This is a review of Xiaomi Pistons 3.0 in-ear headphones with Android controls. http://penonaudio.com/xiaomi-piston-3.0
*** got asked by a number of people which seller on ebay they can trust, and just found out that penon also sells it on ebay under bigbargainonline: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xiaomi-Pist...Quality-Stereo-In-Ear-Earphones-/380861393335 *** oh, and I'm not associated with penon or have anything to do with that store. Just sharing a link of a trusted seller so you don't get caught buying a fake one.
Released last year, Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 took everyone by surprise with their budget priced in-ear headphones that had everything from a unique design and packaging, solid build, full Android controls (including volume), and commercial tuning with an enhanced bass and a clear sound. It also stirred up a controversy where, after the initial wave of success, eBay and Amazon were flooded with counterfeits sold at nearly the same price as original. I have a feeling history is going to repeat itself with Pistons 3.0, so please buy only from trusted sources (my Pistons 3.0 is from Penon Audio). Another discovery with the original Pistons 2.0 for me was the first time I heard a phrase “giant killer” meaning budget priced headphones that can go head-to-head with others at much higher price. Despite if Pistons 2.0 sound was or wasn’t your cup of tea, or like myself you modded Pistons 2.0 by removing a filter to make sound brighter and more detailed – Xiaomi set a high bar with a product for under $30 without too many compromises. Now, they are back with Pistons 3.0 trying to see if they can hold on to their crown. So, is Pistons 3.0 (P3) an upgrade to Pistons 2.0 (P2)? Is this still a great value for under $30? How does it compare to a slew of other “giant killers” released in the last year? Let’s take a closer look to find out the answers to these questions.
Starting with a packaging, you won’t find anything different by unfolding the crossed flaps of the packaging wrap that contains all the instructions printed on the inner side. It’s exactly how P2 was wrapped, and I’m glad they are continuing with environmentally safe packaging. A storage box inside with a clear plastic cover is identical to P2 as well, showcasing P3 sitting inside of a square rubber insert piece. You can actually refer to this rubber piece as a spool because it has a clever groove around the edge where you wrap around the cable. The only difference this time - it smells like plastic and not like chocolate (that was rather unique with P2). Though I do appreciate a neat way of how cable was wrapped around, I wouldn’t keep it like this after headphone use since it takes time and patience to wrap it up correctly, and I’m also afraid of cable memory effect.
Unboxing.
Included accessories are just 4 pairs of eartips, XS/S/M/L. The bottom of the box has 3 pairs of eartip stems so you can organize them easily. Also, the box itself minus the spool insert can make a decent storage case for these headphones.
Accessories.
Aside from packaging and "Pistons" name, that's where all obvious similarities end between P2 and P3. Starting with a connector, you have a slim 3.5mm headphone jack with a nice strain relief and a fine laser etched housing that has a non-slippery grip. From the connector, you will find a fine braided cloth sheathing cable going up to the y-splitter that has nice strain relief on a common side and no strain relief after the split. Splitter here is designed as a small capsule, unlike P2 which has inline remote and mic built into it. I was never a fan of inline remote being at the splitter level in P2 because I had to bring it up closer to my mouth when using a phone, otherwise it was picking up too much outside noise.
Cable going to earpieces is rounded with a soft flexible rubber jacket. Right side has inline remote which I was pleased to see closer to my mouth. The remote has a nice slim cylindrical design, but unlike P2 where volume and multi-function control buttons were partitioned on opposite sides, P3 buttons are all in-line. I find this arrangement a bit hard to feel when sliding your finger (even with a little bump on multi-function button), but did get used to it after awhile remembering to push either in the middle for multi-function control or on the sides for a volume control. Speaking of controls, it works flawless with my Note 4 and should be the same with most of the other popular Android phones where volume up/down changes the volume, single click on the middle button does Play/Pause/Call, double click to skip next, and triple click to skip back, while long press starts Google Search. I'm sure multi-function button will work the same for iDevices, just volume up/down will not be supported. As for built-in mic and quality of phone calls, they were pretty good.
