LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Enjoy an incredible booming bass, a detailed midrange, and extended treble due to the 40mm large-aperture driver with advanced APTX-LL technology, that provides lossless transmission and crystal clear, smooth sound without compression or interruptions!
WIRELESS OR WIRED, YOUR CHOICE! If you want to listen to your favorite music dancing around in your room, our headset is wireless; but if you want to chill and play your favorite PC game, they magically become wired! Choose what suits you best – thanks to their comfortable design, you will forget you’re wearing them either way!
USE IT WITH ALMOST ALL DEVICES! Being universally compatible, our headphones work with all iPhones, including 7/7plus/6/6S, Android phones, including Samsung Galaxy S5/S6/Edge, and all kinds of smartphones, tablets, iPads and similar devices that have a Bluetooth or a 3.5 audio jack! Moreover, it works perfectly with Mac and a variety of applications such as Skype or Whatsapp.
EXCELLENT QUALITY CONSTRUCTION! Forget about non-working or glitching headphone sets you had in the past! Our over-the-ear headphones are made using premium quality materials and a powerful lithium rechargeable battery so that your favorite music can accompany you for a long time!
Sometimes you know you have a winner if that’s the one pair of headphones that you keep reaching for. I find the MS301 a very easy to use pair of headphones. It is comfortable. It sounds good.
Packaging
The MS301 comes in an attractive, large box with gold graphics on a matte black background. The inside plastic that carries the headphone is of average quality. A USB cable and a 3.5mm audio cable packed inside another matte black box completes the package. The fact that they enclosed the cables inside another box makes for a much better presentation. Some cheaper Asian branded headphones just leave the accessories randomly flowing in the underside of the plastic container.
Bluetooth
This is the best and worst part of this pair of headphones. On the plus side, it supports AptX. I connected my 2017 MacBook Pro to it via bluetooth running AptX. This has to be the connection method of choice. The bad part about the MS301’s bluetooth does not support any sort of multi-point connection. It seems to only pair with one device at a time. I have to re-pair the headphones when I switch between devices. So if you are planning to use it for both say a laptop and a mobile phone, this is not the headphone for you.
Range for this headphone is mediocre. I get 20 feet line of sight maximum.
Sound Quality
The MS301 has a reasonable flat response, with a slightly boosted base. This is important for me as I listen mostly to jazz and classical where good vocals are important. I ran it through my standard set of tracks.
Starting with Eric’s Song by Vienna Tang, The Waking Hour: This is a simple track with Vienna’s silky vocal singing along a piano. I can hear all of the nuances of her voice interlaced with the piano. Switching over to Exit Music (For a Film), by Radiohead, OK Computer: Changing from Tang’s female vocal to the booming vocal, with a multi layer supporting vocals and instruments. All the audio tracks are still coming through cleanly. The bass is slightly boosted but not over powering the vocals.
For fun I always then play Exit Music (For a Film) by Brad Mehldau, The Art of the Trio, Vol. 3: — the Jazz original. This is a very different style of course. The piano is front and center with various percussions building up around it. Sound stage is good with this pair of headphones.
Changing style complete I went to Trust by Christina Perry, Head or Heart. The rocking bass line is strong but not overly boosted. A similar track: Viva La Vida by Coldplay plays equally well.
Battery Life
What I love about these full size headphones is that the battery last a very long time — too long to test accurately. I manage to test my pair of MS301 over an entire week before I have to recharge it.
Controls
All the controls for the headphone is on the right, with a power button/pause/call near the top, and volume up/forward, volume down/backward button pair down near the bottom. A small multi-color LED near the power button shows you the status of the headphone. I find that occassionally I hit the power button by mistake because it is near the top. One time it initiated a redial on my phone (pressing the power button twice) because I was trying to turn up the volume.
Power Button: long press on/off. Single press: pause/play/answer. Double press: redial
Volume Up: single press up, long press next track
Volume Down: single press down, long press prev track
Comfort
This pair of headphone is very comfortable. The ear cups have soft foam covered by a soft synthetic leather material. For my medium size ear it covers my ear completely without too much clamping force. The headband is also padded. The entire ear cup swivel 90 degrees to the back (For folding flat) and forward by 45 or so degrees. The hinge construction seems to be mostly metal.
