Heavys H1E earbuds review: Built for metal, with caveats
The Heavys H1E earbuds promise “concert-like sound,” ANC (which Heavys calls “Hellblocker”), and everyday comfort for rock and metal fans. It all sounds good on paper, but whether that tuning works in the real world is another question. Are these the right earbuds for metalheads whose routine includes plenty of face-melting riffs and relentless double kick drums? Let’s find out in this Heavys H1E review.
Who are the Heavys H1E for?
The Heavys H1E earbuds are designed for fans of heavy music, from hard rock to progressive death metal, who want a single pair of ANC true wireless earbuds to use as their daily drivers.
How has this article been updated?
This article was published on January 23rd, 2026, and this is the first version of the article. Updates will follow as the market changes.
What’s it like to use the Heavys H1E?
The Heavys H1E earbuds arrive in a lightweight plastic charging case and, as expected, stick closely to the hard rock and metal-inspired aesthetic. They feature a matte-black stem design with a single-touch control on each earbud. Each earbud weighs just 5g, and with both silicone and memory foam ear tips included, you have a few options to dial in your fit. In my case, I preferred the smaller memory foam tips because they felt most comfortable, provided the best seal, and kept the earbuds securely in place while I was out and about.
Otherwise, offering most of the usual suspects, including active noise cancelation, which Heavys calls “Hellblocker,” transparency mode, a built-in microphone for calls on the go, and an IPX5 water resistance rating, the Heavys H1E aim to be your daily drivers, whether you’re commuting to work or casually listening throughout the day. That IPX5 rating means they can handle light rain or sweat, making them suitable for workouts and cardio sessions.
What are the best features of the Heavys H1E?
The Heavys app is minimal, and aside from firmware updates, the EQ is the only real feature it offers. It uses a 5-band equalizer, but all bands start pre-boosted at +6dB rather than a neutral 0dB baseline, which means you’re mostly cutting frequencies instead of shaping the sound from flat. Combined with unlabeled EQ bands, this makes any fine adjustments a little less intuitive than they should be.
According to Heavys, this design is intentional and tied to regional volume regulations. Still, in practice, it makes the EQ more confusing to use than some listeners might be used to.
Even so, I was still able to make minor EQ adjustments to better align the H1E earbuds with my preferences. The bigger limitation is how little control the app gives you beyond that. There are no in-app ANC controls, no manual buttons to switch between Hellblocker, transparency mode, and Hellblocker off, and no clear visual indicator showing which listening mode you’re currently using. Given how dramatically the sound changes when Hellblocker is enabled, that lack of feedback makes it harder than it should be to understand what you’re actually hearing at any given moment.
Heavys says a future firmware update is expected to return the EQ to a 0dB baseline, which would help, but for now, the app feels underdeveloped. Compared to many competing companion apps at the same price or less, it lacks both the control and clarity that would make mode switching and EQ adjustments easier to manage day to day.
How does the Heavys H1E connect?
The Heavys H1E earbuds support a variety of codecs.
The Heavys H1E connects to your device via Bluetooth 5.4 and supports a variety of codecs, including SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, and aptX HD, provided your device supports them. The earbuds also support multipoint connectivity, and in my testing, switching seamlessly between my iPhone and my MacBook worked without any issues.
How do you pair and connect the Heavys H1E?
Pairing the Heavys H1E earbuds is easy and follows the usual steps, as outlined below.
- Open the case and press the pairing button
- Open Bluetooth Settings on your device
- Select “Heavys earbuds”
How long does the Heavys H1E battery last?
Just like the H1H headphones, you can customize your Heavys with swappable band logos and artwork.
Heavys claims the H1E earbuds last up to 7 hours on a single charge, with up to 24 hours total including charging case top-ups. In our standardized battery testing, the Heavys H1E lasted 4 hours and 45 minutes with ANC on. That result falls slightly below the current average for true wireless ANC earbuds, which typically manage around 5 to 6 hours per charge with noise cancelation enabled.
How well do the Heavys H1E cancel noise?
