Fei Wan, The Golden Goose: (FW for F**king Wondrous)

I am grateful to have the opportunity to continuously demo some of the new IEM revelations. After a few recent ones that were impressive, none particularly struck out which really tempted me to jump back into the portable world. But Fei Wan…man, this IEM is a treat!

After you become complacent in the audio world, you get really used to your setup and somewhat ingrain this new standard or reference point. It's an essential part of really appreciating and understanding your gear (and obviously, for your wallet), but it can gatekeep you from other wonderful sonic attributes that your gear might not excel on.

Let me explain-not until I put the FWs the FWs forced themselves into my ears, did I realize how much I was truly missing dynamics in my music when listening out of my beloved Meze Elites. The Elites have such a beautiful tonality with a spacious, airy presentation with good energy, but here came FW with a visceral, banging opener to remind me about the importance of energy and punch.

Damn-ymics. Never have I heard metal music so lively, with authority yet control. So much energy, technically-proficient, yet musical.

*All of my listening was done out of a Rockna Wavelight + Rockna Server + Ferrum OOR/Hypsos desktop setup, and then on the L&P W2 for portable. Stock cable.

Sound Impressions:


FW to me is a U-shaped (maybe slight V-shape) where the midrange is slightly recessed, but deceptively detailed with a strong timbre. Vocals sound sweet with good texture. My issue with previous U/V-shaped IEMs was that yes, the bass is thunderous and the treble lively and sparkly, but it comes at expense of timbre and technicalities which throws me out of the overall musical immersion. They were too much of a specialist IEM, a one-trick pony.

FW, on the other hand, is more versatile than meets the eye. Despite its fun sound signature, it still manages to have organic timbre with rich mids (albeit taking a backseat to bass and treble on the stage).



Bass: Thunderous, powerful, hard-hitting, yet controlled. Even for blistering double-bass metal tracks, I noticed how snappy and fast the bass was with clean precision. In Bad Omen’s Artificial Suicide, I found myself nearly headbanging at the 1:50 mark with the double-bass, crisp cymbals, and authoritative, gruff, and punchy vocals all to boot. The bass is powerful, textured, clean and fast, all without being too overpowering in the overall signature.

Midrange: I discussed it a bit earlier, but despite slight recession in the mids (which might not be ideal for vocal-centric tracks), the midrange is still very detailed and organic sounding with strong texture. Fast forward to the melodic breakdown at 1:55 in All That Remains’ Chiron and you’ll notice a beautiful, vivid, and rich acoustic guitar playing with strong texture to each pluck of the guitar. It’s almost as if once the bass and treble take a breather, the midrange can come out and show how elegant and high-class it really is. Overall, instruments sound superb with great microdynamics to add to their naturalness, weight, and tone.

Treble: I understand why a few people can view the FW a bit fatiguing. I think the fatigue to my ears comes from an elevated upper midrange with the constant bombardment of punchy dynamics, mostly macro although still impressive micro. To my ears, treble is tastefully done with crisp yet smooth and vivid detail, with no sibilance or splashiness. There is good air to give the sound a bit of a concert/stadium feel. In no way is the IEM dark, but I also wouldn’t call it bright. Slightly bright warm…if that’s a thing, in a good way. Oh and did I mention how fun cymbals sound?

Technicalities: Up there with some of the best. The width is large, although I hear a bit more depth than width. Strong detail with clear imaging and layering. Decay is natural yet fast and snappy to keep up with more complicated passages. FW is one of the few IEMs where I don’t feel I am taking an obvious drop in technicalities coming from open-back planar TOTL headphones, and that only further proves what a phenomenal task Aroma Audio has achieved by blending such a musical IEM with top-tier technicalities.

Reminds me of:

FW reminds me a bit of Elysian X, a previous favorite of mine in the V-shaped category. However, it seems to have built upon some of my flaws with X, mainly in bass and the mids. X had fun, abyssal-depth levels of subbass, but its midbass was whimsical in comparison. FW takes a near 1:1 approach to its midbass and subbass while retaining excellent slam, texture and control.

