Brainwavz HM9 Quick Review
Thanks to mp4nation for the sample.
Brief: Big squisy bassy fun time.
Price: £85 or US$150
Specification: Transducers/Drivers: Dynamic, 40mm, Rated Impedance: 40ohms Closed Dynamic, Sensitivity: 104dB at 1mW, Frequency range: 10Hz ~ 24KHz, Distortion: <= 0.3% @ 94dB, Channel balance: =< 2dB (at 1000Hz), Maximum input power: 1000mW, Cable length: Detachable 1.3 meters (2 pairs) & 3 meters, 1 year warranty
Accessories: 1 x 1.3m cable with remote & microphone for phones (TRRS plug, suitable for iPhone, iPad, iPod and some Android phones), 1 x 1.3m cable, 1 x 3m cable, 1 x Airplane, adapter, 1 x Hard carrying case, 1 x Instruction manual, 1 x Warranty card
Build Quality: Great. They feel big, bulky and substantive.
Isolation: Not bad. Fine for typical use and with music on it easy blocks out everything. Still for a daily Tube commute I’d be looking at deep IEM’s. Still plenty sufficient to make you a road stain, look where you walk people!
Comfort/Fit: Good. Not stunning as it’s an on rather than over ear, the pads though, soft and squishy so plenty gentle on the ear. I’ve seen some comment they don’t love the comfort but as on ears go, the pads are particularly soft, so if these are a problem I’d wager all on ears are for you.
Aesthetics: Nice. Somewhat plain, understated and simple. This quite appeals to my sense of the aesthetic, clean and non LOOK AT ME!!! If you want all the bling bling, these aren’t it.
Sound: Thick, warm, smooth, gooey, squishy loveliness. The bass is grand and warm. The mids are thick and smooth. The highs are soft and gently glistening. If you want neutral, all of detail, dry crystal clarity then you will be epically disappointed in these. They are all about creating a cosy and enveloping aural environment. The bass is expansive and weighty, I can see very many likening it a lot. It’s not particularly agile or skilled but it’s not in the least trying to be, it’s about having a good time. Poppy bouncy stuff goes grandly together with it. Mids, well they are a bit over thick low down and faint subtleties are lost but again, its calling is poppy bouncy stuff where vocals are only ever so so at best anyway. The highs continue the theme, genteel and gently glistening away which does obfuscate the fine detail. So what? Most pop is shoddily mastered and dynamically compressed within an inch of its life so you’re hardly losing a lot there. The HM9 is all about the warmth and entertainment, at that it succeeds. Big warm bass and is incredibly non fatiguing while doing it.
Value: Sturdy, warm, gooey goodness. It’ll make you smile.
Pro’s: Adorable sound signature. Super non fatiguing. Comfy
Con’s: Very coloured sound. So so detail retrieval.
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