Forté Ears Macbeth

"...All the worlds a stage...each player having their own entrances and exits..." is from the appropriately named play from Shakespeare, "As You Like It", and as I paraphrased this line from the play as well as the play's title is applicable to how TOTL HW comes into being in this world of personal audio.

But...First and foremost, I am NOT a professional reviewer, just someone who enjoys audio, and knows the sound signature I am seeking and comment form that point of view.
What I'm writing below is my opinion and as I like to remind others, this is personal audio so we will all hear things differently as we are all chasing a sound signature unique to each of us.
Now having said that....

I have been lucky enough to have been involved with and extremely honored to have contributed to Macbeth.
I've known Eric at Eletech for some years now, and extremely honored to have him include me in some product discussions for cables and what was his project "Romeo" even before the first prototypes were released at Can Jam NY. And this involvement did influence my early decision to not publish a full "write up" ( I don't consider what I do reviews as I'm not a gLer or Twister6 by any stretch of the imagination, two reviewers I follow and enjoy reading their reviews) but I know what I like and more than happy to share with anyone who asks. And well several here on Head-Fi have suggested (or more accurately pushed me) to share my thoughts on Macbeth and Ambition so here goes.

Somewhere between 20+ months ago I had some discussions with Eric about an idea he had of bringing a IEM out, and our early discussions revolved around not only the driver make up, but I think details of these discussions would be considered NDA so will NOT go into details of the thought process but, VERY honored my opinion was asked for.
I gave Eric (and Riccardo by inclusion) my honest thoughts, to the point I originally thought the driver direction for Macbeth might not work for this market, and then once hearing it, had to promptly "eat those words" and was VERY glad Eric and Riccardo proceeded down the path they did.
The first Romeo prototype (Romeo V1) to me did NOT follow any other IEM's footsteps, and blazed its own trail, and through the input of all of us here at Head-Fi over successive CanJam Shows, became the Macbeth which is shipping now. KUDO's to all who stopped by Eletech's booths at CanJam, took the time to listen and leave feedback. From Macbeth to their cables, both Eletech and Forte Ears have listened to us, their buying public!.
Then came Romeo V2, and to many of us who were entrusted by Eric to give feedback and as Warren has highlighted on his Macbeth video, were all surprised that while maybe a little more even in stagging, it lost all of the characteristics and even the charm Romeo V1 imbued to us all. I even made the comments of "What the heck happened?" and even left the harsher comment of "No interest in buying this" if that were to be the final tuning of Macbeth as while it was good, and many at the shows liked the sound, to me it lost the uniqueness Romeo V1 brought to the table and it became a copy of what already existed in the market. It did NOT compel me to want to buy it as, well, it didn't do anything really different, and I already owned IEM's that I thought sounded good.
As Warren noted in the video, Riccardo took all of this information and began looking into what changed V1 to V2.
He cleaned up the roughness of the rushed out prototype shell and acoustic chambers in V1 when he created V2, but in doing so realized he changed how the shell, faceplate and even the driver layout was working in V1 and somehow tuning for correctness and cleaning things up had now removed some of the resonance that made V1 so unique.
He also took the input from those of us who listened and provided feedback about the stagging and changes, and he realistically completely redid the entire IEM, adding in 2 more ESTAT drivers, and another BA driver now bringing the total driver count from 8 to 11. The addition of a redesigned crossover network and a vintage inductor coil now brought sonically the target Riccardo sought, and changes to the shell the acoustic resonance chambers and now using the cast copper, Rhodium plated faceplate to help bring back some of the harmonic resonance completed the changes Riccardo sought, and for all of us lucky enough to hear the completed V3 prototype, smiles abounded as that uniqueness of V1 combined with the sonic "corrections" Riccardo sought to achieve in V2 now all came into being.

So enough of the back story, how do I perceive Macbeth to sound?
Good enough that it went from "No interest in buying this" to "Oh crap, I gotta have this" kind of passion.

For my critical listening, I often quickly move through specific sections of songs in a 35 song playlist to put a potential purchase through its paces.
Sometimes I may listen to a song or 2 in its entirety and then move back to listening to pieces and parts of the music.

As an example, on Janet Jackson's "Someone to call my lover" at around the 0:33 sec mark to about the 0:49 second mark there is a bass rift that on normal gear its just bass, but on really good HW, it dives down deep and should provide a clear sub bass growl and rumble, and on great HW a sub woofer quality level of bass should be heard. Also with good drivers (or in the past I would have said with good dynamic drivers) there is a proper note decay to that rumble that should be heard, and is just one piece of music I will use to vet the bass response and quality. The Diablo BA drivers in Macbeth rival the best dynamic drivers I've listened to in both quantity and quality and offer that proper note decay that previously I've not heard in a BA driver IMO. At CanJam So Cal, I shared this song and that section of music with Riccardo and he is now using that too as a reference piece for himself

I use Dire Straits intro for "Love Over Gold" which is a piano and an acoustic guitar which shows off proper staging side to side and front to back on good HW, but gives a level of detail to both on great HW, it is a song that with Macbeth from the start became a track that just begged me to stop analyzing and just listen and enjoy. when listening to the entire track Mack Knopfler's vocals just add another layer to the song that Macbeth just renders flawlessly

Dana Owens (Queen Latifah) made a couple of albums where she is not a Rap/R&B artist, but as she commented sang music that she enjoyed or influenced her. Hence in one of the Albums she uses her actual name "Dana Owens" and not her stage persona of Queen Latifah. I use her rendition of "Californica Dreaming" where she faithfully pays homage to Jose Feliciano's version of this song, down to the Spanish guitars and a vocal track from her that rivals the best of what Jose Feliciano brought to this song. The song brings about that almost sad feeling both singers wanted to impart of a person wanting to be back in their California home when played on Macbeth.
The clarity of the intro you can hear fingers slide across the strings of the guitar, the layering of instruments to vocals is almost mesmerizing, and again another song that I often find I stop analyzing what I am hearing to just sit back and enjoy the music.

