Disclaimer: All my reviews are based on my own opinion and are not and will never be corporately biased, even if companies sent me products (someday this dream will come true i hope haha).
Note: This is a review of the 3.5mm jack version and NOT the USB C version which is built differently by another company (affiliated with Xiaomi), and apparently sounds bad according to OTHER reviews.
I bought this iem with my own money, no company affiliated discounts.
As with my other reviews, i will constantly update the review. If you want my final most precise opinion on the product, please come back after a month or few months. Sorry for this as I am new to the game so my opinion may change as i become exposed to more better products.
Specs:
- Drivers (per side): 2 Balanced armatures + 2 Dynamic drivers??
- Frequency range: 20Hz - 40kHz. ‘Hi-Res’ certified
- Active noise cancelling
- Battery life: 12 hrs
- Cost: $42USD
Packaging:
Nothing fancy, rather minimalist but does the main job of protecting the iem as it is encased in clear plastic. Packaging is the same as Xiaomi's other iem's. Personally, I like the minimalist look.
Accessories:
Other than the tip already on the iem (a medium tip), there are 3 other tips (XS, S, L). All tips are silicon and have this oval shape which I have never seen before but fits nicely as I will describe later. A bag for storing the iem is also included. It's a nice feeling suede bag but is just too small to safely and quickly store the iem, you'd need to fold/coil the iem quite nicely to be able to fit it in the bag. Alternatively, you could get a KZ earphone hardcase for around $2 which would be worthier for an iem this nice to be stored in. The grey plastic mould that the iem is originally wrapped to which by the way has a very premium feeling silicone coat over it could technically be used as a storage for the iem but would be quite a hassle as you'd need to carefully wrap the cord around the mould every time.
Design and Build:
The iem is built very well. The drivers housing is made predominantly of perfectly machined metal which gives it a weighty premium feel. I see quite a few people complain about metal housing in other iem's since they don't like the cold feel but i honestly find it cool and refreshing when initially inserting the iem, it does warm up to body temp after a few seconds anyways. After all, metal housing = durability. Plastic is used for the front part which attaches to the nozzle, a nice touch for those who dislike the cold metal feel. Looking from the bottom of the housing, there is a long vent slit. Despite this the isolation in passive mode is still decent, I’d say average or just below average. The nozzle itself is oval shaped which I assume is where the 2 BA’s are placed and stacked on top of one another.
The cable is fabric braided from the jack to the volume/play/pause unit and from then on its a silicone cable. I assume silicone was chosen to reduce cable noise (microphonics) while the rest was fabric braided to eliminate tangling. The Jack is gold plated and is attached to a nicely machined metal L shaped plug. The tag you see in the picture below has a QR code on the back which you can scan to verify that it's an authentic Xiaomi product.
The unit which houses the ANC circuit and the play/pause/volume buttons is also made of nicely machined metal and has a spring assisted clip on the back to attach to your collar or shirt pocket as the unit is a bit too weighty to hang free. There is a switch on the side of the unit where you can control 2 levels of ANC. Although I don't find any use for the intermediate level ANC function it is a very nice addition which i don't think you can find on any other ANC phones. Hats off to Xiaomi for their ability to somehow place the ANC circuit and a battery which last 12 hours into the volume/play/pause unit. All other ANC iem’s I’ve seen and even some ANC headphones have a bulky ANC circuit and battery unit located on the cord near the jack which is very inconvenient. Even Bose’s QC20 iem which cost 7 times more have this bulky design. There is also a small green light which turns on when ANC is on. It flashes red when power is low. You can use the ANC while charging its battery.
The only things i can fault is the cover of the charging port which is very hard if not impossible to open unless you have very long nails. I would have also liked the charging port to be USB C or Lightning or even better, a magnetic charge port (like the mac books). I find Micro USB very flimsy and for something this small, constant plugging and unplugging can increase the risk of damage and failure. Nevertheless, you can buy a cheap magnetic charger adapter for micro USB to overcome this like I did. Another flaw is the cable from the volume unit to the drivers housing is too long when the unit is clipped to the collar making the cable puff out which can look a bit funny? This does eliminate the cable rubbing against your shirt thus reduces cable noise (microphonics) so I’m pretty cool with that. In a way it also supports the weight of the driver + housing. On the other hand, the cable length is perfect when the unit is clipped to my shirts pocket. Did Xiaomi just assume we all wear shirts with pockets or am I just behind on fashion???
Comfort and fit:
Personally, I find these earphones very comfortable. The slightly angled nozzle prevents the housing from touching the auricle (outer ear) though I find all other non 'over the ear hooked' iems which doesn't have an angled nozzle fits perfectly anyways. I have relatively small ears so i personally find all 'over the ear hooked' iems uncomfortable as the housing sits 'inside' or against the auricle. Thankfully the Xiaomi is not an over ear iem.
The oval ear tips fit very well. Initially it felt a bit weird but after a while it felt comfortable. I have tested them on my Remax S1 Pro iem's which does not have any vents and concluded that i was able to get a complete seal with the ear tips as the driver was not able to produce any sound when i deeply inserted the ear tips.
