DITA Audio Project M

I had a pleasure of listening to Dita Audio Project M IEM (and Dita Navigator DAC) courtesy of Audio Geek EU Tour. Big shout out to you guys, you’re an awesome bunch.

On the first listen straight away I thought it sounded... different but I couldn’t really put my ears on it Perhaps, I was thinking, because I just switched from BQEYZ IEM (WIND) with the bone conductor technology. At first I wasn’t too impressed and was trying different eartips and different dacs/amps configurations. The more I listened however the more my ears got attuned to them and I started really liking what I was hearing and so one night I stayed until 2:30am (we’re talking 4.5 hrs of continuous listening here - which in itself speaks volumes) going through a lot of my favorite albums and really enjoyed the experience. I would describe the overall tuning as very clear and balanced; nothing stands out. It is however somehow restrained in upper mids and treble and the low frequencies lack some rumble.

I have tried the following configurations throughout the 2 weeks I had it.

M with Meridian Explorer 2:

Midrange was brought slightly to the front, soundstage was nice and wide and imaging pretty good but I could hear occasional sibilance on some tracks. Treble notes were slightly rounded and rather soft but in general everything seemed to blend together really nicely in the mix providing very enjoyable experience. Bass was deep and powerful and latest Peter Gabriel album (I_O) sounded great on it (both Bright and Dark mixes).

M with Bottlehead Creek:

Everything sounded more cohesive; background instruments were more prominent, vocals were clearer and music had more body to it with more realistic timbre to the instruments. Overall presentation was laidback. Listening to Close to the Edge by Yes was an immersive experience and it did pretty good job at presenting all this different layers of instrumentation in the tracks.

M with Navigator (balanced output):

In short: best dynamics and more texture. Bass was more prominent, tighter and emphasized; Treble slightly more extended; Soundstage was wider and it provided amazing imaging (it really shined on Waking the Witch by Kate Bush - that OH WOW effect ); instruments separation was quite impressive and there was more weight to the notes. Midrange sounded particularly sweet and warm.

I have tried some jazz records in this configuration, for example Gary Burton’s Like Minds. Vibraphone had a nice timbre, double bass was very well articulated but I would like to hear more rumble there; treble lacked a bit of sparkle and extension. Overall presentation was accurate and I was able to follow each note even in the fastest passages of music.

As the final test I tried it with my digital piano and unfortunately the sound was a bit grainy, and not smooth or clean, which was a big surprise.

To summarize, I really enjoyed Project M and for a while was even thinking that I could settle for this kind of tuning but eventually concluded that it was a little bit too tamed and lacked in the engaging and captivating factors which makes listening to our favorite music just that extra special. Surprisingly I realized that I actually prefer a slightly more prominent treble and more technical performers than I thought before, so that in itself was a very rewarding experience. I absolutely loved the see-through design and the fit they provide was the best I have ever experienced in any IEMs so far.

Today, we look at Project M, a mid-fi offering from the veteran manufacturer DITA from Singapore.

Forewords​

• What I look for in an IEM is immersion. I want to feel the orchestra around my head, track individual instruments, and hear all of their textures and details. I’m not picky about tonality, as long as it does not make the orchestra, violin, cellos, and pianos sound wrong.
• I rate IEMs within with a consistent scale from 1 (Poor) to 3 (Good) to 5 (Outstanding). An overall ranking of 3/5 or above is considered positive.
• Ranking list and measurement database are on my IEM review blog.
• The terminology for subjective impressions in this review is based on the Audio Wheel for reproduced sound defined in the technical report ITU-R BS.2399-0
• This review is possible thanks to the Australian tour arranged by Minidisc and @Damz87 (Thank you!). I have no affiliation with or financial interest in Minidisc.
• The unit retails for A$549 at the time this review was published. Unaffiliated link: Minidisc online store

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General Information​

Project M is a two-driver hybrid IEM. Its driver topology comprises a 9.8mm dynamic driver (DD) named PM1+ providing a full-range response. The DD is accompanied by a balanced armature (BA) driver from Knowles which fills in the treble region.

One of the aspects that caught my attention about Project M was the story and the people behind it. I’ll let DITA tell the story themselves.

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Non-sound Aspects​

Packaging and accessories The packaging of Project M is rather nice. I like how DITA turn the grid of the frequency response graph into a design element of the box itself. The inner box of Project M also feels refined and … expensive thanks to the cloth wrap DITA uses on top of the cardboard.

The show continues with the accessories, which are surprisingly thoughtful. In the box, you will find:

• A systainer3 box from TANOS, acting as the carrying case. It’s nifty and tough.
• A custom-made IEM cable built from the famous Cardas wires, a highly sought-after conductor for headphones and IEM cables. The cable terminates in an in-house developed interchangeable plug system that feels quite strong and reliable.
• A full set of special edition Final Type E eartips. The unique feature of these tips is that they can glow in the dark. Sonic wise, they are very similar, if not identical, to the normal Final Audio Type E eartips.

Earpieces design Project M is one of the most beautiful IEMs I have ever seen in real-life, period. I like how the stainless steel casing of the driver is suspended at an angle in the clear resin shell and connected to the stainless steel nozzle via a semi-clear tube. I also like how DITA hides the wiring for the Knowles tweeter in the nozzles.



Fit, comfort and isolation Besides the nice look, I’m happy to report that Project M also feels quite comfortable in long listening session. I did not experience pressure build up, driver flex, or any other comfort problem with this IEM.

Ear tips recommendation: I recommend going one size smaller than usual with ear tips so that I can can fit these IEMs deeper into your ear canal. It’s one way to keep the treble somewhat under control. The stock Final Type E ear tips are a good choice.

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Sonic Performance​

Test setup:

• Sources: L&P W4 + Topping G5, DX300, FiiO K7
• Cable: Stock cable
• Ear tips: Final Audio Type E in MS size

The subjective impression is captured using the lexicon in the Sound Wheel below. I’ll clarify the terminology as I use them. If you want to see more details of the lexicon and related reference, please have a look at the technical report ITU-R BS.2399-0.



Timbre: It is helpful to think of an IEM as a filter that sits between the incoming audio signal and your ear drums. This filter makes some parts of the signal (frequencies) louder whilst other parts quieter. This effect can be measured objectively by the squiggly lines below, called Frequency Response (FR) graphs, which measure how loud an IEM is at different frequencies from 20Hz (bass) to 20kHz (upper treble). Ideally, an IEM should change the signal as least as possible (a.k.a., “flat tuning”) to avoid disturbing the balance between fundamental frequencies of instruments and their harmonics to ensure that they sound natural and life-like. Practically, IEM engineers can tune or “voice” an IEM to deviate carefully from the flat tuning to create interesting colouring and effects on the audio content. This voicing or tonal balance of an IEM can be denoted as its sound signature. Subjectivity is how your ears and brain interpret such sound signature and decide whether it is “enjoyable”



Figure shows the frequency response of Project M against the Harman in-ear target. Measurements were done with an IEC-711-compliant coupler and might only be compared with other measurements from this same coupler. Above 8kHz, the measurement likely does not match the response at the ear drum. Visit my graph database for more comparisons.

How do you describe the overall sound signature of Project M? U-shaped IEM with very generous treble boost. The boost is pushed higher into the 8-12kHz region rather than the usual 5-6kHz, so the impact of this treble boost would be different from the usual shoutiness or “ice-pick” harshness that you usually find on “bright” IEM. The bass is boosted above neutral, but still feel rather natural. The midrange is quite flat and neutral compared to the hyped up treble. That said, the midrange of Project M also has a subtle colouring as it feels warmer and denser than a “flat” or “neutral” tuned IEM. This warmth comes from a more reserved upper midrange rather than a boosted lower-midrange.

How does Project M balance different voices and instruments in a band? (Sample tracks: ABC feat. Sophia Black by Polyphia) First thing first: holy moly the sibilance! For example around 00:43 where Sophia Black sings “how you hold the bat when you swing”, I rarely hear such strong “s” sibilance in a modern IEM in the mid-fi price bracket. Regarding tonal balance, I find that cymbals and hats are a touch more emphasised than the rest of the band. However, taken as a whole, Project M presents the band in a balanced manner.

How does Project M balance different parts of a piano? (Sample tracks: Bach’s Goldberg Variations, recorded by Lang Lang) The treble voice is noticeably more emphasised than other voices and can sound harsh when it is played louder. Surprisingly, I also hear a warmth hue cast over the midrange and bass voices.



How does the midrange of Project M handle vocals? (Sample tracks: Dreamland Express by John Denver, Kiwi wa Boku ni Niteiru by See-Saw) The way Project M presents the voice of John Denver is rather strange. Taken as a whole, Project M presents his voice with a sense of warmth that is rather pleasing. However, such warmth contrast against the abrasive, metallic edge of higher notes. For example, the line “couldn’t believe it” around 00:38 feels … uncanny due the clash between midrange and treble. Higher voices like that of Chiaki Ishikawa of See-Saw fare better with Project M.

How does Project M handle sibilant recordings? (Sample tracks: Shivers by Ed Sheeran) Sibilant recordings can sound anywhere from uncomfortable to deadly with Project M. If a recording is too hot in the 5-6kHz region, it would be alright with Project M. If the sibilance falls in the 8-12kHz region, you will suffer with this IEM.

How does Project M reproduce strings and orchestra? (Sample tracks: Now We Are Free by 2CELLOS, Ciaccona from Bach’s Violin Partita No.2 in D Minor, performed by Kavakos, Synchro BOM-BA-YE by Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra) There is still a rather uncanny contrast between the warmth of the midrange and the treble, which makes the cellos sound a bit unnatural and “brittle”. At the same time, there is a slight lack of authority in the lower-end of cellos. The sense of uncanny carry over to the tonality of violin, which sounds strangely dry and brittle. Thus, I was not surprised to find that everything from hand claps to high brass instruments of Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra sound rather uncanny and unnatural.

Percussion, Bass, and perceived dynamic: In this section, my focus is the not just the bass, but rather the sense of dynamic of an IEM. Can it convey the sense of beat and rhythm? Can it reproduce transients, the fast and large jump of loudness in the music? Simply put, is this IEM toe-tapping? Creating this energy requires all parts of the frequency spectrum working together: treble energy around 4-6kHz conveys snappy attacks of stick hitting percussive instruments at the beginning of a beat, bass energy around 150Hz conveys the punchy sensation of the beat itself, whilst the subbass energy below 60Hz creates the physical rumble sensation that convey power and atmosphere. Weak treble response dulls the attacks. Weak bass makes beats hollow. Too much bass makes bassline blurry and dulls the sense of rhythm. Thus, “dynamic IEM” is a balancing art.



How does Project M convey “epic” bass lines? (Sample tracks: Heart of Courage (Live) by Two Steps From Hell, A Reckoning in Blood from The Ghost of Tsushima OST) To my surprise, Project M does a bloody great job with the big war drum used by Two Steps From Hell at around 00:30. The drum have clean and precise attack with great detail. More importantly, it can convey impact. I have the same impressions with the drum line in the Ghost of Tsushima OST. Project M is toe-tapping.

How does Project M handle a drum kit and bass guitar? (Sample tracks: Playing God by Polyphia) Project M does a great job with both drum kit and bass guitar. The first drop at 00:30 immediately got my blood pumping. The bass guitar is also reproduced with great sense of detail.

In conclusion, is Project M … toe-tapping? Yes. It feels impactful and dynamic. I would prefer the bass to extend a touch deeper and for bass notes to be a touch more incisive to handle fast basslines better. However, there is not much to fault Project M on the bass and dynamic aspect.

Resolution: To me, “resolution” can be broken down into three components: (1) Sharpness, incisiveness, or “definition” of note attacks (see the figure below). (2) The separation of instruments and vocals, especially when they overlap on the soundstage. (3) The texture and details in the decay side of the notes. The first two give music clarity and make it easy to track individual elements of a mix. The last provides music details and nuances. Whilst IEMs can “force” clarity by boosting treble to unnatural level, it might still lack resolution as it cannot “peel apart” complex tracks with overlapping instruments



Can Project M handle complex, overlapping recordings? (Sample tracks: ABC feat. Sophia Black by Polyphia) Yes, but only to a certain degree. Whilst the mix does not feel too blurry or messy, the separation between instruments does falter as the mix gets more busy.

Can Project M handle recordings with congested lower frequencies? (Sample tracks: Now We Are Free performed by 2CELLOS) To my surprise, the presentation of Project M with this track is only fair. When the two main cellos, the cello section, and the doublebasses from the orchestra compete for the same frequency band, the separation between these instruments starts to lose clarity, which in turns bring the perceived resolution of the whole recording down.

How does Project M convey micro details? (Sample tracks: Ciaccona from Bach’s Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, performed by Kavakos) In short, yes. The boosted treble of Project M helps it squeeze out some nuances and details. Moreover, the detail of the reverberation is rather good.

On the scale from fair (Moondrop Aria) to good (Moondrop Blessing 2) to great (CFA Andromeda 2020) to outstanding (AFUL Cantor), how resolving is Project M? Good.

Stereo imaging and soundstage: Stereo imaging or “soundstage” is a psychoacoustic illusion that different recording elements appear at various locations inside and around your head. Your brain creates based on the cues in the recording, which are enhanced or diminushed by your IEMs, your DAC, and your amplifier. In rare cases, with some specific songs, some IEMs can trick you into thinking that the sound comes from the environment (a.k.a., “holographic”)



How does Project M position instruments in a complex, 3D-sounding recording? (Sample tracks: Original Sound Effect Track - Memory from Gundam Seed Destiny OST album) Project M does a rather good job. Elements of the mix feel spread out with good sense of space between them. Some front-left and front-right elements feel like they pop out of the head stage to come from the room. I would say the width of the soundstage is strong whilst the illusion of depth is above average.

How does Project M convey a sense of space in spacious recordings? (Sample tracks: Shadow of Baar Dau) Given the right track, Project M can convey the sense of spaciousness quite well.



How does Project M handles sound positioning in FPS games? Surprisingly good. Footsteps and gunshots feel more spreadout and out-of-head. Whilst the soundstage has more width than depth, Project M can still convey the direction and distance of sound with great precision.

