Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro HD

Specifications:

Driver: 2x Dynamic Driver + 1x Balanced Armature Driver

Impedance: 32 ohms

Frequency response: 20 – 40,000 Hz

Sensitivity: 98 dB

Connector: Non-detachable

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated to Xiaomi in any way and do not benefit monetarily or in any other form for writing this review. I purchased this in-ear monitor with my own resources and I am simply giving my honest review of the product!

Review by: “Charlie” from The Little Audiophile

Xiaomi In-Ear Headphones PRO HD Retail Price (at time of writing): S$39

TLA Score
Physical Attributes
Comfort: 9/10
Durability: 7/10
Ease of Wearing: 9/10
Noise Isolation: 5/10
Microphonics: 7/10
Value for Money: 9/10

Sonic Attributes
Bass: 4/10
Mids: 5/10
Trebles: 6/10
Sound Stage: 5/10
Separation & Imaging: 7/10
Source Matchability: 8/10

Xiaomi In-Ear Headphones PRO HD – That’s what Xiaomi decided to call this thing. *Shakes head* I’ll just call this the PRO HD from now on as y’all will go nuts reading “Xiaomi In-Ear HHHeadpphoneeeess PPPPRRRRROOO HHHDDEEEE” over and over again. So, you’re welcome.

These retail for just under S$40 (US$30) and this price range is where most budget earphones are found.

THE BOX
The packaging is extremely simple. A White box with a picture of the IEM on the front, “Mi” logos on the sides, and specifications on the back.



Open the slide cover and you will be greeted by a plastic case with a clear lid which houses the IEM with the M-sized tips attached and 3 pairs of extra ear tips. Below this box, you will find another white box which houses the soft carrying pouch. But for S$40, I’m can’t ask for more.





Do bear in mind, the provided case is impractical to use in the long run. Inside this plastic case, you will find this soft-touch rubber cable management thingy which 99% of you will not use as it is just too leceh (Malay for Troublesome) to keep coiling your cable everytime you are stowing this IEM away.

If you decide to not use the rubber insert, it would expose the extra ear tip compartment, which has spikes to hold the tips in place. I am pretty sure it is not a good idea to put your earphones in there.



TL;DR just use the provided carry pouch…

BUILD AND DESIGN
Housing
The Xiao… I mean PRO HD is housed in a, get this – TiTAnIuM hOuSinG. I don’t know how Xiaomi is able to use such premium materials in something of this price honestly, but good choice of materials here. Overall, the housing is very light and does not weigh down on the ears. This earphone is only available in brushed metal silver.



I should say that throughout my 1 year plus of owning this earphone, and using them for sports, outdoor wear and even sleeping with them on, this earphone held up and is still going strong. Durability has been tested by yours truly *wink*.

I do not like the nozzle on the PRO HD. The ear tip stopper is not wide enough and the ear tip would tend to slip too far down the nozzle. The bore is Comply T400 sized and is fairly short, so comfort should not be a problem for most people. Opinions if any



Cable
The wire is 1.25 m long which is standard and the material Xiaomi opted for here is some kind of soft rubber which is very springy and I am not a fan of. However, it is not as bad as the one on the KZ ZSR‘s. Thank god that thing has a removable cable. Talking about removable cables, the PRO HD does not have one, so in the event that your cable does fail or break, then it will be time for a new earphone.

The PRO HD cable is very supple and flexible. Do note that there is no chin cinch on the cable if this is a deal-breaker for you. There is, however, a 3-button remote + microphone, which supports Android in-line functions for play-pause/call and volume up and down.



COMFORT
Comfort wise, these earphones are very comfortable to wear for long hours at a time. I found no pressure points in my ears and there was minimal heat build up too. The short nozzle also helped to prevent any abrasion or rubbing in your ear canal.

However, the stock ear tips are absolute garbage. Initially, I thought it was just me until I had 2 other friends who complained that the stock tips did not work for them either and were just atrocious when it comes to giving a proper seal and fit.



As such, noise isolation is just very poor. In fact, I could not even do a proper sound quality evaluation because of the poor fit and seal. As such, I had no choice but to use a third party ear tip to evaluate the sound quality. The ear tips I opted for was, you guessed it! The Final Audio Type E ear tips. In my experience, these ear tips change the sound signature of IEMs the least, so that I can be as objective as possible in this review. Unfortunately, even with a proper fit with these tips, the seal is quite airy and isolation is only average.

SOUND QUALITY
Note: Sound Quality was tested on my Huawei Nova 2i with AKM4376A DAC.

I chose to test this earphone with a normal smartphone with a decent enough DAC, as most users would not be buying a dedicated player or DAC to pair with this inexpensive earphone anyways.

I’ve ever owned some of the earlier Xiaomi earphones that cost less than the PRO HD that we are reviewing today. I can say that though the PRO HD is not perfect, I have to say that Xiaomi has come a long way in its earphone development. I would say that this product is strong in certain areas and weak in others. But for S$40, I’d say these are worth the purchase.

