HELM Audio is a brand you might not have heard of when people mention their favorite wireless earbuds, but that’s about to change as their True Wireless 5.0 Bluetooth earbuds pack a punch for a less than you’d expect price.
The HELM True Wireless 5.0 (not to be confused with “truly wireless”) are a pair of Bluetooth headphones that look great and sound great as well. I tried to find little things that nagged me about them, but could only find one. I’ll go into that a bit later, but I’ve been pretty surprised by the overall audio presentation of the product.
Helm True Wireless 5.0 Features:
- Qualcomm aptX for Superior HiFi Sound Quality
- 6+ Hours Continuous Play Time. Based on Volume Level.
- Auto-Pairing & Auto-Charging
- Ergonomic Comfort w/ Secure Fit for Working Out
- Super Bass w/ Enhanced Drivers
- Proprietary HELIX Antenna for Extended Range up to 60ft
- Portable Power, 30 additional hours with Charging Case
- Smart Buttons & Dual Mics for Calls, and Voice Assistance
The packaging of the HELM True Wireless is pretty simple, resembling Apple’s PowerBeats Pro boxing with a simple black box with the company’s logo on it, opening up to the battery charging case and the headphones themselves. You’ll immediately notice the case itself is clear, making the earbuds the highlight, showing you if they are properly situated inside the case or not. There are markers on the inside of the case for the left and right ear (labeled “L” and “R” respectfully), with a button in the center of the bottom that allow you to check the battery life at the base of the HELM True Wireless 5.0 (four lights with 25% intervals).
When charging the case, it takes about 90 minutes to go from 0% to 100%, and it can be used five full times without needing to be charged. Each usage of the HELM True offers roughly three hours of audio playback which seems to be the industry standard.
The earbuds themselves will stand out not just in the case, but in your ears as well, with their black diamond faceted style. There’s a single button on the upper panel of the HELM True wireless that handles commands which you can find in the included instruction manual. The fit of the earbuds can be hit or miss, depending on how you initially fit them into your ear. Each of the buds gives a secure like fit courtesy of the non-removable fins that will sit ridged in your ear. The tip of the fin itself is pretty sharp when snug in your ear, and I found myself a few times having to take the bud out because if I moved around it felt a bit sharp digging into my ear. Luckily, there are three sets of spare silicone ear tips and a set of comply ear tips that you can adjust to the earbud which might offset the sharpness of the fin and will contour as you see fit. This specifically comes in handy when in the gym, since the HELM True are rated IPX4 water resistance, which makes these perfect for the gym, and they won’t fall out being they are rain and sweat approved; you shouldn’t try to swim with them, though.
In terms of audio quality, I was pleased with what I heard. With an overall balanced sound, the HELM True offer just the right amount of Bass, giving songs like “Gold Roses” a great soundstage, yet when listening to things like podcasts, you can hear audio crystal clear with each hosts vocals coming in as they should. Phone calls are where I had a bit of trouble, but I still haven’t figured out the culprit behind it. I call my wife periodically throughout the day, and when I attempt to call her when moving outside, occasionally she finds herself asking me to repeat myself as if I’m far away when speaking, but indoors it works effortlessly. Not sure exactly where the disconnect is but I’m hoping that it fixes itself.
It’s especially weird because the HELM buds have possibly the longest Bluetooth range that I’ve seen, with signal stability of up to 60 feet. I’ve walked into adjacent rooms and beyond in my office with the HELM True, so to have the actual call sound not be that great outside was a bit disheartening.
Overall though, I really love my HELM True Wireless, and I think that you will as well. They look incredible, sound great, and you can’t really beat the price.
HELM True Wireless 5.0 Bluetooth Headphones retail for $129.99; you can find them on Amazon [affiliate link].
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Great fit even for the gym, outdoor running, but even for just wearing casually.
What Needs Improvement: Nothing
