MEE audio X7 Plus

Disclaimer
Before I begin this review, I would like to thank Mike from Mee audio who made this review possible.

The MEE X7 plus is a review unit provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. These thoughts and opinions are mine and mine alone and I reserve the right to change my opinion as time goes on.

Introduction
I want to take this opportunity to thank MEE Audio for giving me a chance to check out the X7 Plus, their top offering from their lineup of bluetooth in ear headphones.

MEE Audio is a brand that is well known at head-fi, and deservedly so. They provide a range of products at affordable prices, from bluetooth tv adapters to headphones to custom offerings for iems. Their brand is practically synonymous with bang for buck and I have been following them for quite some time now. (M9 anyone?).

Needless to say they have undergone a transformation since then, and not only in name. As an amateur musician, their foray into the professional arena of music is something that resonates with me, especially with their wildly popular stage in ear monitors and custom in ear tips. But I digress.


Here is a bit about them from their own website:

WHO WE ARE
MEE is home to a group of audio enthusiasts who enjoy hearing music at its absolute best. We spread our passion by crafting innovative high-performance audio gear in order to let music inspire everyone as it inspires us. Where others see a pair of headphones, we see the final step in experiencing music as it was meant to be. This is why we obsess over every detail of how our products look, feel, and sound, bringing you the ultimate listening experience.

WHAT WE DO
Since 2005 we have been committed to crafting headphones and earphones with exceptional audio quality and design, winning acclaim from casual listeners and audiophiles around the world. Specializing in sports, wireless, and high fidelity headphones, MEE is committed to providing the best user experience, performance, and value with every product.


We are MEE, and we deliver Music Enjoyment for Everyone.

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Like many people, I tend to listen to music from my phone (iPhone 8 plus). However, most phone companies these days seem to think that headphone jacks are redundant and have been taking steps to eradicate them. And so now we are in the age of wireless headphones, or they would hope.

We must get with the times I suppose but that does not mean we are relegated to overpriced junk offered by the phone manufacturers *cough*airpods*coughs*




More than ever before, people are buying into the idea of using wireless headphones and this is abundantly clear while out and about. A cursory search on any popular on-line retailer will show a plethora of options spanning the entire price spectrum.


Enter the MEE audio X7 Plus - In this era of bluetooth headphones, does it have what it takes to stand out? Is it worth your hard earned dollars/yen/crayons? Read on to find out.

About me
Before I get into the nitty gritty of things, I want to provide a little background information in the hopes that it can help put my views in perspective and provide some context for the content of this review.

Music has always been a huge part of my life, whether it was performing music on stage with my band or more recently, involving myself in this masochistic wonderful hobby of ours. I have always enjoyed listening to music but I haven’t always paid attention to the quality of headphones because I was perfectly content with included cellphone earphones or cheap earbuds from department stores. Ignorance is bliss right? This however all changed when I came across head-fi one day, and that’s when things started to go downhill (for my wallet that is). It is all too easy to underestimate how large an impact a good pair of headphones can have in the enjoyment of your favorite songs.

After getting my first pair of good headphones, I had felt as if an entirely new world has opened up to me musically and I found myself rediscovering music that I have listened to for many years.

When it comes to musical taste, I can’t say that I have any specific genre that is my absolute favorite, as I like a little bit of everything. But if I had to be specify, I would say that I love mainstream and Pop music and I consider myself to be an average joe in that regard. That is the approach I will be taking in reviewing gear, for people like me who aren’t all that technical and are not audiophiles in the classical sense.

I mostly stream music from the Internet using services such as Spotify and Youtube and like millions of other people, my laptop and cellphone serves as my main media players.

