REVIEW: Unique Melody Merlin - hybrid dynamic/balanced armature custom IEM - Page 8

Project 86, You seem to have agreat taste in Music, to me at least anyway......Hey maybe we just must have  gone to different schools together 

The Merlins have great bass, but honestly it's nothing that was *too* boomy that it ruined the details. 

I have heard the Merlins, the FX700 and the FX500. I am doing this from memory and not AB, but I'm pretty sure the FX500 hsa more bass than the other two, but just slightly over the FX700 in terms of boominess. The Merlins have a much more controlled, deeper kind of bass that doesn't boom over the details. I wouldn't worry about losing out on details. 

 

Take note thought that I am a basshead and that my tolerance for bass is a lot higher than most people. 

Thanks for your quick comparison. As a bit of a basshead myself, I'm curious to what you think of the Merlins in terms of overall sound quality and bass?

 

 

Hi there Project86, somewhere in the thread you mentioned that using to commute on the bus, its better to spend less on IEMs, is that IEMs in general?

 

Or are you referring to the Merlin because of the noise isolation?

 

I currently own the SM3, and use it to commute to work, and I admit that I do hear a bit of background noise, so I gotta crank up the volume

 

Would the Merlins have better isolation than the SM3's? 

 

Would I still be able to enjoy the Merlins commuting on the bus and train? 

or can I still be able to hear people talk?

 

Maybe I could put up the volume, but don't want to risk tinnitus if I'm gonna do that everyday :p

 

Cheers

James

No.  They have good isolation for a vented custom but it is still vented.

Thanks Anaxilus

 

Just to be clear, cos I'm a bit neurotic :P

 

So you're saying that the Merlin isolation is on par with the SM3s 

 

or

 

The Merlin's have less isolation compared to SM3's because of the vent?

 

Cheers

James

 

 

Removed the question mark and we have an answer!

 

Thanks Mate!

I'm on a fairly packed train right now using the Merlins, the isolation is actually really good in terms of blocking outside noise; I'm just noticing a slight loss of bass impact. I still feel very immersed in the music I'm listening to (Goldfrapp - Pilots). These are really no worse than any vented universal to me.

Thanks for the feedback phntmsmshr.

Could you let me know which source you are using and approximate percentage level on the volume?

Did you find you had to put up the volume knob higher and by how much when using the Merlins in public?

I unfortunately do not have any open vented iem to compare with.
Had the w3s, tf10s, sm3s (those 3 isolated well cept for the tf10 if I move around and lose the seal)

I had the IE8s at once stage and really dug the sound when listening in doors, but the moment I took it outside, the wind noise or the bus grumbles could be felt/heard and that was a deal breaker. Couldn't enjoy outside, as the point of iem.

So sold them straight away after shelling a decent amount on them.

It could be due to te short nozzle and the vet cos of the bass tuning key.
But if isolation is worse than the iems I own, and similar to ie8s, no matter how good the bass is, I don't want to be stuck enjoying them indoors

I could be picky, but just like to not has to worry about hearing external noises

I was using an ipod nano unamped, volume about 2/3 of the way up. I would normally need the volume just over half if using it at home or in a quiet place.

 

I've got pretty big ears I'd say, I found I get the best isolation with the largest size Monster foam supertip (or an untrimmed Shure triple flange for the narrow bore) for universals. I don't know if it is standard for all Merlins but my vents are positioned almost underneath the dynamic driver, and point downwards when worn.

 

 

Edited by phntmsmshr - 11/4/11 at 12:28pm

Ahh.. that could be it ?

 

I think I tend to have small - medium sized ears, so maybe isolation would be better

 

From memory I didn't like the medium sized SFPRO5 tips, and went for the smaller sized ones

Then for the W3's I used the small sized sony hybrids with the comply foam tip core.

 

My friend reckons that I should go medium, though as I complain of isolation, but wearing them for long periods make it uncomfortable

But with customs all that shouldn't matter and all be the same isolation regardless of ear shape right?