On the scale from good (Blessing 2) to great (CFA Andromeda 2020) to outstanding (AFUL Cantor), how good is the stereo imaging and soundstage of Project M? Somewhere between Blessing 2 and Andromeda

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Driveability​

Specs:

• Impedance: 32ohm
• Sensitivity: 107 dB/mW @ 1kHz

How sensitive is Project M? Does it get loud too easily or is it very difficult to drive? Project M is rather insensitive. Even with 4.4mm balanced output, I found that I needed to turn the volume of Project M around 10% higher than other average IEMs.

How does Project M sound with a portable DAC/amp or a small music player? Project M sounds quite good directly from the W4 dongle.

How does Project M “scale” with stronger amplifier? I found that the soundstage of Project M expands a bit when adding the G5 as a standalone amplifier. This suggests a certain degree of “scaling”, but not significantly so.

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Conclusions​

Writing the conclusion section of a review article is always the hard part. It’s doubly so with IEMs that I have been anticipating for a such a long time, yet the end results fell flat. Whilst there are undeniable bright spots in the overall performance of Project M, I find that the uncanny tonality due to the overpowering BA tweeter overshadows most of the good properties of this IEM. Now, of course, tonality has a subjective element to it and you might find the uncanny tonality of Project M a pleasant colouring. But if you are sensitive to how your next IEM presents the tonal quality of voices and instruments, you should continue looking.

What I like about this IEM:

• Beautiful design
• Interesting and deliberate accessories
• Surprisingly good bass response and dynamic
• Precise instruments positioning and wide soundstage

What could be improved:

• Uncanny tonality
• Unnatural treble boost
• Can be very sibilant

Absolute Sonic Quality Rating: 3/5 - Good

• Timbre and tonality: 2/5 - Fair
• Bass and dynamic: 4/5 - Great
• Resolution: 3/5 - Good
• Soundstage and imaging: 3.5/5 - Good

Bias Score: 2/5 - I don’t like this IEM



Updated: October 19, 2024

This hobby is an escapist's dream. Escape from daily routine and distress that's causing you via something as sincere and everlasting as listening to music. I believe that the power of music is still not fully understood since it works in mysterious ways. Allow it to do its magic on you and let your worries dissolve in melody.

Having had the possibility to try so many different sets in a relatively short time I felt obliged to go ahead and express my gratitude by trying to help some lost souls out there, just as I was when I first stumbled upon this weird hobby about wired earphones – so yesteryear! … I thought. Possibilities are seemingly endless and only by getting to meet the right people did I manage to jump onboard the train heading the 'right' direction without getting off-track thousands of times along the way. Make sure to understand the helping person's preferences and you too can find your footing and hit the ground running in no time.


Quick Intermezzo About Me

I won't bore you for too long with personal trivia, however my quick & short background resume goes as follows. Currently I am 27 years old and more in awe of sheer power of music by the day. I have always been moved by music just that slight bit more than average, I'd say. My spending started with a roughly 200€ Bose bluetooth speaker back in my first grade of highschool. What an extraterrestrial thing that was in early 2010s. And it keeps on playing to this day – a true testament of quality. Also sounded fantastic back then, nowadays … yeah, not so much. Lots of BT speakers, TWS, car audio speakers, IEMs, etc., later bring me to this day when I truly consider myself an audiophile. What brings me the most joy beside listening to music is singing, so I am currently participating in a choir and challenging myself with solo vocal covers (check the links in my signature to hear my projects). Unsure where all this leads, but the journey itself is marvelous and life is nothing but a journey.

My preferences lie somewhere in the neutral camp with just an ever so slight bass boost, but I try to keep an open mind and truly appreciate any outliers that dare do it differently. Our ears vary, so do our brain and tastes. I am an advocate for respectful discourse, especially in topics that don't even have many objective undeniable truths. Audio is one of those.

My most listened genres are, in no particular order: jazz, singer/songwriter, slow-paced electronica, ambient, rock, metal, blues, trance, techno & pop.


Disclaimer: I have been lent the DITA Project M from a friend after wanting to hear it for months and months and nearly buying it a few times already. DITA was always interesting to me as a company and the huge praise the M has been getting was increasingly tougher to ignore.


How My Reviews Are Structured

I will start off by mentioning the packaging, accessories, design & comfort, then continue by placing the showcased IEM in my special trademarked graphs & graphics, give it a score on certain qualities, and describe the main sound categories to reach the final star score. Those that are seriously considering the Project M, please do not hesitate to ask for any specifics you want me to answer via private messaging.

I have listened to songs of varied genres to better convey what one can expect from the Project M. As sources I have been using my FiiO BTR7, Venture Electronics Megatron, iBasso DX180, and Venture Electronics RA2B-FE + Prime DAC (in short, called the 'VE Stack'). Certainly no lack of power and quite a different taste on all. Listening was (mostly) done at a volume ranging between 75-85dB. I am using the stock cable and Feaulle H570 tips (after quite a bit of tip-rolling).



Here is the quick and rough description of how I understand various star ratings:

Do not even think about it
It has too many drawbacks and gets demolished by competition
This item has the potential but feels a bit too bland and has multiple issues
Wonderful item with rare and mostly subjective drawbacks
Eargasmic performance with all the aspects covered at an incredibly high level

Keep in mind these ratings are certainly affected by the item's price in the overall assessment too. Sometimes that will result in slightly higher score than based solely on my scoring of bass, mids, and treble, while other times it results in a slight penalty if I deem the item a tad overpriced.

In layman's terms - anything rated below 4 stars overall does not get a space in my regular rotation and is either stored and revisited some time later again just to see if my thoughts have changed, or it gets gifted.


The Warmly Welcomed Changes I Have Incorporated

Instead of going through a million songs and describing what I hear in real-time, I have started doing it differently. I'll describe individual aspects briefly in whole.

Should you have any specific questions regarding any genres/songs in particular, feel free to contact me via private messaging.

I am still catching my stride on how to describe the sound aspects in a clearer way. It is a slow but enjoyable learning curve. I am attempting to make my reviews as ballast-free as possible. The graphics were the step in the right direction, I feel. Capturing the essence of sound characteristics in a less wordy way is next on the list. We all have our own busy schedules and I understand reading a review for 15+ minutes is in (nearly) no-one's interest.


Let's Get Going!

... but before we do, a quick word.

As you might realize by now, I am all in for a well done set that dares to go a different way. Project M does just that. It's a 1+1 hybrid with a high quality full-range DD that is supported by the BA only in the highest octaves. The transparent shell allows us to see the internals and that DD sound tube looks enormous in comparison to some other sets. Now, how well does it do? We'll take a closer look with some help from my faithful graphics and describe them in more detail.

To clarify, it is the sort of set that will absolutely not work for treble-shy (quantity of mid treble is pretty serious), because it is not afraid of putting its treble foot forward and bases the whole experience around it even though I'd argue its best range is bass. I can see bassheads being like, »oh, okay, this is niiice, but can we turn it up by maybe another 5dB?«. Consequently, this set is highly dependent on genres and even more so on recording quality and brightness – choosing meticulously is the goal to happiness. Not for those who only listen to modern pop or metal. And not for those who listen loudly – the treble will simply be too much. Those of you who exclusively listen loudly or to pop and metal, run away now. What is interesting and keeps me entertained is the openness and midrange freshness of this tuning. Each note has ample body and presence. Now sure, it won't be the most weighty-feeling of notes, nonetheless they keep the listener engaged. Captivating is the main word.

... OK, back to scheduled programming


Packaging, Accessories, Design & Comfort

I will have to skip the packaging and accessories since this set was lent to me by a friend and he only added the bare necessities to ship it safely and let me experience it in its stock form.

All I can say is this cable is awesome to me and the way the termination secures is perfect. I swapped to the 4.4 immediately.



These should fit just about everyone unless you've got small ears or dislike deep fitting IEMs. Even then, a set of one-size-smaller-than-usual tips should solve that. Their weight is also low enough not to feel too taxing on the ears.



I'll leave the design for you to decide, but in person these are works of art. So much so that if I was richer I'd have these in my collection just to look at them. That DD and the DITA writing on it is gorgeous. That is also why I don't think their new 'candy' colourways are the right move, but I would like the design on both of those too had I not seen the OG before.




Graphics, Graphs & Scores
A bright-leaning musical set with solid low-end support and good technicalities. Sweet culmination of attributes.



As mentioned a little earlier, I have worked on trying to cut down on wordiness and all excess gibberish and rather improve upon my nikbr trademarked graphics to truly be able to compare IEMs visually since that offers an easier-to-comprehend, more interactive and simply more appealing experience.

These truly cover most topics in a pretty straight-forward manner. I have described each of these in a bit more detail in my previous reviews. If anything remains unclear, here I am at your service.

Six Basic Traits


Magic Balance Boards


Soundstage Measurement Tool


Quarter Circle Playground


Overall scoring looks pretty good for the M. I still need to figure out how to judge sets more fairly while staying true to this sort of simplistic approach. Perhaps I'll need to turn it around – giving the set a score for bass/mids/treble and mention in positives and negatives why the score is as is.



Sound Descriptions

These were meant to be very concise, but I got carried away and wrote way too much again. Excuse me, I swear I'll get better with time.

The obvious categories will be subcategorized into a few important aspects. It is impossible to just proclaim the bass as great or not, there are levels to this hobby and since you're reading this review, you've obviously fallen deeper into this rabbit hole than many.


Bass
(some songs I used: Soldier of fortune by Deep Purple, Summer by Emeli Sande, I'm in Love by Ayo, House of the Rising sun by alt-J&Tuka, Infinity by DJ Pastis&DJ Ninu&Wasi Distorsion, Kuwait by Mazde, Drum solo by Manu Katche, Hislerim by Serhat Durmus&Zerrin, Animamundi by The spy from Cairo, Let the music flow by Sound Synthesis)

Quantity vs quality: This fits my taste to perfection. It's just right. There is ample quantity to never overstep or overshadow the midrange while also countering the lively treble. Quality is incredible. My previous favourite bass was that of the AuR Audio Aure. Project M polishes it further. The sense of ease and flow is second to none.

Rumble: While not ear(th)-shattering, it provides a beautiful base. This subbass region is responsible for a sense of spaciousness and ethereal playback. Those are two of Project M's strengths which I will cover more in technicalities. So, not a set that's necessarily focused on techno and hiphop, but it can do those respectably too.

Attack: Capable. Snappy, athletic, elastic, quick, effortless. It never feels stressed even in the craziest of bass lines. It unpacks information and presents it with sense of immediacy and urgency. As I said before, incredibly capable bass overall. Movement of the DD's membrane must be so well controlled.

Decay: Natural and plentiful, but wonderfully smooth and honey-like. No graininess, weird fluctuation or unexpected variance on same notes. Each note tells a story of its own. Just what a DD is supposed to do. This is where BAs just cannot compete – at least not in Project M's price segment or, heck, even at twice its price. It can do everything from wild electronica subbass decay to the intricate bass guitar solos.

Boominess: Nowhere to be found. This is often an achilles heel of sets that try to do it all by raising the midbass to achieve fake punch and muscle, while making DD's work way too difficult. How DITA have achieved it here is beyond impressive and it makes me so eager to hear their next creations.

Bloatedness: Not an issue. Low mids are sculpted wonderfully and allow for an overall very transparent signature despite intentionally taking a bold risk by cutting the upper midrange as much as they did.


Mids
(some songs I used: Creep by Haley Reinhart, Rosita by Coleman Hawkins&Ben Webster, Vidda by Ole Edvard Antonsen, Long after you are gone by Chris Jones, Writing's on the wall by Tom Ball, Dream on by Morgan James, Lonely island by Amble, Exhale the ash by Ulcerate, Free bird by Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eyes don't lie by Tones and I, All about you by Sophie Zelmani, Shivers by Ed Sheeran)

Timbre: Getting this right is crucial in overall acceptance of any set. Always a sensitive topic. Timbre is not an easy one to unfold and pack into these little forms we call words. We also have a different understanding of 'correct timbre'. Hearing the instruments in multiple settings and played by different artists is a must to really get familiar with their intricacies. On the M, it starts off well in the bass and most of the midrange before derailing in treble. The treble makes higher-pitched instruments and their overtones sound just a tad off and wonky. Most noticeable on cymbals and brass. Even those would be passable in isolation, but feel incoherent to the rest of the mix, thus sounding out of place ocassionally. Piano changes character from the lowest to highest octaves. Just how annoying one finds this is down to music they listen to and sensitivity to timbral accuracy.

Forwardness: They aren't forward in their presentation nor in their placement. What is special, though, is just how weightless they remain despite that. While carefully threading in the background, they keep their composure and fill out the audible space.

Clarity: While not the best I have ever heard, the fact mids stay as clear as they do despite the chosen tuning approach is amazing. Not much detail escapes you. And it's all supported by healthy fullness – more in note weight section.

Vocals: Neither male nor female vocals lack much, but as expected, they won't soar as freely as on sets with more aggressive pinna and high mids. Therefore, my decision whether I enjoy the vocals or not is rather difficult and I have no straight answer. I enjoy the lack of shout and sibilance, but at the same time miss some of that soul and bite. Singer-dependent for sure.

Note weight: I'm most sensitive to how the piano is played back. Hearing a grand piano live you can tell just how much body each note carries and how rich it is in under- and overtones. Note weight is one of those risky topics and it quickly segregates the field in two camps, those that prefer a thicker, rounder note weight and hence a more analog approach, and those preferring all-BA sets because those usually have a quicker, less hefty character and a more digital sound. Mind, those are very very severe simplifications of this layered, 50-shade-of grey topic just to carry my point across. Project M strikes a balance of note weight throughout the range, except treble, where they can get all haywire and crazy. Elsewhere, it's a happy medium, not the thickest and fullest of notes, but they don't seem hollow or lacking substance either. I am a fan. That said, this won't be my set of choice for piano arrangements.


