The VE Monk Plus was one of the first earbuds I bought that gave me enough oomph for my listening habit. It made me realize earbuds as a real option to listen to good music, instead of disposable items that come with your phones.

I got the VE Monk Slim Metal a few weeks ago and have been using them extensively.

Specs
Driver: 14.8mm Dynamic
Impedance: 32Ohms
Frequency Response: 20-22KHz
Shell type: 16.4 mm plastic face with PK style shell
Connector: 3.5 SE (4.4 and 2.5 Balanced options available for purchase)
Sensitivity: 115dB



Build
The drivers are housed in a PK type shell made of metal. I have never owned this type of shell, but people have said that the Monk Slim Metal is slightly bigger than the original, with a 16.4mm face made of plastic. They look very impressive to me, reflecting light beautifully. There are L and R indications on the shell but there is no physical notch or bump on the shells to indicate which is which. I guess it's to keep the look more streamlined; but you have to really scrutinize the shell to see which one is L and R.

The heft of the metal and it's shape keeps them steady in my ears; unlike MX500 shells or many bell shaped shells. I can do physical activities comfortably around the house; and not have to worry about them falling out of my ears. It is really something that helps me keep using these earbuds.

The cable is not the usual black rubber affair, it's more a smoky grey and I find it so-so, not as good as some coiled or fabric cables used in other earbuds. I bought the 3.5 SE termination and the plug is very strong with good strain relief. The cable also has a chin slider which is always good for earbuds.



Accessories
There's a great assortment of accessories that comes with the earbuds. There's a nice denim blue semi-hard case for storage with the VE Clan logo on it. There's also the VE EX_Pack Lite included in the case which has a few pairs of full and donut foams. The earbuds come with pair of full-foams pre-attached to it, so you can straight away put them in your ears and listen to some music.

This is way more accessories than even pricier earbuds so they are very welcome for this listener.



Sound
I mainly listened to them using a Sony NW-A55 with MrWalkman firmware, sometimes double amping with a Fiio E12 Mont Blanc. Files include MP3 (128-320kbps), FLAC (16-24Bits), and AAC.

These earbuds are a neutral sounding to my ears. Cymbals and stringed instruments sound very lively and with alot of energy. The mids are also quite upfront, with pianos and voices sounding very detailed. The bass is not lacking, you get the bass notes, but not exaggerated like some mid to low budget earbuds. The sound is clear and detailed.

What I love about them are their soundstage and imaging. To my ears, these are great for orchestral scores, film soundtracks and post-rock bands. The details in "The Ecstatics" by Explosions in The Sky can be heard clearly and makes for a very immersive listen. Soundtrack scores sound engaging, like the soundtrack to Conan The Barbarian by Basil Poledouris, where you can really get caught up by the bombastic feel of it. It really does well with these types of music. Pop music also sound good; Aizat's voice in "Years from Now" sound very clear and up front and center; while "Just Friends" by Amy Winehouse sound full and musical with it's Ska-Reggae beat.

However, I find it not working very well with Rock music. They don't sound bad, it just could be better compared to other earbuds that I use like the Faaeal Datura Pro. I'm not sure whether it's the tuning or it's my ears, but there's something happening in the mids or the mid-bass that make Rock music sound less compelling. This goes for bass-heavy music as well; it's tuning and the flat earbud design does not give bass-centric music justice.

I also think having a powerful source helps these earbuds sing. The headphone output from the Sony NW-A55 is serviceable, but adding the Fiio Mont Blanc with its bass boost makes them sound fuller and more nuanced. So DAP's or dongles that give out something extra should make these sound even better.

Conclusion

I really enjoy these earbuds. The build is beautiful with it's shiny shell and its accessories are also impressive. It's design makes them stay in my ears so well that sometimes I forget that they are there. Their sound is very good and it's awesome for certain types of music. Best of all they are priced very competitively which makes me very happy to own these.

