Xiaomi hybrid headphones reviews and tests. Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD review: hybrid headphones with three drivers. Now let's look at the main characteristics of the PRO version

It has long established itself as a universal manufacturer of everything from smartphones to water purifiers. Naturally, the company did not ignore headphones. Their first model, thanks to its stylish design, good price and high-quality sound, became a real bestseller. Xiaomi continues to develop the IEM theme by updating the Pistons (they now look completely different) and introducing a hybrid model, which I will talk about today.

For starters, why are these headphones even called “hybrid”. In earplug headphones, two types of emitters are most often used: dynamic and reinforced (the correct name is “emitters with a balanced armature”). If you are interested in details about their operating principles, in which I described them in detail. To understand the new product from Xiaomi, we just need to know the following features: dynamic drivers play low frequencies better, providing dense and impactful bass; reinforcement drivers, due to their detail and speed, are good at mid and high frequencies.

Hybrid headphones attempt to combine the best of both worlds by using two or more different types of drivers simultaneously and a special crossover circuit that distributes the signal between them. “Dynamic” plays the bass, “reinforcement” plays everything else, the result is a solution similar to that used in multi-way speaker systems. Then everything depends on the potential of the manufacturing company, because the hybrid headphone circuit turns out to be quite complex, and the resulting sound depends on the accuracy of the settings of all components.

Xiaomi took their hit Piston model of the latest revision, changed its design and added a small reinforcement emitter located directly in the sound guide (according to the diagrams on the company’s website). Since the company has recently shown a love for dark sound with dominant low frequencies (this is especially clearly demonstrated by their Mi Headphones on-ear model), the hybrids were tuned in the same vein.

To this, Xiaomi added two of its signature features - the highest level of performance and an affordable price. Typically, the price of hybrid models starts somewhere around $100 (although cheaper Chinese models are now appearing). The cost of Xiaomi hybrids is not just less, it is several times lower. At the time of writing this review, you can purchase Xiaomi Hybrid Earphones for a ridiculous amount of $17.40 (the promotional price may increase slightly later), which is incredibly encouraging given the backdrop of currency instability.

What will the buyer get for this money?

• Emitters: 1 × dynamic + 1 × reinforcement
• Frequency range: 20 Hz - 20 kHz
• Impedance: 32Ω
• Sensitivity: 101 dB/mW
• Rated power: 5 mW
• Cable: 1.25 m, symmetrical, with three-button headset
• Plug: 3.5mm TRRS
• Weight: 20 g

Packaging and delivery

The Xiaomi box is traditionally a success. They have moved away from the “eco-friendly” packaging of Piston of the first revisions; now their headphones come in a compact white box, which, however, looks no less stylish. To open it, you need to tear off the paper tape at the back, so you can be sure that no one has opened the box before you. Also gone is the smell of chocolate that was used to flavor the box of old Piston revisions. Inside the package, the headphones themselves are located in white cardboard holders, and in a small box under them are three pairs of interchangeable tips of different sizes.

Of course, the delivery package is the simplest, but considering the price and cool packaging, I don’t want to find fault with the headphones.

Design and wearing comfort

The body of this model is made primarily of metal and has a cylindrical shape. There is an extension in the front part of the case, which houses a dynamic emitter, with sound guides coming out of it at an angle. In general, the headphones fit very comfortably into the ears, without causing any problems with fit, although I don’t quite understand why they need such long housings, since the emitters are located in the front of the headphones. The back of the case protrudes from the ears, so it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to lie on your side with these headphones in your ears, but this is perhaps the only quibble with the comfort of the “hybrids”.

In general, the design of the headphones impresses with their thoughtfulness; the developers ensured not only comfortable wearing, but also thought about durability. The cable exit points from the headphones are made with plastic “legs” that protect the wire from kinks and kinks, the lower part of the cable is made with fabric insulation, the plug is reliable, and the splitter block, although made of plastic, inspires confidence.

The wire is very good for its price; it hardens in the cold, but does not become brittle and is not prone to tangling. Unfortunately, there is a slight but noticeable microphone effect (noise from the cable rubbing against clothing), and there is no behind-the-ear fit of the headphones that effectively solves this problem. You can use a clothespin to secure the cable to your clothes, but it wasn’t included in the kit, so you’ll have to look for it elsewhere.