Conclusion
These Asian branded headphone keeps getting better. I have reviewed several pairs of mixcder headphones over the years and each new pair is better. The MS301 sounds good, looks great and is comfortable. The retail prices are getting closer to the $100 mark so it has more competition. The comfort, AptX support, and long battery life gives it a big advantage.
Specs
40mm driver, 32 ohms
bluetooth 4.2
500mAh battery, 2 hour charging time, 20 hour active use, 2200 hour standby
Cons: * Might be pricey for some
* Could use more accessories (e.g. travel case)
Introduction/Disclaimer:
I would like to thank Mixcder for the opportunity to review the MS301 over ear Bluetooth (BT) headphones. They provided me a free sample in exchange for my honest opinion. The current price for them on Amazon is $89.99 USD. Here is a link to purchase:
My Background and Sound Preference:
Don’t consider myself an audiophile. Just a music lover. One of the first sets of headphones I owned was a set of Koss Porta Pros. Didn’t know it at the time, but the Porta Pros were a well liked set of HPs by the Head-Fi community. Don’t have the Porta Pros anymore. The best set of HPs I own at the moment would be the Audeze Sine on-ears followed by the Monoprice M1060s. Sound preference is a slight “v” shape FR. Preferred genres are EDM, classic and progressive rock.
Specs and Accessories:
From Mixcder’s website:
Build Quality and Accessories:
The MS301s come in a nice cardboard box. Inside are the headphones, 1/8” diameter plug male to male audio cable (~1.2 meters long), short USB charging cable and instruction manual. The headphones have a quality feel to them. Metal ear cups, padded metal head band and soft ear pads. The left and right indicators are large and located inside the ear pads. This is a nice touch in my opinion. Really easy to see which is which.
The included cable isn’t much to write home about. Really thin and flimsy. This is a BT headphone so totally forgivable. There is an audio quality improvement using the cable. However, no one buys a BT headphone to use with a cable. Therefore, this review will focus on BT audio only.
The controls are laid out well on the right ear cup. It’s easy to turn the volume up/down using one’s right thumb. The power button is towards the top of the ear cup and easily accessible.
Comfort:
I’m very picky about HP comfort. Have gotten rid of excellent sounding HPs and IEMs due to fit and comfort. I find the MS301s to be comfortable. Not extremely comfortable like say the Sennheiser HD598. Just “comfortable”. They do get hot after an hour or so but most HPs with pleather pads do. Headband force is evenly distributed and doesn’t exert point loading causing pain.
Usability:
No issues here. Pairing with my Galaxy S6 was very easy. The manual does a good job outlining the features of the HPs as well as pairing instructions for multiple devices. Pairing takes place automatically a few seconds after the HPs are turned on (after the initial pairing procedure has been completed).
Sound Quality:
The MS301 has an elevated bass. I don’t find it to be particularly boomy. However, it isn’t very defined or textured either. Mids are a notch or two behind the bass. Vocals sound good and have adequate clarity. Treble has some sparkle but isn't particularly detailed or extended. Overall, these HPs have a warm sound signature and are enjoyable to listed to. IMHO, they are not very detailed and can sound meh on some tracks. Isolation is pretty good since they are closed back. For on the go, the gym or stroll around the block, they should serve their purpose admirably.
The above sound comments are all for BT mode. Using an audio cable with the MS301s yields a different beast. Sound becomes more vivid and has more depth. Details pop out that were not there before. Bass gets some texture. Entire spectrum gets some clarity.
Phone Calls:
Vocal quality for phone calls is good (both ways). Didn't experience any drop outs or complaints from others during phone calls. The advertised range of 30 feet appears to be accurate.
Conclusion:
Overall, I think the MS301s are a great BT headphone. I’ve owned two other BT headphones in the past. The Brainwavz BLU200 in ears and Sony MDRXB-(can’t remember the model, didn’t have them long). The MS301s have better SQ and build quality than either of them. Suggested improvements would be the inclusion of a travel case and the addition of Automatic Noise Canceling(ANC) functionality. These improvements would drive up the price, of course, which could be why they aren’t included.
Notes:
This review was performed using a Samsung Galaxy S6 in BT mode. Both Google Play Music and Power Amp were used to play various genre tracks (e.g. EDM, classical, classic rock, etc.). Listening level were moderate to moderately loud.
Pros: Good fit. Very well made. Sonically pretty well balanced. Very good mids, with enough bass to satisfy most, while the treble is somewhat rolled off. Price! Good looking unit. Portable. BT connectivity is easy and solid. Overall a very good unit, regardless of BT.