Treble
(some songs I used: Vidda by Ole Edvard Antonsen, Want by The cure, All about you by Sophie Zelmani, Morning bird by Sade, Animali in Marcia by Gianluigi Trovesi, Ain't no love in the city by Robert Haglund, Barbados by Arne Domnerus, Oh Dear by Sophie Zelmani, Liberty by Kerenza Peacock&Timothy Ridout&Hum Watkins, Shivers by Ed Sheeran)

Crispness/sharpness: A mix of multiple qualities hidden all the way from upper mids high up into treble. There is no straight-cut rule to tackling this and having it fit all ears and preferences. Project M is a special blend of crisp and sharp. While it's not offensively sharp, it's incredibly crisp. That serves as a great tool to aid the poorer recordings. Old stuff that sounds muffled and poorly mastered gets invigorated. However, on the contrary, those songs that need no brightening will be just as affected by this crispness. That can result in a highly detailed listen, or so you think at first before fatigue creeps in. This mid treble tuning ends up sounding very planar-like (or at least, planars of the yesteryears) in that it's certainly energetic and attention-grabbing, but soon gets overwhelming. This hobby of ours is weird in that age has a huge impact whether we like it or not, thus older ears may appreciate this better.

Sibilance: Very safely avoids it. Even in Shivers by Ed Sheeran which is recorded insanely crispy and bright even in all the risky areas. And while the M skillfully avoids sibilance in this song, it cannot escape sounding grainy and too enthusiastic in mid treble.

Naturalness: Due to the tuning I struggle calling this natural. I have yet to hear a concert or any live performances sound as aggressively bright in the upper register as the M. The treble quality itself is very enjoyable, though.

Air: Extension is not the greatest ever, but this will sound airy to most due to what happens before the 15kHz mark. Not an issue at all. In fact, I would like to see less of it because it can get a bit much with the mid treble excitement.


Technicalities

Soundstage: A very touchy subject with no objective truths, highly affected by source, and incredibly different from one pair of ears to another. Skipping the effect of our pinna, as IEMs do, is both a blessing and a curse. One has to figure out for themselves what tricks their brain into placing objects furthest away from their actual point source. While the M doesn't expand too much to the sides, it feels sufficiently deep and tall to avoid me calling it closed in or cramped. Soundstage-heads, look elsewhere.

Imaging: Potentially the most crucial technical aspect in IEMs. And this is the reason why I feel soundstage might be just a bit overhyped. The outer edges of where the sound is coming from are not as important to me as their localization and size of the image. Give me a more intimate soundstage with better presented individual sounds over a huge soundstage with more diffused imaging any day of the week. And yes, the M separates tremendously well despite not expanding too wide. Some of its imaging is down to just how forceful the treble is, but I believe it's mostly a function of great drivers and fantastic implementation.

Detail retrieval: A subject that should be cut into even smaller subjects to cover more easily, but I will try to explain it in one. Macro- and microdetails is how they are usually referred to. Macrodetails will be the larger items we can look into. Maybe something like a clap. How well is that clap separated and detailed in its onset and offset. While microdetails would mean delving even closer into that clap – how crisp is it, any minute detail that stands out, possibly the person is wearing rings and those hit each other when clapping. Project M passes with high marks in both micro- and macrodetailing. Especially the bass is so nuanced that it really made me appreciate certain bass lines even more. It also opened my eyes to what is possible at this price range while making me so curious about the high-end and just how far they can take the bass in this physically very limited space we call IEMs.

Cohesiveness: Such an important and often overlooked quality. We focus on bass, mids, treble, etc., but do they work together as a team or is it a bunch of talented individuals pulling to their sides? And Project M gets it slightly wrong. It's as if the attackers (treble) just don't feel like running back to help in defensive duties too. Bass and midrange work together wonderfully, but that is to be expected since they're driven by the single DD anyway.


Extra

Fun factor: Another tough one to simply close by saying either yes or no. It's fun until a treble-heavy song comes on. It's fun at low to mid volume and nothing but pain at higher volumes, even though the bass edges you on to turn that knob higher.

Q: What kind of source to pair it with?
A: Warmer preferrably. The DX180 is okay with all its neutrality, but does nothing to address the elephant in the room, the mid treble.

Q: What genres are its strength/weakness?
A: It's not as much down to genres as it is to individual songs and their recording & production. I can enjoy it with most genres, but would prefer more subbass for techno or hiphop if that's your thing.


Summing Up The DITA Project M

Thanks to the gentleman that is my friend who trusted me enough to lend me this IEM for me to have a go. Project M is a unique beast. Most are focusing on its treble, and I feel that can be the thing that both makes or breaks someone's experience with the M. It's right on the edge for me and requires careful musical choice. What stood out to me was the near-perfect bass and the fact the midrange works well despite the dip. I can recommend this one to certain audience only (and those that have the cash to risk not liking its sound, but buying it solely for the looks). As for others, wait and see what DITA comes up with next.

Thanks for reading and stay wonderful.

Dita is a boutique IEM (In-Ear Monitor) maker from Singapore, known for releasing premium products with higher price tags. The Project M, priced at $325, is their most affordable product to date and also the only Dita IEM I’ve personally tried.

Disclaimers​

The Dita Project M was loaned to me for review by a friend who purchased it. As with any review, bias is always present, so take my thoughts with a grain of salt. I'll strive to keep my reviews more concise and direct, focusing on clarity. If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments, and I’ll be happy to answer them.

Packaging, Build, and Accessories​

Unfortunately, I received the Project M without its original packaging, but you can find detailed unboxing reviews elsewhere. What I did receive included the ear pieces, five pairs of Final Audio tips in a branded box, the MOCCA cable made by Cardas, and the Systained3 carrying case by Tanos. The branded accessories enhance the premium feel, even at this more affordable price point.



The earpieces are crafted from clear resin, allowing you to see the internal components. Each IEM contains one dynamic driver and one balanced armature. The 9.8 mm dynamic drivers, custom-built by Dita, are called PM1+, while the balanced armatures come from Knowles. These drivers are housed in a beautiful stainless steel casing, embossed with Dita’s logo.

The IEMs are relatively compact and comfortable, providing good isolation, though I found other IEMs more suitable for my small ears.

Sound Quality​

Tonality​

The Project M delivers a unique sound that diverges from typical IEMs— but in a positive way. Its tonality is mostly neutral but with an intriguing twist. As Resolve from The Headphone Show described, these boutique IEMs have "tastefully colored, esoteric tunings," and Project M is a perfect example.

The bass is fairly neutral, which I personally appreciate. While it doesn’t deliver earth-shaking bass, it offers quality, with good extension and surprising rumble. The decay is well-controlled, lingering just long enough without becoming bloated or boomy.



The midrange is the highlight here, particularly the lower mids. Although I wouldn't classify them as completely mid-centric IEMs, the fundamentals are strong. However, the harmonics fade quickly, meaning there’s solid attack without becoming too forward, preventing that shouty or honky sound some IEMs can suffer from.

Treble is where the Project M stands out. Both the upper mids and lower treble are relaxed and smooth, avoiding any harshness. The upper treble, however, introduces a lot of air. I initially feared this tuning would create a tinny sound, but Dita clearly designed this intentionally, and it works well.

Technicalities​

What impressed me most about the Project M is its technical performance. The soundstage is incredibly spacious, and the detail retrieval is exceptional for a $325 IEM. Given its configuration of just one dynamic driver and one balanced armature, the technical prowess is surprising, making it one of the best below $500.



While imaging is quite good, the layering does expose the drivers' limitations. Timbre is also an area where the Project M falls short. The sound has a plasticky quality, reminiscent of certain HiFiMAN headphones known for their exaggerated treble. While you get used to it after a few tracks, it can be hard to ignore if you're coming from IEMs with more accurate timbre.

Comparisons​

There aren’t many competitors that match the price, configuration, and tuning of Dita’s Project M, but I compared it to two other highly technical IEMs I had on hand.

Dita Project M vs. EPZ 530​

• The EPZ 530 offers a better seal and is more comfortable.
• The 530 has a thicker sound with more body, especially in the bass, where it’s punchier. However, the 530’s bass has a slight dryness to it, while Project M’s bass decays more naturally.
• The Project M has better bass extension and a more nuanced presentation.
• The 530 is livelier but also prone to shoutiness, while the Project M sounds more natural, especially in the mids.
• Both IEMs excel in detail retrieval, but the 530 shines more in the upper mids and treble, while Project M feels more nuanced in the bass and lower mids.
• In terms of soundstage, the Project M edges out slightly, but imaging and separation are more precise on the 530.

Dita Project M vs. 7Hz Timeless​

• The Timeless sounds fuller and thicker, while Project M delivers a cleaner, clearer sound.
• Timeless has a bit more bass impact, but the Project M’s more natural decay gives it a more balanced sound.
• Timeless offers more bass extension and rumble, while Project M focuses more on the lower mids, resulting in a more focused, less fatiguing sound.
• Treble performance differs as well: the Timeless emphasizes lower treble, making it splashier, while Project M has more air in the upper treble.
• Both are detailed and spacious, but the Project M has a larger soundstage, while Timeless excels in separation and nuance.

Conclusion​

The Dita Project M is an IEM I’ve seriously considered adding to my collection. During my hiatus from reviewing gear, these were the IEMs I reached for the most. I even plan to buy them from my friend, which says a lot. If you’re after massive bass or perfect timbre, these might not be for you. But if you’re looking for a well-balanced, technical IEM with a unique tuning, the Project M is definitely worth trying.

DITA AUDIO PROJECT M

DITA Audio has been a well known brand but has come more into light in the recent years. They have the technical prowess of automation and engineering (their parent brand) and with that knowledge have been winning laurels in Singapore. Then came the technical development for Project M, it's a UIEM type look that uses a metal chamber for controlling the Acoustics of the Dynamic driver uh into the shell. Thus I was super happy when I came to know that I could try this iem and so its here.

DISCLAIMER-

The DITA AUDIO PROJECT M is part of a review tour organized by A.G. and DITA AUDIO in my country. The sample belongs to the brand. I had the opportunity to listen to it for 7 days for this review. This review is completely based on my experience with it, and all opinions, positive or negative, are my own and no one else’s. No external factors influence my review; only internal factors like my brain and heart influence it . Please try it yourself, if possible, since we all hear things differently. If you want to purchase it, you can buy it from the official product website from the link and they have custom iems too – DITA AUDIO PROJECT M.

PACKAGING-
Dita audio packaging was great. It didn’t lag in any comforts but also included an interesting looking case which was great to see. Would love to see more padding guys on the top and inside the case and a slightly larger case would be easier to fit the iems and cable. There are info leaflets on their other iems and a big graph which I loved to see. Tips that were provided was only 5 pairs set of Final audio tips.

BUILD COMFORT AND ISOLATION-
It’s a big iem at least for me, it did fit me well (I use ML sized tips). The transparent design really was beautiful and metal inside shined well enough. It protruded quite a bit out of the ears, but the seal was good enough for me. There are small extensions on top for cable fitting which might break off so be careful. Comfort was good for me, and it did take all the tips I had without tearing anyone. Overall big beautiful and bold transparent design was wonderful to look at.

CABLE-
It’s a white right angled connector cable ending in 3.5mm, the ear hooks are great, and cable felt sturdy. It has 2 pin connectors inside a housing so using other cables without the same would be a bit of an issue. But the cable is quite thick and doesn’t have any acoustic attached with it on movement. At this price point I would have loved to see 4.4mm connector being added as free for connector change.

POWER AND SOUND CHARACTERISTICS-
Easy to run pretty much and versatile to the source of the music. Most changes you will find, is mostly in the spaciousness of the instrument’s music, and in the upper mids, treble mostly and slight difference in the note’s definition and instruments holographic presentation.

NOTE:= These are not easy to run but will run off almost all sources. Power requirements are easy to meet as they require 45 volumes on High gain on PAW S1 and iBasso D16 TAIPAN and in navigator it’s like 40s on PC volume is good enough.

SOUND IMPRESSIONS-
SUB-BASS-
It goes deep and fills you up with quality sub-bass to the core. There is good reverberations and individuality among the notes. With, there is great dynamism in the notes, and they spread horizontally quite across the headstage. The notes are much thicker on the body that the base of the notes. There is apt attack to the notes while the decay is good but could be delayed a bit more. A little more sub-bass depth in the physical sense and rumble would be preferable. It lies mostly horizontal just below the vocalists.

BASS-
This is the best part of the iem. Its very much impactful, and dynamic. The tonality remains warm and slightly intimate. There is great dynamics in the notes and it has great attack but decay could have been made better a bit more delayed for the reverbrations to be added more. The bass expands mostly horizontally across the headstage and it just remains mostly below the vocals. The notes are big at the base and body and taper off quite suddenly after sometime. There is no midbass bleed or any bad interaction with mids and this feels very energetic and warm too giving a enjoyable yet quality bass listening experience.

MIDS-
There is a very successful story here . Vocals are lovely and very much lively with wonderful dynamics. There is quite apt tonality with the vocalists that the difference between all the vocalists can be easily. There is slight reduction in the vocalists roughness and its very smooth and easy to listen. The female vocals also love the smoothness and they definitely don’t have the ‘sss’ sound much. They reach quite high in the headstage and have a wonderful note presentation. They are quite well defined especially in the base of the notes but the endings are quite wonderful just mixing into the air. No interaction between bass and other frequencies at all causing issues. The only thing I though is that I lacks a bit of nuances which are slightly less pronounced.

The instruments are smooth defined and lovely. They are quite separated and have good dynamics. I would love too see a little more heights difference between the instruments but they reach quite high in the headstage per say. The separation is mostly between the instruments placements but the notes of individual instruments are also nicely separated. They are wide iems but the presentation is more elliptical giving them a surrounding presentation. The notes are having a wider body and base while they lean out in the end and disperse. Surrounding space is also easier to understand with this iem. The upper mids are quite wonderful with warmish tonality mostly, and this in turn also has the appropriate energy too not lacking in that, just missing on electronic guitars sometimes. But, most lovely are the pianos and they are so easy to listen them here. The notes are so distinct and yet have the extension befitting a grand piano. The notes are quite apt in attack and also the decay is quite apt here. Loving the mids here completely

TREBLE-
Treble; treble; treble; hahaha, this iem does justice to it with its energy and dynamics. It does make you want a little more on the top end but its so much engaging to listen to that I wont want more. Its very energetic hence, you wont feel that pump missing but air in the trumpets would be something you want more. But the feeling of hihats and triangles are so well managed that they are both warm and lovely to listen to and are wonderful overall. The notes are quite thick at the body and base and lean off fast to the end and reach quite high in the headstage.