A group form the late 60's / early 70s, Crosby Stills Hash and Young, had a great song "Suite Judy Blue Eyes", that transitions and changes both in tempo and tone and is a true musical suite, and showcases the 3 and 4 part harmony this group was known for. This song has at the very beginning a tambourine being shaken that on just OK HW, you can't hear. On decent HW its there but quickly goes away. With Macbeth there is NO mistaking it is there, to the lower right. The vocal harmonies throughout this song, and many instruments are always there and placed in the soundstage correctly and clearly. This is a VERY early 70's recording and despite its age was recorded well and on really good HW is just enjoyable. Macbeth again made me just stop and enjoy this song, then made me go back and relisten to do my proper evaluations. It is just so easy to get caught up and enjoy the music with Macbeth.

An album that is iconic, but maybe was NOT the best recorded or engineered piece of music, but deserves all of the digital remastering it has received over the years is Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run" Album.
I often use the song "Jungleland" as it starts off quiet with a piano and violin stings and Bruce's awesome vocals. It continues to build with the intro of an organ to a point all of the band joins in and becomes one of the (to me) Iconic rock songs of the ages. On poor to even good HW, even the remastered recording sounds a little lifeless and almost "mono" and one dimensional in its presentation. With Macbeth I hear instrument placement and layering and a true stereo level of sound. I know people who prefer to listen to live versions of this song because they view the original version as being such a bad recording. I always enjoy listening to the entire album as it is what the artist approved and released and want to enjoy how they envisioned it, but with great HW it just elevates the enjoyment. I get this level of enjoyment with Macbeth.

I could keep going on about what Macbeth has done with songs from my list (that ranges from Classical to Jazz to R&B and Rock) but I think your sensing a trend here. Macbeth is allowing me to rediscover these and other tracks in my headphone test list, and well actually it's making me go through my entire library and rediscover and once again just enjoy the music

In my final audition of Romeo V3/Macbeth Prototype I found myself just listening to the entire song in my test playlist. Just stopping and listening to the music, and not using the music to listen to the HW, a major feat, and something that re-enforced to me, Macbeth is something special and what convinced me as something I had to own.

Now, the Ambition cable
As Warren Chi has noted on the Watercooler Thread I may be the only person for now who has a production Ambition Cable. He is one of those who has pushed me to publish my thoughts.
I agree with those who have heard Macbeth and have said to many, you do NOT need the Ambition cable to enjoy Macbeth
The stock cable provides all of what I wrote above.
There are those who have tried their own favorite "go to" cables and have said they hear a change, and other who after trying other cables say don't bother the stock cable is that good.
I wholeheartedly agree with both schools of thought. The stock cable is a good cable.
But upgraditis being what it is, I had to through all of my audtions of Romeo V1 and V2 roll what I had available and tried Eletech's Sonnet of Adam, Ode To Laura, Plussound's PPH X8 and quickly found each offered a different sound, some I liked others I did not.
Once I received my production Macbeth's and as it was just before CanJam, I gathered all the cables I had on hand (and being just the few week before CanJam So Cal could not borrow many other cables I would have liked to try, and I did post my thoughts here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/for...impressions-measurements.973784/post-18339816

Now before CanJam Eric reached out and offered to bring me my Ambition production cable, but without the packaging and case if I was OK just getting the packaging and case later/after CanJam (as he was NOT happy with the initial build quality of the Ambition Case). I responded to him, "Are You Kidding me? Hell Yes I can accept that arrangement".
Met up with Eric at CanJam and well I had Ambition in my hands not knowing then I was the only one with a production cable. I just assumed the rest of those who were on the feedback tour for Macbeth was like me and just ordered it, as Warren has stated, " I can't unhear what I heard" and well delayed some other purchases I was thinking of doing pre or post CanJam to budget for Ambition and ordered early.
I can't thank Eric and Riccardo enough for getting me Ambition so early. (and as Warren has reminded me ahead of many many others)

So why did I purchase Ambition when I have said the stock cable was a good cable? Because of what I heard and how it aligns to the sound signature I wanted. I'll again emphasize you do NOT need Ambition to enjoy Macbeth.
I've been asked isn't Ambition just an 8 wire version of sonnet of Adam?
I can confidently respond, Ambition is NOT just Sonnet of Adam with 4 more wires.
I lent out my Sonnet of Adam to someone to try it, and well it returned with broken connector. luckily it was before Macbeth was shipping so I was able to send it back to Eletech for repairs to have it when Macbeth did ship. While it was there being repaired, I asked Eric if Ambition was Sonnet of Adam with 4 more wires and if it was could he rebuild my Sonnet of Adam to Ambition?
Eric responded NO, that just adding 4 more wires to Sonnet of Adam (something they did try) actually did NOT sound good on Macbeth, and well that was that and just went ahead and placed my order.
At Can Jam So Cal I was able to talk with both Eric and Riccardo at length and so as not to share any trade secrets, was told I could share the following, that from the wire make up (number and type of wires used) to the actual platting to even the geometry of the wire and actual braiding, it all came into play to make Ambition not just compliment Macbeth but actually enhance what was there from the stock cable or un upgrade from something like Sonnet of Adam.

