Greetings Head-fi!
Today we are going to be looking at the Mixcder ShareMe 7.
Mixcder's ShareMe series is composed of the entry level 7, the midrange Pro, and the top tier 5, all of which share the unique ability to cast music with another ShareMe capable headphone. This is a useful feature letting you and a friend, spouse, partner, etc. listen to the same entertainment wire free and from a single source.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Grace and Mixcder for providing the ShareMe 7 in exchange for a fair and impartial review. I am not receiving any financial compensation for this review and all comments and views within are my honest opinions. They are not representative of Mixcder or any other entity.
The ShareMe 7 is currently retailing for 35.99 USD on Amazon.com and Amazon's other regional sites;
https://www.amazon.com/Headphones-Mixcder-ShareMe-Bluetooth-Smartphone/dp/B0152GBS66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478643123&sr=8-1&keywords=mixcder+shareme+7
You can also check it out here on Mixcder.com;
http://www.mixcder.com/mixcder-shareme-7.html
A Little About Me:
Packaging and Accessories:
The ShareMe 7 arrives in environmentally friendly packaging, similar to it's more expensive counterparts. The front proudly displays the ShareMe logo and announces which model is contained within. The sides contain wireframe-like images of the 7's earcups and highlights what I consider their most distinctive feature, that being the twisted arms connecting the earcups and headband.
Siding out the inner tray the ShareMe 7 is found hugging a sky-blue, triangular cardboard insert. Underneath the headphones and their cardboard insert hides the instruction manual, 3.5mm cable, and micro-USB charge cable.
The ShareMe 7's packaging does a good job of keeping the headphones safe during transit and won't leave a negative impact on the environment when disposed of properly. The included cables are of decent quality, though the 3.5mm cable is quite thin. That said, it's not meant to be used all the time and works fine as a backup option for when the batteries die.
Design, Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
The ShareMe 7 features an interesting design, made almost entirely of plastic. The exceptions are metal reinforced hinges and arms. The plastic used has a smooth, matte coating which helps offset the somewhat low-rent feel. The hinges feel brittle and the 7 folds with an uncomfortably loud 'snap', BUT, all the important parts of the hinges are metal. Despite the way they sound during folding, I'm fairly confident they'll last a while.
The head band is another story altogether. All plastic is something I worry about, especially when it starts to get cold and the plastic gets brittle. While warm, the headband doesn't bend much, but it can take an uncomfortable level of twisting. I'm not going to see how it handles cold weather abuse.
Out of the box, the cable that snakes up and through the headband connecting the two earpieces on the black/red pair was pulled taut; tight enough to stop the ear cups from pivoting as far as they should. I had to very carefully pull them out to create some slack allowing the cups to pivot as intended. This was not an issue with the white pair which has the cable routed slightly differently.
I found the 7 to be pretty hit or miss with comfort, primarily coming down to the cups not being able to pivot back and forth to match the angle of my ears. When wearing a hat it wasn't an issue, but without I couldn't ever get them to seat properly. My wife on the other hand could wear her pair for hours at a time, so your mileage may certainly vary.
Left right indication on the black/red pair is excellent, denoted by large L and R lettering in the ear pads. The white pair has small L and R indicators printed on the inside of the headband which cannot be read via a quick glance. It would be nice to see the white version updated with the same indicators as the red/black pair.
Isolation is limited at best, just as it is on the ShareMe Pro. The light clamping force and limited ear cup movement results in a very light seal. That plus the thin plastic used on the cups means outside noise bleeds in pretty easily. Good for walking around downtown and maintaining awareness of traffic, etc., but not for silencing the world around you.
While the 7 isn't the most premium feeling headphone in the world, nor the most solid, nor the most comfortable, it does all of it well enough to avoid concern about longevity.
Battery Performance:
Just as with the ShareMe Pro battery life on the 7 is awesome, easily hitting the claimed 20 hours. I probably got a little more out of it due to the low volumes at which I usually listen. The two hour charge time is also spot on.
Bluetooth and ShareMe Performance:
The ShareMe 7 features Bluetooth 4.1 and the connection strength is quite good, however range could see some improvement if you like to travel around without the source on you. They were fine for walking around my apartment, but beyond that things would get spotty pretty quickly. For example, I wasn't able to go down a floor to the laundry room without having my phone on hand. About 15 feet from my apartment door the connection would drop and struggle to reconnect. That said, as long as you don't venture too far from the source, you'll be just fine. It doesn't skip or drop connection, and the sound quality remains consistent. Some additional range would be nice, but for the majority of users it will be more than enough.