The upper mids and treble though did seem to change with change in source like using DITA Navigator. There was more upper mids energy and treble and slightly leaned off the notes edges too.

VERDICT-
For a single DD + PM1 BA driver, it accomplishes a lot and given the engaging experience I would surely recommend it.

Before going into the review, I would like to thank Audio Geek Tour Group, especially Mr. Sandeep, Mr. Harmoko, and Mr. Novan for arranging the tour unit. I would also like to thank Mr. Kenneth and DITA for the opportunity to review a unit. However, they do not have any input on my review of the DITA Project M. This review is completely my own opinion of the DITA: Project M.

Unboxing
Not even out of the box yet, I’m quite impressed with the Box design of the Project M. The attention to detail and the design left me with awe. Perhaps I’m oversimplifying this, but the box design is quite interesting showing frequency response graphs of the Project M and the folds of the included pamflet are meticulously folded to the corresponding pages. Inside they included a case which was made by Tanos in Germany.

I’m really impressed with the design and cohesiveness of the overall product. The carrying case and eartips case looks like flight cases for musical instruments. The design is modern utilitarian, maybe ? as I find the design of things included serves a purpose. The Pamflet can be used as a photo background, or at least I use it that way… the case seems to be stackable and there are tiny handles on the Tanos case.

The case really caught my eyes as the handles they have are quite amusing. But, I digress.

Design, Fit, and Comfort

Enough about the other things in the box, let’s talk about the IEM’s design themselves. Perhaps it is one of the clearest IEM I have tried so far, as you can clearly see the insides of the Project M. They have put thoughts on this as the drivers are packed inside a metallic compartment inside, making the visuals clean and sophisticated. The overall shape they’re going for is a semi custom ergonomics like a lot of IEMs I’ve been trying these last few weeks. They have a rather deep insertion, so long nozzle eartips might not be a great combination for them. The EPZ M100 looks stunning with the Project M, I think you’ll probably need a smaller size for the Project M. Going with the included eartips for me is the best choice as they’re Final Eartips, not sure which ones but they’re also glow in the dark.

I almost forgot, the cable that comes with the Project M is also a modular cable by Cardas. I almost forgot this as it seems like it’s not a modular cable unless you tried to twist them or you notice that they included a 3.5 mm Modular Plug in the box. Speaking about cable, I quite like the cable on the Project M. However, I do have a slight concern as the cable itself is white and seems to have a slight matte finish to them. My concern is whether or not the oxidation will come through over long periods of time.

The design, the fitment, and the looks really caught me. I really like their attention to detail. The Project M name inside the shell, the glow in the dark eartips, and the carefully folded pamphlet caught my eyes. Overall, a really nice IEM in terms of design, packaging, and accessories.


Sound
Perhaps the sound is what matters the most, it is easy to get lost when reviewing beautiful products. TheProject M sounds uniquely impressive, let’s talk about it…

Mids
Perhaps rather unusual to start with the Midrange performance, but it is what stands out to me the most as the Vocals are slightly intimate compared to the Hiby Project Ace. But do take this with a grain of salt, as this is only based on memory. The vocal and upper midrange performance of the Dita Project M is rather smooth with some sparkle on female vocals. Thinking about it more and more, this might have an overall similar tuning to the Project Ace. Funny that they both have a ‘Project’ on their name and they are both kinda similar. But, I digress. The Mids and upper mids presentation of the M is rather natural with a slight tinge of brightness to them. Perhaps if you’re really sensitive to the Balanced Armature Timbre this might show up, but for me it doesn’t really show. Speaking of which…

Treble
Assuming that the Project M is a hybrid, perhaps the Balanced Armature pulled a double duty for reproducing the Mids and Treble frequencies. The Treble performance of the Project M is surprisingly bright, not as bright as you might think. The control and feel are really good as they are just bright enough to give that sparkle and energy to songs, but not enough to sound irritating. Perhaps the treble performance reminds me a bit of the Tansio Mirai X I tried a while back and maybe could also be close to the DaVinci ? but the Davinci sounds warmer… maybe ? I digress. The Project M’s Treble performance also plays a part in giving that sense of clarity as the details on recordings come through.

Bass
Moving on, this is actually not my first time trying the Project M as I did try them and compared them to the Tansio Mirai X. The Tansio Mirai X is a bassy v-tuned IEM, so comparing the two doesn’t really make sense. The bass performance of the Project M is nice and tight, as it has ample Midbass to be fun and good subbass to be punchy. I think if you like clean and teeny tiny bass boost, the Dita Project M might satisfy you, but if you like bassy IEM, the Project M might not be for you.

On Distortion
The soundstaging is pretty wide, perhaps almost lifelike ? if that’s even possible. But do take this with a grain of salt. The vocalists are placed in the middle with the instruments around the stage. It also appears that the distance between vocalists and instruments are quite far apart, giving a sense of wide stage and with pretty good imaging. Perhaps the verticality of this set is pretty good too as the stage feels slightly higher than you are.

On Dance the Night
Perhaps I put in a Pop song here, as I do find a quite interesting experience when listening to this song. The acoustic guitar strumming on the left side is quite distinct in this song, the positioning and the distance from other instruments and vocal can be quite noticeable. Not to mention the layering of bass guitar and guitar on the Dua Lipa’s vocals are also quite nice.


TL; DW
The DITA Project M is the first IEM I reviewed from the brand DITA and the first IEM I reviewed from a Singaporean Boutique brand. It is quite interesting that I’ve made it this far. I would of course thank everyone for their continuous support! But! I digress yet again!

The Dita Project M is a Hybrid IEM with 1 Dynamic Driver and 1 Balanced Armature Driver. The DITA Project M costs $325 dollars and came with quite nice packaging. Which includes a carrying TANOS case, Modular Jacks, A bunch of Final Eartips with case, and a pretty nice cable.

The Project M have an intimate warm vocals with clear treble and deep bass, offering an overall natural balanced tuning. I think the Project M is suited for a wide range of genres and can be a great set to listen to. If you're looking for a flexible set that isn’t too bassy, this might be a great candidate. It is also worth noting that I shared this experience with my friend that has more experience with sound in general and he said the tuning is rather unique.

As for the ratings, I give the Project Management an A- for Tonality and an A- for Technicalities. Perhaps it is not the most technical set I’ve tried in the price range, perhaps that title is still being held by the Blessing 3.

Well, that is it. That is my experience with the DITA Project M, perhaps one of the candidate I would like to buy due to the tuning uniqueness. Have you tried the DITA Project M ? or do you own a DITA IEM ? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section. Thank you Audio Geek Tour group for supporting me and thank you all for watching and s
upporting me to this point. Have a nice day!


Project M Photo Album

DISCAIMER: The Dita Project M was sent to me as part of the Audio Geek "Brother_Hood of Audiophiles" US Tour. Many thanks to Audio Geek and Dita for the opportunity to give these a listen and share my thoughts!

A BIT ABOUT ME: I’ve been in the hobby for many years, starting out with old-school DAPs like the iRiver IHP120 and Rio Karma and IEM like the Shure E2c and E3c. Over the years, I’ve maintained a focus on portable audio, and my setup has evolved to mainly dongle DACs and mid-tier IEM. I mainly listen to classic rock, electronic, and metal. While I can appreciate many different flavors of sound, I avoid setups which provide too much upper mids and lower treble.

WHAT’S INCLUDED: Project M IEM, Final E Tips, MOCCA cable, mini systainer case.

DRIVER CONFIGURATION: 9.8mm custom PM1 dynamic driver + 1 x Knowles BA.

MY THOUGHTS:
Accessories: The Final E tips are a good match with Project M, and it’s nice that they come in half sizes to get the best fit possible. The cable is very nice with Cardas copper inside, a modular 90° plug that screws down for added security, and QDC connectors. I personally prefer straight plugs and have mostly 2-pin cables, so it’s a good thing the cable is a good match otherwise I’d need to invest in new cables. The case didn’t click with me. It’s neat looking I guess, but it’s not a very practical case IMHO. If I owned these, I’d use a 3rd-party case.





Comfort: I have medium sized ears and found the shells comfortable for longer listening sessions, although ymmv. The cable isn’t overly thick or heavy, so it was fine for both on the go and sedentary listening. The shells are vented, so I had no issue with pressure buildup and moving my head and jaw didn't affect sound.





Sound: I’d characterize the tuning as mature, with punchy bass, neutral lower mids, restrained upper mids and lower treble, and very nice extension up top. Soundstage had good width, depth, and height. Imaging and separation were also good. I know many others found the upper treble too much, but I wasn’t bothered by that at all. This type of tuning fits my preferences very well, especially for classic rock and metal. It was fine with electronic music, but for that I’d prefer to have a bit more mid bass. The one caveat I found was that when listening at lower levels, they come off as bass shy. Turn up to medium or louder listening volumes, and the bass is well-controlled and nicely punchy.

Tips: The Final E tips were great, so I stuck with those for my time with these IEM.

Cables: I tried the stock copper cable from my Tigerism Octave and found it warmed up the sound a bit, filling out the mid bass to lower mids quite nicely. This gave me a choice between the tighter, more neutral sound with the stock cable and a warmer, lusher sound with the Tigerism Octave cable. The only issue was that the 2-pin Octave cable was an awkward fit on the Project M’s QDC connectors.



Sources: I tried several dongle DACs including the Dita Navigator as well as several from my collection (Cayin RU6, L&P W2, Onix Alpha 1, and Penon Tail), Chord Mojo, Dethonray Pegasus SG1, and Shanling M6. I found that Project M’s sound was nicely responsive to different sources, so I’d encourage people to play around and see which you think have better synergy. For my part, Dita Navigator was nice but ultimately I preferred Dethonray SG1, Onix Alpha 1, or Shanling M5 for a warmer listen, Cayin RU6, Chord Mojo, or Penon Tail for a more neutral listen, and Dita Navigator or L&P W2 to tighten up the sound. I found Dita Navigator had good soundstage and dynamics but sounded a bit grainy vs my L&P W2.



CONCLUSION: What was Dita’s goal with this IEM, did they achieve it, and who is this for? Dita describes Project M as giving people a taste of their higher end IEM at a lower price point. Project M and Navigator were my first taste of Dita’s products, so while I can’t confirm whether or not they are indeed a good lower priced representation of their higher end IEM I can say that they definitely made a positive impression on me. I’d recommend it for people who aren’t overly sensitive to upper treble and who tend to enjoy a more mature tuning which for me is characterized by a dip in the upper mids and lower treble. These are on my list to potentially purchase when the new gray colorway is released!

I recently had the opportunity to test the Dita Project M, a tour unit received through the Audio Geek Brotherhood group of India. My sincere thanks to Sandeep for arranging this tour for the Indian audiophile community.

*Source used for review:* iBasso DX180, Realme GT2 Pro, Aful Snowynight

*Build Quality & Design:* The Dita Project M boasts a stunning shell with a premium feel. It's honestly the most beautiful IEM I've seen. The craftsmanship is truly exceptional. Its unique carrying case adds to the luxury, making it a collector's item.

*Fit:* Project M fits well, with a shape and size that's just about right. The provided tips are grippy and soft. Although I personally prefer wide-bore eartips for their sound quality.

*Bass:* While the focus isn't heavily on bass, it leans towards a neutral side. It's present when needed but never overpowers other frequencies. The provided tips are soft and dense enough to ensure a proper fit and quality bass.

*Mids / Vocals:* Vocals are super crisp and natural, though they can sound slightly thin if not paired with the right tips. With the stock tips, vocals sound thin and sharp. I wish there was better separation between mids and treble.

*Treble:* The treble is incredibly detailed, bordering on sharp, but wide-bore tips help balance the sound. A treat for detail lovers, as it reveals the finest nuances in music.

*Imaging:* Imaging is fantastic, delivering accurate placement of instruments across a wide soundstage. It immerses you in the music, giving a sense of space and dimension.

*Soundstage & Depth:* The soundstage is impressively wide, but the depth is good, not the best for the price.

*Conclusion:* The Dita Project M is highly addictive, offering superb detail and clarity, especially for treble enthusiasts. It pairs best with warmer DAPs/DACs and requires a bit more power to truly shine. It's a sound you'll want to hear again and again. As a child, I always thought better quality is equal to more details, and Project M delivers exactly that. It's a treat for those who crave details.

I want to say thank you to the Audio Geeks US Tour for the chance to be blown away by this IEM. More importantly, as a member of Audio Geeks, these folks are awesome and so helpful. I say this as I am new to IEM’s and the team are extremely supportive.

A little background, on me…. I have been in audio for almost 40 years. I have worked in the industry and have advised on products, for years. That said, it was all in 2-channel audio, and not in portable audio. As I’ve gotten older and with my daughters graduating from college, my wife and I decided to downsize. Well, that decision took away my dedicated 2-channel room.

I decided to look for an alternative means to listen to music. Initially, headphones were the logical path. Unfortunately, that path wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get over the restrictive nature of headphones and the heat, while wearing them. Later on, I started looking into IEM’s as I was missing music. One thing led to another and I ran across Audio Geeks. What a blessing that has been…

The following is my own impressions from f the Project M:

I really don’t have a good comparative as I haven’t listened to many IEM’s, so, the following is based on a novices impression. By the way, this is the most expensive IEM I have heard. The equipment used was:

MacBook Pro, running Roon (DOP at DSD 256) >
Audioquest Coffee USB cable >
Ifi iPurifier3 >
Denefrips Ares 2 >
Moon Audio Blue XLR out (Denafrips) >
Woo Audio WA11 Topaz (balanced line-in, bypassing the DAC)

The Project M has been reviewed many times with mixed impressions. For me, I find the Project M to have a very neutral sound, perhaps because of my chain being very warm, across the board. Additionally, the soundstage is extremely open, with very good 3 dimensional spacing. The spacial cues within the soundstage are outstanding. The air and decay of instruments are outstanding.

