Is this budget Bluetooth headphones worth your hard-earned cash?
Finding affordable and quality Bluetooth headphones is a challenge. While there are some Bluetooth headphones priced at Php 3,000 or less, serious compromises have to be made to make them that affordable. These can range from inferior build quality, dismal battery life, or bad audio quality.
Havit is the latest brand that is up to the challenge of selling quality and affordable Bluetooth headphones with the HV-F9. With a Php 1,990 price tag, the HV-F9 looks more premium than similarly-priced Bluetooth headphones. Does the HV-F9 offer value for money beyond its looks? We have been using the HV-F9 for a few weeks, and here’s how it fared in our tests:
What is it?
The HV-F9 is a pair of over-the-ear headphones that can work wirelessly via Bluetooth or with its supplied 3.5mm headphone cable.
Using it as a wired headphone does not require a battery charge on the Bluetooth module, which is ideal if you want to conserve battery on the HV-F9, or if you are using an audio device that sports a 3.5mm headphone jack.
It has a metal extendable headband and a rotatable plastic casing for the two drivers. Both drivers and the headband have comfortable, well-padded faux leather.
Is it easy to use?
Yes. For wired mode, just connect the headphone cable to the HV-F9’s left driver (where the headphone jack is found) to your audio device’s headphone jack. For wireless mode, just hold the power button found on the right driver until it lights up.
In wired mode, volume control is done through your audio device. In wireless mode, you use the volume controls found on the HV-F9’s right driver.
How is the sound quality?
It depends on which mode you are using. In wired mode, the HV-F9 delivers a decent soundstage, with good lows and highs and decent mids. Bass is strong, but not too overpowering.
In wireless mode, it is a different story. Sound quality dips significantly, especially for the lows. Aside from that, there’s an issue in audio quality, where the left driver would deliver a more powerful sound output than the right driver. Sound imbalance aside, the right driver has an annoying buzzing sound that can be heard even if you max out the volume.
How long does it last on a full charge?
Not that long. On our tests, we only get around an hour and a half on wireless mode before it delivers an audible warning, and a few minutes before it shuts down completely.
Aside from the short battery life, the HV-F9’s right driver (where the battery and Bluetooth module are found) gets warm with prolonged use. We’re not sure if this is a design issue or a problem with our review unit, but we hope Havit addresses this in their future wireless headphones.
Would you recommend it?
If you are looking for a wireless pair of cans, the HV-F9 is a disappointing offer. While its Php 1,990 may look like a steal, it has a dismal battery life. However, if you rather use them as wired headphones, the HV-F9 delivers decent audio quality for its price.
Overall, the HV-F9’s Bluetooth functionality is more of a gimmick than the main feature. Those who plan to buy this should keep in mind its limited wireless functionality, and rather use it as a pair of wired cans with its supplied 3.5mm cable.
