Today, we'll review the HP-1 multi-reference headphones from Kali Audio, a well-known manufacturer of studio monitors. Let's be clear: these are not reference headphones! However, here's how the manufacturer describes them: "The HP-1 is a professional over-ear studio headphone for music production, mixing, gaming, and everyday listening." Either Kali Audio made a mistake, meant something else, and forgot to explain it, or they simply got confused. These headphones should be evaluated according to how the manufacturer positions them, but they are definitely not about reference sound.
Is this really an ambiguous release of the first model from a well-known studio monitor manufacturer? Is there anything left after jumping up from your knees from your first impression, killing everything you had imagined before getting to know them? Yes and no, it depends; it's not so clear-cut. But! However, this is not a failure for the company on its debut, so be sure to read our review to the end. The marketing department could use a little spice! And here's why…
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Best Price on Kali Audio HP-1
Kali Audio HP-1 is a versatile set of multi-reference studio headphones designed to bridge the gap between studio-grade monitoring and everyday consumer use. |
Classic Package
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The Kali Audio HP-1 makes a magnificent first impression – the sturdy cardboard box opens easily to reveal a hard case inside. Opening the case reveals a product of exceptional quality, crafted from materials that are both simple and aesthetically pleasing to the touch. It has thick, high-quality, textured plastic that shows almost no fingerprints, a premium, tight-fitting headband and an ultra-lightweight design. We are genuinely impressed by these features, which many other manufacturers would do well to emulate. The mediocre charging cables and 3.5 mm jack did not spoil our positive impression. These are well-made headphones that look understated and stylish and feel good in the hand.
That is, until you put them on your head. We're talking about heads here because large heads are not that rare, which is why we don't understand why they made them so tight. These are the first headphones in a long time that we've had to take frequent breaks from testing to give our ears and heads a rest. We had to extend the headband to its maximum length, and it's clear that the bend is too strong. Maybe it would be worth adjusting this with force, but the Kali Audio HP-1 headphones that we review do not belong to us, so you will have to check this for yourself if you wish. We are now pointing out their biggest drawback.
The second drawback, which is also related to ergonomics, concerns the size of the ear pads. Given that the compression force is very noticeable, ear pads that lie directly on the ears are not the best option. Ear pads are not unusual and can often be replaced, but not when they are glued to the base. Why, Kali? It should be mentioned, however, that both the ear pads and the headband are made of very soft leatherette.
It won't ruin your whole experience, but it's noticeable and annoying. So, while the design is lightweight, there are some ergonomic issues. The materials are good, the cups are well articulated (which is modern and meets the requirements of many listeners), but you'll have to try this 'crown' on, as it may not be right for you. On the other hand, the light weight and tight fit will prevent you from losing the headphones, even with active head movements.
Then there are the cables. There's a saying that sums this up perfectly: 'What's good for you is not good for me' — this perfectly describes the situation. While a short charging cable is fine, when we stretched out the 3.5 mm cable for a wired connection, it immediately became clear that a better one would be needed. But this is definitely not about saving money, and we would be in favour of such an exchange if it was done to balance the price. The case has a mesh for securing cables with convenient Velcro fasteners, a soft finish, a compact size and a rigid base (most likely made of EVA foam), which will reliably protect the contents.
Now we come to the most important part/section of our Kali Audio HP-1 review. Of course, everyone wants to know what the headphones sound like. Well, it's time to challenge our preconceptions about these headphones. When the manufacturer claims that the sound is 'reference-grade', it's only natural to assume that the headphones will be able to play passively with a 3.5 mm cable. However, this is not the case - they can only be used in active mode with a built-in DAC. Wired headphones can receive an analogue signal, but they must then transform it using their DAC before reproducing it. Using a cable offers no advantages, so there is no particular reason to dwell on this. This is especially true since connecting via a cable drains the battery, which is easy to forget if you don't turn off the power. In the morning, you'll find your headphones heavily discharged.
In other words, these are Bluetooth headphones in their purest form. Connecting to devices is simple and does not require any apps. The headphones are controlled by just a few intuitive buttons and there are no complications in the form of mandatory app installations from the App Store or Google Play. This is somewhat unusual in the modern device market. Unlike the Dali IO-8, where it is presented as one of the key features, we did not see any emphasis on this feature in the advertising materials. However, it works and makes life a little easier.
It's worth noting the stable Bluetooth connection. We never heard any interference, even in situations where we expected signal degradation while moving around our studio. Most importantly, the level of detail with the only available AAC codec is excellent! After such an experience, you start to reconsider the essence of being and the need for LDAC, but it's all useless. These are just another pair of headphones where the codec used for the platform doesn't matter; the important thing is that they play with enough detail to make you want to jump up and down while listening.
