UMIDIGI BTA9 Sports IEM

SPECS:
    No written spec was found for the UMI-BTA9
 
 
 
WHERE TO BUY / COST:
 
http://amzn.to/2h6jhkA
$69.99 new ( often heavily discounted down to $25 or less )
 
OVERVIEW
Happy Chinese New Year! I am giving one last Chinese IEM a review because it's important to review not only the good headphones, but to cover some of the bad ones too. The UMI-BTA9 from UMIDIGI rests somewhere in between because there are aspects of it that I love and some that flat out are unforgivable. The UMI-BTA9 Bluetooth IEM is an in-ear built for lifting, exercising, and chatting on the move. It is advertised as a bassy IEM with “Noise Cancelling for class-leading wireless audio and optimal sound quality.” Does it deliver?
 
AESTHETICS

The BTA9 is simply designed and packed with features. It looks and feels solid although a tad light. The earhooks are comfortable, the cable only mildly microphonic, and the button layout superb. The IEM body that houses the electronics does feel cheap and I worry that the plastic may crack over time or if dropped onto a hard surface. The accessories are few with only small, medium, and large silicone tips available. I would have liked to see some Comply foam included as I had some discomfort and seal issues with the default tips due to the nozzle angle and a pair of foam tips would have solved the problem.

Everyone needed to get going is shipped with the BTA9 including the charge cable, tips, but sadly no hard case for travel. Attached to the IEM cable is a cable cinch which is must if you plan on exercising with any IEM. The nozzle bodies are small and only due to the angle did they become uncomfortable.

ACOUSTICS
With the primary concerns for comfort out of the way I tested the sound. Advertised as a bassy IEM I was expecting some serious bass bloat and distortion. Immediately the bass felt overwhelming, but that could just be because I am nowhere near a basshead. I spent extra time listening to the BTA9 because if you ignore the bass boost the mids and treble are good. The midrange, although 10% recessed for my taste, sounded clear and just about all of my hi-fi tracks kept me interested. The treble is rolled-off, but surprisingly mildly compared to other IEM’s that tout such serious bass like the Brainwavz M100. The bass on the BTA9 is boomy, but not as distorted and disruptive as the M100. Listening to Chateau Marmont by Maison Klaus from the Solar Apex –EP was engaging, fun, and only lightly rumbly. I never felt overwhelmed by a wall of bass from the BTA9 on this track.
 
I moved to Insible Sun’s Baby Deli the Police track to further test the bass and distortion. At 1:50 into the track the bass does distort and blur the midrange and treble making this track hard to listen to for more than a few seconds. Remarkably the treble was clear and only the upper registries distorting. Speaking of treble how did Peter Murhy’s Time Has Got Noothing To Do With It sound out of the BTA9? Surprisingly the chimes remained clear and only due to the recessed sound signature did the BTA9 fall short. Some tracks were just plain toe-tappingly fun with the BTA9. Muddy Waters’ Good Morning Little School Girl track made me focus on the rhythm and his voice and only once in a while did I realize how out of control the bass really sounds.
 
Other tracks like Rob McCoury’s Sugar Creek revealed the weaknesses of the BTA9. The bass simply overwhelms the rest of the instruments becoming fatiguing at times. It is the schism between good and bad bass that makes the BTA9 tricky to enjoy.
 

MIC TESTING
I always test the mic when included. So many cheap IEM makers decide to include a mic and so many fall flat on their face. The BTA9 is sadly a poor communication device because the mic is distorted and distant. The audio from the other person on the line comes through muddled and choppy. The MIC is not the best feature of the BTA9.
 
DURABILITY
I see not major flaws in the design other than the cheap plastic housing. Everything else including the cable feels well-made and durable. The lack of carrying case is a bummer because it not only protects the IEM’s during travel, but makes them easier to find and unsnag.
 