Moving up to earpieces, they also have a nice strain relief. Looking closer you will see that only outer shell plate is aluminum while the rest is made out of a plastic. Beside pinhole port next to the nozzle, the back has an interesting design suggesting it has an open port which definitely contributes to a great soundstage. At the same time, sound leakage from the back is also noticeable. The same goes for sound isolation since you can hear outside noise as well, though attenuated. One gripe with a design that I do have, even though nozzle is angled and shells are not symmetrical, there is no easy way to distinguish L/R by touch like it was in P2 with a bump on R strain relief. Here you either have to remember that in-line remote is on a right side or look closer at inside of the shell for a stamped L/R letters.
Design.
The headphone fitment doesn't stick out too much outside of the ear, and very comfortable to wear even when you are lying in bed with ear on a pillow. The default style of wearing them is wire down, but you can also wear them wire up if you switch L/R sides (due to asymmetrical angled nozzle design).
Wire up/down wear.
Of course, the biggest difference between P2 and P3 is in sound tuning. If you “enjoyed” the original bass bloat of P2 with its spillage into lower mids, you will be a bit “disappointed” since P3 has been updated with a nicely balanced sound signature that also has a touch of mid-centric flavor. Just don't jump into a conclusion right out of the box - 50hr burn-in will show a noticeable change especially when it comes to bass settling down. My usual advice, run a free-air (just leave it on your desk or somewhere else) burn-in for 2 days in a row playing your favorite tune at above the average volume level. Extended burn in while listening is good, but you will not notice as drastic change due to a brain burn-in.
In more details, low end in P3 is definitely north of neutral and has a nice balance between moderate sub-bass crunch and a little bump in mid-bass (with a fast attack). Bass is well control, not exaggerated, and doesn't spill into mids. Mids are sweet, detailed, bright, slightly forward, with warmth from low end giving them a nice support with a full body. Upper mids strike a perfect balance between bright and smooth. The same at the top, treble has a nice extension and appears to be bright, but it's not harsh or grainy, and has absolutely no sign of sibilance. It's not analytical bright, but rather smooth bright, and ear-friendly for extended listening sessions.
As I mentioned before, due to their design, soundstage is wide open with a rather airy sound and a decent layering and separation. Width and depth are definitely above the average, though I hear staging to be a little wider than deeper. Amping definitely not required, and they are easy to drive from any source, but I do have to note their sensitivity at 98dB is slightly lower than average IEM, so volume needs to be raised a little bit higher. My Note 4 handled it just like other IEMs, but with X5 and out of laptop while testing I had to raise the volume higher in comparison to other headphones.
And speaking of other headphones, I put Pistons 3 against a few other giant killers, and here is how I hear it.
- Piston 3 vs Piston 2 (modded w/o filter): P2 bass is more exaggerated and spills into lower mids, P2 mids are more recessed (v-shaped sound), and upper mids/treble sounds harsher and less organic. P2 staging is narrower.
- Piston 3 vs KZ EDSE: KZ has a stronger mid-bass punch where the bass hump is a little more dominant and mids pushed a little more back. Upper mids/treble in KZ is brighter and a little more detailed, though a bit harsher in comparison to P3. P3 soundstage is a little wider/deeper.
- Piston 3 vs VSD3: VSD3 has more sub-bass and faster/stronger mid-bass, slightly pushed back mids (in comparison to P3), brighter upper mids/treble. Soundstage is similar.
- Piston 3 vs E10: E10 has a little more sub-bass, a similar presentation of mids (though P3 is smoother), and a similar tuning of the treble. E10 soundstage is a little narrower and feels more intimate.
- Piston 3 vs KC06A: KC06A has more mid-bass punch, mids/treble are not as smooth - brighter and a bit more detailed (though less organic). Also, KC06A has less depth in soundstage.
Overall, I think you will not be disappointed with a new version of Pistons 3.0. Personally, I didn't find P3 to be an upgrade from P2, but rather a side-grade with a whole new look/design and a different sound signature. I still value Pistons 2.0 and use them quite often when watching Netflix on my Note 4 because I like a wider soundstage and deeper bass with movies (the reason why I also continue using Dolphins to watch tv). But when it comes to listening to music, Pistons 3.0 would be my choice of preference because of their more balanced sound signature and more organic mid-forward brighter sound that is suited for any music genre (as long as you don't expect a deeper bass). When Pistons 2.0 were released - people noticed them because of the budget price, standout design, and build quality. With Pistons 3.0, Xiaomi took this winning formula to another level with a more coherent sound for everyday listening pleasure on the go.