X’s midrange is noticeable more recessed and less organic sounding, meanwhile FW adds a touch of naturalness to blend the overall midrange into a better organic timbre. Vocals are richer, instruments more natural with good weight in comparison to X's thinner midrange.

Treble-well, X is still the GOAT there. Nothing that I have heard yet touches its ethereal, vivid yet silky treble sound. But FW is not too far behind with its' energetic, detailed yet smooth top end.

TL;DR:

I am most definitely looking forward to CanJam NYC next month because a future FW might be the move . I'll of course have to check out those $80k new Unique Melody IEMs (not a typo, being facetious), along with VE10, etc., but I can't imagine they check more boxes than FW already has.

Thank you Aroma Audio for reminding me how much I love dynamics in my music while packaging it into such a technically-proficient product---whether it’s got me conjuring up a mosh pit in my head through metal music that terrifies my neighbors, or shedding a tear to the microdynamics of each pluck of an acoustic guitar during an emotional guitar solo. Musicality, energy, and punchy, yet technical, controlled and organic---finally, a true WOW IEM for me .

“Hello, Old Friend”: The Comeback

I’d bet (I don’t have a gambling problem, I swear) that most audiophiles (and their wives) have dreamt of the day that they are so pleased with their audio gear that they can just deactivate their HeadFi account with no remorse. But let’s be real-in this universe, it is far more likely that said-audiophile is hopping on to HF to catch up on the 50+ new overnight pages on the Watercooler thread so that they can stimulate their dopamine receptors and salivary glands by indulging into the hype surrounding the newest, shiny multi-kilo product.

Whew-a mouthful. But the point of my exploration of audio addiction is that I was fortunate enough to hit that elusive satisfaction of no longer chasing the dragon. I hopped onto HF here and there in the past 12 months, but happily retired from the IEM/DAP game thanks to the desktop GOAT-Susvara.

However, that freedom from the chains of audio-capitalism is fleeting because as audiophiles, we tend to be tempted by how new technologies can continue introducing revolutionary auditory products (and by virtue, unique auditory experiences). I took a backseat in some of my beloved audio group chats with some key IEM HF influencers, and only would chime in occasionally to troll them about how they better enjoy their new toy because a new one will be coming out 2 weeks later [facetious diatribe about how fast the portable world moves]. But that same tempting curiosity inevitably began to resurface as there was a common IEM that got the new hype label---the UM Mentor Multiverse.


Day after day, week after week, the glowing anecdotal comments kept flooding in. So, I decided to take my walk of shame back the portable world and check out what all the hype was about. (Sorry, girlfriend).



Specifications

Price: $4499

Headphone Type: BA+ Frequency Shift Bone Conduction Driver

Driver Counts: 12+1 Drivers

Sensitivity: @1kHz 114dB

Impedance: 22Ω

Frequency Response Range: 20Hz-40kHz

Crossover: 5-way Crossover

Configuration: 4 Bass Drivers + 2 Mids Drivers + 2 Mid-Treble Drivers + 4 Treble Drivers + 1 Frequency Shift Bone Conduction Driver

Cable: Deep of Universe Custom Cable


IEM from Another Universe:

Prior to MM, I haven’t had much luck with a Unique Melody product. I was not impressed with the Mason/FS, particularly its’ dry tuning with a 6k peak that sharply contrasted the lack of pinna gain. Indigo was a good IEM but felt very bland overall, providing nothing special outside of its unique BCD presentation. So, my skepticism was high going into finally inserting a new set of IEM into my lonely, deprived earholes.

Bass: I’ll start with what I believe is the weakest part of the MM. Balanced Armatures have grown in closing the gap between Dynamic Drivers for robust low-ends, but in my opinion, are still noticeably inferior when you are simply used to a TOTL DD (or even planar) driver for bass.

