[General Accessories] vectron:
This is a Review of Meelectronics Matrix 2 AF62 full size wireless Bluetooth 4.0 headphones with apt-X support. http://www.meelec.com/Matrix2_AF62_Stereo_Bluetooth_Wireless_Headphones_p/hp-af62-cf-mee.htm, also available on amazon: http://www.amazon.com/MEElectronics-Bluetooth-Wireless-Fidelity-Headphones/dp/B00DOP3NPW/

It seems that everywhere you look you see another new pair of wireless sports earbuds or wireless speakers. Makes sense since a lot of people use their smartphones for media storage and don’t want to be bothered with wires while exercising or listening to music at home or outdoors. But sometimes you just want to enjoy a private listening session where sports headphones won't provide enough comfort and speakers are the opposite of privacy. That’s where full size wireless headphones come into the picture. Unfortunately, wireless full size headphones are not as common as in-ear models, they cost a lot more, and some add noise canceling which could be either a blessing or a curse. Though not a new release, Matrix 2 from Meelectronics still represents an excellent value for under $90 considering its build and sound quality that can easily go head-to-head with some other models that cost at least 2x as much. Here is what I found when I got a chance to test these Bluetooth wireless headphones.

I knew beforehand that Matrix 2 supposed to be a full size over ear headphones, but I didn’t expect a packaging box to be that slim, even for a folding pair of cans. Both the front and the back of the packaging box have a high res picture of Matrix 2 that almost ready to pop out of the carton. As usual, you can read a plethora of useful info going over the spec, controls, and the technology behind these headphones. The part that stood out for me the most was Bluetooth 4.0 support with apt-X and AAC codecs and up to 22 hours of playback time. Perhaps it’s not exactly groundbreaking by the standards of today's releases, but considering these headphones came out 2 years ago – I think it was impressive how Meelec future proofed their design.

Out of the box you get a very slim form fitted hard shell case with a carbon fiber finish to match the headphone look. Obviously, it’s not a real carbon fiber and rather a printed (or stamped) finish, but nevertheless it looks sharp and feels like a quality case. Along with a case, the other included accessories were usb to micro-usb charging cable and a basic 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio cable. I believe during Matrix 2 initial introduction it was a time when a lot of companies were transitioning from AAA batteries to rechargeable batteries. So this is another example of how Meelec made the right choice introducing a higher capacity rechargeable battery with a common smartphone/tablet micro-usb connector. As a backup, in case if you run out of juice after continuous 22hr playback, you can use any standard or included 3.5mm cable to driver these headphones from HO of your audio source.

Unboxing and Accessories.

As I already clued you in, Matrix 2 folds flat for a very compact storage. This is where I have a little gripe with a design. Perhaps the rotation joint between the headband and the yoke (y-fork part holding earcups) will wear out after some time, but out of the box and even after a few weeks into my reviews I felt it was still stiff and I had to apply a little bit of force to rotate them. I’m used to headphones with looser joints that allow an easier “self-adjustment” rotation of earcups around my ears. I have a feeling they might get looser after awhile, and my impression is based after first 2 weeks of use.

But regardless of that, the idea of folding flat design with a slim case is great when you are traveling or just concerned about safety storage of your headphones. Also, just like you find a faux carbon fiber finish on the exterior of the storage case, you can see and feel the matching finish on outside of earcups and the top of the headband, except it’s printed on a softer vinyl material. When it comes to carbon fiber finish, there is a very fine line between tacky and classy, and Matrix 2 definitely fits the classy definition of it. With an exception of plushy padding covered by soft pleather on the inner side of headband, the rest of the material is a lightweight durable plastic with a nice soft touch finish. This matte finish was actually great in resisting fingerprints, a common problem with other glossy piano finish headphones.

The headband height adjustment has a precise click mechanism and you can see inside a reinforcement metal steel band which bends and twists without any creaks or squeaks. In general, Matrix 2 has a very comfortable clamping force and it was great to wear these headphones for extended period of time. Just don’t expect too much noise isolation, due to earpads being a bit on a shallow side and in combination with softer clamping force. Though earpads were not as beefy, the opening was large enough for a comfortable fitment without my ears touching the driver. The only other comment I have about overall design is that I wish L/R marking outside of earcups would stand out more for an easier ID.

Design.

With a closer look at both earcups, you will find a lot of physical control buttons and a few other ports. Unlike some other manufacturers who try to combine controls into multi-function buttons, here Meelec partitioned almost every control with a separate dedicated button.

