ADV M5 6D
"My Ferrari of IEMs"($999.99)
SPECIFICATION
Driver unit 4 BA + 2 EST hybrid driver with active crossover
Impedance 13ohm+/-15%
Sensitivity 107dB+/-3dB at 1kHz
Frequency response Ultra Wideband 10Hz – 40kHz
THD <0.2% at 1kHz
Input power 5mW
Cable composition Silver-plated copper
Cable length (SPC) 1.5M
IEM connector 2-pin (0.78mm)
Plug 3.5mm gold plated
WHAT'S INCLUDED
1 pair of M5-6D IEM
1 2-pin silver-plated copper quad-braided cable
3 pairs of black foam tips
3 pairs of black single-flange silicone tips
3 pairs of black dual-flange silicone tips
1 CNC-machined aluminum carrying case
1 leather cable tie
1 microfiber cleaning cloth
1 cleaning brush
PROS
Excellent treble response.
Very snappy and holographic.
Bass can be big! Fast attacks! Punchy!
Mids are very prominent in both male and female vocals
Generously textured details.
Natural timbre!
Realistic instruments
Great on edm
Is it worth investing $999.99 for an IEM? Yes for me, but only M5 6D! I'll discuss it even further.
To begin with I was sent 4 of their best selling IEMs as mentioned in my M5 12D review. M5 12D, M5 6D, BA3 and BA2. Although they were sent without boxes to unbox, at least they sent it with some of the corresponding freebies. I am reviewing these with no directives, incentives or anything that would influence my reviews hence you shall get nothing but honesty from me. Also I don't read reviews from other reviewers to prevent myself from being influenced too. Call my reviews nothing but subjective but I truly don't mind where you're coming from it's not stopping me from telling my experiences.
M5 6D is ADV's Bassy entry for their M series. It is bassy but I don't know if it will please the hyper bassheads out there. I'm not a basshead myself so I'm not sure what pleases them, I like my IEMs to be more midcentric or balanced brightish or even flat for more versatility. Thus I find M5 6D to be balanced for getting quite impressive mids while having excellent extensions from both ends.
Shells are 3D printed and are huge. The biggest I have seen, same with M5 12D. Surprisingly I find it very comfortable to wear. It protrudes but it doesn't bother me, I even find it cool to see ADV peeking out from the side of the iem. After all it is a very confident IEM and you would want others to see that you're wearing ADVs. The shells are incredibly smooth and you won't feel any edges, not even where the faceplate is attached to.It has long semi aggressively angled nozzles which penetrate well and sits deep for more sealing and details just like M5 12D. The model and serial # are actually embedded on each pair too. No L and R markings but has color coded nozzles(black and red), that says Designed for Musicians. It is made of clear shells too that allows you to get mesmerized by the insides. The cables inside are not as neat as 12Ds but it brags about the EST tweeters.
SPC Cables included are pretty much bad.. It can be better. Feels a few steps classier than the typical chifi stock cable that has the ultimate similarity in requiring mental fitness in untangling them every single freaking time you need to use them. Seriously, I have seen mid tier IEMs where you can see the value even from the cables only. - this led me to use a Single crystal Copper cable that's included in BQEYZ Spring 2 and man the soundstage got even bigger and micro details are much more snappy.
Bass really responds quite well. Almost like listening to DDs. It sounds very impressive despite having a rather wide soundstage, no trade offs were placed. Bass is EQ sensitive and gets big only when required, the rest is just packed with a sweet lavish amount of details in every kick. Fast, realistic and punchy that serves almost all genres. Sub and mid bass can go really deep and still manage to be smooth.
Mids is 1 of its strengths too, giving off somewhat warm tonality for male vocals and smooth and airy quality for female vocals. Strings have tons of details to it and wind instruments lingers soulfully. Synthesizers sound impressive too, giving it a fuller body which makes it more realistic despite being electronically produced. I have been using this for 4days now and still haven't come across any issues with the mids. Even on tracks that have multiple singers, this IEM is still a beast.
Trebles on this IEM are also really damn good. It extends well enough that it leaves this overwhelming signature to anyone that listens to it. I have tested this IEM brutally in different levels of torture from RHCP's badly recorded album to MP3s and even to mere Youtube and facebook.. Damn even the ads sound so good! Trebles are mostly the weakness of badly recorded tracks and in this IEM it is never sibilant nor shouty, just well extended with natural timbre to every note it hits. Cow bells, cymbals, chimes, even thunder and gun clicks are very true to absorb.
