Disclaimer: The demo was loaned from MusicTeck for honest impressions. Planning on purchasing CIEMs Mason.



Unique Melody needs no introduction, they are known as the first company to introduce the piezoelectric bone conduction driver to the HiFi community in 2019 with MEST OG. Mason series, however, has a much longer history as one of the flagships of UM. For a long period of time, they were only available in CIEMs (called something 12). If I remember correctly, Mason was the second UIEM that Unique Melody mass produced in 2012, the first one was the other flagship Mentor made in 2011, exclusive in Japan. I am a proud owner of Mason V2/V3+ and the original Mentor V1 which was my very first hi-end UIEMs.

In 2020, UM added their patented BCDs to the Mason series and upshift the Mason line to the Mason FS (Fabled Sound). The Mason FS line maintained the tuning philosophy of Mason, it is in a natural, analog, dense, retro-style sound that has priority in coherence. Unlike the younger brother Mentor, Mason and Mason FS do not chase for the fun, impactful and engaging signature that is currently leading the market. It is a very mature, cohesive, and pleasant sound. This tuning approach reminds me of the concept of “Zen”. Every time I put a Mason or Mason FS to my ears, I can feel the sense of calmness, peace, and tranquility. They can always lead my ears and my mind to a peaceful meditation.

Bone Conduction Drivers Work Differently

Ever since UM introduced the BCD concept to the community, it has been very popular, and we have seen various types of BCDs with different added “names”. We could simply call them BCDs, but different types of BCDs work entirely differently. While I was preparing for this review, I asked many questions to UM about the BCDs and the New BC-Turbo booster and now let me share a little bit.

Coil BCDs for Bass. The representing IEMs are Empire Ears Raven, Legend EVO, UM Mext, Noble KK, Kinera Loki etc. This is the most universally used BCDs, it is known for the tactile bass. It is so popular that now most audiophiles associate the BCD effect as the “tactile bass”. However, the biggest problem of this type of BCD is they are very likely to create lower-mid distortion. If you have ever seen the measurement of any of the IEMs I mentioned above, you will hear and see it more or less.

BA BCDs for Mids. This driver is relatively new to me. It is made by Sonion, works similar to BAs but has a different timbre. So far, I only know Canpur 622B is using this driver. But since it is a Sonion, I am sure there will be more to come.

Piezoelectric BCDs for Soundstage. This type of driver is what we mostly see UM headphones. UM’s dBC-s and Freqshift BCDs are claimed as the UM patented driver based on piezoelectric structure. The representing IEMs are UM Mest series, UM MM and AP, UM Mason FS series. It needs high voltage to power up two electrode plates to vibrate the inner layers (metal or ceremic). Instead of pushing the energy to a diaphragm then transmitting it to the air, this driver pushes the energy to the supporting panels then transmits it to the skull. The good thing is this driver is full-range and has a consistent, stable vibration. The bad thing is it is too big which can only stay close to the faceplate, and it needs a lot of voltage to drive. With inadequate power, this driver is mainly affecting the 3kHz and ultra-high frequency. I think that sorta explained why UM’s IEMs always have thicker mids and holographic 3D staging.

BC-Turbo Micro Voltage Booster

According to UM, their iterations after the original BCDs in MEST OG, they were working on letting the BCDs to be more sensitive with low voltage input. So, it can have audiophile get more BCD effects even the driver cannot get adequate power. However, it is now reaching their limit, to a point the layers are very sensitive metal—silver and palladium, and the number of layers increased from 7 layers to nowadays 21 layers. So, they came up with this BC-Turbo booster to increase the voltage input to the BCDs while not affecting other drivers.



“Unbox”

The demo was loaned from MusicTeck, so I have the IEMs separated from the package already when they are here. But I heard the unboxing experience of the new Mason NE/ST is “ultra satisfying”. Two of my friends who bought the Mason NE told me that was their best unboxing experience ever, so I asked Andrew to send me the full package. Here we go!

The customized shipping box!



A gift bag.



The actual box.



Protection guide in an envelope.



Accessories—Oval clamp, cloth pad, eartips.



Additional nozzle filters/warranty card/cable wrap.



Cloth bag covers the leather carry case.



Leather case--premium Italian leather, natural leather smell, perfect ditches.






Leather case—Inside, 2 layers.



Design And Fit

The shape and fit are identical to the previous Mason FS, Red Halo and Le Jardin. I was gravitating toward my headphones system during that time, so I didn’t purchase any of them, but I got myself a pair of Fusang, which to my ears are slightly smaller than the stabilized cactus shells. Aesthetics is as subjective as sound, but I must admit, they are gorges! The finish, details and quality are second to none. I felt the size is slightly bigger than my preference, Fusang and Fei Wan are ideal to my ears.



Sound

Summary—Tested under N30LE AP version, Output-P mode, Medium Gain, Tube On, Classic Timbre

Mason NE/ST is right along the line of Mason series—A warm-reference sound. The new Mason FS has a very unique signature, it at least broke my stereotype of the “reference tuning” which often associates with “flat”, “neutral” and “colorless”. Mason has the reference signature where it does not purposely emphasize one certain frequency. The coherence of Mason is a true state of the art. At the same time, it also has a full, lifelike timbre and bone conduction effect in the mid-range to push a sense of warmth underneath, which makes the sound of Mason more emotional and intriguing. Mason NE/ST is a reference to the MY Hi-Fi standard (yours may vary), but not a reference to the studio standard if that make sense.

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage of Mason NE/ST is loyal to the UM house signature. It is a “immersive” over “expansive” approach which is truly making Unique Melody unique. The way Mason NE/ST presenting the sound is like put the user on to the stage and interacting with musicians, instead of sitting in distance and appreciate a piece of art. The new Mason NE/ST is pushing the boundary a little further than their previous releases. The front to back depth is further stretched to provide a create a more involving sound. The imaging size and accuracy is also phenomenal, I can not only hear and pinpoint the position of each instrument, but also “feel” the vibration and “see” the musician. It is an awkward description, but you may have to listen to them or other UM IEMs that have BCDs to understand what I am saying.

Resolution and Details

The new Mason NE/ST has a clearly improved resolution and details over the previous generation. It is up there as one of the best in the house, as it supposed. But the thing really shocked me is how wonderful the Mason NE/ST is at micro-dynamics reproduction. It is often captured in acoustic guitar, violins, pianos, saxophones and other acoustic solos. It reveals any small vibration of the instruments quickly, precisely, and clearly.

Talking about more or less details at this level is pretty much nonsense, the way they present the details really matters to me. And I must admit, Mason NE/ST has done that really well, it sorta reminds me of Stax X9000 which the details are there when you are seeking for, but they won’t pop up in your face. It is not trying to make the details “sound louder” but to illustrate multiple layers of music in details.

Bass

The whole bass frequencies of Mason NE/ST are playing support role in the big picture. It holds the other frequencies nice and steady, and it does not stick out interrupt the whole image. The bass of Mason ST is very linear, which aligns with its natural, organic sound signature. The transition from bass to mid-bass to lower-mid and core mid is smooth like butter. It sounds like the whole frequency spectrum is done by one mega driver, but UM used 3 different types of drivers (UM custom bass BA, custom mid BA, FreqShift BCD) from sub-bass to mids. It is quite impressive. The speed is not very quick and is delivering in a slow and gentle pattern. It might not be the perfect choice for EDM and synthetic music in general, but I found it is satisfying for classical and rock/metal ballads.

Mids

Mason’s mids are always grabbing my attention no matter which generation. It reminds me why IEMs are having a special place in my heart of my entire audio journey. I also believe this is the biggest selling point of Mason NE/ST. But writing this part is difficult, it is too hard to describe the mids of the new Mason NE/ST in words. The lower-mids undertake the bass seamlessly, giving a thick, smooth and juicy texture. At upper-mid and lower-treble, there is a little spice to bring in more details and better transparency. The mid overall is very detailed and has a lot focuses on micro-dynamics, where I got a photorealistic image of musicians’ techniques effortlessly. There really aren’t many things to complain about the mids from Mason NE/ST, the only problem is you have to pay that much for it. TT.

Treble

The treble of Mason NE/ST goes to a neutral direction with a little bump in the lower treble to improve the transparency and clarity. The side effect of this tuning approach is adding a bit of vocal sibilance at the same time. Fortunately, Mason maintained thickness and texture in the treble region, so the sibilance is reasonable. The additional treble compared to the Fusang gives the New Mason NE/ST a bit more sparkles and engagements. It is more fun and open than the previous iteration, but it also canceled some of the creaminess and dark chocolate taste that the Fusang had.

Tips Rolling



Stock Azla Xelastec Tips (as reference): The Xelastec tips gave me the most secure fit in my entire rolling trip. It fits nice and secure in my ears. But the size of the bore is a bit too big for my liking. Considering Mason has a relatively large nozzle, it can be painful after a few hours.

Symbio W Clear: Symbio W is clear, fits nice and secure in my ears. The comfort is much better than the Xelastec, at least for me. The lower treble was more controlled without affecting the transparency and clarity. The bass is also a little stronger with slightly more mid-bass energy. Highly recommend!

Comply TWB- The comfort is similar to Xelastec, maybe a touch better. It has lower treble roll offs than Symbio W. The mid-range was affected a little bit, it is not as transparent as other tips.

Canal Work Gel Eartips: So far, my favorite tips. It has a very strong grip while still soft and comfortable. It gives a stronger grip than the Symbio W and has a shorter nozzle which helps me get better contact with the shells. It works similar to the Symbio in the lower-mid while giving extra bass to the lower-end. Highly recommend!

Cable Rolling

Stock FTS Pro vs FTS

The stock cable comes with Mason NE/ST is PW First Times Shielding Pro. It does make some minor improvements to the FTS after a long time AB. The improvements are mainly in the background darkness and details. The newer shielding material does provide a slightly darker background which helps more details pop out. The tonality between these two cables is basically the same.

Stock FTS Pro vs MeetAgains SE

MeetAgains SE has a leaner sound which seems to push the vocal a little further and fill in a little air. It also has a more neutral tonality compared to the thick, a little warm sound signature from FTS and FTS pro. To me MeetAgains SE is an excellent pairing with Fusang, but not Mason NE/ST.

Comparisons

Mason NE/ST vs Mason Fusang

Mason NE/ST shares the similar signature with Fusang, but the technical performance is at a whole different level. Switching between these two Mason, I got noticeably more details, a smoother transition, and deeper and wider soundstage. The sub-bass to mid-bass is also more elevated on the new Mason. Adding a little treble sparkle makes the new Mason a more natural, organic sound. Fusang has a darker and romantic tuning in comparison.

Mason NE/ST vs Amber Pearl

Amber Pearl was not an instant buy for me, the mid-bass is bit overwhelming. But I still pull the trigger. Why? It echoes so many good memories I had with the legendary Shure E5(which I still have a pair, hehe) and JH Roxanne, but done to perfection. AP is sweet, creamy type of IEMs that everyone would love, no matter what music you throw to it. Who doesn’t like sweets? Mason has another tuning approach, it is a more controlled, organic and realistic sound. It basically lets you taste both sweets and bitterness in the music.

AP is a master of coloring sound. It has smooth upper-mid with nice sparkles and vocal presence, very well controlled 6k dip without being dull, and extra air in ultra-high. It has all the appealing flavors and mingled them very well together. It is the ideal “mainstream” sound. Mason NE/ST, on the hand, is master of naturality. It has a more cohesive sound than AP, the transition from bass to mid is probably the smoothest I have heard so far. The controlled bass help mid-range stands out more, with more micro-dynamics showing off. The upper-mid added just the right number of sparkles and liveliness for instrumental music. The treble has more physicality with solid and realistic resonance. It is an IEM tuned for hardcore acoustic music lovers and vocal enthusiasts.

DAP Pairing



N30LE AP Version (as reference): I tried the AP version mainly with P mode, Class A, Tube Classic. Many thanks to @twister6 for recommending this set up to me. I found P+ and Hyper mode have a little too much lower-treble presence than what I like. Overall, this combo gave me enough bass rumble and a very full and strong mid-range, and a smooth, detailed treble.

AK SP3000ss: I was surprised by how sensitive Mason ST is to the source when I switched to the SP3000. The SP3000 gives extra air to the treble, the treble extension reaches noticeably further than N30LE AP. However, it doesn’t give enough weight to the bass and mids. The overall sound is a bit lean and too analytical.

LP P6Pro Black: P6Pro was my reference before I got N30LE. They are similar to some extent. With P6Pro, Mason ST get a smoother lower treble, and a little less bass impact, but the bass hit a little faster. The overall sound is not as thick as N30LE AP when the tube is on with classic timbre, it is closer to N30LE with tube modern.