The right earphone cable houses a stylish three-button headset. Traditionally, the volume buttons do not work with Apple devices (it is logical that Xiaomi tailors its headphones to its own phones), but the central key functions with all devices.

There are two ventilation holes on the case, in the back and front of the headphones, so the insulation is at an average level, in ground transport and on the street everything will be fine, but in the subway or airplane you will have to turn up the volume.

Sound

The following equipment was used for listening:

• NuPrime DAC-10H and Resonessence Labs Concero HP as a DAC and amplifier
• Apple MacBook Pro Retina 2013 as a source
• Fidelia as a player
• Fiio X5-2 and Cayin N6 as portable players
• VSonic Gr01, Dunu Titan 1 and Dunu DN-2000J as headphones for comparison
• High-resolution recordings in Lossless formats (Dr. Chesky The Ultimate Headphone Demonstration Disc and others)

Before listening, the headphones were warmed up for 48 hours; there were no changes in sound during warming up. While some users report improved sound as this model warms up, measurements taken by HeadFi users refute this point. Thus, here we can only talk about getting used to the presentation of the model.

Unfortunately, with Hybrids, Xiaomi also followed the lead of the mass public and tuned the headphones towards a very dark sound with dominant bass, just like in Mi Headphones. The high frequencies were also deliberately muted, which makes the presentation slightly dull and deprives it of after-sounds, although it ensures the absence of the slightest hint of harshness.

First, about the cons. I will try to forget about the price of these headphones and describe them on par with more expensive models.

Bass is the main dominant sound of these headphones. There is a lot of it here, it is very deep, although not very fast, which gives it massiveness and heaviness. The headphones do not play complex bass parts, dumping everything into a monolithic wall of pressure, in which it is difficult to make out individual parts.

The mid frequencies suffer from the bass creeping into the midrange, which is traditional for dark headphones, and in addition, they themselves are unclear. I have a suspicion that the culprit here is a poorly calculated crossover, due to which the lower part of the midrange goes to the dynamic driver. Because the upper half of the midrange is more or less good in places, as it should be for an armature.

The high-frequency range is carefully suppressed so as not to create any problems during listening. There is not a hint of sharpness or emphasis on the sibilant region. But the reduced high frequencies do not benefit the overall sound picture, the sound turns out to be compressed, the imaginary stage is narrow and not deep.

Now for the good stuff. We remember the ridiculous price of these headphones, look at the top of any chart and understand what the majority of ordinary users listen to.

The bass is really powerful, it “pumps” and creates the pressure necessary for electronic music. Pressed HF eliminates harshness and fatigue from sound even with simple sources and low-quality recordings. The part of the midrange and treble played by the armature is quite sufficient for simple styles of music, and some “difficult” genres are also quite “listenable”.

By the way, if you cover the holes in the front part of the case with something, the headphones get even more deep bass, and they acquire an infernal darkness.

Compatibility

Hybrids were designed explicitly for mobile phones, and they do not need top-end players. They have an optimal impedance for smartphones of 32Ω, and normal sensitivity allows them to play loudly even with weak sources.

Genre-wise, the headphones are suitable for those styles where low frequencies are important: pop music, rap, electronic styles. The headphones are not sensitive to recording quality; on a 10-point scale, this parameter can be rated somewhere around 3.

The microphone is quite good, even in noisy conditions it copes well with voice transmission.

conclusions

As almost an audiophile, I’m a little sorry that Xiaomi didn’t make headphones that could interest aesthetic connoisseurs like me. As with Mi Headphones, the developers stopped half a step away from creating a “giant killer”. As a reasonable person, I understand that the headphones are designed for a wide audience who loves “more bass” and cost less than $20, which is also not particularly conducive to sophistication.

“Hybrids” were clearly designed for lovers of low frequencies; for those who appreciate a more neutral presentation, there is a third revision of the pistons. If you love bass, listen to simple music and are looking for inexpensive and reliable headphones, Xiaomi Hybrids will be an excellent choice for you. Moreover, their humane price tag allows you to even buy them as “second headphones” for those tracks in which the bass dominant would be appropriate.

