Brief: Third generation of Chinese electronics giant Xiaomi’s hit in-ear
MSRP: 99 RMB (approx. $16) (manufacturer’s page)
Current Price: $16 from geekbuying.com; $15 from gearbest.com
Specs: Driver: Dynamic | Imp: 32Ω | Sens: 98 dB | Freq: 20-20k Hz | Cable: 4.1′ I-plug w/mic & 3-button Android remote
Nozzle Size: 4.5mm | Preferred tips: Stock single-flanges
Wear Style: Straight down
Accessories (3/5) – Single-flange silicone tips (4 sizes); plastic box doubles as storage case with integrated cable wrap
Build Quality (3.5/5) – The Piston 3 uses more plastic in its construction than the Piston 2 but still feels very solid and boasts various small usability improvements such as easier-to-see L/R markings and lower driver flex. The cable is similar to that of the older model – rubbery above the y-split and sheathed in nylon below to provide some resistance to tangling. The new remote is nice-looking but the narrow buttons are actually bit harder to use without looking compared to the previous version’s
Isolation (2.5/5) – Isolation is average thanks to the shallow fit of the earphones
Microphonics (3.5/5) – Audible, but not bothersome when music is playing
Comfort (4.5/5) – The Piston 3 is a large step forward in ergonomics over the older model, moving to a compact angled-nozzle design with strain reliefs that fully clear the outer ear, leading to a very comfortable fit
Sound (8.2/10) – The Xiaomi Piston 2 quickly became one of my favorite budget in-ears thanks to its ability to deliver good clarity, soundstaging, and overall refinement despite its plentiful bass. Combined with an extensive feature set (especially for Android users) and a very low price, this made the previous-gen Piston an unbeatable value.
The jump in sound quality from the original Piston to the Piston 2 was sizable – the first-gen model was bassier and had significantly poorer fidelity. Though the gap in overall sound quality between the 2nd and 3rd-gen Pistons is not as great, the new model maintains the trend toward a more balanced, less consumer-oriented sound. You will notice that aside from the Piston 2, the sets I compare the Piston 3 with are mostly in the $50-100 range – a fact that is itself a testament to the performance of the Xiaomi in-ears.
The bass of the Piston 3, while less enhanced than that of the Piston 2, remains quite punchy. Mid-bass impact is slightly lower than with some of the other not-quite-reference-flat earphones such as the VSonic VSD3S and Ostry KC06, but enhanced compared to flatter-sounding sets like the HiFiMan RE-400 and Etymotic MC5. Bass depth is pretty good as well, though sub-bass reach and presence lag a bit behind the VSD3S and VSonic’s higher-end GR07.
Like the previous model, the 3rd-gen Piston is tuned for a v-shaped sound. However, thanks to the tighter, less bloated bass, its mids are clearer despite not being very forward. With that said, they are still somewhat recessed and a touch muffled compared to higher-end, less v-shaped sets such as the KC06, RE-400, and GR07.
The Piston 3 picks up presence in the upper midrange and lower treble, giving it a cooler tone. It is a little less bright than the KC06, but more so than the RE-400, which tends to be very smooth and laid-back. Harshness and sibilance are generally not a problem – the Piston 3 is not as forgiving as the warmer-sounding models that preceded it, but it’s not as sibilant as any of the popular VSonic earphones, either.
The spaciousness of the Piston 2 is also preserved, though the lower bass quantity and cleaner, brighter sound of the Piston 3 makes its capable and precise presentation less surprising.
Mini Comparisons
The Piston 3 offers a more balanced, less consumer-oriented sound than the model it supersedes. Its bass is significantly less enhanced and much tighter. In comparison, the bass of the Piston 2 is deeper and has more rumble and slam, but also sounds boomier. Cleaner bass with almost no bloat is actually the Piston 3’s biggest asset, though with the loss of bass quantity it also sacrifices some of the Piston 2’s appeal to the average listener.
On the whole, the sound of the Piston 3 is less colored than that of the older model. The upper midrange and treble are smoother. Clarity is better due to the tighter, less bloated bass, though it is still limited by the not-too-forward midrange positioning. The Piston 3 is also less sensitive than the older model, which fits with its less consumer-oriented sound because a non-audiophile listener is more prone to put value in both emphasized bass and the ability reach higher volumes more easily.