Starting with a left earcup, you have a microphone and 3.5mm headphone port, though port comes out from a side on the back rather than traditionally from the bottom. Not really a showstopper, just something different, and perhaps more convenient to use with a right angle 3.5mm audio cable. A three dedicated button controls on this earcup are for Power (and Call), Volume down, and Volume up. To distinguish the buttons without looking at it, Power button is smooth while Volume buttons have a bump so you can find them easier by sliding a finger.

The right earcup has micro-usb charging port with a tight cover, and three dedicated transport control buttons with Skip next/prev and Play/Pause in the middle. Here, the middle button is smooth while skip buttons have a bump to easily distinguish these as you slide your finger. It does take a short while to get used to this arrangement, especially since other headphones use Play/Pause/Call while here Call is together with Power button. Also, due to a distinct set of control buttons on each side, I was able to use that as L/R side guidance without even needing to look up earcup marking.

Earcup controls.

When it comes to Bluetooth wireless performance, it was in line with most of the other wireless headphones I tested in the past. Pair up was fast and easy, and audio performance was solid across open space of 35-40ft. Within working range, I didn’t experience any hiccups or drops. Furthermore, Matrix 2 also supports NFC pair up which some people might find convenient. When it comes to making calls, I feel a little awkward doing that with full size headphones because they cover my ears and I can’t hear myself while talking and end up shouting. But if you receive a call during your music listening session, it’s always convenient to be able to pick it up without taking headphones off.

BT pair up.

Even so in the past people were looking at Bluetooth wireless headphones for convenience of cutting the cord, today most of the consumers put wireless sound quality on an equally important level. With introduction and support of apt-X codec (I’m 100% Android so it’s important for me) sound quality definitely went up for many headphones, thus everything comes down now to a driver design and a sound tuning.

After close to 100hrs of burn in, I found Matrix 2 to have a balanced smooth clear sound signature. Low end has not a bad extension down to a sub-bass with a moderate rumble and a less aggressive relaxed mid-bass, all under control and without spilling into mids. It was great to hear a bass slightly north of neutral and without any bloat. Mids were warm and smooth, with lower mids being thicker while upper mids being pushed slightly back (not recessed though). I went back and forth with mids, the reason why I got close to 100hrs of burn in, and came to a conclusion they were lacking a bit of clarity and definition. But it was a very easy fix with 3dB boost around 3kHz which had a significant improvement effect especially on vocals, making them less nasal. Treble was smooth and a little bit rolled off, but still clear and not sibilant.

I'm usually not a big fan of EQing a sound, especially when it comes to wireless performance, but I really felt these headphones were worth it. Plus, I was curious how they compare to some other selective headphones in my review collection.

Sound Comparison between Meelec Air-Fi Touch, Pendulumic Stance S1+, Sennheiser Momentum 2 Wireless, and Meelec Matrix 2.

vs Matrix 2, S1+ ($199) has a more neutral sound with less sub-bass and punchier mid-bass, lower mids are thinner and upper mids have more clarity, also it has a better treble extension; soundstage is very similar; due to a heavier weight S1+ has less comfortable fitment.

vs Matrix 2, Momentum 2 ($499) has a more refined bass with a deeper sub-bass and a faster mid-bass punch, similar mids with just a little more clarity and definition, and a little better treble extension; soundstage is wider; also build quality at that price point is better, though they both have a comfortable fitment. Overall Momentum sounded a bit more colored while Matrix 2 sounded more organic (especially after EQ correction).

vs Matrix 2, Air-Fi Touch ($99) has a similar balanced sound with a tighter bass, more detailed and clear mids, a similar treble, and a similar soundstage. I was uberly impressed with this comparison considering Air-Fi Touch has on-ear design where quality of bass usually suffers, but not in this case.

Conclusion.

In my opinion it was very impressive to review a design of full size Bluetooth wireless headphones released a few years back where it still feels ahead of the curve in comparison to some other recent releases. After a small EQ correction, I found Matrix 2 to really shine with a smooth balanced sound signature and some surprising clarity and details (again, taking EQ boost at 3kHz into consideration). They are not intended to indulge “Beats” bassheads or to persuade seasoned audiophiles or to offer dead-quiet noise isolation during your public transportation ride. What they intended for is to give you hours of uninterrupted and non-fatigue listening pleasure without reaching to your phone or tablet since all the controls are right around your ears. Based on its sound quality (including support for BT4.0 + aptX), build quality, extended battery life, flexibility of using both wired and wireless, and a cool storage case – Meelec Matrix 2 is one heck of a value under $90!