CVJ Mei

DISCLAIMER

I would like to thank CVJ for providing this review unit. The CVJ Mei can be gotten here (no affiliate links): https://aliexpress.com/item/1005005322356441.html




SPECIFICATIONS

• Driver configuration: 1 x 10 mm dual-magnetic DD + 2 x BA (Knowles BA + customized BA)
• Impedance: 22 Ohms
• Frequency response: 10 Hz - 40 kHz
• Sensitivity: 120 dB/mW
• Cable: 2-pin, 3.5 mm (single-ended), 0.75 mm, 4-strand silver-plated cable
• Tested at $59 USD

ACCESSORIES



Other than the IEM, these are included:
- 3 pairs of silicone eartips (S/M/L)
- Cleaning brush cum tuning switch pin
- Cable




For gear residing at $50ish USD, the accessories here are nothing to write home about. Perhaps the addition of other variants of eartips (both foam or silicone) or a semi-rigid case would not have gone unappreciated.

The tips are serviceable from a sonic and comfort perspective. The stock cable is a 2-pin, 0.75 mm, 4-strand silver-plated cable. It is quite thin and tangly, but thankfully has minimal microphonics. Sadly, there is no chin cinch.

An innovative 2-in-1 card pin plus cleaning brush is included to flip the switches. Don't lose it!

The rest of this review was done with the stock cable and stock tips. No aftermarket accessories were used, so as not to add any confounders to the sound.


BUILD/COMFORT



The Mei's housings are fashioned from aviation-grade aluminum magnesium alloy. During ordering, one can select between a jet black, blue or a silver mirror-like option. I chose the latter, and the shells are superbly beautiful and elegant, though they may be a finger-print or scratch magnet.

The earpieces have a "魅" or "mèi" word emblazoned on them - this term in Chinese has connotations of a demon, or enchantment. Indeed, as we will read below, this IEM can shapeshift to various signatures with the press of a switch, and the Mei does justify this appellation.

Ergonomics are well-designed - the shells are light with no weird protrusions. There's a concha knob to give added grip, with a smooth inner aspect. Comfort is very agreeable, and I had no issues using the Mei for longer listening sessions.




With 2 vents on each earpiece, the Mei has below average isolation, though it should still be usable on-the-go.



I didn't find any driver flex on my pair, but that is partially dependent on ear anatomy and type of eartips used, so YMMV.



DRIVABILITY

I tested the CVJ Mei with the following sources:
- Apple dongle
- Cayin RU7
- Colorfly CDA M1 DAC/AMP dongle
- Creative Sound Blaster X5
- E1DA DAC/AMP dongle
- Hiby R3 Pro Saber 2022 DAP
- Khadas Tone Board -> Schiit Asgard 3 amp
- Khadas Tone Board -> Topping L30 amp
- Questyle M15 DAC/AMP dongle
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW A-55 DAP (Walkman One Neutral Mod)
- Sony Walkman NW WM1A DAP (Walkman One WM1Z Plus v2 Mod)
- Smartphone

With a high sensitivity of 120 dB/mW, the CVJ Mei is easily driven and amplification is not truly necessary. Unfortunately, this IEM hisses on some sources with poor noise floor control as a trade-off. Generally, the hiss is not noticeable when music starts, and only in quieter tracks is it more prevalent.


TUNING SWITCHES

The Mei's selling point its tuning switches. They are easily toggled with the provided card pin-brush, and move up and down with a satisfying click. I faced QC issues with some other tuning switch IEMs in the past, where the switches were stuck and required great force to be manipulated. I'm glad to report no such issues on the Mei.

The Mei is a three driver hybrid, with one 10mm DD and two BAs (1 x Knowles and 1 x customized BA). The tuning switches are designed within the crossovers, so toggling the switches will deactivate or activate various drivers inside the shell. The switches work and do change the sound signature as per the graphs below:


Graphs of the CVJ Mei on various tuning switches. 8 kHz region is a coupler artefact peak.



With a flick of a switch, the Mei's soundscape changes from the muddiest: L-shaped and dark sonics (blue graph with both switches down); all the way to the most technical and analytical (black graph with both switches up).

