MEE Audio M7 Pro In Ear Headphones Review

MEE Audio M7 Pro Pros&Cons

MEE Audio M7 Pro Specs

• Impedance: 16Ω
• Driver configuration: Hybrid; 10mm dynamic + BA
• Frequency response: 10 Hz – 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: 96 dB +/- 3dB (1mW @ 1kHz)
• Cable length: 130cm
• Cable connections: MMCX

Packaging

 

Whilst the packaging for the M7 Pro is overall similar to that of the M6 Pro, there have been a number of changes. Firstly, the box is no bigger (thicker). MEE audio have also designed the packaging to incorporate a magnetic flip cover. Flipping this coer reveals the M7 Pro ear pieces behind a clear window on the right-hand side, Whilst the left-hand side showcases some of the technology use din the M7 Pro, including an exploded view of the M7 Pro.

What’s in the box?

• M7 Pro
• 1x Stereo MMCX cable
• 1x Stereo MMCX remote / mic cable
• 2x Shirt clips
• 2x Pairs Comply foam eartips
• 5x Pairs silicone eartips
• 1/4” adapter
• Quick start guide

 

Accessories

Carrying over from the M6 Pro, the M7 Pro comes bundled with quite a number of items. Again, we get 2 cables included; one being a stereo cable, whilst the other includes an inline mic/remote.
A noticeable change is that MEE had not increased the total number of included eartips, although this time around we get 2 pairs of genuine Comply eartips instead of a single pair, and 5 instead of 6 pairs of silicone eartips.
However, MEE had included a wider variety of silicone eartip styles with the M6 Pro, whereas the M7 Pro comes with 4 different sizes of single flange tips, and one pair of dual-flange tips

 

 

Read: MEE Audio M6 Pro In Ear Headphones Review

Design

Design-wise the M7 Pro shares a lot in common with its predecessor, along with a few necessary changes. The housing design has become noticeably bigger and bulkier, especially if you look at the nozzle area. This was of course necessary in order to fit the BA driver in there. Because of this housing size change, the M7 Pro doesn’t sit quite as comfortably as the M6 Pro. Where the M6 Pro had a rather negative profile in the ear, the M7 Pro definitely stick out a little more. We’ve also found that the M7 Pro sits more comfortably by using a slightly smaller size eartip than what we would use on the M6 Pro. For example, our go-to eartip is the JVC Spiral Dot. On the M6 Pro we’re perfectly happy with the ML size, as it sits comfortably and creates a good seal. On the M7 Pro, however, the ML just makes the M7 Pro stick out a bit farther from the ear, and doesn’t maintain a seal as well as it should. As such, we found that the size M Spiral Dot eartip worked as well on the M7 Pro as the size ML does on the M6 Pro. So, if you’ve got a preferred eartip too, this may be something you’d want to keep in mind.

The included cables have also undergone a bit of a change. Compared to the M6 Pro’s cables, the new cables are more silver in colour, they’re slightly thicker, and feature some added bulk to both the 3.5mm jack, as well as the y-splitter.

A noticeable improvement in the design is that of the MMCX connectors. The M6 Pro had slightly recessed MMCX connections, which meant that it was sometimes a real pain to line up and insert the cable into the earpieces. The M7 Pro, however, features a more widely-used adoption of the MMCX connection, which is considerably easier to deal with. This is not to say that the connection seems weaker, as the cable does indeed sit snugly and securely (unlike the incredibly poor/weak connection of the Fiio F5).

Sound

Test Setup
Source: Hidizs AP60
DAC/Amp: IFI Micro iDSD Black Label

So, of course the question on everyone’s lips is, “is it an improvement over the M6 Pro?”. Yes…somewhat. Vocals are definitely more natural and clear, far more akin to MEE’s flagship Pinnacle P1 than the M6 Pro. However, the most noticeable change is that the M7 Pro has more powerful and present bass. This makes it difficult to judge whether or not the M7 Pro truly is an improvement over the M6 Pro, or merely a change in direction.

Whilst the M6 Pro certainly couldn’t match the natural, clear, and detailed signature of the flagship Pinnacle P1, what the M6 Pro does have more in common with the Pinnacle P1 than the M7 Pro is a rather well-balanced frequency response. The M7 Pro, on the other hand, seems to feature a more v-curve signature, which of course will be a more widely-accepted sound signature. But it almost seems as though MEE had gone a little too far with the bass. The problem is, it’s ALWAYS there. This results in a thick, warm, and somewhat dark tonality; a departure from the brighter, more neutral overall signatures of the M6 Pro and Pinnacle P1.