This earphone houses 2 dynamic drivers. Smells like it needs some burn-in doesn’t it? Yes. It does. A lot of it. I don’t remember exactly how much time I have put into the burn-in process, but I believe it is somewhere close to 200 hours. That’s pretty loco.

Pre-burn-in, the PRO HD had unbearable sibilance. It was just through the roof! In my self-declared sibilance test song “New Face” by Psy, every “s” sound was so prominent and pronounced that it was just a torture to listen to.

Post-burn-in, the sibilance has lessened but is nowhere near eradicated.

Soundstage, Separation and Imaging
The soundstage on the PRO HD was not very wide and lacked depth, width and height perception. Instrumental and vocal separation is decent for the price.

Vocals are flat in my opinion, and it somehow does not gel particularly well with instruments. It gives the perception that acoustic guitars and cymbals take a frontal presentation, while other instruments (especially drums) and vocals are positioned to the back.

Sound Signature
Sound signature? No question. These earphones are really bright. Despite the crazy amount of sibilance, the PRO HD is actually very detailed. I was able to pick out most of the minute details in tracks that I know well. However, paired with the substantially recessed bass, the PRO HD just does not sound full or weighty. Thus, overall, I just cannot say this is a resolving earphone because it lacks bass and lower-mid quantity and texture.

I would also, therefore, only recommend this earphone for acoustic, jazz or other down-tempo, lower energy music because of the sound signature.

Bass
This is undoubtedly the most disappointing part of this earphone. Bass hits are so recessed that it hits with no impact or authority. I actually visualize a half-hearted punch when I say this. Sub-bass wise, I did manage to make out a hint of sub-bass on certain bassier tracks, but that is as far as it would go for sub-bass response.

Mid-bass is slightly more audible, but again has no weight or punch to it. The note decay is also not quick. The best way to describe the bass is lethargic and sluggish.

Mids
The mids are flat and quite boring if I must be honest. Though vocals are not recessed, they lack the energy that makes them engaging or intimate. On quieter sections of the track, vocals sound too soft and can get masked by the trebles. On more complex tracks, vocals have the potential to get lost in the mix.

String instruments, especially guitar strums are pretty crunchy, especially on acoustic genres. However, just like the vocals, they can get overpowered by the trebles if the track is complex.

Trebles
The treble region is where the greatest strength and weakness of the PRO HD is found.

The good – The PRO HD is really bright and has great treble detail for the price. If you are looking for bright sounding earphones for under S$50, these are worth a look.

Now comes the bad. As far as these earphones are bright, they are not able to bring out the vocal detail and texture as the mids are just too recessed. Also, I feel that there is a substantial peak somewhere near the 10kHz range which makes the trebles downright sharp and piercing on tracks with larger treble presence.

PAIRING
Select Alternative Ear tips
I totally do not recommend the stock ear tips. Of all the people I know who has owned or owns this earphone, their number 1 complain is that these ear tips do not even give a proper seal and fit.



Although this test was conducted with the Final Audio Type E ear tips, I would personally recommend KZ Starline ear tips. They seem to elevate the bass response slightly while making the mid-bass less splashy. Sibilance is still hanging around though.

SELECT COMPARISONS
Note: All prices stated were at the time of writing.

PRO HD Vs Advanced S2000 (S$68)
These 2 earphones are of completely different sound signatures and though the price of the Advanced S2000 is a little higher, I feel you are getting a more balanced sound signature with the S2000.

The Advanced S2000 unquestionably has a V-shaped sound signature. It has a punchy bass and sub-bass extension is decent. Mids are not very recessed, but vocals do sound a little nasally. Treble rolls-off a little early i.e. the extension isn’t very good. Not much sibilance is exhibited in the S2000 and is in-turn less fatiguing to listen to for longer listening sessions.

The PRO HD has way less bass than the S2000. Vocals on the PRO HD are less nasally but are more recessed as a whole, because of the insane trebles. Talking about trebles, the PRO HD is no doubt the more detailed of the two but is also the (much) more sibilant.

The PRO HD is more well built than the plastic-housing S2000. The S2000’s cable is way cooler as it is braided and it also feels stronger as compared to the PRO HD’s cable.

If you are keen on trying out the Advanced S2000, you can actually go have a listen to them at Zeppelin & Co. located at Sim Lim Square, #02-78.

PRO HD Vs KZ ZSR (S$37)
The KZ ZSR has a U-shaped sound, but with more treble emphasis than bass. the bass is definitely punchier and weightier than that of the PRO HD and the mids are also recessed, but not as much as on the Xiaomi. Vocals are clear and articulate, though slightly lean. Trebles are sibilant, but it isn’t as bad as that of the Xiaomi. Overall, it is just a more balanced sound signature.

The overall build quality of the ZSR is worst than the PRO HD with it’s all plastic build which does creak a little if you press on the shell, but for the cable, it does come with a 2-pin 0.75 mm removable cable.

CONCLUSION
The PRO HD is an inexpensive earphone for the budget conscious listener. It does have it’s strong points, but there are also glaring weaknesses which could ruin the overall listening experience. If you are treble or sibilance sensitive, this earphone is definitely not for you.

