Aiderlot M5

Sometimes a new IEM manufacture comes along that takes you by surprise. Some IEM arrive with big promises but can't deliver and others come in a simple package but deliver sonic bliss. Then along comes the M5 from Aiderlot; an IEM manufacturer that you more than likely have never heard of; I sure hadn't. What does the Aiderlot M5 provide, let's find out?


Disclaimer:
Aiderlot provided the M5 for review and only asked for an honest review. I wasn't influenced, directed to say something positive or paid for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Purchase:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MDYNRQS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_M4Q33EP231YGV5SCAQZK

Specs:

• 4 crossovers, 4 separate sound tubes
• 4 crossovers, 4 separate sound tubes
• Drivers: 1 Low +1 Mid + 2 High +1 UHF
• Shell material: Stainless steel + Resin
• Impedance: 26 Ω
• Sensitivity: 110 dB ± 1 dB（at 1 kHz）
• Frequency range: 20Hz-40KHz
• Passive noise isolation: -25dB

Unboxing:






Aiderlot provides a quality unboxing experience starting with the outer sleeve that has more than enough information to browse before slipping it off.

Underneath the sleeve is a brown leather looking box with a magnetic flap.

Flipping open the top reveals a foam protection tray that houses the M5.

Underneath are two more trays that house the accessories; tuning filters, airport adapter, silicone and foam tips, two cables (non-mic and mic), cleaning tool, cable clip, cleaning cloth, paperwork and carry case.







Overall, I find that the presentation is pleasing to the eyes and contains more then enough accessories to exceed expectations for the price.

Design/Build:











The design of the M5 is an ergonomic shape with a long nozzle. I find the shells to be on the cusp of too big but just small enough. The M5 is very light in the hand and ears. The materials are quality feeling and give off a vibe of more expensive products. The smokey, transparent shell is pleasing on the eyes. The Aiderlot M5 is similar in build and shape to the Moondrop Blessing 2 and the SeeAudio Yume. If you have the SeeAudio Yume, the M5 shell is slightly smaller.





The stock non-mic cable is fantastic. There is a thickness but not a stiffness or a hefty weight to the M5 cable. Quality build and feel with metal connectors. I really enjoy the cable and it is well controlled; tangle and twist free. I didn't try the mic cable version but the build feels alright, it is thinner and not as premium as the the non-mic version.

Fit/Comfort:

Fit and comfort may not be for everyone. If you are ok with the fit of the Moondrop Blessing 2 or SeeAudio Yume then the Aiderlot M5 won't be an issue for you. But if you are not a fan of deeper inserting IEM then the M5 may not be for you. Also, the shell has a wing on the inside that is to fit around the pinna area of your ear but for some it may not fit properly. I didn't find the M5 to be the most comfortable IEM but I was able to wear them for about 3 hours before I had to take them out and give my ears a brief rest before resuming the listening session for another 3 hours.

Isolation:
One thing that really impresses me about the Aiderlot M5 is the isolation of outside noises. I didn't think that it would that great but it really is. I can barely hear anything and trying to carry on a conversation with the wife, even with paused music, is nearly impossible.

Filters:

The Aiderlot M5 comes with three screw-on filters, bass, reference and treble. I found that all three filters impacted the sound in subtle but noticeable ways. The filters are very small and easy to lose. The little carry plate that is included is solid metal but can be a bit tough to screw the filters into. The bass filter adds a touch of warmth and thickness to the bass and mids but darkens the treble region and the M5 can sound stuffy on some genres. The reference filter adds an embellished elevation to the mids and treble, which gives a false impression of detail retrieval and soundstage and along with it comes harshness and sharpness. I can see the draw for the reference filter, if you are going to be doing monitoring with the M5. The treble filter provides a balanced and cohesive sound throughout, the bass is extended and detailed with enough warmth and thickness, mids are detailed and accurate and the treble has the right amount of extension without sounding boosted to artificial levels. I prefer the treble filter for monitoring over the reference filter because it isn't as artificial sounding.




Sound: (Impressions are done using the stock silicone tips (small) and the treble filter)

Bass:
The Aiderlot M5 bass is extended and detailed with just the right amount of impact but bassheads may say the M5 lacks the "it" factor. The M5 bass is extremely close to linear with a slight uptick to provide some impact but it is far from being a slam master. The M5 excels with bass detail, resolution, tone and timbre and is one of the very best IEM bass I have heard in the sub $400 range. Details are presented with clarity and precision but do lack that authoritative punch. For me the lack of authoritative punch wasn't an issue as I found that the resolution was more then pleasing and accurate. The tone and timbre is natural and realistic in the bass of the Aiderlot M5. The differences in instruments and vocals are made easy to determine with the M5 and you can follow anything you want thru the mix . The Aiderlot M5 is one of my favorite basses on an IEM, as it has a natural balance of detail, definition, tone and timbre.

