Mi Headphones Review [Quick]

I’m no audiophile and this review is my own opinion. I will seek further feedback from audiophile friends, and update accordingly.

Xiaomi recently launched the Xiaomi Headphones introduced the 15th January, and went on sale during the Mi Fan Fest on the 8th of April. I ordered a pair during the MFF for SGD$119 and received my shipment on the 10th of April.

Specifications

• 50mm Beryllium Drivers
• Semi-open Acoustic Design
• 32-ohm Impedance
• Sensitivity of 98db
• Max Output of 50mW
• Remote & Mic (1 button, compatible with both Android devices, and iOS devices with iOS5 and above)
• Cable Length of 1.4m
• Silver-plated Copper Wiring
• Gold & Black colour
• Weight of 220g (With the over ear pads, my pair measured 253g)

I’ve been a user of Xiaomi products since they launched in Singapore (Redmi (sold and replaced with the Redmi Note), Redmi Note, Powerbanks, Pistons – IF Edition and the MiBand) and the products have left a great impression on me with their great value and price point. I was using a pair of Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 headphones up until sometime last year where I sold it as someone had offered a good price for them. So when XiaoMi launched the headphones, I took the opportunity to jump on them since I was actually looking around for new headphones.

What’s in the box

The packaging for the headphones follows the Xiaomi aesthetic and arrives in a uncluttered, plain white box. Upon opening the box, you are presented with the various accessories and rigid case that come along with the headphones.

Contained within are :

• Rigid case containing the headphones, the removable cables, an in-flight adaptor and a 3.5mm to 6.3mm jack
• [Item 01] Over-Ear Soft Cushions
• [Item 02] On-Ear Foam Cushions
• [Item 03] Drawstring Bag

  

Item 01 – Item 03, Left to Right

First Impressions (Build Quality)

The headphones come with the On-Ear Soft Cushions, and the product has a sturdiness to it that really emphases the quality and thought that went into making these headphones. The leatherette headband (with red stitching) is amply cushioned and the ear cups swivel for greater comfort to the wearer. The clamping pressure is good, without being painful and I wore them comfortably for 2 hours while gaming, without any discomfort.

The finish is great with a subdued gold hue to them, but I feel like the finish would be prone to scratches or nicks. These are not a pair of headphones that you want to throw around if you don’t want to get a rugged look on them.

I’ve always preferred earphones & headphones with a removable cable as I am convinced that the most common point of failure is the cable itself. Having a removable cable will let you keep using these headphones (with an appropriate cable swap) until the structure or drivers give way (as those are the only parts that can’t be replaced easily).

The cable provided by XiaoMi is a kevlar reinforced cable and the section from the jack to the microphone is covered in a braided sheath. From the mic to the earcups, the cable is a standard rubber covering. The inputs on the headphones are a non-proprietary 2.5mm jack and the cable clearly marks the L and R with color coding. The cable strain relief on the 3.5mm jack is a metal spring which is a nice added bonus compared to the standard rubber strain reliefs.

My preference is that the removable cable was a single jack rather than having 2 jacks for the L & R drivers, but this implementation works OK too.

I really like the ear cushions system that Xiaomi have adopted for these headphones. The ear cushions are attached to the body with a locking ring and can be released by turning them 90˚ counter-clockwise. Although I don’t foresee myself changing the cushions out that often, this is the first pair of headphones I’ve encountered that did not require you to stretch the cushion over the drivers. I immediately switched out the attached On-Ear Soft Cushions for the Over-Ear Soft Cushions as I personally prefer an over-ear setup for comfort and a better seal around the ear.

When they say soft ear cushions, they really mean it. These are extremely soft and will mold around your ear without any discomfort at all. I’ve not tried the other 2 pads, but the on-ear soft cushions feels exactly the same. People who like on-ear headphones should be able to use these without getting their ears crushed, even after hours.

First Impressions (Sound Quality)

These “tests” were performed with the over-ear cushion as I prefer an over-ear setup. No headphone amp was used due to the headphones’ low impedance.

The semi-open design allows the Mi Headphones to achieve a great soundstage comparable to the AD700 and really allows you to get a sense of lateral space from whatever you’re listening to. Due to the design, I can hear the air conditioner going in my room without any input. External sound leaking in will be much worse if you are out and about (e.g. in a MRT or Bus). However, I like the open design as it still allows me to be aware of situations like a door bell (Perhaps a courier dropping off more online shopping).  I definitely would not use these on a plane even though they have thoughtfully provided an in-flight adaptor.

I will seek for more opinions on the audio quality as I am in no way qualified. I have begun doing a burn-in, and will run the burn-in for 48 hours before listening again to see if the sound improves or changes. 

The word that comes to mind for me in describing these headphones is, “Warm”. The mids and highs are decent, and the bass is slightly stronger than I’m used to. Well, the website for the Mi Headphones did say that they were “All About The Bass”.The instruments on my chosen test strack, Eagle’s Hotel California, was clear, natural and unfatiguing. The music I listen to tend to be less bass-heavy and the headphones perform well in that regard. With tracks that are more bass-heavy, the overall experience may feel a bit muddy and congested.

A quick test in Team Fortress 2 confirmed the headphones’ surround and sound staging capabilities, allowing me to pick out where shots had come from easily. Feedback from the other players indicated the mic was working perfectly well, with my voice being audible and clear. (I had to use a splitter that would allow me to get separate jacks for the mic and audio, as the cable only has 1 combined jack)

 Conclusion

For the price I got these headphones at (SGD$119), I feel that I’ve made a great choice in picking up these headphones. I like these much better compared to the AD700 (the only other headphone I’ve used, that is similar to the reviewed pair) as they provide better bass for a well-rounded warm listening experience. They work well without needing a headphone amplifier and can be driven by your phone easily. The build quality is sturdy enough to hold up for day to day usage. Overall, great value to be found in these Mi Headphones.

The thought put into the provided accessories like the cushions and cases, allows anyone to achieve a comfortable setup and I really do look forward to seeing what other 3rd party accessories will start coming out after these headphones have been in the market a while longer.  Upgraded 3rd party cables should be coming along soon enough and you can even make your own cables, thanks to the non-proprietary 2.5mm jacks.

Thanks for reading and feel free to leave your comments and feedback.