Personally, I would fork out a little more ka-ching just to get a more balanced sounding earphone. The S2000 for one is a great option. However, if you strictly have to keep within your budget of S$50, I would highly recommend checking out KZ products (links to the KZ website will be below).

I do feel that Xiaomi has come a long way in developing their earphone lineup. Build quality is fantastic for the price, but sound signature wise, it just won’t please everyone.

To end off, if a bright sound signature is your thing, sure give these a shot. But if you are looking for a more balanced sound, there are many other brands offering this sound signature, possibly even for a lower price.

Do check out our WordPress site at https://thelittleaudiophile.wordpress.com/ for more reviews!

As an established Chinese brand, Xiaomi build their name over the years for their high quality products. This time they released the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD, a three-unit driver earphone, on the market. They are the successor of the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro. I always look forward for their products since they are always able to deliver great quality products in both design/materials and sound for a great price. Well, they did it again, Xiaomi put another great pair of earphones on the market!

Sound
The Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD is driven by 2 dynamic and 1 balanced armature driver, which are becoming more popular on the market nowadays. Xiaomi also shows with the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD the added value of the triple driver design, since they produce an amazing sound. The mid-tones and high’s are outstanding of the Xiaomi Hybrid HD Pro, they have a bright sound that produce crystal clear vocals. The clarity you hear in the vocals of songs are really amazing, they are clearer than the KZ ZS6 and Urbanfun Hifi’s. The high’s are crispy and detailed, which sounds awesome in combination with detailed mid’s. The bass is deep but a bit in the back, which makes them not really “bassy”, however they are nicely separated from the mid’s and high’s through the multiple drivers. The clarity and details of the mid’s and high’s are totally separating the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD from competitors. Due to that the bass is a bit in the back, you get the emphasis on the detailed and bright sound the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD produces which I love. Absolutely fantastic earphones for those who like fun-sounding earphones, and do not prefer an emphasized bass.

Design & Build Quality
The high standards of the Xiaomi are easily recognizable at the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD, as all components are build with premium materials. The earbuds are produced of aluminum material, which provides them a smooth rounded off look. The cables have a matte black look, which looks nice in contrast to to the aluminum looking components of the rest of the earphones. The controller including the microphone also contain an aluminum casing, as the 3,5 mm jack as well. It’s hard to find any weak spots in the design, as all details are finished off in the highest quality.

Comfort
In terms of comfort these earphones are really comfortable thanks to the curved shape of the earbuds which makes them fit really easy into your ears. I prefer the “normal” design over the backwards design (which the KZ ZS6 contains), since they are easier to pull in and out. I also used these earphones at some long listening sessions, and they really are comfortable in terms of their eartips. The Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD are deliver in an amazing box, containing small, medium and large eartips, and as well a clip that can be attached to you shirt when you use them for running.

Conclusion
Xiaomi proved again they were able to put a great pair of earphones on the market, with amazing build quality and sound for a low price. Compared to the former pair of earphones (Xiaomi Hybrid Pro) they were able to improve them significant. With the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD they brought an earphone on the market that distinguish itself with its amazing clarity of sound. The bass is a bit in the back in order to make place for the amazing clear mid and high tones. These are absolutely one of the clearest and detailed earphones I’ve heard. The premium materials used for the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD are making the earphones candy for the eyes. If you like a bright and detailed sound, and not required a “bassy” earphone, these are absolutely one of the best bargains on the market. If you don’t mind a backwards design, and a more presenting bass, I recommend to have a look at the KZ ZS6.

AliExpress link: http://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/fUniAAI

This review was originally posted on Earphoneking.com.

Xiaomi have always been ahead of it's time in budget high quality earphones and smarthphone, their goal look like to make accessible for the mass products that was only accessible for wealthy consumer.
My arrive at headfi and especially my obsession about chinese IEM begin mustly because of Xiaomi legendary earphone: the Piston V2. At this time, the IEM hype haven't really begin in China industry, there were few choice of earphones that promise good sound and durability, the Piston V2 wich I still own and listen too have survive multiple accident (like dropping them in my glass of beer) and sound as good as the first day 5 years later, hard to say that even for pricy earphones!
 
Now, lot of new interesting chinese brand (or DIY non-brand) have arrive and can be found on Aliexpress or Gearbest at absurd price, we became too spoiled and can expect out-of-this-world sound for little money, wich is good and bad, because there so much IEM on chinese market that we can be lost and confuse, not all of them are seriously good or have trustable quality check for construction, with the exception of XIAOMI.
 
All Xiaomi product are great value, even their 6$ basic edition piston sound good and have good construction, Xiaomi is a trustable brand but, and this is a big BUT, look like imitation and false produt always been a problem that came with their success, it was a problematic fact for their popular Piston V2 and still is as well for most of their other earphones including this one (you can find false hybrid for 5$ on ebay for exemple). One advice, buy Xiaomi products from Gearbest as I do, this way you will have and the best price and the certainty to have 100% original product.
 

