XPG EMIX I30 Gaming Earphones – 5.2 Surround Sound Earbuds Review

Pros and Cons

Where to Buy?

Intro

I no longer consider myself as a hardcore gamer. These days I juggle my passion for gaming with work commitments and raising kids. Back in the glory days, however, I was often known for pulling all-nighters. I remember that guilty feeling when you realise the sun is rising outside. Creeping to bed with a frazzled brain and trying to sleep as the birds sing their morning song.

Despite my part-time gaming lifestyle, I do spend a staggering amount of hours wearing headphones each day. This last week I’ve been exclusively wearing the EMIX I30’s. Without exaggerating, I think I’ve clocked up at least 60 hours!

Unboxing the XPG EMIX I30 Earphones

The EMIX I30’s arrived in a tidy looking retail box, a nice touch if you’re buying these as a gift. The Earphones are safely contained inside along with a user manual and carry case.

Design and Build Quality

The EMIX I30 earphones have an orb-like shape with a diameter of 15mm. The inner half of the housing has a burnt-red satin finish, while the outer is a matte black. The XPG logo is embossed in chrome on the outside edge along with an ‘L’ and ‘R’ to indicate the correct side. The earphone cables are offset to the front of each earpiece, making it practically impossible to confuse the left from the right when fitting them.

The attached cable has a soft silicone coating and measures 1.4m in length.  I imagine if you had to connect it to the back of your PC tower, the length could be an issue. This could easily be resolved with a relatively inexpensive headphone extender cable.

Comfort

Due to the hardware inside, they feel slightly heavier and protrude a little further than most regular in-ear headphones. That being said, they fit extremely well and the smooth curvature of the housing prevents any discomfort or fatigue. I had them in for almost 8 hours straight yesterday without the slightest of aches.

After decades of wearing regular gaming headphones, it’s been a real treat to ditch them in favour of an in-ear option. Gaming with earphones resolves at least two age-old problems, namely ‘headphone hair‘ and ‘Sweaty Lugs’.

EMIX I30 Specifications

Features

The EMIX I30 gaming headphones have a unique cavity inside which flexes inwards or outwards, depending on the audio frequency. This is said to produce a real 3D surround sound. Additionally, the EMIX I30’s feature oversized 13.5mm drivers and micro sub-woofers for substantially more bass.

The in-cable button allows you take hands-free calls and skip music tracks when connected to a smartphone. A single press will play/pause, a double press will skip forward and a triple press will select the previous track.

When connected to a PC or laptop, this button will mute the microphone. Unfortunately, you’ll need to hold this button down to maintain the mute. I’d have prefered a click on/click off option.

The sound quality has not been altered in the above audio sample, nor has the volume level. That being said, there is a little physical hack I’ve made that I’d like to share with you.

Audio Performance

Guys, I sh*t you not, these sound fricking insane! 

Now I know that gauging audio quality is very selective to the individual’s taste. Typically I favour a natural balance, especially when it comes to music. The EMIX I30’s have a rich and hugely spacious soundstage across the board. The bass is definitely meaty, but the mids and highs hold their ground. They are also LOUD, I’d honestly feel uncomfortable having them at max volume for even short periods of time.

Testing the 5.2 surround sound

After taking immense pleasure listening to the collection of FLAC audio tracks that I use to test out a new set of headphones, it was time to put the real 3D to the test. At first, I used a selection of YouTube videos, like the renowned Virtual Barber Shop and a 3D recording of Queen’s Bohemium Rhapsody. They both sounded amazing on the EMIX I30 headphones. It’s worth noting, however, that YouTube does only output two audio channels.

With that in mind, I decided to install Dolby Amos on my PC. After completing the audio configuration, I used their sample videos to truly test the surround sound experience.

There are a couple of videos on there that really stood out. One called ‘Leaf’ and another called ‘Shatter’, both had me covered in goosebumps. This happens to me regularly with certain music, but never from watching a leaf fall to the ground or a glass window smashing.

Without watching the video it’s easy to tell the position of the subject just from the sound alone. I switched back to some regular gaming headphones for a comparison and the difference was substantial.

Verdict

The EMIX I30’s have truly blown me away and I’m typically an over-the-ear headphone guy when it comes to gaming. I have toyed with in-ear gaming headphones before with a set of SoundBlaster P5’s but I quickly reverted back. This time, however, I think I’ve been converted.

If I could change anything about this product, I’d raise the position of the microphone by a couple of inches and introduce a toggle on/off mute function, instead of it being ‘press to mute’. I might also add an in-line volume control.  That being said, it’s currently plugged into my E1 headphone amp, which has volume adjustment and also offers me easy access to disconnect the microphone jack.

The XPG EMIX I30’s would make awesome in-ear gaming headphones if you’re into E-Sports and travel to events. I’d also recommend combining these with an E1 headphone amp from Creative. Together, you’d have a highly portable and insanely powerful audio setup. Just be careful not to blow your eardrums in the process!

Where to Buy?