When does a game become more than just a game? When can a game invoke the same emotional response from a player that cinema can from viewers or a piece of music can from its listeners? In this humble reviewer’s opinion, it takes a great deal of effort to create a truly transcendent experience in a game that plays with your emotions and keeps you hooked from the moment you power the game on until you’ve reached its conclusion. Mass Effect 2 is one of those games. It combines some of the best third person shooting and RPG mechanics with a fantastically dark narrative, a remarkable cast of characters, sharp writing, well-directed cutscenes and an epic soundtrack to create an experience that is more than just a game. It’s an amazing cinematic event, and one that’s among the best of its kind.

To get the most enjoyment out of Mass Effect 2, one has to have finished Mass Effect 1 at least once and imported their character from there into Mass Effect 2. Doing this grants you several benefits in the form of a higher starting level, depending on the level you attained in Mass Effect 1, starting credits, minerals and Paragon and Renegade points. In addition to the immediate benefits gained, all of the choices you made in Mass Effect 1 carry over into the sequel which will result in different side missions, NPCs and conversation options appearing in different situations.

Some of the largest changes to Mass Effect 2 come in the form of the revamped combat system. The combat system in Mass Effect 2 is far more streamlined. The “ability wheel” interface from the original returns in improved form with the new biotic and tech abilities as well as old favorites being more integrated with the combat this time around with the addition of hotkeys. By mapping specific abilities to buttons on the controller, it’s easier to coordinate attacks to best thwart your opponents.

The new “Shockwave” ability is incredibly fun and often hilarious to use

Bioware stated that they wanted Mass Effect 2 to be more entertaining for the shooter crowd than Mass Effect 1 and in large part, they’ve succeeded. Weapons feel much more satisfying to wield in combat because they feel as though they pack more of a punch.  Whereas in the original Mass Effect, weapons had unlimited ammunition and were only limited as to how many rounds they could fire in any stretch of time by how long it took them to overheat, in Mass Effect 2, this has received a massive overhaul. Weapons no longer overheat but the tradeoff is that they now use “thermal clips” which, as you’ve likely guessed, are essentially the same as ammo you’ll find in typical shooters. Given that your ammo is limited, you have to be careful about how you attack your enemies. Utilizing your special abilities as well as those of your squad mates to whittle down your opponents’ health before taking them down with well-placed shots is a much more viable strategy than simply running in, guns blazing.

One significant addition to the Mass Effect 2 armory is heavy weaponry. These weapons can pack a devastating punch and have their own ammunition. Using an assault rifle or shotgun is certainly very entertaining, but there’s something special about obliterating a squadron of Geth troops with a single massive shot from one of the more exciting heavy weapons in your arsenal. The ammo for these weapons is often hard to come by so, as expected, they’re best saved for larger opponents and confrontations.

Like these…

Combat feels smoother all around, thanks to greatly improved cover mechanics. Instead of pushing the left thumbstick toward a wall to take cover behind it, all you have to do is press the A button, much like Gears of War so transitioning from cover to cover feels much more fluid this time around. Of course, it’s not perfect. You can’t do any sort of rolls or tumbles to get to cover that may be a bit out of your reach and there have been some times when Shepard misinterpreted my command to “take cover” as “take cover and then vault over said cover into enemy fire”, which usually resulted in premature death.

Taking down squadrons of enemies has never felt better because, in addition to being far better at avoiding bullets and firing back a few of their own this time, your enemies react appropriately to being shot. Shoot them in the leg and their mobility will be undermined, hit them with a sudden burst of SMG fire and they may stagger backward. Shoot an organic enemy with incendiary rounds and they’ll flail around trying to put the fire out as their health slowly deteriorates or shoot a humanoid mech in the knee and that leg might be blown away entirely, causing them to fall to the ground and crawl toward you, still intent on taking you down at all costs.  Because of all of these changes and refinements, combat in this game is immensely satisfying and rewarding.

Above all when looking at Mass Effect 2 is how much it has changed in comparison to its predecessor. Many things have been revamped or removed from the game completely. First and foremost, Commander Shepard’s six wheeled tank from the first game, the Mako and its accompanying driving sections have been removed completely. The inventory system, which was largely viewed as clunky and tedious to organize in Mass Effect 1? Gone. In its place is a relatively intuitive weapon loadout system that appears before every mission. Commander Shepard now has one suit of armor that can be augmented with different upgrades that suit varying styles of play.

With such radical changes in place, it’s easy to assume that Bioware has “dumbed down” Mass Effect 2 but that’s not the case. What Mass Effect 2 does is streamline nearly everything. You no longer have to worry about whether or not your decryption skill is high enough to allow you to open a locked chest or deal with a lot of inventory micromanagement such as choosing which items to keep and which to convert into omni-gel or sell to free valuable inventory space which commonly broke up the pacing of the first game.

The narrative in Mass Effect 2 is far darker and much more bleak than that of the first game. From the start, you know that this is a mission that you and your team may not survive. Shepard is immediately thrust into a galaxy-wide conflict against the menacing and insect-like Collectors, who are abducting entire human colonies for reasons unknown. In order to combat this looming threat to humanity, you are tasked with building a team of operatives with varying specialties that will assist you in eliminating the threat, once and for all.

Bioware has long been known for its storytelling abilities and in-depth and realistic character development and Mass Effect 2 is no exception. Writing is witty, engaging, funny, poignant and gut-wrenching at different points and consistently sharp throughout. This may be surprising to some given that many believe that the narrative takes a backseat in Mass Effect 2 in favor of highlighting relationships between Shepard and the Normandy crew. Because of this, it is commonly thought that Mass Effect 2’s story is weaker than that of Mass Effect 1. With that opinion, I strongly disagree. In Mass Effect 2, the characters themselves are the story and your interaction with them controls how the narrative is told and develops. This brings to the game an almost unparalleled level of interaction in shaping the narrative.