 
So, Xiaomi done it big this time! And create a second version of 3 drivers budget iem that can easily kick ass of 100$ earphones if not more. 2 dynamics drivers and 1 balanced armature exquisitely calibrate to give a bassy AND neutral soundsignature with lot of microdetails and fun to it. Not too serious sounding and far from just pop oriented, all frequencies are treated with respect wich make these IEM as much exciting for audiophile that listen to classical and jazz than modern music lover that love electro and boomy pop. Even country or folk lover will find this Hybrid earphones superb, cause acoustic instrument are very detailed. For me, they are the big brother of Urbanfun hybrid that have the bass that a dualdrivers can lack, and a dynamic fun that is very rare to achieve under 100$. Quite simply, the Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro HD are a budget dream come true, not only due to the fact you can now have a REAL 3 drivers Hybrid for the price of a pack of 24 beers, but that even at 2 times it's price my judgement about sound will be the same.
 
 
SPECS:
 
Features:
* There are three drivers in each side. Dual dynamic driver+balanced armature driver. Elevate the music greatly.
*  Using HIFI Graphene diaphragm, improve the sound.
* Upgraded xiaomi hybrid earphone, It is compatible with Android and iPhone smartphone. Also tablet PC...
* Built-in clear microphone, have a good calling.
* Wire button design, adjust volume, switch songs, play/pause music.
* Wire material also improved, it is made of TPE material and more durable.
 
 
 
CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & PACKAGE:
 
The Xiaomi Mi Hybrid Pro came in a little stylish compact white box that include extra silicon eartips and a little pouch. Simple and elegant as always.
 
The Mi Pro design are similar to the Piston 3 but a little bigger and with the nozzle in an angle, it's made of brushed metal and plastic and is a little heavy (very little), housing feel very solid and look very good. Cable is standard quality but the remote control with mic is of great quality and work perfectly with my Samsung S3. Jack is made of metal too. Even if cable look flimsy, there a very important quality to it: it do strangely do not cause microphonic noise even if it touch your clothes etc (that's precious!). All in all, these look like more expensive iem. The design with angled nozzle make them very comfortable and easy to fit rightly in the ear canals, it is not prompt to fall and are not over ear.
 

 
 
SOUND SOUND SOUND:
 
For this review I use 3 different DAP: Ibasso DX90, Xduoo X3 & Benjie S5.
I don't listen music with my smartphone alot (if not never) but I try the Mi Hybrid mic and remote for this review too.
 
Earphones for comparaison are PMV A-01 Mk2 wich is an excellent 3 drivers IEM at 80$ (1 dynamic+2balanced armature) and DIY Geek Audio Hybrid Dual drivers (wood iem with 1DD+1BA).
 
 
LOW (bass):
Round, punchy bass with good resolution that doesn't bleed in the mids are what you get, this isn't boomy at all but have a good weight to it wich make electro music sound wonderfully energic and alive. Can't say that we feel the bass is apart from the sound spectrum as it can happen with bad tweaked 2 or 3 drivers iem, this is a somewhat dry bass that do not crave in the extreme low, there still sub bass but not a airy envelopping one, more a whole low freq presentation without lot of decay. It is fast and precise without feeling synthetic and have good texture to it. With this type of bass presentation we have a U sound signature instead of a V one, wich mean the vocals and mids are clear and more present, this make the Pro HD quite versatile for most music genre. Compared to the PMV soundstage is smaller and bass is more integrated to music, and more powerfull too, a little less precise due to the immense soudstage and very precise instrument separation of the PMV, sound of the Xiaomi is more warm but far from being veiled or not clear. Compared to the Geek audio dual drivers, bass is more foward and articulated, it have better resolution too, but I feel this 2 iem have alot in commun when it come to soundsignature, little more detail with the Pro HD tough. With the Ibasso DX90 these sound superb, and DX90 isn't a bassy music player, so perhaps it will sound much bassy with other type of DAP, with the Benjie S5 it sound weak and veiled, bass struggle to show his face, and this is NOT normal, so the Xiaomi Mi Pro HD need proper amping with there 32ohm impendance, not a amp, just a DAP that can give a little push, Xduoo X3 is small and do well with it as well as any smartphone, but little player like sansa or Ruizu will not be able to push the 3 drivers so it come alive for real.
 
Mids (vocal):
Clear, present, central and textured medium frequencies we got here, with a good sens of realism, perhaps it lack a little warmnest to it to make them more envelopping, but the resolution of whole sound spectrum would have been quite different. Vocal are not the kind you struggle to understand the lyric of a signer, far from it, cause of the good resolution it mix well with rest of instrumental and make the listening experience very sparkling and dynamic. It have good decay to vocal too, especially if you listen to folk or signer songwriter, for pop with big bass big beat etc it will be hard to discern the air between instruments even if the sound is not congested. I feel all frequencies are quite fowards with the HD pro, instruments separation is good but not with alot of space between them cause the soundstage is average, another time, don't take it wrong, it is not tiny sounding iem, more like listening in front row of a show than being in the middle of the band while they play. Compared to the 80$ PMV the vocal feel more gentle and pleasing, less harsh and peircing and do not create ''hissss'', PMV aren't very good with vocal even if they are agressively fowards, but they are more vast presented, due another time to the big soundstage, anyway, it hurt my ears right now so....compared to the Geek audio Hybrid the Xiaomi win another time, vocal are more precise with them and do not feel far away from you like with the Geek, it is less warm too, and make them very impressive due to the fact that the highs are very delicious too!
 