The switches are definitely not gimmicks unlike some other "tunable" CHIFI that have subtle or no changes in sonics. In fact, most other "tunable" IEMs provide just minuscule variants from their stock curve; it is rare to see IEMs such as the Mei give such drastic distinctions in sonics. In a way, it is kind of getting 4 IEMs with 1 purchase, so versatility is a feather in the cap of the Mei. It thus lives up to its shapeshifting namesake of "魅" or "mèi".


SOUND & TECHNICALITIES

The following impressions were done with both switches up -> ie all drivers in play.

On this set-up, the Mei is neutral bright. This config converts the Mei to one of the more technical sets at the $50ish segment. Imaging and micro-details are very well-done, with an above average soundstage in all 3 dimensions. Soundstage drifts to just beyond the ears. Transients are rapid, with good clarity on tap. Music rarely gets congested even on complex tracks with competing riffs.

With the 2 BAs brought into action, there is unfortunately BA timbre added to the mix when acoustic instruments are heard.

The Mei is sub-bass focused, though bass quantity is just a hair north of neutral. The bass is very clean and fast, with no mid-bass bleed. Texturing is above average, with brisk bass lines heard.

The lower midrange is very clear and transparent, with no mid-bass bleed to encroach here. Coupled with the aforementioned excellent technicalities, layering of instruments are easily handled, with pockets of space for various instruments to be show-cased. With a 5ish dB ear gain, vocals are not shouty.

The Mei has good treble extension, air and sparkle with both switches toggled up. There is good resolution and clarity on display, though with a double-edged sword of some sibilance. Trebleheads will like this configuration, though it may be a tinge spicy for treble sensitive peeps.


COMPARISONS



Comparisons were made with some budget tunable gear below $50ish USD. As per the "SOUND & TECHNICALITIES" segment above, the Mei was tested with both switches up (all drivers activated).


TRI Star River


Graphs of the TRI Star River on various tuning switches. 8 kHz region is a coupler artefact peak.

The Star River is a dual DD set with 2 tuning switches, which in theory provides 4 tuning options. However, on independent graphs, the Star River is a literal switcheroo scam, as there are only 2 distinct signatures out of a promised 4.

Additionally, my Star River unit has poor QC, with one earpiece having the switches stuck, requiring great force to activate them.

Whatever the case, the Star River's 2 tunings confer a very old-school shouty V-shaped banshee-like sound. The upper mids are very harsh and fatiguing, and to top it off, the timbre is off, with weak technicalities. Comfort is also not the best.

The Star River is a huge mess - it deserves a 2/5 grading - and I'll recommend the CVJ Mei any day of the week, as the latter has working tuning switches (both physically and via measured graphs), with way-improved technical chops and fit.


KZ D-Fi


Graphs of the KZ D-Fi on various tuning switches. 8 kHz region is a coupler artefact peak.

The D-Fi is a single DD which has 4 tuning switches to grant 16 possible permutations in tuning. However, amongst the most extreme of tunings, it is just a 4 dB difference in bass frequencies, hence the D-Fi isn't as versatile or have as marked differences in switches as the Mei.

The D-Fi is neutral with a sub-bass boost. It does not have as great air and treble extension as the Mei with both switches up. The D-Fi has a more natural timbre as it is a single DD, but it is a league or two behind the Mei in technicalities (soundstage, imaging, instrument separation, micro-detailing).


CONCLUSIONS

The CVJ Mei - "魅" or "mèi" - lives up to its mercurial name, by bringing 4 rather contrasting and unique sound signatures to the table. This chameleonic demon can morph from a neutral bright technical behemoth to a laid back and veiled sloth, all in the blink of an eye!

Build, aesthetics and ergonomics are top-notch, and the Mei can be driven off the weakest of phones. With both switches up (ie all drivers in play), the Mei can boast of stellar technicalities, putting some other similarly priced tunable IEMs to shame.

The low sensitivity does lead to hiss on some sources, and the pure DD mode is quite muddy and lowFI sounding. On some of the brighter configurations, there may be smatterings of sibilance and spiciness, but by and large, versatility is the Mei's calling card, and it is literally getting 4 IEMs in 1 purchase. The Mei is one of the stand-out $50ish hybrids that one can get in 2023, and it has my recommendation.

Hello everyone! 大家好！Mister Zeng here!

I will be reviewing units sent to me by my dear friend @RemedyMusic. I am very grateful for these IEMs that you've lent me sir

For your information, I will only cover my personal sound impressions of this IEM. I will not talk much on the packaging or the accessories that comes with the unit. Moreover, I will also include my personal EQ For it to hit my specific sound preference. Let me know how it sounds on your end of the comments below.