The company's first attempt to make hybrid headphones - Xiaomi Hybrid - was a success: the capabilities of the dynamic driver were expanded by reinforcement. At the end of 2016, Xiaomi released another product developed by the famous acoustic studio 1More.

The model with the Pro HD console received an additional dynamic driver. This micro-audio system consists of three emitters: two dynamic and one reinforcing. It turns out that this is not a copy of the 1More Triple Driver, as many would like to believe: the latter have two armature drivers and one dynamic one.

Be careful: there is a Xiaomi Hybrid Pro version that has two drivers - dynamic and reinforcement. Its other names, which appeared due to careless sellers, are Xiaomi Pro, Xiaomi Hybrid, Xiaomi Piston Pro. It was her Lifehacker last time.

Characteristics

Equipment

Instead of the traditional cardboard box, Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD received a holiday set:

• plastic case-box;
• rubber holder;
• fabric bag;
• three pairs of ear pads.

The latter were found in conventional hybrids and in other solutions of the company. The material has changed in Pro HD: now the ear pads are a little softer, but denser at the base.

A rubber holder may be suitable for storage, but combining it with a pouch, for example, will not work. The box is clearly intolerable: scratches remain instantly. And the loop is made of very thick tape.

So in reality, the extended package turns out to be a marketing ploy. But if you combine a bag and a box, you get excellent protection, although it is very bulky.

Appearance and ergonomics

The design of Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD is different from its predecessors. The headphones have become larger and more impressive. The main feature that attracts attention is the spherical milling of the back surface of the earphone. The previous model had an even cut.

The metal ear cup is no longer polished, but matte. This type of coating is less susceptible to scratches. On the sides there are slot-shaped bass reflexes - real, working ones. When the music being played is loud enough, a noticeable flow of air comes out of them.

There is a lot of plastic in the design. In fact, this is a good idea, which is easiest to evaluate in cold weather: the ears are less cold.

Another change was the wire. It is now silicone, soft and flexible, does not stiffen in the cold, maintaining all the necessary properties. The memory effect was not detected, and the knots untangled without much difficulty.

Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD received an updated control panel. Previously, there were three flat rectangular buttons on it, tightly adjacent to each other. Not very comfortable, especially when running or in the cold. The new version has three large round buttons. It's almost impossible to miss.

Of course, there are a few but. Three buttons only work with Android. The upper and lower ones control the volume, the middle one is multifunctional. When playing music, it plays the role of Play / Pause. When there is an incoming call, a single press starts a conversation, a long press hangs up, and a double press mutes the microphone.

On iOS devices, only the middle button works and only when playing music. A single click starts or pauses the music, a double click starts the next track, a triple click starts the previous one.

The plug is metal, straight, gold-plated. Some may find this solution less convenient than the usual L-shaped one. My headphones with a straight plug last much longer.

Sound

The most important thing about headphones is their sound. Many stylish and popular models suffer from disgusting sound. The sound of the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD is quite specific due to the armature driver, so we had to be meticulous in testing. We used two sources: Little Dot MK II amplifier connected to a desktop PC, and Meizu Pro 5. So, let's see how the new Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD copes with various tasks.

Metal(Therion, Voivod, Testament, Obituary, Meshuggah). Tracks with a pronounced midrange sound very good. The Voivod tracks sound most advantageous on headphones: there are a lot of high notes, complex guitar parts are as detailed as possible, and low frequencies are represented exclusively by high bass. Hybrid headphones cope with all this with a bang.

Hip-hop(Infectious Grooves, Rage Against The Machine, “Krovostok”). The second dynamic driver helps the Hybrid Pro HD deal with sub-bass - noticeably more than in any other cheap hybrid headphones. Although I would not recommend this model to bassheads. The beat sounds bright and accurate without drowning out the high frequencies. Here the mid-range dip is not noticeable. On the contrary, the mid frequencies are really well developed, especially compared to regular Hybrids.