It is extremely easy to pair your units for ShareMe use. Just hold the power button until they both turn on, keep holding until the indicator LED on the ear cup starts cycling between red and blue, and let go. The units will locate each other automatically connect. One earphone will be selected as the primary and announced as the left channel. The other will be chosen as a secondary and announced as the right channel. Which earphone was chosen for which channel seemed to be pretty random. Luckily the media controls on both earphones will work to control the device and volume could be controlled independently so in the end it didn't really matter which earphone was selected as the primary.
Once connected, I found that the primary earphone would work as expected. Great connection, full media controls; no issues whatsoever. The secondary earphone? On some devices it would work quite well. On others, forget about it. Frequent connection loss was the name of the game when using my HTC One M8, and it happened enough to make the feature unusable. Through my 1st Gen Motorola Moto G, they worked well but the secondary earphone would drop their connection every once in a while. To my surprise, my ancient Samsung Nexus S worked the best of the phones I tried, by far. It output the cleanest sound and provided the most stable connection. My wife's laptop, a Lenovo G50, provided the best connection of the bunch, but watching video was a no go due to about a two second lag. It was fine for music though.
Similar to the conclusion I reached with the ShareMe Pro, the 7 works very well as an entry level, standalone Bluetooth headphone. The ShareMe feature is awesome in concept and when it works it is pretty cool, but it's very source dependent.
Sound:
The ShareMe lineup of headphones has been consistent in their sound signature and overall quality. The 7 certainly sets the stage and expectations for the Pro and 5, though I found it to be the most balanced of the three. Since they sound virtually identical wired vs. wireless this section will not be divided.
It's overall tone is warm and bassy, with a relaxed treble presentation and bass that starts to roll off a touch early. They are non-fatiguing and easy to listen to for long periods. The focus on mid-bass can be a little overwhelming for critical listening but when out and about it works well as bass often gets drown out easily by external noise. The 7 is especially affected by this due to their low isolation. Their midrange is reasonably well detailed, but slightly veiled and as a result not as clear as it could be. Still, it's more forward and more clear than on the Pro. Treble extends well enough and isn't overboosted, though it is a little unrefined but not to the extent it comes across harsh or sibilant. Their soundstage isn't anything unexpected from a closed back headphone, and gives your music enough space to move about with decent accuracy and layering.
My biggest issue with the 7's sound is that everything has a slightly hollow quality to it. I attribute this to the material choice and lack of adequate damping. It's not a deal breaker in any way and I still prefer their sound to the more expensive Pro model, but it's certainly not ideal.
Overall the 7's performance is solid, giving you a positive listening experience. Yes, it could be better but you have to remember this is a ~36 USD, Bluetooth 4.1 headset. The quality you're getting is more than adequate for the price.
Suggestions for Improvement:
The 7 would benefit from improved plastics, if not only to eliminate the hollowing effect. It would also be nice to see Mixcder update the ergonomics by allowing the ear cups to swivel horizontally. This would make them more comfortable across a variety of head shapes, and provide a more secure fit.
Overall:
The 7 is a solid performer in most metrics. The connection quality is good, the ShareMe feature works well with the right source, and while they won't blow you mind, they sound pretty decent for a 36 USD wired headphone, let alone a Bluetooth set. I personally recommend stepping up to the 5 if you want the best audio experience, or the Pro if durability is a big selling point, but the 7 is a good headphone and worth consideration if in the market for an inexpensive wireless experience.
Thanks for reading!
- B9Scrambler
** If interested in the other two ShareMe models, reviews of the Pro can be found here, and reviews of the 5 here. **
Today we are going to be looking at the Mixcder ShareMe 7.
Mixcder's ShareMe series is composed of the entry level 7, the midrange Pro, and the top tier 5, all of which share the unique ability to cast music with another ShareMe capable headphone. This is a useful feature letting you and a friend, spouse, partner, etc. listen to the same entertainment wire free and from a single source.
Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Grace and Mixcder for providing the ShareMe 7 in exchange for a fair and impartial review. I am not receiving any financial compensation for this review and all comments and views within are my honest opinions. They are not representative of Mixcder or any other entity.
