Earlier this year, Logitech announced the Zone Learn, a wired headset designed with K-12 learners in mind. Billed as an education-first headset, the Zone Learn prioritizes features that will help kids stay focused and engaged when they’re in the “learning zone.” Always on the lookout for a way to stay focused, we decided to call a pair up for review.
Zone Learn: Design
According to a survey of more than 1,000 educators, comfort while using hardware accessories (such as headsets) plays a big role in student learning engagement. Taking those findings to heart, Logitech designed the Zone Learn with a primary focus on comfort and ergonomics.
To ensure the Zone Learn is comfortable enough for long periods of use, Logitech put a soft cushion layer on the underside of the headband and dressed the earpads in supple leatherette. Coupled with the headset’s lightweight design, these features make for a comfortable listening experience. We used the Zone Learn for several hours at a time and never once experienced anything close to discomfort or fatigue.
The headband and earcups are adjustable, allowing the Zone Learn to accommodate most head sizes. More importantly, once adjusted, the headset does a good job of staying put, so kids won’t be distracted by having to constantly readjust the fit.
In terms of durability, the Zone Learn is much stronger than it looks (and feels). Its bones might be made of plastic, but they definitely didn’t bend or break the way we thought they would. Even the two cables connecting the earcups to the headband (which seemed like a potential vulnerability) resisted all reasonable efforts to pull them loose.
However, if you (or your child) somehow manage to damage the headset, fear not. The Zone Learn’s modular design allows you to replace the earpads and cables as needed.
As far as aesthetics go, the headset is available in navy with bright Charizard-orange accents. We think it’s a fun and appropriate colorway considering the intended audience, although it might be a bit too loud for kids closer to 12 than K.
Zone Learn: Performance
Overall, the Zone Learn’s sound quality is pretty good. These aren’t audiophile-grade headphones by any stretch of the imagination, but for kids’ headphones designed for use in a classroom, the sound quality is solid. Vocal audio comes through especially clearly, making it easy to hear and understand what’s being said.
The headset’s boom mic also performs fairly well. During our testing, our voices sounded clear and natural. The mic is a bit sensitive (we were definitely picking up the clickety-clack of each other’s keyboard), which could cause distractions, depending on the environment. That small concern aside, the mic is otherwise very good.
The Zone Learn also does a decent job of blocking out ambient sound. The headset lacks more advanced features like active noise cancellation, but it still manages to damp most background noise—within reason. Louder noises (like a screaming child or a megaphone-mouthed coworker) will sometimes still get through, but otherwise the headset does a good job of creating a quieter, more focus-friendly environment.
Zone Learn: Value
At its current price point, the Zone Learn definitely falls into the “budget headset” category. Even for kids headphones, they’re relatively inexpensive. On average, the Zone Learn headset will run you $10-20 less than the top choices from competing brands like JLab and Puro.
Of course, as we’ve seen (and heard) in the past, price doesn’t always equal value. Sometimes low cost means low quality. Fortunately, that’s not the case with the Zone Learn. Featuring a comfortable (and shockingly durable) design and better-than-expected sound performance, this kids-friendly headset definitely returns excellent bang for your buck.
Zone Learn: Conclusion
Logitech designed the Zone Learn with a clear mission in mind: to help K-12 learners stay focused and engaged with their coursework. To achieve this mission, the company focused heavily on comfort, designing the headset to be worn comfortably for long periods of time without even a hint of fatigue. Logitech also paid special attention to vocal audio, tuning the headset’s drivers so that voices come through clearly and easy to hear.
Overall, the Zone Learn is a great headset for a somewhat niche market. Along with those focus-friendly features, the Zone Learn is also very durable (enough to handle the unbridled warzone that is a middle-school classroom), and they’re budget-friendly, making them a great value buy.
These aren’t headphones for listening to music or gaming. They’re designed to help kids stay focused on learning—and that’s exactly what they do. If you’re in the market for an affordable pair of education-first headphones, the Zone Learn is an excellent choice.
Will you be getting the Zone Learn for a student in your life? Let us know in the Comments section, below.
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