Chet Baker - Chet (Riverside)

This is a March 1959 release. Typical of these recordings, the engineer uses a hard pan, left and right. The Project M’s didn’t remove this engineering; however, they had the ability to set instruments in the soundstage, whereas, delineation between instruments were clear, with black spaces between each. The air around the instruments was superb. A typical jazz recording of the era, became so emotionally involving, that I didn’t want to quit listening.

Melody Gardot. - My One and Only Thrill

This is an April 2009 recording. Melody Gardot has such sensual vocals. This album is outstanding for reviewing. Once again, the spacial cues are tremendous. On “Our Love is Easy”, Melody’s voice was right there. Incredible layering was there with the backing instruments. The cymbals are delicately hit with pinpoint focus. The decay, from the cymbals, was remarkable. The emotion, you hear, while listening with the Project M’s is nothing short of amazing.

A general feeling of the Project M is musicality! I know, that word doesn’t really describe anything. For me, I know what it means. Either you have it or you don’t. So far, in my infant stage of listening to IEM’s, the Project M is the only one to have it… Musicality!!

Again, I want to thank the team, at Audio Geek, for the hard work they do, that allows me the exposure, within the segment of the audio journey!!

Thanks to Minidisc Australia and @Damz87 for the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks with this IEM in return for my honest opinions. Nothing in here is paid or sponsored. There are also more than enough photo's on this review page already so not adding any.

The Dita Project M comes in a nice looking box, you get the IEM’s (which look great in the full clear acrylic), a nice cable, some Final E tips, and a carry case. The case is a hard case, which is OK, but a little smaller than I’d like. I had some trouble getting them to fit in it while I had them. You need to use the Final E tips with these (or similar), anything else really exaggerated what I didn’t like about these and moved them from listenable to unlistenable.

I tested these using my Fiio Q7, LP W4, iBasso DC06 Pro, and DC04 Pro. I also tried the Navigator which came along with it, however preferred the other four, so didn’t use it for a long time. My music taste is a little bit of everything and would have spent 25-30 hours with these.

I have a large collection (~100 IEM’s) with a number at the Dita’s price point (USD325) and impressions are based on what you can get at this price point. These are only two drivers as well (1 x DD, 1 x BA) which was a little surprising for the price, but driver count does not equal quality (looking at you KZ).

Bass:

It’s there, does it stand out? No. It does have decent texture to it, and is sufficiently detailed, however it will leave you wanting if you’re someone who enjoys a little more bass with their music. I wouldn’t mark it down for what it does, as what it delivers is of a decent quality at this price point, but just calling out that it’s quite ‘neutral’.

Mids:

Leaner that I generally like, everything is there and quite clear, plenty of detail, just all a little lean. This will suit some people; it doesn’t suit me. Male vocals were generally fine, if not a little lean as previously mentioned, however any higher pitched Male vocals, and Female vocals, can become a little piercing at times, not the worst I’ve heard but worth noting and did become too much on occasion with me skipping tracks, never a good sign for me. Some leaner IEM’s often don’t sound musical, it isn’t the case here, everything is just lighter and leaner.

Treble:

First, the elephant in the room, some tracks became unlistenable with the sibilance and shrillness for me. On the positive side, as they’re bright, you get quite a lot of detail hitting your eardrums and if you’re not sensitive to treble (or enjoy this tuning) it could be a positive. Some tracks, where certain frequencies weren’t hit, were very enjoyable and they really brought certain parts of tracks forward which are generally relegated to the background. It’s a plus and a negative, the tuning overall would mean it could never be an everyday carry for me, but some tracks were genuinely enjoyable and different to what they generally sound like.

Technicalities:

Pretty great for the price. Detail retrieval is about as good as you’ll get at this price point. Soundstage is a little outside my ears, but has some depth, not the best at the price but more than adequate. Imaging and separation were great and punching above what you normally get at USD325.

Overall thoughts:

I flipped around a lot with the Project M, with some tracks I really couldn’t stand it, with others I had a great time. I thought I’d land somewhere solid on it but as I listen to it while writing this I’m still undecided. For someone like me who has many IEM’s I could certainly see a place for it, using it sparingly with certain tracks and artists where it excels. This price point is competitive, and if you’re looking for a jack of all trades this isn’t it, there are some fantastic all-rounders at this price now (Estrella, ISN H60) which would be better suggestions, without any real downsides, but neither of those excel quite as well as the Project M in the technical department nor those certain tracks where the treble worked in its favour rather than against, so would really come down to what you’re looking for – but wouldn’t recommend this as a one and done for anyone.

To try and explain my dilemma - Eddie by the Red Hot Chili Peppers just came on, the guitar sounds amazing, with great clarity, with detail coming out that is usually in the background making me really enjoy this, but then there is an element of sibilance and shrillness which turns me off it. Just not quite right for me ears. The solo which is now playing is too bright, but has great detail. Anyway...

Overall, a good IEM which doesn’t suit my ears. For me it’s probably a 3/5, I’ve put it at 3.5/5 in an attempt to be more objective.

So background on me, I’m an audiophile of 20 years started in 2-channel then merged into personal audio about 7 years ago. I listen to all genres except country and any of the Pops. I am uniquely a-tuned to bass, mids and spatial cues so I may not prioritize preferences that a treble head, vocal deviant or a timber junkie might. However I appreciate the full spectrum. I lean towards non sterile sound.
I believe once you cross a certain threshold in iems the basics are going to be there ie resolution and details in varying degrees but to spend time talking about is it resolving? is it not resolving? which one has more details? I personally think budgets set have details - accordingly, I’ll focus on the particular presentation portrayed by this iem, For me.

Gear used for this assessment of the Project M are the
WM1A2
The Hugo2 with 2go module and PW adapter
The mojo original with the poly and PW adapter
The yinlumei W0


The Project M has been REALLY SURPRISING. It's my first DITA product. Right away it's just gorgeous and simple. I love that, the cable is a Cardas - I'm a sucker for a quality cable even a budget one.
On to the music -
Upon first listen, I was greeted with wonderful bass. There was texture, separation - really defined placement of the drums moving into mids; transients are sharp the decay feels natural - in particular on a track called Nagoya Marimba by Steve Reich, Bob Brecker and James Preiss. The percussive hits on this track are enveloping and the Project M Delivers - You get strong dynamics while also having well defined placement in the stage. The overall presentation is very polished and mature.
On presentation alone I knew that this is a dynamic driver, what I'm surprised about is the balance armature. Frankly It sounds like just a quality single DD which must mean that the BA and DD acoustic centers are truly centered with one another. I can’t distinguish one from the other, I’ve heard people mention that it’s a hot in the treble. I guess I got lucky because I didn’t experience that, primarily listening through the WM1A2 with Penon Orange Lacquer tips.

Confession time - I really like the idea of a simple set up. You know going from a lot of top-of-the-line IEMS where you have to cable roll and you need to make sure that you get the right interconnects and that your ROON is set up just right etc. There was something real relaxing to just be able to sit down and throw on budget friendly IEM and not miss out on the quality and maturity that usually comes with a price tag. That’s kind of my biggest Takeaway here - the Project M is the most affordable IEM in my possession by at least double its asking price and there are times I think I would rather listen to this one over the others. Spatial cues are really important and the project M reminds me of a Point source 2 channel stereo system. The sound emanating directly from the same point is really unbeatable for me in terms of taking me to an environment, so I think Dita knocked it out of the park with this.

In conclusion - I will buy one. The simplicity of this package - the lightweight cable the the fact that it’s using Cardas materials inside, the gorgeousness of the shells I really feel like I’ve made no sacrifice in reducing my budget by 90%. I think this is a fantastic deal and would recommend it to anyone, as there’s nothing that I’ve found that it does wrong. I've listen to it at high volumes. I've listened to it on low volumes. It’s got excellent dynamics so if you’re listening to, orchestral music or something that is more modern like new age jazz you’re gonna hear the soft taps all the way up to the thunderous attacks.


For $325 I’m blown away

I would like to thank Dita and Audio Geek US tours for letting me demo it!

Disclaimer:​

I’m more of a Techhead than audiophile and I use Youtube Music for 99% of my listening. Take everything I say with this in mind and please don’t come after me for not having refined taste. This is purely from my silly little point of view, of which you might be interested in.

Gear Used:​

Streaming Platform: Youtube Music Premium (Bitrate: 256kbps AAC & OPUS)
Dongle: USB to Lightning JCALLY JM08L

Box:​

The box is a simple affair with everything you’d need for the IEMs themselves. I honestly prefer simple packaging as a whole while still being premium with its feel and texture. Less waste in general and less bulky things to keep as well but I know this isn’t the general sentiment especially when you’re paying $300+ for IEMs.

The Pair comes with this hard plastic case that’s trying to look like a little mini pelican case with a little handle to boot. The case honestly misses the mark for me a bit. It looks like a case for a toy and it’s also impractical with how bulky it is. Even as a general display thing and not a carrying case it tends to be on the small side when it comes to the insides and the sharp plastic edges make it seem like if you close it wrong or aren’t paying attention you’ll break a cable by accidentally pinching it while closing.

I know companies have to show off and make their mark when it comes to inclusions and all but I’d really appreciate it if they considered functionality first especially when it comes to something like an included case. I ended up just not using it at all and reverted to my cheap little pouch that can fit all the cables and 2 dongles while being half the size.

Build:​

The IEMs themselves are beautifully immortalized in a clear resin leaving their drivers exposed for you to ogle at when you’re bored. Personally, the comfort of these are beyond amazing. I can wear them practically for hours on end and I don’t have any issue with any soreness at all. They’re on the ergonomic side when it comes to their shape so that depends on you whether what your preference is but for my fitment these are just about as good as I can ask for.

While I haven’t noticed anything yet the one concern I do have regarding the build is the longevity of the resin itself. Resin has a tendency to discolor overtime especially when exposed to UV(like the big ball of gas we call the sun) so I wonder if these will be the same. With that being said I’m sure most people will be using these indoors near their pour over setup with their imported coffee beans so I’m sure It’s not an immediate concern whatsoever.

The Included cable is nice and thin making it easy to wear and does not interfere with my glasses. They are this matte feeling plastic braided cable which are not noisy at all and they also don’t tangle very easily. Very easy to coil around and very easy to uncoil. The end is also removable with your choice of 3.5mm or 4.4mm which I think is a very nice inclusion especially if you don’t have any extra cables on hand. It does make the end bulkier than it normally would be but I think that’s a small concession for the added functionality.

Sound:​

If I could sum up the sound out of these it would be “simplicity and clarity”. It feels like it opens up the sound very nicely to each song and it makes minute details stand out without being too overbearing in their attempt to be heard. It’s got a nice punch to it but it does not try to disrupt any of the ensemble of sound you’re trying to hear.

The splash cymbal in Stubborn Love - The Lumineers has this spread to it that makes you really feel the entire resonance of the hit on the cymbal. The distortion effects in the background in Kingslayer (feat. BABYMETAL) - Bring Me The Horizon provides a nice layer of detail that you won’t really appreciate unless there’s this level of clarity involved because sometimes it’ll just be heard as noise. It doesn’t take away from the main song but more of a subtle bonus to the song with how good the sound stage is on the project M. Screechy singing doesn’t hurt either. And the escalating chords in the back of Weak - AJR then it’s completed by the overlaid vocals without the horns interfering with each other. You really get to appreciate each element individually while still having the ability to zoom out and just capture the whole picture.

Nitpicks:​

It’s rough because the 2 things that make me appreciate these more are also the 2 things that give me friction with my day to day use. It’s like the bittersweet double edged audio sword. These 2 things being its resin build and its ergonomic shape.

The clear resin is beautiful for sure but after man handling it for a couple of days without wiping them down the fingers from everything that’s been touching them seems to make them feel super slick and also make them look on the cloudy side at times. Of course wiping them down frequently would be the obvious solution to this but if these were your daily driver do you realistically see yourself wiping them down religiously?

The ergonomic shape while being a blessing for its comfort is also a curse to its compactness. Them being very outward shaped makes them a challenge to lay flat to close down your carrying case if the fit is just right. You’re really gonna want a bit of vertical clearance in anything you put these in(which the included case definitely doesn’t provide by the way).

Final Thoughts:​

Is project M the complete package when it comes to comfort and sound for me? Honestly, kinda. At this price point it’s a little thin when it comes to its bells and whistles but bar for bar these things fulfill that essential “daily driver” hole in my heart with just how well rounded it is. Out of the box it’s been plug and play wherever I’ve taken it. If these fit you as well as they fit me then you’d be hard pressed to not consider these as your next upgrade if you’re coming from the $100-200 price bracket.

Simplicity and clarity, That’s about all I can say that will encapsulate the Project M whether that be in its sound or its design.

But remember, Music is a personal experience so make sure to find whichever makes you enjoy it the most regardless of what a graph says.

When I see the name Dita, I think extremely well tuned, well built, and out of the box thinking. Therefore, when I see a new Dita IEM that looks like an absolute jewel and cost $350 I get pretty darn excited. Once again Andrew came through for me at Musicteck. Home of the best selection of IEMs on the planet.

View attachment P4111046.jpeg

Project M is a two driver IEM with on 9.8mm dynamic driver and a single Knowles balanced armature. This dynamic driver is an in-house design by Dita. I love sets that you can see into…to see check out these miniature speakers and how they’re wired and how it all works. The Project M is a very pretty set…and when the light hits it just right you get a little rainbow flare….so awesome. The shells are vented so no excess pressure build up which is a key for me. My ears have always been sensitive to pressure build up. All the way back to my unaccompanied minor days on Eastern Airlines. Yes, I’m getting old.

View attachment P4111033.jpeg
The cable for this beauty is made of 16 strings of Cardas copper. Pretty darned impressive as Cardas is among the best cable manufacturers in the game. The cable comes with 3.5 and 4.4 terminations which is always nice. I don’t even remember the last time I used anything but a balanced 4.4 plug. The carrying case is very nifty and well thought out. I have to give Dita an A for accessories at this price point. Bravo!


View attachment P4111062.jpeg

On to the sound. This set is close to spot on linear with almost no emphasis anywhere on the spectrum. Analytical without all out up in your face detail retrieval. It’s just warm enough add some musicality. Treble lovers will be quite fond of this IEM. Treble extends very well with good to great space, sparkle and air. Every now and then i heard a tiny bit of sibilance but it was extremely rare and almost not enough to mention.

