At the time this review was written, the Ausdom M06 was on sale for $52.99 USD on Amazon. Here is a link to a listing of their product at the time of the review.
http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Headphones-Technology-Microphone-Hands-free/dp/B00UA9XYLI
Introduction
When I was contacted to review the M06 bluetooth headphone, the first thing that came to mind was questioning if they were a Meelectronics knockoff. After doing some homework, I realized that this wasn’t the case, and despite the striking resemblance of not one but several products, the Ausdom product was legitimate. They are a headphone manufacturer that uses the same factory made shell, but installs their own internal components (drivers, diaphragms, circuitry).
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to sample the M06 bluetooth headphone in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with the manufacturer.
My Background
I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, Amplifiers and Earphones that intrigues me, especially if they can be had for low prices. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will can discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased MANY different headphones and earphones, ranging from from dirt cheap to higher end products. For me, this hobby is more about getting great price to performance ratio from a product, and have a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound to tinker with. With personal audio gear, we tend to pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the last few years is that just because a headphone has a higher price tag, it doesn’t mean that it has superior build and sound quality.
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have owned and used.
~*~*REVIEW*~*~
The Ausdom M06 comes in a black box with a picture of the product and brief description of the headphone model and features. The back of the box displays specifications in several languages.
The M06 bluetooth headphone is a pretty sweet package that has great functionality and sharp looks. I really like the brushed metal black finish. The pads are made of a nice synthetic protein based material that isn’t as uncomfortable as many fake leather pads. Holding them in my hand, they seem lightweight, and well built for their asking price.
The package included the headphones, a flimsy 3.5 mm cable and a micro USB charging cable. There is no case for the headphones, and no USB plug for them. They charge via a USB wall plug (not included) or a laptop USB port (obviously also not included LOL). The headphone has ports for both cables. The 3.5mm cable jack allows them to be used in wired mode, and is a nice feature that helps to conserve battery, or allow them to be used when the battery is dead. I found the 3.5mm cable to be functional, but it is very flimsy and I would prefer to use an aftermarket 3.5 cable as a more durable application.
Charging time from a dead battery is around two hours. The package claims that these are capable of 20 hours of music playback. While I wasn’t able to confirm the exact time, I will say that the M06 has plenty of battery to get you through a day, and most likely two or three days (depending on usage) before they need to be charged. When the device is charging you will see a red light on the headphone light up. When charging is completed the red light shuts off.
They fit nicely with an over the ear fit. People with larger ears might have some issues with the pads not making it all the way around their entire ear. Even if this is the case, the pads are very supple and this shouldn’t affect the sound too much. For a closed cup design they keep your ears from getting too hot. Still, I wouldn’t want to wear these things on a hot summer day (or any full sized cans for that matter).
The M06 has controls that allow you to use your device with a phone and not need to pull your phone out of your pocket for the most part. Once you learn the button layout on the headphone, you can easily use the controls without needing to take them off.
The device powers on by holding the power button. Continuing to hold the power button after it has turned on will put the headphone into pairing mode. Find the headphone in the bluetooth settings of your source and connect. I had no issues linking this up to any laptop, phone, or tablet. Hold the power when the M06 is on, and this will turn the power off.
The M06 also sports play/pause, forward, backward, and volume buttons. All buttons seemed to work fine and with no hiccups.
The left side of the cup has a microphone built in. When using it for phone calls, family and friends reported that my voice came through at a two or three out of five stars. Many of the two ratings were reported when using them in noisy environments. I assume the microphone placement plays a part in this.
Sound Review Materials
I primarily did my demo with my usual gear. I used an LG-G3 with the latest firmware. I also used my Toshiba chromebook and also tested connectivity and playback with an Ipad and Kindle Fire. All testing for the review was done using bluetooth (no 3.5mm auxiliary cable). I used Google Music, Amazon Music, and Itunes downloaded or steamed in its highest download quality. I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I make sure that any gear I tested has has enough time play time for me to be able to confidently describe their sound.
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake
“Madness” by Muse
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk
“Some nights” by Fun
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela
“Bassically” by Tei Shi
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie
“One” by Ed Sheeran
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
Sound Signature
The M06 is a formidable bluetooth headphone that offers a signature that is decent and very listenable. It’s not going to wow you with amazing clarity and fidelity, but the tuning is easy to listen to, packs a nice punch, and some nice sparkle up top. Midrange is lacking in resolution and separation to be an elite sounding headphone. All in all, the tuning is nicer than many of the very bass forward bluetooth headphones available now days.
Bass
I really liked the bass tuning of this headphone. It was a touch forward and soft in it’s attack. It had very nice tone and didn’t seem sluggish to my ears.
Midrange
The M06 midrange was a bit of a sore spot for me. The placement was right, as it wasn’t too forward or far back in the mix. There were no noticeable peaks, and a slight dip in the upper midrange. The downfall was a noticeable lack of resolution and refinement that didn’t keep up with a very nice bass and treble response. Please don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t awful by any means, but it didn’t have the separation and clarity needed for me to be able to rave about them. All in all , the midrange seemed to have a slightly closed in and lifeless feeling to them.
Treble
Ausdom tuned the treble to be fatigue free and with a nice response. They don’t extend to the point of being sibilant. They have nice separation from what I hear, and I was able to make out all treble sounds without hearing the driver getting overwhelmed and smearing the sound. The treble was pleasant, polite, and with a nice shimmer to not feel like it was lacking.
Soundstage and Imaging
The bass and treble are set up nicely for me to say that the soundstage is really good, but the flat sound of the midrange takes away the overall energy and realism. Soundstage is average for a bluetooth headphone. The imaging is decent in bass and treble regions but pretty flat in the mid range.
Comparisons
Meelectonics Matrix2 ($89.99 USD on many sites)
The Matrix2 is virtually the same shell as the Ausdom model with some tweaks and different internals. The Matrix2 has a soft padded carbon fiber looking material on the cups and headband, so this comes down to preference. I personally like the look Ausdom’s brushed metal finish.
Both models have the same 3.5mm auxiliary and micro USB charging cable. The Matrix2 sets itself apart, offering a matching carbon fiber finish case that is really cool.
The Ausdom is bluetooth 3.0, while the Matrix2 is 4.0 with aptx. Advantage Matrix2
In terms of sound, the Matrix 2 offers a better midrange that has better resolution and imaging. The Matrix2 is more neutral and natural sounding to my ears. Ausdom features a more forward bass response. The treble on the Ausdom is a little more crisp and extended. Choosing the one for you is a matter of what your signature preferences are.
Overall you have to give an edge to the Matrix2, but this comes at almost a $40 increase in price. If you are getting a bluetooth headphone and your budget is under $75, from the things I’ve tried this is one of the better deals out there, especially at a price of $53. If you can make the leap in price, the Matrix2 is definitely worth checking out. If not, the Ausdom is a great deal I have no problem recommending. They are basically the same earphone but with a bit less refinement.
Conclusion
I was happy to give this one a try. They have a great design that is lightweight and of solid build quality. They are very sharp looking with the brushed metal finish, and they sound really decent. If you want to experience a set of bluetooth cans with controls for your bluetooth source, and don't want to break the bank, you have a great product here in the M06.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!