What am I hearing?
The Stock cable is all copper, but even when we were all testing Romeo V3 with the final version of the stock cable, had it not been in a clear jacket then we all would have sworn it was an silver cable.
The stock cable has some great bass (as one would expect from a copper cable) the mids were almost perfect, not wet but also not dry, and as Eletech always seems to get from its copper creations, does a really nice job of extending out the highs, more than one would expect from a copper cable. nice and clear, not muddy and nowhere near sibilant.
One is presented with a very wide stage and maybe a little bit wider than it is tall and with average depth.
A very pleasing placement of instruments/vocalists on the stage.
It allows the driver make up of Macbeth to really come through.
Moving to Sonnet of Adam, you get a little more air, some additional stage width, for me some extension of the sub bass, and a little more clarity in the highs. Where I really heard a difference was stage height and depth. for me moving to Sonnet Of Adam was a good choice.
But...during the final tuning tour, not only did we get to hear the final stock cable, but we got to hear the proposed version of Ambition. And well as I wrote above and as Warren has said, we all could NOT unhear what we heard.
I saw Warren at CanJam introducing people to Ambition and hearing time and time again for those that tried it, "oh damn, now I want one " as watching people do what I did when I first heard it, mouthing or just saying out loud something like "Holy $hit". You just don't expect to hear that level of change.
I overheard Warren and someone from the Watercooler team referencing a Spinal Tap comment of "it takes it (Macbeth) to 11".
Again and IMO, the changes I heard from Stock to Sonnet of Adam, was about the same amount of change I heard going from Sonnet of Adam to Ambition.
Clarity across the board was like nothing I've heard before. Almost bordering on being too analytical.
Detailheads will like it, but during my time at the Eletech booth I did hear a couple of head-fiers comment it was too analytical now, that it took away for them the musicality of Macbeth.
For me apart from the added clarity it also widened the stage even more, created even more depth and more height to the stage. It also added even more air around things like guitars and cymbals. Guitar string plucks were clearly heard. On cymbals I'm clearly hearing the initial "tink" of the drumstick hit and then the ringing of the cymbal on many tracks.
On the forementioned California Dreaming I can sometimes hear the initial drawing of breath from Queen Latifah in her vocals. Could this level of detail be distracting? Absolutely and I can see it for some listeners being distracting to a point of becoming a negative, but for me its adding to the musicality and enjoyment.
With Macbeth it does NOT make it more mid forward. Nor does it change Macbeth tonality overall. It just adds to what was there with either the stock cable or Sonnet of Adam.

As a FYI, IF you are looking to get something more from Macbeth over the stock cable, overall Macbeth seems to prefer mixed metal cables for maximum enjoyment.
Other reviewers like emdeevee, Aetherhole and anakchan have all noted gold mixed or other metal plated cables seem to offer a nice sound signature with Macbeth.
I've tried Palladium platted silver and copper cables with Macbeth and they were enjoyable just a different sound signature. At Can Jam I was able to try cables from other makers like Brise Audio and I can back that thought that vs straight copper cables, the mixed metal cables seemed to offer more than the stock cable, than higher end copper cables did.
This is true for even Eletech's own Ode To Laura (a cable I absolutely enjoy on other IEM's and do own). OTL seemed to change the sound signature where the highs became over emphasized to the point it was overpowering the bass, something I've never seen with OTL. (usually I see an improvement in both lows and highs) The bass is definetly still there but almost a little recessed.
I recently purchased a 5th Ode cable, Eletech's 5th year anniversary cable for another IEM I own, ( a gold plated copper cable with some Graphene in it) and did a quick listen and it too offered a different sound signature to Macbeth, While it was more in line with the improvements I heard from Sonnet of Adam as to overall sound improvements over the stock cable, it was quite a bit warmer a little more bassier, and as it was a quick listen and not one I'd make a stand on, seemed to pull the mids back a bit too much.
but for me its an alternate sound signature I will probably explore a little more before passing on my final thoughts.
For me if I had to rate my top 5 cables I have on hand (I have more than these 5, but my personal arsenal is a little limited) it would be the following for Macbeth
1) Ambition
2) Sonnet of Adam
3) Stock Macbeth Cable
4) 5th Ode
5) Plussound PPH X8
As you can see while I really like Ode to Laura for me its not a good match on Macbeth and is not on this list. Others have disagreed with me, but again this is IMO and this is "personal" audio, and others hear differently than I do.

I'd like to again emphasize you do NOT need Ambition to enjoy Macbeth. I'm only giving my impressions of Ambition on Macbeth as other have asked me for it.
I think Warren summed it up best by saying do yourself a favor and DON'T listen to Ambition as you'll be more than happy with the stock cable, or even something like Sonnet Of Adam or similar (as example, emdevee suggested the Penom Totem cable a much more affordable $700 cable)

My hats off to Riccardo and Eric to dare to be bold and go a different direction than what others have done in bringing out Macbeth, sincere thanks to all who stopped by and helped tune Macbeth, as I am now enjoying the fruits of all of Head-fi's contributions to Macbeth, to Ambition and to the enjoyment of my music library

Ambition On top, Sonnet of Adam left, Stock Cable right


Macbeth and Ambition


Macbeth and Connector end up close


Splitter Detail

Forte Ears Macbeth

I think that everyone can relate to the dichotomous relationship that I have with IEMs. I can love one thing about an IEM, but not love, feel indifferent, or even despise another aspect or multiple aspects. I can even love lots of things, but have issues with just one. Sometimes… truthfully, often… those IEMs leave my possession rather quickly. I am a minimalist by nature, so I don’t want nor do I feel the need to keep something if it’s not getting used much. If something bothers me, I am less inclined to use it. That said, I’m also a realist, so I also know that life is all about compromises. I know that there is nothing that is perfect, nor is there going to be anything that I love every aspect of. This is congruent with my experience thus far with Macbeth. I’m sure many people share that sentiment, but how close does Macbeth get to perfection? Pretty close, but more on that down below. I think what I ultimately am secretly looking for is an all-rounder. With IEM’s, especially top of the line IEM’s, I am on the hunt for one that has the least compromises and the question I contemplate, “could the Macbeth be such an IEM?“ It certainly is in the running. Regardless, Riccardo, Forte Ears, AND Macbeth deserves additional visibility, emphatic enthusiasm, and accolade, hence my eagerness to write this review.