Mentor’s bass is overall great for its driver. Yes, probably better than the bird from memory, with a strong punch with minimal plasticity. However, it falls short versus a TOTL bass presentation in direct A/Bs by coming across as slightly untextured and lacking a full extension that a DD rumble can provide. For example, on Infected Mushrooms’ “Bliss on Mushrooms”, there is strong macrodynamic energy, but the midbass is not as defined and tight as something like the Jewel or EVO. Yet the bone conduction helps by rounding out the bass to compliment the holographic imaging. It’s still a very engaging listening with a pleasant bass shelf.

MM’s bass successfully does not detract too much from the rest of the IEM’s strengths and instead, provides a seamless low-end to compliment MM’s overall lush presentation. Simply put, the bass won’t be much of an issue if you aren’t A/B’ing to an EE EVO or Abyss 1266 Phi-TAC, and will still likely outperform any other BA on the market for the lows.

Mids: One thing that has ever wavered is my love for mids, and Multiverse just hits the sweet spots here. The midrange to me sounds rather linear, with a pleasant weight to notes (likely due to the BCD). I wouldn’t call the midrange as romanticized or “wet” as the Traillii, but there is special balance of clarity and smooth that the MM just nails.

The upper-midrange is not too forward, yet vocals still have a pleasant presence due to the excellent dynamics and staging. The lower-midrange does suffer in contrast, where drum hits lack the realism or heft that I’d get from an IEM like the XE6. I would attribute this to the BAs used for the lows.

Vocals are natural-sounding, with subtle hints of warmth. Not too forward, not too recessed. Guitars sound excellent with nice crunch and texture. MM’s mids are NOT mid-they are indeed special.

Treble: I tend to not be as overtly critical about the treble region, as long as it’s not too sharp, peaky, metallic and/or lacking extension. I have a slight sensitivity to hot lower-treble IEMs, which is why an IEM like Traillii was perfect for my tastes. And MM, to my ears, also has a similar’ish treble presentation that is full of air (upper-treble) with strong yet pleasant energy in the lower-treble. Cymbals sound great with good timbre, & synth notes have impressive extension. If you found Traillii treble a bit too lax or boring, MM adds a touch of excitement while providing no sibilance.

Along with the vast staging and holographic, 3D presentation, the treble comes across as whimsical. Mentor ultimately has one of my favorite trebles to date and arguably does improve upon the bird in this regard.

Staging/Dynamics: Gotta save the best for last. Let me preface this section with that MM is the closest I’ve heard to an open-back headphone in terms of staging and imaging. If Unique Melody was going for the official bird-kill, they likely knew this is where they could help differentiate themselves from the Gold-Standard Traillii.

As vast as Bird’s stage width was, it falls flat (literally) on the depth. Notes come across as panoramic, i.e., on a vast plain rather than a 3D stage/sphere. Bird’s dynamics also were on the softer side which helped contribute to its unparalleled timbre and romanticized mids, but was not ideal for those who love their hard-hitting music or transients.

MM improves upon both, noticeably. Mentor (along with Aroma Jewel to some extent), truly does have a HP’esque soundstage. It sounds vast, with an impressive left-to-right and centre image.

MM’s notes also have some excellent macrodynamics, with above average microdynamics. Notes have various weights which eloquently pop in and out of a black background, helping the listener immerse in the enveloping stage.

Imaging is great, and strongly benefited by how the BCD adds a unique weight to notes/transients that sound realistic but not overtly heavy or congesting in the stage. In Cultura Profestica’s De Antes, I pulled a Chucky doll and turned my neck a full 360 degrees because I thought I heard a baby crying from behind me in the song’s intro.



Which Universe…ahem, Source*, does MM Sound Best?



Alluding to my earlier diatribe about how fast new DAPs come out, I unfortunately am already feeling like a dinosaur with my AK SP2000 CU and L&P W2. Rockna Wavelight R2R-desktop DAC is also no newcomer, although still an incredible source in today’s desktop landscape.

(Since I initially drafted this review, I have managed to procure an SP3000 SS and the Brise Tsuranagi amp to shed my dinosaur status).

The below sources should paint a general picture about how the Mentor scales and which sound-characteristics may help shape it towards your own preferences.

