[DaveStarWalker]

do you mind sharing what you mean by Hyper energetic? is it dynamic with V shape sound signature? any view on the imaging and notes definition, espcially for OST. thanks

Mine, mostly a "W" signature, but very balanced and nuanced. Mature tuning.

Energetic = the (real) dynamics are very hight and effortless. And the transients too. Openess. Real openess, and real power (without control, power is nothing )

A lot of density and texture too.
Result ? Very forceful, but not brutal or worse, schematic.

 

[Cecala]

@jwilliamhurst I hope you can get in for the May order. After reading and researching it and how it's similar to the the Penon Impact but with DD bass and more energy, I had to order one.

It was confirmed more so with @ian91and his insight. It will be a great complement to my laid back Alita and vocal focused Impact.

I like the sound (pun intended) of that very much. Alambic Ears vs AÜR Audio: decision time forth coming.

 

[s2kphile]

 

[Cecala]

Are you doing a comparison here? If so compare also to Neon Pro.

 

[ian91]

Are you doing a comparison here? If so compare also to Neon Pro.

I look forward to @s2kphile comparing both. I also have both to hand so might be able to shed some light:

Characteristic	AE Mentawai (1DD, 6BA, 4EST)	Neon Pro (10BA)
Tonality	W shape Warm-mid centric	U/V shape Flat-bright (balanced with bass switch on)
Bass	Greater quantity Greater impact Greater sub bass extension	More mid bass focused Less impact More atmospheric & dimensional, with softer leading edge Greater detail and nuance
Midrange	Vocals more forward Warmer and fuller lower midrange More natural timbre Upper midrange less emphasised	Vocals brighter, less forward, more balanced between male female Less note weight throughout the midrange, less palpable string replay & piano hits.
Treble	Lower treble less emphasised Much less likely to be sibilant/shouty with vocals Less appreciable air More resolving treble	Switch on or off, treble feels more accentuated and always feels the focus of the presentation
Technicalities	Narrower soundstage (but can be opened up significantly with changes to chain) Instrument separation is closer and imaging is slightly less informative but remains well layered closely competitive Intimate and more 'natural' presentation Better macrodynamics	Wider, taller stage and greater instrument separation gives a very analytical but 'atmospheric' appeal. This is accentuated by the lighter note weight and comparatively softer bass presentation. Better microdynamics
Instrument timbre	More 'natural' and organic	Less natural owed to top and bottom tonal emphasis and lighter note weight and softer leading edges.

It's very hard to say which one I prefer. They are both exciting but the Mentawai has more bombast. The NP is more technical and with its bass switch, it arguably has more genre versatility given that both tunings (switch on and off) and really well executed. I prefer electronic music & OST with NP and more mid-centric genres (instrumental/vocal) on Mentawai.

Either way, I feel grateful to own the Mentawai and to have heard a demo of the NP (if I had the money I would also add NP to my roster...). For the price of a single TOTL set from bigger brands, that are now typically retailing for $3k+, you could get both the Mentawai and NP. You would also be supporting small, emerging brands that deserve a place in the market.

See the tonality plot (to be read on all axes) for the relative position that I feel the Mentawai / NP sit. They are in very different positions:

Hope this helps some!

 

[Cecala]

I look forward to @s2kphile comparing both. I also have both to hand so might be able to shed some light:

Characteristic	AE Mentawai (1DD, 6BA, 4EST)	Neon Pro (10BA)
Tonality	W shape Warm-mid centric	U/V shape Flat-bright (balanced with bass switch on)
Bass	Greater quantity Greater impact Greater sub bass extension	More mid bass focused Less impact More atmospheric & dimensional, with softer leading edge Greater detail and nuance
Midrange	Vocals more forward Warmer and fuller lower midrange More natural timbre Upper midrange less emphasised	Vocals brighter, less forward, more balanced between male female Less note weight throughout the midrange, less palpable string replay & piano hits.
Treble	Lower treble less emphasised Much less likely to be sibilant/shouty with vocals Less appreciable air More resolving treble	Switch on or off, treble feels more accentuated and always feels the focus of the presentation
Technicalities	Narrower soundstage (but can be opened up significantly with changes to chain) Instrument separation is closer and imaging is slightly less informative but remains well layered closely competitive Intimate and more 'natural' presentation Better macrodynamics	Wider, taller stage and greater instrument separation gives a very analytical but 'atmospheric' appeal. This is accentuated by the lighter note weight and comparatively softer bass presentation. Better microdynamics
Instrument timbre	More 'natural' and organic	Less natural owed to top and bottom tonal emphasis and lighter note weight and softer leading edges.

