[hardRAWKR]

So after hearing lots of good reviews I went ahead and ordered the AI-M6's from Meelectronics. I just got them today, and so far my first impression isn't that great. I haven't listened to anything with them yet, though.
I first opened the box and they looked great. Nothing to complain about in the aesthetics department.
So then I attempt to put them on. One of the wire-things was already shaped to fit a person's ear, so that one went in pretty easily. The other one, however was a completely different story. It took me about 10 minutes to get it in, and just as I was starting to attempt to put it in, I heard something snap, and I noticed that the wire had become loose at one part. Obviously the wire snapped. It remains to be seen whether the headphone will actually work. I wish they didn't have the little wire, because in my opinion it just makes them harder to put on, and it doesn't seem like they help with the fit or anything.
So now that I have them on, I notice that the microphonics are VERY BAD. I can't move my head without hearing a brushing noise from the wire rubbing against my face. I had heard complaints about bad microphonics, but I thought it was only in the older model, and I'm pretty sure I have the newer ones.
So...that's my first impression. If anyone has any comments or can share their own experience, it would be appreciated. I'll update once I've listened to something on them.

 

[rawrster]

some people have removed the heat shrink i believe it is and cut off the wire to make it fit better. i couldnt find them to fit very well so they didnt last very long with me

 

[hardRAWKR]

Well now that I've got them on and playing music, the microphonics actually aren't bad. The wire on the other ear just snapped when I took it out and put it back in just now. I actually like these, but I'd really like to remove the wire. Does anyone know how to do this without breaking the headphones? And I'm assuming removing the wire voids the warrantee...

 

[hardRAWKR]

Well...having listened to these for a little while, I feel it's time for a proper review.

Source: iPod Touch 2G

Accessories:
It comes with a little carrying pouch, an airplane adapter, and small, medium and large buds in addition to the included triple flange ones that start out on the headphones. On the phones themselves there is a shirt clip and wires that are supposed to help fit the phones around your ears. They don't help. Honestly it would be better without them.

Comfort:
Well they're a pain in the ass to get in and get a good seal, and the wires that go around your ears don't help. They snap easily (both wires have already for me), which makes things more difficult. I suppose I can live with this though, because once you do get them in, which took me a half-hour, they are actually pretty comfortable, and it's pretty easy to forget they're there. Also, I suspect that once I get used to putting them in, it will be a lot easier to repeat. I would like the cord to be a bit longer, because when worn behind the back you mobility is somewhat limited when your iPod/mp3 player isn't in your pocket.

Build Quality:
They seem pretty solid, aside from the easily-snapped wire-things. The wire appears very sturdy, and if worn behind the back I can't see them breaking without trying pretty hard to do so. Overall I'm very impressed, they are the best built (at least on first impression) portable headphones I've ever owned.

Sound Quality:
Well, once you actually get the things in and you play something, it's very nice. There are some microphonics, but they're insignificant when music is playing. The detail is wonderful and clear. I'm able to make out lyrics that I've never been able to understand before, not even with my AD700's. Obviously the sound is more congested than the 700's though, but that's a given. The bass is strong and clear without being overpowering or boomy, which is exactly how I like it. The mids are nice, nothing to get excited about, but nice. The highs are actually very clear and not shrill. The soundscape is surprisingly good for an IEM, although nothing comparable to my AD700's. These are the best-sounding portable headphones I've ever owned (although these are also my first really "good" ones too).

Overall:
Well, once you get past the irritation with the wire-things and getting them to go in and get a good seal, they are VERY good. Despite an initial bad impression, I actually like these quite a lot. Wonderful sound quality and a seemingly solid build. For $40 they are very good value, and they will be keeping be satisfied for quite a while, I suspect.
8/10, would be 9 if not for the annoying wires.

 

[Judge Crandall]

I had the same fit problems. The left side was fine, but the right side was really uncomfortable. Everything got better once I removed the memory wire. I found that the microphonics got better after removing the wire. Comfort was also much better as well. It's not hard to remove the wire, it just takes a little time and patience. Use some tweezers or your fingernails to pull up the edge, then start pulling the heatshrink off, cutting it as necessary, being careful to not cut the actual headphone cable. Once you're close to getting all the heatshrink off, you can pull out the wire. I had to twist the wire until it came loose, although other people have said they were able to pull it out easily.

 

[hardRAWKR]

Do you know if removing it voids the warrantee? I would guess that it does.

 

[ClieOS]

I will venture a guess that the wire didn't snap on your M6, just loosen on its anchor. If you take a look at the earpiece / transducer housing where the memory wire goes into, there is no special anchorage (unlike the other end of the memory wire, which is curved / bent back). When the mold is sealed, the plastic surround the memory wire will stick to memory wire under heat and hold it semi-firmly. But once you bend the wire with enough force, the plastic-copper will break their bond since it isn't very strong to begin with. Once that happens the copper is loosen up enough so you can have more degree of freedom to shape the wire.

 

[Ricardo Dawkins]

I using my set right now. Pretty hard to get a good seal when placing the memory wire over my ears. This get worse with my left ear. I didn't like it much.

after a good amount of tries, I just change the silicone flanges to the XL size and plug in into my ear canal without looping the memory wire over my ears. Result: Excellent seal. so good that I can't ear my wife screaming behind me.