How We Research
We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
If you want active noise cancellation with a fully in-ear, ultra-light fit, choose ZIPFORCE True; if you need an open-ear hook design that keeps you aware of your surroundings with longer single-charge playtime, choose Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones.
• ZIPFORCE True — biggest strength: Three-mode smart active noise cancellation (ANC On, ANC Off, Transparency) plus a four-mic ENC call array in a 4.7g per-bud package.
• ZIPFORCE True — biggest trade-off: It's a fully in-ear, sealed design, so it blocks your ears and is not built for runners who need to hear traffic.
• Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones — biggest strength: Open-ear hook design with up to 8 hours per charge and 50 hours total from the case, plus Bluetooth 5.4.
• Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones — biggest trade-off: No active noise cancellation — the open design intentionally lets outside sound in, and the buds weigh more than double at 10g each.
• Who each is for: ZIPFORCE True for commuters, office and call-heavy users who want to shut out the world; Tulbeys for runners, cyclists and gym-goers who want to stay aware.
ZIPFORCE True is built around noise control. The headline feature is smart active noise cancellation that adjusts to your environment, and you can flip between ANC On, ANC Off and Transparency so you decide how much of the outside world gets in. That's a genuine toggle, not a marketing line — Transparency mode pipes ambient sound through, which is what you'd want when ordering coffee or crossing a lobby without pulling the buds out.
The call side is where the spec sheet gets specific: two microphones per earbud, four total, with ENC noise reduction claimed to suppress up to 80% of background interference during calls. Bluetooth 5.3 keeps latency under 65ms, which matters if you game or watch video, and one-step auto pairing (you'll see it listed as "ZF Luna Plus" in your Bluetooth menu) means it reconnects on its own next time. Battery is a 30-minute charge for roughly 4.5 hours of use, stretched to 40 hours with the case.
Who should buy it: people who take a lot of calls, work in open offices, fly, or just want a sealed in-ear fit that doesn't protrude. The 45-degree angled nozzle and 4.7g weight are aimed squarely at comfort during workouts and long wear sessions. Who should skip it: anyone who needs to hear traffic, teammates or a trail while training. In-ear means in-ear — and there's no ear hook here to keep things planted during hard movement.
Tulbeys takes the opposite approach. This is an open-ear design with ear hooks, so the driver sits outside your ear canal and fires sound in rather than sealing it off. The stated benefit is real and worth taking seriously: no ear pressure, and full ambient awareness. The spec sheet describes a directional transmission design that angles the sound beam into the canal at 25 degrees, which is the mechanism that makes open-ear audio sound like more than a tiny speaker floating near your head. It also lists a bone conduction driver, so expect the open, airy presentation that comes with that category.
Battery is the standout number here: up to 8 hours on a single charge, and a total of 50 hours with the compact charging case — more than double the ZIPFORCE True's single-charge figure. Bluetooth 5.4 is a generation newer, with a stated range of about 30 feet, and pairing is automatic once you open the case after the initial setup. Touch controls handle play/pause, volume, skipping, voice assistant and calls.
Build-wise, each bud is 10g in a polycarbonate shell with IPX5 sweat and water resistance — enough for rain and heavy gym sessions. Who should buy it: runners, cyclists, hikers and anyone who trains outdoors or needs to stay alert in an office. Who should skip it: anyone who wants to mute a noisy commute or a loud café. There is no ANC mode at all, and by design outside noise comes through.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for noise cancellation → ZIPFORCE True. Three modes including Transparency, and it's the only one of the two with active noise control.
• Best for running, cycling and outdoor workouts → Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. Ear hooks plus open-ear awareness is exactly the use case the design targets.
• Best for single-charge battery life → Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. Up to 8 hours versus roughly 4.5 hours on ZIPFORCE True.
• Best for total battery with the case → Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. 50 hours total against 40 hours on ZIPFORCE True.
• Best for all-day comfort with zero ear pressure → Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. The open design avoids inserting anything into the canal.
• Best for a discreet, pocketable fit → ZIPFORCE True. 4.7g buds and a supermini case that doesn't protrude.
• Best for newer Bluetooth → Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. Bluetooth 5.4 against 5.3, with a stated 30-foot range versus 10 meters.
In my opinion, the pick comes down to whether you want to block sound or stay open to it — and those are genuinely different products, not two versions of the same thing. If I took calls all day, commuted by train or plane, and wanted a sealed in-ear fit with real noise control, I'd buy the ZIPFORCE True. If I ran, cycled or lifted regularly and cared most about staying aware with the longest possible battery, I'd buy the Tulbeys Open Ear Headphones. Neither is the "better" product in the abstract; ZIPFORCE wins on isolation and discretion, Tulbeys wins on awareness and endurance. For most active outdoor users, I'd lean Tulbeys because the ear-hook design matches the way they'll actually use it.
On paper ZIPFORCE has the heavier call setup: four microphones total with ENC noise reduction claimed to suppress up to 80% of background noise. Tulbeys also lists ENC on its mic, but with a single-mic description. For calls in genuinely loud places, ZIPFORCE looks like the stronger choice.
No. The spec sheet lists Environmental Noise Cancellation only for the microphone during calls — there is no active noise cancellation mode. The open-ear design deliberately lets ambient sound in, which is the point for runners and cyclists.
Tulbeys: up to 8 hours per charge and 50 hours total with the case. ZIPFORCE True: about 4.5 hours of average battery life, with a 30-minute charge giving roughly 5 hours of use and 40 hours total with the case.
ZIPFORCE True is lighter at 4.7g per bud and uses a 45-degree angled in-ear nozzle to reduce canal pressure. Tulbeys avoids the canal entirely with an open-ear hook, but each bud weighs 10g. If you dislike anything inside your ear, go Tulbeys; if you want the lightest possible feel, go ZIPFORCE.
This comparison is spec-based only, so check the current price on Amazon for both before deciding — the page has a button for that above.
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