Let me give a bit of background. Macbeth was only a tiny blip on my radar prior to heading to So Cal Can Jam ‘24. I certainly was curious to hear them, but there were others that were on the top of my list to listen to. Among those IEMs that were must-listen were the Subtonic Storm, PMG Audio APX SE, Astell & Kern / Empire Ears Novus, Cayin Amber Pearl, Oriolus Trailii / Ti, FatFreq Grand Maestro Anniversary Edition, and Unique Melody Multiverse Mentor. There were others that were on my list, but I didn’t “Star,” meaning that if I didn’t listen, I wouldn’t really care… Macbeth was one of them. However, it was getting a lot of talk on the Watercooler thread that I couldn’t entirely ignore. They still weren’t super high on my list, but it kept creeping higher up.

Then, the day before Can Jam came and I went to lunch with a lot of the Watercooler folks. Riccardo Yeh, Forte Ears founder, was among our party. As Macbeth was still not extremely high on my list, so as an ignorant individual, I had no idea who he was at the time, until after we were all done eating and Riccardo brought two Macbeth over to the table I was seated at, so a couple of people could listen to them. A couple of them listened and while we were not seated long, but their initial listening impressions were quite positive. I didn’t listen then and figured I’d listen the next day at Can Jam.

It was not until late on the first day that did I finally make my way over to Forte Ear’s booth and sit down for a listen. I was instantly incredibly impressed. I listened to small sections from about 8-9 different songs I am familiar with and I said a few words of praise and things that really stood out to me, praised Riccardo on a marvelous listen, thanked him for his time, I set Macbeth down and left the booth. As I finished out the day, the question would come up asking what I had heard and what was good, I’d rattle off things that stood out, but Macbeth seemed to be in every single one of those conversations. It was one of two things I could not stop talking about. Even long after the first day closed, I was still talking and thinking about the IEM. The next morning, my friend and I got breakfast and could not stop reeling about what we were hearing at the show and Macbeth was, again, one of those. We got to Can Jam and were there at the entrance early just standing around when we started having the conversation with Warren Chi and the Macbeth, unsurprisingly, came up again. We went in a little bit before the show to chat with Riccardo and have a proper listen to Macbeth, both on the stock cable, and with the upgraded Ambition cable. Warren warned, once you hear it with the Ambition cable, you can’t unhear it. This is 100% true. He also made a singular track recommendation called, “Adam and Eve” by Cameron Graves to listen to, which I took heed to. I will talk more about that song later in the review, but suffice it to say, it is an extremely good track to use to test. Incredible. Just incredible. I just couldn’t believe how good this IEM was. Hell of a way to start the 2nd day of Can Jam. Once again, I could not stop talking about it through out the entirety of the day. This time, my tune changed a bit and it had become the “Standout of the Show” or “Star of the Show” for me.



The night after the show, my friends and I continued gushing about it. The next day, I had to reach out to get one here. Andrew at Musicteck obliged my inquiry and about a week later, it arrived at my home. I let the set burn-in for close to a week, listening off and on, but truthfully, I don’t think this set needs a whole lot of burn-in time, especially since there’s not a dynamic driver.. Let’s talk about the different aspects of this IEM.

*Just for additional reference, I listened to Macbeth off of several different source chains — Astell & Kern SP3000T, iBasso DX320MAX Ti, HiBy x Evangelion Limited R4, Questyle M15 connected to both my iPad and my iPhone, and also my desktop rig, Holo May KTE + Cayin Soul 170HA.

Bass

Bass on this is spectacular. It is articulate, it is punchy, it is very well textured. Songs with a heavy bass and sub-bass prominence, still retain texture. Midbass kick is well articulated while retaining lots of note-weight. Additionally, wIth the mid-bass it strikes a good balance of heft without bleeding into the lower midrange. One track that can easily show bloat into the midrange is the cover of “The Sound of Silence” by Geoff Castellucci. He is a bassy singer and the way the track is mixed, puts even more emphasis on on the low end. On some IEMs his voice can sound overly bloated and congested. That’s not the case with the Macbeth. This is not an overly bassy IEM, but it’s presentation in the bass region is still quite prominent and certainly is not bass-light. Sub-bass depth is quite an impressive. The song “Lies and Deception” by Infected Mushroom starts out with some really fun sub-bass “whomp, whomp, whomp, whomp.” It’s not a boomy bass line, rather it’s sub-bass focused. This can sound too pressurized and lose out on detail and texture, but on Macbeth it strikes an exquisite balance while achieving ear vibrations without muddying the bass texture. It’s not the last word in bass authority, but is still really, really good.

Just for kicks and giggles I do like to throw the Macbeth on the Cayin Soul 170HA to listen that way. Bass becomes heavier and more bloomy, but it is a whole heck of a lot of fun. It brings macro dynamics to Macbeth that is just undeniably fun. Bass-heavy tracks kick like a mule on steroids that bring a silly grin to my face. Songs like “Kill Jill” by Big Boi, “redrum” by 21 Savage, or “It Goes In Waves” by Inzo, Blookah, and Align are tracks that I just have a ton of fun with in these instances. Hans Zimmer’s “Why So Serious” from The Dark Knight movie soundtrack is another common sub-bass torture test that is good to showcase Macbeth’s bass strength.



