MEE audio M9B Wireless  Headphones Review

Reviewed Jan 10, 2018 at 04:15pm
Tested using Methodology v1.3.1 
MEE audio M9B Wireless
6.6
Mixed Usage 
6.3
Neutral Sound 
7.1
Commute/Travel 
7.6
Sports/Fitness 
6.4
Office 
4.9
Wireless Gaming 
5.0
Wired Gaming 
6.5
Phone Call 
 0
The MEE Audio M9B are super affordable wireless in-ears with a mediocre and bass-heavy sound. They have a lightweight, portable design, and they're stable enough to take to the gym. Unfortunately, they don't have the best wireless range, and although they isolate decently well, they won't be the best headphones for very noisy commutes. Their in-line control module is also surprisingly bulky.

Our Verdict

6.6
Mixed Usage 

The Mee M9b are a decent, budget wireless in-ears for mixed usage. They have a somewhat bass-heavy sound that won't be ideal for critical listening, and they do not have the best battery life or wireless range. On the upside, they're compact and easy to carry around on your person at all times. They're also stable and decently comfortable which makes them a good option for sports.

Pros
  • Portable and stable design for sports.
  • Very low leakage.
Cons
  • Poor battery life and active features.
  • Mediocre, bass-heavy sound.
6.3
Neutral Sound 

Mediocre for neutral listening. The MEE M9B have a bit too much bass and a poorly balanced mid-range. They also have a closed-back, in-ear design, which can't create a spacious soundstage. This means they won't be ideal for neutral listening but should be okay for more casual use.

7.1
Commute/Travel 

Average for commuting. They're compact and fit into most pockets. The in-ear fit also blocks a decent amount of noise but won't be ideal for very noisy environments.

7.6
Sports/Fitness 

The Mee audio M9b are good headphones for sports. They have a stable in-ear fit, they're wireless and small enough to carry around on your person wherever you go. Unfortunately, though functional, their in-line remote is a bit too large and may cause the earbuds to slip out of your ears during intense physical exercises.

6.4
Office 

Decent for office use. The MEE audio M9B don't leak much and block noise moderately well, so you can mask the ambient noise of a lively office by playing your audio at higher than average volumes.

4.9
Wireless Gaming 

Sub-par for gaming. They have a mediocre-at-best mic, lack customisation options and have a bit too much latency to be suitable for gaming.

5.0
Wired Gaming 
6.5
Phone Call 
  • 6.6
    Mixed Usage
  • 6.3
    Neutral Sound
  • 7.1
    Commute/Travel
  • 7.6
    Sports/Fitness
  • 6.4
    Office
  • 4.9
    Wireless Gaming
  • 5.0
    Wired Gaming
  • 6.5
    Phone Call
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
    2.  Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
    3.  Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
    4.  Updated Jan 10, 2018: Review published.

    Popular Headphones Comparisons

    Betron YSM1000

    The Betron YSM1000 and MEE Audio M9B Wireless are similar headphones, but the MEE are wireless Bluetooth headphones. They perform quite similarly with bass-heavy audio reproduction, but the MEE have a more sibilant treble range and worse isolation performance. However, their wireless design is convenient, especially for sports. Unfortunately, they don’t have a very long battery life, so the wired Betron might be a better option if you often listen to audio content in a day.

    Overhauling Our Audio Measurements And A New Multi-Curve Graphing Tool
    Overhauling Our Audio Measurements And A New Multi-Curve Graphing Tool

    We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.

    For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.

    We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!

    Test Results

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    Category:
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    Design
    Style
    TypeIn-ear
    EnclosureClosed-Back
    WirelessYes
    TransducerDynamic

    The Mee Audio M9B have a straightforward design and simple aesthetic that will work for most. The earbuds are a lot smaller than typical in-ear headphones, making them look somewhat like the Jaybird Freedom. Unfortunately, the in-line remote is considerably larger on the M9B and looks cheaply made. That and thin audio cables further emphasize the budget aspect of the headphones.

    7.0
    Comfort
    Weight0.04 lbs
    Clamping Force
    0 lbs

    The Mee M9B are super lightweight in-ear headphones with a decently comfortable fit. The earbuds are small enough to not touch the outer parts of your ear canal which makes them a bit less fatiguing to wear for long listening sessions compared to typical in-ear headphones. Unfortunately, they do not come with as many tip options as some of the other in-ears we've tested which could have improved their comfort level overall.

