Baldoor EarBell E100 MK1

Poor value proposition even at their price, little difference from DAP pack-in buds from a decade ago. Awful ergonomics, poor engineering evident when pressure on the baffle presses against the diaphragm. Bad sound: sibilant, the characteristically limited bandwidth of earbuds, annoying even for spoken voice material.

Use the money to buy yourself a burger, much better value proposition in terms of pleasure and long-term satisfaction.

There's an extremely vibrant, rich sound that they produce. It sounds far better than any other earbud I've ever used, and better (and equally as spacious/open) than most on-ear open headphones I've used before. Unfortunately the fit is difficult for people with smaller outer ears (me) and while they sound great just sitting there, I need to hold them in place with the speaker directed directly at my eardrum for best sound. It's probably going to sound better and better the bigger the size of your cochlea. I can DEFINITELY hear the potential, and for the cost, you'd be stupid not to try them.

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Note that the version I received said both Mrice and Baldoor.  This is also the version with the microphone and volume control.



**All Photos Were Taken By Me**
 
 
*Features*

- Built in Microphone: Works wonderfully, callers could hear me clearly and without static.
- Adjustable Volume Control. + for louder / - for softer. A cool and useful function.


 
 

*Fit*

These are one of the smallest earbuds on the market. They are shaped like a bell and will fit into any ear canal. Because they are smaller, some might have issues with them not seating well. My advice is to use the provided foam covers for the best fit. The better the seal you get, the better the bass response will be and the overall sound signature.


 
 
 
*Accessories*

These come with two sets of foam covers, one normal and one donut.  Though for me, I prefer a thicker foam cover like the one that Suvov makes:  http://world.taobao.com/item/969229165.htm
 

 
 
 

*Build*

First thing you will notices is the anti tangle trangle shaped cord. This not only looks cool, but is highly functional. The cable itself is made out a tough, yet flexible material that feels good in the hand. The playback controls have a great, solid click to them and never feel flaky. Design is different, yet works just as well. It is a good looking, well built earbud.


 


*Sound*

It has a wonderfully neutral sound signature.

Bass- Is not overpowering, instead is controlled and accurate. There is a tiny amount of nice sub-bass, though personally I prefer just a tad more. The nice thing about the E100A is that with either an EQ adjustment or a bass boost click, this little earbuds can throw quite a punch. It is amazing how well they scale up, while still showing no signs of distortion.

Mids - Are fantastic. Crystal Clear. Vocals come through loud and clear without any hint of veiling. I would go as far to say the mids are ever so forward, but that is not to be viewed as a shortcoming, but more of a bonus. The mids is where the party is at and the Mrice E100A plays all the hits. The middle is a great place to be.

Highs - Can be just the tiniest bit sibilant at higher volumes, but never become tiresome. Highs are well defined and detailed. This is where the E100A really shows what high end sound it is capable of.

Soundstage - Don't let the small size fool you. These have a big wide sound. Distance is quite large and allows for great instrument separation without any signs of congestion.

Isolation - Typically, earbuds do not isolate too well do to their open housing. The Mrice E100A different shape allows it to have the best sound blocking of any earbud I have ever tried. This will depend also on how good of a seal you can get. For me, it works great. Nice to wear an earbud that can also isolate me from surrounding noises.


 


*Overall Thoughts*

The Mrice E100A is one of my favorite earbuds. I love the neutral sound signature, the easy fit and the great playback features. I do wish for just a bit more sub-bass, but as I said, a little can be pushed out with a little EQ tweeking. It is an overall great earbud that is crazy easy to recommend.



*Side Note*

Totally unrelated to the earbud review, but the seller I bought my Mrice E100A from sent me a nice little ZhongGuoJie as well.


 


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