Reviews by PHLHarmonic
This will be a relatively short and sweet review of the DITA Project M. It's had a lot of great feedback on Head-Fi and elsewhere, and for the price is generally within a reasonable blind buy territory for those who have the money to spend on mid-tier IEMs. I purchased these from MusicTeck at full retail price.
Disclaimers: by "mid-tier," I'm including roughly everything from around $300-700, as I believe that notable diminishing returns start in the $500-700 price bracket or so, and probably hit hardest after $1-1.2k. I am also not a cable believer or burn-in believer beyond the brain growing accustomed to a specific tuning. That said, $700 gets you a lot in 2024.
The packaging overall is excellent, although my specific set came loose from the foam inserts. Fortunately, they weren't damaged in any way, as the package itself is pretty sturdy. In the future I might suggest that DITA place some sort of protective tape over the shells in order to keep them secure, similar to what some other models do, assuming they aren't moved to the case. The case itself is very well built, but could stand to be just a little bit taller, as it's annoying to ensure the shells are in a proper position to close the case without pressure. The cable is excellent and very ergonomic, but it would have been nice to include a slider. Be aware that the QDC pins are recessed and you'll likely have to use a bit of force to connect them.
People have seen plenty of photos, so I'll merely share one at the end, but the shells themselves look very nice in person. They do have a very snug fit, and some of the smaller sized tips allow for deeper insertion, but in my experience caused some ear canal pain after a bit of time. I suggest trying different tips to see what works best for you.
I tested them with the Apple dongle as well as a DC06 Pro, but they are easily driven and I didn't notice much of a difference in sound, if anything. Others may of course disagree. I believe they have a clean sound, for lack of a better word, with relatively good separation. They do lack bass. I very briefly tested EQing them in Apple Music, and it appears they do handle a bass lift somewhat well, but that's purely a subjective opinion.
As other reviews have indicated, the treble can be a bit strong, and sibilance as noticed on certain tracks, such as one or two off of Caroline Polachek's Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. I generally listen to a mix of alternative and pop music, but will also listen to many other genres. Mids are a little scooped out, but I think it's pretty close to being a good all-rounder within the bracket, with the exception that its tuning is not going to make bass stand out.
As far as comparisons, I do believe that if you're after a treble-focused sound signature, it's a very good value. Other IEMs in the same price $300-500 bracket that I've tried are the TIMSOK TS-316 ($499 USD) and 634ears MIROAK-II (~$320 USD).
TS-316: More of a W-shaped tuning with stronger bass emphasis. It can very much become a "wall of sound" on some busy tracks where resolution gets a bit lost. I think the Project M would win out here. The TS-316 has much better timbre and excels with acoustics and jazz. The shells are heavier due to the stainless steel and a slightly tougher fit for some, but overall I think it can be more comfortable since it feels a little less custom and "tight".
MIROAK-II (Green Copper): This has a much boomier, "musical" sound, to use the generic term. Much stronger bass, better timbre. The Project M would likely again win on the top end and overall separation, but this isn't a set you listen to for the treble. The fit can be tricky since it's a bit of a bullet, but getting the right tips helps, and it's not a heavy shell. Construction is arguably equally good if not better due to their being built-to-order.
In the case of the Project M, I felt like the dynamic driver wasn't extremely noticeable in the same way. If you told me it was a pure BA set, I'd have believed you. I also wonder if my definition of timbre is different from others, but I've seen some reviews saying it's a bit metallic. I'd agree.
I wasn't sure whether to give these a 3.5 or 4. The build quality really elevates the rating by itself. For me, they're probably in that 3.5 range, but I think they can be a good value if it's the kind of sound that you're looking for. In that case, they could even be a 5. I figure the 4 is the safe middle ground. I understand why some people may like them, but prospective buyers should try and do their due diligence.
Disclaimers: by "mid-tier," I'm including roughly everything from around $300-700, as I believe that notable diminishing returns start in the $500-700 price bracket or so, and probably hit hardest after $1-1.2k. I am also not a cable believer or burn-in believer beyond the brain growing accustomed to a specific tuning. That said, $700 gets you a lot in 2024.
The packaging overall is excellent, although my specific set came loose from the foam inserts. Fortunately, they weren't damaged in any way, as the package itself is pretty sturdy. In the future I might suggest that DITA place some sort of protective tape over the shells in order to keep them secure, similar to what some other models do, assuming they aren't moved to the case. The case itself is very well built, but could stand to be just a little bit taller, as it's annoying to ensure the shells are in a proper position to close the case without pressure. The cable is excellent and very ergonomic, but it would have been nice to include a slider. Be aware that the QDC pins are recessed and you'll likely have to use a bit of force to connect them.
People have seen plenty of photos, so I'll merely share one at the end, but the shells themselves look very nice in person. They do have a very snug fit, and some of the smaller sized tips allow for deeper insertion, but in my experience caused some ear canal pain after a bit of time. I suggest trying different tips to see what works best for you.
I tested them with the Apple dongle as well as a DC06 Pro, but they are easily driven and I didn't notice much of a difference in sound, if anything. Others may of course disagree. I believe they have a clean sound, for lack of a better word, with relatively good separation. They do lack bass. I very briefly tested EQing them in Apple Music, and it appears they do handle a bass lift somewhat well, but that's purely a subjective opinion.
As other reviews have indicated, the treble can be a bit strong, and sibilance as noticed on certain tracks, such as one or two off of Caroline Polachek's Desire, I Want to Turn Into You. I generally listen to a mix of alternative and pop music, but will also listen to many other genres. Mids are a little scooped out, but I think it's pretty close to being a good all-rounder within the bracket, with the exception that its tuning is not going to make bass stand out.
As far as comparisons, I do believe that if you're after a treble-focused sound signature, it's a very good value. Other IEMs in the same price $300-500 bracket that I've tried are the TIMSOK TS-316 ($499 USD) and 634ears MIROAK-II (~$320 USD).
TS-316: More of a W-shaped tuning with stronger bass emphasis. It can very much become a "wall of sound" on some busy tracks where resolution gets a bit lost. I think the Project M would win out here. The TS-316 has much better timbre and excels with acoustics and jazz. The shells are heavier due to the stainless steel and a slightly tougher fit for some, but overall I think it can be more comfortable since it feels a little less custom and "tight".
MIROAK-II (Green Copper): This has a much boomier, "musical" sound, to use the generic term. Much stronger bass, better timbre. The Project M would likely again win on the top end and overall separation, but this isn't a set you listen to for the treble. The fit can be tricky since it's a bit of a bullet, but getting the right tips helps, and it's not a heavy shell. Construction is arguably equally good if not better due to their being built-to-order.
In the case of the Project M, I felt like the dynamic driver wasn't extremely noticeable in the same way. If you told me it was a pure BA set, I'd have believed you. I also wonder if my definition of timbre is different from others, but I've seen some reviews saying it's a bit metallic. I'd agree.
I wasn't sure whether to give these a 3.5 or 4. The build quality really elevates the rating by itself. For me, they're probably in that 3.5 range, but I think they can be a good value if it's the kind of sound that you're looking for. In that case, they could even be a 5. I figure the 4 is the safe middle ground. I understand why some people may like them, but prospective buyers should try and do their due diligence.
