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To test the Hammerhead USB-C ANC, I used the earphones for about a month while listening to music, watching videos and even when answering phone calls on the go. During this time, I also tried out the noise cancelling in several environments to get a feel for its capabilities.
Build quality and comfort
Starting off with build quality, I alluded to it on the previous page but the Hammerhead USB-C ANC feels really solid in the hand. All the key areas – earphone housing, mic, in-line controller, USB-C connector – are covered with aluminium, giving the earphones a pretty sturdy and premium feel.
On top of that, the braided cable is also high-quality, it's nice and flexible and I didn't have any issues with it kinking or twisting. The USB-C also has some serious ‘bite' to it, in that it actually requires quite a firm tug to unplug it from your phone, so that is also quite reassuring.
In terms of comfort, I had no issues wearing the earphones for prolonged periods of time. I really like the angled nozzle implementation – not everyone does it but personally speaking I get a much better insertion with an angled nozzle versus one that is dead straight.
There's also a total of five different ear tips to try out – four sets of silicon tips, and then the Comply Foam tips. I do prefer foam tips as I find I get the best seal with those, but I also had no issues using the default silicons tips as well. It wouldn't have hurt to give a few more options – with some double-flanged tips, for instance, and perhaps another size of foam tip – but considering the cost of these earphones we can only ask for so much.
Sound
Moving onto the sound quality, I have to say when I first opened up the box, took the earphones out and put them in my ears – I was quite surprised by the overall sound signature Razer has gone for with the Hammerhead USB-C ANC. My previous experience with Razer audio gear has been with the company's gaming headsets – the likes of the Kraken or Tiamat – which all have a pretty bass-heavy sound. With that in mind, I was expecting something similar from these earphones.
In fact, what you get is almost the opposite – there's not too much in the way of bass here, with just enough to keep the sound from feeling totally lifeless, and instead the emphasis seems to be placed towards the treble. It's not a harsh treble in any way, but it is definitely elevated over other aspect of the mix, making it very easy to pick out hi-hats in rock/metal and the string section in ‘Emigrate' by Novo Amor.
Like I said, it's not a harsh or sibilant treble, and I do quite like the sense of detail you get overall, but I think the high-end is let down by the bass and mid-range. There is some bass present in the mix, but to me the low-end still feels quite flat and lacking in energy. On top of that, the mid-range also sounds quite thin – it's somewhat recessed, and vocals in particular aren't presented with half the emotion or warmth you'd get from other earphones.
So overall, instead of the fun and bassy sound I was expecting, the Hammerhead USB-C ANC is more geared towards the high-end frequencies – which is fine, but such a thin mid-range doesn't really work that well with this tuning, especially so considering there isn't a whole lot of bass either. If the mid-range was fuller, it'd be a pretty decent, relatively neutral sound. At things stand, though, I can't help but describe the overall sound as ‘slightly lacking'.
Maybe that's because Razer has put its energies into making the active noise cancelling as good as it can – and I have to say, for a pair of smallish earphones, the ANC is pretty impressive. I was able to use these on a couple of flights, and the noise cancelling managed to cut out the monotonous drone of the planes' engines really well, leaving only a small whisper of noise which let me know there was still some of the engine's roar coming through.
Similarly, the screech of London's Underground was almost entirely eliminated by the ANC. It's things like people talking on the Tube next to you which the earphones can't deal with so well, but even then the voices were at least slightly muted. Still, for a pair of £80 earphones, I have been pretty impressed by the ANC overall.
Mic
Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC Mic Test
Lastly, just touching on the integrated mic – it's certainly not the worst I've heard. The two main flaws are the relatively high amount of background noise picked up, as well as the compressed overall sound, but it is not bad at all – my voice sounds pretty clear and easy to understand, and I didn't receive any negative comments about the mic when using it for phone calls.