Electro, D'n'B. By the time we listened to this part of the test compositions, our ears had become accustomed to the sound of the new Xaiomi. This allowed us to appreciate the depth of the scene: it is magnificent. Even with the software gadgets completely turned off, you get the feeling that Dolby 3D or another type of three-dimensional sound implementation is turned on.

Jazz, psychobilly. Considering the cost, I definitely recommend the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD to all fans of this genre. None of the versions of budget armatures or hybrids I have tested reproduces the double bass in such detail when played slap. The saxophone sounds great. Even in the most difficult moments, the compositions remain as intelligible as possible: here are the drums, here is the double bass - separately from vocals and other instruments.

Classical music. The effect is approximately the same as when listening to extreme genres. The balanced full sound of all components of the orchestra is not overshadowed even by individual shortcomings of the brass section.

conclusions

Unlike the previous version of Xiaomi hybrid headphones, the new Hybrid Pro HD have a richer sound with an excellent midrange. The detail and scene that many fans loved is still there.

It is worth noting the bright color of the sound. Xiaomi engineers are looking for their own sound, and they succeed. However, it will be difficult to tune certain frequencies. Factory equalization affects all playable ranges, and there is no need to talk about any smooth (monitor) sound. Everything is done in accordance with the psychoacoustic hearing model: well-developed lows, precise upper bass, detailed vocals.

But is there anything more you could ask for from a $30 mobile headset? I assure you, you won’t find a brighter and more pleasant sound in the price range up to 50 to 70 dollars. Fans of extremely low sounds should pay attention to headphone models without fittings - these are the properties of this type of acoustics. But if you suddenly want something interesting and unusual, then Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD will not disappoint.

Due to a rather vague company policy, names can be found on the Internet review, review or characteristics of a specific headphone model is not easy. This trick won't work just once or twice. And all because at the time of release the hybrid headphones were called Xiaomi Hybrid, and then renamed Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro. However, this is just the beginning.

The same “ears” that we have in our review are called almost the same. Only the HD console has been added. Well, we are waiting for the continuation in the form of Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro HD Hi-Res Plus Gen. 2 or something like that. In general, we still have time to go crazy from such naming. But let's leave all this on the conscience of the manufacturer. Let's move on directly to the product.

Equipment

Compared to the previous generation, and I will compare our “ears” with their predecessors throughout the entire review, the box has become more serious. A small, neat box, inside of which there is a separate package with a carrying case (!) and a separate plastic box where the headphones themselves lie neatly and wait in the wings.

In general, this is not the first time I have encountered such packaging. It has existed since Piston of different generations. And then it impressed with its quality, and now it is a kind of production standard in China. Even headphones that cost 4-5 dollars are packaged in exactly the same boxes, so there is nothing extraordinary here. But the fact that they included a carrying case is a clear nod to the user. It’s not for nothing that the prefix “HD” was added.

In addition to the case, the kit includes interchangeable ear pads in three sizes: L, M and S. I personally like the largest ones, and then with a reservation.

Design and convenience

Right on the packaging there is the inscription “1more design”. The thing is that Xiaomi produces headphones with the support of the 1more brand. I don’t know how tight the integration of companies into each other is here, but it exists and it’s a fact.

In general, gadgets released under this brand have quite an impressive appearance and are much more expensive than models from Xiaomi of the same design. Probably, the latter subsidize the production of products under their label. There is no other way to explain the ultra-low cost of three-drive “hybrids”.

Continuity is visible to the naked eye, but the changes are still quite significant. The body of the “ears” has become more streamlined, the plastic inserts at the ends have disappeared, and others have appeared, now glossy. In general, the appearance has been refreshed and, to my taste, has become more interesting.

They say that the metal body of these “ears” is produced in as many as 25 stages. On the official website there is a lot of blah blah blah about sandblasting, they even indicated the diameter of the particles for some reason. In general, the main thing we need to know is that the driver housing is very cool and should be perceived as very expensive. In principle, this is how it is perceived.

But I can’t praise the developers for abandoning rag winding. I saw a terrible horror on the Internet when some users had the braid frayed, fluffed up, etc. Nothing like this happened to my copy during the year of operation. And I am not very careful when it comes to such accessories. I throw and crumple the “ears” in vain, from time to time I even lose them and still there is no hint of any significant deterioration in appearance.