The Collectors

Mass Effect 2 makes you look forward to talking with the Normandy crew, which is perhaps the deepest and most genuinely interesting group of characters ever assembled in a videogame. Many games, such as the Gears of War series feature a cast of one-dimensional characters that do very little to make you care for them. In Mass Effect 2, there is no shortage of amazing characters who are all remarkably different from one another. From the brooding and contemplative Thane (my favorite character), to ever logical and constantly amusing Mordin (another of my favorite characters), interesting conversations are always just around the corner because the characters have so much…character.

Bioware takes the character interaction and development to another level with the “Loyalty Missions” that exist for each of your squad mates. As you recruit each character, there is always something on their mind that preoccupies them that they will eventually express to you, if you take the time to ask. Each of these missions delves into each character’s respective past and adds layers of depth and complexity to their already incredibly well developed personas and gives you even more reason to care about them.

Character models are a definite improvement over the original

The much lauded dialogue system from the first game returns in improved form. Once again, there is no black or white in Mass Effect 2’s Paragon/Renegade morality system, merely shades of gray. One of the improvements made is the introduction of the interrupt system, which allows Shepard to interrupt a character during a conversation or at a particularly heated moment of a cutscene by performing a Paragon or Renegade action. The choices you’ll make in Mass Effect 2 seem smaller in comparison to those in the original but they’re rarely lacking in terms of impact and you can truly feel as though particularly big choices will have a significant effect on the narrative in the inevitable sequel.

The audio/visual presentation has received a substantial upgrade from Mass Effect 1 as well. Character models, which were already quite good in the original, have received a few noticeable improvements but the biggest change is in the environments. Most of the set pieces created for Mass Effect were certainly good but those on display in Mass Effect 2 are phenomenal and boast a great deal of refinement over the original. Environs are varied, alive and a joy to explore, much more so than those in the original, since the cookie-cutter and sparsely populated worlds that existed for side missions are gone. Once again, Bioware impresses with their commitment to creating an aurally engaging experience by developing a fantastic audio presentation. The soundtrack deviates a bit from the 80’s sci-fi esque style of the previous game and takes on a darker, orchestral theme, which suits the similarly dark narrative. Voice acting is, once again, superb and is undoubtedly some of the best voice work ever seen in a game.

Futuristic science fiction titles are a dime a dozen these days but the universe Bioware has created here is nothing short of remarkable. There is an almost palpable atmosphere within each of the game’s many locales that makes them feel unique and believable. Even actions as mundane as walking around become interesting in Mass Effect 2.  Whether you’re walking past a Salarian game salesman talking about the latest role playing games, listening in on a Krogan serenading his lost love or walking through the front door of the Afterlife club into the pseudo atrium, hearing the muffled music pulsating around you and then walking into the club itself, the music no longer muffled and now rippling through you as you look around at a nightclub that’s been modeled to appear to be the bowels of Hell, Mass Effect 2 has a penchant for adding personality to the mundane. There really is no other game out there that oozes personality as much as Mass Effect 2 and handles it with such style and grace. Nothing ever feels forced and everything is always incredibly natural.

Environments are pretty darn impressive as well

Of course, there is no such thing as a perfect game and Mass Effect 2 is no exception. First off, you’ll have to fly around the star systems in the Galaxy Map aboard the Normandy and scan planets for valuable minerals you’ll need to research the many crucial upgrades for your weaponry, armor, biotic and tech abilities and the Normandy itself. This scanning process involves slowly dragging a targeting reticule over the surface of planets searching for mineral spikes and launching probes to recover the minerals. This is as exciting as it sounds. The bright side of this is, on some planets, you can uncover anomalies which lead to new side missions but this doesn’t stop it from being tedious in the first place. You have to do this constantly for relatively long periods of time in order acquire enough resources to purchase the upgrades you need. At first, this feels like a decent occasional break from the action packed combat and story missions but it quickly spirals into monotony.

During my nearly 40 hour run, I ran into a couple of glitches and bugs. The first glitch I encountered was somehow getting trapped in the level’s geometry and being unable to free myself. This prompted me to load my last saved game which was very annoying when it occurred. The AI, while a massive improvement over the original Mass Effect still has a few moments that make them seem like they’re severely lacking in the “intelligence” department. For instance, enemies sometimes don’t react to grenades thrown in their direction and there have been a number of times in which I’ve seen soldiers jump over barriers and stand there staring stupidly at me until I implanted a few bullets between their eyes. Another glitch occurred very rarely but involved the audio suddenly becoming heavily distorted and cutting out altogether for a few seconds during combat scenarios. Thankfully, all of these glitches combined only happened a small handful of times and weren’t enough to really detract from the overall experience, which is a far cry from what some players experienced in the first Mass Effect.

Mass Effect 2 is more than just a game. The level of emotional involvement is above and beyond that of any other game I’ve played to date and I would venture as far as to say that I’ve never played another game as engaging as this. Mass Effect 2 is an epic rollercoaster ride that grabs you tight and doesn’t let you go until the 30 – 40 hour campaign is over. The universe is so well imagined and the campaign so entertaining that you’ll want to come back for repeat playthroughs multiple times over. The few problems this game has are so trivial in light of everything that Mass Effect 2 does so well that they’re easily overlooked. In short, this is an experience that should not be missed by any Xbox 360 owner. This truly is one of the best games ever released on the Xbox 360 and is, I daresay, one of the best games of all time.

Introduction

Shortly after I received my RE0s, I happened to be browsing eBay for a new pair of Bass-Freq earbuds because as much as I liked my RE0s, I wanted to replace my outgoing Bass-Freq earbuds because I liked their bass response when listening to certain music. During that time, I came across an auction for a pair of V-Moda Vibe IEMs for $30 (open-box) and I jokingly asked my father if he’d like to split the price with me. To my surprise, he said yes and I went ahead and ordered them. Having prior experience with V-Moda’s products, I was curious to see how the big brothers to the inexpensive Bass-Freq earbuds sounded in comparison.

Technical Specifications

Driver: 9mm dynamic driver
Frequency Response: 12 Hz – 22 kHz
Impedance: 16 Ohms
Sensitivity: 92 dB (at 1kHz 1mW)
Cable Length: N/A

Packaging/Accessories

As I stated before, these arrived in open box form without an actual box to contain them so I can’t judge the overall quality of the packaging for myself but I’ve heard it is fairly good and from what I’ve seen, it’s pretty attractive.