I bought the Faaeal Datura Pro recently and am very satisfied with the product. The Datura Pro came with a small semi hard case with the FAAEAL brand. Included were also three packets of white and black foams, full and donut types. There was also a clip to hold the cable in place when using the earbuds while walking/travelling.

The Datura Pro are very shiny, small, bell shaped, and fully metal so there's a bit of heft to them. There's a small circle carved on one of the bud to denote the left earbud. The cable is braided, very flexible and dark brown colored.

The Datura Pros are not just pretty looking buds, but in terms of sound I really dig them as well. Their mids are very sweet, and forward, and they do well with instrument separation. Rock and funk music, especially from the 70s with their dense mids of distorted guitar, moogs, and synths, are quite sweet and very identifiable with these buds. Guitar plucking from latin music and orchestral scores from film soundtracks also do well with the Datura Pros clear treble and very wide soundstage. The bass isn't prominent, but its rhythmic and very shapely, so funk and jazz go along way with the Datura Pro. You know you've got a good pair when you can't stop listening to music when you have them on.



If you're a bass head, I don't think the Datura Pro will satisfy; the quality of the bass is very good, but you won't get the most from bass heavy music genres. EQing may help, although I haven't tried it. The tuning of the Datura Pro towards more prominent mids and the lack of bass may also not be for everyone. The shape and heft of the buds may not be good for use while walking or running, at least for me. They sit good enough in my ears but they easily fall out when moving about. So I add a wing-tip to them when I use them when travelling.

I really like these buds. For my taste of music (Rock, Funk, Jazz) the Datura Pro is quite addictive. And, they also look great!

Great buds. Sweet Mids.

My previous Xiaomi headphones were the Hybrid Pro HD. They were built like tanks, but the fit was very difficult for my ears. They did not stay in at all when I moved around, no matter what type of tips I used. It also affected their sound in terms of bass; so I usually used them for classical music (until I accidentally yanked the cord and killed the sound on one side of the earphones).

So I decided to buy the Hybrid Pro 2. And I am very glad I did.

Specs
Driver: Hybrid, 1 Dynamic Driver + 1 Balanced Armature
Impedence: 32 Ohms
Sensitivity: 100dB
Frequence Response: 20-20 kHz
Rated Power: 5mW
Connector: 3.5mm



Build
The housing is metal and the faceplate and nozzle is plastic. They are all black. The nozzle is angled so they nicely go into my ear-canal and the housing is smaller and sharper than the Hybrid HD, so they rest in my ear nicely without sliding down and out of my ear every time I turn my head. The strain relief from the housings are rubber. There is a three button remote and mic on the right wire which is a mix of metal and plastic. The chord is a mixed affair, rubber from the headphones, and braided to the 3.5mm L shaped rubber connector.



Accessory
Very bare. No storing container or pouch. Basic set of tips (not great and I replaced them with Sony hybrid tips which were more comfortable). Small paper manual.



Sound
I think these are dark sounding earphones. They have strong bass without veiling the higher frequency details. It's always great when I'm nodding to the beat and be surprised by the detail of other instruments cushioned by that thick bass. The higher frequencies are a little strident, but not piercing, almost sweet crumbly sounding, so guitar picking and trumpet blows and synth notes sound great to me. However, they are not a laid-back listen; the attack of the sound is quick and punchy, so vinyl rips sound quite modern to me, and I'm noticing new layers of some of the music. I'm not sure how the sound will change the more I use them (currently about 30 hours of usage). The soundstage is good, wide and clear; but not as great as the Hybrid HD I think. All in all I'm very satisfied with the sound.

Music used: Wilco, Medeski Martin Wood, Daft Punk, Yuna, Soundgarden, Radiohead

Conclusion
I love them. They are the opposite of my experience with the Hybrid HD. The fit is great, the sound is thick & dark but still quite detailed (not as detailed as the Hybrid HD though) and works well with my music collection. Despite the very bare packaging and accessories, their sound really exceeds their cost.