Hammer KO review: Pair of basic wireless earbuds with hooks for secure fit

Priced at Rs 2,799, the earbuds seem to be a decent audio accessory for people on the go and health and fitness enthusiasts who choose secure fit over audio performance, call quality and snug fit

The Hammer KO is a pair of entry-level true wireless stereo earbuds manufactured by home-grown technology startup Hammer. These basic wireless earbuds come with a hook-based design for a secure fit – that seems to set it apart from peers in the budget segment. Except for hooks, however, there is nothing novel about these earbuds. They have Bluetooth v5.0 for connectivity, microphones for voice calls, touch controls and IPX4 water resistance rating.

So far as design is concerned, these earbuds are not ergonomically sound, thanks to their hook-based build. But they sure are lightweight. The earbuds are made mostly of plastic, with matte texture on the outer side, and rubber hooks. The ear hooks do make them comfortable to wear, but the Hammer KO lacks snug fit, despite being an in-ear earphones. This hampers the earbuds’ passive noise isolation capability. They do not come off the ears easily, thanks to the hooks, but you need to constantly adjust them for optimal fit. On the positive side, the earbuds’ ear tips are soft and do not cause any unnecessary discomfort, even when used for extended hours. The earbuds come in a rather big storage-cum-charging case, which is not best for carrying around in hand or jeans pockets. Moreover, the case has an aged microUSB port for charging.

As for audio performance, the Hammer KO has a muted sound output, with a weak bass and underwhelming treble and vocals. There is a built-in microphone on each earbud for attending calls. However, the microphones fail to pick up voice clearly and struggle in loud ambient environment. That said, the earbuds are neither good for music listening experience nor for attending calls. The Hammer KO is touted to have a 30ft connectivity range, but it loses connection with the parent device even when it is in close proximity. The earbuds boast touch controls but they are not intuitive to use.

Priced at Rs 2,799, the earbuds seem to be a decent audio accessory for people on the go, and health and fitness enthusiasts who are more after secure fit than audio performance, call quality or snug fit.