All of the accessories included with the boxed versions of the V-Moda Vibes were included in the auction as well. The list of included accessories is pretty standard, which includes six pairs of single flange silicone fittings in both clear and black, the Modawrap cable wrapper accessory I mentioned in my Bass-Freq review and a small black leather pouch to carry the IEMs around in. In short, the accessory pack is good, but not spectacular.

Design and Build Quality

If there’s one thing the Vibes get right, it’s their highly attractive and classy design. V-Moda is a very style-conscious brand and the original Vibes are perhaps the best looking IEMs they’ve produced and have this sort of hipster/fashonista vibe (pun unintended) about them. The housings are polished aluminum and very attractive. They are described as “semi-open” and in my experience, aren’t very good at attenuating exterior noise.

The cable is a fabric cloth knit style used on plenty of other IEMs and is marketed as “tangle-free” but that isn’t entirely true. Cable noise is decently controlled when worn straight down and extremely low when worn over the ear. The cable is decently relieved at the 3.5mm plug but at the point of entry into the housings, strain reliefs are non-existent, leading to some concerns about long-term durability.

Overall, the lightweight aluminum housings and the fabric covered cable feel durable enough to take a fair amount of abuse but the lack of proper strain reliefs on the cable entry points on the housings is a cause for some concern.

Comfort/Fit: Using the clear small fittings, I was able to create a solid and comfortable seal. The housings are lightweight and while wearing them, I hardly notice they’re in my ears at all, whether I’m wearing them over the ear or straight down.

Sound Quality

Burn-in: These IEMs were given 50+ hours of burn-in prior to review and settled into their final sound signature after about 10 hours.

Low End: The most prominent frequency range. Bass is boomy and warm but lacking in detail and control. Bass begins to rumble at about 20Hz, denoting good sub-bass extension but the somewhat muddy midbass is sometimes too overpowering for the sub-bass range to be distinguished and enjoyed.

Midrange: Smooth and recessed. Vocals come through loud and clear but clarity is lacking and the bass can creep up on the lower mids, making them sound somewhat muffled.

Highs/Treble: Good clarity and sparkle but rolls off pretty quickly in the upper treble region. Highs are much tamer sounding than most IEMs in my experience and far less prone to sibilance which is a good thing for people who are sensitive to that sort of thing.

Soundstage: Very wide, deep and airy for an IEM. The semi-open design of the Vibes certainly helps in that regard and is very pleasing overall.

Overall Sound Signature: The Vibes are very laid back and muffled IEMs to my ears, despite their prominent bass. Sound is full but it lacks richness. These sound very warm and somewhat dark due to their low end emphasis and tame treble. Clarity is decent and the airiness and width of their soundstage adds to their appeal.

Surprisingly, despite their low impedance rating of 16 ohms, these benefit quite a bit from amping. Particularly, the bass, which is usually muddy and uncontrolled, tightens considerably. The midrange comes forward ever so slightly and clarity increases. I’d highly recommend using them with a decent amp.

Conclusion

These certainly aren’t the best IEMs I’ve ever heard but they are indeed an improvement over their cheaper siblings. For the price I paid, I’m satisfied with them but it’s worth noting that the price I was able to get them for is far below the price these typically retail for. For the recommended retail price of $60, these are more difficult to recommend, especially when you consider that these need to be paired with an amp to shine. $60 is a very tricky price point for the Vibes, as one can easily pick up the Backbeat Pros (which I can attest to personally), Maximo iM-590 or Thinksound Rains which are all sonically superior. Overall, I can only recommend these to people who enjoy deep bass and say that those who desire more neutral sound should steer clear of these. They’re decent, but even for those who are looking for bass cannons, there are better choices.

Headphone amps are pretty much standard equipment in the setups of audiophiles everywhere. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of research on headphone amps and come across a number of different amps in all shapes and sizes but the one type of amp that piqued my interest was the “CMoy” amp. This type of amp, designed years ago by Chu Moy is an unconventional but powerful amp design that can be made by anyone with the right parts and a soldering iron. Well, I don’t consider myself one of the handiest of guys with a soldering iron at the moment so, instead of taking a chance and trying to build one myself, I decided to buy one that had been pre-made from a company called JDS Labs. After a few hours of listening, I’m impressed.

My previous experience with headphone amps is definitely limited, as the only ones I’ve ever owned are the Fiio E5 and E1 portable amps. I decided to get these after buying my RE0s because of their relatively high impedance and thinking that they would need a bit more power than my iPod Touch could provide on its own. The Fiio amps are good for what they are but they really don’t pack a big enough punch to add that special something to most of my headphones. So, I decided to pick up a more powerful amp that I could use to power the headphones I currently have and those I add to my collection in the future.  A CMoy amp was a natural choice because they are plenty powerful, offer great sound quality and are inexpensive.  As long as you get a good one that is.

And let me tell you, the JDS Labs CMoy BB is definitely good.

It would be good enough if it merely amplified the signal going to my headphones enough to unleash their full sonic potential but the one thing that makes this CMoy stand out from the average homemade CMoy amp you can find on eBay for varying amounts is in its very name. I am of course talking about the bass boost feature.

As you can see in the picture above, there’s an internal toggle switch that boosts the low end considerably. The Fiio E5 had a similar feature but it was nowhere near as impactful or enjoyable as the boost generated by this amp. Toggled off, the frequency response is quite flat and neutral; coloring the sound no more than any other amp I’ve used but with the bass boost feature on, the bass comes alive. This feature turns my normally neutral RE0s into bass monsters. The RE0s already had good bass detail so the result of this amplification merely allowed that aspect of the RE0’s performance stand out. As much as I enjoyed my RE0s before, I enjoy them even more now with the increased bass response which benefits my tastes in music.

Honestly, the bass boost feature is almost worth the price of admission by itself. For people who desire more transparent sound, as I said before, without the bass boost feature toggled on, the frequency response is flat which is good if you have headphones that already have enough bass for your tastes. Seeing as I love my bass and the RE0s are relatively light in that regard (but not too much so that it sounds imbalanced), this was a natural choice for me. The geek factor of owning a headphone amp that’s enclosed in an Altoids tin is a nice bonus too.

