Razer is already a huge player in the PC headset market, but now they’re after mobile too with their latest offering, the Hammerhead USB-C ANC earphones.
Product on Review: Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC
Manufacturer: Razer
Street Price: £79.99 GBP / $99.99 US / $169.95 AUS
Razer already has a high status within the PC market, and they’re now looking to extend that further into the mobile audio arena. Razer has already dabbled in this space with a few different offerings such as the Hammerhead Pro V2 and Hammerhead USB-C – the latter being the foundation on which the newer model is based. But with the newer ANC model, they are looking to cement their position even more, especially as they’ve just released the 2nd generation Razer phone.
As for the product in question, it is the Hammerhead USB-C ANC. It may not sound that different to the previous generation, but Razer has taken a more serious approach with the newer model as they’ve replaced their vibrant green colour with a more stealthy all-black finish. They have, however, still maintained some of the Razer green which in this case takes the form of an illuminated logo on the housing. Razer has also modernised the aesthetic so they look even cleaner and more polished than before.
Colour scheme and design overhaul aside, is there anything else that has drastically changed? Well, they’ve added Active Noise Cancellation which should cut down on external noises when in louder environments. Razer has also tinkered with the internals and integrated a dual driver setup as well as bolstered the DAC used. Other additions include a newly designed three-button remote, some Comply eartips and a tweaked cable design.
Razer on the Hammerhead USB-C ANC:
The Razer Hammerhead USB-C powered active noise cancellation (ANC) in-ears deliver the noise cancellation capabilities of larger headsets without the bulk. Dual driver technology combines the bass from a dynamic driver and high frequency details from a balanced armature driver for full range sound, while a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) ensures it is clear and uncompressed. The in-ears also feature a durable aluminum frame, braided cables, and inline control, with Comply™ ear tips to provide a secure fit with enhanced noise cancellation.
Technical Specifications
Earphones
Type – In-ear
Driver – Dynamic + Balanced Armature
Sensitivity – 110dB +/- 3dB
Frequency range – 20 – 20,000Hz
Impedance – 32ohm
Input power – 10mW/20mW
Active noise cancellation
Cable length – 1.2m
Weight – 21g
Connector – USB-C
Microphone
Frequency response – 100 – 10,000Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio – 58dB
Sensitivity – 40 +/- 3dB
Pick-up pattern – Omnidirectional
Remote
Volume control – Up and down
Centre control – Play / pause / accept or end call
Centre switch – ANC on/off
Compatibility
Mobile devices with USB-C connectors (See here)
Type – In-ear
Driver – Dynamic + Balanced Armature
Sensitivity – 110dB +/- 3dB
Frequency range – 20 – 20,000Hz
Impedance – 32ohm
Input power – 10mW/20mW
Active noise cancellation
Cable length – 1.2m
Weight – 21g
Connector – USB-C
Microphone
Frequency response – 100 – 10,000Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio – 58dB
Sensitivity – 40 +/- 3dB
Pick-up pattern – Omnidirectional
Remote
Volume control – Up and down
Centre control – Play / pause / accept or end call
Centre switch – ANC on/off
Compatibility
Mobile devices with USB-C connectors (See here)
Packaging & First Look
Razer’s approach to packaging is really nice as the Hammerhead USB-C ANC arrive in an attractively styled Razer green and black box. On the front, there is a nice shot of the earphones along with a few details about them.
Round the back, there is a second image of the earphones, but this time it has been partially broken down and labelled. There is also some further information displayed in multiple languages.
Right there in the box with the earphones, you get three sets of silicone tips, a soft carry case, a set of Comply t-500 foam tips and the documentation.
Relatively speaking, the Hammerhead USB-C ANC are a great leap forward in terms of design when directly compared with the previous gen model. The older model had a heavy-duty aesthetic whereas the ANC are more modern and clean.
Closer Look
The main housing is made from Aluminium and finished in a deep black which looks very pleasing to the eye. The housing also features an angled nozzle which should help improve comfort.
At the back of the housing, there is a Razer logo, this logo is the only splash of colour on the earphones, plus it illuminates when the Hammerhead USB-C ANC are plugged in.
On the right side of the cable, there is a small box which is used to house the microphone.
The in-line controller has also seen a design upgrade as it now shares some similar cues to the Razer phone. If you look at the button style, they are very reminiscent of the volume controls used on the Razer phone.
The downside to this is that the buttons are small and a touch difficult to press when out and about. Also tricky to use is the ANC toggle which is also on the smaller side. The in-line controller is also a touch too far down the cable, this can also lead to some frustration, especially if you manage the cable under clothing.
The cable has two finishes, the top section has a rubberised coating, whereas the lower section is braided fabric. Both cables are fairly thin, and there isn’t much in terms of strain relief which could lead to problems down the line.
At the end of the cable it terminates in a type-c connection, this has the benefit of being made from metal, so in theory, it should last.
