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45% would recommend to a friend 
Massdrop x NuForce Stride Bluetooth IEMs
01 / 10
Massdrop x NuForce Stride Bluetooth IEMs
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Product Description
We know wherever you go, your music goes, too. That’s why we teamed up with NuForce to make the Stride: a Bluetooth IEM that’ll keep you company day in and day out at the gym, in the office, and on trips and commutes Read More
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Customer Reviews
3.0
(82 reviews)
5star(12)
4star(17)
3star(25)
2star(11)
1star(17)
By Feature
Build Quality
3.0
(2)
Sound
3.0
(2)
Comfort
3.5
(2)
Music GenresPopular among reviewers
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keyboard_arrow_downelfadog
5
Jun 24, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
A lot better than the rest.
After seeing the reviews being left by other people about these in ears before I had received mine I was a little worries on the overall quality. However now that I've had them. and used them for a good enough period I can say that they are a lot better than I thought.
In saying so, I have noticed that the lows are not as great as the highs. The mids can be a little distant but overall a great set of bluetooth IEM for everyday use at gym or around the office.
Recommends this product? Yes
ElectronicVices
2937
Jul 26, 2019
Summary
Pros: Solid case, aptX & AAC, clarity, sweatproof, fit
Cons: Not a genre "all-rounder for me", foam tips
Bottom Line: The functionality works well for an EDC pair where critical listening isn't necessarily the aim for me. I feel this is a good value assuming you like its "north of neutral" sound tuning.
Packaging/Accessories
The Stride comes in a a massdrop X Nu Force branded box. The iems and accessories were securely stored, shipping damage wasn't (and shouldn't) be an issue. I am a big fan of the included case, its fit & finish exceeds any other included case I've received over a dozen or so IEMs, with the exception of my IE800's and the Pelican from Noble. It's a hard case with a greyish "denim" covering. The interior feels a bit like alcantara/faux suede and has sufficient room for the IEM and a few tips with space to spare. Six sets of tips are included, 3 silicone and 3 foam tips. I listened to the foam's for the first half of my review period. I did not like the included foams fit, even the smallest pair put uncomfortable pressure when deep inserted and I had seal issues with shallow insertion. I had a much easier time getting a good seal with the silicone and they run the softer side of the average, increasing comfort. A generic flat usb cable is also included.
Build/Comfort/Aesthetics/Isolation
The pair feels sturdy and with the essentially "sweatproof" IPX rating they have held up to the recent heatwave. I can wear them down or over ear comfortably and they generally stay put. For active use I recommend them over ear with the slider pulled almost tight. At my desk wearing them down provides the easiest access to the controls however. Not into attention grabbing headphones so the shadow branding on the housings and colorway are appreciated. Massdrop appears opposite from the controls on the battery/receiver and NU on the housings. They do a reasonably good job of noise blocking, not quite as well as the Nobles on a plane. They do best the IE800's due to that pairs vents/resonators/"tube tech". My only qualm with the build is the USB cover's design can make it difficult to get some cables to sit flush.
Sound Impressions
Here comes the dividing line IMO on these headphones. IF you like a v-shaped sound signature without that energy going into the upper treble then these are on target. They sound exactly as described "north of netural". They work well for me in situations where music is more of a background activity and with specific genres. The bass has a sizable boost but never sounds bloated/loose. I'm also surprised at its extension and impact on the low end. The low-mids are slightly affected by the boosted bass but it isn't bothersome. Overall the mid-range is a bit recessed with the low and upper mid's being less so. The 3-6kHz range is a bit hotter than I would prefer but was never grating or troubling (with a good seal). Sibilance is only problematic on already sibilant recordings. The treble drops back down to where I like from 8kHz on up. I felt these had a surprisingly coherent soundstage with good instrument separation and decent imaging. To these ears, harder Rock, Metal, EDM, Rap/Hip-hop and bassy Pop were the best genres for the Stride. They did not excel at acoustic, jazz or classical. They were mixed on vocal heavy genres and softer/classic rock.
Quick Comparisons
I really don't have much in the way of fair competition here. Most of my BT listening is LDAC via the ES100/Noble or my MDR-1000x. Pairing the ES100 + Fostex TE-02 is the closest in price/function. The TE-02 lacks the bass extension and impact of Stride. The TE-02 is mid-centric/somewhat n-shaped in its response. The Strides are more up front in presentation with a much better soundstage. The Strides will be taking the TE-02's place as my workout/BT camp pair of IEM's. If a more apples to apples comparison becomes available I will update this section.
Sources/Codecs/Connection
I really like that you get both AAC and aptX. Why new pairs come out lacking proper support for both iOS and Android BT strengths I will never know. While I don't use my iPhone for music listening AAC is as good as it gets for iOS. I do generally prefer aptX/HD and LDAC to AAC but none of those are an option for iPhone users. Most of my time was aptX from my KANN Cube, tagging in the LG V20 when carrying the Cube wasn't ideal. I didn't notice a sound difference between the KANN or the V20,. Most of the sound quality comes from the receiving amplification and the codec used on bluetooth headphones. I had no connection issues outside of one incident with streaming a side-loaded version of Tidal on the Cube and walking into the bathroom. I did spend a small amount of time listening via my work laptop (SBC). Eh… yeah… SBC is why I hated BT headphones for years, no change in opinion came from this example.