Midrange

I will lead with this — Midrange on Macbeth is some of the best I’ve heard on any IEM. Tonality, texture, timbre, articulation… all of it is marvelous. My previous midrange favorite was the Canpur CP622B and I don’t think that IEM is far off from Macbeth, but I think Macbeth edges it out. I think tonal quality and texture the two IEMs trade blows, but where I find Macbeth pulls ahead is in midrange holography. It is easy to pinpoint placement for vocals and instrument position within the sound stage. String instrument timbre is great. Bowing and piccicato on strings both have a good weight to the sound. Horns and the brass instruments also have a great balance in their blare without feeling too shouty and thin. With headphones with excessively recessed mids tend to make the strings and horns sound thinner than they ought to. “Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5” by Pittsburg Symphony Orchestra showcases both the brass and string timbre. Pianos also sound beautiful across the entirety of the keyboard. Warren’s recommendation of “Adam and Eve” by Cameron Graves highlight many, many of the strengths of the midrange. There are instances, especially during the piano solo rift where some of the notes could potentially be too pingy, but it doesn’t happen. Each note in each of the octaves seem quite evenly emphasized. The saxophone solo that follows is equally mesmerizing and engaging. The sax has such a sweet, rich timbre as it takes center stage. There is so much to like with this track, from impactful bass to detailed, articulate treble, but again I think for me the midrange really is the showstopper in this track.

Vocals also are some of the grandest I’ve heard on an IEM. I use several tracks from chamber groups like Voces8, Chanticleer, and a more pop-style a capella group, Voctave as a baseline. The emphasis on individual ranges, from bassists, tenors, altos, to sopranos, is well balanced. There maybe a tiny little bit of a recession that creates a broader sound stage, but I do think it strikes a really, really nice balance without creating a distant-sounding nor an excessively intimate presentation. I also don’t experience any shoutiness especially in the typical vocal range, which I am particularly sensitive to.

However, as much as I love the midrange and stand by my position that is one the best I’ve heard, I will say that I’ve come across a quibble with it still. There are a couple of instances, for example in the song “Creep” by Radiohead, there is a bite to the treble that is quite strong. Sibilant tones are very peaky in this particular track and this doesn’t manifest in most other song I’ve listened to. Generally, I do find this track to have more energy in the plosive consonant areas, but this has not ever been excessively peaky in any other IEM or headphone I’ve listened to this track with, just with Macbeth. Granted it’s nearing a frequency area where I tend to be sensitive to, 5-6kHz, but falls just outside of that bound. It’s a strange peak that only manifests itself in a few songs, as other vocal-centric songs don’t have over-emphasis in the plosive consonant range. Additionally, the rest of the midrange, all except this one upper-mid treble sharpness, and maybe BECAUSE of this in some regard, still are some of the best that I’ve ever experienced on an IEM.

With how much I like the midrange, as a whole, on both the Macbeth and the CP622B, I have to assume the biggest contributing factor to be the mid-focused bone conduction drivers. It seems to be the same configuration as the Canpur, in this regard, which makes sense, since I enjoyed hte mids on the CP622B so much prior.



Treble

Treble is outstanding. It’s crystalline in clarity. I found the treble to be exuberantly detailed without harshness or graininess ever. Overall, the treble resembles Elysian Annihilator clarity with a touch of treble energy rolloff. As I recall, Annihilator had more excitement that could be more fatiguing in the long run. If some found the Elysian Annihilator’s treble fun but a touch too much, I think this might be a set that really needs to be looked at. On the Macbeth, there’s a lot of airiness and the general treble tone is really, really good. Hi-hats and crash cymbals have just enough energy for my ears. “Chocolate Chip Trip” by Tool is one example where it showcases a drum kit’s treble timbre quite well. It’s a really nice balance between the bass kick from the kick drum and the splashes from the cymbals. The articulation is top notch. Air extension is wonderful on this IEM and it further enhances to its wonderfully expansive spatial presentation. There is a really good balance of sparkle and sizzle to the rest of the frequency tonality.

Also, it’s worth noting that on the wrong sources, the treble energy can be a bit excessive. Treble on something like the HiBy x Evangelion R4 was too strident on some tracks. The Questyle M15 was also one that I would point to as possibly a little bit on the harsher, edgier side. The Astell & Kern SP3000T and iBasso DX320 Max Ti were both just fine, as was my desktop system with the Cayin Soul 170HA.



Soundstage & Holography

I’ll lead by saying this, soundstage and holography is one of the biggest strengths of the Macbeth. It will be dependent on the source you are using again, but what I found that even on the least expansive source, the HiBy R4, Macbeth still sounds large. The depth and accuracy that I hear from the Macbeth is top notch. I can’t say for sure it is the most open-sounding IEM, but there are many times the image appears thrown beyond the bounds of the IEM itself. It’s also one few of the IEMs and headphones that I can easily place slight movement of singers and instrument players. Depth and layering is also handled aplomb. Separation between soloists and instruments or backup vocalists is easily delineated. On the track, “Both Sides Now” by Chanticleer, it features a tenor soloist with the rest of the men’s chamber group singing harmonies surrounding him. Additionally, you also get a good sonic image of the size of the hall they recorded in with its expansive reverberation. Another song from a chamber group Voces8 and their track, “Lauridisen: O Magnum Mysterium” allows you to hear placement of each of the eight singers with precision, but the trailing tones echo through the cavernous hall so gorgeously.

Large orchestral works are exquisite on the Macbeth. The album “Britten: War Requiem” by the London Symphony Orchestra was one that I listened to in its entirety and was just constantly floored at the Macbeth’s handling of it. Typically this is something I would just opt to listen to my headphones. Whether that’s classical or modern orchestra works, such as movie soundtracks from the likes of Hans Zimmer or Ludwig Goransson, the Macbeth shines. Ludwig Goransson’s soundtrack from “Tenet” tests the limits from top to bottom of an IEM and Macbeth handles it in all its dynamic glory. Macbeth has the frequency range to support the synthesized ultra low frequencies those modern composers like to use to support the grandiose soundstage necessary for the instrument ensemble.

Back to the track “Adam & Eve” by Cameron Graves, the sound stage elements in this track are also quite impressive. You get a good sense of where each of the instruments in the band are coming from along with stage depth. Hearing subtle background noises, even as at the beginning of track while the piano soloist riffs and vamps, including adjustment and setup noises come from very specific and placeable points in the sonic image. It’s quite something (and thanks again for the track recommendation, Warren)!