*** got asked by a number of people which seller on ebay they can trust, and just found out that penon also sells it on ebay under bigbargainonline: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Xiaomi-Pist...Quality-Stereo-In-Ear-Earphones-/380861393335 *** oh, and I'm not associated with penon or have anything to do with that store. Just sharing a link of a trusted seller so you don't get caught buying a fake one.
Released last year, Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 took everyone by surprise with their budget priced in-ear headphones that had everything from a unique design and packaging, solid build, full Android controls (including volume), and commercial tuning with an enhanced bass and a clear sound. It also stirred up a controversy where, after the initial wave of success, eBay and Amazon were flooded with counterfeits sold at nearly the same price as original. I have a feeling history is going to repeat itself with Pistons 3.0, so please buy only from trusted sources (my Pistons 3.0 is from Penon Audio). Another discovery with the original Pistons 2.0 for me was the first time I heard a phrase “giant killer” meaning budget priced headphones that can go head-to-head with others at much higher price. Despite if Pistons 2.0 sound was or wasn’t your cup of tea, or like myself you modded Pistons 2.0 by removing a filter to make sound brighter and more detailed – Xiaomi set a high bar with a product for under $30 without too many compromises. Now, they are back with Pistons 3.0 trying to see if they can hold on to their crown. So, is Pistons 3.0 (P3) an upgrade to Pistons 2.0 (P2)? Is this still a great value for under $30? How does it compare to a slew of other “giant killers” released in the last year? Let’s take a closer look to find out the answers to these questions.
Starting with a packaging, you won’t find anything different by unfolding the crossed flaps of the packaging wrap that contains all the instructions printed on the inner side. It’s exactly how P2 was wrapped, and I’m glad they are continuing with environmentally safe packaging. A storage box inside with a clear plastic cover is identical to P2 as well, showcasing P3 sitting inside of a square rubber insert piece. You can actually refer to this rubber piece as a spool because it has a clever groove around the edge where you wrap around the cable. The only difference this time - it smells like plastic and not like chocolate (that was rather unique with P2). Though I do appreciate a neat way of how cable was wrapped around, I wouldn’t keep it like this after headphone use since it takes time and patience to wrap it up correctly, and I’m also afraid of cable memory effect.
Unboxing.
Included accessories are just 4 pairs of eartips, XS/S/M/L. The bottom of the box has 3 pairs of eartip stems so you can organize them easily. Also, the box itself minus the spool insert can make a decent storage case for these headphones.
Accessories.
Aside from packaging and "Pistons" name, that's where all obvious similarities end between P2 and P3. Starting with a connector, you have a slim 3.5mm headphone jack with a nice strain relief and a fine laser etched housing that has a non-slippery grip. From the connector, you will find a fine braided cloth sheathing cable going up to the y-splitter that has nice strain relief on a common side and no strain relief after the split. Splitter here is designed as a small capsule, unlike P2 which has inline remote and mic built into it. I was never a fan of inline remote being at the splitter level in P2 because I had to bring it up closer to my mouth when using a phone, otherwise it was picking up too much outside noise.
Cable going to earpieces is rounded with a soft flexible rubber jacket. Right side has inline remote which I was pleased to see closer to my mouth. The remote has a nice slim cylindrical design, but unlike P2 where volume and multi-function control buttons were partitioned on opposite sides, P3 buttons are all in-line. I find this arrangement a bit hard to feel when sliding your finger (even with a little bump on multi-function button), but did get used to it after awhile remembering to push either in the middle for multi-function control or on the sides for a volume control. Speaking of controls, it works flawless with my Note 4 and should be the same with most of the other popular Android phones where volume up/down changes the volume, single click on the middle button does Play/Pause/Call, double click to skip next, and triple click to skip back, while long press starts Google Search. I'm sure multi-function button will work the same for iDevices, just volume up/down will not be supported. As for built-in mic and quality of phone calls, they were pretty good.
