At the time this review was written, the Meelectronics Sprot-Fi X7 was on sale for $79.99 USD on Meelectronic’s website. Here is a link to a listing of their product at the time of the review:
http://www.meelec.com/Sport_Fi_X7_Wireless_Sports_In_Ear_Headphones_p/ep-x7-bk-mee.htm
Introduction
I honestly haven’t been much of a fan of bluetooth audio until recently, with the main reasons being functionality and sound quality. In preparation for a recent trip to Florida I purchased a pair of Meelctronics AF62 bluetooth headphones. I was hoping to get a pair of bluetooth headphones that would make traveling more convenient. Although the AF62 didn’t isolate quite as well as I would have hoped, I was really impressed with the functionality, and most of all the sound coming out of them. This was the first time I felt like I could confidently say that a pair of bluetooth headphones could hang with many wired cans. I contacted Mike at Meelectronics to share my positive experience and asked him if he had any other bluetooth models (primarily in-ear monitors) that had sound quality on par with the AF62. Within minutes I got a response regarding the earphones I will be discussing in this review.
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to sample this product in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with Meelectronics.
My Background
Please allow me to share a little bit about myself so you can better understand my observations. I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, amplifiers and earphones that intrigues me, ESPECIALLY if they can be had for low prices. I’m a budget-fi guy. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will can discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased many, and I mean MANY different headphones and earphones ranging from from dirt cheap to hundreds of dollars higher end products. For me, its more about getting great price to performance ratio, and hearing a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound. With this hobby we tend to often times pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that price DOES NOT necessarily indicate good build and sound quality.
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have tested and reviewed.
The Package
The X7 came in a very sharp white and black box. The front of the box had a nice picture of the product with a brief description. The front of the box had a flap that opened up to display the product with a clear plastic display, and on the left there was a diagram explaining the several features that this model packed. I will admit, I was very impressed with the packaging and display.
The back of the box had a little more information, along with info in several different languages. It honestly wasn’t anything more than what was displayed on the front and inside flap.
The sides of the box had some technical information on one side, and accessories information on the other.
Specs
Driver: 6mm micro dynamic driver
Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
Bluetooth version: 4.0
Talk/Music/Playback Time: 4 hours
Standby Time: 180 hours
Operating Range: up to 30 feet
Bluetooth Profiles supported: A2DP, HSP, HFP, AVRCP
Extra Accessories
The X7 comes with a shortened usb cable for charging, and a clamshell case.
The X7 comes with 3 sets of specialized tips:
1X pair of gray silicone tips (small)
1X pair of gray silicone tips (medium)
1X pair of gray silicone tips (large)
These tips are very supple silicone that creates a great seal. One thing to note about these tips is that they are specially designed to fit the X7 hozzle. Because of this design, tip rolling is almost impossible. The good news is that the supplied tips are so well designed it was easy for me (and I assume for most people) easy to get a vacuum seal. These are some of the best sealing and isolating tips and monitors I’ve ever used.
Housings
The housings are quite large for an in-ear monitor, but are designed in a way that they fit in my ears perfectly. To put this into perspective, I have issues wearing the Monoprice 9927 IEMs, but these I have no problems having them fit comfortably for hours. The right housing holds a red/blue light that indicates the products functions. Solid red means it is charging, solid blue means it is turned on and connected to a device, flashing blue means it is in pairing mode.
Cable
This is an epically designed cable. The memory wire (which I’m usually not fond of) works perfectly with this design. It is a supple rubber material that bends into place with ease and really makes them fit wonderfully with the behind the head cable cinch. The cable is thick, durable, and has a three button remote built into the right side of the cable.
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics
The fit on these are fantastic. I honestly can’t think of anything that would make these fit any better than they do. They seal well, the memory wire works great, and the cable cinch in back finishes off any slack in the cable. I can imagine these working for any physical activity without the need to fidget with them whatsoever. I will increase my rating on these because of their fitment. They are that good in this area.