Aesthetics & Comfort

Macbeth’s shells are medium/large in size and are smooth polished 3D resin shells. The faceplates are rhodium plated and hand painted. I must say that from initial pictures I was not all that impressed with the appearance of them, but once I got to see them in person, they really struck me as beautiful and bold. Even before listening, seeing them quickly changed my opinion of their appearance. The attention to detail on the faceplate is remarkable. The blood red background is not simply a solid color, there is metallic, glittery texture to it. The different colored jewels in the crown are subtly accented. Several swords flank the crown. The words Macbeth (left) and Forte Ears (right) are inscribed on opposing shells in tiny print at the base of each crown.



The 3D resin, while it’s a material that is easily found on some of the cheapest IEMs and can be considered cheap, I think is still a good choice for the shell because it makes the overall feel and weight of the Macbeth among the most comfortable I’ve had in my ears.

I would be remiss if I did not make mention of the packaging for the Macbeth. Everything about this IEM has been well thought out, which includes the package. With so much attention to detail on the box and with each of the included accessories, the culmination of it all just screams, “theatrical!” and “opulent!”



It’s all well and good to look spectacular, but my biggest concern with IEMs comes down to comfort. If I can’t wear an IEM for more than an hour, let alone for a couple+ hours, the IEM does not belong in my collection. Thankfully, Macbeth is really comfortable. This statement comes in three parts, the shell size, the nozzle sizes, and the stock cable all put no pressure on any part of my ear. The shell sits comfortably and doesn’t have any weird bumps that put unnecessary pressure on my ears. The Macbeth don’t need deep insertion, and even with them not deeply inserted, they don’t stick out obtrusively. Realistically, I’ve gone several hours with them in my ears and took them out with zero ear aches or sensitivity. The included cable wraps nicely and is light enough to effectively be forgotten as I wear them.

Eartips-wise, the included ear tips, the Eletech Baroque are some of the most comfortable IEM tips I’ve used. I do think they also are a great pairing with the Macbeth. I ended up just slightly favoring the Divinus Velvet Wide Bore tips. I just find that it thickens up the bass just a bit more which gives me the extra heft I end up preferring.



It’s Not All Roses

As I said in the beginning, nothing is without its faults and the Macbeth is no different. So, what do I not love about the Macbeth? Bass, while quite incredible, is not the hardest hitting IEM in the market, the Velvet Wide Bore help with heft, but dynamics, slam, and attack could be just a little bit better. Macrodynamics are also not the be-all-end-all. Low end texture and articulation is great, but I feel like the timbrally characteristic could be a touch better. This is a minor quibble, but it’s worth mentioning. In fact, I don’t think this is a fault of the BA bass, in fact, it’s one of the most incredible implementations of balanced armatures for bass; rather I think it’s a tuning choice with the bass shelf. Again, for emphasis, it’s one of the least-BA-sounding implementations I’ve come across and rivals some of the best dynamic drivers.

The midrange, while presentationally it is mostly tuned beautifully, but there are a couple instances where it can be pretty sibilant as I outlined prior. Still, I think those are track specific instances and by and large it is a wonderful, good balance and tonality in the midrange. Timbrally the midrange is still some of the best I’ve heard.

I also don’t love that I’ve heard the Macbeth on the Eletech Ambition cable, which takes everything that I loved and gushed about here and expanded upon them almost exponentially. It’s not a necessary addition, but it is quite something to hear just how much better the Macbeth can sound. I also wonder if it would further exacerbate the primary area where I feel could use a bit more refinement, which is the treble.



Wrapping Up

So, does Macbeth work for me, personally, as an all a rounder? This is going to be a tough one to answer and I can’t say definitively. It does almost everything so right, but (there’s that word) I still just wonder how impactful the upper mid-range sibilance is going to be for me in the long run. I really don’t want to diminish the fact that Macbeth does just about everything else supremely well, so I’ll just keep evaluating whether that compromise going to be small or large in the grand scheme of things.

Macbeth is a unique proposition combining the likes of some of the most talked about IEMs presently on the market — it offers exquisite Elysian Annihilator style treble, Canpur CP622B-esque midrange, while besting either of those sets in it’s bass. It is remarkable and absolutely deserves a place among the top of the line IEMs on the market to date. My take is that it has probably the best midranges I’ve heard on an IEM thus far, despite that one odd peak; there is an expansive and engaging character in here. Bass is remarkably done and the proprietary tech/tuning Riccardo developed leaves little room for improvement. By and large the treble is wonderful and among the most resolving sets out there. Riccardo has a flair for theatricality and the Macbeth makes a grand, grand opening act for Forte Ears. This makes me eager, if not a bit leery and skeptical, of what is in store from Forte Ears. Will the Macbeth be Forte Ears ”magnum opus“ or will it just be a bold first act that leads to greater subsequent acts? Either way, it’s a fantastic set that needs to be heard as I think this could very well be many people’s choice as an all-rounder. Bravissimo, Riccardo. Bravissimo.

The long-gestating and awaited Forte Ears Macbeth (formerly known as the prototype project, Eletech Romeo) has finally arrived and has been the focus of my attention for the past few weeks! First offered by Eletech for demo at Canjam NYC in early 2024 (at least that was my first intro to it), there was a lot of secrecy about this project over its duration. But behind the scenes for at least the last year and likely longer, has been the man behind Forte Ears, Riccardo Yeh, a good friend and work partner of Eric Chong of Eletech. Riccardo learned his craft at Hifiman helping to create masterworks like Susvara and the amazing Hifiman lineup. Between Eric, Riccardo and a small horde of head-fiers and CanJam attendees who listened and provided honest, sometimes ruthless, feedback to the Romeo prototype(s) (there were three different Romeo/Macbeth prototypes), a community-like creation came to reality in the release of Forte Ears Macbeth. This IEM is available now for $3999 at MusicTeck in the USA and at www.forteears.com. I paid for my Macbeth (and Ambition cable to come) with my own cash and I get no compensation for this review, just the joy of discovery.


