About Me:
I came into the world of audio from a guitar background, buying up tube amps from when I was a kid and was always fascinated with them. Then I ended up buying my first decent pair of IEMs one day for a long flight (Yamaha EPH-100) and it was downhill from there. For a year or two, my only source were cell phones + a DAC/amp combo. Recently, I've invested in a desktop setup consisting of an Audio-GD Master 11 (which I absolutely love). I'm still no professional, I don't know all the right terms and I can really only offer an opinion of what I like. I don't have golden ears and I would not be considered a sommelier of the audio world. But what I do have to offer is the fact that I buy pretty much every IEM that looks interesting and give it some good listening time. As for preference of music, as cliché as it sounds, I love everything with a definite nod toward pop, country, electronic, rock and blues.
Test Equipment:
I used a few different setups for this review, but I will note that I primarily use IEMs with “mobile” setups, meaning I do not typically test them with either of my desktop setups. This time around, however, I did play the Pinnacle P1s through my Audio-GD NFB-1 DAC and amp before I sold them. I did this because the P1s are quite difficult to drive from mobile phones and I’ll expand on that later. Most of the testing was done, however, with my Chord Mojo and my LG V20 playing Tidal HiFi streaming. I used Tidal via USB Audio Player Pro when using the Mojo to avoid the Android upsampling.
The IEMs:
Physical presentation when you open the box is first rate and I have not seen this on a $199 IEM before (well, maybe I did on the RE-600 but that was originally $399). The IEMs have a very classy metal housing and they come with a large assortment of tips and two different cables. One has smartphone controls and is your average cheap MMCX cable, but the other is silver-plated copper ($50 on Amazon) and I stuck with that from the get-go. I don’t like the feel of the other cable with smartphone controls as it is thicker and heaver and overall feels cheaper. I liked the silver-plated copper cable so much that I bought an extra to use with my Sony XBA-Z5s. I also love the leather carrying case with a folding magnetic flap. They IEMs are a bit of a tight squeeze into it, but it’s a great case that isn’t bulky and overall has a classy and quality feel.

Comfort:
This one is easy: these are the most comfortable IEMs I have ever worn. You simply forget they are in your ear and I can easily listen to them for hours upon hours without any pain points or annoyances. The cable does not have memory wire, though these are still worn over-ear and I absolutely love them. They fit right into my ear canal and never come loose, never need fiddling and the shape is incredibly well thought out.
Tips:
Tips are a very personal thing and while the Pinnacle P1s come with plenty, I had the best success with Sony’s foam-filled hybrid tips. These are somewhat hard to find, but you can get them from the usual places like eBay and Amazon if you are okay waiting for shipping from Japan. These fit the P1s perfectly and I enjoy them because they hold the P1 firmly in my ear given the somewhat firmer feel than the non-foam stuffed ones. I also had success with JVC’s Spiral Dots, but they did not sound as good to me as the Sonys.
Sound:
The Pinnacle P1 IEMs are what I consider to be the most neutral IEMs I have. They are not bright, they are not bass-heavy, they are not mid-forward. They have no offensive characteristics and I do not believe many people would find any fault whatsoever in any of their range. Would I like more of certain things? Sure, but that is personal preference. What I mean is that anyone who puts these on will be very unlikely to find something to complain about such as sibilance or anything of that nature. What the P1s trade in bass impact or sharp treble is an overall sound signature that is incredibly neutral, detailed, enjoyable and polite. I love this about them.
Bass: If these had just a bit more bass slam from their dynamic driver, I would give them five out of five. That is literally the only thing I would ask for out of these is a bit more bass quantity. The bass is very accurate, it can reach very low when the music calls for it and it will likely satisfy non-bass heads or people who love a very neutral IEM. Me, well, I want just a tad more please. The bass they do have is punchy, but not as punchy as something like a triple-BA IEM like the Sony XBA-300. It is not muddy or loose like some other dynamic driver IEMs. I honestly think it will be “just right” for quite a few folks, but I love my bass!