Cons: Slightly heavy. Pads are quite squishy. I would prefer a pad option. A carrying case would be nice, or a cloth/pleather bag.
Mixcder MS-301- 4.25 stars
I reviewed the Mixcder x5 IEM a while back, and thoroughly enjoyed my time with that fine little critter. So much so, that they are now my go-to IEM when I work out (it is a sports-IEM after all…). Tough, inexpensive, very good sound, and easy to drive I liked the overall appeal of this little unit. I was very impressed that a small IEM for $17 could sound that good. After my review came out, I was approached again by Mixcder to review their “updated” Bluetooth headphone, the model MS-301. I was humbled that the company thought so much of my review, and through the course of conversations on a Head-Fi thread, “we” participants described a viable plan for the company to quickly get word out regarding their next model. Financially it made sense, and several of us signed up.
I sit here listening to Eric Clapton, and Dave Matthews on the MS-301, along with a small Chinese DAP (another story…) thoroughly enjoying the sound. For $89 (Amazon), you get an over ear Bluetooth-capable headphone with a solid rich sound and excellent build qualities. Having never experienced Bluetooth headphones, I come at this like a kid new to an experience. I have no pre-opinions, since I had no experience…. and I hope that with that “lack of experience” I can shed some neutral advice on the headphone/Bluetooth combo. At least I hope to…
I want to thank @Mixcder for their gracious opportunity to review the “updated” MS-301. All they ask in return is an honest interpretation of what I hear. And I would have it no other way. A hint….I like it so far…
Our package contains a set of wired/wireless headphones, a micro-USB charging cable, a 3.5mm audio cable AND a very practical and detailed user's manual to help you get the best out of your new headphones!
LISTEN TO YOUR MUSIC LIKE NEVER BEFORE! Enjoy an incredible booming bass, a detailed midrange, and extended treble due to the 40mm large-aperture driver with advanced APTX-LL technology, that provides lossless transmission and crystal clear, smooth sound without compression or interruptions!
WIRELESS OR WIRED, YOUR CHOICE! If you want to listen to your favorite music dancing around in your room, our headset is wireless; but if you want to chill and play your favorite PC game, they magically become wired! Choose what suits you best – thanks to their comfortable design, you will forget you’re wearing them either way!
USE IT WITH ALMOST ALL DEVICES! Being universally compatible, our headphones work with all iPhones, including 7/7plus/6/6S, Android phones, including Samsung Galaxy S5/S6/Edge, and all kinds of smartphones, tablets, iPads and similar devices that have a Bluetooth or a 3.5 audio jack! Moreover, it works perfectly with Mac and a variety of applications such as Skype or Whatsapp.
EXCELLENT QUALITY CONSTRUCTION! Forget about non-working or glitching headphone sets you had in the past! Our over-the-ear headphones are made using premium quality materials and a powerful lithium rechargeable battery so that your favorite music can accompany you for a long time!
BUY WITH EXTRA CONFIDENCE! Our goal is to offer you the best quality headset at the most antagonistic price in the market. However, if you aren’t entirely satisfied with your purchase, don’t worry; we also offer you a 30-day money back guarantee – not to mention a 12-month WARRANTY as well!
I am older. I am happy that I have rediscovered the joy of music, through personal listening devices. Through this opportunity, I have become exposed to some wonderful kit. Much I now own, much I covet. Much I would never purchase, for various reasons.
My listening style has changed somewhat over the years…from old time Rock-n-Roll to the Blues to Reggae, to Bluegrass. I cut my teeth on Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Outlaws, The Who, Santana, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, David Bowie, Bob Marley, and Pink Floyd. But the music I hold dearest and nearest my soul, is Stevie Ray Vaughan. I was lucky enough to see him perform four times…twice in open air venues, followed by (that evening each time!!!) smoky blues bars, where intimate would be an understatement. Each holds a very special place in my psyche, and I can almost remember the whole of each concert in their entirety…
I enjoy a warmer signature in my equipment, and listening, with a good bass line (but not basshead), complimented by outstanding vocals. Combine the sweetness of SRV’s guitar and Billy Holiday’s voice, and you get my musical grove.