All of the audio gears that will be used have been burned in for at least 150 hours or more.

Here are the list of audio gears used for this review:

• Topping A90 Discrete
• SMSL SU-9N
• Centrance DACport HD
• Abigail Dongle
• Apple Dongle USB C to Headphone Jack

Here are the list of tracks used for this review: (All tracks have been streamed at Qobuz and while other tracks have been bought for the FLAC file)

• Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC
• You Shook Me All Night Long - AC/DC
• Back in Black - AC/DC
• Highway to Hell - AC/DC
• For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica
• Killing Strangers - Marilyn Manson
• Sunflower - Post Malone
• Save Your Tears - The Weeknd
• Always Remember Us This Way - Lady Gaga
• Time - Pink Floyd
• 雪落下的声音 - 陆虎
• Seishun Kyousoukyoku - Sambomaster
• Lay Me Down - Sam Smith
• Let's Groove - Earth, Wind & Fire
• September - Earth, Wind & Fire
• Porco Rosso - Joe Hisaishi
• Summer - Joe Hisaishi
• Innocent - Joe Hisaishi
• Nostalgia - Joe Hisaishi
• Don't Stop Me Now - Queen
• Radio Ga Ga - Queen
• Come Together - The Beatles
• Early Summer Rain - Yasuharu Takanashi
• Mourning - Post Malone
• AND MORE...

CVJ Mei - A Review by Zeng

I will be giving a rating for each category of out of 10. (10 being the highest, 1 being the lowest)



Tonality (6/10):
The tonality of the CVJ Mei is good; it is well-tuned and well-balanced. However, it sounds somewhat unnatural in the treble region, especially when listening to female vocals. Celine Dion's voice in the song "Immortality" sounds sharp and not true to life.

On the other hand, when listening to male vocals, it sounds good. Michael Bolton's voice in the song "When a Man Loves a Woman" is strong and impactful. The IEM seems biased towards male singers rather than females.

Instruments on orchestral tracks such as Porco Rosso and Summer by Joe Hisaishi sound decent. The trumpets are well presented, and the soft hits of the hi-hats are also decent. However, they still sound somewhat artificial. The drums in the song "Everything I Do (I Do It For You) [Classic Version]" by Bryan Adams sound too boomy. The upper bass appears to be elevated, overshadowing the song and creating a muddy sound.

Bass (6/10)
The bass of the CVJ Mei is decent, providing a good rumble in the subbass and enhancing the enjoyment of hip hop and R&B tracks. However, the quality of the bass is not top-notch. I find it produces a mediocre bass quality. When listening to "Killing Strangers" by Marilyn Manson, it reproduces the bass adequately but without any exceptional qualities. In short, it gets the job done but lacks premium quality.

Mids (7/10)
The mids of the CVJ Mei are good, exhibiting a well-balanced blend of forwardness and distance. They are well-tuned, although there is a slight elevation in the lower midrange that can make it sound slightly muddy. Aside from that, the mids are fairly decent.

Treble (4/10)
The treble of the CVJ Mei is subpar. It offers energy, but nothing too impressive. Similar to the bass, it sounds artificial and somewhat cheap or unnatural. Once again, it fulfills its purpose, but the quality is not high. When listening to "Porco Rosso" by Joe Hisaishi, I can discern the instruments being played and the detail is there, but it lacks authenticity. Additionally, there are no signs of harshness that can be heard through this IEM. However, prolonged listening sessions with this IEM can cause ear fatigue.

Imaging and Separation (8/10)
The imaging and separation of the CVJ Mei are actually quite good. I can easily distinguish instruments as if using a compass. When listening to both "Summer" and "Porco Rosso" by Joe Hisaishi, all instruments can be easily identified from left to right. Overall, it's great in this aspect.

Soundstage (3/10)
Soundstage in IEMs is generally not impressive, and the same applies to the CVJ Mei. Everything seems to be placed right there, lacking width or height in any of my orchestral tracks.

EQ Performance (7/10) – It's important to note that my EQ presets are specifically tailored to my preferred sound signature. They are not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Moving on to my specialty, maximizing the potential of EQ settings. The CVJ Mei responds reasonably well to my EQ adjustments. I was able to address some peaks in the treble region and reduce the bass as well. The sound improved significantly compared to the stock settings. However, it's worth mentioning that EQ adjustments can only go so far. The sound still struck me as somewhat unnatural or artificial, but the overall tuning was undoubtedly enhanced.

