Review: Headphones for Metalheads 9.5/10 stars

The HEAVYS brand offers headphones designed for fans of extreme music like metal. Being a fan of the genre, I hastened to contact the brand in order to be able to test this extraordinary product.

Originally, it was developed by Axell Grell - 27 years at Sennheiser; the father of the “HD” range . In fact, the headset, in addition to being made for metal, includes four speakers per ear; this is to offer a “live” experience through the positioning of the second speaker.

A production which aims to make you hear all the details of a song thanks to its tailor-made design, do the Heavys H1H headphones keep all their promises? This is what we are going to see together.

Packaging

Delivered in a no-frills black box, the headset is securely protected in a beautifully designed carrying case with a leather finish . Once opened, the case contains the headset, a USB-C cable as well as a 2.5mm – 3.5mm jack cable.  A QR code on a flyer provides access to the online manual.

1§ The brand is in partnership with several metal groups and it is possible to acquire “shells” bearing their image . To simplify, these are interchangeable shells which allow you to decorate your headphones as you wish.

Among the groups available, we find in particular:

• Testament
• The Amity Affliction
• Morbid Angel
• Of Mice & Men
• Death Angel
• Whitechapel
• Kamelot and many more...

I think the idea is really a good one, especially if we want to show our affection for a particular group. You can find the different “shells” here .

First experience

During my first use, I was surprised to hear a 'demonic voice' coming from the headset; we are indeed facing an object designed for metal fans. Once Bluetooth mode is engaged, my phone instantly recognizes the headset without causing the slightest problem. As for the wired connection, it is the same when plugging it into my computer.

To summarize, the first use of the headset is as simple as possible and it will not take more than 30 seconds to enjoy it .

Comfort and use

Despite a weight that may be surprising in my hand, I expected to have a brick on my head. Yes the headset is heavy, but not to the point of becoming restrictive. In fact, the Heavys stays in place, covers the ears correctly and is quite comfortable.

The only problem that tarnishes this beautiful picture is the imitation leather material located on the pads . For a person like me who can quickly get hot in front of a screen or while walking, I would have preferred fabric; but this is just a personal opinion.

Now let's come to the use of the headset. While listening, four buttons will interest us. Located under the right speaker, a wheel and two buttons will be used to manage the volume, change tracks and activate transparent mode. The left speaker allows you to manage ANC (Anti Noise Canceling).

The position of the buttons may be confusing at first, but it's just a habit to get used to. And I would like to point out that this is the first time I have used a complete wireless Bluetooth headset; I'm still from the wired generation, what do you want?

When it comes to battery life, I have no complaints. I simply did not charge the headset during my entire testing. A very good point.

Sound performance

When I received the Heavys H1H, I was eager to test it as quickly as possible. It was still coffee time and I wasn't fully awake yet, but that was going to change (very quickly). Once the headphones are paired with my phone and Spotify is launched, I decide to start slowly with “Master of Puppets” by Metallica . And that’s the “  slap ”.

Prints

The sound is powerful, the music is full of small, subtle details that I've never paid attention to before. All the instruments are present and the balancing allows them to be heard clearly. I then move on to “Through the Fire and Flames” by Dragonforce . A more recent piece obliges, the mixing is more straightforward, but not devoid of interest either. The rhythm of the song being very fast, I am surprised to be able to hear the guitars and the bass that accompanies them very easily . Once the sound is pushed to the maximum, I find it impressive not to hear any crackling ; everything is clear and it's a pure treat for the ears. To finish, “Painkiller” by Judas Priest and his legendary guitar solo; I just got chills.

To summarize my impressions more generally, I can say that the headphones maintain a perfect balance between treble, midrange and bass. I did not feel a monopolization of one or more frequencies, but rather a generalized harmony which allows me to really feel the music and provoke real emotions . As for the promised “live” effect, it is quite slight, but with the application arriving, a simple update should be able to correct the situation.

Besides the fact that metal is the style suited to headphones, softer pieces like “I Want It All” by Queen or even hardstyle or techno electronic music also come out brilliantly.

Even if the Heavys is recommended for listening to (extreme) music, its use goes well beyond that . It will be perfect for watching videos on Youtube, streaming movies and even playing video games. It's this last point that struck me because the spatialization is quite impressive even though it's not a gaming headset.

Isolation and communication

So far, the Heavys helmet is doing wonderfully, but what is it worth in terms of headphones insulation?

Once securely attached to the head and the ANC engaged, I found almost no noise that could have bothered me. Just to give you an idea, the only time I was able to hear outside noises was at the side of the road, during a period of heavy traffic. And still, I could barely distinguish the noise of the cars.

Finally, the headset also has five microphones and “noise canceling” so you can answer phone calls. It's not a major asset, but the sound quality is quite respectable for a device of this type.

Conclusion

After many hours with the Heavys H1H, I completely agree with its original concept. The sound is clear, clean, powerful and will make you rediscover certain emblematic pieces of the metal scene.

Even if its main selling point is aimed at metalheads, the headphones are ultra versatile and may be suitable for uses other than music . On top of that, the battery life is exemplary and it will last for long hours, even with the sound turned up to maximum. Speaking of pushing the sound, I would also like to welcome the fact of offering technology allowing music to be listened to at high volume, without damaging hearing. Proof ; I never felt the sensation of tinnitus during all of my tests, hats off.

To all metal fans (and others); This is made for you!

Overall rating: 9.5/10

The +:

– Battery life
– Elegant and sober design
– Comfortable despite its weight
– Immersive and powerful sound, all with hearing protection

(This Article has been translated from French)