Romeo Prototype 1, CanJam NYC 2024

Romeo Prototype 3, June 2024

Macbeth final release

This could be the most personal review I’ve written as I was both one of the lucky CanJam attendees who demoed and gave feedback on Romeo when Eletech first brought it to CanJam NYC 2024 (prototype one, see pic) and one of the lucky head-fiers who had the opportunity to hear both prototype two and three thereafter and give even more feedback. The third prototype (see pic) was ultimately chosen by Riccardo to be the Macbeth, and he fine-tuned it further based on feedback received from the group of us who demoed it. I have followed this process from its first USA listening opportunity, so, it was particularly gratifying and downright exciting to receive and open the new Forte Ears Macbeth in person after such a long journey to reality!

And Forte did not skimp on the unboxing experience which was lavish, intriguing with its themed contents, and included everything you need to enjoy Macbeth as you can see from the pics. Of course, Macbeth had to come with an Eletech cable – in my opinion, the stock ET cable is just about perfect for Macbeth (and I’ve heard it with the 8w ET Ambition cable which I have on order because it just boosts the perfection to greater levels, but more on that later). I don’t know if ET have given this stock cable a name or if it will become available as part of the ET line, but I believe it’s all copper and has ET elegance (I will be rolling it into my ET cable collection upon the arrival of the Ambition cable!). That said, the upgrade to the Ambition cable is absolutely not required and the stock cable can keep you happy for good. The package also comes with a full set of ET Baroque eartips, which work very well with Macbeth, getting the nozzle deep into the ear canal and the shell firmly inside and against the concha, which is crucial for gaining the full BCD effect Macbeth can deliver. There is also an included zippered, Forte Ears-branded leather case that is just big enough to hold a small DAP (my P6Pro and WM1Z fit) with the IEMs.

This package did not disappoint. I do wish the stock cable came with an ET/Pentaconn chin slider, but this is not really necessary as with the right tip fit, Macbeth shells stay firmly sunken into my ear canals fitting snug, almost like a custom IEM. The actual shells themselves are medium in size considering how many drivers are packed inside the black resin body with extravagantly decorated rhodium-plated faceplates in the theme of the kingly Macbeth. Incredible attention to detail has been paid here with beautifully hand-crafted faceplates making this IEM quite the showpiece! If you’re super low key and hate decoration on your IEMs, this might be enough to put you off the Macbeth! But not for me; I’m an equal-opportunity audiophile and I do not judge books by their covers! Like with relationships, it’s what’s inside that matters, right???

For that matter, the great majority of my listening with Macbeth has been through my DAPs, L&P P6Pro, modded Sony WM1Z and Shanling M9+, often coupled with my iBasso PB5 portable amp. I also did the burn in (and some listening) through my Hifiman EF400. All listening was with stock cable and Baroque tips, except where mentioned otherwise.



Macbeth is packed with 11 drivers per shell: 5 BAs (including 1 “Diablo” customized bass Sonion BA), 4 ESTs and dual Sonion BCDs. But those stats do not tell the story as I’m sure the frequency graph would not describe the sonic benefits of Macbeth. I did not find Macbeth to need much burn-in time, likely due to the absence of DDs, but I’d say it was about 50 hours of minor improvement in my opinion. First - the elephant in the room (at least in my audio room!) - we are obviously dealing with BA bass! This is often a “no-go” feature for my preferences despite hearing and liking many BA sets (and owning a few) as I truly never get the same satisfying feeling of air movement I get with DDs. But I also never knew exactly what was inside Macbeth during my CanJam demos (Eric would not tell!) and if I swore there was a DD in there, it was because it felt like there was. And what I didn’t know didn’t hurt me, but instead helped me to not prejudge what I was hearing. What I’ve come to understand is that the aforementioned Diablo BA driver inside Macbeth is the primary bass driver; a BA that was designed exclusively for Forte Ears by Sonion to specifically accentuate the low bass in cohesive harmony with the other BAs.

Well, this Diablo BA is very effective and its trickery with feel is no doubt embellished by the BCDs. This particular non-DD bass could actually be the best bass in an IEM I’ve ever heard with its precision, texture, tonality, and pure slam with the associated feeling of the slam. When you critically listen to Macbeth, you could likely determine that you’re not hearing DD bass because it’s just a bit different, more incisive, hits harder and faster, but still has perfect decay without any excess boom or bloat. It’s DD-like in feel, but really unlike any other BA bass I’ve heard, save the Subtonic Storm who’s BA bass was standard-setting, IMHO. So this becomes my first set to not have DD bass that I would rank with or above all my DD-based sets for bass; some friends have said Macbeth has Storm-like bass, but I think it’s actually even a little better in that it does not take nearly the power that the Storm does to sound like that, and with the added BCD effect, the bass feels like you expect with DDs, providing huge sub rumble and thump where called for. I think even bassheads could appreciate this non-DD bass! Mid-bass is also meaty and lovely, but not overpowering, leaving mids/upper mids free to occupy the airy soundstage. The transition between sub to midbass is indetectable and very smooth, but Macbeth bass is tuned more to the sub-bass than mid.

The other end of the sound puzzle is deftly handled by 4 ESTs which do precisely what they’re known to be best at – creating lots of air, snap and high-frequency goodness. This results in equivalently extended treble as bass response from Macbeth with lots of detail, resolution and sparkle in the highs. My benchmark for this type of treble presentation has memorably been both the Elysian Annihilator 2023 and the Aroma Fei Wan which are spectacular IEMs, especially for their treble beauty. Macbeth sits very firmly within this camp with stunningly tuned treble that goes right to my limit without sibilance or fatigue, but just tickling the underside of my eyeballs, as I like to say! This treble sings with a lot of authority; cymbal hits are fast and intense with realistic decay, separation in the stage is filled with black air, and every detail is present and accounted for!