Mentor + L&P W2:

Comes across as W-shaped, where the BA bass plasticity becomes quite noticeable. There is good midbass but a bit pillow-y sounding. Instrument timbre is nice and overall natural. Stage width is impressive and wraps around your head with strong depth-perception. Notes have a 3D edge that give Mentor that universe-like vast staging.

Mentor + A&K SP2000 CU:

Overall an excellent pairing. There is a much better bass rumble and extension than on the W2, although not completely alleviating that BA’s undetailed midbass slam despite its nice quantity. Mids are more euphoric and forward-sounding as the CU tends to do for most IEMs. Dynamics remain impressive, almost like a loose-bag of fun versus something more “tight” like the Jewel.

Mentor + A&K SP3000 SS:

At first, I found the combo a bit bright/unengaging, but that would be the price to pay for the soundstage boost, detail, clarity and dynamics that the SP3000 offers over its SP2000 Copper little brother. Generally, the Copper version is warmer which helps for those lush mids, but the SP3000 really helps elevate the MM into a grand-sounding IEM that is true-to-form for TOTL performance. Nice bass despite the-discussed BA shortcomings, natural-sounding vocals, and extension for days in the treble without ever being sibilant.

Some would call this the modern-day GOAT pairing. I think I'd agree.




Mentor + SP3000 SS LO’d into Brise Tsuranagi Amp:



At first I wasn’t expecting much (nor did I hear any true benefits), but adding the AMP into the Line’d Out SP3000 really clicked after an hour or so. There is a slight drop in stage width, but more depth and height, with a fuller sound while retaining technicalities. The sound becomes richer with a slightly warmer timbre that adds pleasant color to the SP3000’s neutrality. There is also better PRAT as I felt myself tapping my toes more to the music.

There is a bit of a midbass boost which in this case, I wasn’t too much of a fan because BAs and midbass do not go well IMHO. It’s one of those cases where I rather the subbass detract from the compromised, pillow-y midbass.

But all-in-all, the Tsuranagi adds a lovely musical component to the already masterful MM. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you want to thicken up the MM’s sound.

Mentor + Rockna Wavelight R2R Desktop DAC & Ferrum OOR/Hypsos AMP Stack:

Some IEMs don’t really benefit from extra power, some do slightly, and some quite noticeable. I didn’t expect much here since usually DDs benefit the most, but boy was I surprised.

R2R + BCD is a magical combo. The staging and instrument separation all opened-up noticeably, allowing more space in between notes. The stage width expands as far as I’ve heard on any IEM. Treble becomes silky, with excellent clarity, energy and transparency-yet smooth. Midrange remains engaging without being too smoothen over as it occasionally did with the SP2k CU.


Cables:

Yes the MM price is high, but I have to commend Unique Melody for pairing it with a great-synergising cable. When trying the bird’s PW 1960 4-wire, the Mentor lost some of its musicality and lushness. There was a bit more upper-mid centric focus for energy but the overall coherency of the IEM began to falter. Stock cable was also fuller-sounding than the 1960-4 wire.




The Brise Audio Yatono 8 Wire is an excellent combination that smoothens out the MM’s transients a bit while retaining a black background and detail. There is a bit more warmth that adds musicality to my ears. Bass becomes tighter and imaging feels a bit more precise. Mids are pushed forward a touch more. I really like this synergy but had significant issues with the fit and weight of the cable which ultimately did not work for my ear anatomy. Similar to the Tsuranagi AMP, Brise’s Yatono 8w also thickens up and musical’ifys (is that a word?) the MM.


Summary: The Multiverse’s Exciting Potential



As George Constanza emphatically once said, “Every time I think I am out, they pull me back in!”

I thought I was out---a broke audiophile happily listening to his gear without the temptation of the HeadFi’s seductive siren calls. Through headphones such as Susvara, Abyss 1266 Phi & Meze Elites, I had hit that meme’d endgame, which diminished my itch to constantly upgrade to the newest product. But Unique Melody's Multiverse Mentor has been the best IEM I have heard that can arguably rival these headphones. When they are in my earholes, I forget that there are two little transducers conjuring up such an engaging, immersive sound. Whatever bone conduction magic UM has inserted into them has my own bone conducting in full-frequency response.


