The M21P is next up in my coverage of headphones with microphone from American MEElectronics. It is a budget model, and at less than $40 it is a good alternative as a backup set. As with all headphones from MEE it comes with three sets of replacement ear tips, a small carrying pouch, and a clip on the cord. Unlike the other headphones this has a number of issues that I will explain further.
The sound is good for spoken audio such as podcasts, calls and audio books. It is however not that good for music, as it is quite thin. The focal point seems to be mid range, and treble. Bass heavy music such as hip hop sounds slightly off. There is some dispersion to the sound, and this gives it a bit of openness. For classical music, and jazz these are quite decent for $40.
The microphone is placed far too low to use for calls handsfree. At chest height it is also hard to quickly locate the microphone to play/pause and take calls. Not having volume controls is also a shortcoming. Furthermore the flat microphone construction feels, and looks cheap. It is also not that responsive when I push the button. For calls the sound quality is good though, and this works well in most locations if you hold the microphone up to your mouth. The shirt clip is place below the microphone just inches above my navel where it is of little use. The noise isolation is good, with just passive blocking of the ear canal.
The cord is durable with a see-through plastic coating making it semi rigid. It transfers some noise from rubbing against clothes. I guess it is an earlier model of cable than that used for the SP51P I tried last week.
The M21P looks quite cool with some naked metal on the ear bud. This metal piece that also is the entry point of the cord has come loose on the left bud after just a couple of days of ordinary use. The construction is not that sturdy, but so far I have not noticed any interference due to the cord moving inside the bud.
As a budget backup the M21P can be a viable option. I would not recommend it as a primary means of communication because of the misplaced microphone and fragile ear bud construction. For music the impression is mixed, and for most users the sound is too thin. I can only give it a very limited recommendation.
Final Rating