I don't think that soft cable insulation made from a special material called TPE (thermoplastic elastomer) is the best option. In theory, this is a very cool polymer that successfully resists chemicals, temperature changes and physical wear. However, in our Russian frosts, a cable with a TPE braid becomes tanned, just like regular rubber. I can’t say anything about counteracting sweat (in the summer or in the gym, that is, during training) - you need heat and a fairly long period of time for the test.

The control panel has received a radical change in appearance. And rightly so!

The buttons have become larger and much more visible when used blindly.

In the previous model, you always had to first feel the entire remote control, project in your head where which button was located, and only then press the right one. Here the process of switching tracks and volume will happen much faster. Hooray!

The plug remains unchanged. Gold-plated, straight, four-pin - everything is as it should be.

Is available for sale

The Xiaomi company churns out more and more new gadgets with enviable consistency and frequency. And headphones are also among them. Just recently the latest model arrived to me - Hybrid Dual Drivers. The new product is hot, so without further ado, let’s move on to the review.

A little theory

Why this time the Chinese called their new headset not Piston 4, but Xiaomi Hybrid Dual Drivers? Everything is very simple. The name speaks for itself.

The fact is that in the housing of each channel it was possible to fit as many as two emitters instead of one: the first is ordinary or, as they say, dynamic, and the second is reinforced. The regular one is responsible for low frequencies, and the reinforcement one is responsible for medium and high frequencies. It sounds fantastic, especially when you consider that just armature headphones, even with one driver, are not cheap at all.

For those who are not aware, below are pictures with an explanation. A tiny oblong thing with an angular shape is just an armature driver and, according to the manufacturer, it is double-sided. Although there are doubts about this. The diagram below does not show whether one or two reinforcement emitters are installed in the housing. Most likely, we are talking only about the use of two types of drivers, and not about some kind of emitter with two armatures.

The membrane has a traditional round shape.

I will not go into the jungle of technology, I will simply express the position that manufacturers are guided by when developing reinforcement headphones. This type of emitter provides perfectly balanced high and mid frequencies, without lunges or other crimes. Roughly speaking, the sound in this case should be as it should be. Dot. But there may already be problems with the bass. It is very difficult to remove them through the reinforcement principle of sound radiation. In a good way, you need a separate anchor for this matter, or better yet several. All this money, large engineering and other costs - in general, this is clearly not the Xiaomi way. Obviously, it was for this reason that they decided to “save money” and give the low end to ordinary membranes. Well, we'll see what came of it.

Design

Xiaomi tries to pay attention not only to the design of its products, but also to the first impression of it that users get at the moment of unpacking. It’s not for nothing that hundreds, or even thousands of channels have appeared on Youtube, whose owners don’t feed them bread, but let them unpack something and film it.

Packaging and equipment

The box for the headphones is packed in a transparent matte film, on which some kind of white sticker with numbers and a barcode is pasted. Underneath is a box made of snow-white thin cardboard. You need to tear off a special tab at the back, much like on a box of chocolates.

Inside there were two boxes: a dense one with the headset inside and a simpler one with replaceable ear pads. Unexpectedly, unexpectedly, a jamb from the Chinese was immediately discovered, or rather, two at once.

The kit should contain three pairs of interchangeable nozzles, differing in size: XS, S and L. So, there was only one size L, and there were three “escoes”. There was an error. In the photo below, by the way, on the left is a set of ear pads from Hybrid, and on the right is from .

In addition, one of the attachments placed on the “ears” themselves turned out to be dirty.

Straight from the factory and as is. No cake China, no cake anymore!

In general, the manufacturer is obviously searching and constantly experimenting with packaging. Piston 3 had a beautiful plastic box with a cable winder made of rubber that was very pleasant to the touch. In this case, there is none of this. Only cardboard, but still very high quality. Made carefully and tastefully.

How to check Xiaomi Hybrid for originality

It’s not in vain that I want to touch on this topic separately, since perhaps this information will be useful to you in order to distinguish the original from the fake in the future. Shaomi devices are traditionally very actively counterfeited by their own compatriots. Most likely, by the date of publication of this review, counterfeits had already appeared, so be careful.