I was pleasantly surprised at the quality build of the 301’s. I shouldn’t have been surprised after the quality of the x5, but oh well. With a mix of aluminum, pleather, stainless steel (the headphone band) and plastic the Mixcder is a well-built unit, which belies its price point of sub $100. While the headband is not adjustable bend-wise, there is enough play to fit most heads. I will say that it may be a bit tight for larger heads, but the clamp pressure is just about right. For smaller heads, it may be a bit light, but with a hat, I had no problem keeping the unit on at all.
Comfort for long listening periods is actually quite good as I had them on for several hours on three different occasions. I found no discomfort whatsoever. With a hat, they did not slide around at all. Without, due to the shape of the headband, the 301 did slip a smidge when moving my head down, but with the band pleather material, the Mixcder did stay put quite well overall. Battery power is also quite good. I have had the unit for close to two weeks, with approximately 18 hours of listening time. I charged the headphones for the first time, today. So, the company claims of 20 hours listening, and up to 2200 hours stand by time are possible...I am unsure if the unit was fully charged when I received it, so the stand by time will need to be verified.
With enough band inside the headband to adjust to near-ridiculously tall heads, most will be able to adjust the MS301 to their cranial matter. I will say that the pads of pleather do take a bit of time to get used to, as they compress quite a bit…more than I like. While they are soft, that compression can lead to the actual driver being very close to the head; which can decrease the amount of space needed for the sound to breathe (in my opinion). This may be why the unit is of an open back design, allowing that sound to breathe in the imaginary space behind the headphone. This can also aid in giving a wider-than-your-head sound stage. While not huge, it is acceptable and quite pleasant.
Included with the package is a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable for using like a traditional headphone, and the micro-USB/USB charging cable. A nice addition would be to replace the plastic insert from the package with a soft case or a small pouch, not unlike what Beat includes with their latest headphones. Something to protect the critter would have been appreciated. As is, I am using the soft cloth pouch from my Audioquest Nightowl’s…temporarily.
Isolation is quite good considering the open back design (to me), and one has to reach fairly ridiculous volume levels (with my iPhone 6+) to intrude upon your better halves enjoyment of sewing shows…and if that is the case said-better half is giving you that “are you really that stupid” look because the volume is so high…You don’t want to get that look…ever….
Pairing with the latest Bluetooth 4.2 was no problem, as long as you followed the instructions. It is important (from what I found) that you power on the DAP/Smartphone and turn on Bluetooth before turning the 301’s on. THEN, continue to hold the power button on the headphone, while manipulating (if not already there…) to the Bluetooth connectivity screen. Once there, navigate to the pairing function and all works well. I did have to try a couple of times, but pan this off as not following the correct procedure, or connecting my DAP to charge it (which messed with the protocol). So overall, no problem connecting to the Bluetooth. I did do a distance test to see how far one could go, which can be handy when you set your DAP or Smartphone down for various reasons…See chart below for my findings.
Phone calls were no problem, other than getting used to the buttons used to answer, etc. One can easily master that in a phone call or two...
Device
Distance to disconnection (US feet)
Shanling M2s...............22’
AGPTEK Rocker (v2)...28’
iPhone 6+.....................34’
Hidizs AP-60.................31’
Cayin N3.......................25’
The discrepancies noted above could be due to the differing DAPs/Smartphone, but I find it telling that the longest distance was from the 6+.
Good solid sound is how I would describe my initial listen. And it continued. Not overwhelming in any one range, with not as much bass as I would like, but that is OK. The mids were slightly forward, especially the vocals. But a slight V-shape sound could be heard. Separation is good, with good placement of instrumentation. Not the best, but quite acceptable. While one can pretty clearly make out the separation, it seems as if the “house sound” was to provide an overall pleasant sound, giving in a bit to the separation. I do not mind, as I found this to be one of the best aspects of the Mixcder x5 IEM, I auditioned. In my mind a pleasant sound is nothing to be ashamed of, and I do like this signature.
Build quality is very good, with a mix of pleather, aluminum, plastic and stainless steel, as stated above. They are somewhat heavy, though not as heavy as other headphones I have tried (such as the Oppo PM-1 or Audioquest NightOwl). The pleather pads can get hot (I have no house air conditioning, short of ceiling fans), and crush to your cranial matter form too easily for me. I would have preferred a bit firmer pad, with more cushion. Or an option for a different pad altogether.