Note weight in the mids could be heftier but we’re talking about a $350 iEM. My trouble spot….upper mids have some energy but thankfully it didn’t bother me at all, There isn’t a ton of mid bass slam with the Project M. Sub bass digs pretty darn deep though. Sets that focus on sub bass rather than mid bass slam fascinate me. It’s such a departure from what you’re always listening to. I was quite surprised at how deep it dug down on such a balanced set.



Overall some may say Project M is a little on the boring side but given that i wasn’t expecting a died in the wool reference tuning this was a pleasant surprise since I don’t have many IEMs that take this approach. You don’t have to shell out close to a grand for the Empire Ears ESR mkii for studio monitoring!

Jason and i are very much big fans of this offering from Dita. It’s particularly wonderful paired with the excellent Dita Navigator which I reviewed here on headfi.

I look forward to a mid-FI offering from Dita. Gives us more guys!!!

Preface:

I would like to thank @gadgetgod and Kenneth Koh for sending Project M for me to audition.

Also, I’m not a seasoned reviewer, so whatever I say is purely my observations and your results may vary.

I’m not the one to usually focus on specifications and numbers. I focus more on how happy I am with the equipment’s sound and that’s it.

Disclaimer: All impressions and opinions in this review are my own. I have not been paid or compensated by Dita or any other entity for this review. My assessment is based solely on my personal experience with the product.

Sources used:

• Dita Navigator
• iBasso DC07 Pro
• D16 Taipan
• RME ADI-2 Pro FS R

Introduction​

Dita Audio, a name synonymous with high-end IEMs, has consistently delivered products that balance innovation and sound quality. Their past releases, like the Perpetua and Dream XLS, have earned acclaim for their build and sonic performance. Known also for their meticulous approach to cable design, with models like the Oslo, Dita continues to push the envelope. Their latest offering, the Project M, is a hybrid IEM that seeks to combine high-end sound with striking aesthetics at a price point that makes it accessible to more audiophiles.

Design of the IEM and Cable​

The Dita Project M steps away from the brand’s traditional metal shells, opting instead for a transparent acrylic resin housing that showcases the intricate internal components. The design is both striking and functional, with a stainless steel chamber inside that contains a custom dynamic driver and a balanced armature. The result is an IEM that looks as clear and precise as it sounds.





The included cable is equally impressive, made from high-quality Cardas wire, known for its excellent signal transmission. The modular plug system allows for easy swapping between 3.5mm, 4.4mm and Type C (purchase separately) connectors, a feature that adds versatility without compromising on durability. The aesthetic is completed by a custom travel case sourced from Germany, which is excellent and the idea of being able to stack multiple cases together is a really cool idea. It’s worth noting that the locking mechanism might not be as robust as one would hope.

Fit and Comfort of the IEM​

Comfort is crucial with any IEM, and the Project M does not disappoint. The shells are ergonomically designed to sit comfortably in the ear for extended listening sessions. For the best fit and sound, Final Type E and Eletech Baroque eartips are recommended. These tips not only enhance the seal but also provide a balanced sound signature that complements the IEMs’ inherent qualities.

Sound​

Tonality​

The Dita Project M strikes a fine balance in its tonal presentation, offering a sound that is both detailed and engaging across the spectrum. It’s clear from the first listen that this IEM was tuned with precision.

Sub-Bass​

The sub-bass on the Project M is well-extended, providing a satisfying rumble without overwhelming the rest of the spectrum. Decay here is on the quicker side, which keeps the bass tight and controlled, avoiding any potential muddiness.

Mid-Bass​

Mid-bass is present but slightly subdued compared to the sub-bass. The decay is fast, giving the bass a punchy quality that adds to the overall clarity and separation. While it doesn’t dominate the sound signature, it provides a solid foundation that complements the mids and highs without overshadowing them.

Lower Mid-Range​

The lower mid-range is full and rich, lending body to male vocals and instruments like the guitar and cello. This range is well-balanced, ensuring that the warmth doesn’t bleed into the upper mids or treble, which helps maintain clarity and detail.

Upper Mid-Range​

Upper mids are where the Project M shines. Vocals, particularly female vocals, are forward and clear without becoming shouty or harsh. The emphasis in this region makes for an engaging listening experience, particularly with genres that rely heavily on vocal performance.

Lower Treble​

The lower treble is crisp and detailed, with just enough energy to keep the sound lively without crossing into harshness. This balance makes the Project M suitable for long listening sessions without causing fatigue.

Upper Treble​

Upper treble extension is impressive, offering plenty of air and sparkle. This region is smooth and well-resolved, adding to the overall sense of space and detail without becoming overly bright or sibilant.

Timbre​

Timbre is one of the Project M’s strong suits. Instruments sound natural and lifelike, with a texture that is both rich and nuanced. The hybrid design ensures that both the dynamic and balanced armature drivers contribute to a cohesive sound that is both engaging and accurate.

Staging, Instrument Separation, and Layering​

The soundstage on the Project M is not the widest, but it offers good depth and a three-dimensional sense of space. Instrument separation and layering are excellent, allowing each element in the mix to be easily discerned. The Project M excels in creating a holographic image where instruments are precisely placed, adding to the immersive experience.

Detail Retrieval​

Detail retrieval is where the Project M truly outshines its competition. Even the smallest nuances in a recording are brought to the forefront, making it easy to appreciate the intricacies of the music. Whether it’s the subtle reverb on a snare drum or the breath of a vocalist, the Project M ensures that nothing goes unnoticed.

Conclusion​

The Dita Project M is an exceptional IEM that punches well above its weight. It offers a sound signature that is detailed, balanced, and engaging, all wrapped up in a beautifully designed package. While it might not be the best choice for bass heads, it excels in every other area, making it a versatile option for people looking for high-end performance at a mid-tier price.

Dita Audio is a Singapore based known for its high-end in-ear monitor (IEM) and audio products that has garnered attention for its impressive offerings. We often associate Dita Audio with high end iems such as Dream XLS, Perpetua, Dream etc. It is great to see Dita Audio launching a relatively mid-fi iem which can give the taste of Dita’s high end offerings without denting the pocket
This review reflects my personal and subjective listening experience with the mentioned audio gear product. I would like to thank DITA Audio and Audio Geek "Brother_Hood of Audiophiles" for giving me an opportunity to listen to these iems and allowing me to share my thoughts on the product, it doesn’t influence my review in any form and nor I am compensated.
Before I start, I would like to mention that most of my impressions of the gear is based on the source and test tracks mentioned, so YMMV.
Sources: Dita Navigator, Ibasso D16 and Apple Lightning dongle



Technical Specs
The Project M features DITA Audio’s PM1+ Driver, a 9.8mm dynamic driver, newly developed and custom-built specifically for the Project M.
The main engine behind the Project M’s sound, the PM1+ is responsible for the texture and characteristics behind the M’s signature. With the driver itself boasting a full-range sound with clarity, speed and a punchy bass
The PM1+ Driver performs best with additional technology, leading us to augment the Project M’s soundstage with a single Knowles Balanced Armature Driver.
Both these drivers are housed in a highly optimized stainless-steel chamber.
Project M’s sound is projected through a custom moulded transfer tube that terminates in an aluminium nozzle.
Each unit of the Project M comes with its own Systainer Carry Case, made by Tanos for DITA Audio. Each Tanos case comes with custom-made silicon inserts, mainly to protect both the case and the cables during shipping and before purchase. However, according to me Dita should have gone with case one size bigger than the one the Project M is being shipped into.
As per Dita’s website - As with all of DITA’s pieces, the Project M aims to be something that can be kept and enjoyed for a long time: It will be backed by a self-mandated 10-year parts or replacement availability that speaks to DITA’s commitment to stability, long term viability and re-sale value.


Box content
- Tanos case with Dita branding
- 5 pair of Final Audio silicon tips
- Iems and cable
- Cleaning brush tool

The Project M consists of DITA’s all-new PM1+ Dynamic Driver and a balanced armature driver.
Back story – When I first received the Project M and Navigator combo, I was told that the iem and decamp are made for each other kind of pairing, I plugged in the iems playing my fav tracks through apple music, bummer – I didn’t like it much, it sounded bright with too much glare, the other frequencies were fine but the treble was too much for my taste, I posted my initial impressions on headfi and shared with a few audiophiles here in India, I was advised to change the source and check with a warm source or something better in my collection, coincidentally, I had Ibasso D16 which was lent to me by one of my friend for demo as I am thinking of getting it myself, not fully convinced myself, tried it after a couple of days with Ibasso D16, boom, transformation, it is still brilliant sound but without being to bland and in your face. This is aggressively tuned iem but with ibasso D16, the pairing is so worthy of a praise, I know it is an expensive dacamp and not everyone can afford spending on D16 to listen to a $325 iem but just wanted to put into perspective that price of iems can fool you with what they can achieve with an optimized source. D16 in itself is very smooth dac, also pushing a lot of details that it can be an endgame AIO device setup for anyone.
Fit and comfort:
I would mention by bias first, I like metallic shell iems, resin shells don’t give me the confidence as I have had a couple of iems developing cracks either on shell or near the 2-pin section so I prefer metal shell iems though these have to sacrifice on the looks. Each project M has a resin transparent housings, the look and feel of Project M screams premium and are beautiful to look at. The shiny these have medium sized shell which sits comfortably in ears. Comfortable earpieces ensure a good fit, and the design helps with noise isolation. Project M is shipped with Final Audio tips which helps in enhancing the bass response, I have three Final Audio iems and have always found their tips to suit me the best when it comes to fit, since these help me get good isolation and comfort, it saves time in hunting for the tips.



reble – Energetic and at the edge of brilliance
There is space between instruments and the vocals being played, I do not hear much of a congestion in busy tracks as well, the transient response is good. Instruments sound like they are surrounded by space full of air. It creates nice ambience for the instruments to play well. Guitars sounds so lively that you’d feel you’re in concert. Give Project M enough Class A power and see it shine (no pun intended) Reference Tracks – The Pretender (Foo Fighter), Boulevard of broken dreams (Green Day), Chelsea Dagger (The Fratellis)
Bass – Low end has good presence and its fast, sub bass rumble can be felt, as mentioned in the details section of this review, Project M produces good sub bass, here the quality of bass is prioritized over quantity, for example in SuperMassive Black hole by Muse, the intro could be heart pounding but it keeps the desire bit unfulfilled, mid bass is bit less in comparison which helps in maintaining the FR balance which could have otherwise made this a mess in tuning. The drums, dhol sound really good, mid bass punch can come softer in some tracks. The transient response is fast. Reference track – Believer (Imagine Dragons), Go (Burak Yeter), SuperMassive Black Hole (Muse)
Timbre and Tonality – One of the aspects I keenly look for in iems is how it produces timbre and how is the tonal balance, Project M has a neutral bright tonality, throughout different tracks I have listened on this iem, there is enough bite, the timbre is natural with a hint of brilliance, one has to be mindful about proper pairing as this iem is highly source dependent and can sound bright and sharp. Reference track – Smells like Teen spirit (Nirvana)
Vocals – Crystal clear as its shells, female vocals are presented beautifully, especially due to the clean presentation of sound, Project M is able to not overdue the vocals wherein the accentuated treble doesn’t bother the upper mids, Male vocals can sound a bit thin but compensated by not being overshadowed by the mid bass, as the mid bass heft is well controlled and helps in separating the vocals from the instruments., again some bias to be mentioned because I adore mid centric iems so YMMV. If you love female vocal centric music, highly recommend to try it on Project M. Reference tracks -Maye Ni (Jasleen Royale), Ye tumhari meri baatein (Rock On), Heera (Higway)



Details – Project M ahead of the game when it comes to details retrieval for example I was listening to this track Why so Serious? from the Dark Knight Rises, each minute detail from the track, from the clock ticking, the sub bass from 3.26 – 4.30 (which many iems struggle to do well) is presented so accurately, the bass attacks, violin range, beats to small snare drums.
The soundstage of Project M is expansive, especially in this price range. Both the height and width of is done alright and the airiness in the treble region brings clarity and enhances the listening experience. Instruments separation and imaging is top class there is a sense of you surrounded by the artists, the musicality of the iem is immersive.


Overall – It is mind boggling to experience such quality at a price point wherein it is crowded, Project M can outshine (pun intended) the competition if you can find proper warm source and class A power, yes it demands maintenance and efforts in terms finding proper source but once you are done with that, there is no going back. At $325, it is a serious contender and shouldn’t be missed.

Disclaimer
Please note that I am not an audiophile, and this review does not delve into the technical aspects of the IEMs. My impressions are based on my personal preferences, and others may have different experiences with this product. I also have a very limited experience with audio products so please take this review with a grain of salt.

The Project M was lent to me as part of a review tour in the Philippines. Thanks to Ian and Mars who invited me to join!

Price: 325 USD
Link: https://ditaaudio.com/products/project-m

Part 1: General Product Details

Package Inclusions:

• IEM shells & cable
• Carry case (with cleaning brush & cloth)
• A case with 5 pairs of Final silicon eartips in different sizes

The IEM Shells

• The shell is made of clear resin, with the Dita logo encased within in color-changing hue. The shell has a strange shape, but I believe it’s because it’s well molded to ears. The IEMs really looks beautiful!
• Each earpiece weighing at around 5.6g. They don’t feel heavy despite being about 2g heavier than my daily drivers

The Carrying Case

• The carrying case (called a “Systainer”) is specially made by a German company called Tanos for Dita. It’s made of tough plastic.
• Be careful when closing the case and your wires are inside, you might accidentally damage your wires if they get caught in the edges.

The Cable

• The cable though thin feels very premium. Sometimes they get all tangled up, but it’s no big deal, easy enough to untangle
• The jack can be switched between the included 3.5mm and 4.4mm, mind-blown! You won’t get the orientation wrong, as there’s a peg-and-hole to guide the insertion of the jack to the cable.

Part 2: Subjective review

General Usage Impressions

• The iems fit my ears perfectly, giving me a good seal with no extra effort. These might be my favorite fitting IEMs
• The shells are protruding from my ears a bit, not really an issue, just kind of feels weird.
• Feels very premium overall, I love the fit and the looks!