CONCLUSION
With no spec to compare against, no carrying case, and some serious issues with the mic I really do not recommend paying full price for the BTA9. At the time of this review it is on Amazon for under $25 which is good considering it delivers a Bluetooth IEM, a mic, all built for exercise or on-the-move listeners. Would I recommend it as a reference IEM, well no. It has too many flaws with distortion and accentuated bass to be considered hi-fi, but due to the quality of the bass boost I do recommend it over IEM’s like the M100 from Brainwavz because the bass I implemented well for a boosted IEM. The wireless range is small at about 15 ft through no doors. I found the signal dropping out just two rooms away with no doors closed. I think this is a non-issue for most people because most people will use it with the phone / portable nearby, but I do like to see longer range wireless in my Bluetooth devices. The bass for me was too fatiguing to listen for more than an hour and I worry about long-term hearing problems using such a bassy IEM. The BTA9 is certainly bassy and it does it pretty well for an IEM found under $25 much of the time.

Introduction:
 
After my UMI-BTA8 review, UMI offered me a chance to review the UMI-BTA9. While I found the BTA8 to have a nice fit and finish, the sound was lacking on certain points. I’m curious how the UMI-BTA9 competes against its sibling. I like to thank UMI  for providing me with a sample. The UMI-BTA9 is available from different resellers for around $23. I got mine from amazon:
DE: http://amzn.to/2hQAs8U
US: http://amzn.to/2h6jhkA
 

 
 
Disclosure:
I received the UMI-BTA9 free of charge. Nonetheless the following opinion is a personal honest opinion. Usually I buy a product and review them according to how they suit my personal preferences. In this instance however, I will try to keep things more general since this review is about the product and not about my personal audio adventures. The rating is based on the whole product and price as a combination and not solely on audio quality.
 
 
Source: Samsung Galaxy s7.
Music: Spotify Extreme & Poweramp Alpha with 44.1khz/16bit Flac files.
Setup: Stock tips size M. Stock ear hooks
Burn in: 24 hours on the cooker before listening.
My acknowledged bias: Music preference (Indie/alternative/rock), preferred sound signature (neutral with a touch of subbass) and previous audio gear (see profile).
 
Review:
Specifications:
Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 4.1 with A2DP
Battery: 150mAh rechargeable battery
Water Proof: IPX4 (splash proof)
Music Play time: 7 hours
Standby time: 160 hours
Charging time: about 1-2 hours
 
Package Contents:
- Bluetooth in-ear headphone
- Micro USB charging cable
- S/M/L Size tips
- User manual
 

 
Umi delivers their Bluetooth IEMS in a nice black tin case. A nice touch when you want to gift these headphones, especially for the price. Upon opening the case, these headphones look much more premium than the $23 they cost. A well designed usb cable in the box is a nice plus. There aren’t different size earhooks added in the box however, since these are not user replaceable.  
 
build, design and fit:
Well build and sturdy. You’re not going to break these any time soon. They don’t have any moving parts on them, including the earhook which is fixed in one position. The remote is built into the right earpiece, which is surprisingly intuitive. At 20 grams they are lighter than their size may suggest. While the gunmetal colour looks great, the design is not my thing. They remember me of those Bluetooth mobile phone hands-free headsets, which some people wear 24/7 while never receiving a call (and continue to wear in cinemas and libraries). But my biggest gripe is their fit. Getting a proper fit is not an issue, maintaining one is, at least in my case. The cable connecting both earpieces is rubbery and springy, which pulls the solid earpieces out of my ear-canal. I found myself readjusting their fit every time I moved my head to the left or right. By wearing the cable in front of my neck and tucking the cable into my shirt, I largely solved the problem without looking completely ridiculous.  Its brother, the BTA8, has one of the best fits I’ve ever tried, so I was kind of disappointed with the fit of the BTA9.
 

 
 
Battery life and Bluetooth:
Reaches the promised 7 hours battery life and is easily charged with the same charger as my phone. Haven’t noticed any Bluetooth dropouts. Couldn’t ask for more.
 