Sound:
NOTE: this has been updated
IMPORTANT: Before you continue reading, you can read my ‘about author’ page on head-fi to get a taste of my sound preference. You’ll also find the test tracks there. I have owned these for over a month now and have probably amassed at least 100+ hours listening to it. I initially burned them in for a day. Listening and tests were mainly done with my Xiaomi 4X phone using Spotify's extreme quality (320Kbps, 24bit, 48Khz?). Note, my Xiaomi 4x output is slightly warm sounding and bassy (a solid 3-5db more bass) compared to audio from my Ipod 5th gen and my computer (I5 core). The 4X output also sounds noticeably clearer and has better imaging than both my ipod and computer.
I usually listen at a low to very low volume. When using my Xiaomi 4X i listen at 20% of max volume (3 notches). Thus why i prefer a slight L or V shaped sound signature as bass output decreases with lower volumes. This also means my evaluation of the bass might not be as accurate hence why i find the bass (especially mid-bass) a little soft.
According to TechManZ (a YouTube tech reviewer) these sound exactly like the Xiaomi Pro HD's? I cannot confirm that since i haven't heard the Pro HD's but I have to say that the Xiaomi ANC sound very nice. Looking at the frequency graph (thanks to 'The Phonograph'), it seems that the Pro HD's overall bass is softer and more mid-bass oriented than the ANC's. I’ve always had that preconceived notion that earphones would never sound as good as headphones, even when comparing a $100 iem to a decent $50 headphone due to iem’s small drivers and in ear insertion meaning zero soundstage. Well this is the first iem that changed my mind. Not saying these can sonically beat headphones but it is close and due to its portability, headphones weightiness, and the uncomfortable pressure headphones apply on/around my headphone, I find that I reach for the Xiaomi's more often than my headphones.
Overall: the sound signature is slightly on the 'bright' side with a slight 'U' sound signature. Relativity wise, highs are most prominent followed by sub-bass. Mids (vocals) and mid-bass follow close to the sub-bass. Anymore detail in the highs and these might sound harsh. I see other reviews of the Xiaomi Pro HD (which apparently sounds the same as the Xiaomi ANC) which say it sounds a little harsh due to the brightness. This may be true for treble sensitive people at high listening volumes but personally as a low volume listener i don't find it harsh. I'm currently using foam tips with them as they help reduce the bright highs which can get fatiguing over long listening sessions. As a result, the bass also sounds more forward and lively which i really enjoy. Although mids become a bit softened and less crisp with the foam tips.
One of the best thing about the Xiaomi’s is that they sound exactly the same regardless if ANC is on or off. Deterioration of sound when ANC is turned on/off is a big problem with pretty much all ANC headphones/earphones so hats off to Xiaomi.
Highs + mids: The Xiaomi ANC have exceptional detail and clarity thanks to the excellent mids and highs. There is plenty of detail thanks to the prominent and far extending highs, yet Xiaomi has managed to keep the highs just below the point of sounding harsh. Looking at the frequency graph (thanks to 'the phonograph' review), there is a spike at around 12k which might explain why the iem is on the verge of harshness and why the highs sound so detailed plus airy.
Cymbals and high hats have very good detail and do not sound splashy, sibilant, or harsh. The highs especially high hats and cymbals have this transient airy sound which is probably thanks to the BA's. This is my first iem with BA's so i enjoyed this new transience very much though that kind of sacrificed the naturalness which dynamic driver excel at. With dynamic drivers, cymbals have that natural 'splash' sound but with these iems its more transient, so has a little 'tsss' sound to it. Perhaps the 12k spike could be attributed to the 'tsss' sound. Basically they don't really have the natural long cymbal decay you'd get from a pure dynamic driver iem. Personally, I think vocals are the biggest star here. The vocals are well balanced among the rest of the frequencies and sound very clear and natural. Overall vocals are a little laid back in quantity, probably due to the more prominent highs and sub-bass, but quality wise vocals are very clear and detailed. I find iem's with vocals that are too forward sound unnatural. Acoustic guitars sound very clean and clear. Every sound can be heard such as the fret sound, the initial pluck sound, and fingers rubbing/hitting the strings.
REMINDER: I listen at low volumes hence i prefer iem's that are a bassy since bass quantity lacks at low volumes. If you have not read the beginning paragraphs of this sound section please go back and read it.
Bass: Through listening and examining the frequency graph, the bass is evidently sub-bass oriented as it peaks at around 30Hz. Personally i like my bass to be elevated quite evenly, perhaps slightly mid-bass oriented.
I was initially disappointed by the bass though. It sounded quite soft, especially the mid-bass which sounded like it had no power. Kick drums sounded damp, as if someone draped a dense piece of cloth over the front and back of the drum and barely put any pressure on the pedals. BUT I have now (after 1 month) realised why it sounded so bad. I did not insert the ear tips in deep enough to get a proper seal as the oval tips felt kind of weird at first. I also recently swapped my right ear tip for a smaller one as I found that my right ear is smaller than my left. This meant I was not able to get a proper seal for my right ear before.