The most important remark about the sound of the Kali Audio HP-1 will, of course, concern the three equalizer settings built into the headphones, which contradict the statement about reference sound. In our opinion, variability automatically precludes the possibility of reference. So, what do we have? "Heavy Bass," which creates an aggressive V-shape that is easily recognizable even with your eyes closed. The "Consumer" mode is more of a variation on the sound of Apple headphones. Maybe someone will find it useful. However, the only mode that deserves attention is the "Studio" mode. Regardless of the connection type (wired or Bluetooth), the sound character and level of detail are the same in each mode. It's worth mentioning that the "Studio" mode is balanced yet cheerful. We'll talk more about it below.
The bass here is not at all what we expected. Knowing that the range starts at 18 Hz, we were prepared to hear accents from the sub bass. However, the settings here are geared toward realism rather than exaggeration. That's why the beginning of the range is the trump card that stands out at moments when the scene needs emphasis, rather than constantly pressuring your ears. Similarly, the entire accessible range of low frequencies is as accurate as possible, with slight peaks in the main attack zones to "enhance the mood." The "Bass-Heavy" mode gives you a pompous feeling, which speaks to the capabilities of the 40 mm driver itself. However, we preferred the "studio" mode, which provides fairly natural bass without noticeable distortion.
This is good news for fans of guitar and vocal music because now you have an excellent headphone option; the midrange is the icing on the cake. The Kali Audio HP-1's strengths are its smooth, well-defined midrange; full-bodied guitars; and all kinds of wind instruments and voices. Of course, BT codecs and audiophilia aren't compatible, but for those who need to set the mood, this is more than enough. Due to the strong market bias toward overblown bass, these are one of the few options that won't damage your hearing while on the go. They're a good alternative to "correct" headphones used with a stationary system at home. In our opinion, it would be worth adding a slight 1 dB peak from 800 to 1500 Hz, as implemented in "Consumer" mode, according to the manufacturer's graph, and boosting the 2-3 kHz range by 1-1.5 dB. Overall, it's very good; we were pleasantly surprised.
There won't be much discussion about high frequencies here since these are Bluetooth headphones, and their range is limited to the range of your BT codec. However, the tuning is quite pleasant if you're a fan of the Harman curve. It's a bit much for our taste, but we've grown accustomed to it while experimenting with the currently popular Chi-Fi. Almost every reputable company that wants to sell as many headphones as possible tunes their armature and planar drivers to the Harman curve. There's a lot of air and detail where the driver delivers; it all depends on the signal quality. We tested both an alternative driver for Windows and Apple's native AAC and achieved good results at sufficient and even excessive volumes. Let's add that these are one of the few headphones where you won't need to listen carefully if you enjoy an inner ear massage.
Another interesting thing awaited us in the noise cancellation section because it works! And it works well! It's not at the level of Bose and Sony, but it's very good. When noise cancellation is working, the sound is slightly embellished in the high frequencies. We haven't quite figured out our stance on this feature yet, but it's positive overall. Best of all, on public transportation, where there is a lot of background noise, you get a pretty good noise-canceling effect. Your music will drown out most sounds, which will positively affect your mood during any trip. As for working in the office, I would definitely recommend using these headphones.
We started our Kali Audio HP-1 review with an emotional rant about the product's ergonomics, but we won't rewrite it because our feelings were genuine. We're upset that such a successful product has minor but significant flaws. Thankfully, Kali Audio assures us that these are just "growing pains" that almost everyone experiences when entering a new market. Nevertheless, this didn't diminish the positive impression we formed.
There is fierce competition in this price range, especially given the presence of Chinese brands. However, it's difficult to single out any names that stand out because of the focus on conventional mass appeal. This approach, which leans toward truthful equalization, is uncommon. We can only think of one similar product: the AKG K361 BT. It may not be a competitor, but it's similar in nature. Anker, Audio-Technica, Sony, and Sennheiser do completely different things in this price range ($150–$200). It's interesting, but they have completely different focuses. We recommend listening to them and making a final decision. The Kali HP-1 has everything any Bluetooth headphones need: a good battery, a stable connection, ease of use, and a premium experience thanks to the materials used for the headphones and case. The sound is subjective.
We still need to answer two main questions: Are these headphones worth the money, or should we look for other options at a higher or lower price? Yes, they are worth the money. Kali has clearly defined its niche for the future. If this budget is too high, you can look for cheaper alternatives, but the sound quality will be different. If you are willing to spend more, you can look for headphones that compete with the HP-1. This model fits well in this price range, but increasing the price will always yield better results. Put in a little effort, find something better, and then a little more, and you'll be looking at the Focal Bathys MG. In this range, though, Kali has made an excellent move. These are emotional headphones in terms of both the physical sensation of buying and listening to them. Although the manufacturer missed the mark with its marketing, we're glad they're moving in the right direction. It's clear they'll get their piece of the BT headphone market. That means we can expect even better models from Kali in the future.
We hope you enjoyed our review of the Kali Audio HP-1 headphones. Please feel free to leave your comments, questions, and suggestions in the section below. We will be happy to answer them all as soon as possible. If you already own a Kali Audio HP-1 and have used it for a while, don't forget to share your impressions and tell us what you liked or disliked about these headphones.
Pros
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Cons
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8.7
/10
Our Score
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