The only truly reliable way to check originality remotely is to buy from trusted places.

No “excise stamps” or assurances from sellers will help you. Now all this no longer works. For example, on Ali there are several sellers who are guaranteed to sell only original “shaomi” products, but their goods are expensive: more expensive than in other places. Later, in the appropriate section, I will tell you where it is cheaper to buy headphones without running into a fake.

When the device is already in hand, checking its originality is quite simple. First of all, you will have to unpack the headphones. Closer to the plug you will find a small label with a QR code that appears on the Xiaomi website. If the verification is successful, the following screenshot will appear on the smartphone screen.

Headphone appearance

As the review progresses, I will continue to compare the headset with the third “pistons”.

In terms of appearance, the main changes affected only the headbands of the headset. Everything else remains the same design. The 3.5 mm plug is still straight, only the color has changed.

The main length of the cable (only 1.25 meters) is also covered in fabric braiding, and where the wire bifurcates there is still the same silicone insulation.

On the left is the Xiaomi Piston 3 node, on the right is the Xiaomi Hybrid

They say there is even Kevlar here somewhere. Personally, I didn’t notice, but that’s not the point.

The control unit is placed in a metal frame. He has changed quite a bit. I'll tell you about it later.

Most of the speaker housing is made of metal. The material processing is of high quality, the headphones look very decent and original. There is no teenage, flashy design here; it seems to me that everything looks noble, but at the same time stylish.

As it turned out already during the operation of the Piston 3, the dark purple paint has an unpleasant property of peeling off. I encountered this problem and this is what it looks like.

The updated model is devoid of this trouble, because it is simply not painted in any way.

On the driver housing there is a characteristic engraved HD Audio inscription and no other visual elements, except for tiny holes for air outlet.

Sound quality

I’ll say right away that in this parameter the new product is head and shoulders above its predecessor. The sound is spacious, lively, more real or something. I didn’t like it at the time, and a direct comparison of the two generations only strengthened me in this conclusion. The sound of the “pistons” is flat and dry, but overall satisfactory. No more.

Regarding the low frequencies, I can say the following. I'm not a fan of filling, deep bass. In this case, it seems to pull the blanket over itself, depriving the mid and high frequencies of the opportunity to express themselves. I am for harmony and everything should know its place. So, in Piston 3, of course, there are low frequencies, but they are indistinct, in fact, like the sound in general. In our case, everything is much better. The bass thumps, but is in its own place, not filling the entire space.

Still, the headphones cannot be called audiophile. A miracle did not happen this time either. On the other hand, no one was expecting him.

I would put it this way. Piston 3 were good for ordinary, undemanding lovers of portable sound. Hybrids will appeal to more demanding “listeners,” to which I include myself. However, you need to understand that the sound of specific headphones, a specific player, or specific content is always unique - every nuance makes its own adjustments, not to mention personal sound preferences. By the way, I tried to be objective.

I can’t say anything about audiophiles, since I don’t consider myself one of them. It is unlikely that advanced music lovers will be able to opt for these headphones, however, to expand the boundaries of consciousness of personal experience, I would still advise trying these “ears”. After all, the brand is well-known, and so are their products—you have to be up to date.

Greetings, dear friends, true audiophiles and simply connoisseurs of good sound!

More recently, the Chinese company Xiaomi announced a new headphone model, which received the index QTER01JY. The new product immediately caused a lot of noise. It would seem, what is the reason for such popularity? And the reason is simple - this model is the first headphones from Xiaomi to use hybrid technology - one reinforcement emitter and one dynamic driver. Well, the low price, compared to similar headphones from other manufacturers, makes this new product even more interesting.
Today I want to make not only a detailed and in-depth review of the Xiaomi Hybrid, but also compare them with two other hybrid headphones and.