My Personal EQ for this IEM:

Conclusion:
So, should you buy the CVJ Mei? At a price of $59, I can't recommend the CVJ Mei solely based on its imaging and separation capabilities. While this may be beneficial for those who enjoy casual gaming to distinguish left and right, the soundstage is not satisfactory. The tonality of this IEM is not bad, but there are other IEMs that offer a more natural sound. Male vocals excel in this IEM, as well as instruments like trumpets, piano, and violin. However, the bass and treble can sound artificial, sometimes overpowering the mids of the IEM.

PS: Again thanks to @RemedyMusic for lending me these units for review. More power to you friend!

General/Build/Comfort/Packaging
CVJ has been on a hiatus for quite some time after releasing several good sounding IEMs. I have tested the CSN, Mirror and they’re good for the price they’re asking for. There were several released prior to the Mei, but it doesn’t seem to be that well received by the community, today we have the Mei and hopefully it will be able to bring CVJ back to the game once again. Build quality of the Mei is very good, aluminium shell and matte black finishing (the sample that i received), it feels very solid and doesn’t feel hefty at all.

In terms of comfort, with the right eartips, it literally disappears into my ears, throughout my listening session which lasted at least 3-4 hours, i don’t feel any discomfort with it, except when i’m using the stock cable which i can’t get a good fit with it due to the earhook in which it won’t let the Mei sit snugly in my ears. Packaging is very straightforward and bare minimal, one type of eartips, a cleaning brush with a tip to turn the switch on or off, a small carrying pouch and the Mei itself, i do wish they include several types of eartips instead of just one.



Gears used for this review

• Earmen Angel Dac/Amp
• Earmen ST-Amp
• Macbook Air M2 3.5 Out
• iPod Touch 5th Gen
• CVJ Mei with Simgot EW100’s cable and Stock Eartips (the earhook on Mei is too stiff and i can’t get good seal and fit with it, hence resulting to other cable)

Foreword
My review is solely based on what I hear via my equipment and I never consider my reviews to be objective in any way rather a subjective approach. Do take into consideration that everyone’s ear anatomy is not the same, so the psychoacoustics perception might be different as well, but i believe it will not stray too far

Switches Positioning


Sound Impression (Up Down 1 DD + Knowles BA)
Mei is slightly warm to my ears and it has sufficient energy on the top end.
The mids and vocals are forward, note weight is good, but the BA timbre is very noticeable and the cymbals and high hats sounds splashy, let’s take a look at the breakdown below:

Bass

• Bass has good enough texture and speed, sub bass has fairly good extension and rumbles when it’s called for, punchy mid bass
• Good speed and handles Metallica, Slipknot’s track quite well
• Good enough quantity but nowhere near bass head level

Mids

• Mids are forward but not overly in your face
• Male and female vocal has good texture, though i find that the female vocal somehow doesn’t sound that lively compared to male vocal

Highs

• Good energy and non offensive
• Good amount of air and sparkles which helps with imaging
• Detail retrieval is alright, nuances can be heard easily

Other switch config sound impression
Down Down (DD only)

• Bass is more or less similar sounding to Up Down’s config
• Mids aren’t forward and vocals sounds a little pushed back
• Treble is muted and there’s no energy at all on the top end, dark sounding
• I honestly don’t know why this mode exist at all, it totally made musics sounds very bad, but kudos to CVJ for having this option available

Down Up (1 DD+ 1 Custom BA)

• Bass and mids are mostly quite identical in terms of sonic performance compared to Up Down config
• Treble is the part where i hear the difference, there is a little less energy compared to Up Down config, i would say it’s a little smoother, suitable for those who are sensitive to treble

Up Up (1 DD+ 2BA)

• Bass and mids to my ears, once again quite identical
• Treble is very energetic and lively here, on certain track, it does have a slight hint of sibilant, but most of the time, it is alright, treble heads will be pleased with this config
• Detail retrieval is good
• Soundstage and imaging is good with the amount of air from two BA, once again, it might not be for everyone especially if he/she is treble sensitive

Driveability

• Mei is very easy to drive and doesn’t require much power to perform at its best
• It does however scale with source in terms of note weight, cool/warm sounding depending on the DACs
• Doesn’t really benefit from amping as i tried running it with Earmen’s ST-Amp vs direct from my Macbook Air M2’s internal dac, the difference is very minor

Final Thoughts
The idea of tuning switches is not new, but the implementation on the Mei is something different compared to the usual switches implementation. Instead of altering a certain frequency range, Mei gives the listener the flexibility to switch on or off a certain driver as something different and stands out amongst the competition. Mei as a whole offers a slight U shaped listening experience and you can customise it further by leaving a certain driver on or off.

