Muse Hifi Power

MUSEHIFI POWER Review - With Power Comes Great Responsibility

Disclaimer: Your mileage may vary.

Specifications:
Connector Type: 0.78mm 2-Pin
Driver Configuration: 14.5mm Magnetic Planar Driver
Frequency Range: 10 Hz ~ 40 kHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
Sensitivity: 106 dB
Price: $199 (Linsoul)


Sources Used:
Zishan U1 ES9038Q2M
Sony NW-A55 (MrWalkman CFW)
Colorfly CDA M1

Introduction:
MUSEHIFI is a brand that I usually associate with dongle DAC/AMPs. The ones that have no cable in a one solid built dongle. I don't really know much about their IEMs offerings and this is the first time that I am using a MUSE HIFI product. With the ongoing Planar wars with many Chifi brands joining the war, MUSEHIFI joins in with the MUSEHIFI POWER Planar IEM. Let us see if it's worthy of having "Power" in its name.

Build Quality:

Opening the packaging is like opening a bento box with two layers. The first layer is the earpieces itself and the carrying case. Inside the carrying case is the cable and an IEM cleaning tool. On the second layer are two eartip containers that house the stock eartips that the MUSE HIFI POWER has.


The earpiece of the POWER is on the large side, same with the Wu Zetian that I previously covered. However, compared to the Wu Zetian, the shell size of the POWER is much larger. The faceplate is very beautiful with swishes of glittery gold coated with resin, The shell is 3D printed using medical grade resin, there is a concha fin to aid users on the fit of the POWER. Personally it does fit me well, but given its large size, many people will not enjoy the fit of the POWER.


The cable I thought at first glance will be a very stiff cable due to its thickness, but it is actually soft and easy to manage. The whole motif of the cable from the 2-Pin connectors to the 3.5mm plug follows the same Black & Gold colorway with the earpieces. The only gripe I have is that I wish it had a modular plug.


For the case, I find it similar to a messenger bag, the top of the case is latched onto the body via magnet. It has a leather finish with the MUSEHIFI brand printed to it. While it can house the POWER snuggly, I would have preferred a slightly larger case than this.


There a a total of 4 sets (S, M, L) of stock ear tips included with the MUSEHIFI POWER. At a glance it may seem generous but the ear tips included are of the generic kind, just with different bore sizes for tip rolling.


Sound Quality:
The first time I tried them on with my preferred size of stock ear tips ( I used a normal bore one), It razed my ears with sharp upper mids and treble. Sibilance all over the place. I hated it. And when I started to tip roll with the other eartips in this set, none of them worked as the sharpness still remains. I was only able to find it listenable when I used Final Type E Ear tips. I am very disappointed that among the included 4 sets of stock ear tips, none of them works well with the MUSEHIFI POWER. The following sound impressions are written with Final Type E Ear tips.

The first thing that I noticed with the POWER, even with the crappy stock eartips, is that the bass hits the sweet spot for me. Mid-bass dominant and has a fast decay. It performs really well especially when I play speedcore tracks with the POWER, where it is able to catch up to the ridiculous bassline speeds it has.

Vocals on the other hand are like gacha, and most of the time I pull an unlucky one. Why? Because this set is sibilant. It is still sibilant even with the Final E tips taming it a lot compared to stock tips. The sibilance is more apparent with female vocals, it is more pleasant to listen to male vocals with this IEM. Putting sibilance aside, the POWER's vocals are a tad bit recessed in the mix with adequate body to lift its own weight against the POWER's bass and aggressive treble.

The treble of the POWER is cold and very detailed to the point that it is fatiguing. While I like myself some good bright treble with wide extension, the treble on the POWER is unrefined for pleasurable listening, sounding unnatural. I always bring the volume down when there's a treble happy track because I know that my ears will get fatigued easily.

Soundstage is fairly wide, with excellent imaging and technical performance. The amount of microdetails in the treble is massive and can get you fatigued fast.

Conclusion:
While the first impressions with the stock ear tips is horrible, the overall experience that I had with the MUSEHIFI POWER planar IEM is okay. I think that the POWER is still immature and is not worthy of its price. I do hope that if ever MUSEHIFI do a planar IEM again, it'll be more refined than the POWER. Thank you for reading.

MUSE HiFi Power

WHO THIS UNIT IS FOR:

• Planar collectors
• People who like a lot of good accessory inclusions
• People who have big ears
• People who like technically capable IEMs
• People who like colder-sounding female vocals

WHO THIS UNIT ISN’T FOR:

• Shout and sibilant sensitive people
• People who are looking for the best value planar
• People who like a lot of rumble and midbass texture
• People who like a smooth treble response
• People who have small ears

RECCOMENDED GENRES:

• Jazz
• Classical
• Electro-pop
• Soft-Pop
• Rock (generally)

The Planar war continues to rage and companies are coming up with new releases left and right. But what happens when a relatively new brand known for its portable DAC/AMP takes a shot at a newly hyped market?