Mids:
The Aiderlot M5 mids are clean, detailed, balanced, cohesive and natural. A lot of IEM that are tuned to diffuse field can be a tad too far forward in the mids but that isn't the case with the M5. Aiderlot has done a fantastic job getting the mids focused and balanced all the while being cohesive with the rest of the mix. The details are special in the mids, expressed with clarity and tenacity but not aggressively forced. The tone and timbre of the M5 is pure and accurate. There is a realism and naturalism that the M5 portrays, especially in vocals.

Treble:
So controlled and realistic with natural extension are the Aiderlot M5. A lot of IEM seem to miss on treble, either rolling it off too soon or extending it too far or elevating it to unrealistic levels; none of that exists on the M5. Aiderlot provides a proper amount of extension that balances between being too airy and not airy enough. There is a fine line walked by the M5 that reveals natural harshness and crispness but doesn't elevate and boost too much so that the harshness and crispness sound artificial. The M5 is naturally fatiguing but not unnaturally fatiguing, there is a difference. Adierlot also nailed the details and resolution of the treble, avoiding the too intense and unnatural presentation. Aiderlot has made this treble lover very happy with the M5.

Soundstage/Imaging:
The Aiderlot M5 has natural width and depth in the soundstage. The M5 has a common sense soundstage, by this I mean that it makes sense of how large or small the stage is to your ears according to the music you are listening to. Some IEM have massively wide stages but that isn't accurate even though it sounds cool. Some IEM are way too intimate and that isn't accurate either. The Aiderlot M5 does an incredible job of putting you in the moment. The imaging capabilities of the M5 are ridiculously good. Movements about the stage are easily identified and have defining cues of placement. There are no gaps or blobs in the imaging, it is buttery smooth in transitions from one side to the other. Depth is great; you can diagnose a stage of a 100 piece orchestra and determine how far back the percussions and brass are in comparison to the strings. Layering is impeccable; everything just melds together in a cohesive manner without becoming crowded or smushed.

Details/Resolution:
Exceptional for the price; the details and resolution of the Aiderlot M5 have meekness to them that a lot of IEM in this price point lack. A lot of IEM have a rise in the presentation area of the frequency response (6k-9k) but elevating too much will cause there to be an unrealistic amount of audible details and often times will not be resolved well. The M5 does a fantastic job of balancing the rise and resolution without lacking in retrieval or resolution. The details retrieved are more than adequate and I never felt like I was missing something. The resolution or definition of the retrieved details is spectacular, trimmed to realism.

Tone/Timbre:
The Aiderlot M5 has a natural tone with realistic timbre. There are very few all BA IEM, especially ones with 5 BA in each shell, that sound as natural and realistic as the M5. You can forget about that BA timbre talk with the M5 as it doesn't exist.

Pairings:

Mytek Liberty DAC:
(Please note that I use the iFi IE Match as there is an audible hiss)
Awesomeness! The Mytek Liberty DAC brings out the best performance of the Aiderlot M5 in every way possible. This is my favorite pairing, hands down. I don't use IEM at my desk setup too often but a few IEM have changed my mind and beg for listening time and the M5 is one of them.

Sony NW-WM1a:
Incredibly impressive! The Sony NW-WM1a brings out the best of the Aiderlot M5 in every way possible. This is my favorite portable pairing, no questions asked. I understand the price difference is crazy but if you already own the WM1a then why not get a solid budget friendly IEM to pair with it? Your ears will not be disappointed.

Sony NW-A105: A fantastic pairing that is in a similar budget range. The little brother to the WM1a doesn't slack at all with the Aiderlot M5. Everything described in the sound impressions above are on display in full force with the NW-A105. I highly recommend this pairing, I love it!

xDuoo Link:
A pleasing pairing that is satisfying but not gratifying. I can live with the Xduoo Link and M5 but I just know what there is better out there. I like the clean sound but it can be a touch too aggressive up top and has a slight unnatural sound; also it can get fatiguing quickly depending on the music genre choice.

Nextdrive Spectra X: Now this is a dongle that pairs well with the M5! There is a bit more life and energy to the sound versus the Link. The Spectra X and M5 are what I am looking for in this portable setup, fun, engaging, detailed and tonally correct.