Technically, the Piston 3 is the better earphone – it is clearer, tighter, and more neutral. The Piston 2 is warmer and boasts bass that is deeper and more powerful which, admittedly, also helps it sound very dynamic and delivers a “wow” factor. As a result, it’s hard to call the Piston 3 a straight upgrade from the Piston 2 – it’s a more Hi-Fi earphone for sure, but I will still be recommending the Piston 2 in many situations and for certain genres. There are parallels here to the DUNU DN-1000 / DN-2000 situation, albeit with a greater magnitude of difference. There, the older DN-1000 model also provides a bassier sound and in many cases remains recommendable over the more expensive DN-2000.
The Zipbuds PRO are a surprisingly capable consumer-class earphone with a v-shaped sound profile. The main thing they do well is balance high bass quantity and good overall clarity. Indeed, the Piston 3 has significantly less bass but doesn’t gain any clarity over the Zipbuds. Its bass is tighter, however, and its highs are less bright and more smooth, making the Zipbuds appear overly harsh in comparison. On the whole, the Piston 3 is the more balanced and accurate-sounding earphone.
The Flux In-Ear is the closest match I could find for the Piston 3 when balancing sound quality and sound signature. The SteelSeries unit is warmer and has smoother treble and a slightly wider presentation. It’s more sensitive, too. The Piston 3 is a bit more v-shaped and has a cooler, brighter tonal character. It sounds thinner, but also a little clearer. It’s hard to say one outperforms the other, but that in itself is a big win for the Xiaomi – only two years ago the Flux was one of the absolute best in-ears one could get for $50. Now, the Piston 3 offers the same level of performance – albeit with a slightly brighter tonal tilt – for 1/3 of that, with better build quality and a 3-button remote to boot.
The dual-driver B3 Pro I is notable for having an even less consumer-friendly sound signature than the Piston 3, with lower bass impact and much lower sensitivity. The overall sound of the B3 is more balanced compared to the v-shaped Piston 3. The Piston is bassier, but the low end of the B3 is tighter and cleaner. The midrange of the Havi is clearer and more prominent while its upper midrange and treble are a bit more forgiving. The presentation is a bit more well-rounded on the B3 as well. Especially for those in search of balanced sound, the Havi is better than the Piston 3, but its low sensitivity and lack of bass enhancement limit its appeal in the mainstream.
Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear ($100)
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear is one the few earphones with 3-button Android remotes on the market besides the Piston line. It is also fairly similar to the Piston in how it fits in the ear, albeit with a slimmer profile and longer nozzles providing slightly better noise isolation. In terms of sound, the Momentum has a more colored, arguably more “fun” tuning than the Piston 3 but isn’t too far ahead in technical ability.
Both earphones have sound signatures on the v-shaped side of “flat” but the Momentum In-Ear unit offers up a warmer tone with better bass. Its bass delivers more depth and resolution while also making the Piston 3 seem a touch boomier in comparison. The mids of the Sennheiser unit are slightly clearer but it is a little more prone to sibilance and less forgiving on the whole. The Momentum’s presentation is slightly wider and more spacious.
Value (10/10) – The latest evolution of Xiaomi’s venerable Piston line once again succeeds in delivering outstanding sound quality with a solid construction and 3-button Android remote, all at a very low price. The biggest improvement this time around is in ergonomics – the new model is significantly more comfortable and unobtrusive than the previous Pistons.
Xiaomi has come a very long way since the original piston in terms of fidelity, too – while not a direct upgrade from the Piston 2 due to how different the tuning of the two earphones is, the Piston 3 provides a clearer, tighter, more balanced audio experience for those willing to trade away some of the previous model’s warmth and bass power. Going forward I can see myself recommending either of the two Piston variants, depending on the situation.
Pros: Very comfortable fit; fantastic sound quality for the price; 3-button Android remote
Cons: Remote is a bit less user-friendly than previous generation; mediocre noise isolation
186 Responses
Just reporting back after purchasing a pair, these earbuds are unbelievable for their price. They are easily just as comfortable as the cx300ii, if not better, to the point where you might not realise they are there! Compared to the vsonic gr06, they are similar; the Xiaomi’s have tighter bass, whereas the gr06 have fuller sound. Clarity and cleanliness are around the same. ljokerl is on point with his remarks.
Overall an excellent purchas – to anyone contemplating, they are a steal for their price – I got them for $28 AUD, and they were genuine. Be wary of fakes.
