APRIL 2020 MACWORLD 117way today’s top-performing—or even
upper-tier—ANC headphones will. On two
six-plus-hour trips I took them on, for
example, I traveled with both the Mixcder
E9 and B&W’s PX noise-cancelling
headphones (go.macworld.com/pxhd).
Comparatively speaking, the B&W PX
trounced the Mixcder’s performance,
putting me in an absolute cone of silence.
But if you’re not prepared to pay four times
as much to acquire B&W’s cans, does that
really matter?
BUDGET PRICE, NOT
BUDGET SOUND
ANC performance is only half the
equation. The Mixcder E9 may
fall into the budget price range,
but the audio performance it
delivers is anything but cheap.
I tested the Mixcder E9
streaming primarily Tidal Master
and Hi-Fi tracks on an iPhone
XS. My consistent impression of
the Mixcder’s sound was that I
found it provided surprisingly
good sound for the price.
Bass is a real strong quality of
these headphones—impressing
me on track after track. The
Mixcder E9 announced that it
was no bass pretender on
Imagine Dragons’ “Believer.” The
opening bass lines hit with great
punch. While the Mixcder wasn’t the last
word in bass detail and resolution, the
headphones did an excellent job
considering their price tag.
Holly Cole’s “Train Song” is an
audiophile favorite and a great test of a
speaker’s or headphone’s bass
performance. It features Cole’s vocals with
a double bass. The Mixcder E9 performed
admirably, providing very good control of
the bass lines, although it couldn’t muster
enough oomph on the deepest bass notes
on this track.
The Mixcder E9’s midrange, on the
other hand, tends to be a bit syrupy; and I
found the top end rolled off a bit
too early. Trumpets on Aaron
Copeland’s Fanfare for the
Modern Man didn’t quite have
their usual sparkle. Guitar chords
on Lady Gaga and Bradley
Cooper’s “Shallow” likewise
lacked their typical snap.BOTTOM LINE
Anyone on a tight budget
looking for a good-sounding
wireless headphone with active
noise cancellation should give
the Mixcder E9 a serious look.
You won’t get premium materials
or cutting-edge design, but you
will be pleased with what you
get for much less than $100. ■mmmm
Mixcder E9
noise-cancelling
headphones
PROS- Solid, but basic, active
noise cancelling. - Headphones fold flat for
travel. - Very good sound for the
price.
CONS - ANC has some weak spots;
can’t compare with today’s
top performers. - They look like the
budget-priced headphones
they are. - Not comfortable to wear for
listening sessions.
PRICE
$69
COMPANY
Mixcder