Comparisons:

ThieAudio Voyager 3:
The ThieAudio Voyager 3 has a lighter presentation overall. The upper mids and lower treble are a little more elevated, nearing closer to artificial sound on the Voyager 3. The mids lack a bit of note weight and density on the Voyager 3. Soundstage is a little wider on the Voyager 3 but the depth and layering are better on the M5. Detail retrieval is similar but resolution is better on the M5.
Thieaudio Voyager 3 review:

Moondrop Blessing 2:
Are you looking for a similar sound to the Moondrop Blessing 2 with a tad more note weight and density? Your search is over with the Aiderlot M5. The Blessing 2 has the advantage when it comes to detail retrieval and resolution but the increase is small for the extra pennies. The Blessing 2 has more treble presence and is more leaning to the bright neutral side. The Blessing 2 also has a hint of metallic timbre that is noticeable at times.
Moondrop Blessing 2 review:

SeeAudio Yume: Holy Moly! There is nearly no differences to speak of between the Yume and M5! The biggest difference is the sub bass and mid bass slam is more prominent on the Yume. Also, the Yume has a slightly more airy approach to the presentation. But there is one other factor that comes into play and that is the somewhat boring presentation of the Yume mids that the M5 doesn't have. Other than those differences; these two IEM are nearly identical.
SeeAudio Yume review:

Shuoer Soloist: Yet another similar sounding IEM to the M5 but there are some differences to discuss. The Soloist has a harder hitting bass. The mids are tipped in the upper reaches on the Soloist causing a lack of cohesion. The Soloist treble has some glare in the lower reaches at times and can be a touch too aggressive. Soundstage width is similar but imaging, depth and layering goes to the M5. Tone and timbre have a slight metallic edge with the Soloist.
Shuoer Soloist review:

Conclusion:


Let's keep it simple and obvious; I love the Aiderlot M5. Everything from the top notch unboxing, the premium feeling shells and design and the musically neutral sound; the M5 is excellence for a first offering from a brand hardly anyone knows about. I see the Aiderlot M5 as a multi-purpose IEM that can be used as a reference or for enjoyment. I highly recommend the Aiderlot M5. I look forward to hearing what Aiderlot has planned for their next IEM. Give the Aiderlot M5 a listen, you'll be surprised and impressed at how good it really is.

YouTube reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgMj7xJ1SDxGqqxZ5l3g_jg
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/B4LG7Kqp_7f/?igshid=1pj7fm78gz0h2
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TalkDbs @TalkDbs
Website: https://www.thehonestaudiophile.com/

DBS Tech Talk research and review process:

Audio Terms and Definitions: https://www.stereophile.com/reference/50/index.html

Recommended Gear:
Meze Empyrean: https://mezeaudio.com/products/meze-empyrean
Hifiman Ananda: https://hifiman.com/products/detail/290
Sennheiser HD600: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/best-audio-headphones-high-end-stereo-hifi-hd-600
Sennheiser HD660s: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/hd-660-s
Meze 99 Classic: https://mezeaudio.com/collections/all/products/meze-99-classics-walnut-gold-wood-headphones
MrSpeakers Ether C (non flow version) https://danclarkaudio.com/
(similar to https://drop.com/buy/drop-mrspeakers-ether-cx-closed-headphones?utm_source=linkshare&referer=FTSS2S
Meze Rai Penta: https://mezeaudio.com/collections/all/products/rai-penta
Meze Rai Solo: https://mezeaudio.com/products/rai-solo
ADV. M5-12D: https://www.adv-sound.com/collections/pro-audio/products/m5-12d-universal
Tin Hifi T3: https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tin-hifi/products/tinhifi-t3
Tin Hifi T2+: https://www.linsoul.com/collections/tin-hifi/products/tinhifi-t2-plus
Tin Hfi T5: https://www.linsoul.com/products/tin-hifi-t5?_pos=1&_sid=a6d49043d&_ss=r
Moondrop SSR: https://www.moondroplab.com/ssr
Monoprice Monolith THX AAA 788: https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=24459
Mytek Liberty: https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/liberty-dac/
Soekris DAC1421: https://soekris.modhouseaudio.com/soekris-audiophile-line/dac-1421
Tor Audio Roger: https://toraudio.com/main.html#
Massdrop THX AAA 789:
https://drop.com/buy/drop-thx-aaa-789-linear-amplifier?utm_source=linkshare&referer=FTSS2S
Grace Design SDAC-B: https://drop.com/buy/drop-grace-design-standard-dac-balanced?utm_source=linkshare&referer=FTSS2S
Geshelli Labs Enog 2 Pro: https://geshelli.com/shop/ols/products/enog2-pro-dac-metal-case
Geshelli Labs J2: https://geshelli.com/jnog
Geshelli Labs Archel 2: https://geshelli.com/shop/ols/produ...tal-case-b5ca9a41-69ed-4786-98b2-18f72ae911bf
Geshelli Labs Erish: https://geshelli.com/shop/ols/products/erish-balanced