With Hellblocker enabled, the Heavys H1E reduce the loudness of outside noise by 81%, which is solid for everyday use. During my commute to work, they performed fine on the bus, cutting down engine noise and general traffic sounds enough to make listening more enjoyable and eliminate any immediate distractions.
Passive isolation accounts for about 64% of outside noise reduction, which is typical for true wireless earbuds and depends heavily on getting a good seal. Compared to most ANC earbuds in this price range, the H1E land around the middle of the pack for noise cancelation. Of course, good isolation and ANC start with a proper fit, so it’s worth trying all the included ear tips to get the best results.
How do the Heavys H1E sound?
The Heavys H1E earbuds deliver two distinct sounds, depending on whether Hellblocker (the Active Noise Canceling feature) is enabled. With Hellblocker off, including when transparency mode is enabled, the tuning is fairly consumer-friendly. Enabling Hellblocker alters the sound and introduces some trade-offs worth unpacking.
Reviewer’s notes
Editor’s note: this review uses a hover-enabled glossary to describe sound quality based on a consensus vocabulary. You can read about it here.
Can you use the Heavys H1E for phone calls?
Yes, you can take phone calls while connected to the Heavys H1E earbuds. Take a listen to our examples below to see how they perform in various environments.
Heavys H1E microphone demo (Ideal conditions):
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What does the Heavys H1E microphone sound like in the real world?
Heavys H1E microphone demo (Office conditions):
Heavys H1E microphone demo (Street conditions):
Heavys H1E microphone demo (Windy conditions):
Heavys H1E microphone demo (Reverberant space):
In ideal conditions, the Heavys H1E microphone sounds fine and gets your voice across clearly. It struggles more in offices and echoey rooms, where background noise and reflections creep in, but it does a decent job handling street noise and wind. It’s not a mic you’d want for long calls, but you can get away with a quick chat outdoors without much trouble.
Should you buy the Heavys H1E?
The Heavys H1E earbuds won’t be for everyone.
If you’re a rock or metal fan who wants a strong, bass-forward sound and plans to leave Hellblocker turned on most of the time, the Heavys H1E earbuds can make sense. With Hellblocker enabled, bass strength increases substantially, emphasizing kick drums and low-tuned guitars in a way that suits heavier genres. They’re also comfortable, support a wide range of Bluetooth codecs, and work well for everyday commuting or workouts. They can also make sense if you don’t rely on ANC at all, since the sound with Hellblocker turned off is more consumer-friendly and easier to enjoy day to day, especially if you like the metal aesthetic.
That said, the H1E are hard to recommend as true all-around earbuds. The sound changes noticeably when you toggle Hellblocker, which can be frustrating if you switch modes often or rely on EQ. The companion app doesn’t help much either, offering only a limited, pre-boosted 5-band EQ with no ANC controls or touch customization.
In the end, the Heavys H1E are best suited to a particular listener: someone who prioritizes heavy music, sticks to a single listening mode, and doesn’t mind a barebones app. If you want more consistent tuning, deeper control, and greater flexibility across genres, there are better true wireless earbuds available for the same price, or less.
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What should you get instead of the Heavys H1E?
The Nothing Ear deliver premium features at a reasonable price.
If the Heavys H1E feel too locked into one sound, the Nothing Ear () are an easier everyday alternative. They offer far more thorough app- and EQ-control, including a full parametric EQ, making it easier to balance low-end performance across different genres, including hard rock and metal. The black-and-clear design also leans into a subtle industrial look that complements a metal aesthetic without being over-the-top. With solid ANC, good sound, and a typical price around $150 (often lower on sale), they make more sense if you want flexibility rather than committing to a single sound profile.
Otherwise, if you want a sound-first alternative that again costs less and gives you way more control over tuning, the Creative Aurvana Ace 3 () are a strong pick at around $150. They offer a much deeper EQ setup than the Heavys app, including Mimi Sound Personalization plus a 10-band custom EQ, so you can actually dial in the sound instead of fighting a pre-boosted slider layout. You give up some noise cancelation compared to the H1E, but if price and EQ flexibility matter most, again, the Ace 3 make a lot of sense.
Heavys H1E review: FAQs