Conclusion
Overall I feel like you get a lot of bang for the buck with the Strides. If you like a touch of boost on your IEM's or are a big fan of the "Rock" EQ setting the sound signature should be right up your alley. I can appreciate a variety of signatures and the Strides are enjoyable to me. I never once had them die on me with up to 5 hours of listening in a single session. I travel for work so things tend to get recharged with "religious fervor". If you are looking for a neutral sound signature these aren't going to please. They only lack bass and get strident if you don't have a seal on the eartips.
Additional Details:
The Stride was provided free of charge for the purpose of this review.
Gear Used: LG V20, Astell & Kern KANN Cube, Dell E7250
About Me
I own over 30 pairs of headphones in various form factors and started my headphone journey with the HD555 almost 15 years ago. I graduated to the HD650 about 10 years ago and discovered portable audio could be good when I picked up a Cowon J3 and a pair of Triple-fi 10's years ago. I generally prefer a "neutral" signature with a slight bass lift, extension, impact and control being highly important to me. My favorite pair is still my HE-500 with my iHA-6 amp and either the UD-501 or Kann Cube as source. I am not a professional reviewer and only participate in these community reviews to test out some gear and help people make the right decision. If you have a specific question feel free to tag me in the discussion section or reply to this review.
(Edited)
Recommends this product? Yes
Kchoxs
0
Nov 28, 2019
ElectronicVices
Hello how are you? I wanted to know your opinion of these headphones in relation to the MEE audio X10 True Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 IEM.Are they of a similar quality?ElectronicVices
2937
Nov 29, 2019
KchoxsI've not listened to that particular pair, so I unfortunately cannot help much. I'm personally holding off on any true wireless IEM's until it has matured a bit more. Most of my listening still involves a wire & plug.
JE4400
3
Feb 1, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Great value, you won’t be disappointed.
I needed (of course) another IEM to use on the go. Good built quality, nice case, and the sound is very good, deep bass, clear mid range and highs. It just gets temperamental when paired to multiple devices. So stick to one and you are set.
Recommends this product? Yes
ShaolinGrump
44
Nov 3, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
poor quality
These would've been good or better. They died after a month or two. My daughter never told me. I found them in a drawer. No damage. No weirdness. I suspect they quit working and she didn't bother telling me. No help after a request or two to Drop customer service.
Recommends this product? No
Moristar
33
Sep 6, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
It's small and holds battery fine, but...
- you need to put it wrong (left-to-right-ear) to get any decent isolation
- the sound is not that bad, but VERY "hissy", listening to audio-books is a pain
- the mic is too sensitive and too bright
- the range, omg, you need to have your phone NEAR. I mean, sometimes a pillow was blocking the BT signal! A pillow!
(Edited)
Recommends this product? No
Danulf
7
Aug 28, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Poor fit and static
These don’t fit in my fairly typical ears. The sound quality is only “OK”. The set I received also routinely has static in the left channel. I cannot recommend these.
Recommends this product? No
tylera
16
Jul 4, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Good, but nothing special
They're good sound quality for their price being bluetooth. Theyre not advertised as fitness specific but I found them slipping with even a light bike ride. I just feel like they could be better.
Recommends this product? No
TheLiquidCat
9
Jan 27, 2020
checkVerified Buyer
Constant high pitch static hissing on all devices (Android, Mac, iPhone)
The sound quality is good and they have a good build to them. However there is a major flaw for these Bluetooth IEM's.
There is a constant static hissing sound when sound is being output. You can notice this when you pause a track/mute the audio and can hear the hissing before it goes quiet again. It is at a tone to where I think it can be damaging to the ear because after I started using these my tinnitus has come back abruptly in full force.
Don't buy these, there are plenty of other Bluetooth earbuds/headphones that don't have this issue.
Recommends this product? No
Smoothbore
7
Dec 16, 2019
checkVerified Buyer
Static
I have been using these for dozens of hours and I would not recommend them. After a couple hours of use, they picked up some static and I haven't been able to get rid of it since. It's annoying and even without the static, I would describe the sound quality as passable. The battery life and connection are great though. I still have over 4 hours of life with a full charge and the connection has never dropped once.
At this price ($75), you can get a better pair of bluetooth IEMs.
Recommends this product? No
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Pleasant surprises: As someone with painfully small ears, the addition of the foam ear tips was a godsend. Other in-ears I've purchased in the past have only ever included the silicone variety which become painful for me over time for me. Reading through other users experiences, it seems as though there's some connectivity issues... But I've had quite the opposite experience. These have been able to hop from my phone, to PC, and back with ease, and I've yet to (after almost a month) have any major connectivity issues. The range is also stellar and allows me to walk around reasonably while still hearing clearly. Minor Gripes: I know the cord is meant to go behind your neck, but when I use it this way it always ends up rotating to one side and forcing the other side to pop out. This was easily solved by moving the cord to underneath my chin The provided charging cord is painfully short (likely meant for a laptop). Even charging using my iMac with its close port access becomes cumbersome. a little more length would have been appreciated The volume and connection buttons are raised, but I feel like they could be a bit more pronounced. There were many times where i would fumble it and press the wrong one due to not being able to tell accurately enough. Overall I think these are a great purchase for somebody looking for that first upgrade from the set of earbuds that came with their phone. Even too for those more discerning listeners needing a solid pair of headphones they needn't feel fussy over. 5/5 stars