Music recommendations:
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/5bbf80ce-33f3-4222-a1fc-6539a95415d6 (in order of playlist)
Tingvall Trio “Beat” - piano tonality
Sinne Eeg “We’ve Just Begun” - multiple layer soundstage
Molly Johnson “What a Little Moonlight Can Do” - female vocal tone
Leslie Odom Jr. “Under Pressure” - male vocal tone
Eric Clapton “Change the World” - soundstage, layering and placement
Yo Yo Ma “Ecstasy of Gold” - acoustic instrument timbre
Adam Baldych “Spem in Alium” - acoustic instrument timbre
Pain of Salvation “Stress” - percussion balance
Michael Buble “When I Fall in Love” - orchestral dynamics
Patricia Barber “Code Cool” - sibilance check
Christian Scott “New New Orleans” - shouty upper mids
Tool “Chocolate Chip Trip” - imaging
Hans Zimmer “Why So Serious” - sub bass extension
Marcus Miller “No Limit” - bass control
Dave Holland Quartet “Conference Of The Birds”- bass check
Ilhan Eshkeri “47 Ronin”- orchestra and bass dynamics
Hans Zimmer :2049” - sub bass extension
Cher: Believe - sibilance
Stanley Clarke - Passenger 57 main title - percussion, bass, separation and placement
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra - The Pine of the Appian Way - soundstage, imaging and separation
Houston Person - You are my Sunshine - tone and timbre

If you like the content of this channel and want to see more like this in the future, please
consider donating. All funds donated to the channel will be used to purchase headphones and audio gear for the channel.
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If you would like to contact the channel please send an email to: dbstechtalk@gmail.com

Oh, how we like when the new companies step in with fresh look, full of motivation, creating lots of additional incentives to conquer and build its audience. First products are more likely to be revolutional while the following lineup growth regularly derives from the core or flagship products. It is quite common that any new brand starts with the aces since the public should be astounded with the virtues, superiority, experience or other model characteristics. Capturing the attention is vital for a good launch, much efforts are invested, a lot at stake, everything should be perfect – that is why we love to deal with such occasions.

The brand under our microscope today is Aiderlot with M5 IEMs. Here is a small quote from the company representative:

AIDERLOT is a company that provides better quality monitor headphones and headphone accessories for music-loving artists. The company was established in 2019 to provide high-quality products and services to customers around the world. The headsets sold by the company are guaranteed for one year. The company currently only sells on Amazon.

Click to expand...

Not much of the information for now but the company is already listed on Amazon, Ebay and already has several reviews on Head-Fi. We are jumping into this train as well with this review of M5 – pure balanced armature IEMs based on 5 Knowles drivers which is already impressive.

AIDERLOT M5 specs:

• Type: 5BA IEMs (Knowles 22955 + 29689 + 30017 + 30095)
• Drivers: 1 Low +1 Mid + 2 High +1 UHF
• Shell material: Stainless steel + Resin
• Impedance: 26 Ω
• Rated power: 10mW
• Distortion: <1% (at 126 mV)
• Sensitivity: 110 dB ± 1 dB（at 1 kHz）
• Frequency range: 20Hz-40KHz
• Passive noise isolation: -25dB
• 4 crossovers, 4 separate sound tubes
• Cable: 4-strand 6N Oxygen-free copper silver-plated cable
• Cable connectors: MMCX

Packaging and design:

M5 has arrived in pretty large box that has outer cover containing lots of graphics and text (product picture, frequency response graph, specs, company information, etc).



Good that the graph describes the difference in the resulting sound with the variety of filters. Cover hides main leather-style cardboard box which retains closed with the help of several inbuilt magnets.



Under the hood, there are 3 layers of soft inserts: first one secures IEMs and has a decorative aluminum plate with the brand name and slogan, middle insert holds a lot of accessories, and finally – storage case and cables are stored at the lowest compartments.



Here is the full list of elements in this rich bundle:

• M5 IEMs with a pair of sound filters
• MMCX audio cable
• MMCX audio cable with remote and mic for a smartphone
• 3 extra pairs of sound filters
• 3 pairs of silicone ear tips
• 3 pairs of memory foam ear tips
• flight adapter
• storage case
• cable clip
• cleaning brush
• manual

Not bad at all. Such rich bundle is quite rare nowadays and this is definitely among the advantages of M5 IEMs. We also like how accurately all accessories are stored inside the box. Plus such elements as aluminum plate with threads and labels retaining and identifying additional sound filters. Nice!…



M5 shells have unibody construction, totally resin molded with two aluminum elements – brand logo and output nozzles. The whole shell is transparent which gives the possibility to see neat soldering of crossovers, accurate location of BA drivers and cable routing, as well as separate sound tubes from each driver to the output nozzles.