TL;DR:

Unique Melody has truly blessed us a unique product from another universe. The Multiverse Mentor redefines how vast and engaging an IEM can sound. There is a cosmic soundstage that engulfs around your head with musical joy. Dynamics are great, imaging is world-class, and although the bass does suffer from its driver’s limitations, it complements the MM’s overall mesmerizing tuning.

Probably the best IEM in the game at the moment.


Xoxo,

Ex-Bird Lover.

The Bird Finds a Rare Jewel:


(Blue Tiger camo...COD anyone?)

Specifications:

• 13 Drivers: 6 e-stats, 6 balanced armatures, 1 9.2mm Dynamic Driver
• MSRP: $5130 at https://shop.musicteck.com/products/aroma-jewel?variant=39716638490686
• Impedance: 22Ω@1Khz
  Sensitivity: 103db SPL@1mW
  Sound insulation effect 26db(CM)
  Frequency response: 10-22khz

Introduction:

The hunt for a TOTL that could replace Traillii for me has been an extensive effort-one that likely is annoying at this point for others who do take the time to reads my impressions and reviews.

So let me skip the foreplay and just cut to the chase: Elysian X almost clipped the bird, but the lack of the lower-midrange made it more of a specialist IEM than an all-rounder, so the bird got the final worm. Phönix didn’t outfly the bird. But the Jewel...thanks for complicating my life.

Simply put, Aroma hit it out of the park with this one (as it should at the price). Let’s ignore the pitiful cable-it’s thinner than an audiophile’s patience for their new toys. The “cables” bright and thin profile is as accurate physically as it is sonically-it really does the Jewel’s sound signature no favors. Therefore, all impressions below will be based off the PWA 4W 1960 cable.

Sound:

Jewel opts for a more revealing tonality that still blends musical elements, mainly in its extremely cohesive staging and clean, hefty bass response. There is a slight sensuality in the midrange despite the wallops of detail. Jewel portrays an upper-mids emphasis that can be a bit fatiguing depending on your sources and tolerances. It is not the smoothest upper-midrange I’ve heard, but I quickly got used to it and appreciated the extra energy in that region to compliment the Jewel’s clarity proficiency. Jewel leans slightly on the brighter side of neutral, but can be reigned in depending on tips and warmer sources.

Bass: I’ve denied that I might be a slight basshead for too long. With my recent dabbling in TOTL Headphone planars and EQ’d low-shelf bass boosts, if the bass doesn’t rumble or slam, I get sad. Fortunately, no sadness here-Jewel has a top 3 bass response I’ve heard from any IEM.

Its’ elevation is rather modest than let’s say EVO, but it is extremely clean with excellent punch when the track asks for it. With Crystal eartips, I would pop in my favorite bass tracks and hear tremendous detail and pleasing slam with virtually no bleed into the lower mids. Speaking of the devil, Jewel’s lower-midrange adds a real heftiness and authenticity to bass drum hits and other percussive instruments, which only further proves why a properly implemented dynamic driver for the lows is, *chef’s kiss*.

For those who want dirty or ultra elevated bass, I am not sure if Jewel will fit the bill. But if you want one of the best DD lows in an IEM that performs at a summit-fi level, Jewel needs to be at the top of your list.

Mids: At first I was a bit surprised at the forward upper-midrange. It’s a region that I’ve gotten a bit more sensitive with over time. But with a cable swap and some brain burn-in, I began to appreciate the detail and transparency in the midrange. It’s not particularly thick, nor thin, but as Goldilocks once said, “The Jewel's note thickness is just right!" Vocals are natural with nice air between the notes. Female vocals are emphasized a bit higher than male, but the scruffy, growly male vocals are just as enjoyable. Instrument timbre is one of the best I’ve heard in an IEM, but with the clarity signature, you lose a bit of the special low-level detail on stringed instruments. It sounds natural, but the lack of warmth compared to something like Traillii still slots Jewel a tier below on overall timbre.