Summary

Mason series has a special place in my heart. It has the naturality, the smoothness, the coherence, and the beautiful mid-range that I am dying for. It resumed a lot of my initial enjoyment of Hi-Fi IEMs but goes to the summit level in sound quality. I know there is a buzz about the price and UM’s marketing, but I see more positive over negative with this release. First of all, it is a flagship and limited to 88 pairs. The stabilized cactus shells, PWA high-end cable, Italian leather case, and very thoughtful accessories all of which are pointing Mason NE/ST to a high price tag, it is not a big surprise. I feel much more comfortable holding Mason’s package in hand than an IEM with a cardboard box which costs similar money. Secondly, I appreciate UM brings out another tuning that is different from the mainstream trend and still sounds phenomenal. It is a unique and brave move against the current deadly boring tuning trend. Thirdly, the new BC-Turbo may lead a new trend after UM introduced BCDs to the Hi-Fi market back in 2019.

I really appreciate Andrew @MuiscTeck is willing to take the cable out of the package for a discount price. Don’t get me wrong, it is a nice cable, very nice looking especially with Soleil Tombe theme. But for someone who already has FTS or Orpheus, it could be redundant, sonic-wise. If you have the budget, you love acoustic music, classical, Jazz and vocals, the new Mason NE/ST is a very strong contender.

Disclaimer: TS-316 is purchased at discounted price through MuiscTeck’s Test & Share program.

Introduction

TIMSOK is a headphone/IEMs brand formed in Shenzhen, China. The mother company of TIMSOK is one of a few HiFi dynamic driver manufacturers that has been supplying tuning solutions to numerous well-known HiFi brands. Three years ago, TIMSOK released their first product, TS-1024 which is a full-size planar magnetic headphone. TIMSOK TS-316 is named after the 316L High Strength Stainless Steel material that is used as the shells of TS-316. TS-316 uses TIMSOK’s self-developed 10.2mm dynamic driver with unique blue coating diaphragm and 1 Tesla magnet.






Design

TIMSOK is made of 316L medical grade stainless steel, it is more durable and skin friendly than the traditional 304SS. Each pair of TS-316 is hand polished for a sophisticated look and coated with AF finish to ensure the scratch resistance. There are two air vents, one sits at the front of the faceplate, the other one is located at the back of the shell, right under the 2-pin socket.

The stock cable is made of 196 conductors frozen monocrystalline copper. The cable is sleeved by Teflon and Polyamide PU shielding. The double layer sleeves make the cable relatively stiffy.




Packaging

Comfort and Fit (7/10)

The comfort of TS-316 is decent. It is reasonably lightweight as a metal shell IEMs. The shells have a generic but safe shape, all the edges are perfectly rounded, and nothing is cutting my ears. However, the stock cable is a bit stiffy. Sometimes the cable can drag the IEMs out of my ear canal. Some aftermarket upgrade can easily fix this issue. I will explore more of the options in the “Cable Rolling” section.

Sound Signature



TS-316 offers a very neutral tone with a little warmth underneath. The frequency response curve stays loyal to the 19’s Harman curve (aligned at 1khz, 2nd slope, 75db measurement).



In my opinion TS-316 still did some minor refinement to the Harman target. It lowered the 6k-7k which is where the vocal teeth notes are located. This small refinement helps the overall presentation of TS-316 become smoother than typical Harman sound.

Bass (9/10)

The bass of TS-316 is outstanding, it focuses on sub-bass rumbles over mid-bass warmth. The bass from TS-316 offers a solid foundation that holds other frequencies stand steady on top of the bass. It helps the overall presentation stays clean, neutral without being too “light” or “flurry”. When the bass goes above 100hz punchy and controlled, the kick drum hits hard and tight. The mid-bass at 200hz is very well controlled which minimizes the coloration and makes the overall bass tuning stay neutral. TS-316’s bass is perfect for Orchestra, Rock and certain EDMs which have multiple bass layers in one track. The neutral and clean bass reproduction from TS-316 makes me almost visually see the bass bloom in front of me.

Mid (7/10)

The mid-range of TS-316 stays clean and precise from the “upper-bass” frequency. The upper-mid, lower treble is tuned wonderfully. It is energetic with a lot of sparkles but not overly bright or shouty. My main criticism towards the mid-range is between 400hz to 800hz. I hope there could be boosted a little bit to add some thickness to male vocal and guitars. The way TS-316 was tuned sacrificed a bit of the thickness but traded for more clarity and less muddiness. So, it falls into the ballpark where I can’t say the mid is recessed but it is not thick enough for my personal preference.

I think the mid-range signature has a lot to do with the dynamic driver itself. It is a titanium and carbon fiber hybrid diaphragm which naturally goes to the neutral precise but leaner sound.

Treble (8/10)

The treble of TS-316 is sparkling, airy and energetic. It tends to reveal as many details as possible and gives an overall clean and clear presentation. The extra energy at and above 10khz adds more air to the sound. The extra air can extend the sense of space and enhance the resonance of certain instruments such as cymbals and strings. Details, resolution, sense of space and engagement are the major benefit that this treble contributed to the overall sound. However, the Harman-ish upper-mid, lower treble could be too forward for someone. So, if you have experienced the Harman tuning and not a big fan of its treble you might want to do some eartips rolling. To me Symbio W clearly does an excellent job.

A Mini Annihilator23?

When I initially tried TIMSOK 316, it reminded me of something, something I own. I quickly searched through my IEMs collection and found Annihilator23. They are really close. Of course, there are differences in timbre and resonance, but the tonal balance and sound signature are actually really really close!



Like shown in the FR graph, the bass and mid are almost identical between TS316 and Anni23. The trebles are different, but they still share a similar trend. To my ears, Anni 23 has a more refined and smoother lower treble. TS316 pushes the lower treble a little forward and crispier.

Beyond the curve, Anni 23 has better texture in treble, the instruments sound more realistic. Anni has more decay in sub-bass which helps the bass more impactful, but as a trade-off, it is slower than TS316.

Tips Rolling



Stock Tips: The stock tips of TS316 are top notch. They are soft and still have a great texture. The sound of stock tips are lean towards engaging and treble forward compared to other tips I tested. So, if you classify yourself as treble sensitive, tips rolling might be very helpful.

Symbio W Clear: They are my favorite tips with TS316. I love these new Symbio tips so much. These tips help TS316 has lower-end body and cut off the lower treble a little bit. The clarity and resolution were not sacrificed as the traditional foam tips which is a big plus.

Nostalgia XWB Eartips: They replaced UM Blueheart as my default “measurement tips” they fit in 711 perfectly. The sound signature is similar to the UM Blueheart as well as the stock tips with maybe a touch more warmth. The bores are softer and much easier to replace.

Cable Rolling

The stock cable: Let me be straight forward: this stock cable is a pain. Not because it sounds bad, it actually sounds really good, and it is hard to say the $300 level after market cables are truly an upgrade in terms of sound. But the ergonomic and comfort are terrible to me. So, my target is to find a cable that sounds as good as the stock cable (if not better), not expensive, and has good ergonomics.

Effect Audio Eros S 1st Anniversary Edition (Eros S AE): Eros S AE is a neutral-warm cable, it seems to pull back the treble at 8k a bit and push the energy to the upper-mid. If it is a very appealing combo with TS-316, it controlled the “shouty” tune of TS-316 and makes the overall sound more refined and smoother. The design and comfort of EA needs no introduction, they always make some of the best-looking cables. Eros S AE is on the thicker side, but it is a lot softer than the stock cable.

Liquid Links West Lake: One of my friends recommended me to test this cable with TS-316. They do look and sound beautiful together. The biggest advantage of West Lake is that it has the very typical “copper sound” which has a full and thick bottom end. Eros S is good at trebles and upper-mid, but the sub-bass is a bit rolled off. West Lake brought the sub-bass back in a side-by-side comparison. For treble, West Lake has good texture and creaminess, but if you want to keep the “zest sparkle” that TS-316 originally has, Eros S AE might be the better choice.

Verdict

TS-316 is a gem. It has its own signature and a very realistic timbre which is almost impossible to find at this price range. The biggest problem I found at the $300-500 price range is not the tonal balance or resolution, but the timbre, layer and texture. These are the technical aspects that cannot be done by just “tuning”. It has a lot to do with the driver’s capability, especially for a single DD. The blue diaphragm dynamic driver of TS-316 is undoubtedly top notch in this regard. TIMSOK chose a “safe approach” by tuned it close to the Harman target, but I can see it has the capability of being tuned to a wilder sound, and it leaves us space to EQ it closer to the sound we want. Iconically, the FR curve is almost identical to Annihilator 2023, it further approved this driver has a lot potentials, at least it can be tuned similar to a $3k multi-driver flagship.

Intro

Oriolus needs no introduction, the “culprit” of IEMs price spike. Despite the insane price of Traillii, Oriolus as a brand also has a lot of “affordable” or “value” offerings that worth check out. I recently tried their Isabellae and Szalayi, I also own a pair of Oriolus MK2 years ago. Monachaa should fit in the line with Szalayi and may be a replacement of Percivali according to the driver configuration.


Technology

Monachaa utilized four dynamic drivers including 1 10mm Carnon Nano diaphragm driver, 1 10mm inert material diaphragm driver, 1 5mm titanium driver, 1 square diaphragm driver. It has an impedance of 24ohm and sensitivity of 111db SPL/1mW. The frequency response range is from 20Hz all the way to 28kHz.

Fits and Comfort

I was quite surprised by the size of Monachaa and how it is possible for Oriolus to fit in four different dynamic drivers in such a small chamber. The nozzle is on the shorter side, it helps relief a lot of pressures from my ears. They fit in securely and effortlessly in my ears and do not touch my auricles at all. There are minor driver flexes, it is annoying but acceptable. It is something I’ve been used to, many thanks to EE and UM.



Sound Impressions

Summary

Before I put Monachaa in my ears, my biggest concern was the multi dynamic drivers’ harmonic distortion. It is almost unavoidable and ineliminable for this type of configuration. Usually, a multi-DD IEMs would have the distorted upper-mid and treble results an unnecessarily bright lousy sound or a boomy, fake bass. Freakingly, Klipsch S4 had both ends distorted back in the day, which was my first multi-DD IEMs and hindered me to try another one for so many years.

Luckily Monachaa didn’t have that many distortions, the treble only gives me a touch sense of compress when paired with a less powerful source. The laidback R2R DACs would also help with reducing the brightness at treble. Across different DAPs I have on hand, P6Pro is yet again my favorite pairing with Monachaa. Thus, P6Pro will be my default testing DAP for this review, I will have a DAP rolling section in the later part of this review.

Monachaa is also very sensitive to cables, or I should say the stock cable really restricted the potential of Monachaa. Don’t get me wrong, the stock cable is not nearly as bad as Aroma Jewel’s “so called” cable. The synergy between the stock cable and Monachaa is probably my least favorite among my cable rolling experience. I will share a few of my findings in the cable rolling section, and I hope you can find the right cable for Monachaa. A good cable can really help this beauty shine.

Soundstage and Image

Monachaa shows a very wide and tall picture in front of my face. It could be the hugest soundstage I have ever heard, at least in recent months. The soundstage is also the most noticeable improvement over Szalayi. It is insanely wide with a lot of roomy space between instruments and sections. The vertical layering is excellent as well, for strings, especially cymbals, you can “see” them placed near the top of the stage. For most recordings, the front to back soundstage of Monachaa is adequate my enjoyment. For some live recordings, I hope Monachaa can have a little extra space front to back that makes the music livelier and more realistic.

Bass

The bass of Monachaa reaches very deep and have a lot of sub-bass rumble. With P6Pro, the bass decay becomes natural and impactful. For lower output AK players, the bass does not expend very much, giving a more controlled bass hit. In the mid-bass Monachaa focuses more on details and definition rather than punchy hits. I thought the quad-DD would give Monachaa a more playful bass performance, however, after a few weeks audition, it is surprisingly neutral and well controlled. The detailed and controlled mid-bass keeps Monachaa in a neutral tone and emphasizes the excellent technical performance and resolving sound.

Mid

Monachaa is one of the few IEMs that has a neutral, clean, uplifting, semi-bright mid to upper-mid frequency that doesn’t fatiguing. The highly resolving and neutral mid-bass/lower-mid transit smoothly to the core mid-range. The mid-range is pronounced, forward and revealing. The sibilance control is excellent for an uplifting sound mid-range. With the stock cable there is a slight metallic tune at around 2kHz, with upgraded cable like FTS and OTL, those metallic notes can be effectively tuned down.

Treble

The treble of Monachaa is very well extended, crisp and intriguing. The ultra-high is reasonably elevated to create more sense of air. Combined the wide soundstage and the well extended treble together deliver a wide open, vivid and fresh sound. The extra air helps cymbals sound livelier and more “wet”. For audiophiles who prefer a darker treble, switching to foam tips can be very helpful.