My ears are now fully accustomed to the ear tips shape, so I find them very comfortable and can 100% seal. I think burn-in both physical and mental might have also increased the bass but i am quite certain it was just the seal. Bass sounds better now, sub-bass is alright for me and extends very deep but mid-bass, although better, is still a little soft and lacks that punchiness and boom. This lack of midbass is evident inithe frequency graph as it rolls off too rapidly from sub bass to mids. The rapid mid bass rolloff could also be the reason why mids (vocals) sound so clear albeit more on the thin side. Compared to other dynamic phones, i have to say the mid bass is a little slow/loose and a little damp. At around 30%+ of max volume bass quantity comes out alot better so if you are not a low volume listener then bass quantity should be fine, if not a little emphasised in the sub bass. I have recently compared the bass with my Sony mdr1A and Sony mdr-zx600 headphones and found that the bass in the Xiaomi’s are softer than the two headphones. Sub bass is around 85% of the Sony headphones while mid bass is around 70-80%. However, the bass does not affect the mids or highs i.e. no bleeding. The Xiaomi really are an all-rounder which excels in everything I’ve listened to whether it be EDM, jazz, rock or classical music. Sometimes i do wish for more bass when listening to EDM but i find the rather subdued bass good for long listening sessions. The Sony headphones elevated bass becomes ungainly after around 30 minutes of listening. Bass is like fat, moderate amounts adds flavour and richness but eating it continuously will make you feel sick.
Soundstage + imaging: Now getting back on track, the Xiaomi’s sound airy where every instrument and vocal has lots of room to ‘breathe’ and imaging is very good. It’s as though you’re being surrounded by drawers and every instrument has its own compartment. Left/right separation is great, width is good for an iem, but depth and height is not that great as expected with iem’s. Overall soundstage is good for an iem as music sounds like it comes from slightly away from the ear.
End words: Overall, for sound I would give the iem an 8.75-9 out of 10. These have the potential to be a 10 by further improving the soundstage, instrumental separation, and most importantly bringing out the midbass more plus increasing its speed. I am ok with the current mid-bass given that the decent sub-bass kind of compensates for it, but mid-bass just feels like they lack a bit of power, like the dynamic drivers can’t drive it to its full potential. It’s like a piano, the tone sounds best when you press the key deeply and at a moderate to moderately loud volume. If you press shallow or too soft or too loud the tonality will not sound as good. This is how I feel about the mid-bass, the Xiaomi’s slightly lack that drive.
I have tried blocking the vent hole near the nozzle in hopes of increasing bass but found that the drivers could not produce any sound. This also meant that the slit at the bottom of the housing is not a functional vent but merely for aesthetics.
Isolation and noise cancellation:
NOTE: this has been updated
Isolation is average though even at my low listening volume i can barely hear other people speaking in the same room or ambient noise, that's if i'm not completely focusing on it. The long 'vent slit' at the bottom of the housing is actually not a functional vent as i have tried blocking the vent hole near the nozzle and found that it created a 100% seal as the driver could not produce sound. Noise cancelling only blocks out the bass-low mid-range frequencies from 50-1500Hz as specified by Xiaomi. Xiaomi claim a >20db reduction of noise which I find true. Keep in mind that a 10db noise reduction is a 50% reduction in perceived loudness. They won’t be as good as the Bose QC series but the noise cancelling is definitely noticeable and worthy of use, unlike other cheap ANC earphones such as the $20 Bluedio which offers near zero cancellation. I find it very useful on trains and buses where the ANC really help reduce the low frequency grumbling engine and air conditioner noise. This way I could maintain the same volume yet hear the bass which would usually be drowned out by the low frequency noises. I have also blasted airplane cabin noise on my sound system and found that the ANC performed quite well. Testing ANC on the plane went well with a very noticeable reduction in noise. Usually i'd have to blast my phone volume at 50% to hear decent bass on the plane but with the ANC I was able to hear all the musics detail at my normal low volume (20%). There are 2 levels of noise cancelling (low, high) but I don’t see any use for it as the high-level ANC is already not that great anyways. The ANC barely blocks out any human voice or high frequency noises but the passive isolation does a decent job at that anyways. Xiaomi claims the battery life lasts 12 hours, but the longest I’ve used them for on ANC is 7 hours so I cannot verify this. To sum up, if the Bose QC headphones block out 90% of noise, these block out 40-70% since it cannot block out the high frequencies. Though I have tested it on bass heavy music and can confirm that it can cancel around 80-90% of the bass.
Comparisons:
UPDATE: if you're a budget basshead, i would highly recommend the Plextone X41M instead of both the Piston and Remax below. Plextone has the same forward sounding vocals as remax and prominent highs but with amazing sub woofer like bass, perhaps even stronger than subwoofer! Great thing is it does not really affect the mids and highs. Even for non bass heads i'd probably recommend these over both the iem's below, an extra dollop of bass never hurts. Seal and hence isolation is exceptional. Look out for a review.