Yes, there will be a review of these.
Mi In-Ear Headphones Pro (Dynamic + balanced armature drivers) is out. Will you guys able to do a review on it? Some may call it Xiaomi Piston 4th Gen or Xiaomi Hybrid.
Cheers mate! You’re a legend! I’ll probably pick up one of these for Xmas
The comfort is very good, easily as good as the CX300 – they just fit in the ear a little differently (angled fit vs straight fit). Seal is mostly a matter of finding the right eartips, there’s really no tricks with these – no adjustable nozzles like the GR06 or anything.
Sound quality vs the GR06 is a little tougher because the GR06 has a more balanced and full-bodied sound than these, but clarity is about on-par and the sound is very crisp. Considering they’re about 1/4 what the GR06 used to go for, the value is very good.
Hey ljokerl, I’m coming from cx-300ii and vsonic gr06, does the xiaomi piston 3 have the same level of comfort/seal as the cx-300ii as well as the sound quality of vsonic gr06? I’m looking to get a pair of these to replace the aforementioned iems, which have broken. I plan to use these mainly for commuting, and basically my main concern is just comfort and proper sealing since I never got a good seal with the vsonics, but the cx-300ii were amazing for comfort and the seal was perfect for me. Thanks in advance!
I haven’t had the hybrids that long. Not ready to do a full review yet – they’ll have plenty of hours on them by the time I do.
I would also be interested in a quick comparison. Currently deciding with to get the Piston 3, or pay an extra $10 for the Hybrid…
People on head-fi are saying that the sound signature changes quite drastically with burn in. Have you experienced this?
The midrange being recessed is a property of the v-shaped sound signature. The new (hybrid) model is tuned similarly and I still don’t find the vocals to be prominent on it. The slightly compressed dynamics could be helped by increasing the bass quantity. This is something I think the new hybrid/dual-driver model does a little better than the Piston 3.
Crazy that we’re getting all this excellent sound performance for the price of a good lunch. You can have an excellent IEM collection with the Piston dual-driver hybrid, Piston 3, and Piston 2, all for well under $100.
Piston 2.0 is good at bass, but the mid and high pitch are glitch, and now the new hybrid headphone is released, it has dual drivers, the dynamic and armature driver, tinydeal/gadget-px347wp-phone.com
Pistons 3 are close to a miracle for the price I paid. For 13 EUR they are a match for the Shure se 215 that costs 9 times the price. A must have in any collection, and a great introduction to iem world.
One small critic I have:
– the midrange, vocals, they seems a bit muffled
– the sound signature is a bit too polite sounding
Of course this is comparing them to iems in the 100 $ range.
Maybe the new dual driver is better?
Cheers!
PLEASE, they are still no trusted reviews of these. Mine are in the mail but i won’t get them for some time. Any thoughts would be much appreciated
Great! Looking forward to read your first impressions! 🙂
You mean the Xiaomi Hybrid In-ear? I have a pair of those already, will try to post some brief impressions soon and do a full review early next year.
Hi,
Are you going to review and compare these with the Xiaomi Circle iron in-ear headphones, when they come out later this year?
Regards,
Mark
Wow, we have the same name and same music interest. Maybe my far double personality 😀
Both of these earphones are very hard to beat for their respective price/performance ratios. While they’re generally similar in the sense of being clarity-oriented in-ears with way more balanced sound than something like a Beats in-ear, the Pistons have a more conventionally v-shaped sound signature while the Titan 1 is more colored and “fun”.
The immediately noticeable difference is the more veiled midrange of the Piston3 and its lower clarity. The Titan 1 is clearer, brighter, has a little more bass impact and depth. The upper mids and lower treble are quite boosted on the Titan 1, but without additional harshness. They do make it sound relatively bright – the DUNU is the more tonally colored earphone of the two with that bright treble and deep bass. It also has a wider soundstage.
Hey, I really liked your review on the Piston 3…the detail and work you put into being both critical and fair in the review and comparisons were spot on! I have a question regarding the difference in sound quality between the Dunu Titan 1 and the Piston 3. I recognize that the Dunu Titan 1 might be a completely different animal and potentially resides and a different level in sound quality. However, due to the Piston 3’s ability to keep up with earbuds I’ve used that are in the $70-90 range, I’ve been left skeptical in getting “higher-end” earbuds/earphones and really want someone to give me a legitimate comparison on the two so I can decide if it would be a rational choice to invest into the Titan 1s.