Pairing
These connect like many other bluetooth headsets. There is no NFC support (no biggie IMHO). After an initial charge (approximately 90 minutes), press and hold the center button on the remote. Continue to hold the button after you hear the headset say “power on”. A few seconds more of holding that button you will hear “pairing”. Once this is done, simply go to the bluetooth settings on your device (assuming you already have this turned on) and look for the Sport-Fi X7. Connect and you are all set. I had no problem connecting. There is an instruction booklet that comes in the package incase you have any problems connecting.
Three button remote
The three button remote has a center button, and up and down button. It has many different options for controlling your cell phone in both music playback and phone mode. I will cover the basics for my LG G3 in this review.
Music Functions: The center button operates as a play/pause button. The + button controls volume with a single click, and long pressing it changes the track. Just the opposite, the - button lowers volume with a single click, and starts the track over with a long press.
Phone Functions: The center button answers and hangs up calls. The volume is contolled by the +/- buttons. Double pressing the center button calls the last logged call on your phone’s log. I wasn’t a fan of this feature. NOTE: the microphone worked, but because of the headset design and mic placement it wasn’t ideal and some friends and family said I sounded muffled or distant.
Battery life and range
Usually a pair of bluetooth monitors will exaggerate their range and battery life. I can confirm that is not the case with the X7. If anything I got more than four hours of playback time, and my range was exactly at around thirty feet and started to break up after going beyond thirty feet.
Review Materials
I primarily did my demo with my LG G3 Phone via bluetooth. I also used my Toshiba Chromebook via bluetooth. I used Google Music downloaded in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I make sure that any gear I test has a minimum of 30 hours of playtime before writing any type of review.
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake
“Madness” by Muse
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk
“Some nights” by Fun
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela
“Bassically” by Tei Shi
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie
“One” by Ed Sheeran
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
Sound Signature
These utilize a 6mm micro dynamic driver. While many might think that this would impact the bass response and their ability to extend into sub bass regions, it is actually the opposite. The X7 is a “Basshead Audiophile” tuning that I really enjoy. The sub bass extends down to the center of the earth without affecting the overall tuning too much, and my overall impression is that these sound big. The vocals sound natural and mid bass is very controlled and not overwhelming. The treble response is detailed and not harsh at all. To be honest I wouldn’t want a sports earphone to sound any different than what the X7 offers. A good comparison would be a warmer, beefier and tamed treble version of the Sony MH1, or a tuning somewhat similar to the Yamaha EPH-100.
Bass
I already touched on it but the X7 has sub bass for days. Its very forward in it’s lower bass tones, but it doesn’t carry into the midrange. Midbass is very controlled, and lower midrange makes male vocals sound very natural to my ears. The bass is boomy because of the boosted sub level, but the inner basshead in me really enjoys it alot, especially for commuting and working out. Yes, the bass slam can impact the overall tuning to a certain extent but not in the same sense that a forward midbass tuned IEM would. For commuting and working out, the bass helps these isolate even better than their fantastic fit and seal already does. For sitting at home and listening to music for enjoyment purposes the X7 bass can get overwhelming and slightly fatiguing depending on what you’re listening to.
Midrange
Midrange is very natural to my ears and slightly warmer in tone. It has slightly warmer tuning and has nice texture and resolution. When the bass hits hard on a track it can overwhelm the midrange at times. On a whole though, I really like it. With as much sub bass as these have, I almost wondered if these had two drivers before looking at the specs. There’s an incredible amount of sub bass slam, but the midrange and treble controls itself very well despite this and with pretty good separation. This is a unique and pleasant aspect about them.
Treble
Treble is detailed, but also very tamed. It is the type of treble that will never get fatiguing. You will find the bass to be fatiguing before the treble is, trust me on this.
Soundstage and Imaging
Sub bass extension and depth makes these sound big on a whole there is a nice sense of separation for the most part. imaging is better than average in my opinion.
Comparisons
Meelectronics AF62 ($80 to $100 USD on many sites)
I think this comparison is important despite one is a IEM and another is a full size headphone. The AF62 has a more balanced tuning, but midrange and treble on both models I found to be very similar. The AF62 is a more audiophile sound, and the X7 is a more consumer friendly tuning. If I had to pick one over the other I couldn't, because I would buy both and use the X7 for commuting and outside the house, and the AF62 for when I want to use bluetooth at home, and isolation isn’t as big of a deal.