No compensational openings since there is no dynamic diaphragms that requires air and creates pressure. Output nozzles have a thread for sound filters that also protects IEMs from dust coming in. Although, even the manual states that you can try M5 with no filters attached to experience the full frequency range with no filter limitations.



Filters are provided in pairs, differ by the diameter and amount of holes and definitely impact the sound. They are easy to attach to IEMs but hard to place back on holder plate since the thread is tiny. We wouldn’t recommend keeping those without holder plate – too small and very easy to get lost.



Both stock cables are impressively good-built, both have stainless steel furniture all-around. Main audio cable is quite thick, made of OFC silver-plated copper wires, features channel indicators and carbon fiber elements. Second cable is equipped with the 3-button remote and mic and slightly thinner. Neither one has ear guides. Nevertheless, cables seem very durable, look decent and are build of high-quality materials.



As a summary to look and build quality – we would say that AIDERLOT M5 are perfectly crafted with quality of materials even excessing such of the famous respected brands. The only concern here is the choice of MMCX connectors over 2pin type which is more durable in a long-term perspective.

About the fit: as always with such custom-like shape and design – fit should be no problem for the most of the people, especially concerning the amount and types of ear tips in the bundle and long output nozzles.



Sound quality:

Testing setup: Hidizs AP80 DAP + xDuoo Xd05Plus DAC/AMP + AIRELOT M5

Lows:

Deep bass presence is moderate, with excellent texturing. As always, even the most capable armature driver would be able to deliver such deep bass in comparison to good dynamic drivers but at the same time would be much better on clarity and precise contouring. Good crossover in scheme aids a lot to keep it balanced to other ranges while delivering very smooth and delicate sound. The main difference to dynamic rivals is the amount of details M5 disclosing to a listener, rather than exposing the lowest registers. Midbass is perfectly articulated, rich, tight and powerful. It doesn’t tend to excessive crispness or brightness. Not much of difference to dynamic drivers except for the volumetric feel. Slight elevation in this range is inevitable due to the nature of BA unit but not causing any problems since it maintains good warmth.



Mids:

Mids resolve lots of details, making this region the most exposed and detailed. Slightly standing out, with rich vocal reproduction and slight emotional appeal in overall. Male and female vocals sound totally natural, rich, detailed and linear while having the appropriate warmth. Both have almost similar presence with only very small emphasis on upper portion. Mids do feel kind of mellow, velvet and smooth — very good character for this range. Resolution on string instruments and vocals is impressive and what is the most important – not sounding harsh, not producing any piercing and not tending to lisping. Very linear feel with large amount of details.



Treble:

Excellent resolution on treble and slight accent on this range. Very accurate and delicate approach on tuning would not let it influence the entire sound picture much. No huge and evident coloration to overall tonality. M5 treble, is, again, more about the resolution and extension with decent presence rather than excessively bright and crisp delivery. Feels transparent, relatively soft and shining with reasonable sparkles. Still impressive with its clarity but acts in smooth and weighted manner.



Soundtage:

Soundstage is moderate. M5 IEMs are capable of showing significant distance from the center to instrument distributed on stage in both vertical and horizontal planes only with good sound source. As a result, scene feels wider and taller and instruments don’t tend to mix

Sound filters:

3 pairs of filters provided with M5 really do the job (not subtle) in terms of change in treble performance. For us it was really better to use any of those filters rather than not having it attached at all, whereas the difference between them is more subtle. Anyway, the mot favorite pair was “bass” to increase its presence and volume in sound.



Sound signature:

AIDERLOT M5 sound can be described as balanced, highly detailed, neutral, with no evident coloration to the overall tonality. All frequency ranges are gently delivered and carefully tuned. Universal IEMs that would be suitable for any music genre except those that require large amount of deep bass presence.



Compared to LZ HIFI A5:

LZ HIFI A5 being hybrid type of IEMs have its advantages and disadvantages over M5. Advantages are that there is a dynamic driver which brings more extension and presence of lower bass and more width to the stage. Although, the tuning of BA unit is not that great and treble sounds less delicate, introducing sibilance, lisping and harsh notes. Sound if A5 is much brighter and crispy.



Compared to SHOZY & NEO BG:

Quite similar IEMs with neutral sound and very adequate tuning. We would say that the main advantages of M5 over more famous brand IEMs are slightly better presence of lows, possibility of using different filters and rich bundle. BG wins over M5 for the stock cable (very thick and durable) and slightly softer and delicate treble (but it is subtle).