Sound stage is quite good, with a nice wide sound, that although not too deep, reaches a good height; giving the impression of a panoramic photo-like sound. To me, this gives a very pleasant sounding aspect to the overall tonality. Again, that “we won’t compete with each other” combination of bass/mid/treble.
A Deeper Look:
The MS301 is a bit hard to drive for most of the DAP’s I tried, but not my iPhone 6+. The Smartphone easily drove the 301’s to quite loud volumes. And of all the DAP’s tried, the Hidizs drove the 301 to probably the highest volume (not matched, but near-ear drum splitting is a good judge). On all of the DAP’s save the Rocker v2, the gain switch worked. Having the gain switch work can be a tremendous advantage for those times when you need a quick kick of volume going from one song to another. A definite disadvantage of the Rocker v2.
With all of the DAP’s used and the 6+, I heard pretty much the same sound as described above. Ranging from slightly warm and dark (Shanling house sound) to near-neutral (Cayin N3) to fairly bright (Hidizs, except for trebles; and the AGPTEK), the Mixcder simply played. Of all the sounds, Tidal streamed on the 6+ was probably the “brightest” and thinnest, something I attest to the streaming nature and sound characteristics of the iPhone. While it wasn’t bad, and was quite listenable with decent bass; if one has a dedicated DAP, you will garner a much better sound results. Those with the ability to use FLAC files on their Smartphone will of course benefit.
Just like the sound, which drew me into the x5, the mids, the same could be said of the 301’s. An extremely good tie is what the mids provide; piecing the overall sound characteristics together…in the same vein as the x5, but better. A laudable effort at a much higher price let alone sub-$90 in any headphone, not just a “Bluetooth-enabled” headphone.
When one can compliment the sound of a headphone based upon its characteristics, and synergy of those characteristics working together; then the company has succeeded. To say that is done with Bluetooth (yes, the latest 4.2 iterations, but still…) AND keep the price below $100 is a true testament to the engineering department of said company. If you had told me ten years ago, we would have this quality at this price, I would surely have scoffed at that verbiage.
Listening to The Troubles from U2’s excellent Songs of Innocence album brings that excellence tie to light. Even through the low-priced Hidizs ($89) or AGPTEK ($89), that sound comes through in a manner that one can say they spent less than two Ben Franklin’s and have a very good portable system, making me eat my words. A listening facet, which shows just how serious the digital market, has become…and we should all applaud that engineering department. I for one still marvel at this rocket-type ascension into higher quality for less dollar phase we are enjoying, and can only imagine where we will be in the next ten years.
Finale:
As I stated at the beginning, I had never partaken in the Bluetooth listening aspect from a headphone/IEM. It was new to me. Having remembered how unreliable Bluetooth was in its early days, I did know and understand that those days are behind us. So, I did not fear the old problem. I feared that I might like what I heard. And this can be a somewhat disconcerting aspect when you have traveled down the audio highway for what seems like decades (actually it is…sigh, I’m old”er”). What would I find? How would it compare to my “higher-dollar” equipment? How would it compare using various devices? What if I liked it?
Well, all of those questions can be summed up pretty succinctly…I DO like the sound of the MS-301. It is an extremely pleasant listening experience, with nary a problem. Any connectivity issue was on the devices end, not the headphone. The Mixcder came along quietly for the ride. I liken this, to the “new rider” who shows up at the local group bicycle ride…a person you have never seen, who might be on a lower priced, maybe older bike. Many in your group might scoff, or quietly make fun of that “new rider.” But, since you are more experienced, you quickly saddle up to the new one and make them feel welcome. Why? Because you can see it…you can see the qualities they possess…that it is the character of the person not what they ride, which makes them who they are. And that is how I look at Mixcder…a relative newcomer, who provides products for a pretty packed segment. But they let their performance speak for them…not the flash of a “new bike” or new product. It is what is inside that product, which shows the true measure of what I am listening to…and I am glad.
If you have not figured this out yet, I will state it again: I highly suggest you give the Mixcder MS-301 a listen. As @willjen stated, this is a pretty good critter, regardless of whether it has Bluetooth or not. A headphone that should be listened to for itself. I definitely recommend a listen if you are in the Bluetooth headphone market, especially one that pairs well with our Smartphones. They did this one right.
A hearty thank you to @Mixcder for the generous offer they made in regards to this device. I am very thankful for the opportunity, and wish their company continued success.
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