Yeah, long time I haven’t been impressed. With MEE Audio, once former Meelectronics, I’ve known for a long time and love them available but interesting model. More than a year ago, the company decided “to threaten on William, you know, our Shakespeare” and release a top-end headphones. Implementation took longer than planned, but the result in the face of the P1 now lies before me, and I spent 2 weeks to formulate their impressions.
I don’t think I’ll reveal a secret, saying that 90 percent of the headphones coming to our markets — it’s just OEM products of major Chinese factories. Sometimes you can be very surprised to learn who in fact produces a particular model. In reality, to release their own headphones very easy, although expensive. Select the appropriate manufacturer, are looking for in his catalog interesting option, order the samples, listen, add the package accessories in the package, order a batch with your logo. Production in the same ESMOOTH, for example, sold under dozens of brands (one of them model, by the way, now dramatically gaining popularity, but it’s not about her).
Most connoisseurs of portable audio when the words “development of headphones,” imagine experienced professionals acustico, disappearing for days in a special soundproof spaces to create formula for the perfect sound. Partly it is true there is without audio specialists, not do, but a lot more work falls on the shoulders of the product designers. They develop packaging, printing, design, delivery, all headphones. Usually, their work remains virtually unnoticed. Remember, what sensations you experience from unpacking good headphones, if there is a feeling of delight, it means that the product designer did their job for a reason. By the way, sound quality and packaging does not occur very often, normally she fits the definition of a “yeah, not bad”.
At the Pinnacle (literally “peak”) positive emotions haunted me throughout the experience. Very nice to see the model, which has worked, and not just assembled from pre-engineered OEM.
MEE Audio, known for its affordable models, the price tag of which does not exceed $ 100, was devised very carefully. The first prototypes were shown a year ago, but the final tweaking was required for another year, and it was released only in 2016. In this model, the unusual almost everything: housing material, speaker, cable internal damping, special acoustic resonator. Separately, it is surprising that the price tag remained very affordable, the cost of P1 is $ 200. Of course, I can’t say that it is a direct cheap but compared to similar models from other companies, the price tag is more than good.
Well, it’s time to start the review. Keep in mind, to compliment the headphones I much model I liked, so I would like to explain in detail why.
Specifications
- Emitter: dynamic, 10 mm
- Frequency range: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
- Impedance: 50Ω @ 1 kHz
- Sensitivity: 96±3dB/mW @ 1 kHz
- Cable: symmetrical, with detachable MMCX connectors
- Weight: 13 g without cable, 29 g fully
- Frequency range microphone: 100 Hz – 5 kHz
- Microphone sensitivity: -40±3 dB
Packaging and delivery package
That’s just immediately clear that this model is a product of love. Traditionally, two-layer packing, tight box of thick black cardboard placed in the “dust cover” made of cardboard normal. The outer cover used all modern printing technology: embossed, embossed print, a combination of gloss and matte surfaces. This all looks very neat and appropriate. On the back, traditionally, the performance characteristics of different languages on the front — photo headphones. On one side is placed a unique serial number assigned to each model.
The inner box is revealed in the middle by folding in the two segments of the cap, like I’ve never met, it’s definitely more fun various magnetic valves. Covered in a traditional soft cradle located the headphones, case and two separate cardboard boxes accessories. It’s still missing the adapter for 6.3-mm plug and a small manual, containing much useful information: how to disconnect and connect cable, how to change nozzles, how to use the foam from the COMPLY and so on.
Complete one of the boxes contains the nozzle. With headphones you get the standard odnoplanovye 3 pairs of nozzles of different sizes, two pairs duplancich of slightly different configuration, and a pair trehglazaya. Also in the box you will find three pairs of COMPLY foams in different sizes.
The second box contains two cables, a simpler one touch headset and a very cool wire without a headset, but the cables will be described below. Also in this box was a clothespin for fastening clothes.
Overall the packaging and the supplied earphones perform below expectations.
The design and usability
Appearance I can’t describe, not constantly jumping up on all sorts of excellent epithets. To start MEE Audio used is zinc alloy, die-cast, and the final polishing is generally carried out manually. This gives the headphones a very unusual colour, I couldn’t begin to describe, something between silver and bronze, with longitudinal stripes of metal texture. To match the material and shape, it uses a combination of curved lines and soft edges that give Pinnacle a little bit of vintage charm. It complements clearly stamped on the outside of the logo. The forum noted the similarity of shape of headphones with a Golf club that, in my opinion, is quite a compliment.
Headphones not only are cold hands the metal casing, but also retard it some weight. Fortunately, sophisticated hull form allows you to properly distribute the weight, and discomfort in wearing they do not deliver the slightest. Put them behind you and method, and more traditionally, with the cable down. To help understand the drawings in the instructions. I personally prefer behind-the-ear wearing. With proper selection of nozzles prolonged wearing does not cause the slightest discomfort. Soundproofing is good and depends on the used nozzles.
Very good words deserve complete wires. Of course, they are interchangeable and use MMCX connectors. The one with the headset — very good, thick “braid” made of copper in black silicon insulation, resists tangling, no noise from friction when wearing BTE, looks good. Block headset is made predominantly from metal, the button has a good click. The microphone is also very good. The block splitter, and plug are made with high quality and concerns about reliability do not inspire.
But this pales against the second wire intended to be used with the players. Unusual color that complements the style of the enclosures themselves headphones, silver plated copper, good combination of softness and reliability. In General, it is a cable with which you begin to understand why so many are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on replacement wire for headphones. Immediately this wire is already in the kit. By the way, the cables are sold separately on the website MEE Audio, I already think about buying a couple for use with other headphones. Good wire from “pokerbring” is worth more than 50 dollars, requested MEE.