Tip Selection

Comply Foam: Comply tips can help warmer the sound of Monachaa. It increases the thickness of lower-mid and increases a little bit of the sub-bass. The treble was tuned down a bit and the sibilance is even more controlled. Generally speaking, Comply foam tips offer a more balanced sound vs silicone tips are offering a more engaging sound.

Symbio W Hybrid: Compared to the comply tips, Symbio W Hybrid offers a more open sound. The sibilance is more pronounced and the upper-mid has more metallic tune. The mid-bass hits harder and tighter, the bass frequency in general has better definition and more articulate.

Pentaconn COREIR Brass Silicone: These tips have some magic to the soundstage in both width and depth, the soundstage is noticeably wider and deeper than both foam-based tips. At the same time the mid-range is more forward, the mid-bass also hits harder. I highly recommend these tips if you are not very sensitive to the relatively bright treble.


Cable Rolling

The stock cable is not bad, but mediocre to the best. I have tested 4 different cables from different price ranges: from under $500 up to $3000+.

Liquid Links Evua II: Evua II is my favorite cable under $500, and it is also tied with Cleo II Octa as my favorite pure silver cable. Evua II and Cleo Octa share some similarities as high-quality silver cables. They are silver cables that have bass. They both reveal tons of details that I haven’t heard before without making treble sounds fatiguing. Evua II gives more impact to Monachaa’s sub-bass and add bones to the mid-bass. The bass of Monachaa is now have a stronger figure and more physicality. At upper-end Evua II gives more pop-up sparkles, the stock cable is more laid-back in comparison.

Vortex Lavinia: Lavinia is also a high value cable; it pushes the sub-bass even deeper. The soundstage becomes more holographic compared to the stock cable. The front to back dimension is almost 1.5x larger than the stock cable. The upper-mid to lower-treble stays about the same as the stock cable with just a little extra lower treble presence with Lavinia. However, at 10k+ frequency, Vortex fills in more air and details.

UMxPWAudio Deep of Universe (Mentor Stock Cable): DOU is a very “mid-centric” thick sounding cable. I thought it could be a decent pairing with Monachaa based on the sound signature of Monachaa. The result is mostly positive but not as good as I expected. The edginess in the upper-mid and treble was completely smoothed out. The upper region sounds very natural and laid-back. However, the soundstage seems to have become narrower. The bass and lower-mid has a thicker body with DOU, but the texture and details are sacrificed a little bit.

PWAudio FirstTimes Shielding: I almost shouted the F word out of my mouth when I heard this combo. I know it is kind of stupid to pair a cable that costs almost two pairs of Monachaa, but they sound so good together. FTS seems to have a superpower that can smooth all the edginess in the upper-mid and treble, then thicken the bottom end effectively. This combo maintains the wild soundstage of Monachaa while building up a thicker image throughout the entire frequency. That is all I need for Monachaa and that’s all FTS is good at.

DAP Pairing

L&P P6Pro: P6Pro is the least powerful DAP I have tested. I think it is the threshold for what Monachaa might need. The P6Pro offers a very organic sound, with a lot of sub-bass rumble and smooth top-end frequencies. The soundstage is super wide and tall, but the depth is average.

N30LE: N30LE offers a little extra soundstage depth and width. The bass hit even deeper than P6Pro. The sound is more dynamic and authoritative than the P6Pro. At the top end, N30LE traded the smoothness with extra air and sparkles.

Lotoo Mjolnir: Mjolnir has the best layering across all three DAPs I have tested. The image and separation are extremely accurate. The overall sound goes to a more analytical side vs the analog sounds from N30LE and P6Pro.

Comparison

Monachaa vs Szalayi

Monahcaa and Szalayi have similar tonal balance when use Comply tips on Monachaa. The biggest difference is at soundstage, resolution and treble texture. Monachaa is a clear upgrade in those regards. It offers more way larger soundstage in all three dimensions. The resolution is also a step up over Szalayi. Treble texture on Monachaa is more realistic while on Szalayi is softer.

Monachaa vs Canpur 54E

This is a hard debate between which one would be my favorite IEMs for $2000 price range. Both of them have great sub-bass for the price. 54E has more quantity, though it is a BA bass. Monachaa has more natural bass decay and timbre. The mid-bass is stronger on 54E, the Monachaa has a more modest but physical mid-bass. The upper frequency is smoother and creamier on 54E, Monachaa is crispier and has more air. The 54E has a more balanced tonal balance, however, the soundstage and imaging cannot catch up with Monachaa.

Conclusion

Monachaa is not a bass monster as I expected for a quad-DD configuration. It is a very neutral, highly resolving and detailed flagship level IEMs. The soundstage is second to none, and I was truly amazed by how large the soundstage is. It reminds me of the Sennheiser HD800 to some extent. As a multi-DD IEMs it does not have the annoying distortion as some others. With proper source and cable pairing, Monachaa is truly a high-end IEMs with natural DD timbre and insane technical performance.

Disclaimer: This is a demo unit from MusicTeck in return for my honest review.

Intro

FAudio is a Hong Kong company founded in 2014, they were known for build excellent dynamic driver IEMs. If you can recall the good old days, you will remember FAudio Major and Minor were quite a big hit in this hobby. I became a fan of them since then. Last year they released their 7th anniversary product-Mezzo LE which will be featured in this review. Although I wasn’t a big fan of Mezzo LE’s sound, I would still applaud its technical achievements. In this year, FAudio brought us their newest mid-tier release Spring.





Design and Fit

I am unsure about which “Spring” this IEM refers to, but from the design, I guess it is the season. The eye watering dark forest green is aesthetically attractive. The shape of Spring aligns with the previous releases—Major, Minor and Dark Sky. I have only good words about this design, it is unique, simple and extremely comfortable to wear. The aluminum shells are very light, you can barely feel anything in your ears and you can easily enjoy good music with them for hours and hours. It seems a very hard thing for the current IEMs manufacturers to make good sound in small shells, but again FAudio made it!


Sound

Since I received a demo set with no accessories and package, I will just jump directly to the sound section. I can also jump right to my conclusion: this is by far my biggest surprise of the year. It sounds so vivid and fun, the technical performance is illegal at this price. Maybe I was “persecuted” too much by this inflated IEMs market, I felt FAudio should charge a little more for this beautiful sound. I’d still love to pay somewhere around $1000 for them if they ask.


Bass

The bass from Spring leans toward the tight and controlled side. If you get tired of the boomy bass sound trend that is currently flowing in the market, Spring could be one of the fresh breezes that caress your face. The bass is not shy by any means, it hits hard and has solid rumbles when the music calls for. There is a noticeable sub-bass boost, but the decay and resonance are so well controlled. The bass sounds very accurate and articulate.

The bass from Spring is a perfect example of Quality over Quantity. It provides you with a solid bass line with enough attacks and rumbles, but it never bleeds over the threshold and always stays neutral. From sub-bass to mid-bass, Spring offers a very linear and natural transition. The sub-bass is deep with a lot of natural decay to remind you this is an authentic dynamic driver. The mid-bass is a bit tuned down to provide the audience with a neutral timbre. The sub-bass and mid-bass together made a very articulate imaging with fast attacks and tactile response. It is the type of bass I personally prefer over the boomy bass, especially in the mid-bass under 250hz.


Mids

The mid-range maintains the clean and controlled tuning from bass. This mid-range of Spring is extremely clean and very detailed. It is very easy to get tons of details from the mid-range, especially the upper-mid. The details at upper-mid are up-front and clearly pronounced. At the lower-mid Spring offers a neutral and slightly lean presentation. These two frequencies combined give spring a neutral, forward, clear, and highly resolving mid-range. I found it is great for acoustic music and female vocals. For male vocal it is tip depending and source depending. With fuller sound, organic daps like, AK SE300 Cayin N30LE and LP P6Pro the male vocal is very enjoyable as well. If you happened to have a reference tuning DAP like some of the Lotoo offerings, pair a Eletech Baroque or Symbio W clear can make it sounds fuller.


Treble

The treble of Spring is the unique part of this IEMs. It has brightness and engaging factors, but the timbre is kept in a soft texture. It is very well extended but still laidback. You got a lot of upper-mid/ lower-treble sparkles combined with a very airy super-high frequency to avoid the metallic tones. The cymbal from Spring is one of the best I have ever heard. It sounds realistic and engaging. The incredible amount of air is just like the cherry on the top.

The potential downside of this airy treble tuning is that it may lose some physicality when playing violins and other string instruments. It also doesn’t the attacks when the guitar distortion is needed in rock or metal tracks.

Soundstage

Spring focuses more on the soundstage width than depth. It offers a more expansive/blossom shape soundstage rather than a spherical soundstage. The separation is definitely above the average for IEMs below $1000. As a matter of fact, the separation of Spring is comparable to a lot of more expensive competitors. For orchestras, Spring can handle complex music effortlessly. Spring gives a horizontally wide imaging, and each section of the instrument’s groups are separated accurately.

Comparison

Spring VS Mezzo LE



This is a very interesting in-house comparison. Mezzo LE as the limited flagship model is configured with 2 BA and 1DD and 1 double-layout piezoelectric driver, versus one single dynamic driver in the Spring. Both IEMs share a similar tuning signature. Both Mezzo LE and Spring are tuned to be neutral with a lot of details. The major differences are Mezzo LE offers more body throughout the spectrum. It is more noticeable when you turn all three switches up (rock/metal/EDM tuning). The sub-bass has similar quantity between Spring and Mezzo LE, but Mezzo LE hits slightly harder in the mid-bass and has better bass texture and physicality. In the mid-range, Spring and Mezzo sound really close, despite the Mezzo LE using 2 BA drivers for this particular range, Spring is still that same dynamic driver. The Mezzo LE has a good amount of details in the mid-range, especially in the upper-mid, but Spring doesn’t fall short at all in terms of the detail retrieval. I was surprised considering there is a more than $1000 difference in prices. In treble, Spring is airier than Mezzo LE, Mezzo LE offers better texture and more layers.

Overall, Mezzo LE sounds more organic and thicker than Spring. But the technical performance of these two are very close, much closer than the prices suggested.

Spring VS TS-316



Spring and TS-316 are more relevant competitors. At the $500-700 price range, both of them hold extraordinary value. In terms of comfort and weight, Spring takes a clear lead. It is lighter and the stock cable is softer with better ergonomic. TS-316 is not much heavier than Spring, but the stock cable is noticeably thicker and stiffer than Spring’s stock cable. In terms of sound signature, Spring is neutral with slight treble boost, TS-316 is Harmen with a slight bass boost. The biggest advantage of Spring is the airy treble and extremely wide soundstage. TS-316 on the other hand, has a very natural and impactful sub-bass, the soundstage is a lot deeper than Spring, making it overall more versatile. The resolution and details between these two are very close, TS-316 has clearer and stronger bass details, Spring offers more sparkles and treble details.

Conclusion

Spring is a very unique offering. At the sub $1000 price bracket, there are plenty of IEMs that are tuned neutral but too safe without any signature’s standout. Spring has a very balanced and neutral tuning, and on top of it, it offers a unique and airy treble. The treble alone is good enough to let these beautiful IEMs stand out from its competitors. For a lot of audiophiles “treble heavy” might be a banned word in their preference, because oftentimes “treble heavy” is associated with “overly bright” or “fatiguing”. Spring is one of the few IEMs that pays great attention to the details in treble. It is never too bright and almost laidback. It really brings out a relaxed, airy and inoffensive treble that can rarely be found at this price.

Disclaimer

The review unit is loaned from Musicteck for my honest review. Peacock is now available at Musicteck with an early bird discount!

Introduction

Sendy Audio is a Chinese audio company that just started its business a couple of years ago. Sendy Audio is also known as the Luxury Sub-brand of Sivga Audio. My first and experience with Sendy Audio were with their “Trailblazer” headphones—Aiva. I was thoroughly impressed by the tuning of that headphones. Back then, my verdict to the Aiva was it is extremely fine-tuned headphones with OK to decent technical performance. I was very optimistic about Sendy, and I certainly believe they can continuously deliver great value and quality headphones to the community. Gladly, I found Peacock is a HUGE step up from the Aiva when I put them on my head. I was again stunned by Sendy Audio.



Tech Inside

The primary technology highlights are “Quad Former” Technology and that giant 80mm planar driver! The details of those technologies are shown below (copied from their website).





In reality, I found Peacock has the sense of “reverb” which was rarely heard from other headphones without EQ, and I guess it is caused by the Quad-Former based on the technology descriptions. I will talk more about this in the sound analysis.

Package and Accessory

Like the predecessor Aiva, Peacock comes with the Sendy “Butt Case”. Only this time, the brown leather looks and feels a lot more premium!