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Specifications

What's in the Box

• X7 Plus stereo Bluetooth earphones
• Micro-USB charging cable
• 3 sets of ear tips
• Carrying case
• User manual

Speaker Specifications
driver size 6 mm
frequency response 20 Hz to 20 kHz
impedance 16 Ohms at 1K
sensitivity 100±3 dB (1mW at 1KHZ)
Battery Specifications
battery type 2x built-in rechargeable Li-Poly battery
music playback time 7.5 hours
talk time 8 hours
standby time 300 hours
charging time 2 hours
charging connector micro-USB
Bluetooth Specifications
Bluetooth version 4.1
Bluetooth profiles supported A2DP, HSP, HFP, AVRCP
audio codecs supported SBC, aptX®, AAC
operating range 30 ft (10 m)
Microphone Specifications
directivity omnidirectional
frequency response 100 Hz to 8 kHz
Product Details
ear coupling intraaural (in-ear)
cable length 12 inches (31 cm)
weight 0.5oz (14g)
water resistance technology Liquipel Watersafe™ nano-coating


Build quality, Design and Accessories
The headphones come packaged in a stylish box that presents the headphone shells front and center.


The headphones themselves feel nice to the touch and feel quite premium in the hands with it’s sleek curves and design. It feels sturdy and feels like it can take a beating, and some splashes to boot! It is water resistant and has been designed with that in mind.
I think they could have done more in terms of accessories that come in the box. Competing headphones come with a variety of tips and such, but I would like to think that they put the money and resources towards what matters the most - the sound.


It should be noted that the X7 plus nozzle is wider than standard sizes so tip rolling can be a challenge in some cases. Having said that, I had no trouble finding tips that gave me the perfect seal for my ears so YMMV.

The ergonomic shape ensures a comfortable listening experience for long listening sessions, at least that has been the case for me. I would often wear the X7 plus for my long commutes, straight to the gym, then to the shower…..without taking the X7 plus out. (I am antisocial like that lol). The convenience factor cannot be overemphasized. And my ears didn’t feel sore after these long marathon sessions either!

This little beauty accompanies me everywhere, and it’s not only because of how easily they seem to slip into my ears (and stay there).

What’s it like to use?
The X7 plus is stupidly easy to operate. Once you pair it to a device, it’s a matter of turning the X7 plus on and having it pair instantly with your phone.

The bluetooth range has been superb with a strong and steady connection and I have yet to drop connections. In addition, the battery life is fantastic, I easily get 7 hours of music listening time, which is close to the official 7.5 hours spec.

The microphone is alright and competent enough for phone calls, although it would not be my first choice in this regard. In a pinch it does the job.

The ease of use and consistency in performance is the second bit that has the X7 plus in my pocket on a daily basis, the first bit being the ergonomics.


What does it sound like?
The third reason why the X7 plus has found a permanent spot in my daily life is because of how it sounds! It is a headphone after all, not just a fashion piece

When it comes to sonic performance, the X7 plus takes a more even keel approach with a tasty bump in lower registers. It sports a relatively balanced sound with enough detail and dynamics to keep you engaged whether you are out and about, or pushing through the last set at the gym.

It has a slight bass emphasis, demonstrating both quality mid bass and sub bass that integrates nicely into the sound without bleeding into the midrange. The midrange is superbly detailed, full sounding and engaging. When using the X7 Plus during my workouts I would sometimes pause in middle of my workout to listen closely to the music because the X7 Plus sounds so damn good. The X7 Plus is a fantastic sounding iem, not just for a bluetooth iem but overall.

This will not come across as a shock to anyone but the X7 plus really shines when it comes to pop music and top 40 songs. And I will admit that my tastes in music tend to lie in that area so the X7 plus has been an enjoyable listen for me in that regard.


How does it compare?
Brainwavz BLU-200 vs MEE X7 Plus
The X7 Plus comes in an elaborate packaging with a decidedly more premium experience versus the simpler packaging of the BLU-200. You really feel like you got your money’s worth with the X7 Plus when unboxing it.