Highs (details):
Oh! I love details, cause as a human I always dream to have bat ears, this earphones are more like cat ears tough, cause they do not feel caricatural or too harsh sounding even if we go PLENTY of details and sparkling highs. The Xiaomi are impatient to show what they got, it will show the whole package at once, texture, micro details, different layers being discernable if you concetrate, all this in a clear but very fowards manner. Low, mids and highs live togheter in harmony, dancing togheter instead of all in there specific corner, this mean instruments separation are not chirurgical but very musical. This type of iem give you the wow effect when you listen to complex music that have plenty of layers and details, it do not became overwhelmingly intense tough and for untrained ears will not be a shock treatment. The only negative side is what I repeat from the beginning: size of soundstage make them feel more fowards than envelopping, but still are immersive, and very easy to listen to, wich is not the case with the PMV A01, even if the soundstage is big and instruments separation very precise, it feel too agressive and harsh sounding some time, The Xiaomi are full of details retreival without being too sharp, layers are well separated but the sound experience is not psychadelic and will not distract you that much.
 
 
 
CONCLUSION:
 
Oh my lord, my lord XIAOMI!
How can you have create such serious hifi iem at a toy price is just nonsensical....and unfair for any competitor. Is it the new era of ultra cheap 3 drivers hybrid earphone when 1 year ago we were super excited about dual dynamic that sound dull? I don't know, so, headfiers, don't be afraid and buy this iem for your collection or just as your unique all in one iem if you are on tigh budget. That with a Xduoo X2 or X3 and your in heaven! This 3 drivers iem are a must have just because of the absurd price, and exquisite sound experience and unique sound signature. With the mic and remote control, it make it a very usefull tool too.Personally, from the 40 pairs of IEM I try, this is the absolute best sound you can get under 50$ because it is versatile and detailed and got bass, if the soundstage was a little bigger and instrument separation more airy, well, we will talk about near perfection....Try them, this is a little investment for the big fun it give!
 
I buy them from Gearbest at a flash sale that is still going one...but not for long, after this it will be at a still absurd 28$ I think, check it out!
http://www.gearbest.com/earbud-headphones/pp_566702.html

Xiaomi released their first hybrid about 1 years ago. They are extremely cheap but most reviews said that sound quality is not the strong point for the 1st gen Mi hybrid. Then Mi Hybrid pro released late last year with just slight increase in price. Of course I am interested but the arrival of ultra excellent Onkyo E700M has keep me engaged and entertained well until I decided to purchase this Mi hybrid pro from Gearbest on 6/1/2016. It arrived yesterday and I immediately put it in burn in station. It has more than 30 hours of burn in period up until now.The box contained Mi hybrid pro itself with 4 set of black silicone tip and one cloth case with 1 more brand printed. The box said it was manufactured by 1more division. Unfortunately all the ear tip are too small for my ear and has to resolve with my trusty Spinfit L size.


Design;
The housing, remote and straight earphone jack are made of metal except for the black nozzle on housing which is plastic. The nozzle are angled so it is easy to recognise left and right side housing just by feeling. There is black coloured metal coming down from housing before the real cord come out. They are hard and rigid so it is really not a proper strain relief. Fortunately on earphone jack there is a real flexible plastic as a strain relief. Remote located on right cord. It has proper volume up and volume down button which worked well with my Lenovo A397i. Centre remote is fully functioning for music play/pause and double click to skip/forward song. Not tested yet for mic function. Cable/cord is a black rubbery plastic, not really prone to tangle. But since it was made by 1more I actually hope that its cable has fabric coating like my 1more voice of China. Generally the build quality is good but not top notch like 1more voice of China or even Rock Zircon.

With competitions; Onkyo E700M and Audio-technica CKB50.

Sound;
Well I don't have high hope on this Mi hybrid pro when it come to sound quality. Generally it is a V shaped sound with extra emphasise on treble. Out of the box it has a very high pitch shrilling sound with boomy bass. So definitely need a burn in to get the most out of it. I just put on my usual Spotify playlist and keep on playing up until it has more than 30 hours burn in period. Does it sound better? Yes. But the treble is still very bright and splashing with noticeable colouration and some sibilance. Bass amount about 7/10, and not as impactful as I wish. Vocal as expected is not prominent as compared to bass and treble but still quite clear. Details and instruments separations is below average so background voice and background/additional sound are still heard as distance sound. In general Mi hybrid pro has a V shaped sound with over emphasise on teble and fast but not impactful bass. Fun sound but not as aggressive as I prefer especially when listening to my metal, hard rock music.

Comparison to Audio-technica CKB50 ;
Not comparable. CKB50 is a bass oriented single balanced armature driver. Mi hybrid pro is clearly a better sounding earphone especially on treble and bass area. However CKB50 has better vocal and details. Not to mention it is more comfortable and lighter.