Conclusion:

Just repeating ourselves: first products of the new brands do often become a bargain due to more efforts involved and additional incentives end customer gets after all. AIDERLOT with M5 is not an exception – rich bundle, great materials, perfect crafting, accurate sound tuning with filters for the further experiments and high quality set of Knowles BA drivers in its core. Just absolutely nothing to complain about as a result of a newcomer stepping into this market. It is better to grab such product while the offer is still here and hope that this brand would follow similar high standards in future.

AIDERLOT M5 available for purchase at Amazon: LINK

• Non-sound
• Sound
• Comparisons
• Conclusion

Disclaimer: I received this review unit directly from Aiderlot, thank you very much.

Price: 200 usd (on amazon)

Specifications:

Product Type: Five Balanced Armature drive earphone

Drive unit: 1 Low +1 Mid + 2 High +1 UHF

Shell material: Stainless steel (nozzle) + Resin

Impedance: 26 Ω

Rated power: 10mW

Distortion: <1% (at 126 mV)

Sensitivity: 110 dB ± 1 dB（at 1 kHz）

Frequency range: 20Hz-40KHz


Accessories:

Airplane adapter

S/M/L narrow bore silicone tips

S/M/L foam tips

Cleaning cloth

Cleaning tool

Shirt clip

Bass, treble, reference filters

Carry case



Cable: Very good SPC cable measuring at 0.30 ohms with metal/carbon-fiber connectors/dividers. No need to change the cable for a 3rd party cable. There is also another cable included with a mic, but that one measures pretty poorly at 1.19 ohms.








Build: Made out of resin and is filled with it as well, the nozzle is metal and has a metal filter.

Fit: They are pretty big iems, so they definitely won’t fit people with smaller ears. They are a little bit smaller than the Audiosense T800 but still pretty similar in both size and shape, although not as good fit as the T800 shape.

Comfort: Decent, but pressure build up isn’t comfortable for me.

Isolation: Very good due to the shape/size but also because it is unvented.

Filters: The different filters affect the treble quantity, which does affect the rest of the tonality. But the treble and reference filters are so similar that they are pretty gimmicky (I prefer the treble filter as it is a tiny bit lower in treble quantity). The bass filter though is quite different as it lowers the treble quantity a lot but the quality drops as well and I don’t think it is a good filter. It’s a gimmicky feature in my opinion and they are also pretty hard to install/remove (especially if you got thicker fingers as mine are pretty thin and it wasn’t easy). You can use it filterless as well, but that is too bright in my opinion.

Setup: Ibasso DX160 (low gain, volume around 30), Elecom EHP-CAP20 tips L, Stock no-mic cable 3.5mm

Lows: Typical BA bass that is very clean due to the speed and tightness but lacking a lot of texture and extension/rumble. Very flat bass that is suited for acoustic/vocal music but not so much in other music.

Mid-bass: Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), clean due to the speed and tightness but lacking a lot of texture as is normal with BA iems, quantity is also pretty low in quantity. The (02:55-03:01) section with the chopper is very clean and hearable.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), lacking texture and quantity but is very clean. Timbre is quite good though for a BA iem so it doesn’t sound unnatural.

Sub-bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), extremely low rumble and extension is poor. Punch quantity is also very low and isn’t fun but is clean due to the speed and tightness.

Will Sparks – Sick like that (03:08-03:22), lacking in quantity and texture but is very fast and tight.

Mids: Male vocals are very good in details and are very clean, but usually lacks warmth for my library. Female vocals however are stunningly good, from tonality to timbre. Shines with female vocals. Both male/female vocals are very well balanced in quantity.

Female-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Vocals are amazing in tonality and quality with its clean and detailed sound. Tonality do lack some warmth here for the instruments but otherwise it sounds very natural with the timbre for both vocals/instruments. Vocals are forward but not too much.

Yuki Hayashi – MightU (01:58-02:55), very clean and detailed vocals with great tonality and with forward vocals. It shines with this type of vocal music.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shouty.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Crescent (02:07-02:26), shouty. Badly mastered tracks will show how bad they are.

Male-vocals: Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (00:57-01:17), clean and detailed with good timbre but tonality lacks some warmth.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), tonality is lacking a lot of warmth, not suited for warmer songs. But very clean, detailed with forward vocals. BA timbre is noticeable here.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), a bit sharp.

Deuce – America (03:03-03:16), tonality is too bright here.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello details, texture and clarity are very good, timbre is good but tonality is lacking some warmth. Violin timbre, tonality, details, clarity, texture and extension are excellent.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), clean and detailed but lacking some warmth.