Brainwavz BLU100 ($44.50 USD proposed price)
The first bluetooth offering from Brainwavz is solid in it’s tuning. It’s relatively more balanced than the X7 to my ears. However, the Brainwavs BLU100 does put a little more emphasis on the lower midrange that can put a little too much weight on male vocals and lower midrange frequencies, making it sound slightly unnatural to my ears. Albeit, the sound is very good and specs are similar in terms of range and battery life to the X7. The X7 offers much better ergonomics and fit as compared to the large barrel housing of the BLU100. I could go for a run with the X7, and couldn’t with the BLU100. If a fit that stays in place is important to you, the X7 is the way to go in my opinion. If you are looking for a great sounding bluetooth IEM, and price is a key factor and fitment isn’t at the top of the list, the BLU100 might be the answer. Having both of them and considering the applications I’m aiming to use bluetooth earphones for, I slightly lean more towards the X7 at the moment.
Conclusion
The Sport-Fi X7 is a great workout IEM that fits perfectly and isolates very well. It has really good sound quality and tuning that is geared towards making your afternoon run sound great. Their functionality is great, and forward sub bass works for almost all genres. Whether it be a at the gym or commuting, you will feel well equipped with the new and easily affordable Sport-Fi X7 bluetooth headset from Meelectronics.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!
http://www.meelec.com/Sport_Fi_X7_Wireless_Sports_In_Ear_Headphones_p/ep-x7-bk-mee.htm
Introduction
I honestly haven’t been much of a fan of bluetooth audio until recently, with the main reasons being functionality and sound quality. In preparation for a recent trip to Florida I purchased a pair of Meelctronics AF62 bluetooth headphones. I was hoping to get a pair of bluetooth headphones that would make traveling more convenient. Although the AF62 didn’t isolate quite as well as I would have hoped, I was really impressed with the functionality, and most of all the sound coming out of them. This was the first time I felt like I could confidently say that a pair of bluetooth headphones could hang with many wired cans. I contacted Mike at Meelectronics to share my positive experience and asked him if he had any other bluetooth models (primarily in-ear monitors) that had sound quality on par with the AF62. Within minutes I got a response regarding the earphones I will be discussing in this review.
Disclaimer
I was given an opportunity to sample this product in exchange for my honest opinion and review. I am in no way affiliated with Meelectronics.
My Background
Please allow me to share a little bit about myself so you can better understand my observations. I AM NOT a numbers and graphs audiophile or sound engineer. Personal audio enthusiast? Absolutely! Headphone junkie? Possibly…
There’s something about quality DAPs, DACs, amplifiers and earphones that intrigues me, ESPECIALLY if they can be had for low prices. I’m a budget-fi guy. I will buy the $5 to $500 earphone that looks promising, in hopes that I will can discover that one new gem that can compete with the big names in this industry. If you look at my Head-Fi profile you will see that I have purchased many, and I mean MANY different headphones and earphones ranging from from dirt cheap to hundreds of dollars higher end products. For me, its more about getting great price to performance ratio, and hearing a variety of different gears with varying builds and sound. With this hobby we tend to often times pay a lot of money for minor upgrades. One thing I’ve learned over the years is that price DOES NOT necessarily indicate good build and sound quality.
I’m always looking for great audio at a great price. I’m after headphones and IEMs that give me the “WOW” factor. I can appreciate different builds and sound signatures as long as they are ergonomic, and the sound is pleasing to the ear. It is my pleasure to share my experiences with audio products and make recommendations based gear I have tested and reviewed.
The Package
The X7 came in a very sharp white and black box. The front of the box had a nice picture of the product with a brief description. The front of the box had a flap that opened up to display the product with a clear plastic display, and on the left there was a diagram explaining the several features that this model packed. I will admit, I was very impressed with the packaging and display.
The back of the box had a little more information, along with info in several different languages. It honestly wasn’t anything more than what was displayed on the front and inside flap.
