When I brought home two pairs of MEE Audio wireless headphones, X6 and X8, I let my music-obsessed sister try them on. After spending a couple of hours in both, she thanked me and told me that I could have the X8 back, but she would like to keep the X6. Intrigued, I asked her why.

Being the meticulous person that she is, she explained to me what she likes most from X6.

The gym-goer in my sister likes X6

First of all, she likes X6 due to the fact that it is very light. In fact, X6 weighs only 11 grams or about two-thirds of X8’s weight. Also, she likes the design of the modules; she thinks they look really feminine. When listening to music, she doesn’t like to be disturbed, hence she loves that X6 comes with 4 extra pairs of ear tips, including a pair of double-flanged ear tips that provide superior noise cancellation.

The MEE Audio X6 headphones are worn over the ear, thus they’re not distracting her when she’s doing treadmill runs, stationary bikes workouts or other tasks. In fact, she barely feels the presence of the headphones once she put them on.

With the flex wire ear hooks, it takes her probably less than 5 seconds to put them on securely. Tightening the cables is as simple as sliding the cable cinch upwards. She excitedly told me that the cords never get tangled ever!

The runner in me prefers X8

After listening to all of her explanation and conducting my own headphone experiment, I concluded that I actually like X8 more than X6. One of the most noticeable features of X8 is the pivoting nozzles. These ear tips are able to swivel and provide a comfortable fit for ears of all shapes and sizes. It took me a while to get used to this feature in the beginning.

The X8 may weigh 16 grams, but I don’t find it to be heavy at all. Regardless whether I’m doing a speed run or long slow run, these headphones fit securely in my ears. When I was in serious running mode one day, I didn’t even realise I was wearing headphones; I felt comfortable.

Personally, I love these over-the-ear fit with flex wire ear hooks so much. They allow me to start running sooner than I could with other headphones without cord distractions. Similar to my sister, I can put on X8 securely and tighten the cord in less than 5 seconds.

X8 comes with 3 pairs of extra ear tips, including a pair of double-flanged ear tips designed to block noise better than single flange ear tips. And, oh, a black round casing to store the headphones, charging cable and ear tips safely is also included in the box!

The battery life for X8 is 7.5 hours of music playback, which is more than sufficient to last me for 3 days. Another nice thing about X8 (and X6) is that it has a built-in microphone, so I can receive or make a phone call when wearing the headphones. However, since the module is located behind my ear, I need to wear X8 in front of the neck in order to bring the module nearer to my mouth so that the person at the other side of the phone can hear me clearly.

Runner’s Boon

• Both X6 and X8 adopt over-the-ear fit with flex wire ear hooks. My sister and I find that these headphones fit comfortably and securely in our ears even when we engage in intense workouts.
• I’ve mentioned this, but I’ll say it again. It takes us less than 5 seconds to wear these simple headphones, secure them properly and be ready to go.
• As sports headphones, both X6 and X8 are resistant to sweat and moisture thanks to the nano-coating.
• Both X6 and X8 allow you to connect to two devices, however, the headphone will only play music from one device. To switch between the devices, pause audio on the active device and start audio on the other device.
• With the built-in microphone and remote control, it’s easy to make or receive phone calls while exercising.
• The Bluetooth connection has been great for both X6 and X8. We usually put the phone in our pocket when we work out, and the connection between the phone and headphones has always been stable.

Runner’s Bane

• As a tech noob, I didn’t know how to pair X8 with my phone and laptop until I read the user manual. With X6 other headphones, I simply needed to turn on the headphone and it can be discovered by other Bluetooth-enabled devices immediately. But with X8, I needed to press the multifunction button longer until I heard the word “Pairing.”
• For both X6 and X8, the battery bar is displayed on my iPhone’s top bar when paired. However, when paired with a laptop, there isn’t any indicator of X8’s battery life on the laptop. I wish the battery life is announced by the headphone in addition to being displayed on the iPhone’s top bar.
• Without wearing the headphones, I find it hard to know whether the headphones are currently on or off. When turned on, the blue light is blinking only every 5 seconds. When I’m rushing, I wish I don’t have to wear the headphones just to listen to the announcement whether the headphones are on or off.
• The cord length for X8 is great for me, but the cord of X6 is too long. Even though I’ve tightened the clip to the max, X6 cord still feels loose for me, but not for my sister who has a bigger head and face than me. She thinks that X8's cord is too short for her. I wish the headphones come in different cord lengths.

The X6 and X8 headphones are available at selected retailers, including Challengers, Connect IT, GK Global, Mini SQ, MobileStop, Newstead, Popular Bookstore, Stereo Electronics and WH Smith, for S$79.90 and S$139 respectively.