Data sheet

- Model: QTER01JY
- Type:In-Ear
- Remote Control: Yes
- Wire Core Material: Enamelled copper
- Speaker Impedance:32Ω
- Headphones Sensitivity:101dB
- Plug: 3.5mm gold-plated
- Rated Power: 5mW
- Implementation of standards GB/T 14471-2013
- Frequency range: 20-20,000Hz
- Weight:14g
- Cable Length:1.25m

Delivery. Package

The PenonAudio store delivers via Hong Kong Post. According to my personal observations, this is the fastest postal service in China. The parcel was delivered in record time, Hong Kong - Kazakhstan, in just 6 days.
The parcel was packed traditionally very high quality. If you order headphones as a gift, you can be sure that the contents of the parcel will not be damaged and the packaging will retain its presentation.

Package

Headphones are packaged in matte shipping film. It is impossible to remove it without damaging it.

The box itself is small in size and made of white cardboard.

On the front side is the MI logo.

On the back side are the characteristics of the headphones and a sticker with a barcode.

The package can be opened by tearing the special packaging seam, or from the bottom.

Equipment

The kit includes the headphones themselves, a brochure and three pairs of additional ear pads.

There are four pairs of ear pads in total. They are of quite decent quality. Made of rubber, thin and very soft.

The store included three additional pairs of silicone tips as a gift.

Appearance. Materials. Workmanship

Cable

The cable is 125 cm long. Up to the splitter on the jack side, the cable has a nylon braid. From the splitter to the headphones there is a Kevlar shell. The cable is very soft. In the cold it practically does not tan.

Jack

The jack is metal, straight, with small horizontal notches. The contacts are gold-plated.

At the cable exit there is a soft rubber shock absorber that protects the cable from bending.

Splitter

Semi-oval rubber splitter. It also features the signature MI logo.

Remote controller

The remote control is located on the right earphone wire. Located just at chin level. The remote control body is made of metal, also with small horizontal notches.
There are 3 buttons made of plastic. The middle button has ridges along the edges, making the buttons easy to distinguish by touch.

There is a microphone hole on the back of the remote control.

Appearance

The headphone body consists of two parts. The main part is made of metal. The top part and the air duct are made of plastic. The build quality of the case is very good.
There is a hole on the metal part of the earphone. There is also a hole on the inner plastic part on the air duct side. Apparently, these holes act as a bypass and serve to remove excess pressure inside the housing. When placed in the ear, the headphones do not create a “vacuum” effect and do not click the driver membrane.

The end of the air duct has sides for better retention of the ear pads. The air duct with a diameter of 5 mm is covered with a metal protective mesh.

Additional close-up photos

Ease of use

The headphones are very light and have an anatomically comfortable shape. The fit is classic and very comfortable.
They fit in a small woman's ear without any problems.

So is the male one.

Compatibility

The headphones were tested on the ASUS ZenFone 2 (ZE551ML) smartphone


In headset mode - short press the central button to answer, long hang up. The top and bottom buttons control the volume. Volume with reserve. The interlocutor can be heard well. The voice is clear and intelligible. On the other side, good speech quality is also noted.
In music mode, press the center button to pause. The top and bottom buttons control the volume. It was not possible to switch tracks either by long pressing or by pressing twice, neither in the standard Music application, nor in the third-party player TTPOD.

Noise insulation

A very good level of noise insulation from external stimuli, even with standard ear pads.

Sound

Sound sources: portable players HiFiMan 603 Slim 4Gb and xDuoo X2.
Musical compositions, albums of various genres in lossless FLAC format.