    7.0
    Controls
    OS Compatibility
    N/A
    Ease Of UseOkay
    FeedbackOkay
    Call/Music ControlYes
    Volume ControlYes
    Microphone ControlNo
    Channel Mixing
    N/A
    Noise Cancelling ControlN/A
    Talk-Through
    N/A
    Additional ButtonsNo

    The Mee M9B headphones have a basic three button set up that's efficient and well spaced out but doesn't have the best feedback. They provide track-skipping, call/music and volume controls. They're easy-to-use but their in-line remote is surprisingly large and cheaply made which in parts causes the poor button feedback.

    9.3
    Breathability
    Avg.Temp.Difference0.7 °C
    8.8
    Portability
    L3"
    W1.6"
    H1"
    Volume5 in³
    Transmitter RequiredN/A

    The Mee M9B are super portable headphones. Their earbuds are smaller than typical in-ears but the in-line remote is a lot larger than most even for a wireless design. On the upside, they're still easy to carry on you at all times since they will easily fit into most pockets and bags.

    0.0
    Case
    TypeNo case
    LN/A
    WN/A
    HN/A
    VolumeN/A
    6.5
    Build Quality

    The Mee Audio M9B are decently built but feel a bit cheap. The earbuds are lightweight and made of a tough plastic that won't easily break even after multiple drops. Unfortunately, the in-line remote feels a bit plasticky and the audio cables are thin and not as rubberized as more premium in-ears. The audio cable is also not removable so while they're decently durable they won't last as long as some of the more high-end in-ears we've reviewed so far.

    7.0
    Stability

    The Mee audio M9B are decently stable headphones. They're lightweight, wireless and don't move much once in your ears. Unfortunately, they do not come with any additional stability or foam tip options, which makes them a bit less stable than other similarly designed in-ear headphones. They should be okay to take to the gym, but the earbuds will occasionally slip out of your ears during more intensive exercises.

    Headshots 1
    Headshots 2
    Top
    In The Box

    • MEE Audio M9B Headphones
    • Earbud tips (x3 sizes)
    • USB charging cable
    • Carrying pouch
    • Manual
    Sound
    Sound Profile
    See details on graph tool
    Bass Amount
    6.57 dB
    Treble Amount
    2.7 dB
    8.3
    Frequency Response Consistency
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Avg. Std. Deviation
    0.33 dB

    Excellent frequency response consistency. Like most other in-ears, if the user is able to achieve an air-tight fit with the MEE audio M9B, then they should be getting very similar performance each time.

    Raw Frequency Response
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    7.4
    Bass Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    3.58 dB
    Low-Frequency Extension
    10 Hz
    Low-Bass
    7.08 dB
    Mid-Bass
    2.21 dB
    High-Bass
    0.17 dB

    Good bass range performance for the MEE audio M9B. Low-frequency extension is at 10Hz, which is excellent. However, low-bass and mid-bass are over our target by 7dB and 2dB respectively. This results in excess thump and rumble in bass, which some my like.

    6.4
    Mid Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    4.83 dB
    Low-Mid
    -3.07 dB
    Mid-Mid
    -5.88 dB
    High-Mid
    -4.92 dB

    Mediocre mid-range performance for the MEE M9B. The response is relatively flat, but consistently under our target by about 5dB. This pushes vocals/leads to the back of the mix and gives more emphasis to bass and treble frequencies.

    7.1
    Treble Accuracy
    See details on graph tool
    Std. Err.
    4.22 dB
    Low-Treble
    -1.67 dB
    Mid-Treble
    2.14 dB
    High-Treble
    0.2 dB

    Average treble range performance for the MEE audio M9B. The dip in low-treble is in continuation of the recessed mid-range of the M9B. The narrow but large peaks at 6KHz and 10KHz make the sound of these headphones noticeably sibilant and piercing.

