Plextone X41M
| 8 mm Driver |
? The Plextone X41M
have an 8mm dynamic driver which is a pretty common size in many earphones, we will see after the test if they are a standard sounding iem or they offer anything special.
Plextone manufactures a good amount of earphones and headphones. So far we had not tested any headphone from them but their earphones are always well constructed at a very friendly selling price. Construction quality is very good, all metal constructed with a magnet system on the back of the housing that allows them to attach to each other.
The cable is rounded and rubbery and has an attractive design look with gold and black color pattern. It comes with an inline microphone and 1-button control, it also has a switch to change from Nokia mode compatibility to iPhone mode compatibility. The cable has a particular issue holding too much the form and not being excellently tangle free.
Plextone sells the X41M in gold or silver color, with the cable matching the housing color.
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Plextone X41M - Review
Tests & Scores
WWeight
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A
Accessories & Packaging
Packaging and accessories are pretty basic and standard; a small cardboard box with 2 extra eartips and a cable clip.
7/10
B
Bass & Sub Bass
The Plextone X41M
has a nice punchy mid-bass that is not boosted in a bad way and does not bleed too much onto mids/vocal frequencies. Sub-bass depth is very deep and clean. Bass is super fun any genre will always have exceptional warmth and energy.
the Plextone X41M were able to manage an impressive 73% of Fiio’s maximum power and deliver an astonishing basshead impact
When equalizing, sub-bass depth gets amazingly deep but mid-bass remains pretty similarly punchy.
When extremely pushing them for bass applying a custom basshead eq and amplified with a Fiio E12
portable amplifier set to high gain and bass boost on, the Plextone X41M were able to manage an impressive 73% of Fiio’s maximum power and deliver an astonishing basshead impact with very good depth and punch. Basshead impact is amazingly strong, way above the JVC HA-FX1X, Xiaomi Mi Quantie Pro Hybrid, KZ ZS2, KZ ZST and very similar to the Sony XB50AP. Piercing highs will be the only limit to the amount of amplification that you can throw at them as they will get too piercingly painful and dangerous for your auditory health.
10/10
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M
Mids & Vocals
There is a very slight recession on lower mids but they do not sound muffled at all. Middle and higher mids can get harsh at times. Equalizing improves vastly mids/vocals, harshness disappears and recession too resulting in pretty smooth, present and non fatiguing mids.
7.75/10
H
Highs & Treble
The highs of the Plextone X41M
are bright but may lack detail and can be piercing too when highs reach strong peaks. There is a marginal sibilance at times but not too disturbing. Equalizing can brighten a lot more the highs and piercing peaks can be reduced cutting down frequencies around 5kHz to 6kHz.
7.75/10
Plextone X41M vs Plextone X46M vs Plextone X50MSound Leak
The sound that leaks out of Plextone X41M is low but still perceivable. On mediumly noisy places sound leaking will not be heard.
7.75/10
SI
Sound Isolation
Surrounding noises get reduced but they are not totally cancelled. You will not get an absolute isolation from your environment at very low volumes but as soon as the volume is cranked up isolation will be very good.
7/10
C
Comfort
The Plextone X41M has a small size and metal construction that makes them comfortable to wear and fit snugly without any discomfort. They fit securely enough to maintain their position with normal movements. As a reference, they are similarly sized and solidly built as the Elephone E1, Songful F2, KZ EDR2, KZ ED9, Vots J1 or the Xiaomi Mi Quantie Pro Hybrid.
8/10
EQ
Response to Equalization
The X41M does a great job responding to custom equalization, mids can be brought forward and harshness reduced with no problem nor inducing boxy sounding vocals. Highs can be equalized to reduce piercing peaks reducing them considerably but they will not be totally cancelled. Bass is were the response to equalization mostly amazes, sub-bass depth gets exponentially emphasized and if equalized and amplified the Plextone X41M becomes a true basshead iem.
9.5/10
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BUY IT AT:
Scores- Accesories - 7/107/10
- Design - 9.5/109.5/10
- Bass - 10/1010/10
- Mids - 7.75/107.8/10
- Highs - 7.75/107.8/10
- Sound Leak - 7.75/107.8/10
- Sound Isolation - 7/107/10
- Comfort - 8/108/10
- Response to EQ - 9.5/109.5/10
- Value for Money - 10/1010/10
Summary
AWARDS
Amazing bass, punchy mid-bass and very deep sub-bass- Impressive basshead impact
- Clear mids and vocals
- Can handle extreme quantity of amplification power
Amazing bass, punchy mid-bass and very deep sub-bass- Highs can be piercing, but fixed with equalization
Highs can be piercing, but fixed with equalizationConclusion
- The Plextone X41M are an amazing earphone that offers nice design, all metal housing, outstanding performance across every frequency and can be pushed to be one of the best basshead contenders, all at a ridiculously low price. Easily recommended to anybody looking for fun, warm and punchy sound with still bright and clear mids and highs or to any basshead.
The Plextone X41M due to their overall performance and price have gained a safe position in the Editor's Picks Earphones List and the Best Bang for Buck Earphones Chart. Moreover, their super energetic bass positions them in the Best Fun Sounding Earphones Charts and due to their huge basshead performance while under our extreme bass tests they gained a top position in the Best Basshead Earphones Chart.
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Plextone X41M Frequency Response
Plextone X41M
| Type | Dynamic |
|---|---|
| Driver Unit | 8mm |
| Sensitivity | 118dB/mW |
| Power Capacity | Unknown |
| Impedance | 16 ohms |
| Frequency Response | 15-21,000Hz |
| Diaphragm | Unknown |
| Magnet | Unknown |
| Cord | Y-type, round cord |
| Cord Length | 1.2m |
| Plug | Stereo mini plug (Gold plated) |
| Weight (Without Cord) | Approx. 8g |
| Supplied Accessories | 2x Earphone tips ; cable clip |
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Plextone X41M
So if I am looking for a cheap set that has plenty of bass and doesn’t sound terrible through the mids or up high then this is it?
Interested to hear how these will sound against my old Ultimate Ear Super Fi 5 EB.
Thanks for reviews, very helpful for someone like me to quickly jump in and work out a headphone that matches what we are after.
Sam, the Plextone X41M are certainly a super bang for buck option with strong bass but they do not make use of balanced armatures like the Ultimate Ears Super Fi 5 EB.
Some earphones that have plenty of bass and use a balanced armature are: Xiaomi Mi Pro HD, KZ ZST Pro Colorful, Xiaomi Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro, KZ ZS5.
There are also 2 gems that do not have a balanced armature but are a dream come true for bass lover, if you want a studio In Ear Monitor and planning to do some custom mods or amplify the Sony MDR-EX800ST (with a huge 16mm Dynamic Driver) and if you plan to experience in-ear bass “shake” like no other you should definitively take a look at the Pioneer SE-CX8 (that use the Bass Exciter technology).
Most probably it will be useful taking a look at our Scores Comparison Page where you will find all the scores of the in-ear headphones that we have reviewed. With the Scores Comparison Page you will easily be able to look at various options that may fit your style (be sure to read the full review of each one that you choose to be sure that it fits your preferences)