amjath
Human Spambot
Mi In-the-ear Headset (Piston Design v2) Review
*i.imgur.com/sOExXDh.jpg
Specification:
*i.imgur.com/yhGUIWa.png
Here is my review on my newly purchased Mi piston 2 in-ear headset [Brown Version]
Contents in the box:
1 Headset
User Manual
3 extra Headset cushions
1 Headset holding clip
1 Headset Winder
Let's get to work.
1. Package:
*i.imgur.com/FeOLwVF.jpg?2
Package overall is small and handy wrapped in white box like package. A small tape holds the package. When the seal is broken, surprise!!!
*i.imgur.com/oBXMwpG.jpg
When the box/cover is opened, there it is Piston 2 box wrapped in a cover with a small tape. The box itself the product manual [How cool is that!!] Once the cover is unwrapped, you can see the piston 2 inside box with a transparent cover on top. When the lid is open, you can see the headset wrapped in headset wrapper [you can use this later use as well for temporary wrapping]
*i.imgur.com/PIIeirA.jpg?1
Take the wrapper off and you can see 3 extra headset cushion [marked S, M and L] and headset holder clip.
*i.imgur.com/sOExXDh.jpg
Just smell the wrapper, aww smells so good.
Now unwrapping the headset from the wrapper is bit tricky. Wrapper is made up of rubberized material. So just bend a little near 3.5 mm connector and start unwinding from headset connector.
Package Score: 10/10
2. Design and Quality:
Let me just start from the bottom. 3.5mm connector is gold-plated plug so sound quality will obviously better. The whole setup holding the connector looks like made of metal [aluminium] coated with gold colour with a grain texture. I tried scratching them with my nails, they don't come off so easily
I have used 2 stock Samsung headset only. Both got damaged near the connector and wire junction. The wire gets wore off when keeping them and take it off from trouser pockets or bag. So that's what bothered me before buying any headset.
But this headset is properly designed the place where the wire starts from the connector is covered by a rubber.
*i.imgur.com/9Cx0Vf6.jpg
This will definitely give extra life for the headset.
Next up is the wires. Xiaomi claims that they have used Bulletproof Kevlar fiber material to wrap their headset wires.
So what's Kevlar
I tried pulling the wires from two fiber coating points, this is awesome
it is sturdyAnother use case for this Kevlar fiber coating is the wires don't tangle so easily. I have seen people untangle their headset wires for over a minute. This tangling untangling of wires will reduce the life of headset especially on the connector and wires junction which was explained above.
Another rubber protection in wire and headset controller junction.
Now for the controller part, it has same metal [aluminium] grain finish with gold plating with 3 buttons and a mic. 2 on one side with mic in between and one button opposite to the former. Basically this controller is Android and IOS compatible [not for IOS 7.1.1 and above]
2 buttons on one side represents volume up and down respectively. The functionality on the other side is more, yep I meant the single button.
Functionality of single button are:
Music:
Single Click - Play/Pause
Double Click - Next Track
Phone [Tested personally]:
Single Click - Attend Call/Silence[Mute]
Long Press - Hang up
Miscellaneous [Tested Personally]:
Long press Anywhere - Launches Google now
Long press when screen locked - Launches Voice Dialler
The button positions are difficult to use in the beginning, I mean when u press volume up accidently press pause button in music mode. After few days of usage, button layout comes handy [may be].
When going up the wire splits for left and right ear pieces. Here is the problem, Xiaomi used the usual rubber type wires which can be found in other headphones
It would be best if the coated the same Kevlar coating. Also it gets tangled. In-ear headset used the metal finish with gold coating. I am no expert to talk about the inner build. *i.imgur.com/htkn26h.jpg
*i.imgur.com/OsmVHtt.jpg
*i.imgur.com/OsmVHtt.jpg
But as per Xiaomi
Finding the left and right ear piece is tricky first time [at least for me] unless you the manual.
*i.imgur.com/ZXrfRFw.jpg?1
The ring shaped projection near the rubber cover denotes "Right" ear piece. Although it mentioned "L" and "R" [I was blindfolded by the design, so couldn't find it first], the shape near the ear piece is good addition to find earpieces in the dark.
Design Score: 9/10 [Button layout]
Quality Score: 8.5/10 [Less for using rubber wire for the ear pieces]
3. Performance:
I am no audiophile. As I have before I have used only Samsung in-ear Headset before and no experience with other headset, so I have my headset to two of my friends to listen, they said it sounds good.
My experience in layman's language is, it sound crisp, clear, good bass overall satisfied [bit blown away
] I have found few things in the following songs I listened, so it can help readers to rate the headset sound quality on their own.
Sunn Raha Hai - Aashiqui 2
In the beginning, before the lyrics starts I can hear the humming very clearly. Even after the singer starts singing, the humming in the background is crisp.
Violent Games - Polica [NFS Most wanted 2012]
People who heard this song [while playing NFS MW game] know that the song has echo for the lyrics the singer is singing. The echoes and the next lyrics words are crisp and can be distinguishable.
Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
When the singer starts "I came in like a wrecking ball" the bass blows in the ear canal
Written in the stars - Tinie Tempah
When the song beings the word "Oh" starts with some distortion. That part is crisp.
The above observations looks very stupid to some readers
So I can't helpSo in every other song I heard, every instrument which was used in the background can be heard clear and clean.
While travelling, I can hear no to very low external disturbance depending upon the songs with music control at 10 or 11 and with medium cushions.
Call quality is also clear and satisfied.
When the volume is high, the headset quality dips it doesn't sound pleasant
Performance Score: 8.5/10 [Friend's opinion who used Beats
]Overall Score: 9/10
These are definitely bang for buck, value for money durable high quality headset indeed!! Thanks for reading the review
[This is my first review, so mistakes, grammar mistakes can be found so highlight them. Addition or queries are all welcome]
Thanks again for reading
