[MGuedes]

MEElectronics M21 Headphones Review – By Miguel Guedes​

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Resume:

The Meelec M21s are a very nice pair of in-ear phones, a good option for the 40$ budget range. They’re balanced, fun to hear while presenting you with a nice detail. They’re comfortable and very good at isolating the sound around you. Its main weak point is the junctions of the wire in the micro, in the M21Ps (According to MEElectronics, this problem will already be solved on the upcoming M21Ps, with an improved microphone).

Still, a perfect option for a music lover.

Specifications:

•Driver: 6.8 mm dynamic drivers
•Housing: Metal with two-tone color scheme
•Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
•Sensitivity: 92 dB
•Impedance: 16 ohms
•Maximum Power Input: 20 mW
•Connector: 3 pin stereo 3.5mm gold plated 90° plug
•Cable: Designer black (black) or clear (blue, red, lavender) 130 cm cable (51 in) with attached shirt clip
•Accessories: 4 sets of silicone ear tips (small/medium/large; bi-flange), clamshell zipper case
•Compatible Accessories: Comply T-400 foam ear tips
•Warranty: 1 year
•Dimension: 0.25 in. H x 0.3 in. W x 0.7 in. L
•Ship Weight: 0.75 lb

From MEElectronics website

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After some exchange of e-mails, I was quite excited because MEElectronics decided to give me my first chance at reviewing headphones. I read their website, and when they presented me a list, I decided to choose the M21s, because I was very curious about them. They are somewhere in the middle range of MEElectronics, and are described as being fun to hear, with enhanced bass! I listened to them a lot, made a lot of research, and here I am to post my results. Yet, thanks a lot to MEElectronics, for this unique chance and trust! If this review is of any value for you, the credits are for them!

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The package:

Well, I believe the package they sent to me was a normal sales package, so, I had all the accessories that come with the M21s. And those are:

•The headphones (duh!)
•The bag with the 4 sets of tips (S/M/L/Dual-Flange)
•A small but yet useful mini-purse
•Papers… with some info…

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I think all of them are useful, the headphones will be the star of the review, so, we’ll talk about them later. The tips, I found them very comfortable, and they isolate the sound quite a lot! They are one of the best I’ve tried, at isolating. I usually put the volume in 13/32 and I can still hear perfectly my music, even in the metro, which is noisy. My favorite ones are the Small (Didn’t really like the Dual-Flange), but somehow, I lost one of them, and the same happened with the Mediums, so, I’m using the Dual-Flange.

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The mini-purse is very practical, it has a small net where you can put the bag with the tips, for example. And the other space where the headphones fit perfectly. I carry it with me all the time.

The materials:

Both the headphones and the cable seem to sustain a good portion of strains and other abuses. It’s weak point, for me, is the junction between the microphone and the right ear-bud, it is a bit fragile, fact that will be improved on the new units. But the headphones are made of metal, and I liked that. Even in the design, they do seem very nice, they don’t look cheap! The cable is apparently textile, wrapped in a transparent plastic. Looks durable (and it has been, until now). They don’t produce microphonics when you walk, which is another pro point.

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The filter in the earbuds can get a bit dirty, with the earwax, and if you’re not careful, you may damage it while cleaning.
 
The sound:

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And here we are, at the part most people are looking for. How do the Meelec M21s sound?

They sound very well for the price! Or, better. They sound really good, despite the price. This makes them an amazing choice for someone looking not to spend that much money, but still wanting something that makes you enjoy your music.

As MEElectronics promised, the M21s have bass. But it’s not that boomy or grained, tiring bass. It’s a very smooth bass, that you can feel, but it doesn’t overwhelm you, or distort the rest of the sounds.

The soundstage could be a bit bigger, I think. It isn’t very deep, but its main problem is that it’s not large. Still, it’s decent, it compares well with other headphones on this range.

They’re surprisingly detailed, too! I didn’t expect to hear whispers and guitar resonances in some songs, but I did, and it amazed me! It can get a bit lost when in the middle of loud and quick riffs, that demand a lot of separation between sounds, but it’s very rare, it happened with me in two songs only, I think. Otherwise, it deals well with quickness and hardness, when not simultaneously! Voices are detailed, realistic and smooth. Once, when in my first days with the M21s, a funny episode happened. I was walking down the street, hearing Fade to Grey – Visage. On the first seconds of that music, the singer says twice “Deperir a Gris”. I must confess, at the first time, I even looked back, to see if someone whispered something to my left ear! It was instinctive (and dumb!!!), but it’s an example of the detail of this headphones.

So, they sound amazingly, I strongly recommend them. They can wrap you in the middle of the music, giving well the sense of left and right on the instruments. The soundstage could be larger, but it’s not something I would call disappointing.

The comfort:
They are very comfortable, I can wear them non-stop for many hours, without getting tired, neither of the sound signature, which is warm and fun (while still presenting detail) nor the ergonomy of the headphones, which fit nicely on the ear, you can run with them put on (if you choose the right tip) and don’t make your ears hurt.

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The several sizes of tips provided.​

Conclusion:
The M21s are an outstanding deal on its price range, even challenging some more expensive headphones. They sound really good, are comfortable, stylish, well built. Its value-for-money is very high, and I would strongly recommend them!

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Notes:

1.I couldn’t try the microphone, because I don’t have a Mac, and my Pocket PC uses a different connection. That’s why it isn’t mentioned in this review.
2.All tests were conducted in an MPMan MP182 MP4 player, and in my Toshiba A300.