Overall, despite my limited experience with headphone amplifiers, I can tell that this one is pretty good. I don’t expect that this can compete with the likes of more expensive amplifiers that can cost hundreds, even thousands of dollars (!) but for the price (about $70 including shipping); the performance is excellent so far and I’m sure that this competes well above its price range. I’ve heard that many headphone amplifiers (as well as this one) need a few dozen hours of burn in before they sound their best but even now, I’m definitely impressed. This is an easy recommendation for people on a budget who need a little more juice to power their high impedance headphones and/or would like to add a bit more “oomph” to the low end.

Since I got my RE0s and I started going to Head-Fi, I’ve been…experimenting with a number of different headphones/earphones and listening to the various sound signatures these devices create. In the short time since I received my RE0s, I’ve heard (of course) the RE0s the V-Moda Vibes, MEElectronics M9Ps, Koss KSC75s (with some light modifications) and one of the only things I haven’t yet heard is an IEM with a balanced armature speaker. Well, a few nights ago, I happened to be browsing eBay for some reason and in that time, I came across the Altec Lansing Backbeat Pro IEMs.

The auction I happened upon was open-box and on sale for about $16. I did some research on them and saw that the MSRP was about $100 but they were retailing at most online retailers I saw for about $30. Apparently, Altec Lansing has a number of IEMs on the market and many of them are simply rebranded versions of IEMs from Ultimate Ears with the Backbeat Pros being Altec Lansing’s version of the Super.fi 4 IEMs from Ultimate Ears. After doing a little more research into the sound quality, I said “what the heck” and ordered them. Shipping was strangely fast for USPS and I received them early Saturday and went about putting them through their paces after watching a movie (The Hurt Locker, great film by the way).

First off, I was immediately slapped in the face by the midrange presentation. The midrange is the dominant frequency range on these IEMs by quite a bit and is very forward and aggressive. Because of this, it’s also somewhat fatiguing. I did notice a tiny bit of harshness when listening to some busy tracks. High end and treble is in many ways, similar to the midrange in that it too is quite aggressive. Treble is sharp and sparkly and pretty much devoid of harshness but it’s also somewhat edgy and fatiguing. The low end on the other hand is somewhat recessed and lacking in comparison. Bass is there and makes its presence known when it needs to but it lacks in quantity in sub-bass levels and there’s a prominent midbass hump. Texture and definition are also lacking in regards to the low end.

Upon taking them out of the box, I wasn’t wowed by the clarity of these IEMs because they sounded somewhat veiled to my ears, despite the aggressiveness of the midrange. After a few hours of listening to them with various types of music, the veil seems to have been lifted. In comparison to the RE0s, my benchmark in terms of overall sound quality and clarity, the Backbeat Pros can’t compete but they are still very clear to my ears. Soundstaging is less impressive, as it is pretty narrow but separation is good. The result of this somewhat narrow soundstage is a very intimate listening experience.

Overall, the sound signature is pretty good, if surprisingly aggressive. While the low end doesn’t impress, the quality of the mids and highs goes a long way towards making up for it. I will say that the Backbeat Pros sound a tad artificial and, in a word, clinical in comparison to my other IEMs. This may just be one of the cons of the balanced armature design and it’s not something that I consider a big turn off.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least partially impressed by the Backbeat Pros. Fit and comfort are surprisingly great and I can hardly feel the IEMs in my ears when using the standard single flange eartips. Sonic performance is good considering the current retail price, which typically hovers around $30 but honestly, I’m having more fun with my M9Ps than I am with the Backbeat Pros. In my current collection, these are in a strange position. When I’m in the mood for fun, I’m going to reach for my M9Ps and when I want to feed my inner detail freak, I’m grabbing my RE0s. These are difficult to recommend in that regard. Are they good? Certainly. But at either end of the spectrum, there are better choices. I will say that these are probably going to be better than the M9Ps for some genres due to their emphasis on the mids as opposed to the low end so my advice is to give them a trial run and see how they work for you. Who knows? You may like what you hear.

Introduction

The M9P IEMs hail from a small California-based company by the name of MEElectronics. They produce a wide range of IEMs that cater to different users with various sound signatures. The M9 and M9P IEMs are among the most inexpensive products available and are currently selling for $20 and $23 respectively. I decided to buy the M9P IEMs because they not only function as earphones but will also have use as a headset for my cell phone and iPod Touch. After breaking them in and listening to them with a variety of music in my collection, these are my favorite IEMs in the sub $30 price range. So without further delay, read on for my thoughts on the MEElectronics M9P IEMs.

Technical Specifications

Driver: 9mm dynamic driver
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 16 Ohm
Sensitivity: 95dB/mW
Cable Length: 1.2m/4ft.

Packaging/Accessories: The M9Ps come packaged in an attractive transparent box and include a bevy of accessories including a hard zippered case, a cable wrapper, four sets of silicone eartips which includes a set of biflanges, a shirt clip and an airline adapter. Considering that the M9Ps only cost about $23, MEElectronics has included a highly impressive accessory package that puts many other inexpensive IEMs to shame.

Design and Build Quality: The M9Ps feature lightweight aluminum housings which feel durable and are ported at the rear to allow for more air flow. This helps with the low end response and the soundstage but cuts down the isolation.

The cable is perhaps the best I’ve seen on any IEM. It’s lined with what appears to be delicate braided silver wiring inside and coated with a transparent plastic coating that both looks very attractive and makes it feel very durable. The cable is properly relieved at both ends which inspires confidence in terms of long term durability. Because of the great cable design, microphonics are negligible when worn straight down and practically non-existent when worn over-the-ear.

All in all, these are very attractive and durable IEMs that should be able to stand up to pretty heavy usage and last quite a long time.

