Heavys H1H headphones review
I like to think I'm immune to targeted advertising, or at the very least resistant. But at some point we all fall victim to the algorithm, and so the whirring cogs behind my Google Discover feed correctly identified that not only am I obsessed with audio, but also a long-haired human being with a taste for heavy metal music (among many other genres, of course).
And thus, I was shown an advert for the Heavy H1H wireless headphones, somewhat aggressively marketed as the «world's first headphones built for metal fans mimicking the live music experience.» Initially I scoffed at the concept, but on closer inspection I've come to realise there's actually some really interesting headphone design going on here.
For a start, they've been designed by Axel Grell, chief engineer at Sennheiser. That's a man who has learned a thing or two about audio in his 30 years in the industry. More than that though, these headphones make use of eight individual drivers, feature «Hell Blocker» active noise cancellation (you may start rolling your eyes here), Bluetooth 5.1, five beamforming microphones, and a 50 hour battery life—all for $269/£245. Pricey then, but not too bad for audiophile-specced premium noise cancellers.
Ah, go on then. I had to satisfy my curiosity, at the very least. My review units came in an all-black box that looks more suited to high-end aftershave than a set of cans, with h-e-a-v-y-s printed in a stark white font. Everything other than the logo is black, black as my heart, and that includes the headphones themselves. These are substantial units, although they're capable of folding up into a more compact size to squeeze themselves into an included hard-shell carry case.
Style: Over-ear, closed-back
Drivers: Eight total, 4x 38 mm dynamic drivers, 4x high-frequency tweeters
Frequency response: 5 Hz to 46,000 Hz (wired), 5 Hz to 24,000 Hz (Bluetooth)
Microphone: Five mic array
Battery life: Up to50 hours
Connection: Bluetooth 5.1, 2.5 mm to 3.5 mm wired connection