Soundstage: Very wide soundstage and good depth as well.

Tonality: DF-neutral (aka bright-neutral with really flat bass) that is tonally leaning towards brightness. A master of acoustic/vocal music but not so much with other genres thanks to that. Timbre is excellent for a BA set but bass and lower-mids do have some slight BA timbre in it.

Details: Very detailed from macro to micro details (a part of it is definitely thanks to the low bass quantity and boosted treble quantity).

Instrument Separation: Separation are very good and impressive; imaging is a level behind though.

Songs that highlight the IEM:

Good genres: OST, acoustic/vocal music

Bad genres: Hip-hop, EDM, Trance, bass-focused music



Comparisons:

IEM: Tanchjim Oxygen, Final Audio Type E L tips, Tri Through cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), much better extension and texture on the Oxygen as well as more rumble. But cleaner due to the speed and tightness on the M5 while the Oxygen is more fun due to having more quantity.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), better tonality and texture on the Oxygen. As well as more bass quantity. Timbre is quite close but better on the Oxygen.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), Cleaner on the M5 due to speed and tightness, but more natural on the Oxygen due to texture and timbre.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Very similar vocal performance in both tonality and overall quality/quantity but a bit better on the Oxygen due to timbre. Although both are lacking in warmth for the instruments.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), a bit shoutier and peakier on the Oxygen.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), better tonality and timbre on the Oxygen. BA timbre is noticeable here on the M5.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), very similar here, both are sharp.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), cello tonality, timbre and texture are better on the Oxygen. Violin tonality, texture, timbre and details are very similar, as well as the extension.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), a bit better tonality on the Oxygen but similar clarity and detail.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), Soundstage is similar in width, but a bit deeper on the M5. Instrument separation and details are similar but a bit better imaging on the Oxygen. Bass to lower mids timbre are better on the Oxygen, but very similar upper-mids to treble timbre.

Overall: Both are tuned to play well with acoustic/vocal music and they both accomplish the same thing. The M5 is a cheaper alternative to the Oxygen that does almost everything on the same level except the lower-mids and bass. If you want a more versatile iem the Oxygen will be better due to that extra bass quantity (and texture) but for acoustic/vocals they perform on the same level (except those with male vocals).



IEM: Audiosense DT200, Sony EP-EX11 tips L, Tri Through cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), better extension and more rumble on the DT200. Punch quantity is also higher on it with more texture but not as fast and tight. More tonally accurate and fun on the DT200.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), better tonality, timbre, bass quantity and texture on the DT200 so it is more fun and natural. Cleaner and more detailed on the M5.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), much cleaner on the M5, bloated and lacking in technicalities on the DT200.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), Instrument tonality is better on the DT200 due to the warmth. But much better vocals on the M5 due to it being more forward, cleaner, more detailed and more tonally accurate. Mids to treble timbre are better on the M5 but better bass timbre on the DT200.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), more relaxing and fatigue-free on the DT200.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), Better timbre and tonality on the DT200, cleaner and more detailed on the M5.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), more relaxing and fatigue-free on the DT200.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59),Cello tonality, timbre and texture are better on the DT200 while cleaner and more detailed on the M5. Violin tonality, timbre, clarity, details and treble extension are better on the M5 while texture is similar.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality on the DT200 but cleaner and more detailed on the M5.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), bigger soundstage in width and depth. Details, imaging and instrument separation on the M5 is outclassing the DT200. Bass and lower-mids timbre are better on the DT200 but upper-mids to treble are better on the M5.

Overall: They are very different in tonality with one being more reference (M5) and the other being more fun (DT200) and more relaxing, so they complement each other pretty well. Technicalities on the M5 however is in another league, while the DT200 is struggling a bit here.



IEM: Audiosense DT100, Final Audio Type E tips L, Tri Through cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), much better extension, rumble and texture on the DT100 (very DD-like). Punch quantity is also a lot higher and more fun and tonally accurate, but is slower and looser.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more tonally accurate on the DT100 and better bass/lower-mids timbre with much better texture and quantity. Although it is bloated and unclean in comparison to the M5.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), bloated bass on the DT100 but more natural sounding due to texture, tonality and timbre.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), instrument tonality is better on the DT100 but a bit too warm. A lot cleaner and detailed on the M5 with a lot better vocal tonality and quality.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), much more relaxing and fatigue-free on the DT100.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), much better tonality on the DT100. But technicalities are lacking a lot and sounds bloated in comparison to the cleaner and more detailed M5.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), much more relaxing and fatigue-free on the DT100.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, texture and timbre are better on the DT100 but better details and clarity on the M5. Violin tonality, timbre, texture, details, clarity and treble extension are much better on the M5.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality on the DT100 although a bit too warm and recessed vocals compared to the more forward and detailed M5.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), Soundstage, imaging, instrument separation and details are in another league on the M5. Bass/lower-mids timbre are better on the DT100 while upper-mids/treble are better on the M5.