Mids: The mids on this IEM are the star of the show for me and it’s not because they’re forward or in your face, it’s just because they’re incredibly detailed. Vocals through these IEMs rival some of my IEMs that cost three times as much and outperform others of the same cost (vocals on these sound better than on my XBA-Z5). There is no bass bleeding into the mids and overall, this tuning is extremely well-done by MEE Audio. They give such a clear presentation of how I think vocals should sound (both male and female).
Highs: I’m going to categorize the highs into the same camp as I did with the bass: they’re wonderful, but I would love a bit more. Like I mentioned, I do not think anyone will find these sibilant if you have a proper source and get a good fit. The highs are sparkly, detailed, non-offensive in any way and very smooth. While I love my bass, I love my treble too and I could stand a bit more treble presence in these. Not a lot, but a tad more might give them even more perceived clarity than they already have (which would be an insane amount of clarity!). Everything sounds good on these from cymbals, electronic beats and instruments.
Detail and Clarity:
I have not heard detail like this in a $200 IEM (or, perhaps, even a $400 IEM). The instrument separation on these is among the best I have heard and it’s very noticeable on first listen. They just sound crystal clear. You’ll hear strings being plucked, you’ll hear small sounds that you may have missed before and I’m quite impressed that this was achieved with a single dynamic driver. I’m not an audio engineer and I couldn’t begin to design an earphone, but this greatly impresses me. This is my favorite part about these IEMs – the clarity and detail. Well done, MEE Audio, well done.
Comparisons:
For my comparisons, I try to compare against similarly priced IEMs and avoid apples to oranges comparisons. So, below are some of the IEMs I have that I think are a good match against the P1 that cost similar amounts.
HiFiMan RE-600: The RE-600 was my go-to IEM for a neutral, detailed and comfortable IEM. The Pinnacle P1, in my eyes, has beat the RE-600 on all three counts. The bass presence is stronger on the P1, the comfort is even better despite them weighing much more and the detail retrieval is superior on the P1. Don’t even get me started on the cable on the RE-600 vs. the P1 as I’m sure you’ve read all of the cable failures on the RE-600. Not acceptable for a $400 IEM at launch (and still not acceptable on a $200 IEM). Sound-wise, I don’t find any real faults with the RE-600, but I found the P1 to just sound bigger, fuller and more detailed. Given that these are now the same price, I’d choose the P1 every time.
Sony XBA-300: This IEM couldn’t be more different technically speaking from the P1, but since they’re around the same price and both are considered to be pretty neutral IEMs, I wanted to compare them. For this comparison, I will not declare the P1 a winner per se, but a different IEM altogether. Where the P1 sounds neutral, polite and musical, the XBA-300 can get harsh in the treble and has light but very punchy bass. Something like a kick drum will really slam your ear in the XBA-300 whereas on the P1, it’s a less controlled boom. The P1 is not boomy at all, but in comparison to the XBA-300’s triple-BA design it does not offer the tight and controlled bass that the XBA-300 does. The XBA-300 has that extra treble that I asked for from the P1, but it might be a bit too bright for some people. Both IEMs are very neutral to me, but the XBA-300 may give people a bit more trouble if you’re listening at louder volumes and the track has anything that can be perceived as “piercing” highs. I would say that detail retrieval is similar on both IEMs, but soundstage and separation are still a bit better on the P1 for me.
LZ A4: I debated on including this IEM because I have only had it for about five days, but given that it’s a $200 triple-hybrid design and my initial impressions are through the roof, it seemed appropriate. I’ll keep the specifics light as I need more time with the approximate 6,745 filter combinations, but overall the LZ A4 to me is a superior IEM. It offers slamming, deep bass, clear and detailed mids and highs that can be tuned to the user’s liking. It has everything I have asked for extra from the P1 and for that reason, for now, this would be the IEM of my choice in the $200 range without question. I would say the only area the A4 falls short of the P1 is in comfort. It is comfortable, but it is a MASSIVE plastic housing designed to be worn down and for the first time in a while, I’m almost embarrassed to wear them in public. The last time that happened was when I wore my Sony Z5s outside.
MusicMaker Shockwave III: This IEM is a bit more pricey at around $240, but it’s not so far off that it should be excluded. Where I thought the XBA-300 couldn’t get more different them the P1, the SW3 does. This is a 5-driver IEM with four balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver. The bass on this is similar to the LZ A4 and I find it superior to the P1 in its reach and impact. The mids on the SW3 are slightly recessed and that is exaggerated with the very bright treble. The SW3 is definitely a V-shaped IEM and I think the P1 wins in overall listening pleasure to be totally honest. I love the SW3, but it is not an “every day” IEM for me that can fit every musical taste like the P1 can. Sure it has that deep bass I am craving, crisp and bright treble, but it does not have what the P1 has: the ability to sit in my ear for hours and put a smile on my face with ANY kind of music I put through it. If I tried that, I might end up deaf. It’s also huge and nowhere near as comfortable as the P1.
Conclusion:
The Pinnacle P1 IEMs came dangerously close to being a perfect IEM for me. They might be perfect for most people who do not require “basshead” levels of bass. They do everything well, they’re polite, they’re comfortable and for a first stab at a flagship IEM I think MEE Audio knocked this one out of the park. Their customer service is first rate and their packaging and attention to detail are wonderful. I love these IEMs and am hugely impressed with them for $200. The detail and clarity alone is worth the price of entry and I can literally wear them all day. They miss out barely on a few things that I want a little more of, so I’m going to go with 4.5 stars with the confidence that these will be 5-star IEMs for a lot of people. They’re that good.
Note: These are some of the most difficult to drive IEMs I have had. They absolutely require more power than most smartphones can produce (sans for maybe the V10, V20, HTC 10 or iPhones). Sure they will work, but in my experience they need to be properly driven with a proper headphone amp of some sort. I would NOT choose the P1 if you are going to be driving them straight from an average smartphone.
I came into the world of audio from a guitar background, buying up tube amps from when I was a kid and was always fascinated with them. Then I ended up buying my first decent pair of IEMs one day for a long flight (Yamaha EPH-100) and it was downhill from there. For a year or two, my only source were cell phones + a DAC/amp combo. Recently, I've invested in a desktop setup consisting of an Audio-GD Master 11 (which I absolutely love). I'm still no professional, I don't know all the right terms and I can really only offer an opinion of what I like. I don't have golden ears and I would not be considered a sommelier of the audio world. But what I do have to offer is the fact that I buy pretty much every IEM that looks interesting and give it some good listening time. As for preference of music, as cliché as it sounds, I love everything with a definite nod toward pop, country, electronic, rock and blues.
Test Equipment:
I used a few different setups for this review, but I will note that I primarily use IEMs with “mobile” setups, meaning I do not typically test them with either of my desktop setups. This time around, however, I did play the Pinnacle P1s through my Audio-GD NFB-1 DAC and amp before I sold them. I did this because the P1s are quite difficult to drive from mobile phones and I’ll expand on that later. Most of the testing was done, however, with my Chord Mojo and my LG V20 playing Tidal HiFi streaming. I used Tidal via USB Audio Player Pro when using the Mojo to avoid the Android upsampling.
The IEMs:
Physical presentation when you open the box is first rate and I have not seen this on a $199 IEM before (well, maybe I did on the RE-600 but that was originally $399). The IEMs have a very classy metal housing and they come with a large assortment of tips and two different cables. One has smartphone controls and is your average cheap MMCX cable, but the other is silver-plated copper ($50 on Amazon) and I stuck with that from the get-go. I don’t like the feel of the other cable with smartphone controls as it is thicker and heaver and overall feels cheaper. I liked the silver-plated copper cable so much that I bought an extra to use with my Sony XBA-Z5s. I also love the leather carrying case with a folding magnetic flap. They IEMs are a bit of a tight squeeze into it, but it’s a great case that isn’t bulky and overall has a classy and quality feel.