Comparison to Onkyo E700M ;
Triple driver vs single driver; easy win for Mi Hybrid pro? Not at all. Single driver Onkyo E700M has more balanced sound. Treble are controlled well with no sibilance and bass is more impactful. Voice and details are clear too. But generally the overall sound quality of Mi hybrid pro is not that far behind.

Conclusion;
This is stil one of the cheapest triple driver out there. Some other competitor is **** DT2 plus (2 BA+ DD) vs 2 DD + 1BA in Mi hybrid pro. The sound quality is excellent for something that cost 25USD. Next one probably want to buy the much hyped Urbanfun hybrid as comparison. Not recommended for everyone since many people will find that the treble and sibilance are not bearable to their ear. Me? I have to confess that I am more of treble head than bass head, so I prefer treble oriented earphones like Audio-technica CKX9, LZ Z03A, UiiSii HM7 etc. All come down to our own preference, otherwise just get more balanced sound like Rock Zircon or Onkyo E700M.

Author's Note: The original review can be found at my blog - Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD Review @ JayceOoi.com


Introduction
Xiaomi Piston 2 earphones is the one that bring me into audiophile world. It is well known for great sound yet value in price. I am so lucky to have their latest Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD (Gen 5) from GearBest. This hybrid earphones is loaded with dual dynamic + balanced armature drivers. Does it still packed with best performance from within? Let’s find out…

Features
- Dual dynamic + balanced armature drivers
- All-new design. Sounds good, looks good
- Full metal wired control
- Stretchable matte wiring
- Soft and comfortable ear buds


Well protected

Package Content
Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD comes with a nice package and well protected in a hard plastic case. Once opened, you can find pouch that can keep Pro HD with rubberize holder. There are extra 3 pair of ear tips (XS, S & L) and user manual in the package too. That’s almost everything that you need to get started and carry it around easily.


Package contents

Specifications
- Weight: 17g
- Wired control: Available
- Cable length: 1.25m
- Jack type: 3.5mm
- Rated power: 5mW
- Speaker Impedance: 32 Ω
- Sensitivity: 98 dB
- Frequency response range: 20 – 40,000 Hz

Design & Build Quality
Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD’s build quality is great with CNC diamond cut finished aluminium and solid plastic (for black part) as housing. Same apply to the metal wired control. Furthermore, it also comes with the highly stretchable TPE wiring that is hardy and durable. The 45° angled in-ear design fits snugly when worn cable down method. Can’t be worn over the ear unless you swap left and right channels by the way. There is marking to determine L/R channel on the inner plastic housing but I always use wired control with mic to locate right channel. And 2 vent holes on each earphone housing. As usual, just refer to the photos to know more about its outlook.


45° angled in-ear design


Remote with mic, plug & Y-splitter

Fit, Comfort & Isolation
Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD fits well thanks to small and lightweight housing. And won’t fell off even not wearing over the ear style. Yes, it is pleasant to wear for long hours (much better and comfort than Piston 2.0). As for isolation, average is what I can say. The bundled ear tips do not give the best seal here by the way (at least for me). You can always change and use 3rd party ear tips. For my case, SpinFit Ear Tip does a better job here.


4 pair of ear-tips to choose

Performance Result
Let’s talk phone call audio quality first. Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD performs well in this department thanks to closer to mouth wired remote design. Yup, others can hear my voice loud and clear. And I can hear others’ voice clearly too. As for wired remote, everything is working properly on Android devices – volume control, play, pause and next / previous track all are working great. However, iOS devices like iPhone, iPad and iPod are limited to play/back button only. Volume control is not working here. Do take note…


with Lotoo PAW 5000

For me, Mi Hybrid Pro HD has bright sound signature. Totally different from the last earphone that I had review. In short, it is focusing more on treble than bass here unlike the Piston 2.0 V-shape sound which emphasize both bass and treble. By the way, it is easy to drive with 32 Ohm impedance. No need external amp to get the full potential out of it. And will performs just fine on your smartphone and tablet for MP3, YouTube MV, games and movies. And of course, it surely sound better on dedicated DAP like Lotoo PAW 5000 and Zorloo ZuperDAC USB DAC with those high resolution FLAC.

Overall, crisp and bright is what you will get from highs. You might feel some Harshness on certain track (but not much for me). Mids perform well. Vocals are on the brighter side too. Bass is there but on polite way. As for soundstage, it is decent (much wider than Piston 2.0) and instruments placement separation is clear thanks to that. And that’s make Hybrid Pro HD a very nice earphones to own at this price point. Bigger soundstage is always a plus as it makes everything sound better.