Sound:
UMI did vastly improve the sound of the BTA9 over the BTA8. The sound is now more natural and more suitable for a variety of music styles. The sound signature is still warm and bassy, but more enjoyable now. Just don’t expect any miracles from a sub $30 bluetooth IEM. Furthermore, passive isolation is top-notch.    
Let’s dive a little deeper in the sound:
 
Treble:
Smooth, but a bit veiled. Not the main attraction, but pleasantly there. The treble doesn’t possess the highest resolution, nor the most extensive depth, but for a Bluetooth running IEM very acceptable. Songs like ‘Oasis - The shock of the lightning’ could do with a tiny bit more treble in order to let the cymbals remain energetic, but that may be a matter of taste.  
 
Mids:
The mids are prominent and very capable. Dispite being prominent, the mids are surprisingly balanced and natural. Voices are excellently positioned in the mix and a huge step up from the BTA8. Guitars, synths and drums sound full and warm. The mids are not as clear as I wished they would be, which becomes more noticeable in busy parts. This is more noticeable in rock music than in any other kind of music style. Instrument separation and positioning is average and fine.  
 
Bass:
Very nicely done. Good amount of subbass with the addition of a rounded midbass. While the bass tends to be a bit overblown, it’s a bit of a guilty pleasure. Listening to “The Weeknd – Starboy” I heard myself let out a little “niccceee” when the bass kicked in. It digs deep and offers a nice rumble. While too much for general use, the bass provides a nice punch during workouts.
 
Compared to the BTA8 (same price):
The BTA9 offers a noticeable rise in sound quality for the same price. The highs are a bit more subdued. The mids sound cleaner and more natural with a better voice presentation. The great 3D soundstage of the BTA8 made room for better sounding guitars, synths and drums. A/B-ing between the BTA8 and BTA9 makes the BTA8 sound coloured. The bass of the BTA9 is tighter and less intrusive into the midrange. Dispite the BTA9 offering a better sound quality, I find the BTA8 to have a far better fit, which is quite important for a “running IEM”.  If the BTA10 is made, I hope UMI puts the BTA9 sound in a BTA8 body.
 

 
Conclusion:
The BTA9 offers a pleasant sounding Bluetooth IEM for a very affordable price. The BTA9 does a lot right soundwise. A warm sound-signature with a great bass and natural mids. Design and fit are however step back from the BTA8.  Wearing the cable behind the neck was not an option for me. If you can live with the cable tucked in the front of your shirt, you’ve got yourself a great Bluetooth iem for a low price.
 
Tl;dr: Affordable Bluetooth IEM that offers a fun and enjoyable warm/bassy sound-signature. The fit and design aren’t doing it for me.    

I use several pairs of headphones, including ear hook headphones and I can tell you that earphones with hooks are particularly useful when running outdoors or on a treadmill at the gym. You'll be very pleased with these earphones by SoundPEATS! 


 


The SoundPEATS Q23 are also very lightweight (0.7oz) so you hardly even notice them on your ears. The Q23 are also sweat proof and they come with a rubber bit that seals the micro USB port out of any moisture. 


 


As far as user controls, the SoundPEATS Q23 feature three buttons, which are all located on the right earpiece. These include the power ON/OFF/PAIR button, located on the front of the earpiece, and two other buttons which are located on the bottom of the earpiece. 


 


To pair, turn on the Bluetooth on your smartphone and press and hold the power button for several seconds (LEDS flash green and red) on the Q23. Then, search for Q23 under the "Bluetooth devices list". As far as the call functionality, the HD microphone itself is very good as it clearly picks up your voice. When talking to someone, the sound is delivered to both left and right earpieces and the background noise is cancelled out, which is great.


 


you can see the product here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bluetooth-Headphones-SoundPEATS-Cancelling-Sweatproof/dp/B01M2BODVY/