HED Unity Wireless Lossless Audio Headphones Review

We were recently sent a set of these very sleek HED Unity wireless headphones to try out. The Swiss Audio company behind the headphones have come up with a novel way to deliver a high-resolution streaming experience up to 24bit/96kHz, so we were very excited to see and hear how this worked out.

While wireless headphones have their conveniences of not being tethered to a source via a cable, the sound quality they can produce is often hampered by the limitations of the wireless protocol they use to connect to the host device.

For the most part these days, that protocol is Bluetooth. Annoyingly, there is a vast variance in the types of Bluetooth connection devices can have. Some devices are LDAC compatible, which offers bitrates of “up to” 990kbps, and newer devices with dedicated Qualcomm chips are promising even higher, but if you are rocking an iPhone or other Apple device you can expect significantly lower quality streams.

For some people, none of this talk of bitrates and wireless protocols will matter. Just grab your headphones, stick them on and hit play, and that is fine, but to a certain portion of the market, which the HED Unity headphones are aimed at, it matters a lot.

So, How Have HED Managed to Wirelessly Stream Lossless 24bit/96kHz?

To get around the limitations of Bluetooth, the headphones themselves can connect directly to a Wi-Fi network and be controlled via a companion App that connects over Bluetooth. When your companion device and the headphones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, it is possible to stream at the highest resolution on offer, and when a Wi-Fi network is not available, the headphones switch back to using Bluetooth at lower qualities. We’ll talk more about how this works out in real life below.

Design and Specs

Key Technical Specs:

• Closed-back design
• SBC and AAC Codec
• Version 5.3 Bluetooth®
• Dynamic 40mm titanium-coated drivers
• Frequency response of 20Hz-22kHz
• Dual-core 650 MHz 32-bit processor
• Integrated Active ANC Processor
• Mobile app available on iOS and Android
• Lithium-ion battery charged to 100% within an hour and a half
• 6-8 hours of Bluetooth streaming or Hi-Res Wi-Fi Streaming
• Carrying case included with USB charging cable, USB 3.5mm Audio Dongle

In hand, there is no doubt that HED Unity are made from top-quality materials and manufactured to a very high standard. And as they should considering the retail price. The memory foam and cooling gel filled earcups have a gentle cushioning effect and return to their natural shape well once you take the headphones off. The power and control buttons all have a nice positive click and are generally easy enough to locate when you are wearing the headphones.

Considering the materials used and the technology packed in, the headphones are reasonably light so once you have a good fit, they should not be too fatiguing to wear for extended periods. It is worth noting though, that the earcups are not hinged so how the cups sit on your head will be a personal thing as we all have different shaped and sized heads. The part of the headband that comes in contact with your head also has very little padding, so for improved comfort, it would have been nice to see some more cushioning here.

The headphones have effective Active Noise Cancellation built-in along with beam-forming microphones which can be used for taking calls.

Overall, the headphones feel very well-built, and the materials used should stand the test of time.

Setup

Setup is completed via a companion App, which is available for Android and iOS. During the initial setup, you connect to the headphones via Bluetooth, add the credentials for the Wi-Fi network you are connecting them too and then you are presented with options for adding different streaming services you have an account for.

Currently, your options are, local files, a network media server, Qobuz, Soundcloud or Spotify. The HED Unity comes along with a code for a 3-month trial of Qobuz, which is a nice touch and allows you access to their catalogue of high-res content and use the headphones at their full potential.

When connected to Wi-Fi, and when a high-res version of the track you are listening to is available, a box on the player screen in the App allows you to switch over to it.

When we were setting things up initially, we had some issues connecting to Wi-Fi. We have multiple networks in the office used for different purposes. The network we have our phones connected to could not be found in the app for some reason, so we have to change to a different network. A few times then, when we were testing out the headphones, we ended up with the headphones connected to one network and the phones connecting by default to the other, and this just confuses the app.

Outside of those initial issues on the first day, things have worked well. The connections on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are stable once you are within range and there are no issues to report.

How do they Sound?

How you assess these headphones becomes a little complicated. Do we compare them against other wireless sets or do we compare them against headphones that are in the same price bracket? After a lot of debate, we decided that these headphones are wireless headphones first and foremost, so they should be compared against the standards set by other wireless sets, and then the price is up to people to determine if it is worth it.

There is a very clear change in sound quality swapping from the Bluetooth connection to the Wi-Fi connection. The difference is to the point where it feels like there is some DSP and volume compensation being applied over the Bluetooth connection.

Over Bluetooth, bass can be a little boomy at times. There’s a warmth to the overall sound signature, everything is a little more impactful, and the detail levels are in line with what you would expect from a normal Bluetooth connection.

When you swap to the Wi-Fi connection, everything becomes immediately clearer and cleaner. The background is much more silent, and notes are more clearly defined, so it is easier to hear everything.

In this mode, the HED Unity have what I would call a reasonably balanced tuning with a mid-bass boost. There is still quite a mid-bass impact, but it is much more controlled and doesn’t bleed at all. I found the bass enjoyable for most of the music I listened to, but if you are looking for a more balanced tuning, you would need to look into using the EQ within the companion App.

Mids, again are quite balanced while leaning towards being musical. Vocals are set back in the stage, which keeps everything in line.

Treble extends well, and for this being a single dynamic driver, I think it does a pretty good job. There are no tuning tricks going on here, and it isn’t trying to be something it is not. There are no peaks or sibilance, and overall, I enjoyed listening to all sorts of music without issue.

The soundstage the headphones create stretches a good distance left to right for a closed-back headphone but isn’t overly deep.

Versus other comparable wireless headphones, the HED Unity’s technical abilities, when connected via Wi-Fi, are far superior. As is its sound quality. Connected via Bluetooth, the limitations of that protocol come through.

Who Will the HED Unity Appeal to?

This is an interesting question and it brings us to pricing. The HED Unity retails for $2199. In the Audiophile world, paying that much for a set of headphones isn’t out of the question at all. In fact, you could pay a multiple of it for what are considered the top-of-the-line models out there. But, as we said above, we decided that these were more a wireless headphone and competing in that sphere rather than competing with Audiophile level headphones.

To get the best out of the HED Unity, you need to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. That means for most people it will either be in the office or at home. On the go you will be connected over Bluetooth, and while it is no worse or better than other sets using this, it is not the main reason you would purchase the HED Unity if this was your only use case.

So, if the highest quality wireless streaming around your home or office is important to you, then the HED Unity should be at the top of your list for what you need to be checking out.

Conclusion

I was very interested to hear and experience how high-res streaming was implemented with the HED Unity. The headphones are very well made from high-quality materials and for the most part, the companion app works well.

The sound quality when connected to Wi-Fi is better than any other wireless set I have heard to date, and if that is something you are looking for, you should check out https://www.getunity.com/ to find out more.