The ShareMe 7 is currently retailing for 35.99 USD on Amazon.com and Amazon's other regional sites;
https://www.amazon.com/Headphones-Mixcder-ShareMe-Bluetooth-Smartphone/dp/B0152GBS66/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478643123&sr=8-1&keywords=mixcder+shareme+7
You can also check it out here on Mixcder.com;
http://www.mixcder.com/mixcder-shareme-7.html
A Little About Me:
Over the last couple years I decided to dive head first into the world of portable audio. After reading pretty much the entirety of IjokerI's multi-earphone review thread and being greatly inspired, I took a chance and started writing my own reviews. Fast forward a couple years and I've had the opportunity to write about some great products for wonderful companies like RHA, Havi, FiiO, NarMoo, Brainwavz, and Meze. I don't do it for money or free stuff, but because I enjoy it. If my reviews can help guide someone to an earphone that makes them happy, I'll consider that a job well done.
I intended to use my HTC One M8 primarily. As will be noted later on, that didn't work out so well. As a result, my truly old Nexus S made a return to form and saved the day! Some wired testing was done with an XDuoo X3, but the majority of my listening was conducted via Bluetooth. I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. When it comes to signature preference I tend to lean towards aggressive and energetic, but I try not to limit myself to one signature only. I also tend to listen at lower than average volumes.
I intended to use my HTC One M8 primarily. As will be noted later on, that didn't work out so well. As a result, my truly old Nexus S made a return to form and saved the day! Some wired testing was done with an XDuoo X3, but the majority of my listening was conducted via Bluetooth. I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. When it comes to signature preference I tend to lean towards aggressive and energetic, but I try not to limit myself to one signature only. I also tend to listen at lower than average volumes.
Packaging and Accessories:
The ShareMe 7 arrives in environmentally friendly packaging, similar to it's more expensive counterparts. The front proudly displays the ShareMe logo and announces which model is contained within. The sides contain wireframe-like images of the 7's earcups and highlights what I consider their most distinctive feature, that being the twisted arms connecting the earcups and headband.
Siding out the inner tray the ShareMe 7 is found hugging a sky-blue, triangular cardboard insert. Underneath the headphones and their cardboard insert hides the instruction manual, 3.5mm cable, and micro-USB charge cable.
The ShareMe 7's packaging does a good job of keeping the headphones safe during transit and won't leave a negative impact on the environment when disposed of properly. The included cables are of decent quality, though the 3.5mm cable is quite thin. That said, it's not meant to be used all the time and works fine as a backup option for when the batteries die.
Design, Build, Comfort, and Isolation:
The ShareMe 7 features an interesting design, made almost entirely of plastic. The exceptions are metal reinforced hinges and arms. The plastic used has a smooth, matte coating which helps offset the somewhat low-rent feel. The hinges feel brittle and the 7 folds with an uncomfortably loud 'snap', BUT, all the important parts of the hinges are metal. Despite the way they sound during folding, I'm fairly confident they'll last a while.
The head band is another story altogether. All plastic is something I worry about, especially when it starts to get cold and the plastic gets brittle. While warm, the headband doesn't bend much, but it can take an uncomfortable level of twisting. I'm not going to see how it handles cold weather abuse.
Out of the box, the cable that snakes up and through the headband connecting the two earpieces on the black/red pair was pulled taut; tight enough to stop the ear cups from pivoting as far as they should. I had to very carefully pull them out to create some slack allowing the cups to pivot as intended. This was not an issue with the white pair which has the cable routed slightly differently.
I found the 7 to be pretty hit or miss with comfort, primarily coming down to the cups not being able to pivot back and forth to match the angle of my ears. When wearing a hat it wasn't an issue, but without I couldn't ever get them to seat properly. My wife on the other hand could wear her pair for hours at a time, so your mileage may certainly vary.
Left right indication on the black/red pair is excellent, denoted by large L and R lettering in the ear pads. The white pair has small L and R indicators printed on the inside of the headband which cannot be read via a quick glance. It would be nice to see the white version updated with the same indicators as the red/black pair.
Isolation is limited at best, just as it is on the ShareMe Pro. The light clamping force and limited ear cup movement results in a very light seal. That plus the thin plastic used on the cups means outside noise bleeds in pretty easily. Good for walking around downtown and maintaining awareness of traffic, etc., but not for silencing the world around you.
While the 7 isn't the most premium feeling headphone in the world, nor the most solid, nor the most comfortable, it does all of it well enough to avoid concern about longevity.