- Remax S1 Pro ($10 USD):
The Xiaomi’s sound more refined than the Remax which cost 4-5 times less though perform similarly to the Xiaomi’s and very well for the price. Both have similar sound signature and are slightly more on the 'bright' side. Note that that the Remax only has one dynamic driver while Xiaomi has 2BA+2DD. The biggest differences is the airiness, separation and soundstage which the Xiaomi’s excel at while with the Remax everything sounds like it’s in your head. Left/right separation is also notably better with the Xiaomi’s. Tuning is like the Xiaomi’s with good balance of bass, mids, and highs where the latter 2 are not recessed at all. The high’s especially cymbals and high hats sound splashy, a little too forward, and harsh compared to the Xiaomi’s. Vocals on the Remax do not have as much airiness or room to breathe and sound a tad more grainy and unrefined. Vocals do sound more forward than on the Xiaomi. Bass wise they both perform very similarly with roughly the same quantity of bass though Remax’s bass esp. sub-bass sounds a bit unrefined, loose, and lacks that punch when compare to the Xiaomi. The Remax also overwhelms or bleeds into the mids by a tiny amount. I personally find its mid-bass a bit more punchy and likeable than the Xiaomi’s. Remax also has a wearing style that hooks over the ear so has a more stable fit. Its profile is also much smaller than the Xiaomi allowing it to rest in the ear thus you can sleep sideways with it. The biggest downside of the Remax is that when using it with my phone (Xiaomi 4x), it hisses whenever something is being played which ruins soft recordings such as classical music. I suspect this may be a source error as the hissing does not occur when playing music from my computer. Also there is no vent which meant i was not able to insert the iem deeply and create a full seal as that meant the dynamic drivers would not work. This caused the iem to fall out easily, especially considering my ear is small and is already pushing against the housing.
As a result i really would NOT recommend this iem unless you are using foam tips which probably lets some air in and acts as a vent but i have not tested this yet since i do not own foam tips. Otherwise if you have foam tips and are very short on money and/or want something that you can work out with due to its stability and cheap replaceability as you’ll be bashing these around, then get the Remax. Or you listen to music while sleeping which I don’t recommend unless you have some condition where music may help you sleep.
Overall the sound quality differences are quite small, but I would highly recommend the Xiaomi’s. Not only do you have a more refined sound with better soundstage/imaging, but also a noise cancelling iem for commuting.
- Xiaomi Piston Fresh version ($5 USD):
The Piston fresh sounds like it has a stronger bass quantity than the Xiaomi ANC’s. Though I suspect the two have the same amount of bass, just the Pistons highs and especially mids are recessed quite alot compared to the Xiaomi ANC thus giving an illusion of more bass. When compared to the Xiaomi ANC’s, the Pistons are definitely ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped sounding with strong bass and recessed highs and especially mids. This makes it sound very fun with electronic and other bass heavy music. It can also be less fatiguing thanks to the recessed mids and highs though I do not find the Xiaomi ANC’s fatiguing at all. Unlike other dirt cheap iem’s that also suffer from recessed mids and highs, the Pistons highs and mids sound smooth and rather refined. Due to it being recessed and smooth, micro details will be missing. Like the Xiaomi ANC’s, the Pistons are also well built with a nice silicon cable and a machined metal driver housing.
If you’re on a very tight budget and are looking for something that you can thrash around yet sound smooth, un-fatiguing and has a good amount of bass then get the Pistons. For budget bass lovers who also like their mids and highs, get the Plextone X41M.
Otherwise I would highly recommend the Xiaomi ANC’s which have much better mids and highs plus you get active noise cancelling. For those on a budget who appreciate their mids and highs, get the Remax S1 Pro.
Possible improvements:
Summary:
Would I recommend these? If you are a basshead or even a bass lover then i might avoid these. Otherwise i'd most definitely recommend it!!! Even as a bass lover myself, the airiness and clarity of the mids and highs won me over. This thing just oozes value. For $42 the drivers don’t spit out sound, they spit out dollar bills. Even if you don’t commute these might be worth it just for the sound, especially for those who love clear mids and highs. Unlike the BOSE QC series which deteriorates in sound when used in passive mode, the Xiaomi’s still sound great when used passively. As a commuter I find it a big safety feature as I can listen in passive mode to increase my awareness when on night trains or walking on busy streets. Yet I don’t need to sacrifice sound quality.
Overall i rate the iem a 4.25 to 4.5 out of 5. Build is excellent, mids and highs are airy with good detail plus clarity, ANC is effective (within Xiaomi's specified frequency range) with no sound quality loss, soundstage plus imaging is good for an iem, and all of that for just $42USD. The only real thing holding it back is the soft bass, especially midbass which is also a bit slow and damp.
Finally hats off to Xiaomi for creating such a fine ANC iem at an insanely low price!
Note: This is a review of the 3.5mm jack version and NOT the USB C version which is built differently by another company (affiliated with Xiaomi), and apparently sounds bad according to OTHER reviews.
I bought this iem with my own money, no company affiliated discounts.
As with my other reviews, i will constantly update the review. If you want my final most precise opinion on the product, please come back after a month or few months. Sorry for this as I am new to the game so my opinion may change as i become exposed to more better products.
Specs:
- Drivers (per side): 2 Balanced armatures + 2 Dynamic drivers??
Xiaomi’s spec says ‘Dual moving coil + dual moving iron’ but I doubt there are 2 proper dynamic drivers since the housing is quite small. I reckon they meant dual layer diaphragm? On the other hand, it looks like it could fit 2 micro drivers inside or have a large dynamic driver at the front of the housing (near the nozzle) and one micro driver at the back. I will be dissecting the iem once they stop working and post my findings on here.