But, as good as the bass and treble are here, perhaps neither are the Macbeth’s strongest suits! IMHO, the special sauce of Macbeth lies in the ethereal mids presentation, while the excellent bass and treble play along as bombastic supporters perfectly well. The mids here are as clear, transparent, yet still meaty, as I’ve heard in any IEM. They are quite forward, not overly so, but as forward as I’ve heard them while still maintaining an excellent, across the board stage image. Vocals are on great display here, both male and female, being front and center. What makes the mids so good here?

I’m not really sure, but you can’t talk about the marvel that is Macbeth without discussing what’s at it’s heart, the newish, dual Sonion bone conduction drivers, two per shell. Forte Ears has said that these drivers were tuned to enhance the mids (similar to Canpur 622B), though it seems to me that the effect itself is felt universally throughout the FR. That said, this tuning does enhance the mids to great levels as previously mentioned. Recently, I’ve also tried a couple of other TOTL dual Sonion BCD sets (the AK/EE Novus and Penon Rival) and, thus far, I have found that these new Sonion BCDs do an excellent job of helping to project the sound as if it’s coming from outside your head. All of these sets have that going on to some degree or another thanks to the BCDs and, in my opinion, have set a new level for BCD performance. I have other prior BCD sets but none, most especially speaking of the older UM models, are as effective as these relatively new Sonion BCDs. And Macbeth has harnessed these drivers to maximum effect which not only deepens the slam but also expands the stage in a huge way. I think another trick that Riccardo created here was a copper acoustic chamber that reverberates all of this goodness into the grandness that results. It’s above my pay grade to understand, but I hear mids that are just ethereally beautiful and well pronounced.

How about the tuning and technical prowess of Macbeth? I hear Macbeth as a neutral-to-warm W-shape that is entirely balanced. While at times bright seeming, it’s really not, it’s just that the bass, from sub to mid, is so unintrusive to the upper registers, all the detail that’s there is actually there. Timbre, coherence and dynamics are all top grade, yielding a sound that is musical, engaging and emotional, while also being analytical as nothing that’s in the mix is not audibly interesting through Macbeth. Throughout the lows and mids, and into the upper mids and treble, the BAs within Macbeth provide a seamless, coherent sound with great transients, natural decay and no hint of “BA timbre”. The handoff to the ESTs is equally effortless and seamless and these ESTs have incredible detail without any metallic or nasty edges. While it could be termed a detail monster, it doesn’t necessarily present as one – it’s too musically emotional for that moniker, though no details are missing.

So, I would say Macbeth is a TOTL all-arounder IEM that should have wide appeal across genres and ears. It’s like it was made for bassheads, trebleheads, stageheads, and everyone else in between! With such a wide appeal sound, the question might be, is it boring, is it reference, etc.? These are subjective questions and answers, but to me, it’s anything but boring. I find it to be a very musical set that happens to serve up some very analytical resolution and detail while staying musical and not seeming analytical. It is another entrant into the TOTL sphere that will make you want to rediscover your music library from start to finish, revealing new things in your music, whether a stray voice, a new instrument you never noticed, or something similar.


I wish that I could have included a review of the new 8 wire Eletech/Forte Ambition cable that they released alongside the Macbeth (and at the same retail price!). Unfortunately, delivery of my Ambition has been delayed, so I may return to this review to supplement it after receipt. From my early summer demo notes of what I then called an “8w ET Sonnet of Adam” (which would become the new Ambition), I noted it “brings more detail in the treble, pure sparkle, and bass hits harder while the stage gets wider, taller, deeper and more holographic; seems headphone-like.” I actually heard that incredible cable before the stock cable which had not been finalized at my final demo. Having now given the stock cable lots of use, I think it is a perfect suit for Macbeth with excellent synergy. Still, I did preemptively roll a few cables onto Macbeth to see if I could recapture some of the sound of Ambition. I focused on cables that had similar, exotic metallurgy to the Ambition (eg, gold, silver, copper, palladium, etc. – which is decidedly the opposite of the pure copper stock ET cable). Not having many such cables on hand, this led me to try my 4-year-old Effect Audio Code 51 on the high end ($2300 at release) and my Penon Totem cable on the lower end ($700). Both contain copper, silver, gold and palladium, and both were excellent with Macbeth noticeably pushing the soundstage further out of the head while amplifying the excitement of the tuning; however, neither did what Ambition did based on memory, just steps of the way there which was nice. When I returned to the stock cable, I realized within 10 seconds that it’s really just right for Macbeth and could stay in place for good.

Finally, Macbeth sounded stunning through all of my sources with my personal preference going to P6Pro and WM1Z on their own and the M9+ sounded best when combined with the PB5 with its tube warmth. It also sounded incredibly good on the EF400, an inexpensive desktop amp with beautiful r2r playback. While not a power hog, Macbeth needed high gain on all my DAPs except M9+, so if you’re using an Apple dongle, not sure that will do what’s necessary.


What Riccardo and his brand Forte Ears have released here is nothing short of stunning and destined to be among the top-of-the-top in TOTL iems for 2024 and beyond. Beautiful inside and out, Riccardo went all-out with Macbeth, his first release (exactly how does one make such a big stir on a first release? It takes time, just ask Chang of Subtonic/Nightjar about the Storm and Duality!). Riccardo took his time, working with Eric Chong and Eric’s legion of friends and fans, to arrive at what would be the final Macbeth. I, for one, am glad it’s finally here and even better than I remembered it to be during my demos! I would like to thank Riccardo and Eric for getting Macbeth to me so quickly, and for being just generally great, nice, interesting guys who’ve hit a grandslam with Macbeth!