The sides of the box had some technical information on one side, and accessories information on the other.
Specs
Driver: 6mm micro dynamic driver
Frequency Range: 20Hz-20kHz
Bluetooth version: 4.0
Talk/Music/Playback Time: 4 hours
Standby Time: 180 hours
Operating Range: up to 30 feet
Bluetooth Profiles supported: A2DP, HSP, HFP, AVRCP
Extra Accessories
The X7 comes with a shortened usb cable for charging, and a clamshell case.
The X7 comes with 3 sets of specialized tips:
1X pair of gray silicone tips (small)
1X pair of gray silicone tips (medium)
1X pair of gray silicone tips (large)
These tips are very supple silicone that creates a great seal. One thing to note about these tips is that they are specially designed to fit the X7 hozzle. Because of this design, tip rolling is almost impossible. The good news is that the supplied tips are so well designed it was easy for me (and I assume for most people) easy to get a vacuum seal. These are some of the best sealing and isolating tips and monitors I’ve ever used.
Housings
The housings are quite large for an in-ear monitor, but are designed in a way that they fit in my ears perfectly. To put this into perspective, I have issues wearing the Monoprice 9927 IEMs, but these I have no problems having them fit comfortably for hours. The right housing holds a red/blue light that indicates the products functions. Solid red means it is charging, solid blue means it is turned on and connected to a device, flashing blue means it is in pairing mode.
Cable
This is an epically designed cable. The memory wire (which I’m usually not fond of) works perfectly with this design. It is a supple rubber material that bends into place with ease and really makes them fit wonderfully with the behind the head cable cinch. The cable is thick, durable, and has a three button remote built into the right side of the cable.
Ergonomics, Fit and Microphonics
The fit on these are fantastic. I honestly can’t think of anything that would make these fit any better than they do. They seal well, the memory wire works great, and the cable cinch in back finishes off any slack in the cable. I can imagine these working for any physical activity without the need to fidget with them whatsoever. I will increase my rating on these because of their fitment. They are that good in this area.
Pairing
These connect like many other bluetooth headsets. There is no NFC support (no biggie IMHO). After an initial charge (approximately 90 minutes), press and hold the center button on the remote. Continue to hold the button after you hear the headset say “power on”. A few seconds more of holding that button you will hear “pairing”. Once this is done, simply go to the bluetooth settings on your device (assuming you already have this turned on) and look for the Sport-Fi X7. Connect and you are all set. I had no problem connecting. There is an instruction booklet that comes in the package incase you have any problems connecting.
Three button remote
The three button remote has a center button, and up and down button. It has many different options for controlling your cell phone in both music playback and phone mode. I will cover the basics for my LG G3 in this review.
Music Functions: The center button operates as a play/pause button. The + button controls volume with a single click, and long pressing it changes the track. Just the opposite, the - button lowers volume with a single click, and starts the track over with a long press.
Phone Functions: The center button answers and hangs up calls. The volume is contolled by the +/- buttons. Double pressing the center button calls the last logged call on your phone’s log. I wasn’t a fan of this feature. NOTE: the microphone worked, but because of the headset design and mic placement it wasn’t ideal and some friends and family said I sounded muffled or distant.
Battery life and range
Usually a pair of bluetooth monitors will exaggerate their range and battery life. I can confirm that is not the case with the X7. If anything I got more than four hours of playback time, and my range was exactly at around thirty feet and started to break up after going beyond thirty feet.
Review Materials
I primarily did my demo with my LG G3 Phone via bluetooth. I also used my Toshiba Chromebook via bluetooth. I used Google Music downloaded in its highest download quality (320 KBPS) and I also streamed FLAC via Tidal streaming service. I make sure that any gear I test has a minimum of 30 hours of playtime before writing any type of review.
I used my usual same songs for testing gear:
“Limit to your love” by James Blake
“Madness” by Muse
“Get lucky” by Daft Punk
“Some nights” by Fun
“The soundmaker” by Rodrigo y Gabriela
“Bassically” by Tei Shi
“Skinny Love” performed by Birdie
“One” by Ed Sheeran
“Outlands” from the Tron Legacy Soundtrack
“Sultans of swing” by Dire Straits
“Ten thousand fists” by Disturbed
Note: Other tracks were used, but the listed songs were primarily used to asses and break down the gear’s response.
