Oh MEI Oh MEI – LD Systems MEI 1000 G2 – Product review by amazona.de

Manufacturers can be very creative when it comes to product names: LD Systems MEI 1000 G2 is the last in-ear scion of the Neu-Anspach-based company. Whether the name is inspired by the merry month of may, or whether the inventor maintains a heartfelt fan relationship with singer-songwriter icon Reinhard Mey (which is however written with a “y”), is hard to know. But whether this transmission box is any good or whether it leads to the conclusion “oh my, oh my”, that at least can be determined. The outer appearance

… is a practical transport box made of plastic, which is equipped with two secure snap closures. Everything you need for the gig and for your ears is safely stowed away: the transmitter in the metal housing including power supply unit, the mobile receiver for the belt and a stereo earphone in a storage bag. Two rack mounts are also included, so that the MEI transmitter may be screwed into a 19 inch rack. The whole system … offers 96 UHF channels (8 groups of 12 channels) and up to 5 systems can be used at the same time, which should be more than enough for a larger rock band, because not every musician needs their own channel. You can connect several receivers on one transmitter, if necessary; the pocket receivers are also sold separately for this purpose. The system tested here is licence-free and works in the 823,000 to 832,000 MHz and 863,000 to 865,000 MHz frequency bands. Three selectable monitor modes (Mono, Stereo, Focus) and adjustable EQ and limiter function render the device suitable for all common applications. The pocket receiver charge can last for up to 12 hours, depending on the battery or rechargeable battery type. Connections

… on the transmitter, there are two lockable combo sockets for audio signals, which accept both XLR and jack plugs; a “Pad” switch attenuates the input signal by 15 dB if needed. A small connector for the external power supply, as well as the antenna connection complete the back panel connectivity. An input controller as well as an adjustable headphone output, the on/off switch and the display can be found on the front panel. The housing is made of metal, and gives the impression of sturdiness. The pocket receiver looks equally trustworthy; furthermore, the battery compartment is easily accessible. Two AA batteries provide the unit with enough juice; it is switched on using the relatively large volume knob on the top. The display is quite small, but the represented symbols are sharply outlined and are therefore pretty easy to read. The earphone is connected to the receiver using a 3.5 mm jack plug and comes with several earpieces. Operation

The pocket receiver can be very securely attached to your belt with the provided clamp; the display turns off automatically when the switch is not operated for a few seconds, thus saving battery life.

You can hear the signal either in mono or in stereo or set the receiver in the so-called “Focus” mode, which corresponds to a dual mono mode. Thus, you have the ability to feed two different signals to the transmitter and to adjust the volume balance directly on the receiver. For example: Via the Aux Send 1 of the PA mixer, the transmitter input on the left-hand side receives a mix of drums, bass and guitar, while the Aux 2 input on the right-hand side receives the lead vocals. Now the lead singer can adjust the volume ratio between these two signals on the pocket receiver via the up and down buttons, at will, both signals are centred in Mono in this operating mode. For me, clearly the best option in practice.

What does the MEI 1000 G2 sound like?

Here, opinions will differ: I know for sure that my positive impression is not shared by all because the system produces virtually no bass and is slightly mids-weighted. On that particular point however, I think that it is practical: normally, the bass sounds come across the PA quite vigorously, so that you can hear or feel them well, regardless. But what you can’t necessarily pick out well is the midrange, as this is where virtually everything is happening, especially with the vocals. And it is the vocals that you can hear particularly well in the earphones and this allows the singer to clearly know what he is doing. It doesn’t sound like HiFi, but rather a little sober and neutral, but this does provide a certain assurance when on stage. I think it’s really very well done.

The limiter

… is relatively decent on the MEI and can be switched on and off; the resulting attainable maximum-volume is however too low to me. As soon as it is switched off, it becomes much more powerful, and my ears were left ringing after the test. You need a bit of self-discipline here, otherwise this can be very unhealthy for your lugs in the long term.

Comfortable earphones

It may be coincidence, but the ear plugs fit my ears quite well. However, the sealing-off is not absolute since you can still hear what is going on around you. I think this is rather positive, because the total isolation experienced with some specially customised in-ear plugs would drive me completely crazy. They don’t sit perfectly in your ear like specially-made ones do, but they suited me well enough.

For whom is the LD Systems MEI 1000 G2 best suited?

Let us be clear: You cannot and should not compare the MEI with the expensive Sennheiser, Shure, or AKG systems, which would ultimately lead to disappointment, since these systems can be used even under very difficult conditions. With the MEI, it is preferable to ensure that there is nothing between transmitter and receiver, and that, of all things, the transmitter is not installed in the bottom row of the rack 20 metres away. Then, it works well and reliably and the noise is also kept at a very reasonable level.

Since the above mentioned professional systems also come at a very professional price, in-ear monitors for semi professionals and amateurs were hardly affordable until now. This is the niche that LD Systems intends to satisfy, the MEI 1000 G2 offers a really useful solution for a very reasonable price.

Even professional musicians will in theory be happy with the MEI provided their expectations remain reasonable in terms of price and performance, and that they don’t expect the MEI to offer the same benefits as their much more expensive competitors. The MEI is good, practical, sounds decent, and costs relatively little. This could whet some buying appetites amongst musos.

What we also particularly noticed

The controllers for the pocket receiver for the set-up adjustments are well protected under the battery compartment cover. Therefore, you cannot accidentally modify anything fundamental – or switch off inadvertently during the performance.

Often, with inexpensive devices, you get the impression that all the best features have been left off the list: you don’t get this impression with the MEI 1000 G2 at all. The connectors on the transmitter are combo jacks with locking ability; the housing is made of metal and the knobs for input and external headphone volume on the front turn very smoothly. The pocket transmitter looks trustworthy as well, and the earphone give it a durable look with its rubberised cables.

Contrary to the trend of no longer including printed manuals, a multilingual booklet (including English), can be found in the case, which is well written and richly illustrated. A printed set of instructions in your own language is such a beautiful thing. Conclusion

For relatively little money, with the LD Systems MEI 1000 G2, you get a solid total in-ear system with good features, high volume and no frills. The comfort of the earphone is greatly enhanced by the fact that several different ear plugs are included. A solid case and rack mounts are included in the set and the printed, multi-language guide deserves a word of praise. Overall, a well-rounded device, this system allows even the most cash-strapped musician and band to have access to a practical in-ear system.

Plus

– practical sound without frills
– easy to use
– good quality
– inexpensive

Price

– RRP: € 329
– Street Price: € 277

Complete product information is available here:
http://www.ld-systems.com/en/in-ear-monitoring/mei-1000-g2-in-ear-monitoring-system-wireless/

Source: Amazona, Germany, 09/2014 http://www.amazona.de/ld-systems-mei-1000-g2-ear-monitoring/

Author: Siegfried Schöbel