SoundMAGIC HP151 Headphones Review

Manufacturer: SoundMAGIC
Where to Buy: SoundMAGIC
RRP: £88.99

I’ve been fortunate to check out a good range of headphones in my years here at Xbox Tavern. The range and quality available today is far beyond that when I was a kid, and frankly it’s harder to go wrong when buying a new pair than right in my eyes. That’s not to say there aren’t outliers both ways, but with the HP151’s you absolutely cannot go wrong. They have proven themselves to be excellent during my time with them, offering excellent sound, connection options, and comfort. And for less than £90, this is one of the easiest recommendations I’ve covered yet.

Despite the lower than expected price tag, the HP151’s look and feel premium from the off. We get a solid box that houses an excellent carry case that’s both sturdy and nicely designed. Inside, we find the headphones themselves neatly tucked away, as well as the various cables that come included. As first impressions go, the HP151’s make one hell of a go of it. 

Being a wired set might put some off in the age of Bluetooth and the like, but when they are as solid as these, you’ll find very little to complain about. Firstly, the cable is detachable (and therefore replaceable) which is excellent. When connected, it’s held in place by a little latch to prevent accidental disconnection too. In the box we also get a few cables to choose from; a standard 3.5mm jack that includes a built in mic; a 3.5mm jack that can be converted into a 6mm jack for plugging into things like amps and mixers; and a splitter for PC to enable both mic and audio use on that system.

These choices are more than we’d usually expect, but the real winner? The cables are a fantastic length, coming in at 2.5m – something you’ll know I’ve been asking for in my recent reviews. While I’d understand some saying that might be too long, I’ve found them to be perfect for my use cases, both on the PC editing and recording, and when gaming on the couch or on the go with the ROG Xbox Ally X. The only (greedy, admittedly) thing I’d like to have seen is the inclusion of a basic USB-C cable option too. With most modern phones eschewing the humble 3.5mm jack, it does mean we’ll need an additional peripheral to use them in that case (which can be found on the SoundMAGIC site), but then again, we’re getting some serious value for money already so I can’t really complain. 

Construction wise, the HP151’s feel as solid as they look. The cups are able to be twisted tightly into the headband for storage, and the headband is firm but very comfortable to wear. The cups themselves are coated with a ‘durable, anti-resonant rubber coating’ which improves the sound quality, but are also incredibly comfortable to wear. I’ve been using these almost exclusively for the last few weeks and once they’re on I forget they’re even there most of the time – these are easily in the top three most comfortable headphones I’ve worn for review here.

Comfort and looks are one thing, but sound is obviously the most important thing. Luckily, the HP151’s hold up their end of the bargain here too. There is no on-board volume adjuster to contend with, and so they will go as loud as your device will – and then some. It’s rare I have to turn something down when playing but recent games of Horizon: Zero Dawn and Halo: Campaign Evolved have seen me do just that. 

Sound quality is incredible, with easily distinguished highs and lows. Grunts pleas for mercy didn’t fall on deaf ears that’s for sure – I could pinpoint them accurately around corners or in other rooms, and could easily hear an invisible Sanghellii’s footsteps as they tried to stick me with an energy sword from behind. Combine the stellar incidental audio of gunfire and enemy barks with that incredible soundtrack and Halo absolutely sings through the HP151’s. And again, cranking the volume up shows no sign of distortion or muddled audio. Everything remains as crisp and clear as our ears will allow – and certainly far louder than we should probably allow it.

I’ve also played a few hours of Big Walk and that peaceful landscape sounds lovely, as does the slowly quietening voices of my partners as I lose track of them yet again. And, while the mic may not look all that, the voice quality is surprisingly good on the other end. I was worried it wouldn’t pick up my voice that well, but I played Brave Escape with MPV Graham and found he was able to hear me perfectly clearly. I’d even say it puts some of my other headphone mics to shame, though it of course can’t quite match up to a dedicated recording or streaming mic.

Conclusion

All that is to say, I cannot recommend the SoundMAGIC HP151’s highly enough. For just shy of £90, we get a set of wired, closed back headphones that offer incredible sound quality across the board, are super comfortable, and provide cabling options that mean they’ll fit in almost however you want to use them. Whether it’s gaming, music, or recording and editing, if you’re after studio quality in a bit more of a wallet friendly package, these are the ones to go for.