While they are on a similar tier in terms of sound quality, the tuning is very different. The S1 is deeply v-shaped and quite bass-heavy. The Piston3 is more balanced and accurate, but lacks the bass depth and impact of the S1 and has a colder tone. I tend to prefer more neutral sound signatures for rock so I’d choose the Piston 3, but it really depends on your listening preference.
Which one is better in terms of sound quality for progressive rock and instrumentals,Xiaomi P3 or Brainwavz S1?
Is there a considerable difference in the sound quality between the two as compared to their cost ?
“outperform” is a very difficult claim to back up because there’s so many different ways one could set the criteria for said performance. However, you can see from my own ranking list here: https://theheadphonelist.com/headphone-list/ that they sit above many earphones costing $100+ for me.
nvm its alright. thank you for taking the time to reply and helping me out. I really appreciate it. i have purchased the xiaomi pistons 3 and on their website they claim to outperform the senheiser cx985 and the urbeats https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CBwQFjAAahUKEwivhYGX45vIAhVKHY4KHbHqCWI&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mi.com%2Fen%2Fheadphones3%2F&usg=AFQjCNG-z6TfHn4I94KP9kwSPl3x_VbuIA&sig2=3LWrneTPmSrEwy7YM9ef0g
i was wondering whats your say on this. its perfectly fine if you dont own any of these i juz wanted to know what you might think of this claim. thanks so much replying mate it has made my day. keep doing what you do.
Sorry, I don’t have any Bose earphones. I compared the Piston 3 to the Piston 2 extensively in the review above so hopefully you can approximate its performance based on your experience with the Piston 2. I really don’t think one is better than the other, but they are different and inexpensive enough that it might be a good idea to own both and just use the one that best suits your mood – the warmer, bassier P2 or the leaner, cooler P3. A few years ago getting two earphones with such different sound that were both this capable would have run you $150 easily. Now it’s barely $40.
Hey joker thanks for all your reviews and stuff really appreciate people like you. Always check with your site before buying an new earphone. I own the Razer hammerhead, Logitech ue, and pistons 2. I really enjoyed the pistons 2. I was wondering if you can somehow compare the piston 3 to bose soundtrue earphones in terms of sound quality. I know there is a large gap in terms of price between both but was wondering if you can do your best to somehow compare both of them. I really appreciate any help possible. Also I usually listen to rock, electro, synth, acoustic, pop sometimes classical. I was also wondering if piston3 would out perform the bose soundtrue and pistons 2 in sound quality. Thanks joker, love your site keep up the good work bruh.
Lenovo phones aren’t really sold in the US. I’ve never encountered one so I’m not sure what headphone jack standard it uses. If it’s a CTIA jack (see explanation at http://www.androidpolice.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/nexusae0_CTIA_OMTP_Pinout.png) and the OS is Android, it should work with the Piston 3. The volume buttons of the Piston 3 may not work on older Android phones but they work on all the recent ones I’ve tried.
As for a retailer, I recommend GeekBuying (linked in the review above) but you have plenty of options. Gearbest.com is fine too.
I meant all the controls
Yo boss!
Will it work with the Lenovo a6000 plus? And which website do u suggest for buying these earphones?
Noted!
Works with the Samsung Galaxy phones like the Note 3 and 4. Not sure how the Note 3 Neo differs but it should work similarly.
They don’t really benefit from an amp so if you want to increase the bass punch you need one that has a bass boost function. The Fiio ones do, not sure about the Topping. I wasn’t too impressed with the bass boost function in the E6 but I like the one my E7. E11k is probably similarly good.
Hey Joker!
Do the volume controls and the center button work with Samsung Phones , especially Note 3 Neo or anything similar ?
Joker, you have to try the KZ ED9s. You just have to. Been using them for 4 days, burned in, gold nozzles and WOW!!
Hey joker,
A month or two ago I asked you on what to buy within 50 or sth. I ended up buying the steel series flux in ear mobile because I got a good deal on em. Unfortunately they died and now I’m thinking of these. What amp would you suggest to increase the bass punch? My phone has a very good eq as well. Would a TOPPING nx2 or fiio e6 be enough or should I get a fiio e11k?
Those tend to be warm and smooth. The Piston 3 is less bassy and brighter, with better detail, clarity, etc.