Treble: For a slightly bright IEM, the treble is relatively lax. There is excellent upper treble and overall air across the frequencies, but there is not much lower treble (much like on the Traillii). There is a huge dip at 6k which I think adds a bit more emphasis onto the boosted-upper mids. That being said, there is nice sparkle and energy up top. Cymbals sounds nice, synth notes are enjoyable. It won’t touch the Elysian X for treble (and to be honest, I haven’t heard an IEM that can), but Jewel’s upper frequencies should be suitable for most folks who aren’t true trebleheads. Tons of details up top with nice naturalness.

Soundstage + Technicalities: Two words: Summit…Fi. Soundstage is one of the most cohesive I’ve heard, portrayed in an addicting, engaging spherical stage. Imaging is incredible, allowing you to follow a myriad of instruments across the song, even on complex tracks. The stage depth allows a lot of room between the notes, with some modest stage height for that enjoyment. Width is not the largest, especially compared to the Traillii, but regardless, the width seamlessly blends into the rest of the axes.

Oh…and dynamics? ****ing awesome. The punch and defined transients is truly addicting. The overall sounds just reminds me of what a solid-state AMP would do to a referential monitor. This might be a good time to suggest that powerful desktop sources enhance how authoritative the Jewel can really sound.

What Weighs More-a Bird or a Jewel?



Switching it up from my typical A/B on general sound impressions, I decided to pit the two across a variety of songs. The impressions consistently portray what I find the biggest differences between the two:

Traillii wins in soundstage width, Jewel wins in depth and height. Bird comes across as “flatter” on the soundstage plane, meanwhile Jewel goes for a spherical staging with more fleshed out transients and notes. The flatter presentation on the bird allows for a more “intimate” and richer experience for vocals and instruments. It is still king for timbre in the midrange, with more euphoric texture on stringed instruments.

That being said, Jewel wins in realism in the lows, especially for drums or for genres that benefit from macro dynamics. The dynamic discrepancy is very noticeable in an A/B, and made me realize Jewel is killer for rock, metal, and pop. Jewel’s DD bass is more realistic with an equal 1:1 mid to subbass ratio, meanwhile Bird’s midbass seems more plasticky and goes for a 2:3 midbass to subbass ratio (more subbass emphasis). Treble is similar in that the lower treble is laxer, but due to Traillii’s more reigned in upper-mids, I hear more treble sparkle shining through Bird’s darker top end. Jewel is likely a bit more detailed and better imaging due to soundstage depth, but bird still layers better.


Track Shootout:

Both IEMs were compared from 1960 4W cable and off the IDSD Pro Signature (solid-state mode). Jewel strongly benefits from more power and does have more potential to scale than bird does.

1. Anomalities in Heart Rate-Original Mix

Jewel’s dynamic driver exhibits more authentic, tighter and precise midbass thumps against Bird. Bird’s bass sounds a bit dirtier with a subbass decay emphasis, but the slams do not punch you as hard. Bird’s stage expands wider, but jewel has the depth advantage, more spherical as bird comes across as a bit flatter (putting sounds closer to you). A touch more sparkle on bird but more energy in upper-mids from jewel.

*Winner*: Jewel. I use this song for staging immersion and abyssal depths of bass. Jewel’s DD nails it.


2. Pontos de Exclamacão (Vintage Culture & Future)

Bird sounds sweeter, a bit more sensual, but clarity is a touch higher on Jewel. There is more of a tunnel depth to the notes on Jewel. Instruments like the trumpet and strings have more warmth on bird which gives off the more “musical” timbre. Bird’s instruments have more texture. Both excellent

*Winner: Bird. I love acoustic guitar and the Traillii’s timbre is still king---instruments and vocals are sweet and rich. Where are the tissues at?


