bigandtall
100+ Head-Fier
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- Oct 27, 2008
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CC51P Review
A few weeks ago, I received a review pair of CC51P from Joe over at MEElectronics. I already had a pair of MP6’s and based on my overall good experience with those IEM’s, I applied on the website to be a reviewer.
I waited to give a full review because I wanted to give some time for 1) the CC51P’s to fully burn in, 2) for me to get used to inserting them, 3) and to experience them with a number of sources and in a variety of situations. In some other reviews, there were complaints about the CC51P’s being way too bright initially. I had that experience as well, but it went away as the drivers burned in.
I’m as jumpy and distracted as anyone when it comes to new gear and wanted to be able to give a real review. I’m glad that I did. The CC51P’s have quickly become my all day knock around headphone that goes with me from subway to work and back.
As much as I’d like to be a stay-at-home audiophile with a dedicated rig and a perfect environment, that is not my reality—especially with a two-year-old in a New York City apartment. What I need is a good, portable headphone that I can travel with and can easily take in and out of my ears at work.
I have flirted with various over the ear headphones and IEM’s and none was a true, practical, all-the-time headphone. Of course, a headphone that fits all situations doesn’t truly exist. However, this one comes close enough for me.
They aren’t perfect, but they are quite good and well worth the money. I would absolutely purchase them even if they weren’t a review copy.
Here’s a quick rundown of my thoughts:
Comfort/fit:
I think that with inner ear models, the fit and ease of insertion are as important as the actual sound coming out of them. If you can’t insert them comfortably and get a good seal, it doesn’t matter how good they sound. I’ve had issues getting a good seal with both ears with other IEM’s that I’ve tried.
The CC51P’s have a microdriver that is right at the tip of the earbud. The plus here is that they don’t need to go as deeply into your ear canal as other IEMs. My issue with other IEM’s has been the depth needed for a good fit. It always ends up being super uncomfortable and doesn’t feel quite right especially if I try to wear them for a few hours.
After some trial and error with the CC51P’s included tips, I was able to settle on a double flange model that gave me a good fit and was easy to insert. It took me at least two weeks of trial and error to find tips that were comfortable and gave me a good seal. Also, it took a while for the silicon to loosen up.
With IEM’s, I think it’s easy to dismiss them as not sounding good if not enough time is given to really figure out how to fit them properly. I think this goes for all IEM’s. The wait was more than worth it for the CC51P’s. I can wear them pretty much all day without issue. I can’t even do that with good over the ear headphones.
I’ve also been using them for at the gym and running outside lately. I wouldn’t say that they are perfect for this as they do eventually slip out of my ears—but they’re not that bad either, especially for an IEM that isn’t marketed as a “workout” headphone.
Sound:
I listen to a lot live funk and jambands as well as a lot of recorded classic rock, funk, and New Orleans music.
The sound of the CC51P’s is forward and has a decently 3-D, airy soundstage. The mids have a nice full, presence which I’d say contributes to the “clarity” sound that these IEMs are marketed under. The bass is tight and refined—doesn’t sound artificial or flabby at all, but it’s definitely a major presence in the music.
I listen to a lot of live audience recordings of bands and cheap headphones are pretty unforgiving with these kinds of tracks. The smooth, tight sound from the CC51P’s gives life to these recordings that I wasn’t able to experience with other headphones, especially on the go.
Most of my listening is on the go with my blackberry or iPod or on my Macbook at work. I do have a Millet tube amp and it sounds great on that (obviously), but frankly that’s not what these headphones are all about. They aren’t reference headphones and aren’t really meant to be, IMO.
Listening on more mobile devices—as I tend to do more often than not—they shine and give me a sound depth and quality and soundstage that is better than anything that I have experienced with other IEMs. Again, the fit and portability are a real factor that makes them an all day kind of headphone for me.
The microphonics are not bad, especially when you wire them under your shirt or jacket and use the clip. I liked the provided tips, but as I said before I took the time to experiment with all of them and worked them in. I tried inserting them over the ear, but didn’t really find that a practical way to listen to them.
As far as the microphone goes, it works decently well with my blackberry and the mute/remote button is fine.
Build:
The ceramic housing is aesthetically pleasing with it’s muted metallic shine and feels nice and solid. It almost looks like metal but is quite lightweight. It’s, dare I say, a little bit classy looking.
I don’t love the cable. Functionally, it’s fine, but it’s a bit thin and feels cheapy and plastic, especially as compared to the MP6.
My one complaint is that the metal ring that holds the driver on one of the phones came loose after repeated use. I think it’s because the way that the headphone is designed, pressure is put on that ring when you insert the headphone.
I had the issue on one pair and the people at MEE immediately sent me another pair, no questions asked. I had it again on the second pair and ended up just using a little super glue, which more than fixed the issue and saved me the back-and-forth time.
Overall:
Overall, I’d say that if you are looking for a great sounding headphone in the sub-$100 price range for use on the go that you can wear all day long, this is a great choice. It’s well worth the cost and it looks quite nice. Give some time to find the proper fit for you and you’ve got a “can’t lose” kind of purchase.
