Review of Nakamichi NMDD200 and NMDS100 earphones

We were spoilt for choice when Nakamichi released a whole new range of audio earphone products for the Singapore market this year. Focusing our efforts searching for earphones that are of higher end in nature but yet still priced below $100, we discovered the new Nakamichi NMDD200 and NMDS100 earphones. These two earphones are designed to focus different aspects of audio features and quality to suit a wider variety of audio profiles. In our review, we are going to test out both the Nakamichi NMDD200 and NMDS100 earphones and give our verdict on which is better in terms of both audio quality. Also, we will also find out if the NMDD200, which costs $20 more than the NMDS100, is worth the extra money.

Design

In terms of design, both the earphones are almost identical. They also share the same flat wire features, which users can enjoy tangle free scenarios with their earphones. This gives an added convenience, especially for those likes to listen to music when they are working out.

The audio drivers are housed in a fully alloy metal housing, that is anodized, making these sets of earphones to really stand out in terms of its aesthetics. Due to the dual-driver design on the NMDD200, the housing for it is also slightly longer than the NMDS100. It does not affect the listeners in anyway in terms of usability or audio quality though.

Like all the other earphone units from Nakamichi that we have reviewed previously, both the NMDS100 and NMDD200 also have a built-in mircrophone unit on the left side of the earphone. There is even a built in button that is beautifully encased within the microphone unit, allowing easy picking up of calls. This feature is said to be compatible with Android, iOS and BlackBerry devices. Of course, we believe that it will also work with Windows Phone devices.

Nakamichi has also included a small carrying hard case and S and L sized earbuds within the package, making sure that they do not leave out listeners of different ear sizes.

Audio Characteristics

Despite being priced in the same range and looking fairly similar, the NMDS100 and NMDD200 are two individual beast that shines in different areas of audio quality. They are extremely different in terms of the way they sound, and careful consideration should be made when choosing between the earphones.

The Nakamichi NMDS100 is probably the one of the best earphones that I have came across with in my course as a tech reviewer. The main strength of its sound profile is that it is well balanced in all frequencies of the sounds that it produces, where treble and bass are maintained to a decent level without being overdone. I enjoyed every single second of my time with the NMDS100 and was amazed with the amount of details that this earphone was able to reproduce. 

There was an adequate amount of bass that was produced at the right level, without necessarily causing any muffled sounds from the lower frequency range. In terms of treble, it seems that Nakamichi has done the extra effort to make it sound just right as well, and every cymbal was crisp and sharp, but not producing any kind of crackle at all, which was an apparent problem in our previously reviewed Nakamichi products. Added on with the main focus on the vocals, I was not really sure how much better an audio product can sound. 

The NMDD200 is built with dual-drivers, dedicating the bass work to a separate subwoofer for extremly impactful bass. It is almost unheard of that an earphone has its own subwoofer built into the unit itself. The NMDD200 produces unparalleled bass that probably not many other decent earphones in this price range can match. Vocals and trebles also sounded similar to the NMDS100, but I thought that the additional bass did bring down the overall clarity of the actual sound produced, as all frequencies of sound has to be impacted by a certain degree of bass. However, such earphone design innovation should be complimented. I think Nakamichi just need more control over the subwoofer driver module, to allow a better appreciation from avid listeners like me.

In conclusion, even though both NMDS100 and NMDD200 had their own strengths, I enjoyed the NMDS100 a lot more than the latter. Its well balanced audio profile throughout all audio frequencies made me fall in love with it, as it was able to distinctly refocus the important parts of the music to be sent into the ears. There is no doubt that the NMDS100 should sound better in term of audio clarity than the NMDD200, and with a decent amount of bass and treble, the NMDS100 is sure a keeper.

To be honest, I got addicted to the NMDS100. I do not want to be biased, but the NMDS100 is really the best earphone that you can get at the price that Nakamichi is offering it for. It’s quite a perfect set of earphones for me. (Please view disclaimer below.)

Regardless of my own experience on the NMDS100, the NMDD200 is also a great pair of earphones, just that it did not suit my preference in audio type. Its heavy bass would have much be a feature that attracts listeners of club music, or even simple chill pop with strong bass. If I was listening mainly on those genres, I would have gotten the NMDS100 instead.

We thought that the Nakamichi NMDS100 should also be a better choice for mainstream listeners as it also costs $20 cheaper than the NMDD200. If you are not particular with getting as much bass as your earphones can bring you, the NMDS100 will suffice.

Disclaimer : We would like to emphasize that audio quality differs from listeners and these opinions do not represent anyone or any organization, but rather the experience from a single reviewer. To get a better understanding of how these earphone sounds, it is best to test them out yourself. 

Pricing and Availability