A Surprise for 9.9 Yuan: PLEXTONE X36M

There’s a saying online: if you see something you want to buy but you’re hesitating because it’s too expensive, just buy it. If you see something really cheap but you’re not sure whether you’ll actually use it right away, don’t buy it.

Thinking back on it, that’s pretty much how it goes. Something you urgently need, no matter how expensive, you’ll be holding it every day once it arrives. Cheap impulse buys aren’t things you actually need, so they end up gathering dust.

But as a spendthrift, buying a 9.9-yuan dust-gatherer is still forgivable, right?

I had no expectations when it arrived, but I noticed the earbud housings seem to be metal, which is already impressive for 9 yuan, so I gave them a casual listen, and that’s where the surprise hit.

Simply put, the PLEXTONE X36M has a pop-tuned sound: bass is very prominent, mids and highs are fairly balanced. Compared to those 600+ products it’s a notch behind in each area, but overall it’s comfortable to listen to with no major complaints. I’d say it’s at least on par with something around 200 yuan. Miraculously, I ended up wearing these for two days straight. Very comfortable fit, aside from the thin cable and the fairly strong cable-noise…

But it’s under 10 yuan, so I feel bad asking for more.

If Sony’s XBA-10 can be considered the benchmark at 299, then this thing crushes it by several blocks and then some…

Ah, I was going to take the opportunity to dunk on the XBA-10 again. I have to say, that’s the dumbest-sounding thing I’ve ever heard, but on second thought, never mind.