- Frequency range: 20Hz - 40kHz. ‘Hi-Res’ certified
- Active noise cancelling
- Battery life: 12 hrs
- Cost: $42USD
Which is how much i got it for on Ali-Express, but you can get a $5 coupon when you first sign up to Ali-Express. I’m quite sure this is the cheapest site to get the iem from though feel free to reply to let everyone else know if you find a cheaper site.
Packaging:
Nothing fancy, rather minimalist but does the main job of protecting the iem as it is encased in clear plastic. Packaging is the same as Xiaomi's other iem's. Personally, I like the minimalist look.
Accessories:
Other than the tip already on the iem (a medium tip), there are 3 other tips (XS, S, L). All tips are silicon and have this oval shape which I have never seen before but fits nicely as I will describe later. A bag for storing the iem is also included. It's a nice feeling suede bag but is just too small to safely and quickly store the iem, you'd need to fold/coil the iem quite nicely to be able to fit it in the bag. Alternatively, you could get a KZ earphone hardcase for around $2 which would be worthier for an iem this nice to be stored in. The grey plastic mould that the iem is originally wrapped to which by the way has a very premium feeling silicone coat over it could technically be used as a storage for the iem but would be quite a hassle as you'd need to carefully wrap the cord around the mould every time.
Design and Build:
The iem is built very well. The drivers housing is made predominantly of perfectly machined metal which gives it a weighty premium feel. I see quite a few people complain about metal housing in other iem's since they don't like the cold feel but i honestly find it cool and refreshing when initially inserting the iem, it does warm up to body temp after a few seconds anyways. After all, metal housing = durability. Plastic is used for the front part which attaches to the nozzle, a nice touch for those who dislike the cold metal feel. Looking from the bottom of the housing, there is a long vent slit. Despite this the isolation in passive mode is still decent, I’d say average or just below average. The nozzle itself is oval shaped which I assume is where the 2 BA’s are placed and stacked on top of one another.
The cable is fabric braided from the jack to the volume/play/pause unit and from then on its a silicone cable. I assume silicone was chosen to reduce cable noise (microphonics) while the rest was fabric braided to eliminate tangling. The Jack is gold plated and is attached to a nicely machined metal L shaped plug. The tag you see in the picture below has a QR code on the back which you can scan to verify that it's an authentic Xiaomi product.
The unit which houses the ANC circuit and the play/pause/volume buttons is also made of nicely machined metal and has a spring assisted clip on the back to attach to your collar or shirt pocket as the unit is a bit too weighty to hang free. There is a switch on the side of the unit where you can control 2 levels of ANC. Although I don't find any use for the intermediate level ANC function it is a very nice addition which i don't think you can find on any other ANC phones. Hats off to Xiaomi for their ability to somehow place the ANC circuit and a battery which last 12 hours into the volume/play/pause unit. All other ANC iem’s I’ve seen and even some ANC headphones have a bulky ANC circuit and battery unit located on the cord near the jack which is very inconvenient. Even Bose’s QC20 iem which cost 7 times more have this bulky design. There is also a small green light which turns on when ANC is on. It flashes red when power is low. You can use the ANC while charging its battery.
The only things i can fault is the cover of the charging port which is very hard if not impossible to open unless you have very long nails. I would have also liked the charging port to be USB C or Lightning or even better, a magnetic charge port (like the mac books). I find Micro USB very flimsy and for something this small, constant plugging and unplugging can increase the risk of damage and failure. Nevertheless, you can buy a cheap magnetic charger adapter for micro USB to overcome this like I did. Another flaw is the cable from the volume unit to the drivers housing is too long when the unit is clipped to the collar making the cable puff out which can look a bit funny? This does eliminate the cable rubbing against your shirt thus reduces cable noise (microphonics) so I’m pretty cool with that. In a way it also supports the weight of the driver + housing. On the other hand, the cable length is perfect when the unit is clipped to my shirts pocket. Did Xiaomi just assume we all wear shirts with pockets or am I just behind on fashion???
Comfort and fit:
Personally, I find these earphones very comfortable. The slightly angled nozzle prevents the housing from touching the auricle (outer ear) though I find all other non 'over the ear hooked' iems which doesn't have an angled nozzle fits perfectly anyways. I have relatively small ears so i personally find all 'over the ear hooked' iems uncomfortable as the housing sits 'inside' or against the auricle. Thankfully the Xiaomi is not an over ear iem.
The oval ear tips fit very well. Initially it felt a bit weird but after a while it felt comfortable. I have tested them on my Remax S1 Pro iem's which does not have any vents and concluded that i was able to get a complete seal with the ear tips as the driver was not able to produce any sound when i deeply inserted the ear tips.
Sound:
NOTE: this has been updated
IMPORTANT: Before you continue reading, you can read my ‘about author’ page on head-fi to get a taste of my sound preference. You’ll also find the test tracks there. I have owned these for over a month now and have probably amassed at least 100+ hours listening to it. I initially burned them in for a day. Listening and tests were mainly done with my Xiaomi 4X phone using Spotify's extreme quality (320Kbps, 24bit, 48Khz?). Note, my Xiaomi 4x output is slightly warm sounding and bassy (a solid 3-5db more bass) compared to audio from my Ipod 5th gen and my computer (I5 core). The 4X output also sounds noticeably clearer and has better imaging than both my ipod and computer.