Sound Signature
These utilize a 6mm micro dynamic driver. While many might think that this would impact the bass response and their ability to extend into sub bass regions, it is actually the opposite. The X7 is a “Basshead Audiophile” tuning that I really enjoy. The sub bass extends down to the center of the earth without affecting the overall tuning too much, and my overall impression is that these sound big. The vocals sound natural and mid bass is very controlled and not overwhelming. The treble response is detailed and not harsh at all. To be honest I wouldn’t want a sports earphone to sound any different than what the X7 offers. A good comparison would be a warmer, beefier and tamed treble version of the Sony MH1, or a tuning somewhat similar to the Yamaha EPH-100.
Bass
I already touched on it but the X7 has sub bass for days. Its very forward in it’s lower bass tones, but it doesn’t carry into the midrange. Midbass is very controlled, and lower midrange makes male vocals sound very natural to my ears. The bass is boomy because of the boosted sub level, but the inner basshead in me really enjoys it alot, especially for commuting and working out. Yes, the bass slam can impact the overall tuning to a certain extent but not in the same sense that a forward midbass tuned IEM would. For commuting and working out, the bass helps these isolate even better than their fantastic fit and seal already does. For sitting at home and listening to music for enjoyment purposes the X7 bass can get overwhelming and slightly fatiguing depending on what you’re listening to.
Midrange
Midrange is very natural to my ears and slightly warmer in tone. It has slightly warmer tuning and has nice texture and resolution. When the bass hits hard on a track it can overwhelm the midrange at times. On a whole though, I really like it. With as much sub bass as these have, I almost wondered if these had two drivers before looking at the specs. There’s an incredible amount of sub bass slam, but the midrange and treble controls itself very well despite this and with pretty good separation. This is a unique and pleasant aspect about them.
Treble
Treble is detailed, but also very tamed. It is the type of treble that will never get fatiguing. You will find the bass to be fatiguing before the treble is, trust me on this.
Soundstage and Imaging
Sub bass extension and depth makes these sound big on a whole there is a nice sense of separation for the most part. imaging is better than average in my opinion.
Comparisons
Meelectronics AF62 ($80 to $100 USD on many sites)
I think this comparison is important despite one is a IEM and another is a full size headphone. The AF62 has a more balanced tuning, but midrange and treble on both models I found to be very similar. The AF62 is a more audiophile sound, and the X7 is a more consumer friendly tuning. If I had to pick one over the other I couldn't, because I would buy both and use the X7 for commuting and outside the house, and the AF62 for when I want to use bluetooth at home, and isolation isn’t as big of a deal.
Brainwavz BLU100 ($44.50 USD proposed price)
The first bluetooth offering from Brainwavz is solid in it’s tuning. It’s relatively more balanced than the X7 to my ears. However, the Brainwavs BLU100 does put a little more emphasis on the lower midrange that can put a little too much weight on male vocals and lower midrange frequencies, making it sound slightly unnatural to my ears. Albeit, the sound is very good and specs are similar in terms of range and battery life to the X7. The X7 offers much better ergonomics and fit as compared to the large barrel housing of the BLU100. I could go for a run with the X7, and couldn’t with the BLU100. If a fit that stays in place is important to you, the X7 is the way to go in my opinion. If you are looking for a great sounding bluetooth IEM, and price is a key factor and fitment isn’t at the top of the list, the BLU100 might be the answer. Having both of them and considering the applications I’m aiming to use bluetooth earphones for, I slightly lean more towards the X7 at the moment.
Conclusion
The Sport-Fi X7 is a great workout IEM that fits perfectly and isolates very well. It has really good sound quality and tuning that is geared towards making your afternoon run sound great. Their functionality is great, and forward sub bass works for almost all genres. Whether it be a at the gym or commuting, you will feel well equipped with the new and easily affordable Sport-Fi X7 bluetooth headset from Meelectronics.
Thanks for reading and happy listening!