This and That:
Pretty cool unboxing experience (comparable to that of the Apple EarPods). Come with a storage pouch.
Two dynamic drivers and one Balanced Armature per side.
Good build quality. Cable somewhat springy though and lacks a chin-slider.
Sound:
Low impedance sources. Largest included silicone tips.
Tonality:
The amount of bass depends strongly on how much that front vent is covered, which will ultimately depend on one's individual ear geometry. As measurements indicate, those who can insert the Hybrid Pro HD with the vent remaining completely free would likely experience a mostly neutral sound signature.
If that vent is blocked, which is naturally the case in my ears, the bass will be heavily emphasised and there will be an upper midrange elevation in addition.
That said, there's a really strong emphasis (17 dB compared to an in-ear with diffuse-field flat lows such as the Etymotic ER4SR/ER-4S) on the sub-bass and lower midbass (the main peak frequency is actually 40 Hz) that decreases above that and reaches neutral quantity around 600 Hz. As that climax is that low, the bass doesn't overshadow or bleed into the mids. The low fundamental range is nonetheless on the fuller side though.
The upper midrange is elevated, causing voices to be on the brighter, leaner side.
The treble, while not harsh and mostly slightly below neutral, is somewhat uneven though, resulting in a "hard" and somewhat metallic sound that seems to lack coherency. At 14 kHz, one can spot a strong peak.
Forcing the ear pieces to go in deeper, which I can achieve by switching the sides and inserting them upside down, the treble sounds more even to me and lacks its unevenness, and only the 14 kHz peak remains.
That's however not a pleasant or comfortable fit at all.
Resolution:
Inserted regularly (with a good seal), I don't hear the sound as being very coherent.
The impression of coherence is better with a deep fit, however still inferior to a good single-driver in-ear. It's still not as bad as on the 1More E1001 though, nonetheless the transition between the different drivers is clearly noticeable.
The bass reminds surprisingly well controlled despite the emphasis – it is more on the softer side but neither boomy nor muddy, while it softens up more towards the sub-bass where it can sound a bit loose on energetic tracks.
The amount of details in the midrange and treble is not necessarily really better than on a good single-driver in-ear in the same price range even though appearing quite nimble.
Overall, I would say that the performance is solid to good for a hybrid in-ear at this price level, however one can find better single-driver in-ears for the same.
Separation is average to good – as good as one could expect at the price anyway, and better in the highs than in the lows.
Soundstage:
The Xiaomi presents a soundstage that has got around average width with about the same amount of spatial depth and height, which makes it sound quite three-dimensional and spherical.
With quicker and more energetic tracks, the soundstage remains surprisingly consistent and doesn’t collapse too much.
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Compared to other In-Ears:
Xiaomi Piston Colorful Starter Edition:
The Hybrid Pro HD is bassier. The Piston's midrange is less bright and more realistic. It's also more even and less bright sounding in the treble compared to the hybrid in-ear; nonetheless its upper treble is still on the brighter side.
The Hybrid Pro HD has got the quicker, better controlled bass whereas I consider both as being equally detailed in the midrange. The Pro HD shows a bit of an advantage in the highs.
The Hybrid Pro HD’s soundstage is larger in both directions and features the somewhat more precise instrument separation in comparison.
Fidue A65:
The Fidue has got considerably less bass, the more present and less bright midrange and the smoother, darker, much more even treble. Its tuning is just far more even, natural and realistic (and if one covers its vent, it can be just as bassy as the Xiaomi, however with the much more even midrange and treble).
The Fidue’s bass is tighter and better controlled, with better definition, and the A65 has also got the superior midrange details whereas the Xiaomi’s treble appears to be a bit better separated.
The Fidue’s soundstage is smaller but more precise.
AAW Nebula 2:
The Nebula 2 has got somewhat less overall bass quantity (it is however not that much less), the less bright upper mids (wherefore its midrange sounds more realistic and natural) and a less bright upper treble that is however also on the emphasised side. While the Nebula 2 has also got a really strong bass along with a somewhat elevated upper treble, it appears more realistic overall and more balanced than the Xiaomi.
The AAW has got the quicker and better controlled bass that doesn’t soften towards the sub-bass, and also outputs more details in the lows. Its midrange and treble are considerably more detailed and refined in comparison.
The Nebula 2’s soundstage is a little wider with comparable depth and shows the cleaner instrument separation in comparison.
Conclusion
Probably okay for those who want to experience a hybrid in-ear in the low price range. Other than the low price, the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD leaves me mostly unimpressed.
There are better tuned and performing single-driver in-ears around the same price.
Compared to other In-Ears:
Xiaomi Piston Colorful Starter Edition:
The Hybrid Pro HD is bassier. The Piston's midrange is less bright and more realistic. It's also more even and less bright sounding in the treble compared to the hybrid in-ear; nonetheless its upper treble is still on the brighter side.
The Hybrid Pro HD has got the quicker, better controlled bass whereas I consider both as being equally detailed in the midrange. The Pro HD shows a bit of an advantage in the highs.
The Hybrid Pro HD’s soundstage is larger in both directions and features the somewhat more precise instrument separation in comparison.
Fidue A65:
The Fidue has got considerably less bass, the more present and less bright midrange and the smoother, darker, much more even treble. Its tuning is just far more even, natural and realistic (and if one covers its vent, it can be just as bassy as the Xiaomi, however with the much more even midrange and treble).
The Fidue’s bass is tighter and better controlled, with better definition, and the A65 has also got the superior midrange details whereas the Xiaomi’s treble appears to be a bit better separated.
The Fidue’s soundstage is smaller but more precise.
AAW Nebula 2:
The Nebula 2 has got somewhat less overall bass quantity (it is however not that much less), the less bright upper mids (wherefore its midrange sounds more realistic and natural) and a less bright upper treble that is however also on the emphasised side. While the Nebula 2 has also got a really strong bass along with a somewhat elevated upper treble, it appears more realistic overall and more balanced than the Xiaomi.
The AAW has got the quicker and better controlled bass that doesn’t soften towards the sub-bass, and also outputs more details in the lows. Its midrange and treble are considerably more detailed and refined in comparison.
The Nebula 2’s soundstage is a little wider with comparable depth and shows the cleaner instrument separation in comparison.
Conclusion
Probably okay for those who want to experience a hybrid in-ear in the low price range. Other than the low price, the Xiaomi Hybrid Pro HD leaves me mostly unimpressed.
There are better tuned and performing single-driver in-ears around the same price.