It’s Xiaomi’s new and improved In-Ear Monitor (IEM) featuring a“hybrid dynamic and balanced armature driver configuration”promising better sound quality while still maintaining an affordable price tag of $18 or around ₱850.
This is the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro:
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| Is this worth it? |
Summary of the Review
Advantages:
- Very good sound quality
- Premium-looking design
- High quality to price ratio
Disadvantages:
- No organizer included
Unboxing
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| Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro manufactured by 1MORE Design. |
The Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro came in a white paper box that looks simple at first glance but turns out to be a very thoughtfully designed one. All you need to do is tear a seamed strip and pull another piece of paper to unbox the earphones.
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| Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro unboxing. |
There are two boxes inside the package. One contains the earphones itself while the smaller one has three pairs of replacement ear pads.
Sadly, there was no rubber organizer included. Although looking at the bent wires of my Mi Pistons v2 caused by its organizer, I realized that it’s not really a big deal.
Design and Comfort
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| Metal housings. |
The Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro has grooved metallic housing for its plug, controller and the earphones itself. Add to that the braided fabric for the wire with Kevlar reinforcement and you have a very good looking IEM for its price.
There are also subtle design choices that makes this IEM stand out for me. One, the term “HD Audio” printed on the back of the front housing of the earphones. This tells your seatmate that you have high quality earphones without using any brand name.
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| “HD Audio” |
When it comes to usability, its plug has a slight hump making it easy to plug in and out. The Play/Pause button of the controls also has raised ends that lets the user identify it by touch. The controller helps the user determine which earphone goes to the right aside from the letter “R” and “L” etched on the front cases.
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| Gold-plated plug. |
It’s also quite long as 1.25 meters that I can place my phone in the lower pocket of my pants and still have some extra cable so that it’s not too tight.
Lastly, the ear tips are slightly angled and that might turn off some at first glance. But it’s actually more comfortable for the ears than straight ear tips.
Sound Quality Comparison
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| Comparing with other headphones. |
This is, of course, the most important part of this review and the sound quality of the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro impressed me.
Take note that I’m not an audio expert or audiophile. I can, however, compare the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro with the Mi Pistons v2, Roxcore Street X5 Headset and a Chinese OEM in-ear headphones.
Needless to say, the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro blew the OEM IEM out of the competition. The OEM IEM that came free with a smartphone just can’t do justice for music listening. It also sounds better than the Swedish Roxcore Street X5 Headset in terms of bass, sound volume and isolation. Lastly, the difference between this and the Mi Pistons v2 is minimal but still readily apparent.
Dynamic and Balanced Armature
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| Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro balanced armature. |
Now let’s talk about the “hybrid dynamic and balanced armature driver configuration” of the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro. This means the earphones have two speakers – one called dynamic and the other is called balanced armature. The first one is the most common speaker design (it looks like all large speakers) and performs better for reproducing bass. On the other hand, a balanced armature driver is used in hearing aids and sounds produces better high frequency sounds or the treble.
The effect of using these two speaker designs together is an overall better sound quality. The bass is punchy and clear while the treble is clear and detailed. There’s also a subtle 3D surround effect that audiophiles commonly refer to as the soundstage. It means the sound can appear to come from the front and back, not just from the sides.
Songs
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| Listening… |
Using the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro, I listened to Wake Me Up When September Ends by Greenday. The song’s chorus is usually a challenge for earphones and but the Pro managed to give a clear and detailed output. The Hills by the Weekend also sounded great with all the bass in the background and those vocals.
Of course, pop songs such as What Do You Mean by Justin Beiber andFocus by Ariana Grande sounded great too.
Even complicated pieces such as Queen’s Bohemian Rapsody is a joy to listen with the Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro.
Conclusion
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| I like it! |
The Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro is another high quality product from Xiaomi despite its relatively low price. The design and build quality is top notch while the sound quality is comparable to and sometimes better than more expensive earphones.
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