Sound Impressions

• The bass gives off a slight rumble in my ear but it’s not as strong as the Elysian Pilgrim.
• Song details are crystal clear with an emphasis on vocals. If you love songs with a lot of vocals, you’ll probably love this IEM. I personally think that it’s a tad bit too bright for me. It’s not a deal-breaker, this can easily be fixed with a bit of EQ fiddling in the mid-treble
• Soundstage also feels wide to me, but not as wide and “airy” as the Pilgrim.
• Despite the difference in tuning, I think this is still very much great for general use.

Final Thoughts

The Dita Project M is an excellent premium midrange IEM that is aesthetically pleasing with amazing sound to go with it. I enjoyed the unboxing experience, and the inclusion of extra tips was a pleasant surprise.

While the tuning out of the box isn’t my cup of tea, It’s still a wonderful choice for non-bass heads. When the budget allows, I will want to buy a pair for myself.

Excited to share my thoughts on the Dita Project M in this review. I believe this IEM is set to become the new standard in its price range.

This IEM was given to me by The Audio Store for a review. No exchange has been done, all thoughts and opinions are mine and honest.
Introduction








This IEM gets my recommendation. It really shines when paired with a high-quality source. Increasing the Voltage significantly enhances the bass and overall lower frequency performance. Plus, using DACs with a musical sound profile takes the tonality to the next level.


Build

When you first pick up this IEM, you'll immediately feel the solid construction. Crafted from slow-poured resin, it gives off a sense of durability. You might even think it could withstand being thrown off a building. The accompanying case, made by "Tanos", is also impressively sturdy. While it may not be as tough as pelican cases, it outshines the typical cases that come with IEMs in this price range.


Fit

The fit is better than average. The shells may seem a little large, but they still fit my medium-sized ears. The cable is also better than average for this price, with no microphonics, very little memory, good quality splitters and connectors, and interchangeable termination (3.5 & 4.4). I can use this IEM daily with confidence and ease.


Tips

The Final E tips are included, which are priced well in the market. While many may prefer the Final E tips for this set, as someone who loves treble, I always opt for the Divinus Velvet Tips for enhanced Soundstage and Details, along with a touch of sparkle in the lower treble.


Tuning Philosophy

This is a neutral set, with a bit of treble extension. The bass is very neutral and reference grade, mids are very neutral along with a slightly elevated treble. The presentation overall feels lifelike. No frequency range is overpowering other ranges. The bass-to-mids transition is seamless and produces a very coherent response. There was no trace of BA timber in the presentation.


Timber Reproduction


Drums

- They seemed authentic and vivid. The BASS DRUM packs a punch rather than being neutral. The highs are nicely done, and the cymbals sound detailed and light. In general, there's a slight boost in the low end when listening to drums.


Guitar

- Steel String Guitars have a really natural sound. I love the Attack and Bite they offer. While they may lack a bit of zing in the upper treble, they still feel very natural and have great control. On the other hand, Classical Guitars sound absolutely amazing. They feel incredibly authentic and the tone is spot on.


Violin

- They sound good throughout the spectrum, although I could use a little bit of body and to get that solved when I changed my tips to Final E (Which are included). Bite, attack airyness everything was there.


Piano

The piano sounds very earthy and weighted. You can feel the weight of the hammers in the strings. The trailing edges are well conserved although a bit of higher treble extension would’ve been liked by me. Nonetheless, the piano sounded very safe and weighty.


Wind Instruments

- Every wind instrument from Trumpet to Flute, and saxophone sounded very good. A good amount of extension to offer, good clarity and resolution.


Vocals

- Vocals sounded very neutral with this IEM. They are a bit forward in the presentation in the upper mids but very neutral. Male voices are not warm by any means, but they are full of textures and nuances. Chest, head both voices sound good and natural. Female singers on the other hand sounded exquisite. Full of details, airiness and extension to offer. It's an absolute joy to listen to female vocals with this set.


Now let's jump into the Objective Aspects of this IEM


Bass


- The bass is there, not overpowering the spectrum. Attack and decay are natural, and above average for the price. The amplitude of the bass is not much. Midbass is slightly more felt than the subbass, although they are on the same level and the falloff is extremely gradual.
Bass works extremely well with neutral sets and when paired with a warm source it can satisfy Hip-Hop and EDM music to an extent.


Midrange


- Midrange is a very reference grade. There is not a lot of warmth to offer but it never felt recessed, and always came out as a separate layer in all of the genres. The pinna is very safe and there is not even a hint of elevation to cause discomfort to my ears.


Treble


- The treble on this IEM is a bit interesting, they are borderline bright for me. With high volumes, they can cause problems to few. Although it is the best part of this IEM. The way it handles air without being peaky ever so slightly is mindblowing for the price. The tuning decisions they took to tune the treble really play very well with almost all genres.


Comparisons


Studio 4

- Studio 4 has a bit more inclination towards neutrality. Although Dita sounds more interesting, the mids are better on S4 but the treble is better (more in quantity and resolution) on Dita.


Performer 8

- I can’t make a clear choice here. On the one hand, the treble on Dita offers a different kind of timber to the instruments whereas the P8s treble is generally more generic. Performer 8 is more timber-ly correct and possesses a lower bass shelf.


Hype 2

- The soundstage and bass are a lot better on Hype 2. Otherwise, Dita is a step above this IEM.


Conclusion

The DITA Audio Project M offers a well-rounded and intricate sound quality. Its sleek design, top-notch accessories, and comfortable feel make it a standout competitor in the mid-range IEM market. Perfect for audiophiles seeking a high-quality sound without the hefty price tag. If you prefer a clear, detailed sound with a balanced tone, the DITA Project M is a fantastic pick. Although it may not cater to bass lovers and could be too bright for those sensitive to high frequencies, its overall performance and affordability make it an enticing choice for music enthusiasts and audiophiles

Dita Project M
This is a tour unit organised by AudioGeek , thanks to Dita for providing us with Units of Project M & Navigator dongle..

Package
Project M looks Luxury with the box Quality , the subtle understated logo & dark colour scheme, inside the box you get paper work which gives some more insight about Dita's Project M , the exclusive travel case provided is by TANOS , which looks catchy by industrial look in Space Grey , included Eartips are 5 pairs of Final Type E ,
The included modular cable boasts 3.5 & 4.4 jack connections , with the MOCCA cable that utilizes conductors made by Cardas in the USA , MOCCA cable is constructed of 16 strands of Cardas conductors per cable, twisted to DITA's specifications and jacketed in a flexible PVC outer layer.
As for the iems are Resin based solid shell , which is as transparent as it can get , you can see the Proprietary DD & the BA, it's the most attractive set in its price range, it's so beautiful feels like it needs to handled with care..

Sound
Fairly neutral sound signature ,
A nice balance between technicality & tonality ,
Controlled Clear & refined bass .
Mids are the part where it shines bright , vocals both male & female are presented with finnese .
Instruments have a great resolution & timbre
Treble is highly resolving, exceptional resolution atnthe cost of being a bit sharp at times .
Female vocals seem a bit bright on some not so well mastered tracks .
I enjoyed Project M most on Hiby RS2 dap which is organic sounding & helps in taming the treble response.
SoundStage & imaging is excellent.

Conclusion
Tuning wise it's a pleaser to wast audience, most of the music will sound great on Project M.
The unique clear solid resin design makes it attractive & luxurious, it's comfortable, the provided accessories & the whole package with nice modular cable , final Eartips make it a great set to buy if you are a aesthete.
This is my subjective take on Project M with Hiby RS2 as a source
on balanced cable.

Preamble​

The upper end of audio equipment manufacturer’s usually play in a certain price bracket looking to build a brand based on ‘luxury’ and ‘high-end’ audio. But given the proliferation of the hobby with the growth of Chi-Fi, there has been a delving into other markets for a number of brands. The decision to enter new markets is a big decision to make and also brings with it an expectation of all the connotations that one has built towards a brand. Today’s review concerns the Dita Project M (PM), a fairly affordable option from established Singaporean brand, Dita Audio. Dita have long played in the upper-end with single dynamic driver (DD) IEMs that command rather healthy price tags.
And so, one must wonder, can a luxury brand bring a semblance of what has made them held in high regard to a more affordable price bracket?

The Factual Stuff​

The PM consists of a single 9.8mm DD that was supposedly built specifically for the PM and a single Knowles balanced armature (BA) driver. The drivers are housed in a steel chamber and encased in clear resin for a very striking looking IEM. No mention is made about any crossovers or any other sort of tech in the PM.

The PM comes with the “MOCCA” cable that uses wires made by Cardas Audio, a quite famous cable maker in the audio game. The cable is terminated with what Dita terms their “Awesome Plug Version 2” (APV2) which is interchangeable terminations ala TermX.

The PM is accompanied by new glow-in-the-dark Final Audio E-Type ear tips and a German-made Systainer case made by Tanos.

The Opinion Stuff​

Sound​

The majority of the below impressions was written utilising the PM with Final Audio E-Type eartips out of the Shanling M6 Ultra using the stock cable terminated in 4.4mm.

Bass​

The PM is tuned with a restrained approach in the low-end with there being a present but slightly understated bassiness. The sub-bass extends quite well providing you with a sense of depth and physicality but it is rather conservatively tuned so there is no ‘kick-in-the-chest’ that some bassheads crave. That being said, these frequencies are well detailed and quite textured, providing you with a greater sense of appreciation for the low-end as opposed to simply trying to overwhelm you with power.
The mid-bass punch (or perhaps, the lack thereof) leaves me wanting for more. There is a sense of pacing that is provided by the PM but on the whole, it doesn’t wow you in this regard, maintaining a rather flat response in this area.

The restrained tuning of the bass makes this not the ideal IEM for bassheads in the market but I feel it does enough to satisfy the majority of the market. What I enjoy about the PM’s bass is that it provides the dynamism that you want from your low-end, striking rather deep and with a sense of physicality that you don’t get on an all-BA set for example. Moreover, the sense of texture and the details that you can extract from the bass-line is also quite impressive. These elements seem to speak to an overall image of neutral, tasteful tuning in the low-end that seeks to heighten technical prowess rather than just dumb fun.

Mids​

Moving to the mid-range, the PM presents a similarly neutral lean to this region. The aforementioned restrained mid-bass tuning lends itself to a clinical and clear lower-mid-range with very little to no bloat here. IT is common that a more generously boosted mid-bass tends to muddle up the lower-midrange to the point where male vocals feel veiled and less coherent. The PM suffers from no such problem but in the midst of clinical rendition, it does recess male vocals somewhat and leads to removal of some emotion and soul from this region. I am unabashedly biased towards greater note weight and slight warmth as I associate those aspects with more emotional and musical renditions. The PM doesn’t present these elements which would usually be a death knell for many IEMs but the PM does a good job of maintaining musicality and some heft in the mids in that it doesn’t suffer the curse of being overly sterile in the pursuit of technical supremacy.
Still well-timbred and natural to the ear, the mid-range is quite enticing to listen to, that is, except for a more spicy rendition of upper-mids.

Higher-pitched female vocalists have a tendency to come off a little shrill on the PM, especially when seeking it out with tracks such as “34+35” by Ariana Grande and “4 walls” by f(x). These are a little harsh to listen to on the PM and are likely to cause some fatigue over time. This was also with the stock E-type tips, which are narrow bore and in my experience, have been used to take the edge off of the upper-end of IEMs for a while now. I also tested it with the Eletech Baroques, which wide bore and place the nozzles quite close into the ear canal. The result of this was a much sharper upper-midrange response where songs felt just entirely too sibilant.
Overall, the PM, in my opinion, requires the stock ear-tips in order to be listenable for long periods of time with the upper-mid lift being a bit too much for my liking. This combined with its rather flat tuning in the lower-mids leads to an underwhelming experience which despite being well-timbred and somewhat musical in its rendition, does not do anything to wow me but leaves me wondering whether the next song will be a shrill mess.

Treble​

The upper-ends of the frequency response curve remain the most enigmatic region to me as I feel that it is the least of my worries unless it is obviously absent or obviously fatiguing. Unfortunately, the PM leans more into the latter as there is an unabashed spiciness to the treble that is most apparent with female vocalists (as mentioned earlier) and with percussion in songs such as “Reckoner” by Radiohead. There is a crispiness here that leans more into the fatiguing region as it hits sharply and with speed, quite apt for the instrument that it is rendering but tiring nonetheless. To qualify that description, I must state that I still enjoyed my listening sessions with the PM as I felt that the crispness and slight sharpness of the treble accentuated certain instruments in a manner that was highly enjoyable. There is a harrowing and slightly dramatic quality to the treble that whilst not being a laid-back listen, helped to really make certain songs shine.

This slightly brighter lean also helps accentuate microdetails in the region as the leading edge of each high-pitched note felt clear, concise and speedy in its rendition. I felt that this helped heighten perceived detail but the quality of the treble itself was also enjoyable.
With all of this said though, the PM will basically be unlistenable to some people by virtue of its more aggressive tune in this region. If you are particularly treble sensitive, there is a slight shrillness to the PM that may lead you to dislike it. But I found an almost masochistic enjoyment in this quality as there were plenty of instances of percussion or strings feeling like a breath of morning winter air, slightly painful but refreshing nonetheless.
Overall, the PM’s treble is overindulgent with certain vocals being too shrill for my liking but shorter notes sung out by percussive instruments are a very enjoyable experience.

Technicalities​

The technical performance of the PM is, on the whole, quite good! The flatter tune tapering up to a brighter signature is a method of tuning that often one associates with ‘faux-detail’. However, critical listening for very specific notes in certain songs that I have heard many-times over leads me to believe that the PM is just plain good at detail retrieval. From the low-end to the high-end of the FR curve, the PM sounds great at rendering microdetails and its dynamic range feels excellent. There is no compressed or constrained feeling here as the low-end extends sufficiently deep and the high-end feels airy and well extended as well.

Staging on the PM is fairly constrained providing me with a distinctly ‘in-my-head’ feeling without venturing into the fabled term of ‘holographic’. However, with that said, the PM also avoids the issue of being ultrawide and flat, a staging experience that I am not a fan of. There is a sufficient sense of width and depth with the PM that is immersive enough for my listening.

Imaging, layering and separation are elements that help distinguish an IEM from being an incoherent mess to being an articulate and readily dissectible monitor. The PM is the latter, separating notes, placing them within the stage and imaging them with the requisite microdetail to be an excellent companion for critical listening sessions.
Overall, I feel that the PM’s technical capabilities are one of its strong points, being able to handle busily produced tracks with a 2-driver setup is a commendable feat especially when tribrids in the price-range struggle do the same.

Comparisons​

vs Thieaudio Hype 2 (from memory and previous review)​

The Hype2 provided a rather strong low-end performance from the isobaric dynamic driver configuration with notes in this region striking with good power whilst retaining tightness. The Hype2 is the definitive winner in this region compared to the PM unless you are looking for a more tame and neutral approach to this region. In terms of midrange, the PM is a neutral with a brighter tilt whereas the Hype2 comes off as slightly darker with a degree of warmth. The treble regions are chalk and cheese with the PM being considerably more spicy than the relaxed Hyper2 resulting in an experience that is quite jarring to A-B. Technical capabilities are much more apparent on the PM due to its more revealing tuning but the Hype 2 does well to impress with its tremendous low-end detail and texture. Staging on the Hype 2 feels more tall than it is wide or deep leading to an oddly grand experience. The PM doesn’t feel too expansive in any regard.
Overall, the Hype 2 and the PM represent quite different tuning approaches with the former being slightly dark and smoother to the ear with great low-end power whereas the latter is a leaner and brighter tuning that seeks to attack you with its treble. The Hype 2 is a much safer choice in my books.

Value and Quality of Life​

325 USD is a bit of an odd price bracket with my experience at this price being fairly limited but for the price, I feel that the PM presents a fairly compelling package. Outside of the sound noted above, the experience of unboxing and using the PM is a rather enjoyable one. With limited accessories, the PM doesn’t overwhelm you with extra goodies but there is definitely a thoughtful and high-quality approach here.
The build quality of the PMs are rather impressive with the earpieces feeling robust, solid and well finished. Having experienced the Hype 2 which are priced similarly and other Chi-Fi brands such as Moondrop at higher price brackets, I feel that the PM provides a far more comforting build quality that leads me to believe that they will hold up for some time.
Comfort-wise, the PMs are rather good in my ears with its fairly well-moulded resin earpieces seating nicely in my ears. There is a potential for some fitment issues with individuals with smaller ears but I don’t think these would be much different from the usual hybrids in this price bracket.
The included accessories are both good and bad in that there is some high quality goodies in here but they come off a little odd. The Final Audio E-Types, whilst excellent with the PM are the only eartips that come with the PM and were best suited to the brighter IEM. The case, whilst quite well made, is a little too short for easy storage of the PM. I found myself adjusting positioning to get the lid to close properly.
The PM is a bit of a hard recommend at the price as I would term its tuning as divisive at best.

Conclusion​

Lean, mean and impressive for a company’s first foray into the hybrid market, the PM comes off as what it seems on paper. That is, an experiment and slightly half-baked at that. There are nuggets of gold with the PM from its handsome shell design, excellent build quality and certain portions of its FR curve. It is overindulgent in the upper-mids and treble boost leading to a harsher listening experience that restricts its everyman appeal. Stifled by this, there is little room for you to experiment with ear-tips (unless they’re narrow bore) and I would not be reaching for these as a daily.

Introduction:

The Project M is a notable entry-level product from DITA Audio in the mid-tier IEM market, offered at around $325. DITA Audio, a Singaporean company known for its meticulous design and engineering, has ventured into the hybrid IEM category with this model. The Project M promises a balanced and engaging audio experience, making it a compelling choice for audiophiles and music enthusiasts.

About Dita:

DITA Audio creates products driven by a pursuit of excellence, believing that a well-crafted product should be an experience in itself. Beyond audio, DITA actively seeks partnerships with clients and collaborators who share a passion for comprehensive design integration and execution. They foster collaborative ventures in design, engineering, and manufacturing to achieve this goal.

Founded in 1971, DITA's parent company, Packagers Pte. Ltd., brings 49 years of research and expertise in automation and engineering, which is reflected in the unwavering commitment to craftsmanship evident in every DITA product.

Credit: Dita Audio

Disclosure:
I extend my thanks to Asher aka Dita Audio for reaching out to arrange a sample of the new Project M. All opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I have not received any monetary compensation for providing a positive assessment. While the earphones were provided to me at no cost, I aim to offer an unbiased evaluation. Let's Begin with–

Design and Build Quality:

The Project M stands out with its transparent resin shell and stainless-steel chamber, providing both visual appeal and durability. The unibody design ensures robustness, while the minimal external branding and semi-transparent cables enhance its sophisticated look. The craftsmanship reflects DITA Audio’s commitment to quality and attention to detail.



Comfort: Ergonomically designed, the Project M features a form-friendly shape that fits snugly in the ear. The lightweight construction and the nozzle is short while it may comfortable to wear but the cons its really picky in term of choosing the right tips. but good thing dita including high-quality Final Audio eartips 'and its glow in the dark', very comfortable and secure fit for extended listening sessions.



Inside The Packaging Dita Provide:
>The IEMs itself
>Storage Case
>MOCCA Cable
>Ear Tips: Final Audio 'Glow in the dark' eartips (XS to XL).
>Termination Adapters: 4.4mm and 3.5mm modular plugs




Sound Signature:

The DITA Project M offers a neutral sound signature with a push in the upper midrange. While they sound great, they may not suit everyone. At first, I couldn't quite handle the spiciness in the upper frequencies and the sibilance in this set. These IEMs are quite picky when it comes to the music they play too; bad mastering can result in harshness or sibilance in the uppermid or treble. but I've been getting used to it or i say Burning-in more than 100 hours of listening time. These IEMs have become much more addictive in my opinion. and for better experince i suggest using good source it will unlock the true refined of the sound.

Specifications:
>Driver Configuration: Hybrid setup with PM1+ dynamic driver and Knowles 33518 balanced armature driver.
>Impedance: 32 ohms.
>Frequency Response: 20Hz - 20kHz.
>Sensitivity: 107dB/mW @ 1kHz.

Bass:

The Bass response of the Project M is neutral with a slight emphasis on sub-bass. It offers good quality and control, with decent note separation and layering. However, its lack of impact or punchiness may not satisfy those who prefer a heavy bass presence. Nevertheless, it provides a solid performance for most genres of music, in my opinion. The depth of the sub-bass extension is notable, providing a deep and rumbling foundation without overpowering the rest of the frequency spectrum; it's a really well-tuned bass. Furthermore, it remains tight and controlled, avoiding any muddiness or bloat. This makes it suitable for genres like RnB, PopFunk, or possibly Kpop, where clarity and defined bass are crucial.

Midrange:

Prioritizing clarity and transparency. The lower mids provide a warm and full-bodied sound, perfect for instruments like acoustic guitars and pianos, tbh its sound engaging and sooting, and this iems suit well with male voices.. But The upper mids are slightly emphasized maybe too much for some including me, which brings out the clarity in female vocals and string instruments. even when i watch some reels video or youtube i can hear the sibilance, especially with high pitch voices, this emphasis can sometimes lead to a bright sound that might be fatiguing over long listening sessions.

Treble:

Delivering a refined and detailed sound. However, the upper mids and treble can occasionally exhibit some sibilance its soo noticable in my ears imo, which might be a concern for sensitive listeners. Despite this, the treble maintains a quality and cripsness. Detail of The treble is capable of revealing fine details in recordings, making it suitable for critical listening. Also the Extension of high frequencies extend well, providing a sense of air and space in the music imo.

Technicalities Aspect

Stage, Imaging and Separation:

This IEMs may not be the widest soundstage you can find in the price buket, but it still has pretty good sense that provides space and depth, It allows listeners to discern the placement of instruments and vocals with precision, creating an immersive listening experience. Width and Depth also delightful adding to soundstage that makes it both intimate and deep, giving a three-dimensional feel to the music. Separation is acceptable, even though the Instruments and vocals are well-separated, but music with very comflex instrument such as Hardcore Metal are kinda piled up. it easy to pick out individual elements in most genre music or recording, but in very complex recording music still feels cluttered and a little bit chaotic. but good things the imaging on the Project M is accurate, soo its enabling clear separation and localization of instruments and vocals within the soundstage. This help for complex tracks where instrument separation is crucial. The precise imaging allows listeners to accurately locate where each instrument is placed within the soundstage.

Timbre and Micro Detail Retrieval:

Timbre of this iems is natural and accurate its really show how instrument supposedly sound like but the vocals feels a bit unnatural and it was pretty peaky and prone to sibilance. Also Micro and detailed retrieval The Project M excels the smallest sound object, bringing out subtle nuances in the music. This level of detail enhances the listening experience, allowing audiophiles to appreciate the fine intricacies in their favorite tracks. The IEMs are capable of revealing the smallest details in a recording, such as the subtle breaths of a vocalist or the delicate plucking of guitar strings.

♪ Track Preference, Bass;



"Hourglass" by Lamb Of God: The Project M delivers a fast and controlled sub-bass response. The intricate drum patterns are well-articulated, showcasing the IEM's ability to handle complex bass lines with precision. However, the impact is not quite punchy, yet it maintains clarity and definition throughout.



"Another One Bites The Dust" by Queen: The bassline in this track resonates deeply, with the bass guitar providing a rich, resonant texture and nuanced depth to the music. These IEMs showcase their ability to deliver a nuanced bass response, offering a well-tuned balance that perfectly complements the overall sound signature of the song.



"Like It" by CLC: The subbass in this song is so heavy and low that I can only hear it clearly with good bass earphones or my JBL speaker; I can't even hear it properly when I play it loudly on my phone. However, these IEMs still manage the sub-bass well with pretty good decay.

♪ Track Preference, Midrange;



"Say My Name" by Niki: Her vocals in this track are rendered with clarity and detail, showcasing the Project M ability to capture the energetic midrange presentation. The midrange delivers the emotional depth of the song, highlighting the raw and emotive qualities of the vocals while maintaining a balanced tonality.



"Peanut Butter and Tears" by DPR IAN: The midrange presentation in this track accentuates the warmth and full-bodied richness of the vocals, contributing to the emotional impact of DPR IAN's performance. The Project M handles the midrange with precision, offering a well-tuned balance that complements the overall sound signature of the track.



"Heaven Knows" by Pretty Reckless: The lower mids shine in this track, adding warmth and full-bodied richness to Taylor Momsen vocals. However, the upper mids, while emphasizing the clarity and energy in her voice, might border on being bright for some listeners, potentially causing listening fatigue over extended sessions.



"After Like" by IVE: This track has some prominent sibilance in the upper mids and treble that can be challenging for IEMs. With the Project M, I noticed occasional sibilance on words with "s" and "shh" sounds. it was present enough that listeners sensitive to uppermid energy may find it pretty fatiguing during longer listening sessions. The IEM handled the overall treble well, but the occasional sibilance peaks could be an area of improvement.

♪ Track Preference, Treble;



"Merry Go Round" by Sungha Jung (Cover): The Project M delivers the treble with bright and well-extended qualities, bringing out the intricate details in Sungha Jung's acoustic guitar performance. the sound of strings is very satisfying and soo crisps. this very suit in my opinion for listenin some acoustic song or cover.



"Make it Rain" by Ed Sheeran: The extension of high frequencies in this track is well-captured by the Project M, providing a sense of air and space in the music. The refined and detailed treble response adds a layer of crispness and clarity to Ed Sheeran's vocals and the accompanying instrumentation..



"Victorious" by Panic! At The Disco: The electric guitar's presence in this track is well-defined, with the Project M maintaining clarity and control in the high frequencies. The high extension adds a solid foundation to the track without overpowering the midrange and low elements.

♪ Track Preference, Soundstage, Imaging and Separation;



"Kill Bill" by SZA (Acoustic Version): The Project M offers pretty deep soundstage, creating a sense of space and depth that enhances the acoustic version of this track. The instrumentation and vocals are well-separated, while is not most dynamic set out there but this Project M still offers immersive experince while listening this song.



"The Tortoise and the hare" by Stray Kidz: The precise imaging of this iems allows for clear separation and localization of instruments and vocals within the soundstage. The IEM excels in capturing the spatial cues and instrumental placement, contributing to a well-defined and engaging listening experience.



"Scene Seven: I. The Dance of Eternity" by Dream Theater: This song is super complicated, with lots of different instruments playing fast and all at once. Imagine a bunch of people talking really quickly in different languages, that's kind of what it's like! Not all IEMs can handle this complex song. Some cheaper ones might make the music sound muddy or blurry,especially the deep bass parts and the fast drum beats. This Project M might not be the absolute best compared with other within the price point. but still–it does a pretty good job with this difficult song. handling the deep bass and fast drum..

♪ Track Preference, Timbre and Micro Detail Retrieval;



"Hotel California" by Eagles: The Project M captures the natural timbre of every instrument, such as the the string of guitars, and hit of drums in this track. The lifelike decay and resonance of the guitar strings and well controled bass add to the overall realism of the listening experience, showcasing the IEM ability to reproduce natural instrument sounds.



"Thriller" by Michael Jackson: The micro and detailed retrieval of the Project M shines in this songs, revealing the subtle nuances and delicate every sound effect in the song from howling of the wolf, whisper and screaming on background, to the pieces of fall any items to ground. The IEM excels in bringing out the smallest details in the recording, allowing audiophiles to appreciate the fine intricacies of the performance.



Conclusion:

Overall Performance and Positioning The DITA Audio Project M excels in delivering a balanced and detailed sound experience. With its elegant design, high-quality accessories, and comfortable fit, it stands out as a strong contender in the mid-tier IEM market. The Project M is suitable for audiophiles looking for a premium sound experience without the high-end price tag. For those looking for a clear, detailed sound with a balanced profile, the DITA Project M is an excellent choice. While it may not satisfy bass enthusiasts and might be a bit bright for upper-sensitive listeners, its overall performance and value make it a compelling option for audiophiles and music lovers.