Kindly sent to me by Gary Zhang of Havit , a new company to headfi that have added an awful lot of decent headphones to the budget market.
This is my 3rd review for Havit , previously having tried the HV-H2555BT More Hav than Hav not
and the HV-H91DJ C'mon - £20? Havit - I lovit!
The HV-H930BT
Is their Bluetooth 4.1 spec Sports In Ear Water Resistant model
It is inexpensive to say the least
And is worthy of a listen - even for headfi
The Design
The 930 is a solid IEM with as small a cable leading from left to right ears as you could imagine. With a 200 hour standby time , a 6.5 hour talk time and a 6 hour music time these Monitors are recharged through the usual micro usb cable method in 2 hours. They can be connected to 2 devices at the same time ; useful for listening to a Macbook and taking calls from a smartphone for instance. They are sold in the UK through amazon.co,uk
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Headphone-HAVIT-HV-H930BT-Smartphone/dp/B018HVZ5XU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451364805&sr=8-1&keywords=h930bt
and retail for £16.99.
Using the IEMs is relatively easy for the tech savvy
Pausing the music is as simply as pressing the middle button , taking and ending calls on Android or Iphone is the same button press and works absolutely fine. Long button presses when the music is not on will call back the previously dialled number, something I have done more than once, so if you're like me be prepared to strike up a conversation when you least expect it! As always,hands free dialling must be treated with respect and caution.....
The cable is tangle free and the IEMs are small enough to fit into any pocket and do not need a bag as they are sweat and waterproof and I have not managed to scratch them so far.
The Bluetooth range is described as 10 metres with no obstacles ; in practice I found the phone needed to be in my pocket and my Macbook Pro had to be in the same room as me i.e 20 feet to avoid dropouts, Once I had the range correct there were no subsequent dropouts.
These phones are designed for the active, they are not aimed at the Audiophile sat listening in a comfy quiet environment to chamber music through their SACD player. They are a tool to help you work out harder and are made to resist as much sweat and water as you can throw at them. Which is exactly what I did and is exactly how I shall review them.
The Sound
Bassy presentation , smooth in the mids and highs , the Havits need toning down very slightly in the lower end when I am walking and doing chores. In a noisy environment particularly when I'm running the bass is needed and can easily be lived with. Although I have mentioned chamber music through your SACD as not quite the market the 930 is aimed at , classical music is given a pleasing artificial warmth with these phones I am pleased to say. Rock and Pop is treated with a forgiving signature which should make it listenable through most genres and bit rates from MP3 to ultra hi res.
The sound signature alters drastically with the depth and angle of the drivers and tips and significant time needs to be spent to achieve good results for my ears. We are talking few millimetres and a few degrees causing tinny or boomy sound .
The Fit
This I found an issue for my ears . The IEMs memory wire is designed to fit around the ear and drop the tips in just the right place for the best sound quality . I achieved the best results with the wires pulled away frpm around the ears and pushed against my head a few cms higher up. I am sure this was due to the ergonomic design of the driver shells which I think will fit plush inside an awful lot of ears out there. Just not mine.... The net result of a slightly imperfect fit is the trial and error involved at the start of a workout. This needs to be setup before you start pounding the streets or hitting the gym and can take a couple of minutes to get right even when you have found the sweet spot, Not a huge sacrifice but worth noting if you unlucky with your ear contours like myself.
Isolation
The isolation has to be sacrificed in favour of the best sound signature. I have no qualms about doing this as I have numerous IEMs which shut the world out completely for me. Cyclists , road runners and pedestrians still need to have some grasp on what is going on around them in busier and busier city streets, I found all road noise is only marginally quieter than without wearing any earphones with the 930s on. It encouraged me away from the city and into the country which is no bad thing for my lungs. Wind noise is not something I found obtrusive.
Microphonics
Cable noise is all but non existent - the cable is short and hangs down behind the ears onto the shoulders. It is not heavy cable and phone conversations are the same as holding the phone to your ear. Nothing to worry about with the old bugbear that affects many IEMs costing even up to £1000.......
Accessories
A decent enough length micro usb cable and couple of sets of tips are supplied with the H930. I think more tips might mean a slightly better fit but 95% will be happy with either the small or large ones provided and I have a load of other tips from other IEMs purchased should I ever be tempted to experiment further.
The Look
I think Havit have once again scored a winner with the sculpted contours of the driver shells, the colour coordination along the cable and eartips. These simply do not look like they cost £16.99 and put many others £100a more expensive to shame. They are eye catching and sporty looking and I like their looks.
Conclusion
Tough, smooth sounding , safe to wear and eye catching IEMs under £17 which are quick to charge , are built to last , and will fit into a pocket when not needed. The Havit has lots to offer and are another recommendation from me