Battery Performance:
Just as with the ShareMe Pro battery life on the 7 is awesome, easily hitting the claimed 20 hours. I probably got a little more out of it due to the low volumes at which I usually listen. The two hour charge time is also spot on.
Bluetooth and ShareMe Performance:
The ShareMe 7 features Bluetooth 4.1 and the connection strength is quite good, however range could see some improvement if you like to travel around without the source on you. They were fine for walking around my apartment, but beyond that things would get spotty pretty quickly. For example, I wasn't able to go down a floor to the laundry room without having my phone on hand. About 15 feet from my apartment door the connection would drop and struggle to reconnect. That said, as long as you don't venture too far from the source, you'll be just fine. It doesn't skip or drop connection, and the sound quality remains consistent. Some additional range would be nice, but for the majority of users it will be more than enough.
It is extremely easy to pair your units for ShareMe use. Just hold the power button until they both turn on, keep holding until the indicator LED on the ear cup starts cycling between red and blue, and let go. The units will locate each other automatically connect. One earphone will be selected as the primary and announced as the left channel. The other will be chosen as a secondary and announced as the right channel. Which earphone was chosen for which channel seemed to be pretty random. Luckily the media controls on both earphones will work to control the device and volume could be controlled independently so in the end it didn't really matter which earphone was selected as the primary.
Once connected, I found that the primary earphone would work as expected. Great connection, full media controls; no issues whatsoever. The secondary earphone? On some devices it would work quite well. On others, forget about it. Frequent connection loss was the name of the game when using my HTC One M8, and it happened enough to make the feature unusable. Through my 1st Gen Motorola Moto G, they worked well but the secondary earphone would drop their connection every once in a while. To my surprise, my ancient Samsung Nexus S worked the best of the phones I tried, by far. It output the cleanest sound and provided the most stable connection. My wife's laptop, a Lenovo G50, provided the best connection of the bunch, but watching video was a no go due to about a two second lag. It was fine for music though.
Similar to the conclusion I reached with the ShareMe Pro, the 7 works very well as an entry level, standalone Bluetooth headphone. The ShareMe feature is awesome in concept and when it works it is pretty cool, but it's very source dependent.
Sound:
The ShareMe lineup of headphones has been consistent in their sound signature and overall quality. The 7 certainly sets the stage and expectations for the Pro and 5, though I found it to be the most balanced of the three. Since they sound virtually identical wired vs. wireless this section will not be divided.
It's overall tone is warm and bassy, with a relaxed treble presentation and bass that starts to roll off a touch early. They are non-fatiguing and easy to listen to for long periods. The focus on mid-bass can be a little overwhelming for critical listening but when out and about it works well as bass often gets drown out easily by external noise. The 7 is especially affected by this due to their low isolation. Their midrange is reasonably well detailed, but slightly veiled and as a result not as clear as it could be. Still, it's more forward and more clear than on the Pro. Treble extends well enough and isn't overboosted, though it is a little unrefined but not to the extent it comes across harsh or sibilant. Their soundstage isn't anything unexpected from a closed back headphone, and gives your music enough space to move about with decent accuracy and layering.
My biggest issue with the 7's sound is that everything has a slightly hollow quality to it. I attribute this to the material choice and lack of adequate damping. It's not a deal breaker in any way and I still prefer their sound to the more expensive Pro model, but it's certainly not ideal.
Overall the 7's performance is solid, giving you a positive listening experience. Yes, it could be better but you have to remember this is a ~36 USD, Bluetooth 4.1 headset. The quality you're getting is more than adequate for the price.
Suggestions for Improvement:
The 7 would benefit from improved plastics, if not only to eliminate the hollowing effect. It would also be nice to see Mixcder update the ergonomics by allowing the ear cups to swivel horizontally. This would make them more comfortable across a variety of head shapes, and provide a more secure fit.
Overall:
The 7 is a solid performer in most metrics. The connection quality is good, the ShareMe feature works well with the right source, and while they won't blow you mind, they sound pretty decent for a 36 USD wired headphone, let alone a Bluetooth set. I personally recommend stepping up to the 5 if you want the best audio experience, or the Pro if durability is a big selling point, but the 7 is a good headphone and worth consideration if in the market for an inexpensive wireless experience.
Thanks for reading!
- B9Scrambler
** If interested in the other two ShareMe models, reviews of the Pro can be found here, and reviews of the 5 here. **