Comfort and Fit: MEElectronics includes three pairs of single flange silicone eartips as well as a pair of bi-flanges for deeper insertion and better isolation. I have small ear canals so I opted for the smallest single flange tips and managed to get a good seal. The included silicone eartips are fairly soft and made the M9Ps very comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

One thing that was a constant point of contention with the M9s is the seal itself. Now it’s common knowledge that IEMs require a good seal in order to sound their best but the M9Ps take that concept to another level. Simply put, I’ve never come across an IEM that was as finicky about the seal as the M9P. If the seal wasn’t absolutely perfect, the resultant sound was imbalanced, shallow or just plain bad. That said, using the M9Ps while on the move isn’t the best idea because of their need for a perfect seal.

Sound Quality

Usage/Burn-in: These IEMs have been given 50+ hours of burn-in prior to review but settled into their final sound signature after about 10 – 15 hours.

Low End: The most dominant frequency range on the M9Ps is also the best detailed. Prior to burn in, the bass was somewhat muddy but now, it has tightened up and boasts surprising refinement. Bass is still a bit boomy but not too much so. Extension is pretty good as well, reaching down into the sub bass levels before rolling off.

Midrange: Definitely recessed in comparison to the other two frequencies (especially the bass) but not so much so that it is overly detrimental to the overall sound signature. They’re smooth and don’t stand out too prominently, which may disappoint fans of Rock and Alternative music. The low end can creep up on bassier tracks which does make the midrange sound a bit washed out in comparison but overall, I think they are decently detailed.

Highs/Treble: Nice extension, detail and clarity. There’s a bit of harshness in the upper treble region but overall, highs are pleasant sounding and have a nice sparkle.

Soundstage: Wide and airy. Imaging isn’t too great but instrument separation is surprisingly good.

Sound Signature: Dark, warm, thumpy and very fun. Very bass forward and somewhat aggressive but rarely fatiguing. I love the sound signature of these when listening to Hip-Hop, Jazz and R&B. I think the low end is a bit too overpowering to be used with much Rock and Alternative music and the highs are a bit too harsh to be used with Classical but overall, these are very versatile and will work with a large number of genres that I haven’t mentioned. This is definitely the best and most entertaining sound signature I’ve heard for the price.

Microphone Quality: Very good considering the price. Voices come through clean and clear and the microphone does a decent job of filtering out ambient noise but can get overwhelmed in noisy environments. It works well for making phone calls as well as Skype calls on the iPod Touch.

Conclusion

As a whole, I’m very impressed with the M9P IEMs. They are well designed, perform above their price range and are, above all, inexpensive. $23 is a very small price to pay for a great pair of IEMs and considering that price, I can’t find much fault with them. While the bass may be a bit too deep for some listeners and there can be some harshness in the treble region, there isn’t much these do wrong. If you’re looking for a fun pair of IEMs that will work as a headset for your iPhone or other cell phone, sound good and won’t put a strain on your wallet, look no further. These things are practically a steal.

Early last week as I was browsing the forums at Head-Fi, I was alerted to a discount special by MEElectronics, a small California-based manufacturer of various gadgets such as DAPs and IEMs. Having read a few reviews on their more popular IEMs, the $40 M6 and the M9, which apparently uses the same dynamic driver and retails for about $20, I looked over their product lineup and settled on the slightly more expensive M9P, which comes with a built-in inline microphone which I figured I could use for making Skype calls with my iPod Touch. Yesterday (after a few shipping gaffes by USPS), I received my M9Ps and immediately gave them a listen straight out of the box.

When listening to these for the first time, you can’t help but notice the bass-centric presentation of the M9P because it practically reaches out and smacks you with it. The sound signature is dark, warm and dominated by the low end. The deep, punchy and decently textured bass is easily the biggest strength and biggest weakness of the M9Ps. On one hand the increased bass response is great for Hip-Hop and Rap as well as Techno, some Jazz and Electronica. On the other hand, the bass may be too boomy and “flabby” to some listeners. I’ve found that it does bleed  into the midrange a bit and as a result, the mids are slightly recessed. To my surprise, the treble has a decent amount of sparkle and is pretty well extended, which rounds out the sound signature nicely.

One thing that’s missing from the experience is clarity in the sound signature. These are not the most detail-oriented IEMs out there and due to that pronounced low end, there’s a lot to be desired in terms of transparency. Accuracy lovers probably aren’t going to be pleased with these overall. Then again, it’s highly unlikely that detail freaks would be looking at a $20 pair of IEMs to suit their needs.

What’s really surprising about the M9Ps is their airiness and the depth and width of their soundstage. Instrument separation is excellent for the price and imaging is fairly decent as well. I’d even go as far as to say that the soundstage is wider than that of my RE0s which, for a $20 pair of IEMs, is pretty impressive.

As I said before, the M9P IEMs feature a built-in inline microphone which is designed to work with current generation iPhones and second and third generation iPod Touch devices as well as other media devices that accept microphone input through their 3.5mm jack. I’ve tested the inline mic of the M9P on my second generation iPod Touch and it works pretty well. It’s very clear and picks up voices very well while doing a decent enough job of filtering out ambient noise. I would’ve liked to see some volume/playback controls but considering the low price, I think that’s asking a tad too much.

You may have noticed how often I mention that these IEMs are only $20, almost to the point of total redundancy. Well, that was intentional. Try as I might to find something to criticize, that’s all for naught the instant I remember that I paid $23 (including shipping) for these.

All things considered, I’m very impressed with the out-of-the-box performance of the M9P IEMs. They are well extended at both ends of the sound spectrum (particularly in the low end) and work well with a wide array of music. Overall, the sound signature is definitely on the dark end of the spectrum which will definitely appeal to fans of most modern music. Because of their lack of neutrality and transparency, these are definitely not for accuracy freaks or those interested in neutral tonal balance from their IEMs. These definitely aren’t going to replace my RE0s as my primary IEMs but they make competent backups when I want to listen to something with a little more kick in the low end.

For the price, these are definitely worth checking out. They make great gifts for folks still using stock iBuds, serve as nice backup IEMs and even function as a nice headphone/microphone combo for folks with iPhones and second gen iPod Touches. All in all, I think the MEElectronics M9P IEMs are a great product and I’m very interested in seeing where MEElectronics goes from here.

When I received my Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones back in June of 2008 and started to listen to them, I was immediately impressed with the overall sound signature. These were my first “good” headphones and easily blew everything else I’d ever owned out of the water.