The accessory is somewhat basic: it has one 8-core 6N OCC cable terminated in 4.4mm balanced. 2 adapters, one from 4.4mm to 6.35mm single end, another from 4.4mm to 4-pin balanced.

Build Design and Comfort

Peacock has two quite large houses to hold those two giant 88mm drivers. The headphone itself is on the heavier side, but the weight distribution and the ergonomics are fantastic. I can easily wear them the whole day without any issue. The overall comforts are slightly below Empyrean and HD800s(due to the weight), right there with Beyerdynamic T1 & Fostex TH900, definitely top 5 in my collection.

The build quality of Peacock is decent too. The wood frame feels very solid and assembled very well with the gold plate. However, the gold plated looks a bit cheap and plasticky. Most conners and joints are trimmed very well. Peacock’s build quality is definitely above average at the sub $1500 price bracket.


Sound Analysis

Equipment I am using:

Source: SONICTRANSPORTER I5—Bricasti M1SE On Board Player
DAC: Bricasti M1SE/ Gustard X26Pro
AMP: Wells Audio Headtrip II/ Cayin HA300/ SMSL SP400
DAP: Hiby R8

Comparison Headphones: Sennheiser HD800s/LSA HP-1/Hifiman HE-6

Sound Signature

I would use three words to summarize the sound signature of Peacock: Warm, Smooth, and Colored. It has a very decent dynamic performance and quite impressive speed. Although it was tuned more towards warm than neutral, the overall tonality is very appealing. Peacock is one of those “synthetic sounds” but done well. You will find some apparent artificial tastes, but they are beautifully organized together as a whole aural presentation.

The closest headphones to Peacock in terms of sound signature are Audeze LCD3 (pf), and ZMF Verite Closed from all the headphones I have heard. You can imagine a more open, slightly brighter, and more detailed LCD 3 or a more open sounding, slightly warmer ZMF VC then plus a little reverb, minus some transparency, that would be the Peacock.

Stage and Image

The soundstage of Peacock is surprisingly wide horizontally. The instrument separation is also fantastic at its price. The positioning is reasonably good, only in the Z-axis direction, Peacock does reach very far no matter which system I tested it on.

The image is on the larger side, but don’t worry, it is still accurate. The only problem is that some K-pop, J-pop, and C-pop were recorded with a very upfront vocal position; the vocal image appears too large when playing these tracks. I found it sometimes interrupts my enjoyment.

Bass

The bass from Peacock is relaxed with significant decay and great texture. The speed is OK for many genres, but the bass seems a little slow when it comes to Metal and some EDM records. When pair Peacock with Headtrip, the bass is much tighter than the pair with SP400 and HA300.


The sub-bass of Peacock reaches pretty deep, but when it goes to the deepest frequency, the bass started to loosen up, the image begins to diffuse. The mid-bass has enough bass quantity, and the mid-bass attack leans towards the soft and gentle side. You will get an excellent bass texture when listening to the double bass in the jazz and classic tracks, but it is not ideal for electronic bass or bass drums.


Mid

The mid-range is the most attractive part of this headphone. Peacock delivers a significantly more flavored and enjoyable mid-range than many other headphones at this price range like HD800s and LSA-HP-1. I would say the overall mid and vocal performance is very close to Empyrean and ZMF Veritie Closed. Natural tune with a touch of added sweetness and warmness makes the mid of Peacock very invigorating yet smooth.

You can easily grab a ton of details while listening to acoustic guitar and other string instruments sitting between upper-mid to lower treble. The transition is also fantastic from mid to treble. It is gaplessly smooth.

The only part that I don’t like about the mid is the “reverberation”. The added reverberation somehow makes some tracks sound less transparent than those from other headphones that I have tested. Sometimes it is a little bit unnatural.

Treble

The upper range of Peacock is on the neutral to the darker side. It is about as dark as VC( if not darker). The details are there, but the presences are not that dominant because of this dark signature.

The lower treble from Peacock is very smooth and creamy. Some of the cymbals and snare resonances(from upper mid) are noticeably rolled off. At the ultra-high frequency, you will find it is well polished. It is a good yet bad thing. You will have a very easy-going upper treble without any fatigue. Still, as a trade-off, you will also lose the exciting experience when listening to some trumpet-heavy songs.

Comparison

I have compared Peacock to all the headphones in my collection. I was surprised by how close it is to some of the best and most expansive headphones in the market. For the headphones at around the $1500 price range, Peacock is highly competitive.

Peacock v.s. HD800s

Both two headphones have a huge soundstage. You will not have any problem in position and separation with either of these headphones. HD800s is still a better performer in terms of 3-dimensional scaling. But when it comes to texture, tactility, and frequency distribution, Peacock is the superior headphone. You will have a more colorful mid, a more refined treble, and more impactful bass with Peacock.

Peacock v.s. LSA HP-1

HP-1 is one of my best discoveries in 2021 so far. LSA HP-1 is perfectly neutral, uncolored, and pure. Peacock, on the other side, is beautifully colored. It is something that has its own attitude. The bass from HP-1 is tighter and has more attacks, whereas Peacock’s bass is softer but more impactful. The mid from HP-1 is almost perfectly neutral and linear, but Peacock is noticeably colored with more presence between 500Hz to around 2kHz. In the treble, HP-1 has the attack and some well-controlled sparkles that Peacock is missing. Peacock has some smooth yet still fun treble under a creamy coating that can be rarely found from other headphones. Both headphones are masterpieces at this price!

Peacock v.s. HE6

HE6 was my reference headphones under $2000. The synergy between HE6 and Headtrip is fabulous. With power, HE6 can deliver a crystal clear sound, TOTL level clarity, and transparency. HE6 is all about micros, where you can get an insane amount of details, very precise microdynamics, extremely fitted image size… However, Peacock is always more enjoyable to my ears when it comes to the musicality, engagement, fluidity, macro soundstage, and tonality.

Ultimately, I would rank Peacock, 1 tier below Susvara, 1266, and D8000 pro for the overall placement. A half tier above HD8000s and TH900, and pretty much the same tier with LSA-HP1 and Hifiman HE6( with proper amp).



Final Verdict

Peacock is one of the best headphones I discovered in 2021, along with HP-1. It not only has a beautiful design and comfortable fit but also sounds fantastic. The unique yet enjoyable tuning can easily draw your attention in a mild and gentle approach. It quickly took the place of HD800s in my line-up as my new so-called “multitasking” headphones. I really enjoy using Peacock while working or reading. The sound is cozy, refined, and comforting, just like a cup of Latte that can relieve all your tiredness. I highly recommend you test Peacock. If you like its tuning, it may be a “giant killer” for you.

A Wonderful Work of Art—Unique Melody Mason Fabled Sound(FS) Review

Introduction
Unique Melody is running crazy lately. With the releases of MEST, MEST MKII, 3DT, and now Mason Fabled Sound (and the Fusang). It is undoubtedly one of the most heated IEMs brands now. The application of bone conduction drivers (BCD) is definitely attention-grabbing to us audiophiles and successfully brought this veteran IEMs manufacturer back to life. Based on my experience, Mason FS is a clear step-up of MEST and MKII regarding the utilization of BCD. It is truly something unique, and nothing sounds like it so far. The $6000 price tag is not that approachable to all of us, just like when Traillii was launched. But when considering the exclusiveness and the premium quality, it might worth it. In this review, I will talk in detail about how Mason FS feels and sounds.

Disclaimer: This pair was loaned to me by Andrew from MusicTeck who is a dealer based in NJ. He carries an amazing selection of products including IEMs, portable music players, headphones and cables.

Packaging and Accessory
Mason has decent packaging and accessory sets as always. I want to point out that the leather case from Dignis is terrific, and the quality is extremely high class. The Azla Xelastec tips are always my goto tips for all my IEMs, but the stock black/blue silicone tips sometimes provide me a more open sound when pair with Mason. Overall, I would give Mason’s packaging a solid A, not the most luxurious looking like VE’s but very practical.

The “Attila”

Attila is the custom cable that comes with Mason FS. According to the UM, Attila is specially tuned for Mason FS, manufactured by PWAudio. For its exterior and stand-alone price($1999), I initially guessed it was based on the 1960s 4 wires. Unfortunately, I no longer own the 1960s, but I have the stock cable for Traillii, which is based on 1960s 4 wires. Interestingly enough, I found these two cables are quite different.
The Attila is a bit stiffer than the Traillii’s cable. It may be because the Attila is still relatively new or the inner shielding or core materials are indeed different. Sonically, Attila has a better dynamic, and it also makes the bass to mids sounds more bodied and has a better texture. However, the treble from Attila is not as airy as the Traillii’s cable. Oddly, pairing Attila with Traillii creates a great synergy, even better than the Traillii stock combo, mainly in image and dynamic. Not the other way around, Mason FS with Traillii’s cable makes some flat and dull sounds. Both cables are of TOTL quality, but the Attila is closer to my preference, and in my opinion, the Attila has slightly better quality. (Note: Results were concluded from the tests based on both Mason & Traillii).

Sound

Mason FS is the true Unique Melody. It is something that I have never heard before in my life from both IEMs and full-size cans’ camps. However, you can still tell it is from the UM, and it is in Mason’s line-up as it shares a similar reference tuning trend as the previous Mason V3 and V3+. UM further enhanced the term “reference” with Mason FS as it delivers an extremely neutral tonality, a photorealistic texture & image, and a perfect spherical soundstage. It outperforms almost all the IEMs I have heard in technical performance, except Traillii in the soundstage size comparison.

Timbre and Tonality
The timbre of Mason is superb, and I am pretty certain it is the most appealing one I have heard. It is mellow but not soft at all. Every note has an exceptionally well-polished edge, and in the meanwhile being very rich and solid. Nothing harsh or brassy. It also sits in the perfect neutral place between bright and dark. I am completely falling in love with FS’s timbre, and it is the absolute king in the realm of timbre and texture. Surprisingly, I found most of the other TOTL IEMs are pretty far away from the throne, with only a few exceptions like Erlkonig, which is close but still not there.
In terms of tonality, I found FS is on the neutral-warm side. It has some lovely sweet and warm tones but without fuzziness. It mixes the attractive warmth and world-class resolution perfectly. FS also has a slight emphasis on mid-bass, making the overall sound super authoritative and powerful.

Bass
As I mentioned above, FS has a slightly emphasized mid-bass. The sub-bass is awesome too, but just not as prominent as the mid-bass. Therefore, the overall bass performance is on the clean, fast, and hard-hitting side, not the warm, rumbly bass. Meanwhile, I found the bass notes from FS are always in precise figures and retain a beautiful physicality throughout the lower frequency. It punches really hard, and I can almost air is squeezed out of the bass drum and hit right in my face.

The signature of FS’s bass is quite versatile. I found it suits perfectly with many genres, and it really shines out with some rock and metal tracks. As I was testing the In Waves from Trivium, FS keeps delivering the fast, clean and punchy drum lines that are heavenly satisfying. Similarly, with funk and instrumental jazz or fusion, FS’s tight and punchy bass makes the tracks sound clean and fluid. For classics, I think it is down to your preference. If you prefer some tight and precise bass, I think FS is spot on, and it is undoubtedly one of the best, if not the best. However, if you are looking for some rich sub-bass and craving bass rumbles, there are some better choices like Thummim.

Mids
As much as I wish to hold myself and write an objective review, I can’t while writing this part.
Like lots of the users have declared in the forum. Mason is the Mid King. However, I don’t think UM engineers have added extra spices to the mids, but they amazingly utilized the bone conduction system on the Mason FS. To me, it is again the uncannily beautiful texture and timbre that play a critical role here. The mids and vocals from FS are not upfront or sit backward. They are again at the almost perfect “reference” position, which sounds very natural to me. Now, here is the magic, the mids and vocals from Mason are incredibly life-like. As mids are the most familiar ranges to most of us, you will be more likely to have an “emotional echo” with FS’s mids. I have tested so many vocals from both females and males. I also tried lots of mids-centric acoustic guitar and piano tracks, all of them sound insanely well. There are no artificial flavors added to this beautiful mids, but the natural, pure sounds constantly hold my breath.

Treble
If I have to pick my least favorite parts from Mason FS, it would be the treble. However, by no means, Mason’s treble is bad. To my ears, the treble from Mason is silky smooth with nothing harsh or raspy. Meanwhile, the treble extends very high and creates some decent air. I can feel that UM is trying to tune the treble of Mason to be “flawless”, but to me, the biggest flaw of Mason's treble is being “flawless”. I always wanted some sparkles or even some edges to add excitement to the music, but that cannot be found from Mason without EQ. It is not very noticeable of lacking excitement while playing vocals or classics, but it is pretty apparent for cymbals heavy tracks such as Metal.

