Review of MINIX NT-1

This review focuses on experience and sound.
Please refer to my earlier post re: packaging, design, and my first impression of the headphone.

First of all, I am not a die-hard audiophile. So, to make this review more meaningful, I brought in 2 other devices as reference points to NT-1. The 1st device was a Creative WP-350, which was at a similar price range, and from a reputable brand (at least for audio devices). The 2nd device was a Plantronics BackBeat Go 2, which was slightly more expensive, from a mainstream bluetooth device maker.

Let's start with specification. As many reviewers would say, specs only tell half the story, what matter is the actual experience with the headset.

	MINIX NT-1	Creative WP-350	Plantronics BackBeat Go 2
Release Year	2013	2012	2013
NFC	Yes	No	No
Bluetooth Version	Bluetooth V3.0+EDR HSP, HFP, A2DP and AVRCP	Bluetooth 2.1 EDR A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP Apt-X	Bluetooth 2.1 EDR A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP Apt-X, SBC codec
Operating Range	10 meters (33 feet)	10 meters (33 feet)	10 meters (33 feet)
Driver Unit	40mm	34mm	6mm
Impedance	32Ω + 15%	32Ω	32Ω
Frequency Range	20-20KHz	18 – 22KHz	20-20KHz
Sensitivity	93 +/- 3db	102 dB	104 dB
Battery	320 mAh	240 mAh	?
Operating Time	10 hours	9 hours	4.5 hours
Standby Time	Up to 250 hours	?	240 hours

You probably can't find NFC Bluetooth headphone at around US$50-$60, from a mainstream brand. But the same is not true, if you can live without NFC. One example is Creative WP-350. As I was writing this, it was being sold at US$50 from Amazon. I managed to borrow 1 from a friend of mine.

In terms of build quality, WP-350 felt more solid, and you can tell more premium materials were used, as compared to NT-1. In terms of comfort, it is comparable. I like NT-1 better as the ear cups are bigger and cover my ears more comfortably. I will leave the sound part later as a consolidated comparison.

Now, the reason why I picked BackBeat Go 2 as a reference, was that I happened to own a pair of it. So I could spend more time comparing it to NT-1.

Obviously it would not be totally fair, as BBGo2 is earphones. There is no point comparing the build and comfort. But I thought it is sill a good reference for the sound comparison.

Finally, the audition. I used a Galaxy S4 as the source/ transmitter, and shortlisted 3 songs for the tests：

  1) Smashing Pumpkins - Tonight, Tonight (complexed background music, with band and orchestra)

  2) Linkin Park - Papercut (strong music, mixed with some digital sound)

  3) 杨宗纬 - 怀珠 (rich vocal)

With the same setting on S4, NT-1 stood out in loudness/ intensity, and more importantly in bass (as MINIX touted). NT-1 can be very loud. I had to lower the volume on S4, but the same level would be low on the other 2 devices. The bass comparison was easy, NT-1 was clear winner among the 3. Thanks to its large driver unit, the bass delivered on NT-1 was deep, and punchy. However NT-1 seem to be a little cut off at higher frequency, for eg. the disc scratching parts in Papercut, it was clearer on the other 2 devices. The overall sound quality was comparable between NT-1 and WP-350. Worth mentioning WP-350 comes with Apt-X, but during the short time with it, I wasn't sure if it was any better than NT-1. BBGo2 on the other hand, had the best overall sound quality among the 3. Its Apt-X and SBC codecs might have played a part, as the sound on BBGo2 seemed to be richer. It was apparent in the starting of Tonight Tonight, with the layers of different instruments sounded more distinct. Sound isolation (not noise cancellation) on NT-1 was good. The tight ear cups, aided with strong sound intensity, I could not hear most of the external noises when I was commuting on the train.