But…something was missing. Something I deem very important to my listening experience. That something was bass. Considering I listen to a great deal of Hip-Hop music, this was admittedly a very glaring omission from the Sennheiser HD280 Pros. Everything else about these headphones was great to my ears but without a well pronounced low end, the sound signature was lacking. I was able to boost the bass artificially by using a number of bass boosting EQ settings in many of my music playing devices. While this technique worked in the short term, I began turning to other sources to get my bass fix, such as my Bass-Freq earbuds, which, as I’ve already reported, were lacking in other areas and couldn’t compare to the overall sound quality of the Sennheisers.

Recently, while doing some research, I came across the Blu-Tack mod which was apparently an easy way to add some body to the HD280 Pro’s bass. I found a couple of tutorials on how to do it which involves opening the ear cups of the headphones and spreading the tack about liberally. Since I already have experience opening the headphones to replace a broken cable (don’t ask), opening them up again was a pretty easy task. So, I bought some Blu-Tack from Amazon and got to work when it arrived.

The mod itself is incredibly simple to perform and is easily reversed if the end result is a bit too heavy on the bass for your liking and I’m going to show you how it’s done below.

Tutorial

The first thing you’ll need to do is remove the ear cushions from the ear cups, which is easily done by pulling the edges of the cushions themselves away from the earcups. They should loosen and come right off with relative ease.

Second, you’ll need to unscrew two screws on the earcups themselves using a small screwdriver as you’ll see below.

Now, just remove the earcup and you’ll see this (in the case of the left earcup where the cable connects to the headphones).

Be careful when you’re removing the earcup though! There are some very thin wires connecting the driver to its housing which can be easily broken if you pull the covering off too fast.

Now that you’ve got the covering off, it’s time to prepare your Blu-Tack (if you haven’t already).

I used about 75 g in total, so about 35 g per side, give or take. How much tack you use here is entirely up to you. The more tack you use, the more bass you get so that’s a judgment call you’ll have to make in regards to your personal preference.

Once you’ve decided on how much you’d like to use, you’ll want to roll it into a ball as I did above and then breaking it into a few pieces and spread it throughout the earcup until it’s completely covered, like you’ll see below.

Here’s another picture just for the heck of it.

Now just put everything back together and repeat for the second earcup and you’re done! Now is the time to listen to your HD280 Pros and decide if you like the end result of this mod. Like I said above, the mod is easily reversible if you don’t like the increased punchiness and easily augmented to adjust the bass response to your liking.

Results

With the tack mod, the bass gets that extra kick it needs to really shine and adds a significant amount of body and warmth to the sound. I wouldn’t say this is a night and day difference but the bass is considerably punchier to my ears without sacrificing mid and high end clarity. I’d definitely say this is an improvement over the stock design purely because, well, I like my bass and any improvement therein is definitely a plus in my book.

All said and done, I’m glad I did this mod. This is a very quick, cheap and easy way to improve the performance of my old standbys and for HD280 Pro owners, this is a no-brainer for those of you out there who seek stronger low end response from your headphones.

Yes, I know I’ve been writing a lot about the iPad as of late. Just bear with me here.

Since the announcement of the iPad, the latest in a long line of portable gadgets from Apple, I’ve been thinking long and hard about this thing and trying to find a place for it in my day to day life. While I haven’t exactly caught the iPad fever here, I’ve warmed up a bit to the concept of the device. It’s the sort of device that seems to have a certain niche appeal and will end up polarizing the market. One trip to one of the many gadget blogs and websites out there will show you that it has already done an excellent job of doing just that. In thinking of the iPad, I was drawn to another gadget, a gadget that saw its beginnings in 2007 with the launch of ASUS’s now famous Eee PC.

With the launch of that tiny laptop designed for browsing the net on the go, the netbook was born, and created a new segment of the PC market which has exploded since and made significant gains in terms of marketshare and popularity. These little portable laptops, most of which are powered by Intel’s underpowered (for the purpose of delivering long battery life) but enduring Atom processor, have become a staple among consumers looking for a small device that’s capable of checking email, playing YouTube clips, updating Facebook profiles and writing MS Word documents and be thrown easily into a backpack or purse at a moment’s notice. While Apple has yet to produce a product that could be classified as a netbook, they’ve certainly taken notice. In fact, Steve Jobs aimed a shot at netbooks in his presentation prior to the unveiling of the iPad, calling them slow, clunky and bogged down by “PC” software (an obvious jab at Windows). After hearing this, I began to think, “Are netbooks truly inferior to whatever Apple has cooked up?” Well, after seeing what exactly Apple has created here, I don’t think so.

While it’s quite obvious that netbooks have their limitations, the iPad has quite a few limitations of its own. Quite frankly, I’d even go as far as to say that the iPad has more limitations than the average netbook and I’m going to run down a list of them as I continue on.

First off, the biggest limitation facing the iPad is the fact that it’s a closed platform. Apple is the gatekeeper and they aren’t known for being very lenient in their approval processes. There have already been many horror stories about Apple’s somewhat arbitrary application approval processes in relation to the app store on the iPhone and iPod Touch and I don’t have much reason to believe that they will be loosening the choke chain when it comes to the iPad. Therefore, you will always be under Apple’s thumb when it comes to what applications you can run on the device. Netbooks, however, don’t have this problem. There is no “App Store” like repository for applications that can be run on netbooks and no single corporate entity has power over what you can and cannot develop, release and run on your netbook. While closed platforms are acceptable on mobile phones, PDAs, game consoles and the like, tablet PCs, laptops and netbooks have always been open so suddenly having such a limitation on what I can run on a tablet-sized device is not a very appealing prospect.

Second, the iPad lacks multitasking. Again, on a mobile phone, this may be acceptable (but even then that’s pushing it these days), but not on a tablet-sized device. On a netbook, I can listen to music either in iTunes/Foobar 2k or streaming from last.fm, while editing a document in MS Word, chatting with friends in AIM and doing some light web browsing. On the iPad, I’ll be able to listen to my music collection that’s stored locally on the device while in many of the applications but as far as multitasking goes, that’s about it. Multitasking is something I do every day on my PC and it’s become something I’ve grown accustomed to. In fact, at one point while I was writing this in MS Word, my IRC client and Firefox were open and running and that’s a pretty light load for me. While it may seem like a small issue to some people and a non-issue to others, this is a particularly big factor in making my decision.

