WARNING!
There have apparently been product changes and I can no long support this review based on my experience with other E100 models.
Make a long story short I ended up with FIVE pairs of these from the manufacturer that contacted me. This consisted of two "old stock" (first shipment) and three "newer" pairs (second shipment).
NONE of them sounded close to the ones I used in this review (and continue to use!).
Because of this I can no long recommend the E100 as I fear that what you may receive will be different from what I received and reviewed. You have been warned!
Note: These also sell as the Mrice E100. Same exact product just different name.
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I haven't even burned these in yet and they're the closest sounding anything I've ever heard when it comes to my preferred V-ish sound signature.
But more on that in a bit...first let me introduce myself and try to give myself some credibility here!
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Experience:
So,
who am I to judge sound quality at all? Well, I've been into headphones since I was I was a wee lad and have 16 years of experience when it comes to headphones. Let's see here, my last IEM's in the past year alone include the Dunu DN-1000 and DN-2000, Sony MDR-7550, MDR-EX1000, and XBA-H3, JH16 Pro PF, Senn IE80, T-PEOS Altone200 and H200, Zero Audio Doppio and Tenore...among a few others I'm sure I'm forgetting. Again, that's just what I've gone through the in the past year...this in no way reflects what I've owned over all.
In fewer words I'd like to think I know a little about what I'm talking about here.
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Preferred Sound Signature:
So after everything is said and done I ended up staying with the Dunu DN-1000 as everything about them about matched what I have in mind for my sound sig. Love my bass! Wouldn't consider myself a total "basshead" but I love to have that subwoofer like feel and sound. I do, however, care equally about my mids and highs as well. Smooth mids that render vocals believably with highs that can crash when need be.
In other words I love "fun" sound. Bright, impactful, wide sound stage, and just simply puts a smile on my face. Not too hooked on analytics or absolute accuracy but I do care that they sound GOOD...so no Beats here for me. Again, look at what I've owned just more recently.
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Thoughts on the E100's:
Let me first say that I know for owning very high-end IEM's that it's odd that I might end up sticking with the DN-1000's but honestly they were just the closest I've come to what I want OVERALL. Sure they don't match the JH16's in bass, EX1000's in mids, or the Altones in highs but generally speaking they're fun, bright, etc, etc...
look...the E100's out shine the DN-1000's. Period. For the $12 I spend shipped for these Baldoor E100's all I can say is that they are simply amazing. Not simply amazing
for the price, mind you, but amazing compared to
anything I've ever heard or have owned.
Now before I talk about sound I have to point out how I'm wearing these as this is important sound wise. Due to fiddling with them I have found that, with foams added, wearing them sideways with the drivers pointing forward produces the best sound...especially the bass...Holy Hell the BASS!!!
*Ahem*...getting a head of myself. So yeah, not straight in as one might expected. It should be noted that wearing them like this greatly enhances the bass but surprisingly leaves the rest of the sound unaffected. Lessens sound stage a bit but it already has plenty to spare. This is how I will be reviewing these.
OK...let's get started...
Packaging and Accessories:
Comes in a cool elongated triangular plastic box with the headphones, a pair of foam covers, a pair of foam covers with the center cut out, and a little warranty slip of paper. That's it. Pretty bare.
Build Quality:
Pretty dang good! The cable is a triangle shaped cord (hence the packaging) that's supposed to be tangle free (pretty accurate) and easy to use. Seems of decent enough quality to last a while. The Y-split is aluminum covered plastic with no chin slider. 3.5mm plug is gold plated and like wise aluminum covered plastic. The buds themselves seem decent enough...plastic. But well put together. Over all not the most exciting thing in the world but certainly serviceable and doesn't give me that "they'll break in a week" type feel. I'd be careful but not at all worried.
Now the sound...
Bass:
Basshead's would be happy. Digs deep. Using
this bass test I can hear and feel 10Hz. Smooth like butter and ever impactful the bass is nothing short of astonishing. Even the JH16's pale in comparison...maybe not in quantity (BARELY) but certainly in quality. There is plenty of bass here for any recording. I've got a 10 inch BIC V1020 160 watt subwoofer literally right next to me at my computer desk and even I have found myself, knowing better, taking the buds out because I think this subwoofer somehow magically turned itself on when I'm listening to music.
Again, this is with me wearing them sideways...putting them in "normally" and the bass is NOT as nice. Still there but not nearly as loud or full. So this might be taken into consideration and could count against them. However, I have to review these based on how I listen to them and can only hope that they'll fit the same for you (which they should).
So bass? Perfect. Awesome. ZERO complaints. Rock, classical, dub step, whatever you listen to will get the fullness, impact, and ear drum shaking sound you'd want...all while remaining tight and in control. Simply put the best bass I've ever heard from an IEM.
I would like to say that it's comparable to the Dunu's but with more volume. Certainly out does the Dunu's.
Mids:
Yet again...awesome. Smooth and clear I find myself enjoying every instrument and vocal performance I can get my hands on! Foward but not obtrusive I constantly find myself lost in their liquidness. The Dunu's in comparison sound almost too metallic. It's like, the best way I can describe the mids is that the Dunu's sound too fake...almost as if you can tell one is an armature and one is dynamic. The mids on the E100 feel as though they're part of the entire ensemble and not separate. Certainly has great imagining and separation but just flows. Beautiful is the best word that comes to mind.
Highs:
Crisp and bright while not being over done or fatiguing. There when it needs to be but completely gone when it's not. The treble doesn't bleed over at all, something I notice a lot with many IEM's. Especially with vocals. That's the best I can say really. They're great and engaging all while not being intrusive. If you like your sound to be bright and have that clash when you need it you won't be disappointed in the slightest. As I've said I like bright and fun...these deliver. I see way too many times people saying that this bud or that IEM has great highs but they always end up muddy for me. These don't. I can't speak for everyone but I just don't see how anyone couldn't like the highs here.
Sound Stage:
Very tall but not super wide. Just how I like it. Simply put they sound like a nice pair of open-backed cans. Puts you in the music. Lost.
I tell you what! Writing this as I'm listening to them it's like all I want to say is "perfect" and "dreamy". I know it's crazy. I've been listening to these fanatically...just TRYING to find something WRONG with these! Twelve bucks? LOL! GTFO!!! Cheap pieces of garbage............
that's what I'd like to say. But I can't. I love these. I have no desire to try anything else. My sixteen year journey...10's of thousands of dollars easily in audio equipment...ended...by a $12 pair of earbuds. Even as I'm writing I can't believe it. I just can't. But it's true. Am I crazy? Maybe. Do I know good sound and do these have good sound? Unequivocally yes. Yes, they do. So much so.
My entire headphone collection is about to dwindle down to a headphone under $20. LOL! Oh man...not even burned in yet...
Now I can't say that I won't EVER find anything better (still haven't tried the IE800 yet!) but for right now...I'm OK with that.
If you have any questions or comments feel free to leave them here or PM me! Thanks for reading and I hope this helps with your purchasing decision, which, for what they cost pretty much anywhere, are 100% worth the try!