The X7P has a more attractive, durable and comfortable design when compared to the BLU200. The X7 Plus employs a more ergonomic design that sits flush in the ear, which I found to be comfortable for longer listening sessions.





I must say that the BLU-200 comes ahead when considering the included accessories. The X7 Plus comes with a set of silicon tips, an extra cable management clip and a charging cable. The BLU-200 carrying case is simply perfect, with an eye catching design that is sure to provide plenty of protection. It has ample room to store the iem and accessories, whereas the MEE case feels more cramped.

While Both are equally easy to use on a daily basis, the longer battery life on the X7 Plus means that its useful both in and out of gym, as its the one I always reach for when leaving the house. With the BLU-200 that is not the case because I have to charge it more frequently thanks to the shorter battery life, so its not really ideal for taking out with me while out and about.

They both pair easily and function very similarly. The X7 Plus has a better built remote with a more raised profile for the buttons, making tactile navigation much easier. I also found the the X7 Plus to possess a larger reception range compared to the bLU-200, allowing me to venture further away from my paired device.

Sonically speaking, the X7 Plus has a more even sound compared to the BLU-200, even sounding better than many wired iems in the <$100 category. The X7 Plus sports an increased resolution along with a balanced sound that flies in the face of many of its competitor's consumer oriented tuning.


BASS 4 LYFE

Compared to the bass heavy tuning of the BLU-200, the X7 Plus has a slight bass emphasis, demonstrating both quality mid bass and sub bass that integrates nicely into the sound without bleeding into the midrange. The midrange is superbly detailed, full sounding and engaging. When using the X7 Plus during my workouts I would sometimes pause in middle of my workout to listen closely to the music because the X7 Plus sounds so damn good. The X7 Plus is a fantastic sounding iem, not just for a bluetooth iem but overall. And what's more it can even be used in the shower, so no need to remove them in the bathroom, just jump in!
Conclusion
The X7 plus was one of the main reasons that I was able to have a relatively painless transition to using phones without headphone jacks.

The X7 plus feels stellar, sounds sublime and sounds heavenly. It has battery life that will not disappoint and it doesn't take long to top up a charge. It is also priced lower than many other offerings with similar specifications, meaning it won't break the bank and will sound better at the same time!

I liked it so much, I purchased two units for my family members.

I have been intrigued by the idea of Bluetooth headphones for the gym and office use for some time. I had seen users wearing Jaybird, Beats, and other brands at the gym. My problem with Beats is that they are overpriced and with exaggerated bass. I also was looking for headphones that had the aptX and AAC HD, which allows for supposed cd quality sound when I am listening to my flac or 320kbps encoded mp3 music.  Enter the Mee Audio X7 plus. My wife recently went to CES and went to the Mee audio booth and told me about the X7 Plus Bluetooth wireless headphones. I contacted Mee Audio and they sent me these X7 Plus for review.
 
Design
After charging the headphones, I went ahead and tried the different tips that were available. It seems that the best fit for me was the medium tip. The headphones fit a happy medium where some IEMS(in ear monitors) need to be inserted deeply into the ear canal to get a decent fit. The X7 Plus uses some of the body of the headphone to also fit inside the ear to help block out ambient noise. This might also be welcome to some who do not like the feeling of pressure with deeply inserted headphones. These headphones also utilize memory wire to keep the headphones securely in your ears. For controls the X7 Plus has a 3 button remote built in on the wire towards the right ear with 3 easy to manipulate rubberized buttons. The center button is used to turn on, pair, play and pause music. The other two buttons advance music, fast forward and rewind. Short presses of these buttons also lower and raise volume. I want to note that I do not listen to my music at loud volume, but these headphones could go loud enough, that is if you want hearing damage. There is a rubberized cinch to tighten the headphones for a tighter fit. For charging, there is a supplied micro usb cable that connects to the side of the controls to charge the X7 plus for 8 hours of playback. There is also a circular zippered case to protect the headphones when they are not in use.
Here is what they look like when worn:

Here are are the inline controls:

Here is the included case:                                                        

 
Another shot of the headphones:

 
Apple and Android
My main phone is a LG G3 which I have had for over a year. I have gone back and forth between Android and Iphone over the years, I am not a fan of Itunes. Anyway, I found that when starting and listening to the first track after connecting each time, that there is almost 10 second timeframe where the beginning of the first track stutters. On the my work Iphone 6 there is no hesitation\stuttering, the track plays clearly. I would also like to note that the lowest volume level when connected to the Iphone 6 was too loud for me, but my LG G3 did not have that problem.
 
At the gym
I next auditioned the X7 plus at my local gym where I go several times a week. I wanted to see if they could stay in while ding chin-ups, bench press, running and so on. The X7’s were used during all my workouts and they stayed in and required minimal reseating. I find nothing more irritating than having my headphones pop out during a set. I found that even while perspiring on the elliptical trainer or doing planks that the X7’s kept chugging along and I had only the occasional dropout, but that is to be expected when in an environment with so much interference from other devices. I often also forgot my phone and walked away, but the signal sometimes held past 40 feet away. I mostly had my phone on a shelf or near me while working out.
 
At Work
Upon first listening to them at my office, I noticed that they had a decent soundstage, the instruments had good separation, with crisp highs. For a change of pace, I listened to a best of Mozart compilation and the headphones accurately played back the tracks and they did not sound congested but rather very pleasant. I changed pace and moved to Megadeth’s Dystopia and the album sounded great, there was no harshness to the highs. I am not a bass head by any means but the bass and mid bass were very good without being overwhelming. Overall the sound was not fatiguing and I could listen to them for some time. My experience with the X7 plus at work was great. Despite right next to my server room I experience no dropouts and enjoyed not being held to one spot as I worked on building computers and so on.
Call Quality
I normally do not use headphones to take calls, but these did a decent job. The caller’s voice sounded clear and their voice sounded natural to me without my having to strain to hear what they were saying. You can also use the multipoint functionality so you can manage call and media from two different devices at the same time.
Conclusion
For $99, the Mee Audio X7 Plus are a great alternative to the other wireless headphones on the market. They sound great, have decent ambient sound blocking capabilities without being uncomfortable, and have good range without lots of signal dropouts. Mee Audio also has great customer service and is very receptive to any problems you might have.

 

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Preamble:

I am someone who does a lot of running outside, getting a couple of thousand kilometres per year on my shoes (less in the past one and a half years due to more review writing).
Often I am using in-ears during the runs, however without any music most of the time – only after the half or in the last third, when I need some “support”, I usually occasionally start playback.
As I often carry my mobile phone (BlackBerry Q10) with me anyways when running, especially when in the hills or forest, I then always have a source with Bluetooth with me anyway, and so I could forgo an additional DAP for the runs (usually a Sansa Clip Zip or iPod Nano 6G).

Maybe a Bluetooth in-ear doesn’t have many additional advantages for my just mentioned main field of application, but many people who regularly go to the gym will very likely enjoy the freedom wireless in-ears offer: most people aren’t guiding the cable underneath their shirt or along their back, wherefore it can get stuck, especially when one is on the rowing machine or doing weight training; microphonics and general cable movement can be annoying as well. With wireless in-ears, the mentioned nuisance is mostly eliminated. Nonetheless, with wireless in-ears, one has to re-charge the batteries on a regular basis and the built-in active electronic components aren’t coming free of cost either.

Before I start with my actual review, I would like to thank Mike from MEEaudio (formerly MEElectronics) for sending me an X7 Plus (http://www.meeaudio.com/X7Plus) to check out in exchange for my honest opinion.