I usually listen at a low to very low volume. When using my Xiaomi 4X i listen at 20% of max volume (3 notches). Thus why i prefer a slight L or V shaped sound signature as bass output decreases with lower volumes. This also means my evaluation of the bass might not be as accurate hence why i find the bass (especially mid-bass) a little soft.
According to TechManZ (a YouTube tech reviewer) these sound exactly like the Xiaomi Pro HD's? I cannot confirm that since i haven't heard the Pro HD's but I have to say that the Xiaomi ANC sound very nice. Looking at the frequency graph (thanks to 'The Phonograph'), it seems that the Pro HD's overall bass is softer and more mid-bass oriented than the ANC's. I’ve always had that preconceived notion that earphones would never sound as good as headphones, even when comparing a $100 iem to a decent $50 headphone due to iem’s small drivers and in ear insertion meaning zero soundstage. Well this is the first iem that changed my mind. Not saying these can sonically beat headphones but it is close and due to its portability, headphones weightiness, and the uncomfortable pressure headphones apply on/around my headphone, I find that I reach for the Xiaomi's more often than my headphones.
Overall: the sound signature is slightly on the 'bright' side with a slight 'U' sound signature. Relativity wise, highs are most prominent followed by sub-bass. Mids (vocals) and mid-bass follow close to the sub-bass. Anymore detail in the highs and these might sound harsh. I see other reviews of the Xiaomi Pro HD (which apparently sounds the same as the Xiaomi ANC) which say it sounds a little harsh due to the brightness. This may be true for treble sensitive people at high listening volumes but personally as a low volume listener i don't find it harsh. I'm currently using foam tips with them as they help reduce the bright highs which can get fatiguing over long listening sessions. As a result, the bass also sounds more forward and lively which i really enjoy. Although mids become a bit softened and less crisp with the foam tips.
One of the best thing about the Xiaomi’s is that they sound exactly the same regardless if ANC is on or off. Deterioration of sound when ANC is turned on/off is a big problem with pretty much all ANC headphones/earphones so hats off to Xiaomi.
Highs + mids: The Xiaomi ANC have exceptional detail and clarity thanks to the excellent mids and highs. There is plenty of detail thanks to the prominent and far extending highs, yet Xiaomi has managed to keep the highs just below the point of sounding harsh. Looking at the frequency graph (thanks to 'the phonograph' review), there is a spike at around 12k which might explain why the iem is on the verge of harshness and why the highs sound so detailed plus airy.
Cymbals and high hats have very good detail and do not sound splashy, sibilant, or harsh. The highs especially high hats and cymbals have this transient airy sound which is probably thanks to the BA's. This is my first iem with BA's so i enjoyed this new transience very much though that kind of sacrificed the naturalness which dynamic driver excel at. With dynamic drivers, cymbals have that natural 'splash' sound but with these iems its more transient, so has a little 'tsss' sound to it. Perhaps the 12k spike could be attributed to the 'tsss' sound. Basically they don't really have the natural long cymbal decay you'd get from a pure dynamic driver iem. Personally, I think vocals are the biggest star here. The vocals are well balanced among the rest of the frequencies and sound very clear and natural. Overall vocals are a little laid back in quantity, probably due to the more prominent highs and sub-bass, but quality wise vocals are very clear and detailed. I find iem's with vocals that are too forward sound unnatural. Acoustic guitars sound very clean and clear. Every sound can be heard such as the fret sound, the initial pluck sound, and fingers rubbing/hitting the strings.
REMINDER: I listen at low volumes hence i prefer iem's that are a bassy since bass quantity lacks at low volumes. If you have not read the beginning paragraphs of this sound section please go back and read it.
Bass: Through listening and examining the frequency graph, the bass is evidently sub-bass oriented as it peaks at around 30Hz. Personally i like my bass to be elevated quite evenly, perhaps slightly mid-bass oriented.
I was initially disappointed by the bass though. It sounded quite soft, especially the mid-bass which sounded like it had no power. Kick drums sounded damp, as if someone draped a dense piece of cloth over the front and back of the drum and barely put any pressure on the pedals. BUT I have now (after 1 month) realised why it sounded so bad. I did not insert the ear tips in deep enough to get a proper seal as the oval tips felt kind of weird at first. I also recently swapped my right ear tip for a smaller one as I found that my right ear is smaller than my left. This meant I was not able to get a proper seal for my right ear before.
My ears are now fully accustomed to the ear tips shape, so I find them very comfortable and can 100% seal. I think burn-in both physical and mental might have also increased the bass but i am quite certain it was just the seal. Bass sounds better now, sub-bass is alright for me and extends very deep but mid-bass, although better, is still a little soft and lacks that punchiness and boom. This lack of midbass is evident inithe frequency graph as it rolls off too rapidly from sub bass to mids. The rapid mid bass rolloff could also be the reason why mids (vocals) sound so clear albeit more on the thin side. Compared to other dynamic phones, i have to say the mid bass is a little slow/loose and a little damp. At around 30%+ of max volume bass quantity comes out alot better so if you are not a low volume listener then bass quantity should be fine, if not a little emphasised in the sub bass. I have recently compared the bass with my Sony mdr1A and Sony mdr-zx600 headphones and found that the bass in the Xiaomi’s are softer than the two headphones. Sub bass is around 85% of the Sony headphones while mid bass is around 70-80%. However, the bass does not affect the mids or highs i.e. no bleeding. The Xiaomi really are an all-rounder which excels in everything I’ve listened to whether it be EDM, jazz, rock or classical music. Sometimes i do wish for more bass when listening to EDM but i find the rather subdued bass good for long listening sessions. The Sony headphones elevated bass becomes ungainly after around 30 minutes of listening. Bass is like fat, moderate amounts adds flavour and richness but eating it continuously will make you feel sick.