    7.0
    Peaks/Dips
    See details on graph tool
    Peaks
    2.02 dB
    Dips
    1.54 dB
    8.8
    Imaging
    See details on graph tool
    See details on graph tool
    Weighted Group Delay
    0.23
    Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
    0.28
    Weighted Frequency Mismatch
    1.14
    Weighted Phase Mismatch
    8.47
    0.9
    Soundstage
    PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
    N/A
    PRTF Size (Avg.)
    N/A
    PRTF Distance
    N/A
    Openness
    3.0
    Acoustic Space Excitation
    1.7
    8.0
    Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    See details on graph tool
    WHD @ 90
    0.168
    WHD @ 100
    0.125
    Isolation
    7.0
    Noise Isolation
    See details on graph tool
    Isolation Audio
    Overall Attenuation
    -18.69 dB
    Noise CancellingNo
    Bass
    -7.31 dB
    Mid
    -16.11 dB
    Treble
    -33.4 dB

    Decent isolation. The M9B achieves 7dB of isolation in the bass range, which is mediocre. But in the mid and treble ranges the MEE audio M9B reduces outside noise by 16dB and 33dB respectively, both values being good.

    8.6
    Leakage
    See details on graph tool
    Leakage Audio
    Overall Leakage @ 1ft
    29.5 dB

    Excellent leakage performance. Like most other closed-back in-ears, the M9B doesn't leak in the bass and mid ranges. The significant portion of their leakage is between 2KH and 5KHz. The overall level of leakage is also very quiet.

    Microphone
    Microphone Style
    Integrated
    Yes
    In-line
    No
    Boom
    No
    Detachable Boom
    N/A
    MicYes

    Mediocre microphone performance. Speech recorded with the microphone of the Mee M9B will sound rather thin and muffled, but will be relatively easy to understand. In noisy environments, the M9B doesn't fare too well as it won't be able to effectively separate speech from ambient noise in moderately loud situations, like a busy street.

    6.5
    Recording Quality
    See details on graph tool
    Recorded Speech
    LFE
    289.23 Hz
    FR Std. Dev.
    3.02 dB
    HFE
    3,417.19 Hz
    Weighted THD
    2.9
    Gain
    25.96 dB

    Mediocre recording quality. With LFE at 289Hz and HFE at 3.4KHz, speech recorded with the microphone of the M9B sounds rather thin and muffled. However, the region between LFE and HFE is captured well.

    6.4
    Noise Handling
    See details on graph tool
    Speech + Pink Noise
    Speech + Subway Noise
    SpNR
    16.38 dB

    Mediocre noise handling. The microphone of the MEE audio M9B isn't very good at separating speech from ambient noise and achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 16dB.

    Active Features
    3.9
    Battery
    Battery Type
    Rechargable
    Continuous Battery Life
    2.8 hrs
    Additional Charges
    0
    Total Battery Life
    2.8 hrs
    Charge Time
    1.7 hrs
    Power Saving Feature
    No
    Audio While Charging
    No
    Passive Playback
    No
    Charging Portmicro-USB

    The MEE M9B headphones have a below-average battery life. They do not last very long on a single charge and take quite long to charge for an in-ear headphone. Also, they don't have an auto-off timer, so if you forget to disconnect or turn them off once paired with your Bluetooth device, they will quickly run out of power.

    0.0
    App Support
    App NameN/A
    iOSN/A
    AndroidN/A
    macOSN/A
    WindowsN/A
    Equalizer
    N/A
    ANC Control
    N/A
    Mic ControlN/A
    Room effects
    N/A
    Playback Control
    N/A
    Button MappingN/A
    Surround SoundN/A

    No compatible app.

    Connectivity
    6.9
    Bluetooth
    Bluetooth Version
    4.0
    Multi-Device Pairing
    No
    NFC Pairing
    No
    Line of Sight Range
    96 ft
    Default Latency
    169 ms
    aptX Latency
    N/A
    aptX(LL) Latency
    N/A

    The M9b are not suitable for watching movies or gaming due to their relatively high latency.

    0.0
    Non-Bluetooth Wireless
    Non-BT Line of Sight Range
    N/A
    Non-BT Latency
    N/A
    0.0
    Wired
    Analog Audio
    N/A
    USB Audio
    N/A
    DetachableNo
    LengthN/A
    ConnectionN/A
    Wired Latency
    N/A
    PC / PS4 Compatibility
    PC / PS4 Analog
    No
    PC / PS4 Wired USB
    No
    PC / PS4 Non-BT Wireless
    No
    Xbox One Compatibility
    Xbox One Analog
    No
    Xbox One Wired USB
    No
    Xbox One Wireless
    No
    0.0
    Base/Dock
    Type
    N/A
    USB Input
    N/A
    Line In
    N/A
    Line Out
    N/A
    Optical Input
    N/A
    RCA Input
    N/A
    Dock Charging
    N/A
    Power Supply
    N/A