Metal Apocalyptica - Shadowmaker (2015), Attila - Guilty Pleasure (2014), Sabaton - Heroes 3CD (2015), Tremonti - Cauterize (2015), Cruachan - Blood For The Blood God (2014)
Rock David Duchovny - Hell Or Highwater (2015), Kid Rock - First Kiss (2015), Scorpions - Return To Forever (Japanese Deluxe Edition 2015), Therapy - Disquiet (2015),
Tito & Tarantula - Lost Tarantism (2015), Van Halen - Live Tokyo Dome In Concert, Pink Floyd - The Endless River (2014)
Jazz Ben Webster - The Holland Sessions (1997, Blue Note), Laura Fygi - Introducing (1991); Dream Your Dream (1998), Tito Puente - Malibu Beat (2015), Yiruma & Friends - Atmosfera (2015), Kaori Kobayashi - STORY 10th Anniversary (2015)
Blues Delta Deep - Delta Deep (2015), Seasick Steve - Dog House Music (2006), Seasick Steve - Hubcap Music (2013), Seasick Steve - Sonic Soul Surfer (2015), Billy The Kid & The Regulators (2015), Jay Jesse Johnson - Set The Blues On Fire(2015)
Pop Zazi - Zingt Dorrestijn (2014, Germany, Robot Robot Rights), Kovacs - Shades Of Black, Donna Lewis - Brand New Day (2015), Faun - Luna (2014)
Chillout, Downbeat, Lounge Grill & Chill - Cool Lounge Music 4 Hot Barbecue, Nest - Within a Decade (2014), Purobeach Oasis Del Mar. Volumen Diez 2CD (2014)
As well as other musical compositions of various genres.
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As strange as it may sound, XIAOMI HYBRID is quite sensitive to musical material. If there is dirt and itching in the recording, they will convey them in full.
I listened to these headphones for quite a long time, and tried them on musical compositions of various genres. The sound is certainly very good, even without taking into account their cost. There are headphones that cost much more, but play much worse.
But when listening to music on certain musical compositions, I experience a little discomfort in terms of sound. But I will talk about this below. For now, let's take things in order.

The bass is voluminous, enveloping, soft, warm, with a pleasant aftertaste. The power, richness and depth of sound are fully felt. The bass has a pleasant tuning, but at certain moments it allows itself to creep into the midrange.

The midrange fits perfectly into the overall sound picture. They have pretty good resolution and detail. Musical instruments and vocals sound natural, natural and quite lively. But sometimes they suffer from an excess of low frequencies, which periodically drown them out.

I wrote above that I experience slight discomfort on some compositions. And it’s all about the HF. High frequencies are somehow refined and synthetic. This is especially pronounced in instrumental, classical and jazz music.
Perhaps some will not notice this, but some will even like this setting. But when comparing the sound of these headphones with the sound of others, you involuntarily notice this.
Perhaps this setting was made intentionally, and this is a “feature” of a proprietary armature emitter of its own design. But in my opinion, XIAOMI went a little too far in pursuit of crystalline and purity of high frequencies.
Well, otherwise there are no complaints. HF is light, bright, clear and sparkling, with good extension and detail. If it were not for excessive synthetics, then one could call them ideal.

The imaginary scene is constructed very convincingly. I would even say, simply amazing for headphones of this form factor. There really is a sense of depth, width and volume.

Compared to other headphones

I have two hybrid headphones TTPOD T2E and Fidue A73. Therefore, let me make a small comparison. I understand that the comparison is not entirely correct, since the cost of some headphones is $95 and the other is $150.

The QTER01JY has more bass than the Fidue A73 and even a little more than the TTPOD T2E. This is not to say that the A73 and T2E have worse bass frequencies. Headphones have different settings. In XIAOMI HYBRID, the bass is more convincing and “fat,” sometimes even to the detriment.
On the side of the Fidue A73 are lively and natural vocals and more readable midranges.
TTPOD T2E has excellent detail in all frequency ranges.
The detail in the QTER01JY is slightly worse than in the other two hybrids.

But on certain compositions, QTER01JY manages to build a surprisingly very voluminous imaginary scene, no worse than its competitors.

Advantages and disadvantages

+ price
+ materials used and workmanship
+ sound
+ standard ear pads are of quite decent quality

- “fat” low frequencies
- synthetic HF

Conclusions and impressions

If you need universal headphones with good sound for every day, QTER01JY will undoubtedly be a very good choice. I am sure that most listeners will like them, and for some they will become the only ones.
But taking them as the first hybrid headphones is exactly to get acquainted with hybrid technology , in my opinion not worth it. Exactly cool, classic hybrid sound with amazing detail, you will not hear in them.

To summarize. XIAOMI has pleased us once again. Good headphones for little money. In my opinion, they deserve attention.

Py.Sy. I tried to take the highest quality and informative photographs possible. I am sure that in the near future Ali will be inundated with fakes, as was the case with versions 2 and 3 of the headphones. Therefore, I advise you to buy headphones only in reliable stores and from trusted sellers.

Thank you for attention.

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