Eartips

Stock Silicone
The included silicone eartips perform reasonably well. The dual-flange eartips work particularly well in terms of sound and comfort, and they’re very similar to the dual-flange tips that are included with the Pinnacle P1 (although not as soft and comfortable).

Comply
Personally, I never get along with Comply tips. They just elevate the bass frequencies too much, and often muddy the sound. They also kill the soundstage for me. Unfortunately, this holds true for the Comply tips included with the M7 Pro too, at least compared to the silicone tips.

SpinFit
SpinFit tips are quite popular aftermarket tips, as well as being bundled with some of the more expensive IEMs out there (such as the Rhapsodio Galaxy V2 and Dunu DK-3001, among other). Spinfits are some of the most comfortable tips out there, and many people swear by them. However, due to their narrow bore diameter I find them to alter the sound in much the same way as the Comply tips (although not to quite the same degree). They just make an already less than neutral set of IEMs sound even darker and more rolled off.

JVC Spiral Dots
Aah the Spiral Dots; my go-to eartips. Whilst the Spiral Dots aren’t quite as comfortable (but very close nonetheless) as the SpinFits, what they do to the sound is well worth the compromise. Due to their large bore-diameter, the Spiral Dots just make the M7 Pro feel more even and detailed. Whilst the higher frequency roll-off is still there, it isn’t quite as obvious as with the other tips. And even though they Spiral Dots still create a nice seal within the ear, they don’t squash the sound stage either, allowing for better instrument separation and stereo imaging.

Read: MEE Audio Pinnacle P1 In Ear Headphones Review

Value

The M6 Pro was jampacked with value at a mere $50 asking price. For a while this made the M6 Pro the value king. That was until the Venture Electronics Monk came along.
The M7 Pro, however, simply couldn’t hope to regain MEE’s place as the value king. For one, the current king (the Monk Plus) costs a mere $5. But more importantly, the M7 Pro now costs $150, triple that of the M6 Pro. That’s a pretty damn big leap in pricing, and puts the M7 Pro much closer to MEE’s flagship Pinnacle P1 ($200) than it does to its predecessor.
As such, judging the M7 Pro’s value is proving to be quite a difficult task. The M7 Pro certainly isn’t a bad product, in fact, many people will find its v-curve signature and clear vocals exceptionally agreeable. However, a $100 pricetag may have been more appropriate, given the degree of improvements on offer. Had MEE Audio just refined and tamed the bass response a bit more, perhaps then the signature would be more in-line with that of the Pinnacle P1, in which case $150 asking price would have seemed more reasonable. Perhaps it is unfair to pit the M7 Pro against the Pinnacle P1. Perhaps the Pinnacle P1 is an anomaly – a thing that should not have been. But whatever the case may be, MEE Audio had set the benchmark for themselves with the Pinnacle P1, and as such, any subsequent IEMs they create at or near the Pinnacle P1’s price will be judged against the Pinnacle P1.

Rating

The TECH MERIT rating system is designed to take as many aspects of the device into account as possible. As such, we have a basic rating, as well as a final rating. The basic rating rates the product purely as a high quality portable audio device, and is generally a good indicator of how it stacks up to its rivals in terms of standard features and specs. The final rating, however, grants bonus points for any extra features and specs that aren’t quite as common, and is a great way to judge the product as a complete package.

Packaging
Look and feel: 9 / 10

Included Accessories
More than 3 pairs of eartips included: YES
Protective case: YES

Build
Quality control: 9 / 10
Seems durable: YES
Microphonics: 7 / 10
Comfort: 8 / 10

Sound
Relatively balanced signature: –
Soundstage: 7 / 10
Detail retrieval: 7 / 10
Sibilance: 8 / 10
Instrument separation: 8 / 10
Isolation: 8 / 10
Hiss: 8 / 10

Portability
Small size: 8 / 10
Relatively low power required: 9 / 10
Weight: 9 / 10

Value
Competitive price-point: –
Relative value: 7 / 10

Basic Rating: 7.9

Bonus points
Removable cables: YES
Number of cables included: 2
Premium cables: –
Pairs of eartips above 3 pairs: 4
How premium the case looks and feels: 6 / 10
Battery life above 8 hours: –
Bluetooth: –
Apt-X: –
Volume/remote controls: YES
Metal body: –
Interchangeable filter system: –
Premium look and feel: –
Use of exotic materials: –
Bluetooth connection quality: –
1/4” adapter included: YES
Cable management: –
Aircraft adapter: –

Final Rating: 8.7

 

The Competition:

FiiO EX1 2nd Gen Headphones

Shure SE215 Headphones

 MEE Audio M6 pro

 

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