3. Raven (GoGo Penguin):

Jewel: excellent drum punch, does nice job imaging the centered rapid drums while effortlessly imaging the contrasting piano keys. Great detail, good speed, and balances the drum versus piano dance without overlap, a feat that many IEMs struggle with.

Bird: instrument plucks linger a bit longer, exhibit more warmth again in the instruments. A bit smoother but that’s usually price you pay for slight loss of clarity that jewel has. Imaging feels more precise on jewel, but bird layers the coexisting drums and piano solo nicely. More flat, less depth. Less percussive weight on the hits, Jewel does the drums better due to DD authenticity. But pianos are sweeter, richer on Bird.

*Winner*: Tied. Two differing but excellent portrayals of one of my favorite songs. Jewel for the dynamics and percussive focus, Traillii for the piano emphasis.


4. Nutshell (Live at the Majestic Theatre, Brooklyn, NY)

Jewel: Excellent right hand acoustic guitar, can pinpoint audience crowd cheering as the bass line slowly chugs in from the mid-stage.

Bird: more emphasis in initial crowd cheering, acoustic guitar timbre is richer but less properly imaged on the far right (3 o’clock) than jewel. All imaged on a flatter y axis but excellent x-axis. A bit darker overall, more of a smokey, warm lighting environment. Vocals more emphasized

*Winner*: I preferred the Traillii’s intimacy and warmth for this one, but Jewel sounds more hi-fi and offers a more detailed rendition.


5. Dethrone-Bad Omens

Bird: Drum hits feel a bit lacking, this is an ultra dynamic song and bird feels flaccid on it (sorry). The intro breakdown is supposed to make you headbang, and bird falls flat on its face...unable to get it up. Cymbals have that nice sparkle though although muted on lower treble initial impact

Jewel: more heft on the bass, better punch on the breakdown (helps with the intended head banging) nature. Brighter, a little less forgiving. More detail on the cymbals but less of an enjoyable sparkle.

*Winner*: Jewel. I use this song to test dynamics and aggressiveness/energy in drum hits. Bird is noticeably soft here, meanwhile Jewel’s DD and lower midrange provide the impact for the song to properly amp you up.

6. Asilos Magdalena-The Mars Volta (*using the SP2000 DAP for this one)

Bird: Incredible. So rich, emotional, the vocals are haunting, intimate, detailed. The guitars are imaged nicely on the width axis, can hear every pluck.

Jewel: more out of head, less intimate due to depth. less warmth, more hi-fi sounding. Mature vocals, more detached sounding.

*Winner*: Bird. This song and pairing reminds me why Bird has permanently nested a spot in my heart. There is something magical about its synergy with the SP2000 CU. The midrange has a glow of musical timbre, texture and sensuality.



So Who Wins?: There should be room for both in the Bird’s nest, and I can’t confidently say one is better than the other. It’ll come down to sources and preferences-I’ll always pick up Traillii to pair with my SP2000 CU for the romantic, textured mids, but Jewel would easily win if I am listening to dynamic tracks like rock, metal, EDM and/or just want more of that hi-fi experience.



Summary:

IEM prices are getting more and more acid-reflux inducing…but being privileged enough to listen to most of the TOTLs in the $3-6k range, I can happily confirm that Jewel performs true to its summit-fi status. Yes, it should be paired with a better stock cable as it clearly bottlenecks the Jewel’s potential, but I guess Aroma is assuming anyone spending $5k on an IEM will already have their favorite TOTL cables to roll with. Ultimately I can see why some folks prefer Jewel to Traillii---depending on my mood or genres, I do too.

I know Traillii was getting all the "HiFiMAN Susvara of IEMs" comparisons, which I can kind of see in terms of having a pleasant, balanced presentation- but to my ears, the Jewel is the true mini-susvara. More clarity focused with nice but authentic bass. It's not as effortless or linear as the Susvara, but it performs at the top of the IEM game much like the Sus does in the HP world.

TL;DR: Jewel is appropriately named---a rare-find gem that is crystal clear in its tonality with enough shimmer and smoothness to bring a smile to your face. Just bring a different cable and feed it power to make it shine best