It's very hard to say which one I prefer. They are both exciting but the Mentawai has more bombast. The NP is more technical and with its bass switch, it arguably has more genre versatility given that both tunings (switch on and off) and really well executed. I prefer electronic music & OST with NP and more mid-centric genres (instrumental/vocal) on Mentawai.

Either way, I feel grateful to own the Mentawai and to have heard a demo of the NP (if I had the money I would also add NP to my roster...). For the price of a single TOTL set from bigger brands, that are now typically retailing for $3k+, you could get both the Mentawai and NP. You would also be supporting small, emerging brands that deserve a place in the market.

See the tonality plot (to be read on all axes) for the relative position that I feel the Mentawai / NP sit. They are in very different positions:



Hope this helps some!

Thank you very much. We are so spoilled for choice these days to a fault.

 

[ian91]

Thank you very much. We are so spoilled for choice these days to a fault.

We are! One of the real appeals of the IEM and earbud market. Plenty of smaller companies entering the fray with strong value propositions. It keeps things fresh and reduces stagnation and discourages complacency.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

With the last version of the Mentawai's :

Beware of the dap used with

It is true with certain earphones, but especially with them ...

More to come but an uplifting and true story, yesterday afternoon.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

So,

My Mentawai's are the first design iteration (but not the first batch). Second hand. The very first owner was nicknamed "Marsupial", so from then on, I and another friend dubbed this version, my version from now, the "Mars" :

Version ? yes because the tuning was custom made, lowering the bass to obtain a way more "reference" tuning than the standard version (about 3db less in the bass department ? ).

What is very good is that the Mars tuning and sound do not change according to the daps.

That is to say they remain excellent, not to say exceptional.

But the Mentawai latest version no. And so there is a real incompatibility with my Aune m1s.

This version will be nicknamed "Lafeuill".

As mine, the bass end is slightly lowered than the standard version (about 1.5 db less in the bass department ? ). But it naturally remains more bassy than my own version.

In summary, a less "reference", but more "warm and bassy" general sound design.

On the Lafeuill's dap dx300 with its AMP12EXN GAIN MEDIUM, his Mentawai were a little fatter at the bottom, a little less incisive and nervous than my Mars. A little warmer too. But we remained in a close sonic family as I said before.

On the M1s, it's Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde for the "Mentawai's Lafeuill". Compared to the Mars, they become very unbalanced, very bassy (too much bassy), according to bloated basses that drool and lack control. The rest of the restitution is fluffy, as if veiled.

It's... bad... to speak clearly and directly.

Doing an A-B listening session is edifying.

Back to the dx300 of course, there are therefore differences (a "reference and nervous" profile vs a "warmer and bassy" profile... in comparison to...) but the restitutions are broadly comparable (in addition , we used exactly the same tips, including the size; the cables were different, however : Rhapsodio Graphene for the Mars, Dunu Blanche for the Lafeuill ; the latter being in mmcx vs 2 pins for mine).

The Mars are also a little more sensitive and easier to drive (4 clicks difference, all daps), but this is absolutely not a concern for the M1s (low gain).

In addition, the impedance of the Mentawai, whatever the versions, is very flat : very simple charging profile.

The number of drivers and their type is exactly the same.

The output impedance of the M1s is close to zero.

But....

However, the crossover is different. On the Mars, it's a serial electrical crossover (unless I'm mistaken), whereas on the Lafeuill, it's a series and parallel hybrid electrical crossover.

On the M1s therefore:

- Mars version, imperial, totl rendering.
- Lafeuill (last Mentawai's) version, catastrophic. Bad....

On the dx300

- Mars, imperial, totl, etc.
- Lafeuill (last Mentawai's) version , same. Top

With the tuning differences noted above, therefore.

Period.

Conclusion ?

With the latest Mentawai's version , try them with several daps if possible, because you could have surprises, very good or very bad surprises....

Everything I say here has been observed by Lafeuill, who can clarify things if he wishes to.

