Why You Can Trust CNET MEElectronics M11P+ Sound-Isolation In-Ear Headphones review: MEElectronics M11P+ Sound-Isolation In-Ear Headphones
MEElectronics M11P+ Sound-Isolation In-Ear Headphones
MEElectronics started to gain some traction at CES 2010 with its line of affordable and durable in-ear headphones, and the company continued to impress when we reviewed the $40 M6 and the $20 M9 sets. If you've got an eye for patterns, you may guess that the M11P+ earphones are an even cheaper addition to the line. In fact, these earbuds are a step up, clocking in with an MSRP $70. However, we expect them to retail for less, as that has been the case with other earphones from the company. Plus, these don't sound any better than the M6 earphones do, though the inclusion of a mic and call answer button helps justify the increase in price.
MEElectronics M11P+ Sound-Isolation In-Ear Headphones
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
As with its lower-priced brethren, the MEElectronics M11P+ earphones have an impressive, seemingly durable design. You can choose from red, black, or silver models, with those colors corresponding to the shiny coating on the earpieces. Descending from the earpieces is a 52-inch cable that is covered in clear plastic, and seems to contain cloth-coated wires within. As a result, the cord has bit of a shine and is also impressively thick and reasonably tangle-resistant. The cable terminates in a gold-plated L-plug that features an ultraflexible, reinforced housing.
We're actually somewhat amazed by the earpieces of the M11P+; they may be the tiniest we've ever come across. Each one is oblong in shape, superslim, and about the size of a vitamin overall. This certainly helped with fit in our case, but those with larger-than-average ears may have issues. That being said, MEElectronics includes a startling array of eartips in a variety of widths, depths, and styles, so most users should be able to find a comfortable configuration. We found the earphones to be comfortable for hours of wear, and they stayed put during activity as well.
In addition to the plethora of eartips, the M11P+ earphones include a few other extras worth noting. Probably the most compelling is the tiny module integrated into the right portion of the Y cable. This contains a mic and call answer button for use with mobile phones, and there's also a shirt clip for adjusting it closer to your mouth. The package also contains a hard-sided carrying case and an airplane adapter.
With the impressive performance delivered by MEElectronics cheaper models, we went into the M11P+ review with fairly high hopes for these earphones. We can confidently say that the headphones came through about how we expected. Those who are itching for more bass will certainly be satisfied, as the M11P+ earphones--like their brethren--definitely pump on the low-end. The downside is that some tracks suffer from distortion, and the bass is loose and a bit mushy, meaning it can have a tendency to overpower songs. There are certainly plenty of listeners out there who prefer this, so no huge knocks there.
The upshot is that the M11P+ earphones aren't totally lacking in high-end detail, and most individual instruments and sounds are well-defined despite the forward low-end. That being said, if you prefer brighter, crisper, and slightly cooler audio, these will not fit the bill. The mids also seem ever-so-slightly flat to us, but on the whole, the headphones offer up warm, enveloping sound. Electro-pop, indie electronica, hip-hop, and dance music all performed nicely. Still, it's worth mentioning that although these earbuds represent roughly a 40 percent price increase over the M6 set, the sound quality isn't noticeably better. The inclusion of the mic helps with this disconnect somewhat, but we're not sure that feature alone is worth 30 bucks.