I’m not even going to bring up the price difference, which is one of the largest factors in deciding whether or not this is a better value than a netbook.

After all the times these arguments have been brought up in relation to the iPad, it may sound like I’m beating a dead horse. The lack of multitasking, the high price and the closed platform are perhaps the biggest arguments against the purchase of an iPad and these are things that will play against it in the marketplace. For college students like myself who need something portable enough to carry to and from school on a daily basis and take notes on during lectures, a netbook is a great portable companion. An iPad on the other hand? I’m not so sure.

Don’t get me wrong, the iPad has a great deal of potential and there are some advantages that it has over netbooks such as its multitouch display (for ease of use matters) and its inability to multitask allows for snappier performance (and netbooks have never been known for their speed). It seems to me that the area in which the iPad will shine brightest is as a content delivery system and that’s what Apple seems to be pushing for with their revamped storefronts for iTunes, the App Store and the new iBookstore. The iPad will undoubtedly serve as a multimedia portable that allows people to consume the internet and their favorite multimedia while away from their laptop and in that way, it has an advantage over a netbook purely because of its snappier performance and easier to use interface.

Based on the shortcomings the iPad has in relation to the average netbook, I don’t see how I could possibly justify the purchase of an iPad over a netbook for portable use.  The closed app ecosystem is something I can’t personally get behind in such a device when a netbook will allow me to install and run any applications I choose (of course, after taking into account the limitations of the platform). When you add in the inability to multitask and the high price, the argument against purchasing an iPad gets that much stronger. While the iPad certainly has its advantages in terms of multimedia content delivery, ease of use and speed but when I weigh these advantages against what I feel I need in a portable device to be used in a collegiate setting, they’re rendered moot because I won’t be making use of them in such a setting. I can definitely see how the iPad can fit into the lives of many people (particularly those who love having the latest tech toys) and even college students like myself but for me, the choice is clear.

Over the last week or so of listening to the RE0s with a wide variety of music, I’ve grown accustomed to its unique sound signature because they are so unlike all of the various headphones/earbuds/IEMs I’ve listened to so far. Everything I’ve listened to prior to the RE0s has colored the music I’ve listened to with its own sound signature. From the cold, analytical presentation of my HD280 Pros to the deep, bloated bass of my V-Moda Bass-Freq earbuds, everything layers a bit of itself over the music. With the RE0s, there’s nothing there. The sound signature is entirely flat and while that may sound like a negative, trust me, it isn’t. This neutrality creates total transparency and allows the source to come through exactly as the artist intended it to. Because of this, the RE0s are unquestionably the best headphones I’ve ever heard.

The beauty of the RE0s is that they don’t color the music coming through them. There are no peaks and valleys in the presentation and it’s entirely smooth, creating a very enjoyable listening experience. Some headphones can cause fatigue after long periods of listening, which prompts a break. Even some of the best headphones out there can cause this “listening fatigue” but with the RE0s, this hasn’t been an issue for me because they’re so well balanced.

When I wrote my first impressions of the RE0s a short while ago after listening to only a couple of songs, I remarked (on my GameSpot blog) that the treble was a bit harsh on the upper end. Now, after breaking them in for a while, they’ve settled into their final sound signature. Treble sparkles nicely in the high end without being strident. Chimes and xylophones sound wonderful and slightly warm on the RE0s which I greatly enjoy.

I originally thought that the bass and low end in general was lacking at first, missing a certain fullness and impact, but it has grown stronger and is now very pleasing, even to the bass-head in me. What I’ve noticed about the bass though is that it is lacking a bit in terms of body. See, the bass hits and extends pretty deep into the low end, only rolling off at the lowest frequencies and just like that (imagine I snapped my fingers here), it’s gone. It’s tight and quick, almost to a fault, but its presence is enough to be heard and, most importantly, felt.

The RE0s improve in terms of bass response and warmth when paired with a Fiio E5 portable headphone amp. The bass boost feature adds some body and weight to the bass as well as a hint of warmth to the RE0’s sonic presentation. For me and my tastes in music, this is a plus, but without the bass boost feature or even using them un-amped entirely, the RE0s are more than satisfactory.

It’s worth mentioning that microphonics can be an issue with the RE0s. If you’re unaware, the word “microphonics” in the case of IEMs is a phenomenon that occurs when vibrations (usually external) are transmitted through the earbud itself and into your ears. For instance, if you tap the cable with your finger while the IEMs are in your ears, those vibrations will likely be heard in your ears. With the RE0s, practically every external force can be transmitted through the cable and into your ears, be it the cable brushing against your clothing or simply waving in the wind. While this isn’t much of a problem if you’re, for example, sitting at home listening to music on your laptop since you probably won’t be moving much but when on the move, unless the cable remains very close to your body and doesn’t move much, regular movements like walking can create microphonic noise. This noise can be very loud and distracting at times when you’re trying to get immersed in music but for me, while it’s certainly annoying at times, it’s far from a deal breaker. To combat this, Head-Direct includes a shirt clip which helps to deaden cable vibration noise before it’s transmitted to your ears. Wearing the headphones over the top of your ears (as opposed to dangling down from them) also helps with microphonic noise.

I’m a novice when it comes to reviewing headphones so it’s worth taking everything I’ve said here with a grain of salt. I don’t have a ton of reference hardware that I can really compare these to in terms of sound quality except my full-size HD280 Pro cans, the V-Moda Vibes I received recently and my outgoing V-Moda Bass-Freq earbuds. One thing I do know is that I can recognize high quality headphones when I hear them and even though I haven’t heard much audiophile-grade equipment, I can tell that the RE0s are in the upper echelon. I describe myself as an audiophile on a budget so as much as I would love to listen to a pair of Sennheiser HD800s paired with a high quality CD player (or maybe a fifth-generation iPod that’s received the “iMod” treatment) my budget is not going to permit me to do that. But for $84 shipped from Head-Direct (at the time of this writing), I am very pleased with my purchase.