Advantages
- Crisp & clear sound with polite bass
- Decent soundstage
- Excellent build quality
- Comfortable for long hour wear
- Nice accessories

Limitations
- Average isolation
- Microphonic (when worn down)

Conclusion
Love bright and clear sound earphones? Give Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD a try. You will like it as I do. With price around US$25, you can’t go wrong with it. As usual, more information can be found at Xiaomi Website. And get yours at GearBest like I did. Enjoy…

P/S – I checked with my wife who is using Piston 2.0 right now. She is happy that Hybrid Pro HD is much clearer and she love it. And this Hybrid Pro HD will belong to her from now on…

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Preamble:

Not too long ago, I received a mysterious package I really didn’t expect – inside was the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD, a hybrid in-ear with three drivers per side for less than $30.
I then remembered that George from GearBest asked me, also not long ago, whether I was interested in this in-ear or not, but when I replied with “yes”, I didn’t know that he meant for review and that I would receive it – so here we go now, with a very inexpensive hybrid in-ear with two dynamic drivers and one Balanced Armature driver per side.
Is it worth being listened to as an inexpensive model for people on a budget? This review that I try to keep short and snappy should answer this question.


Disclaimer: Quite obviously, I received this in-ear free of charge. Just as always, it will feature nothing less than my honest opinion without any bias.


Technical Specifications:

Price: $26.99 (http://www.gearbest.com/earbud-headphones/pp_566702.html)
Drivers: 2x dynamic, 1x BA (per side)
Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 40 kHz
Impedance: 32 Ohms
Sensitivity: 98 dB SPL @ 1 kHz


About Hybrid In-Ears:

As you can read from the technical specifications and mentioned multiple times in the preamble, the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD is a little different from most In-Ears and doesn’t only use dynamic or Balanced Armature transducers, but combines both in one shell.

Most In-Ears use dynamic transducers for audio playback which have the advantage of covering the whole audible spectrum and achieving a strong bass emphasis without much effort. Valuable dynamic drivers are often said to have a more bodied and musical bass that has a more soft impact and decay and lacks of the analytical character that BA transducers are known for. On the downside, in contrast to headphones with other driver principles, dynamic transducers often have a lower resolution.

Higher-priced and professional IEMs mostly use Balanced Armature transducers, which usually have got a higher resolution than dynamic drivers, are faster, more precise and have got the better high-level stability, which is important for stage musicians that often require higher than average listening levels. On the downside, it is quite hard to cover the whole audible spectrum with just a single BA transducer and strongly emphasised bass is only possible with multiple or big drivers. Some people also find In-Ears with BA transducers to sound too analytical, clinical or cold (in several active years in a German audio community where I wrote multiple reviews, gave dozens of purchase advice and help, from time to time I heard people that got into BA earphones for the first time using these attributes for describing BA earphones, especially their lower frequencies).

Hybrid IEMs unite the positive aspects of both driver principles and use one dynamic transducer for lows reproduction and at least one BA driver for covering mids and highs, wherefore the often as “musical” described bass character remains and the BA transducers add resolution and precision to the mids and highs – and that’s what the Hybrid Pro HD does with its technology. It is addressed to those people who perceive the clinically-fast character of BA transducers as unnatural, but want to keep the mids’ and highs’ resolution, speed and precision.


Delivery Content:

Despite the low price, one gets a full retail package , four pairs of differently sized silicone tips, some paper stuff, a soft carrying pouch and of course the in-ears themselves.
 

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Looks, Feels, Build Quality:

The in-ears are made of CNC-milled aluminium that looks and feels premium. The inner-facing side is made of plastic for a better heat distribution on colder days.
The cable is made of normal rubber and while it is a little springy, it appears sturdy, features a three-button in-line remote control and is really flexible. Though, it lacks a chin-slider and the strain relief could be better on some transitions.
 

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Comfort, Isolation:

Depending on how the in-ears are inserted (you can read more about this just in a moment in the “Tonality” section of this review), microphonics can be either on the stronger side or almost non-existent. Comfort is quite good.

Isolation is somewhat more on the lower side of average.


Sound:

My main sources for listening were the iBasso DX80 and HiFime 9018d.

The largest included silicone tips were used for listening and testing.

Tonality:

Before I talk about the effect of the insertion depth with this in-ear, let’s take a look at how the front vent on the inner-facing black part of the housings highly affects the amount of bass one is hearing, along with the upper mids, with both parameters increasing the more the vent is blocked/closed:
This is what I recorded with my pseudo-diffuse-field-compensated-calibrated Vibro Veritas coupler at normal insertion depth (you can read more about the graphs and process of how they are taken and the inaccuracy in my measurements following this external link: frequency-response.blogspot.com/p/about-measurement-graphs.html):


 
As you can see, the amount of bass is drastically higher with a closed vent, which is also the case when I have the in-ears inserted in my ears, so if you find the sound-bass-light (caused by insufficient vent coverage by your ear anatomy) or are a basshead, a simple tape mod of the vent will bring the bass forward by a huge margin.

