of the noise blocking provided passively by the fit of the headphones themselves (with ANC off). We could still hear mumbly conversations, but birds and keyboards were effectively blocked.

Ease of Use

With a comfortable design, intuitive controls, customizable EQ, and a reliable connection, the Tozo checks most of the boxes. We wish it were easier to pair two devices for Multipoint and that the Tozo app didn't feel so spammy, but overall, the HT2 rocks.

Controls

It is incredibly easy to navigate the all-button controls while wearing the Tozo. There are three controls on the right earcup, with a multipurpose button and volume rocker on the back and an ANC mode button on the front. These button controls tend to function more reliably than competitors that rely heavily on touch controls.

Customization

Tozo provides users with a fully customizable EQ. The app has 16 EQ presets (which almost is too many) and a 10-point manual slider. We noticed a drastic change in the sound mix when using the presets or the slider. So, those looking for more thump than the default balanced sound signature can have that.

The app also offers access to six different ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) modes. The Explore feature offers many ambient sound options, such as “Thunderstorm and Light Rain,” although we didn't find the sounds particularly impressive. The app includes many unnecessary features, such as a social media component that links users to the Tozo community and a shopping platform.

Connectivity

The HT2 paired easily with both Android and Apple devices and maintained that connection reliably. The Bluetooth 5.3 connection was so strong that the HT2 continued streaming music up to 130 feet from our paired device in an outdoor setting with minimal interference.

Battery

Tozo claims that the HT2 will last 40 hours with the ANC enabled and the volume set at 50%. We only eked out 25 hours, with multiple tests. We had the volume fully maxed, but the change in volume does not account for the difference. Despite the discrepancy, 25 hours wasn't the worst and is about average.

According to the manufacturer, a full charge requires two hours of charging time. The headphones will continue to work with a dead battery when plugged into a device.

Call Quality

The Tozo falls short for call quality. While it features three microphones dedicated to voice detection, the speech has a distorted quality that can be difficult to understand.

This was the case across all our test settings. While the Tozo performed slightly better in our calls from a quiet environment than it did from a noisy one, our demo calls were unimpressive. The HT2 wouldn't be our first choice for making phone calls.