Tonino Lamborghini Quantum HL-01 review: Raging bull

Tonino Lamborghini Quantum HL-01 review: Raging bull

Tonino Lamborghini isn't a name in audio that you'll recognise. In fact, you'll probably need a little schooling to learn that this isn't Automobili Lamborghini, the car company.Â
It is the same family, however, with the founder (Tonino himself) devoting this branch of Lamborghini's name to the pursuit of luxury accessories, including the £2,500 Antares smartphone which we've seen before.
Those accessories include headphones - sporting Tonino's raging bull logo - and the Quantum HL-01 are at the top of the pile. Priced at £125, they aren't hugely expensive like you might think, but certainly you'll wonder whether to part with that sort of cash for headphones that aren't from a recognised audio brand.Â

Lamborghini design

Much of the value of the Quantum HL-01 headphones will come down to a perception of the individuality and exclusivity. Certainly you have something distinctive and the red-backed raging bull logo set into the end provides some interest at a glance. Where you might expect Sony or Sennheiser, you instead have Lamborghini.



The design of the headphone bodies is rather large, with that in-ear bud backed by a larger body that sits in your outer ear. There's a little sculpting with some lines that you could, perhaps, associate with Lambo's driving machines, but the use of plastics means things aren't as sharp as you might expect.
There is a plastic feel to those large bodies, that arguably could have been a more premium material. The logo is metal however, reportedly polished by hand, and we like the overall effect, even if the luxury idea isn't fully executed in the build.

They feel pretty solid and although you've got a solid stalk at the top of the cable, it doesn't feel like you're going to see the Kevlar-reinforced cable come away, which happens with some flexible models. There's also a good sized (and also branded) reinforcer at the cable divide.



We've been using the Quantum HL-01 for a number of months and they've withstood the rigours of typical use and the leather zippered hard case is a welcome addition for keeping them protected in the bottom of a bag.

Slip into the listening seat

It might be a little awkward to fold yourself into the interior of a Lamborghini sports car and there's some wiggling needed to get the most out of the Quantum HL-01 too.
Fit is critical as it is with any in-ear headphones, but we've found that with these Tonino Lamborghini headphones, it was all too easy to get it wrong, despite a selection of silicon and foam tips to choose from. When you get it wrong, much of the meat of your music drops away.



That might have something to do with the size, but it's not an insurmountable problem. A slight readjustment, rather than increasing the volume, will reap rewards. Getting the right fit will also bring the noise-isolation properties to the fore: these headphones don't offer active noise-cancellation, but like many other in-ear headphones, the correct fit will block out most background noise.Â

Roaring performance

Where the HL-01 want to differentiate themselves is with the 7mm and 15mm dual drivers in each unit. These are designed to provide balance between the high and low frequencies, with the 7mm central driver handling mids and highs, and the 15mm "ring radiator" adding boom for the bass.
Dual drivers are commonplace in pricier in-ear headphones and we like the fact that you're not only paying for that logo in this instance. Having been slightly sceptical, we were pleasantly surprised by the performance.



There's a good deal of balance and clarity delivered - you'll get that bassy punch from your dance music and a richness across other genres added by great handling of the low frequencies. There's some distortion on the heaviest of tracks at higher volumes, but nothing we were concerned about.
The mids and highs are well preserved and things aren't too shrill, with the HL-01 acquitting themselves with all types of music. You'll be able to hear the nuances in various tracks, picking out the different layers of the music, enjoying the full range of delivery that these headphones provide.



There are inline controls to adjust volume, flanked by a central play/pause button, and wider controls offered based on the device you're using it with. These headphones are primarily made for Apple devices - iPhone, iPad, iPod - where you'll get the widest controls. Android users will still get play/pause, and a long press will launch Google Search for voice control, but that's not always so useful.

You can also take phone calls and we didn't have any problems being heard through these headphones, with no reported problems from callers.

Verdict

The Tonino Lamborghini Quantum HL-01 headphones are the top-end model offered by the luxury accessory manufacturer. If you're a fan of the cars, then that association might bring enhanced appeal.Â
Importantly, with these brand-aware in-ears carrying a £125 price tag, you aren't left with headphones that lack audio skills. This isn't a gimmick: you actually get a pair of headphones that offer some great performance.
There are a lot of great headphones at this price, however, and we can't help feeling that the attraction here is really the raging bull branding, for those Lamborghini fans looking for something a little different and distinct. Whether that will tempt you away from some of the excellent in-ear headphones from recognised audio brands in this price bracket is a different story altogether.