*CVJ Mei is sent over by CVJ for the purpose of this review. I thank them for the opportunity.

Head over to their AliExpress store if you're interested in getting one:

CVJ Mei - Non Affiliated

"MEI is IEM, IEM is MEI"


Mei means "Charm, Gorgeous or Beauty" in Mandarin Chinese and it seems that CVJ chose this name wisely for its latest offering from their new line-up of product models. This is actually a refreshing product release from them as it is quite different compared to their previous product releases. I've actually done a lot of product reviews from CVJ before and now here it is



This is CVJ Mei, it is a hybrid driver IEM consisting of a single dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures. Its single dynamic driver has a dimension size of 10mm while it was supported by two full-range balanced armature drivers, one "CVJ-custom" BA and one from Knowles, probably a 35518 which is their entry-level. This set also has some tuning switches to change its sound profile which is quite an innovative approach of CVJ.



These drivers were implemented on a shell chassis consisting of composite materials like thermoplastic and light aluminium alloy. The switches that I've mentioned a while ago were placed at the side of the shell. Its uses a QDC-type 2-pin as its interlocking mechanism for its 4-core OFC SPC cable with 3.5mm termination plug.



The fitting of Mei is snugly inserted well into my lug holes without any issue at all as I can wear them for a long listening session due to its lightweight shells. It gives me a decent passive sound isolation as it was able to block some external noises from the outside.



The product packaging of CVJ Mei is actually decent on how the accessories were placed in a tidy manner. It has squared-shaped box with an illustration of the product on the front and some guides on switches, basic specification and company address at the back.


Here are some included included accessories inside the box:


■ a pair of CVJ Mei IEM

■ 4-core OFC SPC wired white-coloured cable with 3.5mm termination plug.

■ two (2) pairs of black-coloured ear tips of different standard sizes (small and large).

■ paperworks such as warranty card, quality control card and instruction manual.

■ a brown velvet cloth IEM pouch.

■ cleaning tool that also serves as tuning shaft.




CVJ Mei has an impedance rating of 22 ohms and a sensitivity of 120dB which makes them easier to drive even to multimedia devices with decent power output like smartphones, tablets and entry-level DAPs. LG phones can amplify these devices in normal gain mode with 30%-40% of its volume level to deliver enough loudness.



As for its tonality, with its tuning switches it has three distinct sound signatures, here are settings of its switches with its intended sound profile.

( 0 = off, * = on )

○ 0,0 (single DD mode) - dark, warm, bass emphasis sound.

◑ *,0 (1 DD + 1 Knowles BA) - a smooth U-shaped sound signature.

◐ 0,* (1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA) - a bright V-shaped sound signature.

● ** (1 DD + 2 BAs) - a brighter U-shaped sound signature.



Here are some of my observations of sound characteristics from each part of the frequency range spectrum.


LOWS/BASS:

The bass quality of CVJ is elevated, has a good tactility and quite punchy enough to give a decent sufficient rumble on its sub bass and a texture, note weight to give slam on the mid bass.

I discerningly hear those registers from low toned bass guitar and reverberations coming from synthesisers and drum machines. On mid bass, it gives a weighty and sombre sound on bass guitars, a good thudding and sonorous sound on its bass drum kicks. Then on bass-baritone, it has a decent deep with its guttural and dark tone.

This type of bass quantity might not be enough for adherent bass heads out there, but when an audio track demands to exhibit some low frequencies, it sufficiently delivers it.


MIDRANGE:

In all switch modes, it has varying recession in this particular frequency but I prefer the 1 DD + Knowles BA combination as it is the most natural, has an ample warmth and smoothness. While the other settings like 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BA gives a crispier, bright sound but a bit artificial sounding.

