# Mi In-the-ear Headset (Piston Design v2) Review



## amjath (Sep 7, 2014)

Mi In-the-ear Headset (Piston Design v2) Review​*i.imgur.com/sOExXDh.jpg​
Specification:

*i.imgur.com/yhGUIWa.png​
Here is my review on my newly purchased Mi piston 2 in-ear headset [Brown Version]

Contents in the box:

1 Headset
User Manual
3 extra Headset cushions
1 Headset holding clip
1 Headset Winder

Let's get to work. 

1. Package:

*i.imgur.com/FeOLwVF.jpg?2​
Package overall is small and handy wrapped in white box like package. A small tape holds the package. When the seal is broken, surprise!!!

*i.imgur.com/oBXMwpG.jpg​
When the box/cover is opened, there it is Piston 2 box wrapped in a cover with a small tape. The box itself the product manual [How cool is that!!] Once the cover is unwrapped, you can see the piston 2 inside box with a transparent cover on top. When the lid is open, you can see the headset wrapped in headset wrapper [you can use this later use as well for temporary wrapping]

*i.imgur.com/PIIeirA.jpg?1​
Take the wrapper off and you can see 3 extra headset cushion [marked S, M and L] and headset holder clip.

*i.imgur.com/sOExXDh.jpg​
Just smell the wrapper, aww smells so good.

Now unwrapping the headset from the wrapper is bit tricky. Wrapper is made up of rubberized material. So just bend a little near 3.5 mm connector and start unwinding from headset connector.

Package Score: 10/10

2. Design and Quality:

Let me just start from the bottom. 3.5mm connector is gold-plated plug so sound quality will obviously better. The whole setup holding the connector looks like made of metal [aluminium] coated with gold colour  with a grain texture. I tried scratching them with my nails, they don't come off so easily 

I have used 2 stock Samsung headset only. Both got damaged near the connector and wire junction. The wire gets wore off when keeping them and take it off from trouser pockets or bag. So that's what bothered me before buying any headset. 

But this headset is properly designed the place where the wire starts from the connector is covered by a rubber.

*i.imgur.com/9Cx0Vf6.jpg​
This will definitely give extra life for the headset.

Next up is the wires. Xiaomi claims that they have used Bulletproof Kevlar fiber material to wrap their headset wires. 

So what's Kevlar



> Kevlar is the registered trademark for a para-aramid synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, this high-strength material was first commercially used in the early 1970s as a replacement for steel in racing tires. Typically it is spun into ropes or fabric sheets that can be used as such or as an ingredient in composite material components.
> Source



I tried pulling the wires from two fiber coating points, this is awesome  it is sturdy

Another use case for this Kevlar fiber coating is the wires don't tangle so easily. I have seen people untangle their headset wires for over a minute. This tangling untangling of wires will reduce the life of headset especially on the connector and wires junction which was explained above. 
Another rubber protection in wire and headset controller junction.

Now for the controller part, it has same metal [aluminium] grain finish with gold plating with 3 buttons and a mic. 2 on one side with mic in between and one button opposite to the former. Basically this controller is Android and IOS compatible [not for IOS 7.1.1 and above]

2 buttons on one side represents volume up and down respectively. The functionality on the other side is more, yep I meant the single button.

Functionality of single button are:

Music:
Single Click - Play/Pause 
Double Click - Next Track

Phone [Tested personally]:
Single Click - Attend Call/Silence[Mute]
Long Press - Hang up

Miscellaneous [Tested Personally]:
Long press Anywhere - Launches Google now
Long press when screen locked - Launches Voice Dialler

The button positions are difficult to use in the beginning, I mean when u press volume up accidently press pause button in music mode. After few days of usage, button layout comes handy [may be].
When going up the wire splits for left and right ear pieces. Here is the problem, Xiaomi used the usual rubber type wires which can be found in other headphones  It would be best if the coated the same Kevlar coating. Also it gets tangled. In-ear headset used the metal finish with gold coating. I am no expert to talk about the inner build. 

*i.imgur.com/htkn26h.jpg

*i.imgur.com/OsmVHtt.jpg​
But as per Xiaomi 



> *i.imgur.com/7lp3SxG.jpg
> 
> *i.imgur.com/BFHxu2V.jpg​



Finding the left and right ear piece is tricky first time [at least for me] unless you the manual.

*i.imgur.com/ZXrfRFw.jpg?1​
The ring shaped projection near the rubber cover denotes "Right" ear piece. Although it mentioned "L" and "R" [I was blindfolded by the design, so couldn't find it first], the shape near the ear piece is good addition to find earpieces in the dark.

Design Score: 9/10 [Button layout]

Quality Score: 8.5/10 [Less for using rubber wire for the ear pieces]

3. Performance:

I am no audiophile. As I have before I have used only Samsung in-ear Headset before and no experience with other headset, so I have my headset to two of my friends to listen, they said it sounds good. 
My experience in layman's language is, it sound crisp, clear, good bass overall satisfied [bit blown away ] 

I have found few things in the following songs I listened, so it can help readers to rate the headset sound quality on their own.

Sunn Raha Hai - Aashiqui 2
In the beginning, before the lyrics starts I can hear the humming very clearly. Even after the singer starts singing, the humming in the background is crisp.

Violent Games - Polica [NFS Most wanted 2012]
People who heard this song [while playing NFS MW game] know that the song has echo for the lyrics the singer is singing. The echoes and the next lyrics words are crisp and can be distinguishable.

Wrecking Ball - Miley Cyrus
When the singer starts "I came in like a wrecking ball" the bass blows in the ear canal 

Written in the stars - Tinie Tempah
When the song beings the word "Oh" starts with some distortion. That part is crisp.

The above observations looks very stupid to some readers  So I can't help

So in every other song I heard, every instrument which was used in the background can be heard clear and clean.

