Preamble:
Pai Audio (
http://www.paiaudio.com/indexEn.asp) is a relatively new audio company and based in Shenzhen, China. Established in 2014, they have specialised in manufacturing in-ears. According to their own information, the company that consists of 13 people has also got national elite audio developers in their team.
It is nice to see that Pai Audio who back on direct distribution through
ebay and mainly
AliExpress is continuously evolving and expanding their distributor and shop network that are now carrying their products as well (for example
Penon audio).
My journey with Pai Audio started with their MR3 (
which I reviewed here) that I bought without even knowing what it sounds like (at that time, there was not a single review) and was very positively surprised when it arrived, because despite its comparatively little price tag below $200, it could nicely compete with many Western models costing twice as much (by the way, it didn’t struggle at all outperforming my Shure SE425) and offered a really convincing spatial presentation and authenticity rarely found in even somewhat higher price ranges.
Now, Pai Audio has introduced a new entry-level model, the MR1 which is a single-BA in-ear and logically uses one Balanced Armature driver per side. After a successful test-run in China, the finalised version is now ready.
How the MR1 sounds is to be found out in the course of this review.
If you want to, you can also check out the Pai Audio thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/781399/audio-pai-audio#post_11926956
Before I go on, I want to give out a hearty thanks to Alex from Pai Audio who contacted me and asked whether I was interested in doing an honest, unbiased review, and I surely was, so I received the in-ears free of charge which however does not affect my evaluation at all (which is true for each of my reviews, no matter if I bought the item or was given it for evaluation).
Technical Specifications:
Price: ~ $59
Drivers: Single Balanced Armature Transducer (Knowles ED 29689)
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 16 kHz
Sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
Impedance: 27 Ohms
Max. Power: 122 dB SPL
Rated Power: 0.75 V (RMS)
Cable Length: 1.3 m
Delivery Content:
The final retail package was not available at the time of the review, so what you are seeing is a workaround. As soon as I receive the pictures of the finalised packaging, I will probably update my review accordingly.
The MR1 arrived with a shirt clip, two pairs of large double-flange tips, one pair of small single-flange tips and one pair of large single-flange tips. Although I need the largest size of tips, I think people who are usually using medium sized tips would benefit if those were included as well.
Looks, Feels, Build Quality:
The in-ears are very small indeed and have got the shape of the Klipsch X10. On the silver metal housings, one can find the side-markers as well as the “MR1” labelling.
The cable is pretty flexible and nice (except for the missing strain relief and chin-slider at the y-split) and has got a nice strain relief at the straight 3.5 mm connector as well as directly at the housings.
The eartips are quite soft and, what I find quite convenient, indicate the size by showing a small integrated letter.
Comfort, Isolation:
The in-ears are really small and therefore easy to insert, most likely even for people who have really small ears and ear canals. However, due to their design, they should be best worn really deep in the ears, past the second bend of the ear canals. People who are unfamiliar with this might experience some discomfort or pain at first, as that is where the bony part of the ear canals starts.
I, who love my Etymotic ER-4S, don’t have any problems wearing the MR1 that deep so it disappears in my ears when seen from the sides.
Comfort is really good for me and I am wearing the MR1 with the cables over the ears what I am recommending to you as well, as this drastically reduces microphonics that are anyhow more present because of how deep the MR1 should be inserted. A cable cinch (chin-slider) would have been beneficial nonetheless.
Isolation is definitely better than average but could be a little better for a closed body BA in-ear. Using different tips might ever so slightly change the isolation to the better.
Sound:
For listening, I mainly used the iBasso DX80, DX90 and the HiFime 9018d.
Not getting a sufficient seal with the double-flange tips (too small for me), I moved over to the largest included single-flange tips that gave me a good fit and especially seal.
Tonality:
A good seal along with deep insertion is crucial for the perceived sound. Typically for BA drivers, the seal needs to be near ideal else there is no bass.
Compared to flat in-ears like the Etymotic ER-4S or the SoundMAGIC PL 50 that is also heading more into the neutral direction, the MR1 heads into a bassier and warmer direction in the lows while having pronounced, somewhat strenuous and exhausting mids and a somewhat more relaxed middle and especially upper treble.
The lows’ emphasis starts climbing around 600 Hz and reaches its climax at about 180 Hz, nonetheless the root is also already rather full and warm sounding. In the sub-bass below 35 Hz, it starts rolling off (or much earlier if you don’t get a sufficient seal). Compared to a really flat in-ear like the Etymotic ER-4S, the lows are emphasised by ca. 5 dB, however the bass and root actually appear somewhat more present at times because the lows aren’t the quickest (more on that further below). So this is no bass-light or thin sounding in-ear at all although it has less impact than most dynamic driver models in this price range.
Because of the early starting root, really low vocals are a little more on the fuller side, however without sounding coloured yet. Vocals also have a slight upwards lift towards 3 kHz which does not make them appear any brighter than they should at all but brings them more up-front and also makes them appear somewhat too forward, strenuous and exhausting at times.
After that, the treble takes a good step back and is more on the relaxed side. Though, as the area before is somewhat emphasised, this relaxation-tilt above 3 kHz makes the vocals appear even more up-front and exhausting.
While my beloved Etymotic ER-4S also has a somewhat more up-front appearing midrange because of its moderate emphasis in the presence area, it sounds more correct and bearable there and just a little exhausting, because its treble energy past 3 kHz is spot-on flat and not recessed. With the MR1 however, which is on the darker side above 3 kHz, it sounds somewhat off at times and pretty exhausting after short time. In my humble opinion, the MR1 would have either benefited from more level between 3 and 10 kHz or less presence between 1 and 3 kHz.