Overall: They are polar opposites in tonality while the technicalities are vastly outclassed on the DT100. The DT100 is better if you want a more fun and relaxing iem. While the M5 is a more reference and a lot more technical.





IEM: Tansio Mirai TSMR – 4 pro, JVC spiral dots tips L, Kbear Limpid cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), similar extension, rumble and texture. Tighter and faster on the M5 while quantity is higher on the Tansio.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), more quantity on the Tansio but similar texture while it is tighter and faster on the M5. Timbre Is a lot better across the range on the M5.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), more quantity on the Tansio but worse timbre and with harsh treble.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), a bit brigher tonality on the Tansio but it is harsh and peaky with the treble. Mids are similar in quantity, but a lot more natural on the M5. Timbre is a lot better on the M5. Similar details and clarity.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), shouty and peakier on the Tansio.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), a bit better tonality on the Tansio due to being warmer, but still more natural on the M5 due to timbre. Very unnatural on the Tansio and a lot of BA timbre on it.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), sharper on the Tansio.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality and texture are a bit better on the Tansio with similar timbre. Violin tonality, timbre, details and texture are better on the M5 but with similar treble extension.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), better tonality, timbre and clarity on the M5, very unnatural on the Tansio.

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), bigger soundstage in both width and depth on the M5. Imaging, instrument separation, details and timbre are better on the M5.

Overall: The only aspect where the Tansio is better, is in how it looks….



IEM: Audiosense T800, Final Audio Type E tips LL, Tri Through cable 4.4mm

Bass: Djuro – Drop that bass (01:15-01:30), a lot better extension and rumble on the T800. A bit more texture as well but sounds very bloated due to its slower and looser bass. Bass timbre is a bit more natural on the T800.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Pretenders (01:18-01:47), tonality is better on the T800, bass quantity is a lot higher on it and also got more texture. But sounds bloated due to slower and looser bass. Bass timbre is a bit better, but mids and treble timbre are better on the M5.

Metallica – fight fire with fire (01:11-01:52), cleaner on the M5 due to a lot faster and tighter bass.

Mids: Hiroyuki Sawano – OldToday (01:25-01:52), instrument tonality is better on the T800 due to the warmth. But vocal tonality, timbre, details and clarity are better on the M5 as well as more forward rather than somewhat recessed on the T800.

Evanescence – Bring me to life (01:18-01:35), sibilant on the T800.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Scapegoat (00:57-01:17), tonality is better on the T800 and also more natural vocal timbre. The M5 is cleaner and more detailed due to the bass being bloated on the T800.

Treble: Linkin Park – Shadow of the Day (03:24-03:42), sharper electric guitars on the T800.

Hiroyuki Sawano – Lose (string version) (01:22-01:59), Cello tonality, texture and timbre are better on the T800 but cleaner and similarly detailed on the M5. Violin tonality, texture, details, clarity and treble extension on the M5 is better.

Hiroyuki Sawano &Z (02:18-02:57), Tonality is better on the T800 but cleaner and more natural timbre on the M5 (except the bass timbre).

Technicalities: Shiro Sagisu – Hundred years war (02:24-02:57), similar soundstage width but deeper on the T800. Imaging is better on the T800. Details is similar but better instrument separation (bloated bass bottlenecks the T800 a lot) on the M5 as well as better upper-mids to treble timbre on the M5.

Overall: The T800 is a more fun and has a lot more bass quantity than the M5 (close to basshead on the T800). But is also more fatiguing due to it being sibilant on a lot more tracks than the M5. The M5 is a better iem for vocal/acoustic music. But the T800 is somewhat more versatile due it having more bass quantity. Technicalities are on a similar level (T800 is heavily bottlenecked by its massive bass quantity).



Conclusion: It’s a well-tuned iem that is a master of acoustic/vocal music. Highly recommended if that is what your library consists of or if you want something like that.

This is for you if:

• You want a neutral iem
• You want a well-tuned BA iem that has a natural timbre overall
• You listen to acoustic/vocal music
• You need isolation

This is NOT for you if:

• You are a basshead
• You want something more fun/colored
• You are sensitive to pressure build-up
• You want a versatile iem
• You have small ears

Thank you for reading.

Graph:

Reference/test songs: