Finally got the opportunity to spend some time with HELM Audio’s new Sportsband HD Triple-Driver Wireless Headphones. Something the company has been working on for a little while and tweaking to perfection, and we’ve had the pleasure to listen to the results.
Taking a step back in design (not a bad thing) to take a break from true-wireless buds to go with the around-the-neck sports band approach, these headphones are great for those keeping active with jogging, visiting the gym, or are simply worried about losing their buds (no small pieces to misplace with these).
They feature more physical space for things like battery, allowing the buds in your ear to focus on what’s important–sound.
The band features a smooth comfortable silicone coating that feels nice around the neck, which also leads to great flexibility when it comes to rolling it up and sliding it into your pocket or the pouch it comes with (if you want to skip using the slightly larger case it also comes with).
My Senior Editor, one of many interesting cohorts I get to work with, mentioned in the below video that they resemble the Linner NC50 buds that feature nearly the same (visual) design. This is quite true, although they appear similar only by looks. It is as though HELM took their design and said “look, now they sound far better” (although HELM’s model doesn’t have any ANC capabilities).
It isn’t just limited to Linner though. there are a number of around-the-neck models on the market that look a bit similar to this. So this model was absolutely centered around sound vs a unique design (which I am absolutely ok with).
You have an in-line microphone and controller that offers your typical options to control volume and track selection while answering or rejecting calls and powering them on and off (and more), with clear instructions on how everything works.
There is a micro-USB port on the side for charging them with, and a single charge will get you up to 25 hours worth of listening. So these are going to last you multiple uses before having to plug them back in.
The buds are IPX5 rated, which gives you basic protection from sweat and small splashes. The original documentation provided to us stated IPX4, so this means they made some final improvements before launching them. This is a good thing if you are a heavy sweater!
Inside each of those buds are an 8.6mm dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures that break sound down into their own groups of frequencies for a more evenly spread of amplification and sound. They seem to do a decent job of this as well, which I’ll get to in a short moment.
For travel distance (from your connected Bluetooth device), they offer average performance. They aren’t anything like their 1st-gen true-wireless buds that blew us away with distance (their 2nd-gen model was great too). However, they don’t fall short either. So they blend well with their competition.
For wireless connectivity, they feature Bluetooth 5 providing a wonderful connection between the buds and their host. This leads to pleasing sound and less compression during the transmission.
Yes, this is great Jeff, but what do they sound like?
Well! Glad you asked! In case the few hints I dropped early didn’t lead you into the right direction already, we found these buds to perform quite well. An excellent triple-driver solution for those obsessed with quality (and especially for those obsessed with quality while maintaining a reasonable price).
At the same time, they aren’t perfect. However, with a simple tweak (addon), you can get everything out of these buds.
Out of the box, the mid-highs and highs really come flying in with some fantastic detail. There is so much clarity that can bring the instruments and vocals to life with. The mids are just above average depending on what you are listening to. The lows are present and ready to perform, but not too hard. The bass is “enough” to enjoy just about anything you are listening to. This could have been improved on a little by offering just one more size (larger) in tips to help create a better seal for those with average to larger ears. Or a fix we have been using as our go-to.
As is, so many things sound great. From Police to Dire Straits, to classical and acoustic. However, if you think the buds need more bass, then ditch the tips they come with. Our go-to when we need a good pair of tips is the JVC Spiral Dot silicone tips. We went with a size “ML” (which is a decent average “large” size for tips and would count as one size larger than what these buds come with) and popped them on.
So if the largest tips they come with resulted in a decent smile that left us decently impressed with their performance, removing them and popping on the pair of JVC Spiral Dots resulted in…
You might even want to play with the EQ on your device to bring the bass down a tad, but in some cases, it might be right where you want it. For example, “Brian McKnight – Anytime”, “Ariana Grande – God is a Woman”, and “Genesis – Dance on a Volcano” all came to life with rich detailed bass. The latter option (Genesis) is a rarity to hear coming from buds in such a manner.
The Spiral Dots also slip on a “little” easier, as the ones that come with are kind of a challenge to pop on (they feature a pretty tight fit). At least you know you won’t ever be losing them.
They do come with three pairs of tips, as well as three pairs of wings to help keep them in your ear. As always, it is good to find the best fit for your ears. Tight as possible without causing any discomfort. In this case, get your hands on some Spiral Dot tips. Trust us, as they pair well with many mid to high-end bud solutions.
Our Conclusion
In the end, we wound up really liking these buds. The mid-high and high frequencies are so clear and enjoyable and the lows can really be brought to life. In fact, they would have scored a 9 out of 10 with us but missed this goal since we had to match the tips ourselves with a separate purchase. The average consumer may not know that is even an option. However, when it comes to triple-driver performance, these can really sing to you, resulting in being a great find. Especially at this price.
Our Rating | Average Price* $129 | ||
*Average price is based on the time this article was published
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