 

[ian91]

So,

My Mentawai's are the first design iteration (but not the first batch). Second hand. The very first owner was nicknamed "Marsupial", so from then on, I and another friend dubbed this version, my version from now, the "Mars" :



Version ? yes because the tuning was custom made, lowering the bass to obtain a way more "reference" tuning than the standard version (about 3db less in the bass department ? ).

What is very good is that the Mars tuning and sound do not change according to the daps.

That is to say they remain excellent, not to say exceptional.

But the Mentawai latest version no. And so there is a real incompatibility with my Aune m1s.

This version will be nicknamed "Lafeuill".

As mine, the bass end is slightly lowered than the standard version (about 1.5 db less in the bass department ? ). But it naturally remains more bassy than my own version.

In summary, a less "reference", but more "warm and bassy" general sound design.



On the Lafeuill's dap dx300 with its AMP12EXN GAIN MEDIUM, his Mentawai were a little fatter at the bottom, a little less incisive and nervous than my Mars. A little warmer too. But we remained in a close sonic family as I said before.

On the M1s, it's Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde for the "Mentawai's Lafeuill". Compared to the Mars, they become very unbalanced, very bassy (too much bassy), according to bloated basses that drool and lack control. The rest of the restitution is fluffy, as if veiled.

It's... bad... to speak clearly and directly.

Doing an A-B listening session is edifying.

Back to the dx300 of course, there are therefore differences (a "reference and nervous" profile vs a "warmer and bassy" profile... in comparison to...) but the restitutions are broadly comparable (in addition , we used exactly the same tips, including the size; the cables were different, however : Rhapsodio Graphene for the Mars, Dunu Blanche for the Lafeuill ; the latter being in mmcx vs 2 pins for mine).

The Mars are also a little more sensitive and easier to drive (4 clicks difference, all daps), but this is absolutely not a concern for the M1s (low gain).

In addition, the impedance of the Mentawai, whatever the versions, is very flat : very simple charging profile.

The number of drivers and their type is exactly the same.

The output impedance of the M1s is close to zero.

But....

However, the crossover is different. On the Mars, it's a serial electrical crossover (unless I'm mistaken), whereas on the Lafeuill, it's a series and parallel hybrid electrical crossover.

On the M1s therefore:

- Mars version, imperial, totl rendering.
- Lafeuill (last Mentawai's) version, catastrophic. Bad....

On the dx300

- Mars, imperial, totl, etc.
- Lafeuill (last Mentawai's) version , same. Top

With the tuning differences noted above, therefore.

Period.

Conclusion ?

With the latest Mentawai's version , try them with several daps if possible, because you could have surprises, very good or very bad surprises....

Everything I say here has been observed by Lafeuill, who can clarify things if he wishes to.

This is very much my experience with New Mentawai over original version (like your Mars). More source dependent and undoubtedly due to the crossover design. What's always apparent is that you need very little power to get these sounding good. You just need to experiment with source to find your preferred sound.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Exactly

 

[LeFaucon]

David, you should and have to precise as well the Mentawai you have are in filter // and not a series filter version, moreover they were modified in the bass AT THE REQUEST of its first owner, which makes it A UNIQUE AND PERSONAL model.

As this version is UNIQUE and does not exist as an official version, it would be nice to talk about the only version here, that is to say the last one to avoid any confusion

 

[DaveStarWalker]

David, you should and have to precise as well the Mentawai you have are in filter // and not a series filter version, moreover they were modified in the bass AT THE REQUEST of its first owner, which makes it A UNIQUE AND PERSONAL model.

As this version is UNIQUE and does not exist as an official version, it would be nice to talk about the only version here, that is to say the last one to avoid any confusion

It's already stated in my message from the start. Read it carefully.

It is clearly a custom and special edition, on request. Like a lot of other well known brands do.

Also, what I'm saying is obviously not specific to the latest Mentawai. This is valid for many other earphones on the market. I am also thinking of EXT, VE7.... My M1s doesn't like them for instance. But no problems at all with other daps.

Finally, to be completely precise, we have only seen this particular behaviour with my m1s.

None of that with 3 other daps used.

So it's more of an m1s concern than the Mentawai's last iteration.

 

[Arz Mael]

Oh !
glad to see this precision there
thanks
and yes : everyone will check the sinergy with its own DAP it will be better

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Exactly

Same situation with a lot of other (top) products.

Synergy is the main concern and DAP DOES MATTER.

Nothing new, to summarize