In terms of bang for your buck performance, the RE0s are perhaps the best deal in portable headphones/earbuds you can get and I find it hard to believe that anyone could be disappointed with them. Overall, sound quality is simply superb, exhibiting a decent soundstage, thoroughly natural and exceptionally clear sound that isn’t lacking in any area. The design, while a bit derivative of the V-Moda Vibes feels sturdy without being heavy in your ears. I really can’t recommend these highly enough. They’re absolutely fantastic and if you’re looking for some great sounding portable headphones for on the go and home listening, you’d be quite remiss in overlooking these.

Introduction

Back in 2008, I began making the transition from casual music listener to full-fledged audiophile. This was the year I sort of reached a sense of enlightenment and I began to reevaluate my tastes in music. I stopped listening to the radio and started listening to what I consider to be “good” music (IE anything that’s not on the radio), especially when it came to Hip-Hop, on my Zune whenever I went out. During this time, my Zune and I were inseparable. Any time I was driving, it is always plugged into the car’s stereo and set on shuffle mode and when I was a passenger, I always had my headphones on my ears, a trend that rings true to this day.

Back then, I owned a pair of Sony clip on headphones which had been decent for a while but when I made the transition to audiophile they just couldn’t cut it, especially after I picked up a pair of the full size and great sounding Sennheiser HD280 Pros. So, I had to do some shopping and eventually settled on a pair of $40 (at the time) V-Moda Bass-Freq earbuds that I managed to get from Amazon for $20. Based on reviews I’d read, these earbuds offered good sound quality while also delivering a very strong and deep bass. Being somewhat of a bass-head myself, I decided to order them based on their low price and bass-heavy sound.

After all this time, I’ve finally decided to write down my thoughts on the earbuds that have served me well over the past year and a half or so. Without any further delay, read on for my thoughts on the Bass-Freq earbuds.

Design and Build Quality

The bass-freq earbuds fall at the budget end of the densely populated IEM spectrum so it is expected that the build won’t exactly be spectacular and sure enough, it isn’t. The earbuds themselves are made entirely of plastic and come in a variety of bright and sometimes garish colors and while not the most attractive design I’ve ever seen in an IEM, they’re more appealing than some of the more utilitarian earbud designs. The plastic itself doesn’t seem the most durable but as long as you’re careful with them, they should be fine.

Another area of concern is the cable. This cable is very thin, stiff and tangles quite easily. With the cable being so thin, it doesn’t inspire much confidence in terms of long term durability. Personally, the cable lasted about a year and a couple months or so of regular usage before I began to notice some problems. Initially, I noticed a short in the cable where it terminates in the 3.5mm headphone jack. It was never too big a deal as all it did was cause a bit of distortion if I positioned it a certain way so it didn’t worry me too much but, about a week ago at the time of this writing, a second short developed directly above the y-splitter in the cable that ran into the left earbud. This completely eliminated any sound coming from the left side unless I held it just right and didn’t move. Now, I can’t stand asymmetry when it comes to headphones so this marked the end of my time listening to them. This strikes me as the type of problem that could have been prevented with a higher quality cable.

To assist in cable management, V-Moda includes what they refer to as a “Moda-wrap” which works pretty well in managing the cable. I didn’t make use of the accessory because I didn’t want to add additional clutter to my already messy pockets but in retrospect, I do wish I had made use of it, perhaps it could’ve prevented the damage done to the cable. Then again, I didn’t treat my headphones poorly so saying that I should’ve used the Moda-wrap almost sounds like I’m making excuses for the poor quality of the cable.

Cable wrapped with the Modawrap

Sound Quality

Immediately after opening the package, I proceeded to break them in on some pretty bass heavy songs and what I heard pleasantly surprised me. A lot of bass is crammed into such a small space. It was almost a bit overwhelming at first but immediately, I knew that the sound quality was much improved from the cheap Sony clip on headphones I’d been using before. There was warmth and richness to the sound that wasn’t at all present in the Sony ‘phones. Bass response is deep, heavy and full. It lends a very noticeable sensation of warmth to the sound. I wouldn’t characterize the bass as “tight” but it is satisfying, if a little bloated. Simply put, if you’re a bass-head, you’re probably going to find a lot to like here.

The highs and midrange are pretty decent as well. There’s enough treble extension to create a nice “sparkle” and sound crisp but they’re a bit sibilant at higher volumes to the point that some have called it shrill. The midrange is, again, decent at best. The problem here is that it’s almost entirely overwhelmed by the low end, making it a tad muddy and recessed. Strings sound veiled and percussion lacks necessary sharpness.

Another factor in whether or not you will enjoy these earbuds is your taste in music as the Bass-Freqs do much better with certain genres than they do with others. As expected, Rap, Hip-Hop and most Techno sound great on these earbuds, benefitting from the increased bass. Other genres such as Alternative, Classical and Rock are much weaker in comparison.

As a whole, these earbuds aren’t very clear or analytical. On the positive side, that lack of clarity means they won’t be very critical of low bitrate music files. While the lack of transparency leaves something to be desired, the low end is much better than the average inexpensive earbud which is usually too tinny or too muddy to provide any real enjoyment.

Conclusion

After some thought, I now view these as “gateway” ‘phones. They’re good enough to satisfy most listeners interested in a replacement for stock earbuds but will likely inspire many people to upgrade to something better down the line. V-Moda has a very clear idea of what market they are trying to attract with the Bass-Freqs. These are not for audio purists who desire a more realistic and transparent sound. Instead, these are “fun” earbuds designed to appeal to casual listeners. In that respect, the overall sound signature is decent enough to appeal to people who aren’t too concerned with the best quality sound and instead enjoy the warm and deep sounds of an emphasized low end.

Considering the fact that these earbuds are so inexpensive, perhaps I’m being a bit too critical. As far as $20 earbuds go, these are better than average and I could recommend them as an improvement over other, cheaper earbuds. However, even in the range of $20, there are better options and these may be worth investigating if you’re more interested in more neutral sounding and durable portable headphones.