Performance Testing
Setup & Observations
Getting going with the Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC is really easy as all you require is a mobile phone with a Type-C USB port. Unfortunately, the Hammerhead ANC won’t fully work with all devices meaning some functionality will be limited. Of course, if you own a Razer phone then they will work 100%, but if you own a Huawei Mate 9 for example, then they will only partially function to their full potential. Razer has released a short-list of a few devices that are fully compatible with the earphones as well as including a few that aren’t. We tested them with an LG G6, and most the aspects of the earphones worked correctly, but not all did, so it’s a bit of gamble whether they will 100% function fully unless your device is listed on the product page.
In-use the Hammerhead ANC are a bit hit and miss. In regards to the comfort, they really do shine thanks to the angled nozzles, low weight and shape. The angled nozzles really aid the comfort as they sit really nicely in your ears and just feel natural. The supplied eartips are also nice as they are soft and quite pliable, plus there are three different sizes to choose from as well as the bundled Comply. We found that the Comply didn’t really fit as they a touch too large, though this might not be an issue for you.
Now to where they start to show their flaws and the first notable one is with the in-line controller. The first problem being controllers actual location as situated quite far down the cable, this makes it a bit tricky to use in some situations. We found that if you wear your earphones outside your clothing, it wasn’t an issue, but if you manage the cable under a t-shirt or jumper, it is a bit fiddly to use and can look a touch odd to passers-by. On the plus side, the in-line controller is very nicely designed and well made, though this is quickly overshadowed as the actual main controls are a touch finicky to use which further adds to the in-use frustration – again in some situations (as mentioned above). As the buttons are on the smaller side it makes them quite difficult to press when on the move, they’re also not easily identifiable as they are all the same size and shape which can lead to more than a few accidental presses of the wrong button. When walking the ANC control is a bit of a bugbear too as it’s tiny which again causes some in-use issues as trying to toggle it on or off requires some luck to say the least. It’s relatively easy to find, but not so easy to toggle on or off.
Razer has done well with the design of the Hammerhead ANC, and they look so much nicer than their predecessor as they’ve cleaned up and modernised the aesthetic to make them look minimal and dare we say it quite stylish. They have still kept some subtle Razer flourish which takes the shape of their illuminated logos on the backs of the housing. Build quality is mostly good too as the housing is metal and feels really solid. The cable has two finishes as the top is coated in a smooth rubber whereas the bottom is finished in a fabric material. This does somewhat lend well to the overall durability though we noted the cable is a hair on the thin side and also some strain relief was missing. Razer really should have used some strain relief as it would have prolonged the lifespan of the earphones and helped prevent the cable fraying or splitting at connection points. We will admit that the actual cable doesn’t feel overly flimsy as such, though caution would still be advised when using them as overtime the cable could potentially fail at the connection points.
Multimedia & Performance
As the Hammerhead ANC are not marketed as gaming earphones as such, we thought it best to give them a thorough test for what they’d likely be used for most, and that is music. So here is what we found. We noted that the sound produced by the Hammerhead ANC was well polished, vibrant and technically quite impressive, though they did still have a few small caveats.
The bass produced is weighty and possesses a strong body, it’s also really clean and smooth. The drop is pretty good too as they extend nice and low, the mid-range bass punch is also really impactful. It’s also not overly excessive meaning it never over-casts the treble. Speaking of the treble, there is plenty of detail with solid instrument separation and clarity. They also aren’t as closed in as some other earphones which leads to a decently broad sense of space, though it still can’t rival a set of headphones. The treble is also full meaning that it’s not overly thin and missing too much, finer detail delivery isn’t the strongest though, but we weren’t expecting much on that front anyway. We also noted that when the volume was pushed – on occasion, the treble would become a bit harsh and brittle. The vocal is crisp with a nice tonal quality, solid extension and good clarity. It’s also plenty potent, but not too over-powerful, we did, however, note some strong sibilance present.
Our testing then would continue with some movies on Netflix and mobile gaming. The movie watching experience was far superior to any built-in speaker as the sound is superior and more enjoyable. The strong bass carried through really nicely and provided deeper sound design elements with plenty of punch and presence; this gave explosions and gunfire real purpose and weight. The treble was again strong and provided ample detail which meant that a lot of the sound effects could be heard, again though finer minute detail was absent, but there was still plenty present. The Hammerhead ANC also created a decent sense of space as the soundstage is a bit wider than most other earphones. Vocals were also clear meaning that dialogue was easy to distinguish and stayed an integral part of the sound, even when the action really kicked in. Finally to mobile gaming and again the Hammerhead impressed. The sound quality was great, and the experience on offer was nicely immersive and really brought you into the game that much more. Again all the core attributes remained strong though if you’re playing something like Fortnite or PUBG, these aren’t as impressive as headphones. But if you’re upgrading from your inbuilt speaker, then the difference is night and day, and you’ll really get a better sense of what is happening around you.