Moving up to earpieces, they also have a nice strain relief. Looking closer you will see that only outer shell plate is aluminum while the rest is made out of a plastic. Beside pinhole port next to the nozzle, the back has an interesting design suggesting it has an open port which definitely contributes to a great soundstage. At the same time, sound leakage from the back is also noticeable. The same goes for sound isolation since you can hear outside noise as well, though attenuated. One gripe with a design that I do have, even though nozzle is angled and shells are not symmetrical, there is no easy way to distinguish L/R by touch like it was in P2 with a bump on R strain relief. Here you either have to remember that in-line remote is on a right side or look closer at inside of the shell for a stamped L/R letters.
Design.
The headphone fitment doesn't stick out too much outside of the ear, and very comfortable to wear even when you are lying in bed with ear on a pillow. The default style of wearing them is wire down, but you can also wear them wire up if you switch L/R sides (due to asymmetrical angled nozzle design).
Wire up/down wear.
Of course, the biggest difference between P2 and P3 is in sound tuning. If you “enjoyed” the original bass bloat of P2 with its spillage into lower mids, you will be a bit “disappointed” since P3 has been updated with a nicely balanced sound signature that also has a touch of mid-centric flavor. Just don't jump into a conclusion right out of the box - 50hr burn-in will show a noticeable change especially when it comes to bass settling down. My usual advice, run a free-air (just leave it on your desk or somewhere else) burn-in for 2 days in a row playing your favorite tune at above the average volume level. Extended burn in while listening is good, but you will not notice as drastic change due to a brain burn-in.
In more details, low end in P3 is definitely north of neutral and has a nice balance between moderate sub-bass crunch and a little bump in mid-bass (with a fast attack). Bass is well control, not exaggerated, and doesn't spill into mids. Mids are sweet, detailed, bright, slightly forward, with warmth from low end giving them a nice support with a full body. Upper mids strike a perfect balance between bright and smooth. The same at the top, treble has a nice extension and appears to be bright, but it's not harsh or grainy, and has absolutely no sign of sibilance. It's not analytical bright, but rather smooth bright, and ear-friendly for extended listening sessions.
As I mentioned before, due to their design, soundstage is wide open with a rather airy sound and a decent layering and separation. Width and depth are definitely above the average, though I hear staging to be a little wider than deeper. Amping definitely not required, and they are easy to drive from any source, but I do have to note their sensitivity at 98dB is slightly lower than average IEM, so volume needs to be raised a little bit higher. My Note 4 handled it just like other IEMs, but with X5 and out of laptop while testing I had to raise the volume higher in comparison to other headphones.
And speaking of other headphones, I put Pistons 3 against a few other giant killers, and here is how I hear it.
- Piston 3 vs Piston 2 (modded w/o filter): P2 bass is more exaggerated and spills into lower mids, P2 mids are more recessed (v-shaped sound), and upper mids/treble sounds harsher and less organic. P2 staging is narrower.
- Piston 3 vs KZ EDSE: KZ has a stronger mid-bass punch where the bass hump is a little more dominant and mids pushed a little more back. Upper mids/treble in KZ is brighter and a little more detailed, though a bit harsher in comparison to P3. P3 soundstage is a little wider/deeper.
- Piston 3 vs VSD3: VSD3 has more sub-bass and faster/stronger mid-bass, slightly pushed back mids (in comparison to P3), brighter upper mids/treble. Soundstage is similar.
- Piston 3 vs E10: E10 has a little more sub-bass, a similar presentation of mids (though P3 is smoother), and a similar tuning of the treble. E10 soundstage is a little narrower and feels more intimate.
- Piston 3 vs KC06A: KC06A has more mid-bass punch, mids/treble are not as smooth - brighter and a bit more detailed (though less organic). Also, KC06A has less depth in soundstage.
Overall, I think you will not be disappointed with a new version of Pistons 3.0. Personally, I didn't find P3 to be an upgrade from P2, but rather a side-grade with a whole new look/design and a different sound signature. I still value Pistons 2.0 and use them quite often when watching Netflix on my Note 4 because I like a wider soundstage and deeper bass with movies (the reason why I also continue using Dolphins to watch tv). But when it comes to listening to music, Pistons 3.0 would be my choice of preference because of their more balanced sound signature and more organic mid-forward brighter sound that is suited for any music genre (as long as you don't expect a deeper bass). When Pistons 2.0 were released - people noticed them because of the budget price, standout design, and build quality. With Pistons 3.0, Xiaomi took this winning formula to another level with a more coherent sound for everyday listening pleasure on the go.
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