Soundstage + imaging: Now getting back on track, the Xiaomi’s sound airy where every instrument and vocal has lots of room to ‘breathe’ and imaging is very good. It’s as though you’re being surrounded by drawers and every instrument has its own compartment. Left/right separation is great, width is good for an iem, but depth and height is not that great as expected with iem’s. Overall soundstage is good for an iem as music sounds like it comes from slightly away from the ear.
End words: Overall, for sound I would give the iem an 8.75-9 out of 10. These have the potential to be a 10 by further improving the soundstage, instrumental separation, and most importantly bringing out the midbass more plus increasing its speed. I am ok with the current mid-bass given that the decent sub-bass kind of compensates for it, but mid-bass just feels like they lack a bit of power, like the dynamic drivers can’t drive it to its full potential. It’s like a piano, the tone sounds best when you press the key deeply and at a moderate to moderately loud volume. If you press shallow or too soft or too loud the tonality will not sound as good. This is how I feel about the mid-bass, the Xiaomi’s slightly lack that drive.
I have tried blocking the vent hole near the nozzle in hopes of increasing bass but found that the drivers could not produce any sound. This also meant that the slit at the bottom of the housing is not a functional vent but merely for aesthetics.
Isolation and noise cancellation:
NOTE: this has been updated
Isolation is average though even at my low listening volume i can barely hear other people speaking in the same room or ambient noise, that's if i'm not completely focusing on it. The long 'vent slit' at the bottom of the housing is actually not a functional vent as i have tried blocking the vent hole near the nozzle and found that it created a 100% seal as the driver could not produce sound. Noise cancelling only blocks out the bass-low mid-range frequencies from 50-1500Hz as specified by Xiaomi. Xiaomi claim a >20db reduction of noise which I find true. Keep in mind that a 10db noise reduction is a 50% reduction in perceived loudness. They won’t be as good as the Bose QC series but the noise cancelling is definitely noticeable and worthy of use, unlike other cheap ANC earphones such as the $20 Bluedio which offers near zero cancellation. I find it very useful on trains and buses where the ANC really help reduce the low frequency grumbling engine and air conditioner noise. This way I could maintain the same volume yet hear the bass which would usually be drowned out by the low frequency noises. I have also blasted airplane cabin noise on my sound system and found that the ANC performed quite well. Testing ANC on the plane went well with a very noticeable reduction in noise. Usually i'd have to blast my phone volume at 50% to hear decent bass on the plane but with the ANC I was able to hear all the musics detail at my normal low volume (20%). There are 2 levels of noise cancelling (low, high) but I don’t see any use for it as the high-level ANC is already not that great anyways. The ANC barely blocks out any human voice or high frequency noises but the passive isolation does a decent job at that anyways. Xiaomi claims the battery life lasts 12 hours, but the longest I’ve used them for on ANC is 7 hours so I cannot verify this. To sum up, if the Bose QC headphones block out 90% of noise, these block out 40-70% since it cannot block out the high frequencies. Though I have tested it on bass heavy music and can confirm that it can cancel around 80-90% of the bass.
Comparisons:
UPDATE: if you're a budget basshead, i would highly recommend the Plextone X41M instead of both the Piston and Remax below. Plextone has the same forward sounding vocals as remax and prominent highs but with amazing sub woofer like bass, perhaps even stronger than subwoofer! Great thing is it does not really affect the mids and highs. Even for non bass heads i'd probably recommend these over both the iem's below, an extra dollop of bass never hurts. Seal and hence isolation is exceptional. Look out for a review.
- Remax S1 Pro ($10 USD):
The Xiaomi’s sound more refined than the Remax which cost 4-5 times less though perform similarly to the Xiaomi’s and very well for the price. Both have similar sound signature and are slightly more on the 'bright' side. Note that that the Remax only has one dynamic driver while Xiaomi has 2BA+2DD. The biggest differences is the airiness, separation and soundstage which the Xiaomi’s excel at while with the Remax everything sounds like it’s in your head. Left/right separation is also notably better with the Xiaomi’s. Tuning is like the Xiaomi’s with good balance of bass, mids, and highs where the latter 2 are not recessed at all. The high’s especially cymbals and high hats sound splashy, a little too forward, and harsh compared to the Xiaomi’s. Vocals on the Remax do not have as much airiness or room to breathe and sound a tad more grainy and unrefined. Vocals do sound more forward than on the Xiaomi. Bass wise they both perform very similarly with roughly the same quantity of bass though Remax’s bass esp. sub-bass sounds a bit unrefined, loose, and lacks that punch when compare to the Xiaomi. The Remax also overwhelms or bleeds into the mids by a tiny amount. I personally find its mid-bass a bit more punchy and likeable than the Xiaomi’s. Remax also has a wearing style that hooks over the ear so has a more stable fit. Its profile is also much smaller than the Xiaomi allowing it to rest in the ear thus you can sleep sideways with it. The biggest downside of the Remax is that when using it with my phone (Xiaomi 4x), it hisses whenever something is being played which ruins soft recordings such as classical music. I suspect this may be a source error as the hissing does not occur when playing music from my computer. Also there is no vent which meant i was not able to insert the iem deeply and create a full seal as that meant the dynamic drivers would not work. This caused the iem to fall out easily, especially considering my ear is small and is already pushing against the housing.