Comfort:
This one is easy: these are the most comfortable IEMs I have ever worn. You simply forget they are in your ear and I can easily listen to them for hours upon hours without any pain points or annoyances. The cable does not have memory wire, though these are still worn over-ear and I absolutely love them. They fit right into my ear canal and never come loose, never need fiddling and the shape is incredibly well thought out.
Tips:
Tips are a very personal thing and while the Pinnacle P1s come with plenty, I had the best success with Sony’s foam-filled hybrid tips. These are somewhat hard to find, but you can get them from the usual places like eBay and Amazon if you are okay waiting for shipping from Japan. These fit the P1s perfectly and I enjoy them because they hold the P1 firmly in my ear given the somewhat firmer feel than the non-foam stuffed ones. I also had success with JVC’s Spiral Dots, but they did not sound as good to me as the Sonys.
Sound:
The Pinnacle P1 IEMs are what I consider to be the most neutral IEMs I have. They are not bright, they are not bass-heavy, they are not mid-forward. They have no offensive characteristics and I do not believe many people would find any fault whatsoever in any of their range. Would I like more of certain things? Sure, but that is personal preference. What I mean is that anyone who puts these on will be very unlikely to find something to complain about such as sibilance or anything of that nature. What the P1s trade in bass impact or sharp treble is an overall sound signature that is incredibly neutral, detailed, enjoyable and polite. I love this about them.
Bass: If these had just a bit more bass slam from their dynamic driver, I would give them five out of five. That is literally the only thing I would ask for out of these is a bit more bass quantity. The bass is very accurate, it can reach very low when the music calls for it and it will likely satisfy non-bass heads or people who love a very neutral IEM. Me, well, I want just a tad more please. The bass they do have is punchy, but not as punchy as something like a triple-BA IEM like the Sony XBA-300. It is not muddy or loose like some other dynamic driver IEMs. I honestly think it will be “just right” for quite a few folks, but I love my bass!
Mids: The mids on this IEM are the star of the show for me and it’s not because they’re forward or in your face, it’s just because they’re incredibly detailed. Vocals through these IEMs rival some of my IEMs that cost three times as much and outperform others of the same cost (vocals on these sound better than on my XBA-Z5). There is no bass bleeding into the mids and overall, this tuning is extremely well-done by MEE Audio. They give such a clear presentation of how I think vocals should sound (both male and female).
Highs: I’m going to categorize the highs into the same camp as I did with the bass: they’re wonderful, but I would love a bit more. Like I mentioned, I do not think anyone will find these sibilant if you have a proper source and get a good fit. The highs are sparkly, detailed, non-offensive in any way and very smooth. While I love my bass, I love my treble too and I could stand a bit more treble presence in these. Not a lot, but a tad more might give them even more perceived clarity than they already have (which would be an insane amount of clarity!). Everything sounds good on these from cymbals, electronic beats and instruments.
Detail and Clarity:
I have not heard detail like this in a $200 IEM (or, perhaps, even a $400 IEM). The instrument separation on these is among the best I have heard and it’s very noticeable on first listen. They just sound crystal clear. You’ll hear strings being plucked, you’ll hear small sounds that you may have missed before and I’m quite impressed that this was achieved with a single dynamic driver. I’m not an audio engineer and I couldn’t begin to design an earphone, but this greatly impresses me. This is my favorite part about these IEMs – the clarity and detail. Well done, MEE Audio, well done.
Comparisons:
For my comparisons, I try to compare against similarly priced IEMs and avoid apples to oranges comparisons. So, below are some of the IEMs I have that I think are a good match against the P1 that cost similar amounts.