Soundstage and Image
The soundstage of Mason FS is perfectly spherical. You can quickly get a holographic “vision” once you plug them in. With the bone conduction system, you will also get an immersive feel which you can rarely find in a personal audio system, IEMs, headphones, 2.1 speakers, all included. MEST MKII has already given me that sense, but Mason FS is providing me the grown-up feelings. Mason FS will lead you to the stage where the instruments and singers are surrounding you. You can have the sounds from the top/ bottom, left/ right, front/back, and you are coated by the music.
The images are one of the most accurate and natural images that I have got from the IEMs. The images are not too far nor too close, and meanwhile, it has completely no compromise in size and thickness. All notes retain exact precise figures from bass to treble. Combined with the soundstage signature, Mason FS creates the most photorealistic images I have ever heard. However, due to the excellent thickness and fullness in imaging, Mason FS is not the most spacious and open-sounding IEMs. Mason FS perfectly mingles the involving and resolving natures of the high-end audio gears.

Comparison
For all the IEMs I have heard, the bird Traillii is the only one that comes close to Mason FS and worth comparing. And it is quite interesting comparing “ The Wood” versus “ The Bird”.


Design & Fit
Mason FS offers prestige stabilized Cholla shells coated by blue resin that look absolutely stunning and unique. The shells are slightly on the larger side especially come to the nozzles. Fortunately, they are not making any trouble to my medium size ears. As a reference, VE Erlkonig is the largest shape I can bear, and FS is more ergonomic than VE and fits me better.
Traillii offers custom faceplates. The default shell design is classic but not outstanding. The design is outperformed by Mason in the side-by-side comparison. The build quality is very close to Mason, but I would still give the edge to the Wood. However, the fitting is better on Traillii, the Bird has thinner nozzles, and I think it is slightly lighter than Mason.

Packaging and Accessories
Hands down, Mason is the clear winner. Compared to the closefisted Oriolus, UM offers way better packaging and a lot more accessories. Mason comes with a more excellent hard case than the generic 50 cents parper case that comes with Traillii. Mason also has one of the most premium leather carrying cases from Dignis that is aesthetically beautiful and practically durable. Meanwhile, Mason comes with 3 sets of tips: Azla Xelastec tips (S/MS/M), Comply foam tips, and the house custom black silicone tips. All three tips are excellent in quality. Oh, also, the small magnetic shirt clip is a lot more useful than you would expect. Plus, Musicteck is offering a similar and better/larger (than Traillii’s) VN case as a bonus.

Drivability/Sensitivity
Both Mason and Traillii are easy to drive. I found Traillii is less picky about the source and slightly easier to drive. Mason is not hard to drive, but it is very fastidious about the source.
Due to the fact that Mason is having a reference and slightly flat sound signature, the less dynamic/gentle tuned AK devices are not ideal with FS. Things like R2R DAPs and tube amps are giving some nice flavors to the Mason. DAP like R8 that provides an excellent dynamic and a decent EQ system is not bad for Mason as well. With better DAC and AMPs, Mason FS can noticeably stack up. On my desktop setup (Bricasti M1SE + Cayin HA300), Mason sounds speechlessly amazing despite there is a noise floor from the 8W tube amp, lol.

Traillii, on the other hand, is more source-friendly. It will have great synergies with the major high-end DAPs that are currently in the market. The only thing you might need to care about when selecting the source for Traillii is the “control” in sound. With some external amps, the Traillii can sound shouty and less natural. But still, I found Traillii is a lot easier to the sources.



Sound
Having both Mason and Traillii is just the end of the game, no more searching and no more wrangling. Both of them are amazing, but they are very different and almost antipodal in tuning ideology.
In the overall signature, Mason focuses more on texture and tactility. It has wonderful microdynamics that can send the tiniest vibration changes to your ears. It sounds incredibly natural and realistic but unique too. Overall, it is more artistic and authoritative than Traillii in terms of tuning.

Traillii, on the other hand, sounds more open and buzzy. It is emotional and always energetic. It is the most open-sounding IEMs I have listened to so far. The soundstage is simply excellent from Traillii. It has the most expansive stage from and IEMs, and you can hear all the details are flying around you. So, in my opinion, Traillii has a more attention-grabbing tuning than Mason.

In the bass, Mason has the emphasis on mid-bass. It is fast, clean and punchy. Traillii has more sub-bass rumbles and sounds more linear. In mids, Mason has the unique tactility which nothing can come even close. Traillii’s mid is not bad, but compare to Mason, it is generic, and I won’t be surprised that you can find a similar or even better mids than Traillii’s at a lower price range. But you can never find the mid-frequency from any other IEMs that are similar to Mason, period. Traillii’s treble shines out! It is sparkling, airy, and full of energy. It always catches my attention while listening to them. Mason’s treble is slightly darker than Traillii, a little less sparkling, and less energetic. But Mason’s treble is even smoother and more natural than Traillii. It is the smoothest treble and sounds very mature and well polished.

So, in conclusion, Traillii is the King of Mainstream IEMs. You might hear many IEMs similar to Traillii, but no one is tuned as well as Traillii in that genre. Mason is the leader of a revolution, and it truly opened up a new feel of the sound. It brought the sound with one extra dimension. Nothing comes close to Mason in terms of sound signature, and it is still tuned beautifully with all the high-end performance you are expecting.

Final Verdict
Mason is crazy. I still find myself wordless in describing how it sounds. Mason FS is for sure the groundbreaker to the industry with the fantastic utilization of bone conduction drivers. It added tactility to the sound, which has never been done before. Even the in-house MEST MKII is not close in terms of the “bone conduction effect”. As a $6000 MSRP IEMs, by no means I should say it is a bargain. But for the uniqueness, exclusiveness, and awesomeness of Mason FS in sound and design, I think it is definitely worth the price tag. Ultimately, you are getting the finest made audio gear with an exclusive sound signature and technical performance that can never be found elsewhere.

Disclaimer: I reached out to Andrew from MusicTeck to see if he would allow me to try Elysium and he gracefully said yes and shipped one to me very quickly. Nothing was promised other than I would return the unit in good condition if I do not decide to purchase it. Yes, unfortunately I have purchased my review unit.

https://shop.musicteck.com/collecti...ts/vision-ears-elysium?variant=32293070110782


VE has been one of the most saluted IEMs brands for years. Almost all VE’s IEMs I have heard have a very unique yet mature “signature sound.” My journey with VE starts from VE6, and it was my second CIEM. I can still remember how fun and invigorating it was. In recent years, VE released Premium Line UIEMs-- Erlkonig, EVE20, and the star of tonight-- Elysium. Unlike Ely’s big brother Erlkonig which was an “immediate buy,” I was quite hesitant pulling the trigger on Ely, mainly because of the tribrid configuration I am not a fan of. Up to now, I have spent quite a while with Ely, and it impressed me every single day. I’m now ready to share my impressions and recommend this masterpiece to audiophiles. VE products are now available at Musicteck.com.

Design and Fit

The design of Elysium is ingenious! Ely’s faceplate is relatively simple than aggressive. The blue squamaceous on the transparent acrylic shells look premium. You can easily see through the shells and find the BA (bass), DD( mids), and EST(Treble) drivers sitting there. If I am not wrong, the shell is fully filled and only left the caves for each driver, which maximum the protection for drivers from expected outside vibration and damage.


Ely’s shape is very slim, and I assume it will fit very well with most ears. The nozzle is slightly on the thicker side, but with the stock SpinFIt tips, it was not a big issue in terms of fitting. But sometimes, I do feel a bit of pressure after a long listening session. Overall, Ely is a very comfortable UIEM, apparently much more comfortable than Erlknoig, much more comfortable.


Cable and Tips

The stock cable is made in 8 cores high purity SPC, 28 AWG. It is not the most outstanding stock in nowadays arm race, but it is certainly not bad either in any sense. The cable shielding is ultra-soft and light, with no issues across the frigid winter here in Ohio. It never becomes sturdy, which is a big plus in practice.

There are two sets of stock tips-- SpinFit C145 silicone tips (SML) and EPros horn-shaped tips (SML). Well, I completely don’t get the point of including EPros tips in the package because I never successfully installed them on Ely…

For tip rolling, I have tried AZLA Sedna Xelesitics, SednaEarfit; Final E; Sony Hybrid; Symbio W tips. I found the stock C145 gives me the best fit and the most balanced sound. WIth Xelestics, the stage seems to become a touch wider, but both treble and bass with a bit rolled off. SednaEarfit and Final E have marginally killed the bass, but the treble becomes even faster than SpinFit. Sony Hybrid made the mids sound a bit awkward, and there is some noticeable distortion when play strings. Symbio was my all-time favorite for IEMs like Dita XLS and EE Zeus. But with Elysium, I found the lower mid is a bit too fat for my liking. So, after a quick-rolling, I found myself preferring stock C145 over others. It was a clean call.

Sound


Overall Impression

The sound signature of Ely reminds me of Focal Utopia but minus some bass impact. Both of them have great details, both of them have very vivid/fast trebles, and there is a lovely shiny layer on both headphones. Back to Ely itself, I would describe it as neutral, balanced with a slight mid to treble enhancement and a touch of warmth underneath. The dynamic mids driver creates a very realistic timbre and an excellent texture for most instruments and vocals, separated Ely from most TOTL IEMs. Simply put, it is a fun, engaging, and revealing sound that I was chasing.

Stage and Image

Like I mentioned above, Ely is like an IEM version of Utopia. It applies to both PROs and CONs. Both Ely and Utopia have relatively intimate soundstages. Although neither of them sounds crowded, I still find them a little bit hurry-scurry when playing large bands/ symphony orchestra music. The overall image is very centered on Ely. Thankfully, the image size isn’t too big, so the sound is not clustered as a big mess. The overall texture is still superior as it should be (for the price).
However, an intimate soundstage is not always a bad thing. When it comes to vocal performance, Ely can drag all my attention towards the singer. It is pure enjoyment like you are doing a singer audition and he or she is singing for you and you only.

Bass

The bass from Elysium is very accurate and controlled. It is very tight and articulate. By the nature of BA drivers, the sub-bass of Elysium is not the most impactful one especially compare to bass beasts like MMR Thummim. It rebounds quickly without any sloppy edges. In the mid-bass, Elysium remains linear and clean. There is a small hump at this frequency range, but it is done nicely without being stiffy or overly warm.
I am sure a particular group of people is craving this type of bass-- linear, clean, fast, and full of details. If you are one of them, Elysium can be very satisfying. When I was playing some instrumental progressive rocks, I found this type of bass is spot on. I can easily follow those comprehensive bass lines without any muddy notes, nor the unwilling rumbles interrupt my enjoyment.

Mid

In my opinion, mid is what we are paying for the Elysium. The mid of Ely really shines out, and the mid of Elysium is still lingering around my head. The HALC dynamic driver VE put in Elysium does play some magic here. The great texture and super-natural timbre from the HALC driver is something I never heard before. It is realistic and almost physical to my ears.
The lower-mid of Ely filled the body of the BA bass, which makes the lower frequency has a nice weight and transit smoothly from upper-bass to the lower-mid. When listening to Marcus Miller’s bass solo with Ely, you can feel all the nice notes were delivered to you with incredible thickness, fluidity, and some very accurate pitches.

The upper mid is very consistent with the lower-mid. It sounds very natural but with a touch more added-on youthfulness and vivid coloration. The snare resonances are presented very livelily and being crystal clear. Also, you can get some nice jazzy dry cymbal attacks. All of these instrumental performances are super attractive.

How about vocals? It is simply amazing! The vocals are not very upfront; however, due to the mid-centered stage(both horizontal and vertical), the singer will still grab your attention but not in an aggressive/ forceful way. You will naturally pay more attention to the singers not the instruments. When you calm down and listen to the vocals, you will find tons of details, and these details drag you closer emotionally to the music. All these combined as a beautiful world, and you are lying there.

Treble

When it comes to the electrostatics treble drivers, it is like the chocolate box in Tom Hanks’s hands. You never know what you are going to get. Some e-stats treble drivers will give you some detailed but fatiguing treble, which can turn treble into big trouble. However, when the electrostatic drivers were appropriately tuned, it can create some astonishing energetic and airy sounds.
I was not a fan of e-stats treble, mainly because t other IEMs have e-stats treble are a bit too sharp for me. At a certain level, I can’t bear the edgy sounds from the e-stat drivers in those IEMs. However, VE has done a fantastic job in tuning these drivers. The treble from Ely is smooth, elegant, and relaxing. It is still sparkling when the music needs it to be. Most importantly, the treble from Elysium is very coherent with the mid and bass. It does not stand out and stand alone. The treble served with mid and bass as an entity, but the clarity and transparency that e-stats drivers provided is something traditional BA solutions can never catch up with.