Conclusion - decision to get something unproven is always difficult. Especially at US$50-60, MINIX NT-1 is not the cheapest. NFC is clearly its unique feature to make NT-1 still appealing at this price. I truly like its convenience pairing up the devices by simple taps. But in reality, it probably only save you few seconds each time... I will leave it to you to decide whether it is a gimmick or not. The build quality is respectable, though I would prefer a more original design. More importantly, the sound from NT-1 is descent if not great. The reproduction does not suffer much via Bluetooth, even without apt-x, sounds are clear and loud. The bass, which ought to be the highlight, is impressive. If you are like me, who value convenience, like to keep up to new technology, and always look out for value for money, then you may want to consider NT-1. 

I hope my feedback was informative. Please hit plus 1 if you find it helpful!

First impression of MINIX NT-1

When I got the Neo X5, I did not know MINIX, nor was I interested to find out more. Afterall there were plenty of similar products then, with same hardware specs, and little differentiation.
I was pleasantly surprised soon, after using the device for some time, and more importantly I was impressed with the support channels available (from a smaller scale company).

I won't call myself a fan just yet, but few months after owning X5, I found myself getting another 3 MINIX products. That say a lot about building good reputation, especially for startup companies, to retain customers.

Now, I was more excited to explore NT-1, rather than X7, simply because I had X5, and know what I will be expecting.

Packaging

I got the products from MINIX TM store on Taobao, and the packages traveled a few places, before reaching me in Singapore. I was glad that they were still in good shape when it reached my door step.

I like the packaging of NT-1. It is simple, yet shows that MINIX mean business. The box is mainly duotone with blue and white, and the "NT-1" printed in silver. The two sides are transparent to show off the headphone.

After removing the outer box, you will see a smaller box holding the headphone itself. And inside the inner box, there's a micro usb cable for charging, and a manual.

Design & Build Quality

I wasn't disappointed when I saw the headphone itself, on the other hand, I was not wowed neither. There is nothing special about the headphone design, in fact you may find it rather similar to other headphones. That may not be a bad thing, at least not to me. I like its low profile, both in design and its size. It is not big for a headphone, definitely smaller than say a Beats headphone. **Edited** So similar, when I showed it to my friend, he said it was a Beats wannabe; Obviously, I wasn't very pleased. Other than the non-originality of the design, **Edited end** if there were something I could change, that would be to remove the "NT-1", and the oh-so-geeky bluetooth logo labels.

The build is good for what you pay for. The outer layer including the buttons are glossy plastic, and the inner layer comprised of matte hard plastic at the sides, and soft rubber on top. 

The headphones can be extended for about 2-3 inches at each side. There is a layer of aluminium (?) on the extensions.

Experience and Sound Quality

At around 50-60 USD, you are not going to get a NFC bluetooth headphone from a mainstream brand; NFC headphone in the first place are not common yet at the moment. I like the idea of dropping the wires, and have been using bluetooth earphones for some time. I am curious how NFC can help making life even easier.

Before I could test that, I needed to charge up the headphone. Connecting it to power cord is easy - it uses micro usb, which is very common especially for non Apple users. When you power it, there will be a red light indicating it is being charged. The light turn blue, when it is ready to be used.

Okay, I am ready to try out the headphone. Now, we need to pair it.... wait, this is a NFC headphone right? ** tapping my Galaxy S4 to where the NFC icon is on NT-1 ** the headphone switched on and connected to my phone effortlessly. Tapping my phone again to NT-1 disconnect the pairing, and the headphone goes to sleep after being left idle for a few minutes.

I can totally see how it will make my life easier, especially when I commute. No pairing is required, no need to dig into setting to switch on bluetooth on your phone nor on the headphone, and no need to repeat the reversal process. Just tap, and tap again.

Nice!

I considered my head to be quite big (often find it hard to find a suitable hat). I needed to fully extend the headphone, and it fit onto my head just nice. The headphone is also quite light, I am fine leaving it on my neck when not using it.

As of sound... I don't think I can provide an in-depth review yet. All I can say is first impression was good. It is loud, and can be very loud. The bass is there, and does stand out. I enjoyed listening to several pop musics I threw to it on NT-1.

That's it for now. I will add more on my experience when I spend enough time with it.