While travelling, I can hear no to very low external disturbance depending upon the songs with music control at 10 or 11 and with medium cushions.

Call quality is also clear and satisfied.

When the volume is high, the headset quality dips it doesn't sound pleasant 

Performance Score: 8.5/10 [Friend's opinion who used Beats ]

Overall Score: 9/10

These are definitely bang for buck, value for money durable high quality headset indeed!! Thanks for reading the review

[This is my first review, so mistakes, grammar mistakes can be found so highlight them. Addition or queries are all welcome]

Thanks again for reading


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## kamikaz (Sep 7, 2014)

[Pro-Tips] XiaoMi Piston Burn In Guide - Unveil the Potential - MIUI General - MIUI Official Community
Burn in guide
Good review Btw post a snap of the back cover, I think that should be able to let us know the version, hoping to get Mine tomorrow still


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## tkin (Sep 7, 2014)

kamikaz said:


> [Pro-Tips] XiaoMi Piston Burn In Guide - Unveil the Potential - MIUI General - MIUI Official Community
> Burn in guide
> Good review Btw post a snap of the back cover, *I think that should be able to let us know the version*, hoping to get Mine tomorrow still


How to know this? I'm not sure if mine are 2.0 or 2.1


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## kamikaz (Sep 7, 2014)

Pistons 2.1: Longer cable (1.2m from 1.1m), new eartips, shirt clip
iF Edition: Same improvements as Pistons 2.1, but with iF shirt clip, all-white box, and iF pouch
From head fi, I'll update if get anymore info

?*Still* The ultimate earphone under $20. The perfect way to give the gift of Head-Fi.? - thatBeatsguy?s Review of Xiaomi Pistons 2.0 MK301
Think this review covers everything about it


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## amjath (Sep 7, 2014)

^ Thanks. wow burn in guide hmmm is that real?? But i dont have that much time :/


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## tkin (Sep 7, 2014)

kamikaz said:


> Pistons 2.1: Longer cable (1.2m from 1.1m), new eartips, shirt clip
> iF Edition: Same improvements as Pistons 2.1, but with iF shirt clip, all-white box, and iF pouch
> From head fi, I'll update if get anymore info


So fk is selling 2.1, not IF.


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## amjath (Sep 7, 2014)

kamikaz said:


> [Pro-Tips] XiaoMi Piston Burn In Guide - Unveil the Potential - MIUI General - MIUI Official Community
> Burn in guide
> Good review Btw post a snap of the back cover, I think that should be able to let us know the version, hoping to get Mine tomorrow still


Version is not mentioned in the back cover


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## $hadow (Sep 8, 2014)

Version 2.0 is mentioned on fk. 
Nice review btw


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## sam_738844 (Sep 8, 2014)

Great Review. *thumbs up* 

No need to burn in though. Just plug em into your ears, keep listening, enjoy.


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## ankush28 (Sep 8, 2014)

Is this better than the SoundMagic or CX180 in terms of build quality? I broke my ES18 in one month .
This one looks good.... especially cord.

Earphones aren't available anymore 


Spoiler



*i.imgur.com/rmrxhIt.png


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## tkin (Sep 8, 2014)

Search for mi, not xiaomi, but they went out of stock.


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## amjath (Sep 8, 2014)

$hadow said:


> Version 2.0 is mentioned on fk.
> Nice review btw



Thank you 



sam_738844 said:


> Great Review. *thumbs up*
> 
> No need to burn in though. Just plug em into your ears, keep listening, enjoy.



Thank you  anyway no time for burn in 



ankush28 said:


> Is this better than the SoundMagic or CX180 in terms of build quality? I broke my ES18 in one month .
> This one looks good.... especially cord.
> 
> Earphones aren't available anymore
> ...



Dont know about other headset bro but the cord is Kevlar coated as mentioned above so its 75% sturdy 

Mi In-the-ear Headset (Piston Design) - Mi : Flipkart.com


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## kamikaz (Sep 9, 2014)

$hadow said:


> Version 2.0 is mentioned on fk.
> Nice review btw



its v2.1 the impedance is listed as 16ohm where as v2.0 have 12ohm (got mine today)



ankush28 said:


> Is this better than the SoundMagic or CX180 in terms of build quality? I broke my ES18 in one month .
> This one looks good.... especially cord.
> 
> Earphones aren't available anymore
> ...


check the reviews from headfi.org (have posted one in my earlier post )
they have pistons thread which runs 159 pages as of now


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## $hadow (Sep 9, 2014)

kamikaz said:


> its v2.1 the impedance is listed as 16ohm where as v2.0 have 12ohm (got mine today)
> 
> 
> check the reviews from headfi.org (have posted one in my earlier post )
> they have pistons thread which runs 159 pages as of now


Then it must have been a mistake on the part of fk to mention it wrongly.


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## ankush28 (Sep 9, 2014)

Any idea when it will be available again? FK is screwing up good products.


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## $hadow (Sep 9, 2014)

ankush28 said:


> Any idea when it will be available again? FK is screwing up good products.



Lack of production on the part of MI is screwing it up.


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## kamikaz (Sep 9, 2014)

I believe there is no official V2.1, I'm not sure about this, but it was coined by online community itself, there was time when v2.0 and v2.1 Co existed but I think now all are the same, if you look at mi3 Dirac settings they have options upto v2.0only too. 
The if version probably was the v2.1 initially, which was just a commemorative edition,I think they are selling the same as v2.0 
now

Was hanging around head fi last couple of days reading about pistons , 
Rest assured this is a no nonsense headphone, with added support of mic and playback controls and build quality not found at this price level


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## Nerevarine (Sep 9, 2014)

Plos compare it to well known tdf meta earphones like ES 18 and Cowon EM1


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