Comparisons


Elysium VS FiR M5

FiR is my reference Tribrid IEMs. It has great details, resolution, soundstage, and a relatively neutral tonality. M5 has the “regular” tribrid configuration where a dynamic driver takes over bass, BA for Mid and e-stats for treble.

In comparison, M5 has more bass impact and more rumbles. Although as of dynamic bass driver M5’s bass is slightly on the gentle side in terms of impact and attack, it is still more impactful than Ely. You can also find more dynamic bass decay from M5, which Elysium is lacking. Also due to this fact, M5 has more vertical space and creates more headroom.

However, when it comes to the mid, Elysium completely take this part. Ely has significantly more mid presence, it is more bodied and more forward. M5 is slightly recessed in comparison. When playing vocals, I feel Elysium always make me more involved. Elysium also has more warmth from lower-mid and upper bass. Again, the HALC dynamic driver is amazing!

As of treble, I found M5 has a slightly sharpened edge, it is not fatiguing but certainly not as controlled as Ely. However, I also found at 10K and above M5 does has an airier sound. I got a better sense of the music breathe in and out with M5. Ely’s treble is more coherent with mid and bass. It is almost as energetic and dynamic as M5, and it has more body than the M5. So overall, for long listening sessions Elysium is more comfortable.



Elysium VS MMR Thummim

Thummim is the flagship from MMR, it also has the “regular” tribrid configuration like M5.

Elysium and Thummim are completely different, nothing alike! Thummim has a thunder roaring sub-bass. It has crazy amount of decay and rumbles. It is probably the most rumbly bass I have ever heard in IEMs. Elysium on the other hand, has a much quicker and tighter bass. Although Ely’s bass quantity is not even close to the Thummim, I still prefer Ely’s bass in terms of quality. The bass from Ely is more detailed and more flexible for different music genres.

The mid from Thummim is slightly recessed but not in a beautiful way. There are some nice sweet, warm tones from the Thummim’s mid. I was really addicted to the mid from Thummim, the warmth is just right on. The mid from Ely is also wonderful, it is more natural and more fluid than Thummim. Plus, the Ely has some nice and unique timbres that are provided by the HALC.

Treble is a very close contest. Both Ely and Thummim has a great treble but in a very different way. Thummim is naturally expanded, it can reach really high and still being stable and smooth. It has more sparkles than the Elysium. Elysium’s treble has more blood and flesh, though it is also more controlled. Treble from the Ely doesn’t fly as high as Thummim, but always has a clearer image from Ely than Thummim. So, in this competition it really depends on your preference.

Conclusion

Elysium, as its name indicates, is a true wonderland of music. I am enjoying listening to it all the time. It delivers such a vivid sound while none of the frequencies performed like outlaws. From bottom to the top, every note has a unique timbre but still serves the music like one entity. The magical sounds from HALC driver are fantastic and so memorable. Both technical performance and musical performance are top of the line, no doubt. In the end, I am surprised yet not surprised that VE has offered us another unbelievable creature. I cannot image what product will come next, but Vision Ears, you had my wallet!

Intro

(First of all huge thanks to Andrew at MusicTeck for helping me with the audition and purchase process. He made this entire process so easy and pleasant. If you are interested in UM products, please check out his shop at https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/um-unique-melody)

UM Mason V3+ and Mentor V3+ are the newest flagship from UM. As an owner of both Mason V3 and Mentor V3, I would say V3+ series has significant improvements from V3 series in terms of both sound and build quality. The stock cables are also improved from 4 cores to 8 cores, the newly added “cable switch” feature also allows users to have two different sound signatures by simply switching left and right side of the cable. The special designed official upgrade cable by EA make the sounds even more precious (which I will talk about in next section).

The newer Mason V3+ used the same 16 BA drivers and 4-ways configuration as V3 but UM retuned them to kind of a different signature. Mentor V3+ also used the same drivers’ setup as V3, in the meanwhile, UM kept the beloved sound signature of Mentor V3 with significant improvements in soundstage, resolutions and FQ balance. As of my impressions, I really appreciate UM are carefully listening to customers’ feedback and made some upgrades accordingly.

This review, I will focus on sound impressions of each model, and I will also make a huge TOTL IEMs comparison in the end.

Cables

Both Mason V3+ and Mentor V3+ are using the same 8 cores cable with 4 cores in silver 4 cores in copper. Generally, when connecting with the silver side(default) both models sound more energetic and tighter, when switch to the copper side both of sound warmer and more bass oriented. I personally prefer connecting silver side with Mason to add more treble sparkles and use copper side with Mentor to add a bit mid-range thickness. Both positions are very balanced plus the db-Go switch you will eventually find a best combination that is best for you.

Sound Impressions and In-House Battle

This review is based on db-Go switch fully closed (max bass quantity). The player I used for this review is SP1000.

Mason V3+

I was quite shocked when I was listening to the Mason V3+. It is so different from the original Mason V3, it is so hard to believe V3 and V3+ are using the same drivers! The overall signature of Mason V3+ is clearly warmer and juicier. Previously, I was not a fan of Mason V3, I do like the huge soundstage and the bright yet euphoric treble that V3 offered, however, they always sound a bit hollow to me, especially in the lower end. The extra thickness Mason V3+ offered is a game changer in my opinion, and I will talk about these changes in detail.

Bass

I received Sony IER-Z1R and Mason V3+ on the same day, I never expecting Mason V3+ can match the bass of a dynamic driver bass master, however, they are not so far away.

The sub-bass from Mason V3+ is deep and fast, that is an ideal bass for my taste. In comparison with Z1R, I find Z1R has more quantity and decay than Mason, while Mason is deeper, faster and cleaner. Mason V3+’s mid-bass is more of a relaxing style than aggressive style. The mid bass attacks softer than Z1R. As a result, Mason V3+ is not as “exciting” as Z1R, however, Mason V3+ has a way better transition from bass to mid.

I think both IEMs can represent the best bass quality in their own campaign (BA drivers and Dynamic drivers). I was quite surprised that Mason V3+ can improve so much from Mason V3 in bass region. So far, I’m confident to say that Mason V3+ has one of the best bass in all BA IEMs I have heard.

Mid

The mid of Mason V3+ is very neutral, and it is a part that can remind people V3+ is sharing the same DNA from Mason V3. However, there are still some noticeable differences between V3+ and V3. Mason V3+ is generally richer and warmer than Mason V3. The extra lower-mid quantity on Mason V3+ make the transition much smoother and suits more music genres. With previous Mason V3, it is a bit unnatural when listening to male vocals which is no longer an issue with Mason V3+. The mid-range resolution is still at the top of IEMs’ game. It is very easy to pick up microdetails when listen to instrumental music. The upper-mid of Mason V3+ is very coherent with treble and mid. Although Mason V3+ has added warmth and thickness in the mid- range it, I would still categorize Mason V3+ as a reference tuning IEMs. Also due to the extra warmth on Mason V3+, it is not as analytical as Mason V3 which makes Mason V3+ the most balanced IEMs in terms of analytical and musical.

Treble

Mason V3+’s treble is extremely smooth and fluid with just right amount of quantity when pairing with the silver side connection. When pairing with the copper side, I do feel the treble is a little bit rolled off compare to Mason V3.

Original Mason V3 was famous for its realistic treble. I’m glad that UM didn’t change this part. Although Mason V3+ increased the thickness in basically all parts, there is still enough space to fill in air between notes. However, as a tradeoff, the treble from Mason V3+ is not as euphoric as Mason V3. The treble timbre of Mason V3+ is not like EE’s Zeus series, which is bright and energetic, but very natural and very comfortable for long-term listening. This treble signature of Mason V3+ make it perfect for instrumental jazz. I can easily listen to as many albums as I want without any tiredness.

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage of original Mason V3 is wide enough but not so deep vertically, it is more like a huge 2D picture instead of a 3D image. With Mason V3+ the soundstage depth is significantly improved; it is more harmonic than Mason V3 as well as many TOTL IEMs which is quite impressive. The overall more airy than previous Mason V3. Also, the increase of the soundstage depth allowed Mason V3+ has a more accurate in instruments positioning and more a realistic image, especially pair with silver side.

Summary

Original Mason V3 is already a masterpiece in terms of frequency balance and technology. It was one of the most forgiving headphones. However, it is a bit hollow in the lower-end and a bit flat in terms of overall imaging.

This time the upgraded Mason V3+ is at least a richer and fuller version of Mason V3+. With the improvement in soundstage and resolution, Mason V3+ is clearly one of the most versatile IEMs and to be honest, I haven’t find one IEMs that is more versatile than Mason V3+, I tested most of the genres from EDM to classic, from metal to POP I can’t really find a genre that Mason V3+ is not good at. In my opinion, Mason V3+ is one of the IEMs that is closest to the end-game solution.

Mentor V3+

Unlike Mason V3, I was a huge fan of the original Mentor V3. It is one of the most unique and fun IEMs that I have ever listened to. Mentor V3+ continued the same path of Mentor V3, it is still very unique and fun, I feel it is so hard to take them off my ears especially when I was listening to EDM and metal songs.

Bass

The bass from Mentor V3+ is slightly more pounced and weighted than Mason V3+ especially the mid-bass. However, bass from Mentor doesn’t reach as deep as Mason, Mentor focus more on mid-bass attack. Both Mason and Mentor have a very fast bass, however when connecting Mason with copper side, the bass is slightly slower and has more decay.

Even though the bass from Mentor V3+ has more bass quantity, it doesn’t leak into mid. It is very well controlled; the bass clarity is also just as good as Mason.

Mid

The mid from Mentor V3+ is thinner than Mason V3+, which made Mentor V3+ V-shaped. Mentor V3+ doesn’t have deep male vocals, however, for most female vocals I do find Mentor sound livelier than Mason.

Mentor V3+ does sound slightly fuller than Mentor V3, mainly in the lower-mid, which makes the transition smoother than Mentor V3. However, it is a perfect curve as Mason V3+, but still outperformed most of the IEMs that are in this “fun” tuning or V-shaped category.

Another thing that differentiate Mentor V3+ from other V-shaped headphones is that the Mentor V3+ was tuned to have a leaner but not recessed at all. Mid is still presented up front, the instruments are still detailed (similar to original V3). It just doesn’t have as much energy as two ends.

Treble

Mentor V3+ is noticeably brighter or sharper (depends on your taste) than Mason. It is very attention grabbing, very excited but not too sharp. The treble from Mentor is very lively and youthful, it has nothing related to “laid-back”. If the treble from Mason is a flowing spring, then the treble from Mentor is a running river. It is fast, sparkling but a little rough for some tracks.

In my opinion this type of treble sounds great only when there is a solid bass too. Luckily, Mentor V3+’s bass is solid enough to hold this wild treble.

Also, I think treble is the most different part between Mentor and Mason. Especially when listening to violins. The violins from Mason sounds more fluid with more flesh, it is also slower with more decay. Mentor on the contrary, sounds livelier and grainier if make any sense.

Soundstage and Imaging

Mentor V3 didn’t have impressive soundstage in both width and depth. However, for audiophiles who love the signature of Mentor I presume that was not big issue. The overall imaging of Mentor V3 was very straightforward -- lean and clear.

The improvement of Mason V3+’s soundstage applies here too. As a matter of fact, Mentor V3+’s soundstage is pretty close to Mason V3+. The soundstage width is slightly narrower than Mason, the depth is a tiny bit shorter if not identical. Both Mentor V3+ and Mason V3+ have a better shaped soundstage and better layering than V3.

The resolution of Mentor V3+ is not as clear as Mason, Mason has a cleaner presentation in treble, lower-mid and upper-mid but not by much. Therefore, the overall impression of Mentor is more energetic, more uplifting but less refined compare to Mason.

Summary

From V3, I no longer thought that Mentor is the “sub-flagship” of Mason. Mentor was designed more like the “co-flagship” with Mason. V3+ series reinforced this idea. I do feel Mentor come closer to Mason in technology and sound quality. I won’t be surprised if someone prefer Mentor over Mason.

Mentor V3+ is very purposeful, it is the heaven for people who love slightly V-shaped, fun tuning or maybe aggressive headphones. It is youth and energetic but not as neutral as Mason V3+.

In House Battle

I have done some comparisons in the impressions above. Here I want to emphasize some points, hopefully this can help make the best choice.

1. Mason has a deeper and cleaner sub-bass. Mentor has more bass decay and punchier mid-bass.
   
   
2. Mason has better mid and treble resolution, slightly better imaging and larger soundstage but very close (about 5%).
   
   
3. Mason has a thicker, richer mid. It is more obvious when testing male vocals. However, the mid from Mentor is livelier but lighter which suits better for female vocals.
   
   
4. Treble is where most of the differences come from. Mason has a smoother and extremely fluid treble, very comfortable and relaxing. Mentor’s treble extends further, has more energy and sparkles, more attention grabbing.
   