As a result i really would NOT recommend this iem unless you are using foam tips which probably lets some air in and acts as a vent but i have not tested this yet since i do not own foam tips. Otherwise if you have foam tips and are very short on money and/or want something that you can work out with due to its stability and cheap replaceability as you’ll be bashing these around, then get the Remax. Or you listen to music while sleeping which I don’t recommend unless you have some condition where music may help you sleep.
Overall the sound quality differences are quite small, but I would highly recommend the Xiaomi’s. Not only do you have a more refined sound with better soundstage/imaging, but also a noise cancelling iem for commuting.
- Xiaomi Piston Fresh version ($5 USD):
The Piston fresh sounds like it has a stronger bass quantity than the Xiaomi ANC’s. Though I suspect the two have the same amount of bass, just the Pistons highs and especially mids are recessed quite alot compared to the Xiaomi ANC thus giving an illusion of more bass. When compared to the Xiaomi ANC’s, the Pistons are definitely ‘V’ or ‘L’ shaped sounding with strong bass and recessed highs and especially mids. This makes it sound very fun with electronic and other bass heavy music. It can also be less fatiguing thanks to the recessed mids and highs though I do not find the Xiaomi ANC’s fatiguing at all. Unlike other dirt cheap iem’s that also suffer from recessed mids and highs, the Pistons highs and mids sound smooth and rather refined. Due to it being recessed and smooth, micro details will be missing. Like the Xiaomi ANC’s, the Pistons are also well built with a nice silicon cable and a machined metal driver housing.
If you’re on a very tight budget and are looking for something that you can thrash around yet sound smooth, un-fatiguing and has a good amount of bass then get the Pistons. For budget bass lovers who also like their mids and highs, get the Plextone X41M.
Otherwise I would highly recommend the Xiaomi ANC’s which have much better mids and highs plus you get active noise cancelling. For those on a budget who appreciate their mids and highs, get the Remax S1 Pro.
Possible improvements:
- Reducing the cable length which runs from the volume/ANC unit to the driver.
- Reducing the weight of the volume/ANC unit by using plastic or lighter metal instead. This could eliminate the need for a clip as I find the weight of the current unit just a little to heavy to hang free. If it was a few grams lighter, it would be comfortable enough to hang free.
- Sound wise although it is nearly perfect (for this price it is more than perfect), though the instrumental separation, soundstage, and bass, especially mid-bass could be even better
- Improving ANC so that it can cancel out most off the audible frequency range and not just low frequencies
- Removable cable! At this price that would be impossible plus I don’t know if that can be done with ANC earphones but I would love removable cables in case it breaks so that I can use these forever. But hey Xiaomi, you were able to fit the ANC circuit plus a 12-hour battery in the tiny volume unit so anything’s possible right? I wouldn’t mind paying a few more bucks.
- Reducing the weight of the volume/ANC unit by using plastic or lighter metal instead. This could eliminate the need for a clip as I find the weight of the current unit just a little to heavy to hang free. If it was a few grams lighter, it would be comfortable enough to hang free.
- Sound wise although it is nearly perfect (for this price it is more than perfect), though the instrumental separation, soundstage, and bass, especially mid-bass could be even better
- Improving ANC so that it can cancel out most off the audible frequency range and not just low frequencies
- Removable cable! At this price that would be impossible plus I don’t know if that can be done with ANC earphones but I would love removable cables in case it breaks so that I can use these forever. But hey Xiaomi, you were able to fit the ANC circuit plus a 12-hour battery in the tiny volume unit so anything’s possible right? I wouldn’t mind paying a few more bucks.
Summary:
Would I recommend these? If you are a basshead or even a bass lover then i might avoid these. Otherwise i'd most definitely recommend it!!! Even as a bass lover myself, the airiness and clarity of the mids and highs won me over. This thing just oozes value. For $42 the drivers don’t spit out sound, they spit out dollar bills. Even if you don’t commute these might be worth it just for the sound, especially for those who love clear mids and highs. Unlike the BOSE QC series which deteriorates in sound when used in passive mode, the Xiaomi’s still sound great when used passively. As a commuter I find it a big safety feature as I can listen in passive mode to increase my awareness when on night trains or walking on busy streets. Yet I don’t need to sacrifice sound quality.
Overall i rate the iem a 4.25 to 4.5 out of 5. Build is excellent, mids and highs are airy with good detail plus clarity, ANC is effective (within Xiaomi's specified frequency range) with no sound quality loss, soundstage plus imaging is good for an iem, and all of that for just $42USD. The only real thing holding it back is the soft bass, especially midbass which is also a bit slow and damp.
Finally hats off to Xiaomi for creating such a fine ANC iem at an insanely low price!