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Some in-ears react stronger to insertion depth differences than others – the Hybrid Pro HD is one of them. In my opinion, a somewhat deeper insertion works best for the most coherent and harmonious sound, however it is somewhat difficult to achieve this due to the shape of the in-ears.
One way to still do it is to switch the sides and to wear the in-ears inserted twisted by 180° with the cables around the ears, whereas the other is to go without switching the sides but to also insert the in-ears twisted by 180°, which is however likely not comfortable at all.
Less deeply inserted, the treble will sound sizzle-y, artificial, not as coherent and tend to display harshness at higher volumes.
So this is the sound I am hearing with the ear pieces swapped and twisted by 180°, which I highly recommend to do:

The Hybrid Pro HD’s tonality is a very consumer-friendly, strong u-shape that tends to being w-shaped with an enhanced bass, strong upper treble and some emphasis on the upper midrange.
The amount of bass does definitely reach basshead-levels – around really strong 17 dB of an emphasis in the lower midbass and sub-bass compared to a diffuse-field flat in-ear are what I hear when taming the lows to elaborate how much their quantity is in my ears. Quite interestingly though, the bass doesn’t overshadow the midrange, doesn’t spill into it and only makes low vocals gain some body without becoming muddy. Using sine sweeps, I hear it as beginning around 600 Hz, then climbing all the way down to 40 Hz where its climax is that stays upright to 25 Hz and then loses quantity until 20 Hz (which is only really audible with sine sweeps). That its climax is reached so low is also the reason why it doesn’t overshadow the mids – so the bottom-end is strong, with a heavy bass and weighty root, but without spilling in the mids by much.

From 1 to 10 kHz, I hear the upper midrange/treble gradually increasing, with a moderate dip around 3 and 4 kHz, and a quite strong peak at 14 kHz with great extension above. This makes vocals shift to the somewhat brighter side/favours female vocals more.
So with the deeper insertion, there are no sudden peaks (excluding the one at 14 kHz), unlike with regular insertion depth where the treble is metallic, uneven and where the sound doesn’t appear coherent.

It is quite obvious that this kind of tonality is meant for pure fun and people who love a strongly v-shaped sound. And while I mainly prefer a neutral sound, especially at home, I can definitely say that I find the Hybrid Pro HD’s tuning to be very interesting and to deliver boat loads of fun – so yeah, on the subjective level, I also quite like its tuning for a consumer-friendly sounding.
 

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Resolution:

My first impression before I discovered what difference the deeper insertion makes, I heard the sound as being not coherent at all and very peaky and quite harsh – luckily I then played around with the fit a bit, which made the in-ear sound quite noticeably different.

The sound will definitely not be as coherent as out of a good single-driver in-ear, nonetheless I find it to be quite coherent and also more coherent than with 1More’s E1001.
The transition between the different driver principles is definitely not strongly noticeable, but it is there.

The bass remains surprisingly controlled despite the emphasis – it is more on the softer side but not yet boomy or muddy, while it softens up more towards the sub-bass where it can sound a bit loose with energetic tracks.

The amount of details in the midrange and treble is not necessarily really better than with a good single-driver in-ear in the same price bucket, however it is different here in the mids and treble in terms of presentation, as it appears to sound nimbler and quicker in the highs that however still tend to be a little edgy in their attack even with deeper insertion.

Overall, I would say that the performance is really solid to good for the price and presumably the best that can be achieved with a well-built in-ear with a multi-driver design for less than $30.
 

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Soundstage:

The Xiaomi presents a soundstage that has got around average width with about the same amount of spatial depth and height, which makes it sound quite three-dimensional and spherical.
With quicker and more energetic tracks, the soundstage remains surprisingly consistent and doesn’t collapse too much.
Separation is average to good – as good as one could expect at the price anyway, and better in the higher than the lower frequency ranges.

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In Comparison with other In-Ears:
 

 
Xiaomi Piston Colorful Starter Edition:
The Hybrid Pro HD has got more bass quantity, whereas the Piston has got the less bright midrange and the less bright treble that is however also on the brighter side.
The Hybrid Pro HD has got the punchier and quicker, better controlled bass whereas I consider both as being equally detailed in the midrange whereas the Hybrid Pro HD has got some advantage in the treble again.
The Hybrid Pro HD’s soundstage is larger in both directions and features the somewhat more precise instrument separation.

Fidue A65:
The Fidue has got considerably less bass, the more present and less bright midrange and the smoother, darker treble.
The Fidue’s bass is tighter and better controlled, with better definition, and the A65 has also got the superior midrange detail whereas the Xiaomi’s treble is better separated.
The Fidue’s soundstage is smaller but more precise to my ears.

AAW Nebula 2:
The Nebula 2 has got somewhat less overall bass quantity (it is however not that much less), the less bright upper mids and a less bright upper treble that is however also on the emphasised side. While the Nebula 2 does also have a really strong bass along with a somewhat elevated upper treble, it definitely appears more realistic overall and more balanced.
The around 5x more expensive AAW has got the quicker and better controlled bass that doesn’t soften towards the sub-bass, and also outputs more details in the lows. Its midrange and treble are considerably more detailed and refined in comparison.
The Nebula 2’s soundstage is a little wider with comparable depth and shows the cleaner instrument separation when put up against the Xiaomi.


Conclusion

The Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD is definitely not perfect – but can one get better sound from a hybrid in-ear at this price point? I rather doubt it. So on a budget and with a preference for a strongly v-shaped sound, the Hybrid Pro HD can definitely be considered as an interesting model, however it only sounds coherent and non-metallic in the treble with a somewhat deeper insertion, which might be difficult to achieve.