“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.
“Honestly sounds like the bird [Traillii] a bit, but better”. “Sure there’s BAs for the bass, but you don’t really notice. It’s the sum of all the parts”. “Mentor HYPE!!!”
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.
Perhaps the Mentor could
mentor the Bird on how to do dynamics and holographic/3D staging
.
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.
So does the MM scale when you feed it special stones from other universes? To my ears, absolutely. Would love to hear how it sounds with high-end R2R DAPs like L&P LP6, RS8, etc.
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.
This iem is already a classic. The most headphone-like sounding IEM I’ve heard to date and quite the immersive experience with to die for midrange.