Heavys headphones hit the headlines a few years ago due to the fact they were created specifically for metal fans to get the most from their music.
The brainchild of former Senheiser audio guru Axel Grell, I reported on the Kickstarter campaign to help get them off the ground back in early 2022. Now, I’ve finally managed to get my hands on a pair of Heavys and I’ve spend the last few weeks putting them through their paces with a selection of metal, rock and indie albums and tracks to see if they can mosh with the competition.
For clarity, I tested the Heavys using Apple Music on my iPhone - listening to tracks in both lossless and hi-res lossless formats.
Heavys are available to purchase directly through their own website.
Heavys H1H: Design
The Heavys are a weighty bit of kit thanks to their use of heavy duty plastic and come with a matte black finish. The brand’s logo in stencilled in white on both ear cups and can also be found embossed across the top of the headband.
While they are suitably heavy to wear, these over-ear headphones are comfortable thanks to their soft ear cushions, and they sit snuggly on the head - although excessive head-banging is not advised!
The control switches on the underside of both ear cups are firm and give a satisfying snap when used - although I found these easier to operate before placing the headphones on my head - and I particularly liked the design of the ridged volume dial on the right ear cup which worked great on the go.
The Heavys also fold away neatly for travel and come with a moulded carry case. The ear cups don’t swivel though so wearing them around your neck is a wee bit uncomfortable.
I also appreciated that the outer ear cup shells can be changed to suit your mood, with Heavys hosting a range of designs on their official website and there are collaborations with bands including Testament, Death Angel, Whitechapel and The Amity Affliction.
Heavys H1H: Features
Heavys utilise eight drivers to push slabs of music straight into your ears which the audio firm say generates “the most optimal sound experience possible for all music genres.” More of that later, but it’s also worth mentioning that the headphones also have five mics onboard too.
The Hell Blocker Active Noise Cancelling function works well and I found it was great when out walking along busy stretches of main roads while battering my lugs with a bit of Candlemass.
Heavys also support both wireless and wired modes: Bluetooth 5.1 BLE or connected through USB-C/analogue 2.55mm to 3.55mm, while a full charge should last around the 50-hour mark.
Unlike some other manufacturers such as Sony and Marshall, the Heavys don’t have a dedicated app to control EQ, firmware updates etc… yet. However, Heavys report that a standalone app is currently in development and it should be with us by the end of the year.
Heavys H1H: Sound
Being developed specifically for the tastes of metal fans, sound quality is definitely the most important factor here. As mentioned previously, I tested the Heavys using Apple Music in both lossless and hi-res lossless through an iPhone.
The first thing to say is that I initially had to tweak the EQ settings to get a good audio balance because I found the out of the box experience to be slightly muffled and too bass-heavy for my personal tastes. It didn’t take long to find the optimal audio levels for me and this will undoubtably be improved once the Heavys app launches.
When switching on, off, activating Hell Blocker ANC or pairing, a deep rumbling voice booms in your ears which reminded me of Duke Nukem before he wiped out a bunch of Enforcers or that dude who blared out ‘Finish him!” in Mortal Kombat. Nice!
Doom classic Nightfall by Candlemass was first on my playlist with the crunching riffs of The Well Of Souls coming through beautifully, with Leif Edling’s punchy bass gave my ears a proper workout, while Messiah Marcolin’s vocals rose gracefully above the mix.
Bringing things into the 21st Century, Metal Hammer's 2023 album of the year Sanguivore by Creeper also sounded on-point, with its excellent production shining through while Metallica’s 72 Seasons sounded crisp and awesome.
Moving away from metal, I fired up Jane’s Addiction’s magical Nothing’s Shocking album and it also sounded immense through the Heavys, with the headphones delivering clear balanced audio, with Dave Navarro’s acoustic Ocean Size intro sounding clear and crisp, while the bass was punchy and focused.
With my time with the Heavys, I also wanted to sample something a bit different too, so next up was Kælan Mikla’s 2021 album Undir köldum norðurljósum. I loved the delivery of the atmospheric, warm synth tones and the audio held together beautifully even when I decided to crank the volume to get the most out the Icelandic trio's most recent album.
On the whole, the Heavys sound very good indeed - but the soundstage isn’t as wide as I like. Now, that’s simply a personal preference and comes after spending the last six months or so with my pair of Sony WH-1000XM5s.
Heavys H1H: The alternatives
I mentioned the Sony WH-1000XM5 above and both them and the Heavys are available for around the same price. The Sonys are lighter, have a bigger soundstage and have the benefit of Sony’s dedicated headphone app for fine tuning. However, they don’t fold away like the Heavys, so bear that in mind.
Another solid alternative around the same price are the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2. They’re a solid choice of over-ear headphones and sound brilliant with awesome build quality.
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