I've been wanting to get a 2nd IEM to take some usage and wear off my RE0. Since I love the RE0, I'm don't want to settle for a cheap-o phone -- in price, yes, but not SQ. Been hearing good things about the MEElectronics AI-M9, saw that they made some recent updates and revisions, so I thought for $23, it is worth a shot. Got them yesterday and listened to them for about 45 minutes, then put them on a CD repeat play overnight to give them a bit of break-in time.
After about 20 hours of play, I'm listening to them and their sound signature is ... interesting. Your brain really has to adjust to it's presentation of stuff. At first listen, instrument separation and detail seem good, and soundstage feels very spacious.
But as your brain is trying to adjust to these phones, it seems that MEElec is trying to mimic some cross-feed, or reverb, or "concert-hall" sound effect, something like that, because instruments seem to get pushed out and back to the back corner of the stage. Mid-channel stuff, like lead vocals, seem OK, but anything away from center starts to sound isolated and indirect. Lower mids and bass seem to be hard to locate.
As I have listened some more, it appears that the trebles are detailed, but the mids through to the lower bass are not detailed or well placed -- rather hazy, fuzzy, almost ethereal. Stereo imaging is OK on simple music, but as things get busier, the imaging seems too spacious and the sense of cohesion is lost -- it seems you are hearing a collection of instruments, not "music", if that makes sense.
Swapping to the RE0 brings everything back into position. It seems more closed in, but I realize it is my brain having gotten used to the exaggerated separation of the M9. After a minute, the RE0 starts to sound just right again.
So I guess I keep looking for a good sounding inexpensive IEM...
After about 20 hours of play, I'm listening to them and their sound signature is ... interesting. Your brain really has to adjust to it's presentation of stuff. At first listen, instrument separation and detail seem good, and soundstage feels very spacious.
But as your brain is trying to adjust to these phones, it seems that MEElec is trying to mimic some cross-feed, or reverb, or "concert-hall" sound effect, something like that, because instruments seem to get pushed out and back to the back corner of the stage. Mid-channel stuff, like lead vocals, seem OK, but anything away from center starts to sound isolated and indirect. Lower mids and bass seem to be hard to locate.
As I have listened some more, it appears that the trebles are detailed, but the mids through to the lower bass are not detailed or well placed -- rather hazy, fuzzy, almost ethereal. Stereo imaging is OK on simple music, but as things get busier, the imaging seems too spacious and the sense of cohesion is lost -- it seems you are hearing a collection of instruments, not "music", if that makes sense.
Swapping to the RE0 brings everything back into position. It seems more closed in, but I realize it is my brain having gotten used to the exaggerated separation of the M9. After a minute, the RE0 starts to sound just right again.
So I guess I keep looking for a good sounding inexpensive IEM...