   
5. They are very different, maybe more different than I described.

Comparisons

This is a giant comparison between five BA IEMs: Mason V3+, Mentor V3+, A18t, VE Erlkonig, JH Layla1; and two hybrid IEMs: Tia Fourte and IER-Z1R(borrowed). The comparison is fully subjective, generally, I prefer richer and thicker sound.

All of these headphones were tested on sp1000 balanced output.

Mason V3+ with db-Go off (max bass), silver side connected, stock cable.

Mentor V3+ with db-Go off (max bass), copper side connected, stock cable.

A18t with M20 module, PW1960s 4 wires.

VE Erlkonig setting 2, stock cable.

JH Layla1 bass switch to 4o’clock, Whiplash Twag V3 8 wires.

Tia Forte, Plussound Tri-Copper 4 wires.

IER-Z1R, stock cable.

Tested albums (from Tidal HiFi):

Classic: 100 Essentials of Classical Music

EDM: Born by Mitis

Metal/Rock: Pressure by Wage War

Vocals: True Believers by Darius Rucker, The Best of Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston

1. Mason V3+ vs A18t

Mason has more sub-bass quantity and slightly deeper sub-bass. Mason also has slightly better bass clarity, both of them are not very punchy in mid-bass, however, I do feel Mason is slightly warmer and more natural than A18t.

Both of them are very neutral in mid, Mason is slightly fuller and richer. A18t is leaner and crispier. The resolution and clarity are quite similar (A18t finally has a hard rival).

A18t has further treble extension, however the transition from mid to treble is not as smooth as Mason (not very close). A18t also have slightly more pounced details, Mason has a more natural presentation.

Mason has a deeper but slightly narrower soundstage, A18t has wider but slightly shorter soundstage the soundstages are super close, and I may wrong in this comparison. The over all image of Mason V3+ is fuller but a litter far, A18t is slightly more in your face but has more space is separation.


Final thoughts: I do prefer Mason V3+ over A18t considering I paired a $2000 cable for A18t. Mason is overall warmer than A18t, both of them are extremely detailed, however Mason is just smoother and more musical than A18t, to my ears, even with the highly musical cable PW1960s, A18t is still too analytical for my taste.

One of the biggest problems A18t is that it pounced the details too loud, it definitely proved that A18t is one of the most technical advanced IEMs, but I really don’t where to focus on when listening to music. Mason V3+ hided the details behind the main notes, which has a way more organic imaging than A18t.

1. Mason V3+ vs VE Erlkonig

This is the most enjoyable comparison I have ever done, but it is also very hard to pick a winner.

Basically, Erlkonig has an even fuller, thicker and warmer from lower end to mid. It is extremely musical and smooth from bottom to the top. When listening to vocals I was led to a very emotional mood, Erlkonig is easily the most musical headphones I have ever heard.

However, I do find Mason V3+ has a better resolution and clear upper-mid to treble. Also, Mason reach deeper in sub-bass, Erlkonig is more impactful in mid-bass.
Mason V3+ also has a wider soundstage, while Erlkonig has a deeper and better shaped stage, instruments were placed at a more appealing positions, in comparison Mason V3+ is more open sounding but also more distant.


Final thoughts: Clearly Mason V3+ and Erlkonig are my favorites for now. Subjectively speaking, I slightly prefer Erlkonig over Mason V3+ due to the extreme musical sounding and the warmer and richer signatures of Erlkonig. However, I have to say, analytical speaking Mason V3+ is better in resolution, transparency, clarity, soundstage size and treble extension.

1. Mason V3+ vs Tia Fourte

Tia Fourte is the brightest treble in my entire collection, it probably has the most elastic bass too. The sound signature is closer to Mentor (but still different) V3+ than Mason. To me Mason V3+ has slightly more details and the overall sound is more balanced. However, the Tia Fourte’s elastic and tight bass is so unforgettable. I generally use TF as my gym IEMs, it seems I can lift higher weights when I heard that bass.


Final Thoughts: I do appreciate both IEMs. Here is the story, I passed TF when I first time tried them. The recessed and thin mid was the deal breaker, the treble was also too bright for me. However, after days, I just can’t forget that tight and elastic bass as well as the enormous soundstage and I finally bought a used TF from eBay. Mason V3+ is a perfect balanced flawless IEMs to me but it lacks a little bit of uniqueness compare to TF.

1. Mentor V3+ vs Layla 1

Layla is a all time classic to me. It is very well balanced, the sound from Layla is very flat with huge soundstage and solid bass. I think Layla is the OG of reference tuning IEMs, A18t and Mason V3 are more or less inspired by Layla. However, 5 years has past, Layla does fall short in resolution and clarity, but it is still very competitive at around $1000 used market. When paired Layla with Twag V3 which is a cable close to $1000, the overall price is close to Mentor V3+ (but still a not small price gap). However, the over all sound quality can’t really match Mentor V3+. Mentor V3+ is a clear step up from almost every aspect, except soundstage width.

1. Mentor V3+ vs A18t

Mentor V3+ and A18t is at a similar price range, Mentor is cheaper by $400. They have completely different sound signatures, as Mentor has a more fun and energetic tonality, A18t is more balanced and reference tuned.

Both of them have a very speedy bass, Mentor has slightly more decay and the mid-bass is also punchier, while A18t reaches slightly deeper and slightly faster. In the mid-range A18t is fuller and thicker with more pronounced details. In the treble, Mentor V3+ has slightly more peaks and sparkles, but A18t has better texture and further treble extension.

The resolution and soundstage are quite close, A18t has more details but not by much. Mentor has slightly deeper soundstage but also narrower (narrower than Mason V3+).


Final thoughts: I think both of them are masters of their own. If you prefer some modern or aggressive genres, pick Mentor V3+ you will never go wrong, if you prefer neutral and analytical sound, A18t is still a masterpiece.

1. Mentor V3+ vs Z1R

Z1R is one of the most hyped headphones in the community recently. Similar to Mentor V3+, Z1R is also very fun to listen. However, Z1R is much more V-Shaped than Mentor and too me it is a little off. The mid from Z1R is too recessed and thin. The upper-mid sounds like plastic in comparison with other IEMs in my collection. Mentor is more balanced and with fuller mid tunes. The sub-bass from Z1R is not very deep, but it has the most bass decay, very typical bass from dynamic drivers it is quite enjoyable. The treble from Z1R is also very unique, it is brighter and crispier than Mentor. Mentor is fuller and with better dynamic. Z1R has a wider soundstage, the depth is similar to Mentor.


Final Thoughts: Z1R is a great IEMs, I do understand why it has many fans. However, to me that thin and recessed (even worse than TF) is a deal breaker. Mentor V3+ has faster sound and better dynamic, more importantly the mid from Mentor is much fuller and presented. Mentor is fun, energetic and still healthy in sound in comparison.

Again huge thanks to Andrew at MusicTeck. https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/um-unique-melody

Intro

(First of all huge thanks to Andrew at MusicTeck for helping me with the audition and purchase process. He made this entire process so easy and pleasant. If you are interested in UM products, please check out his shop at https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/um-unique-melody)

UM Mason V3+ and Mentor V3+ are the newest flagship from UM. As an owner of both Mason V3 and Mentor V3, I would say V3+ series has significant improvements from V3 series in terms of both sound and build quality. The stock cables are also improved from 4 cores to 8 cores, the newly added “cable switch” feature also allows users to have two different sound signatures by simply switching left and right side of the cable. The special designed official upgrade cable by EA make the sounds even more precious (which I will talk about in next section).

The newer Mason V3+ used the same 16 BA drivers and 4-ways configuration as V3 but UM retuned them to kind of a different signature. Mentor V3+ also used the same drivers’ setup as V3, in the meanwhile, UM kept the beloved sound signature of Mentor V3 with significant improvements in soundstage, resolutions and FQ balance. As of my impressions, I really appreciate UM are carefully listening to customers’ feedback and made some upgrades accordingly.

This review, I will focus on sound impressions of each model, and I will also make a huge TOTL IEMs comparison in the end.

Cables

Both Mason V3+ and Mentor V3+ are using the same 8 cores cable with 4 cores in silver 4 cores in copper. Generally, when connecting with the silver side(default) both models sound more energetic and tighter, when switch to the copper side both of sound warmer and more bass oriented. I personally prefer connecting silver side with Mason to add more treble sparkles and use copper side with Mentor to add a bit mid-range thickness. Both positions are very balanced plus the db-Go switch you will eventually find a best combination that is best for you.

Sound Impressions and In-House Battle

This review is based on db-Go switch fully closed (max bass quantity). The player I used for this review is SP1000.

Mason V3+

I was quite shocked when I was listening to the Mason V3+. It is so different from the original Mason V3, it is so hard to believe V3 and V3+ are using the same drivers! The overall signature of Mason V3+ is clearly warmer and juicier. Previously, I was not a fan of Mason V3, I do like the huge soundstage and the bright yet euphoric treble that V3 offered, however, they always sound a bit hollow to me, especially in the lower end. The extra thickness Mason V3+ offered is a game changer in my opinion, and I will talk about these changes in detail.

Bass

I received Sony IER-Z1R and Mason V3+ on the same day, I never expecting Mason V3+ can match the bass of a dynamic driver bass master, however, they are not so far away.

The sub-bass from Mason V3+ is deep and fast, that is an ideal bass for my taste. In comparison with Z1R, I find Z1R has more quantity and decay than Mason, while Mason is deeper, faster and cleaner. Mason V3+’s mid-bass is more of a relaxing style than aggressive style. The mid bass attacks softer than Z1R. As a result, Mason V3+ is not as “exciting” as Z1R, however, Mason V3+ has a way better transition from bass to mid.

I think both IEMs can represent the best bass quality in their own campaign (BA drivers and Dynamic drivers). I was quite surprised that Mason V3+ can improve so much from Mason V3 in bass region. So far, I’m confident to say that Mason V3+ has one of the best bass in all BA IEMs I have heard.

Mid

The mid of Mason V3+ is very neutral, and it is a part that can remind people V3+ is sharing the same DNA from Mason V3. However, there are still some noticeable differences between V3+ and V3. Mason V3+ is generally richer and warmer than Mason V3. The extra lower-mid quantity on Mason V3+ make the transition much smoother and suits more music genres. With previous Mason V3, it is a bit unnatural when listening to male vocals which is no longer an issue with Mason V3+. The mid-range resolution is still at the top of IEMs’ game. It is very easy to pick up microdetails when listen to instrumental music. The upper-mid of Mason V3+ is very coherent with treble and mid. Although Mason V3+ has added warmth and thickness in the mid- range it, I would still categorize Mason V3+ as a reference tuning IEMs. Also due to the extra warmth on Mason V3+, it is not as analytical as Mason V3 which makes Mason V3+ the most balanced IEMs in terms of analytical and musical.

Treble

Mason V3+’s treble is extremely smooth and fluid with just right amount of quantity when pairing with the silver side connection. When pairing with the copper side, I do feel the treble is a little bit rolled off compare to Mason V3.

Original Mason V3 was famous for its realistic treble. I’m glad that UM didn’t change this part. Although Mason V3+ increased the thickness in basically all parts, there is still enough space to fill in air between notes. However, as a tradeoff, the treble from Mason V3+ is not as euphoric as Mason V3. The treble timbre of Mason V3+ is not like EE’s Zeus series, which is bright and energetic, but very natural and very comfortable for long-term listening. This treble signature of Mason V3+ make it perfect for instrumental jazz. I can easily listen to as many albums as I want without any tiredness.

Soundstage and Imaging

The soundstage of original Mason V3 is wide enough but not so deep vertically, it is more like a huge 2D picture instead of a 3D image. With Mason V3+ the soundstage depth is significantly improved; it is more harmonic than Mason V3 as well as many TOTL IEMs which is quite impressive. The overall more airy than previous Mason V3. Also, the increase of the soundstage depth allowed Mason V3+ has a more accurate in instruments positioning and more a realistic image, especially pair with silver side.

Summary

Original Mason V3 is already a masterpiece in terms of frequency balance and technology. It was one of the most forgiving headphones. However, it is a bit hollow in the lower-end and a bit flat in terms of overall imaging.

This time the upgraded Mason V3+ is at least a richer and fuller version of Mason V3+. With the improvement in soundstage and resolution, Mason V3+ is clearly one of the most versatile IEMs and to be honest, I haven’t find one IEMs that is more versatile than Mason V3+, I tested most of the genres from EDM to classic, from metal to POP I can’t really find a genre that Mason V3+ is not good at. In my opinion, Mason V3+ is one of the IEMs that is closest to the end-game solution.

Mentor V3+

Unlike Mason V3, I was a huge fan of the original Mentor V3. It is one of the most unique and fun IEMs that I have ever listened to. Mentor V3+ continued the same path of Mentor V3, it is still very unique and fun, I feel it is so hard to take them off my ears especially when I was listening to EDM and metal songs.