The sound
To listen used the following equipment.
- NuPrime DAC-10H and Resonessence Labs Concero HP in the role of DAC and amplifier
- Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
- Fidelia in the role of player
- Fiio X7 and Luxury&Precission L5Pro in the role of portable players
- Gr01 VSonic, Dunu Titan 1 and Dunu DN-2000J in the role of headphones for comparison
- Recording high-resolution Lossless-formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)
Before listening headphones were heated for 48 hours.
Over the sound P1 is also clearly worked. Inside the housing along with the radiator lies the special resonator for high frequency, allowing them to play with more energy. Because of this, by the way, the sound of the P1 were quite unusual and like nothing on earth. Headphones bright, with a very detailed submission. Like many high-end models, Pinnacle is very demanding of the source, planting and selection of nozzles. For example, foams from COMPLY slightly conceal HF, and mnogopaltsevy nozzles add bass, although at the cost of slight degradation of detail. After a series of experiments I settled on odnoplanovye large nozzles, since they are most clearly evident positive features of P1.
The bass is fast and very detailed. The main emphasis in the supply of low frequencies made in the area of mid bass. Deep bass is present, but it is sometimes a bit lacking in quantity. That is, when it indicates its presence quite clearly, but not completely confident. I suspect that this is included in the plans of developers, since the headphones are clearly intended for the serious genres, which do not presuppose the dominance of the subwoofer, and the over-emphasis on deep bass could prevent unfold “the middle”. The rest of the bass is very good, if you’re a fan of quality, not quantity the filing of this range. He’s fast, not blurred, the texture, everything is as it should be.
As for MF, this time to praise them is easy. Of course, they’re very good, detailed, emotional, and so on and so forth. But then P1 has taken another step forward and managed to surprise. The fact that these headphones build for me the most incredible imaginary scene: wide, deep, with excellent separation of instruments and three-dimensional positioning. I don’t know how they do it, because the construction of “scenes” for IEM is largely a deception of the brain, so it is subjective, but these headphones managed to do the trick for me. Not the fact, however, that the same will be with any other listener, but the subjectivity of sound perception dictates its own laws. The flagship MEE Audio is especially good with genres that benefit from the resolution and volume — chamber music, vocal, instrumental styles, and so on. Especially the vocals, to my ears, he’s just incredibly good.
The treble is the part that will cause a lot of controversy surrounding P1. Headphones were tuningova to capture a treble with excellent resolution and energy. They are, for my taste, not overdoing it with the amount falling down to the sharpen, and the region of sibilants took control, but the amount of information in the HF range, clears this model, is really staggering. I strongly suspect that this is also due to those characteristics of an imaginary scene, about which I wrote above. Recording with plenty of percussion sometimes be revealed from an unexpected quarter and for new sounds. Actually, from here arise certain disadvantages, or, more precisely, features. First, P1 is not exactly for headphones RF-forov, their upper frequencies are not crushed and are therefore not suitable for those who at any cost avoid this range. Secondly, these headphones are incredibly critical to the quality of source and recording old albums with badly mixed treble will sound very bad, and players, not very good at controlling the range, “delight” sound metallic. In General, great headphones need an appropriate components.
Compatibility
Don’t quite understand why the supplied cable added to a headset, to use these headphones with smartphones is frankly unwise. Is that with the Fiio players, supporting management with a headset that makes any sense. Headphones are critical to the source and show all the features and problems of players and amplifiers. Of all my zoo players, most of all I liked they are with L&P L5Pro, just put on a good show and Fiio X7.
Genre headphones I would recommend for lovers of very good sound and quality music. “Low genres” to listen with the Pinnacle P1 meaning about the same as in buttering oysters mustard. Also wouldn’t advise these headphones to fans of heavy genres in the records of these styles often have problems with RF, and not needed there volume and sordelet. Although Iron Maiden and Dream Theater, I listened to them quite gladly. Is surprisingly good also “went” electronic music, of course, among the intelligent races. Without question well listen to jazz, especially modern and remastered, great vocal and chamber music, orchestral classics and instrumentalists-virtuosos.
Sensitivity to the quality of the recording I would rate at 9 out of 10.
As usual, several tracks examples.
Goodspeed You! Black Emperor — We Drift Like Worried Fire. The creativity of such collectives I’ve always associated with the genre of painting in Suprematism. Simple scattered fragments, is not suitable to each other, merge into a huge single sheet, acting on a subconscious level. GYBE tracks filled with very versatile moves and space-convex, therefore these headphones show their best side.
Sergey Rakhmaninov — “Symphonic dances” Op. 45: II. Andante con moto (Tempo di Valse). A wonderful recording of the Minnesota orchestra under Eiji Oue. That’s it for this music, for my taste, and created by P1. Light as the wind, beautiful as the aroma of wild flowers, three-dimensional, like the sound of a spring forest. And in this case, P1 is able to entrain and transfer the music to the level of emotions.
Kent Poon — I Should Care. Perhaps the most logical addition to the selection of tracks for this review will be something from jazz. I barely restrained myself from having to choose miles Davis, very much it is good for P1, but that would be too corny. So, digging in your library, I found this song. Great quality recording, which good headphones, makes it easy to imagine yourself next to the performers.
Conclusions
Very bold experiment, which went to MEE Audio, has yielded the fruits. The headphones were quite unusual and very stylish. Separately the good news is that the company did not wring for them a huge price tag, as would most “famous producers”. In General, recommend these headphones to everyone I will not, but if you listen to serious music, and you have a suitable source — I advise you to pay attention to Pinnacle.