One performance attribute we did note is the battery drain caused by the Hammerhead ANC. During the testing phase, we noticed that they appeared to drain significantly more battery than a 3.5mm pair of earphones would, so we put that theory to the test. To try out this theory we set some parameters, these are….
A 1-hour test run via the LG G6 smartphone.
The same tracks from the same album.
Volume was locked at 70%.
WiFi was off.
No other use apart from the music app.
Started each test from 99% – due to not starting at 100% the first time.
Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro earphones used had the same 32ohm impedance.
Here are the results.
Test 1 – The analogue earphones: The LG G6 lost 2% battery in the hour.
Test 2 – Hammerhead ANC with ANC switched off: The LG G6 lost 5% battery in the hour.
Test 3 – Hammerhead ANC with ANC switched on: The LG G6 lost 7% battery in the hour.
What do the results mean, well, doing some quick math and we figured out that the standard earphones only drained 65.34mAh battery in one hour whereas the Hammerhead ANC drained 163.35mAh with the ANC off and 228.69mAh with the AC on. This doesn’t sound like much, but if you’re listening to your music on the train or an aeroplane for more than a few hours, that extra loss quickly adds up.
The ANC is effective, we tested it with no music playing to see how it naturally coped with blocking out external noises, and it coped very well and reduced the ambient noise quite significantly. We then ramped up the testing and went on public transport, and we were again impressed by the levels of noise the ANC blocked out, we still got hints of background noise, but not at the same level they were at without the ANC off. When then ran the same test again but with music playing and pretty much all you could hear is the music we were listening to. All in all, it might not be the best ANC out there, but it’s a handy feature to have if you travel on public transport quite frequently.
Microphone
The mic used on the Hammerhead USB-C ANC is decent, the mic quality is relatively clear and loud, but it has a robotic tone to it, this means that your voice sounds very artificial. It’s also quite deep sounding too making your voice sound very bassy. As a whole, it’s okay for a quick chat on or a conversation on Skype, but if you need to take an important call, it might not quite cut it.
Conclusion
It’s very clear that Razer intended the Hammerhead USB-C ANC to be for everyday use rather than gaming and it does show. Usually, when you listen to music on dedicated gaming earphones, the experience leaves somewhat to be desired, but when the earphones are intended for casual use, the experience is better as a whole. It starts with the design and build as that is the first thing you’ll note when trying earphones for the first time and it’s safe to say that Razer has done a great job on this front. The design is modern, clean and minimal with just enough of Razer’s identity to keep things interesting. The build is mostly great too thanks to the aluminium housing, metal in-line controller and parts of the cable. The one thing that could have been improved on the build front is the inclusion of strain relief to help prolong the life of the cables. Comfort is another front where the Hammerhead ANC score well as the angled nozzles and eartips create a comfortable fit in your ears.
The Hammerhead ANC aren’t without fault though and there a few caveats. The first issue is the in-use experience which can be a bit hit or miss depending on how you use them. The problem at hand is with the in-line controller as the controls are small and a little bit tricky to identify when on the move. Another fault is an inherent issue with type-C earphones as a whole, and that is the fact you can’t listen to music and charge your phone at the same time. Now, we can’t really fault Razer for this as such because it’s a flaw with USB-C earphones as a whole, but it still counts as a big negative and somewhat of a frustration if you want to listen to some tunes while charging your phone. One final issue we had was with the battery drain. During testing, we noted that the Hammerhead ANC drained significantly more battery than a traditional set of 3.5mm earphones. This only adds insult to injury as we’ve already mentioned you can’t charge your phone and listen to music at the same time.
However, the Hammerhead ANC do claw back some serious points on the audio front as the sound quality produced by them is highly impressive. We noted that it was clear, detailed, well bodied and highly polished. The ANC feature is also a big plus too as it did a great job of keeping ambient noise in-check, even when used on public transport.
So, are the Razer worth their £79.99 GBP ($99.99 US / $169.95 AUS) price tag? We would say so. As a whole, the positives do outweigh the negatives and the experience overall is impressive. Of course, they have some issues – some more glaring than others, but they are a likeable set of earphones which would be a great choice if you just so happen to not have a phone with a 3.5mm jack and aren’t a fan of Bluetooth.
The Razer Hammerhead USB-C ANC are a great step in the right direction for this type of audio product as they are an attractive, well rounded and compelling offering.
Pros
+ Comfortable
+ Clean and modern design
+ Technically impressive sound
+ Great build quality
+ Nice array of accessories included
+ Good ANC
Neutral
+- No cable strain relief
+- Drains more of your phone battery than standard 3.5mm audio devices
Cons
– In-line controller has small fiddly controls
– Can’t listen to music and charge phone at the same time
+ Comfortable
+ Clean and modern design
+ Technically impressive sound
+ Great build quality
+ Nice array of accessories included
+ Good ANC
Neutral
+- No cable strain relief
+- Drains more of your phone battery than standard 3.5mm audio devices
Cons
– In-line controller has small fiddly controls
– Can’t listen to music and charge phone at the same time
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