Technical Specifications:

MSRP: $99.99
Drivers: dynamic, 6 mm
Frequency Response: 20 – 20000 Hz
Talk/Music Playback Time: 7.5 hours
Standby Time: 300 hours
Bluetooth Version: 4.1
Operation Range: 30 ft/10 m
Bluetooth Profiles Supported: A2DP, HSP, HFP, AVRCP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs Supported: SBC, AAC, aptX


Delivery Content:

The packaging is designed in the typical MEE style, however there is more text on it than usual. The front shows a picture of the in-ears on white background, next to the model number with description. The magnetically attached front can be opened up like a book cover and then shows a listing of the features on the left and a transparent plastic window with the X7 Plus behind on the right side.
The sides show the technical specifications and tell what’s included.
The back contains an in-depth description of the features in multiple languages.
Inside, next to the in-ears are a micro USB cable for charging, a round carrying case, three pairs of silicone tips as well as a user manual.
 

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Looks, Feels, Build Quality:

The waterproof (which can be very handy for sports) in-ears are made of matte black hard plastic which is very sturdy and doesn’t feel really cheap at all. The part where the cable enters the bodies is made of chrome-look plastic. On the insides are easily readable side markers, the outsides each show a MEE logo.
The bodies are ergonomically shaped and rather largely built, for the electronics and batteries.
The remote control with rubberised buttons has got a flap that covers the micro USB charging socket.
The short connection cable between both in-ear bodies has got good strain relief and is quite flexible as well.
 

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Buttons, Features:

The remote control has got three buttons that act for playback and volume control as well as for powering on/off and pairing.
Pushing and holding the centre button for about five seconds, the in-ears are set into pairing mode; holding the button for three seconds turns the X7 Plus on respectively off. All actions are acknowledged by a voice command which is however quite loud.
A small LED on the remote control gives information about the status.

The buttons are easily tactile and have got a pleasant pressure point.

What I as person who listens at rather low volume kind of dislike is the overall volume – both with my BlackBerry Q10 as well as iPhone 4, there is only a uniform volume control without the ability of limiting the volume which is very loud in the lowest setting. In addition, the volume steps are a bit rough and not as fine-grained as I’d like to.


Comfort, Isolation:

The in-ears are quite large, but that’s actually quite a good thing for my large ears, as the in-ear bodies sit very comfortably and quite securely in my conchas – people with small ears however could get some problems with the size. The in-ears’ weight is by the way very low and I don’t notice the X7 Plus after insertion.
The in-ears are supposed to be worn with the cables over the ears, wherefore the “ear-hooks” are reinforced with metal wire and mouldable. For people who are new to this, it might feel strange at first, but trust me (who uses more professional in-ears with memory wire for a few years) that this kind of style is better that the usual “cables down” method, as comfort, fit and seat are improved while reducing microphonics. In this case, there are no microphonics at all and the freedom of the wireless connection is very pleasant, too – no cables that can be annoying at times are in the way and one can turn the head without noticing any cable at all.
With the S-shaped tool, the cable can be tightened up behind the head, so the already excellent fit and seat gets even slightly better.

The bodies are closed, therefore isolation is clearly above average.


Battery:

The in-ears offer up to 8 hours of non-stop operation/music playback time, which is an excellent value considering that these are in-ears, and it is appropriate for longer runs with non-stop music as well. I haven’t explicitly tested operation time with a stopwatch, but the in-ears gave me around 8 hours in daily use, so I think it is correct.


Sound:

My source devices were the BlackBerry Q10 (aptX codec) and iPhone 4 (AAC codec). Music was mainly stored in FLAC format, however I also used MP3s and AACs.

Tonality:

For the purpose as sports in-ears, tonal tuning is adequate and expresses itself in a v-shape, which means that bass and treble are emphasised.