Imaging is expected to perform well given its 4ba+2est set up and its price range but it even exceeded my expectations. Sounds resonate pretty fast and transition smoothly from 1 ear to another. The Placement of instruments is very realistic too. Forwarded micro details also help in stimulating the brain to create a world of different layers and depth giving you an intense holographic experience.
Soundstage works hand in hand with its imaging. Despite having penetrating details it still has the same borderless soundstage as M5 12D. There are tracks that don't seem to be recorded in a studio with 4 walls but rather seem like they were recorded in the middle of a battlefield with no boundaries to bounce the sounds. 1 thing a top of the line IEM should obtain in my opinion.
Bass
Mids
Trebles
Imaging
Layering
Micro Details
Soundstage
Spatial Panning
Timbre
Tonality
Affordability
★★
Overall rating
Set up used to test:
LG V50 - UAPP - TIDAL - stock IEM set up
PC - TIDAL MASTERS - ZEN DAC - 4.4 Hibiscus Balanced cable
LG V50 - UAPP - Local Flac - zen dac w/ power match ON - 30% volume - 4.4 balanced - BGVP W01/A08 tips
With BGVP W01 mids are airier and cymbals are brighter
With BGVP A08 Bass is marginally tighter. Mids leaner.
Additional Comparisons: based on similar set up, price range and tuning
ADV M5 12D - 12BA, In low impedance mode there's not much of a competition but in High Impedance mode on my V50, M5 6D won in every segment. It just scales way better. Best texture in micro details. Better and snappier spatial pannings. Better treble extension and leaner and airier mids. More accurate drum placing than 12D. For USD 300 less, I'd go for M5 6D instead.
Toneking T4. Both have 4 BA set up but M5 6D has 2 EST which basically drew the line to victory. T4 sells at 5x lower than M5 6D but the difference is all around. More natural sounding. Wider and more detailed soundstage. Imaging, layering and spatial pannings are more prominent in M5 6D. So if you have the means in buying a thousand dollar IEM, go ahead, but if not T4 should be a good IEM to settle in.
BQEYZ Spring 2 - I compared the 2 mainly for having almost similar sensitivity, both are clinical in most aspects and for being balanced and neutral. I usually recommend spring 2 for being a great sound engineer IEM but to have spring 2 capabilities and being able to cover your leisures too as an audiophiliac, go for M5 6D.
CVJ CSN - at a fraction of what M5 6D is currently sold at, CSN stands tall with its 1dd 5ba set that has quite the similar characteristics in terms of imaging but of course not at par. CSN is great for those who are coming from BQEYZ KC2 who are on a tight budget but needs upgrading. You get that fraction of the quality too from M5 6D, maybe a fraction but it's a good start rather than getting a Ferrari. You'd better start with a honda civic.
GSAudio GD3B - both have a lot of characteristics in common so if you'd ask me M5 6D would really be a TOTL upgrade from the GD3B modesty. Similar throughout the segment. Similar in experience too, prolly a sonion signature. GD3B also has a borderless soundstage too. Similarities doesn't mean exactly the same, for those who want to dissect my reviews.
Final say:
You know when you see a Ferrari car, you know you're never gonna be able to own 1 of those or even drive 1, but then someone sends you 1 to test drive..suddenly you get the instinct to strive harder and buy 1 someday. That's M5 6D!
Should I say more? It's literally the best IEM I have tried. My only caveat is its cable. I wish it was better given that it is USD 1K. I used to think that it's really silly for an IEM to cost this much but the M5 6D proved to me that top of the line IEMs provide a stellar experience that any mid range IEMs may not be able to give.
I am pleased that my LG V50 can drive it easily even in low impedance mode but sure makes it shine even more when in high impedance mode. Zen DAC makes the staging even wider and pops the details even more. Regarding tips, I recommend BGVP W01 or JVC Spiraldots.
You noticed there's no CONS? Yeah it's just the cable.
I'm happy to get a chance in trying this End Gamer IEM and I'm also saddened by the fact that the only take away I got are the good memories and level of standards I will be enforcing on my next reviews. I really wish I could hang on to these forever.
Thank you again PH Review Circle! Thanks Marlowe for letting us try ADV!
These are all my honest opinions and I only hope that my audience may find my reviews credible and somehow informative.
Watch my video reviews on YT
https://youtube.com/channel/UCnAYLTwl8G-8Sc4INfeZe1Q
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