Vocals on both genders will benefit from its inherent warmth and smoothness on 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA, and more energetic and coruscate female vocals on 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs. Baritone's vocals have its lush, power and authority while countertenors have its lighter and agile sounds within its falsetto range. Tenors have its dazzling vocal qualities but switching the mode either 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA or 1 DD + 2 BAs combinations will give even more brassy and ringy sound. Meanwhile on female vocals, Contraltos have its huskiness and creamy sound, Mezzo-sopranos has its velvety sound and a more vivid nature on other switch modes with the exception of 1DD mode. And last but not the least, Sopranos especially the lyrical ones like Alison Krauss has its distinct silky and "buttery" pleasantly sweet nature but if you want more an energetic , more captivating and euphonic nature on coloratura sopranos to have a shimmering and bell-like but expense of being a bit unnaturally and scratchy sounding, activate the 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA or 1 DD + 2 BA settings.

On instruments, strings like guitars have its midrangery and creamy-coloured sound on them on the 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA setting, but activating 1 DD + 2 BA or 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA will add more crisp. Same with violins has its lustrous sound and when activating the other setting modes, it will add up a more vibrant but a bit metallic sounding. Percussion like tom and snare drums have its shuffling, hard and dry sound on them. Piano tone has a vibrant and bright tone on it that makes it more harmonious to listen to. The intensity and brassy nature of brass instruments like trumpets and trombones have heroic and eruptive nature on them. On 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs, It gives a more reedy and lively sound on saxophones compared to more sombre and rounded sound on 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA while a bright and shrill sound on fifes and flutes.


HIGHS/TREBLE:

On 1 DD mode, it gives a dark, muted treble response as it doesn't have that detail and shimmer as it gives that sense of inadequate vibrancy of sound to be an even less engaging one. 1 DD + 1 Knowles gives a more smoother, cleaner upper mids to presence treble to have a less sibilance sound and not a hint of harshness that affects the overall sound quality. As for 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs, it gives even more emphasis on upper mids to presence treble to give a more glistening and crisper treble register but sibilance is even more present and there's a tad grating sound in them.

1 DD + 1 Knowles BA will give a more lustrous sound with enough sizzle on cymbals to give a modest air and glint on its brilliance range of the treble region. Both 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BA gives a shimmer and even better sizzle on cymbals but at the cost of being too metallic and a bit harsher, though it gives a better definition in its air with sufficient sparkle on it.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

All in all, the sound/speaker stage of CVJ Mei is rather average to above average on width, a sufficient height reach and a good depth on distances between the front to the rear to give me that sense of immersive and decent head room.

Regarding imaging, it was presented in a two-dimensional, typical stereo panning presentation where I was able to locate the position of vocals and instrument within its spatial room. It has decent separation and layering as it has a good spacing of its elements with its specific frequency layering with the mix.

As for cohesiveness and coherency of its drivers, with its all modes of tuning switches, it seems that it has delivered a very homogeneous and better transient response of each specific driver whether its a dynamic driver or its dual balanced armatures.

Resolution capability-wise, both macro-dynamics and micro-details perform notably. It gives a solid and more prominent dynamics and better resolving capabilities on extracting some nuances and details from its audio track data.

About its tonal colour, it has a more natural and somehow correct sounding one if I switch it to 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA setting. It gives a too warm and dark timbre on a 1 DD tuning mode while on the remaining tuning settings adds a bit bright.


PEER COMPARISONS:


CVJ MIRROR

■ It has an all-metal alloy shell chassis and its internals consist of a single graphene dynamic driver and two (2) "custom" balanced armature drivers. The packaging of this product is rather barebones.

■ Its sound signature has this almost flat neutral tuning compared to the more coloured sound profiles of Mei. It has a tighter bass, a clean, linear midrange and a tad bright on the treble with some hints of sibilance.

■ Mirror has decent and capable technical performance. It has an above average sound/speaker stage width, a more concave stereo presentation on imaging and a sufficient separation of instruments and vocals as well as it has a good layering that was in stack in an orderly manner within its sonic canvas.


TRN MT1 MAX

■ This is the latest addition of TRN MT1 series, unlike the Mei in which the MT1 MAX has only a single type of driver which is a 10mm dynamic driver but it has a tuning switch to adjust its tuning. MT1 Max happens to be way more cheaper compare to the Mei.