HiFiMan RE-600: The RE-600 was my go-to IEM for a neutral, detailed and comfortable IEM. The Pinnacle P1, in my eyes, has beat the RE-600 on all three counts. The bass presence is stronger on the P1, the comfort is even better despite them weighing much more and the detail retrieval is superior on the P1. Don’t even get me started on the cable on the RE-600 vs. the P1 as I’m sure you’ve read all of the cable failures on the RE-600. Not acceptable for a $400 IEM at launch (and still not acceptable on a $200 IEM). Sound-wise, I don’t find any real faults with the RE-600, but I found the P1 to just sound bigger, fuller and more detailed. Given that these are now the same price, I’d choose the P1 every time.
Sony XBA-300: This IEM couldn’t be more different technically speaking from the P1, but since they’re around the same price and both are considered to be pretty neutral IEMs, I wanted to compare them. For this comparison, I will not declare the P1 a winner per se, but a different IEM altogether. Where the P1 sounds neutral, polite and musical, the XBA-300 can get harsh in the treble and has light but very punchy bass. Something like a kick drum will really slam your ear in the XBA-300 whereas on the P1, it’s a less controlled boom. The P1 is not boomy at all, but in comparison to the XBA-300’s triple-BA design it does not offer the tight and controlled bass that the XBA-300 does. The XBA-300 has that extra treble that I asked for from the P1, but it might be a bit too bright for some people. Both IEMs are very neutral to me, but the XBA-300 may give people a bit more trouble if you’re listening at louder volumes and the track has anything that can be perceived as “piercing” highs. I would say that detail retrieval is similar on both IEMs, but soundstage and separation are still a bit better on the P1 for me.
LZ A4: I debated on including this IEM because I have only had it for about five days, but given that it’s a $200 triple-hybrid design and my initial impressions are through the roof, it seemed appropriate. I’ll keep the specifics light as I need more time with the approximate 6,745 filter combinations, but overall the LZ A4 to me is a superior IEM. It offers slamming, deep bass, clear and detailed mids and highs that can be tuned to the user’s liking. It has everything I have asked for extra from the P1 and for that reason, for now, this would be the IEM of my choice in the $200 range without question. I would say the only area the A4 falls short of the P1 is in comfort. It is comfortable, but it is a MASSIVE plastic housing designed to be worn down and for the first time in a while, I’m almost embarrassed to wear them in public. The last time that happened was when I wore my Sony Z5s outside.
MusicMaker Shockwave III: This IEM is a bit more pricey at around $240, but it’s not so far off that it should be excluded. Where I thought the XBA-300 couldn’t get more different them the P1, the SW3 does. This is a 5-driver IEM with four balanced armature drivers and one dynamic driver. The bass on this is similar to the LZ A4 and I find it superior to the P1 in its reach and impact. The mids on the SW3 are slightly recessed and that is exaggerated with the very bright treble. The SW3 is definitely a V-shaped IEM and I think the P1 wins in overall listening pleasure to be totally honest. I love the SW3, but it is not an “every day” IEM for me that can fit every musical taste like the P1 can. Sure it has that deep bass I am craving, crisp and bright treble, but it does not have what the P1 has: the ability to sit in my ear for hours and put a smile on my face with ANY kind of music I put through it. If I tried that, I might end up deaf. It’s also huge and nowhere near as comfortable as the P1.
Conclusion:
The Pinnacle P1 IEMs came dangerously close to being a perfect IEM for me. They might be perfect for most people who do not require “basshead” levels of bass. They do everything well, they’re polite, they’re comfortable and for a first stab at a flagship IEM I think MEE Audio knocked this one out of the park. Their customer service is first rate and their packaging and attention to detail are wonderful. I love these IEMs and am hugely impressed with them for $200. The detail and clarity alone is worth the price of entry and I can literally wear them all day. They miss out barely on a few things that I want a little more of, so I’m going to go with 4.5 stars with the confidence that these will be 5-star IEMs for a lot of people. They’re that good.
Note: These are some of the most difficult to drive IEMs I have had. They absolutely require more power than most smartphones can produce (sans for maybe the V10, V20, HTC 10 or iPhones). Sure they will work, but in my experience they need to be properly driven with a proper headphone amp of some sort. I would NOT choose the P1 if you are going to be driving them straight from an average smartphone.
Nice review!