From 20 to 180 Hz, lows are evenly and quite strongly emphasised by about 10 dB. From 180 to 600 Hz, level drops evenly. Besides the present bass with strong mid- and upper bass, it is mainly the fundamental tone area that is very prominent in the low root which adds fullness and warmness to the lows, resulting in an even slightly fuller sound impression. As a result, lower mids are a bit (however not too much) thickened.
Between 1 and 2 kHz, level is a bit in the background but starts rising again already after 2 kHz. At 3 kHz, I can hear a small peak, the next and bigger one follows at 7. In the upper treble I can hear two peaks at 11 and 13 kHz that are about as present as the one at 7. Although treble sounds slightly artificial, it is quite consistently bright, however neither harsh nor cutting.
Voices are a bit warmer due to the lower mids’ and fundamental tone’s emphasis, but the emphasis at 3 kHz compensates for that, wherefore tonal balance in the mids is still right and voices don’t really sound alienated.
Treble is about half as present as the bass; the mids are, typically for this kind of tuning, more in the background.

For the purpose and the general preference of most people for it, the tuning is quite spot-on and will please many. Personally, I would wish little less bass and fundamental tone emphasis (but I am also someone who “privately” usually listens to more neutral/balanced in-ears like the UE600, UE900 or Apple EarPods for sports).

Resolution:

Buying a wireless headphone, it should be clear that one can’t expect the same quality as from a wired headphone that retails for the same price – a wireless headphone aims at a different target audience and purpose, and the X7 Plus fits very well into it.

Provided using a source device with a good Bluetooth chip and the support of valuable wireless codecs, it is just barely noticeable that the X7 Plus is a wireless in-ear. With the iPhone (AAC codec) and BlackBerry (aptX codec), sound was identical and the only clue that the MEE could be a wireless IEM was in the treble, although I wasn’t even sure whether what I heard were very little treble artefacts or just the peak at 7 kHz – that speaks for X7 Plus’ Bluetooth chip’s implementation quality. Using my laptop as source that only supports the inferior SBC codec (there are devices with SBC codec that sound decent, however my laptop definitely does not belong to that sort), the X7 Plus gets debunked as Bluetooth in-ear very quickly which is audible in less dynamics and evident treble artefacts.
The bass is quite quick in impact for a dynamic driver, however rather slow and soft in decay, making it appear more full-bodied and voluminous. As an effect of the tuning, the mids are in the background and don’t make the X7 Plus the best in-ear for mid-heavy music, however there are no audible flaws in the midrange either although it is not the most detailed one. The treble seems relatively differentiated and doesn’t sound like uniform ringing but is quite detailed.
In my opinion, the in-ears are definitely worth the asked price, considering that they are Bluetooth earphones. I even think that their value is pretty decent for what they are.

What I’m hearing from the X7 Plus is very solid – overall, the in-ears are quite convincing regarding sound quality and about comparable with the MEE M6 Pro, with about similar differentiation, well distinguishable treble, identical detail retrieval, however M6 Pro’s bass is somewhat more arid and a bit less blunt. For the price and as a Bluetooth in-ear, resolution and audio quality are quite decent and appropriate.

Soundstage:

The soundstage is about averagely wide and a bit deeper than average, with a good coherence and naturalness.
Instrument separation is a little worse than average, with instruments that sound a little foggily placed in the imaginary room; reducing the fundamental tone doesn’t help with that, but for the purpose, the soundstage is okay and doesn’t appear negative.


Conclusion:

Who is looking for a solid wireless in-ear with a bassy, full-bodied v-shaped sound signature should look into the MEE X7 Plus. The value for the money is pretty good and for the price as well as the fact that these are Bluetooth in-ears, sound is also pretty good when paired with a source device with good Bluetooth chip and better transmission codecs, although the lows could be a bit faster as well as precise and the soundstage slightly less foggy.
However, what I as someone who listens at rather low volume levels find quite bothering is the quite high lowest volume along with the rather large volume adjustment steps.

For someone who is looking for wireless sports IEMs with a v-shaped signature that focusses on a present, thick bass and emphasised treble, the MEE X7 Plus is a recommendable product.

3.8 out of 5 stars.