■ Depending on the setting filters, MT1 Max has a distinct flavour of a U to V-shaped sound signature. It has a more boomy bass response that smudges across the midrange and a sharper and grating treble quality in the treble region in both balanced and treble mode.

■ It has less technical performance compared to Mei as it has an average sound/speaker stage dimensions. It has a typical 2-dimensional stereo presentation with decent separation on instruments and vocals. Resolution capability of this set it rather focus more on macro-dynamics than micro-detail retrieval.


Since the release of the last great CVJ product, The CVJ Mirror. It seems that their follow-up models' tuning quality of CVJ was going downward spiral but the release of CVJ Mei still shows the CVJ can still deliver such a good product.

A Knowles balanced armature driver as part of its arsenal, a working tuning switch that really changes its sound profile, The CVJ Mei is truly a compelling offer as it is currently the cheapest hybrid IEM with Knowles BA and tuning switches. With its more mature approach to its tuning, CVJ finally nailed it that CVJ Mei will surely have its charms to the ears of audio enthusiasts.


CVJ Mei is now available, you can check them out on Shopee and CVJ official store in Aliexpress.

◆◆Shopee Link◆◆

◆◆Aliexpress Link◆◆

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: CVJ MEI
IMPEDANCE: 22Ω
SENSITIVITY: 120dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 30KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS


Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *
Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**
Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **
Mountain - Mississippi Queen *
Queen - Killer Queen **
Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*
Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'
Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'
Pearl Jam - Daughter **
Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *
Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*
Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *
New Order - Blue Monday *
The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *
Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *
The Madness- Buggy Trousers *
Metallica - Motorbreath **
Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *
Destiny's Child - Say My Name *
Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *
Mozart - Lacrimosa *
New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *
Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*
Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *
Exciter - Violence and Force *
Diana Krall - Stop This World **
Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*



P.S.

I am not affiliated to CVJ nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

Once again, I would like to send my gratitude to CVJ LOVE for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.

Hello, I'm Ah Hui aka Mr Wong. I'm a K-pop fan and audiophile from Malaysia.

First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to CVJ sending this review unit for me and giving me the opportunity to review the CVJ Mei.
This is my few time working with CVJ I remember my first time reviewing their IEM called CVJ CSN .thanks again to them sending me their IEM to me .I'm very excited to review this .

PACKAGING :
Premium feel box . Inside consists of the CVJ Mei, few eartips ,operating manual and warranty card !
the unboxing experience quite good the packaging is premium like feeling.

Configuration of IEM : 10mm dual-magnet dynamic + Knowles BA + CVJ customized BA driver

Price of IEM : US 60 CVJ official store

Comfort: Comfort is great for me . Fitment is great ..Suggest play around eartips to giving better fitment .

Design : IEM sharpe and stylish faceplate design

PRO:
Can play around tuning , wide and open soundstage , deep rumble bass , recess mids present , airly feel sound
CONS:
listen long time will feel fatigue , too open feel sound .







IEM:


Few eartips :


CABLE OF IEM :


Warranty card etc . :



brown punch :




**Disclaimer : This reviews done by using 1DD+2BA tuning (up&up) with JWD JWD-115 DAP

BASS: The bass here is feel punchy , deep rumbly , feel soft attack ,better part is doesn't feel bleeding .when I listen LE SSERAFIM - Impurities the bass is feel punchy and deep rumbly but it's doesn't feel strong enough , suggest turn to 1DD tuning(down&down) giving best Bass feeling.

MIDS : recess mids present , female vocal doesn't feel like sibilance but it's doesn't feel sweet just feel it's recess.How about male vocal ? male vocal doesn't feel full-bodied but great part is it's doesn't feel bleeding .when I listen AOA -GET OUT I feel the female vocal is recess present and I listen Highlight - Ribbon the male vocal feel thin doesn't body enough .

High :treble well extended feel airly but the timbre is feel somekind unnatural.

SOUNDSTAGE : it is deep and wide when I listen HIGHTLIGHT - ribbon I can feel the soundstage is deep and wide .

IMAGING : it's about decent .When I listen to AOA - GET OUT .i can pinpoit the guitar on left and right side , the singer centered on stage with great stereo positioning .

Details : detail retrieval here is about decent .When I listen to some tracks, I can pick up on the micro-details.

Overall i can recommend you playing around the Tuning with this IEM to giving better experience!

Interesting? Link below

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005322356441.html