Bass

The bass from Mentor V3+ is slightly more pounced and weighted than Mason V3+ especially the mid-bass. However, bass from Mentor doesn’t reach as deep as Mason, Mentor focus more on mid-bass attack. Both Mason and Mentor have a very fast bass, however when connecting Mason with copper side, the bass is slightly slower and has more decay.

Even though the bass from Mentor V3+ has more bass quantity, it doesn’t leak into mid. It is very well controlled; the bass clarity is also just as good as Mason.

Mid

The mid from Mentor V3+ is thinner than Mason V3+, which made Mentor V3+ V-shaped. Mentor V3+ doesn’t have deep male vocals, however, for most female vocals I do find Mentor sound livelier than Mason.

Mentor V3+ does sound slightly fuller than Mentor V3, mainly in the lower-mid, which makes the transition smoother than Mentor V3. However, it is a perfect curve as Mason V3+, but still outperformed most of the IEMs that are in this “fun” tuning or V-shaped category.

Another thing that differentiate Mentor V3+ from other V-shaped headphones is that the Mentor V3+ was tuned to have a leaner but not recessed at all. Mid is still presented up front, the instruments are still detailed (similar to original V3). It just doesn’t have as much energy as two ends.

Treble

Mentor V3+ is noticeably brighter or sharper (depends on your taste) than Mason. It is very attention grabbing, very excited but not too sharp. The treble from Mentor is very lively and youthful, it has nothing related to “laid-back”. If the treble from Mason is a flowing spring, then the treble from Mentor is a running river. It is fast, sparkling but a little rough for some tracks.

In my opinion this type of treble sounds great only when there is a solid bass too. Luckily, Mentor V3+’s bass is solid enough to hold this wild treble.

Also, I think treble is the most different part between Mentor and Mason. Especially when listening to violins. The violins from Mason sounds more fluid with more flesh, it is also slower with more decay. Mentor on the contrary, sounds livelier and grainier if make any sense.

Soundstage and Imaging

Mentor V3 didn’t have impressive soundstage in both width and depth. However, for audiophiles who love the signature of Mentor I presume that was not big issue. The overall imaging of Mentor V3 was very straightforward -- lean and clear.

The improvement of Mason V3+’s soundstage applies here too. As a matter of fact, Mentor V3+’s soundstage is pretty close to Mason V3+. The soundstage width is slightly narrower than Mason, the depth is a tiny bit shorter if not identical. Both Mentor V3+ and Mason V3+ have a better shaped soundstage and better layering than V3.

The resolution of Mentor V3+ is not as clear as Mason, Mason has a cleaner presentation in treble, lower-mid and upper-mid but not by much. Therefore, the overall impression of Mentor is more energetic, more uplifting but less refined compare to Mason.

Summary

From V3, I no longer thought that Mentor is the “sub-flagship” of Mason. Mentor was designed more like the “co-flagship” with Mason. V3+ series reinforced this idea. I do feel Mentor come closer to Mason in technology and sound quality. I won’t be surprised if someone prefer Mentor over Mason.

Mentor V3+ is very purposeful, it is the heaven for people who love slightly V-shaped, fun tuning or maybe aggressive headphones. It is youth and energetic but not as neutral as Mason V3+.

In House Battle

I have done some comparisons in the impressions above. Here I want to emphasize some points, hopefully this can help make the best choice.

1. Mason has a deeper and cleaner sub-bass. Mentor has more bass decay and punchier mid-bass.
   
   
2. Mason has better mid and treble resolution, slightly better imaging and larger soundstage but very close (about 5%).
   
   
3. Mason has a thicker, richer mid. It is more obvious when testing male vocals. However, the mid from Mentor is livelier but lighter which suits better for female vocals.
   
   
4. Treble is where most of the differences come from. Mason has a smoother and extremely fluid treble, very comfortable and relaxing. Mentor’s treble extends further, has more energy and sparkles, more attention grabbing.
   
   
5. They are very different, maybe more different than I described.
   

Comparisons

This is a giant comparison between five BA IEMs: Mason V3+, Mentor V3+, A18t, VE Erlkonig, JH Layla1; and two hybrid IEMs: Tia Fourte and IER-Z1R(borrowed). The comparison is fully subjective, generally, I prefer richer and thicker sound.

All of these headphones were tested on sp1000 balanced output.

Mason V3+ with db-Go off (max bass), silver side connected, stock cable.

Mentor V3+ with db-Go off (max bass), copper side connected, stock cable.

A18t with M20 module, PW1960s 4 wires.

VE Erlkonig setting 2, stock cable.

JH Layla1 bass switch to 4o’clock, Whiplash Twag V3 8 wires.

Tia Forte, Plussound Tri-Copper 4 wires.

IER-Z1R, stock cable.

Tested albums (from Tidal HiFi):

Classic: 100 Essentials of Classical Music

EDM: Born by Mitis

Metal/Rock: Pressure by Wage War

Vocals: True Believers by Darius Rucker, The Best of Whitney Houston by Whitney Houston

1. Mason V3+ vs A18t
   

Mason has more sub-bass quantity and slightly deeper sub-bass. Mason also has slightly better bass clarity, both of them are not very punchy in mid-bass, however, I do feel Mason is slightly warmer and more natural than A18t.

Both of them are very neutral in mid, Mason is slightly fuller and richer. A18t is leaner and crispier. The resolution and clarity are quite similar (A18t finally has a hard rival).

A18t has further treble extension, however the transition from mid to treble is not as smooth as Mason (not very close). A18t also have slightly more pounced details, Mason has a more natural presentation.

Mason has a deeper but slightly narrower soundstage, A18t has wider but slightly shorter soundstage the soundstages are super close, and I may wrong in this comparison. The over all image of Mason V3+ is fuller but a litter far, A18t is slightly more in your face but has more space is separation.


Final thoughts: I do prefer Mason V3+ over A18t considering I paired a $2000 cable for A18t. Mason is overall warmer than A18t, both of them are extremely detailed, however Mason is just smoother and more musical than A18t, to my ears, even with the highly musical cable PW1960s, A18t is still too analytical for my taste.

One of the biggest problems A18t is that it pounced the details too loud, it definitely proved that A18t is one of the most technical advanced IEMs, but I really don’t where to focus on when listening to music. Mason V3+ hided the details behind the main notes, which has a way more organic imaging than A18t.

1. Mason V3+ vs VE Erlkonig
   

This is the most enjoyable comparison I have ever done, but it is also very hard to pick a winner.

Basically, Erlkonig has an even fuller, thicker and warmer from lower end to mid. It is extremely musical and smooth from bottom to the top. When listening to vocals I was led to a very emotional mood, Erlkonig is easily the most musical headphones I have ever heard.

However, I do find Mason V3+ has a better resolution and clear upper-mid to treble. Also, Mason reach deeper in sub-bass, Erlkonig is more impactful in mid-bass.
Mason V3+ also has a wider soundstage, while Erlkonig has a deeper and better shaped stage, instruments were placed at a more appealing positions, in comparison Mason V3+ is more open sounding but also more distant.


Final thoughts: Clearly Mason V3+ and Erlkonig are my favorites for now. Subjectively speaking, I slightly prefer Erlkonig over Mason V3+ due to the extreme musical sounding and the warmer and richer signatures of Erlkonig. However, I have to say, analytical speaking Mason V3+ is better in resolution, transparency, clarity, soundstage size and treble extension.

1. Mason V3+ vs Tia Fourte
   

Tia Fourte is the brightest treble in my entire collection, it probably has the most elastic bass too. The sound signature is closer to Mentor (but still different) V3+ than Mason. To me Mason V3+ has slightly more details and the overall sound is more balanced. However, the Tia Fourte’s elastic and tight bass is so unforgettable. I generally use TF as my gym IEMs, it seems I can lift higher weights when I heard that bass.


Final Thoughts: I do appreciate both IEMs. Here is the story, I passed TF when I first time tried them. The recessed and thin mid was the deal breaker, the treble was also too bright for me. However, after days, I just can’t forget that tight and elastic bass as well as the enormous soundstage and I finally bought a used TF from eBay. Mason V3+ is a perfect balanced flawless IEMs to me but it lacks a little bit of uniqueness compare to TF.

1. Mentor V3+ vs Layla 1
   

Layla is a all time classic to me. It is very well balanced, the sound from Layla is very flat with huge soundstage and solid bass. I think Layla is the OG of reference tuning IEMs, A18t and Mason V3 are more or less inspired by Layla. However, 5 years has past, Layla does fall short in resolution and clarity, but it is still very competitive at around $1000 used market. When paired Layla with Twag V3 which is a cable close to $1000, the overall price is close to Mentor V3+ (but still a not small price gap). However, the over all sound quality can’t really match Mentor V3+. Mentor V3+ is a clear step up from almost every aspect, except soundstage width.

1. Mentor V3+ vs A18t
   

Mentor V3+ and A18t is at a similar price range, Mentor is cheaper by $400. They have completely different sound signatures, as Mentor has a more fun and energetic tonality, A18t is more balanced and reference tuned.

Both of them have a very speedy bass, Mentor has slightly more decay and the mid-bass is also punchier, while A18t reaches slightly deeper and slightly faster. In the mid-range A18t is fuller and thicker with more pronounced details. In the treble, Mentor V3+ has slightly more peaks and sparkles, but A18t has better texture and further treble extension.

The resolution and soundstage are quite close, A18t has more details but not by much. Mentor has slightly deeper soundstage but also narrower (narrower than Mason V3+).


Final thoughts: I think both of them are masters of their own. If you prefer some modern or aggressive genres, pick Mentor V3+ you will never go wrong, if you prefer neutral and analytical sound, A18t is still a masterpiece.

1. Mentor V3+ vs Z1R
   

Z1R is one of the most hyped headphones in the community recently. Similar to Mentor V3+, Z1R is also very fun to listen. However, Z1R is much more V-Shaped than Mentor and too me it is a little off. The mid from Z1R is too recessed and thin. The upper-mid sounds like plastic in comparison with other IEMs in my collection. Mentor is more balanced and with fuller mid tunes. The sub-bass from Z1R is not very deep, but it has the most bass decay, very typical bass from dynamic drivers it is quite enjoyable. The treble from Z1R is also very unique, it is brighter and crispier than Mentor. Mentor is fuller and with better dynamic. Z1R has a wider soundstage, the depth is similar to Mentor.


Final Thoughts: Z1R is a great IEMs, I do understand why it has many fans. However, to me that thin and recessed (even worse than TF) is a deal breaker. Mentor V3+ has faster sound and better dynamic, more importantly the mid from Mentor is much fuller and presented. Mentor is fun, energetic and still healthy in sound in comparison.

Again huge thanks to Andrew at MusicTeck. https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/um-unique-melody

Have been listening to my new iCAN Micro for couple weeks now. Before that I use the headphone output directly out of my iDSD Micro.
 
First of all i just want to say that iDSD Micro is great. One of the best gears i have ever bought. I buy and sell headphone gears pretty often just to try different things. that's what this hobby is all about, right? iDSD Micro is one thing i think i will never let go. It is just so flexible and good looking. Not to mention that it sounds great. I don't know how iFi guys were able to pack so many great features in such a small and beautiful package and sell it for a very reasonable price. Btw, they weren't joking about using iDSD Micro to drive the mighty HE-6. I tried and it sounds pretty good for such a small device.
 
Going back to the iCAN Micro. A lot of people will ask why one would even need the iCAN if you have already got iDSD Micro which has a very capable headphone output. After adding the iCAN Micro after iDSD Micro the sound becomes sweeter and warmer. The only complaint i had with iDSD Micro before is that it could sound a bit dry from time to time, and looks like iCAN is the perfect cure for that. I think it might have something to do with its Class A circuit. I am a Class A guy. My main stereo has a set of Pass Labs XA60.5 Class A mono amps, and i also use First Watt J2 Class A amp for my desktop system. To me a class A amp (well designed of course) just sounds more musical and more effortless. It brings you closer to the music. iCAN did exactly that. I also enjoyed the 3D and Xbass feature. For 90% of the time i listen at Xbass Mid setting and 3D Max setting. I really like iFi's implementations with both as their effects are subtle.
 
I am currently using this set as my office setup. I am completely satisfied and have no intention to make any change, nor do i think that i can do any better without spending significantly more money. I highly recommend this combo to anyone who is looking for a good and flexible desktop setup as well as with some portability. (i just took this set to London for a business trip and they worked beautifully. They didn't take much space in the bag and you can use iDSD Micro on the plane. )
 
oh, forgot to mention that i use this set to drive my Yuin OK1 earbuds as well as Hifiman HE-560. Both were driven beautifully by this combo.
 
Eric