How do these stack up against Sennheiser’s CX-300 II Precision in-ears?
They’re just for review consistency. If I was getting something for myself, just for listening to mid-upper-tier IEMs at home, I’d stick to the Fiio E07k.
Wow.. Those must be some cool sounding gears i guess.. 😀
Thanks again.. always a fan
For critical listening I typically use the HiFiMan HM-901 or an OPPO DAC (HA-1 or HA-2) just so I can use the same sources with both high-end and low-end IEMs. However, with most IEMs, especially relatively inexpensive dynamic-driver ones like those you listed, you don’t need anything fancy. Even for higher-end BA earphones all you need is a neutral DAP or DAC with low output impedance (otherwise the sound of some IEMs with non-flat impedance curves will change) and no background hiss (which sensitive IEMs will amplify).
Thanx Joker..
Ordered KC06A (heard it has a lil more bass than KC06 and a slight smooth treble).
One more thing, what phone/dap do you use while reviewing all these iems?? Does the source make huge differences for iems like KC06, hifiman or any other vsonic earphone?? Sometimes i think of buying a portable amplifier to get the most out of my iems. You think i should (i have a cowon X9 media player)??
Sorry to trouble you but i wanted to ask this from a very long time 😐
Sorry, no plans to review the E80 in the near future.
I think the KC06 would be a good “fun” addition to the collection and the RE-400 a good “neutral” one. Both are way more mid-focused than the rest of your earphones but the KC06 is bright and sparkly (as are most in your current collection) while the RE-400 is flat and very smooth (and perhaps a little dull-sounding coming from your current sets). Fidue would be in third place for me, though there’s an updated one coming out soon (the A65).
Hi Joker.. How u doin?
You planing to review Soundmagic E80 anytime soon? I’m thinking of getting a new earphones(70$) and there are some great reviews on head-fi for E80. I already have VSD3, T-peos popular, Piston-3, VSD1S and i wish to have one with good mid-range/neutral sound. Hifiman re 400, Ostry KC-06A and Fidue A63 are good options (comfort issue in Fidue). Which one you’d prefer?
They are not too different in sound tuning, E10 has a little more focus on sounding wide and airy while the Piston is better for crispness/resolution (though still not great compared to higher-end sets), perhaps a little more v-shaped overall, and has a bit more extension. I wouldn’t recommend moving from one to the other, though, as you’re getting two similar-sounding IEMs.
sorry I should have clarified that I thought the P3s were more bassy than the SHE3590 and that the P3s have a more bloated bass while I didn’t think the SHE3590 had much sub-bass as some reviewers noted. Unfortunately my phone’s headphone jack got wrecked so the Piston 3 is one of the only IEMs that works fine. Other headphones buzz as if the plug is too deep and it needs to be pulled out slightly (so I can’t move around); the SHE3590 is probably the worst offender for that as its plug is long and skinny.
I too am curious as to what is a good upgrade for the Philips, preferably something with less sibilance and a bit more mids. Currently I’m awaiting the arrival of a second Audio-Technica IM70 as my old one broke some time ago. Really enjoyed its sound though it’s more of a W-shaped, mid-forward sound than a V-shape. Hope you review them some time.
Well, then. How about E10? How do you compare it?
That’s the problem. With the SHE3950s sounding so good, I don’t want to spent more than 6 times for the VS3DS. Plus, the VSD3S has an over the ear design, which I don’t prefer.
I am gonna go with the KZ. Seems to be getting excellent reviews so far (specially for the ED9 and ATE). It’s build quality also seems to be really good and the interchangeable filters adds to its versatility.
Thanks a lot, joker. You’ve been immense.
I wouldn’t recommend anything from the Astrotec or HiFiMan sets I’ve reviewed over the VSD3S in this case.
The VSD3S is one of my favorite $50 earphones so I always think it’s worth it, but the Philips SHE3590 is one of my favorite way-under-$50 earphones so just keep your expectations realistic. It will give you a more accurate sound. It won’t completely blow the Philips out of the water.
No experience with KZ, sorry.
No never tried the ES18 unfortunately.
Joker, what do you think of Piston 3 comparing it to Soundmagic ES18 (if you ever used it)?
I am really liking the KZ ED9 as per the reviews (they’ve got interchangeable filters) and they are very cheap. They seem to be better than the pistons? Any thoughts?