Introduction

When Noontec first approached us and offered to send us a pair of their Hammo Wireless headphones, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. My knowledge of the brand didn't span much further from the fact that they existed. Judging by the price, the $150 Hammo Wireless seems to be their best wireless headphone, and is currently actually their most expensive headphone on offer. The product page declares them as "Professional Monitor Headphones", which suggests that it aims to offer a flat frequency response in order to leave the music as uncolored as possible.



My experience has shown that many people confuse a flat response with a sound that has no bass or warmth. That's not the case at all. Headphones or speakers with a flat response simply aim to reproduce the music without adding their own character to it. When you're mixing music, you don't want your speakers or headphones to make the bass meatier or violins crisper than they actually are because they won't sound as they actually do when played back on a sound system with different acoustical characteristics. Let's say you do your mix on a pair of headphones that are exceptionally bass-heavy. You'll be inclined to add very little bass to your music since you'll hear plenty of it in your headphones. Then, you'll play that same piece of music on a pair of headphones that aren't as bassy inherently only to find the bass very lacking because there was too little of it added in the mix. This is essentially a simplified explanation of the main purpose of speakers and headphones with a flat frequency response - those we also call "studio monitors", "professional monitors" or simply "monitors".

With that in mind, what Noontec is trying to tell us by labeling the Hammo Wireless as "Professional Monitor Headphones" is that they strive to stay as true to the source as possible. The product page also mentions recording studios and DJ monitoring a lot, but I'm not sure that's the story they should be selling. Serious recording studios will stick to wired headphones as good old wires are still the best method of transporting an audio signal. On the other hand, the Hammo Wireless can be used in wired mode as well, so that could be the message they are trying to get across.

The design of the headphones is closed-back and over-ear. They support the Bluetooth aptX codec and promise an impressive battery life of 50 hours. If the latter proves to be true and the sound quality of the built-in 50-milimeter audio drivers justify the $150 price, we could have a portable over-ear winner on our hands (heads, to be exact).

Specifications

• 50-mm audio drivers (neodymium magnet)
• 32 Ω impedance
• Up to 26,000 Hz frequency response (specified by the manufacturer)
• Closed-back, over-ear design
• Bluetooth 4.1 (with aptX) and 3.5-mm analogue connectivity
• 50-hour battery life (specified by the manufacturer)
• Built-in audio controls (Play/Pause, Previous/Next, Volume Up/Down)
• Built-in microphone for phone calls
• 0.6 m rubberized 3.5-mm-to-USB charging cable
• 1.5 m flat rubberized 3.5-mm audio cable
• 3 m flat rubberized 3.5-mm audio cable
• Hard-shell carrying case
• Weight: 250 g

The Package

The Noontec Hammo Wireless comes in a good-looking box that lists its key specifications and showcases it nicely. There's also a short introduction and a full list of the contents inside, printed in six different languages.


You shouldn't be worried about the Hammo Wireless getting damaged while it's being delivered to you as it is carefully folded inside a hard-shell case. You can use this case whenever you're traveling as well.


Noontec remembered to make a pocket that can be used to store the cables, or at least the charging cable, should you need it. There's even a carabiner attached to the hard-shell case should you want to attach it to a loop on your belt, a strap of your backpack, or anything else of the sort.


Here's everything that's found inside the box. You get the headphones, aforementioned hard-shell case, a user manual, quick-start guide, and a grand total of three cables. Two of these are standard 3.5-mm audio cables of differing lengths (1.5 and 3 meters, respectively). Both are rubberized and completely flat, which is a nice touch as it makes them less prone to tangling and much easier to untangle. The third cable has a 3.5-mm port on one side and a USB plug on the other. This cable is used to charge the battery - yes, you got it right, through a 3.5-mm port.