Above 8.5 kHz, level is steeply rolling off, so don’t expect the slightest subtle glare above 10 kHz (welp, this is a limitation of the use of a single-BA driver, nonetheless I have seen and heard a good number of others that have got a somewhat better treble extension). Cymbal crashes are therefore somewhat muffled, too.
Most of the time, the timbre is correct and natural, nonetheless at times, some female vocals and those that have been falsely mixed to the slightly thinner side may appear somewhat nasal because of somewhat too much level being between 1 and 3 kHz compared to the following treble. Or was it because of a not-deep-enough fit? It could be. It only happened in extremely rare cases though.
So overall, the MR1 is definitely an in-ear that is probably best suited for vocal lovers. And while I also quite like its overall realistic timbre and general tonality (most of the time), it can be a bit too up-front and exhausting in the mids at times, comparable to the Shure SE425 (which is overall however much less fatiguing) – I just wish it had more energy between 3 and 10 kHz as compensation.
Resolution:
The MR1 shows that it is using a BA driver in its quite detailed midrange and treble. Speech intelligibility, details and transients are good and the in-ear sounds easy-going and lightweight, and while it is not the most resolving single-BA in-ear, its detail retrieval is adequate for the price. Especially the midrange is the star of the show and pretty detailed and nicely layered.
What surprised me though, more in a somewhat negative way, is that the bass is rather soft and on the full-bodied side and also softens more towards the sub-bass, which makes it appear somewhat more present than it actually is at times. While it still has that BA-like control, it is indeed quite soft and somewhat slowly decaying for a BA driver, being more on the full-bodied side. While people who prefer dynamic driver in-ears might find this softness and the body pleasing, I would have definitely valued a tighter and quicker bass that is typical for BA drivers instead of the MR1’s dynamic driver-like bass appearance.
So overall, the amount of details is very solid and good, but the bass could be quicker and more arid by a good amount.
Soundstage:
Most single-BA in-ears tend to have a rather compact to average soundstage that is however well-rounded and 3-dimensional, with good depth.
With the MR1, I was quite positively surprised by its stage’s spatial width that is really nicely expanding to the sides, creating a pretty wide soundstage that is leaving my ears. Instrument separation is good as well and the soundstage is well-controlled, even with quicker and denser recordings.
While the soundstage presentation appears relatively realistic and authentic, it nonetheless lacks a little bit of spatial depth compared to the width. There is depth but it would have to be more distinct to create a perfect 3-dimensional appearance.
So what we’ve got overall is a nicely detailed and very wide soundstage that could be a bit deeper though.
---------
In Comparison with other Single-BA In-Ears:
Earmax ER-580:
The Earmax has the more neutral bass while it is however rather early rolling off (so the MR1 has got the superior bass extension). The ER-580 has got the darker however not warmer midrange. The Earmax sounds a little darker in the lower treble below 4 kHz but has got the superior extension and is brighter in the upper as well as upper middle treble – the ER-580 has got cymbal crashes whereas those sound muffled with the Pai Audio.
The ER-580 has got the faster and more arid bass while both are about identically resolving in the mids and treble.
The ER-580’s soundstage is somewhat narrower but has got more spatial depth and sounds more three-dimensional. The MR1’s instrument separation is a little more precise.
MEE A151 2nd generation:
The MEE has got less bass quantity and a darker but less warm sounding midrange. The MR1 has got the superior sub-bass extension. In the highs, the A151 is the slightly darker in-ear but has got the superior extension and hi-hat sparkle at 9 kHz where the MR1 is rolled off.
The MEE has got the tighter, more arid bass response while the MR1 has got the slightly better resolving mids. In the treble, the MEE is slightly more refined.
The A151’s soundstage is a little narrower but has got the superior depth and sounds more three-dimensional as well as better rounded. The MEE’s stage is also a bit more precise and generates more air around instruments.
SoundMAGIC PL 50:
The PL 50 is the more neutral in-ear out of the two with less bass quantity that is just a bit more present than the ER-4S’s and has just a rather moderate darkness tilt in the middle and upper treble. In comparison, the MR1 is the bassier in-ear with the more strenuous “in your face” midrange that is however less slightly dark than the PL 50’s. The Pai has got the darker, less extending middle and upper treble.
The PL 50 has got the quicker and more arid bass and is overall a little higher resolving.
In terms of soundstage, the MR1’s is wider while the PL50’s is narrower but has got somewhat more spatial depth (although it is also wider than deep). The MR1 has got the slightly sharper instrument separation.
Conclusion:
I would say the tonality with somewhat exhausting “in your face” mids is a hit or miss situation, you either love it or hate it. With sparsely occupied recordings that mainly focus on vocals and less than three instruments, the more up-front midrange character is actually not even that present at all but comes to light with denser recordings.
If the presence area with the slight uplift towards 3 kHz was less pronounced, the mids would not be as exhausting, but like it is, the MR1 might well appeal to midrange lovers.
While detail retrieval in the mids and treble is good and the MR1 has got a nicely wide (but not as deep though) and precisely separated soundstage, the treble extension should be better and the bass is clearly a bit too soft and slow for an in-ear with BA drivers. Also, the cable should have a chin-slider and medium sized eartips as well as a carrying case should be included at the price, given what the competition offers.
In the end, I come to a general conclusion of 65.4% or 3.27 out of 5 possible stars while I very personally like the MR1 a slight bit more.
ok, thanks for the explanation. Heard that the PaiAudio 3 and 4driver models actually do quite a decent job for their pricetag. When it comes to SingleBA IEMs I am too spoilt by FAD products....