DISCLAIMERS: This unit was sent as a part of a touring group and provided by MUSE HiFI and Mr. Ken Alfonso. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity, but this does not in any way, shape, or form affect the quality of my review. This review will be based entirely on my experience with the IEM itself and I was not paid or told to say anything regarding the IEM. Lastly, I am only one reviewer; this is my personal experience with the unit. Many variables come to play to make everyone’s experience different and your mileage will vary depending on the circumstance.

TRACKS USED:
I used a mixture of DSD, Hi-Res Flac, CD, and MP3 for my songs. This is to widen the possible use case to as much people and would allow me to give my insight on lower fidelity bitrates.

Spotify Playlist:


Document explaining what to look for in each track:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oMa7GPLaqtpnnoR9tixvWI4aK-7tXMyTEZCJAVkIZx0/edit?usp=sharing


SOURCES USED:
Zishan U1
Not-by-VE Abigail
VE Megatron
Poco M3

OTHER ACCESSORIES USED:

Tips:
Final E in S & M
Newbee in S & M
Stock Red Tips in S & M
Stock Stock Green Tips in S & M
Stock Clear Tips in S & M
Stock Grey Tips in S & M

Cable:
Stock cable

NOTES:
I found that the newbees and the stock green tips are very similar and therefore, my thoughts on one will carry over to the other. However, I found that the most comfortable tip that offers the best sound is the Final E in small. But for a “stock” configuration, I preferred the stock red tips and therefore it was what I used throughout the review. Comfort and sound will vary depending on the tips you will be using.

I also found a potentially big issue where the MUSE HiFi Power would make my Zishan U1 do a weird clicking sound and occasionally lose connection. This was not the case with any of the other sources. This could be a personal issue, though

INTRODUCTION:



MUSE HiFi is a relatively new and lesser-known brand only known to my knowledge with their MUSE HiFi M3 DAC/AMP. This is also my first experience with this brand which leaves me without a basis of reference to the kind of products they release. But this may be for the better as I have no expectations of what they’re capable of just yet which leaves me with no reference to base their own products of. This is also their first IEM and a planar one at that. But enough with the chatter! Let’s get on with the Power.

UNBOXING:

Before we take a look at the MUSE HiFi Power, let’s take a look at the box and its contents.



Starting with the box, it’s your standard rectangular shape with a nice sleeve for protection and aesthetics. The sleeve is a smooth matte black and somewhat thick cardboard that doesn’t easily get deformed like other cardboard sleeves. On the very top, you can see the MUSE HiFi logo and name printed in a thin glossy silver. Under the logo is the MUSE HiFi tagline printed in both English and Chinese.

The left side of the box contains the same MUSE HiFi logo on the top and the right side contains a barcode and the technical specifications
Flipping the box shows a big wall of text that contains another set of technical specifications in 8 languages, Below that, are the contact details of MUSE HiFi, QR Codes to their social media, and your standard warning logos

Moving to the box, it’s a similar black color with a textured, leatherlike feel. The top has a similar printing to the cardboard sleeve with the logo and name but with a silver print on the bottom center that carries over to the bottom side of the box. This silver print has MUSE HiFi’s logo printed on it and cuts off at the very end as if to signify that this is where you open the box. The top side also has its logo.



The box is opened by the magnetic side that seals the box. Upon opening the box, you are met with a translucent paper with MUSE HiFi’s logo printed on it. The paper is very similar to parchment paper which I found quite funny but also interesting as they’re the first company that I’ve encountered to use such material.

Removing the paper reveals the IEMs themselves and the grey leatherette pouch sitting inside a foam cutout. Removing the said items reveals a nice desiccant pad to keep the items dry.

Removing the top foam layer reveals the instruction manual/warranty card and the container for the 24 sets of tips.



Let’s move on now to the accessories. The pouch is a grey, leatherette material with MUSE HiFi’s logo embossed on the top flap. Opening the magnetic top reveals the cable and a cleaning tool.



There are a total of 12 pairs of ear tips; 3 pairs of green stemmed stiff dome semi-wide bored tips, 3 pairs of clear stiff dome narrow bored tips, 3 pairs of red stemmed soft dome narrow bored tips, and 3 pairs of grey soft dome semi-wide bored tips. Listed below is the full accessory list:

• The Driver Units
• IEM Cable
• 12 pairs of tips inside a dedicated case
• Leatherette Magnetic Case
• Instruction Manual
• Cleaning Brush

This unboxing was quite bountiful with the experience, accessories, and quality being overall top-notch. This is honestly what I expected from an IEM costing $199 and MUSE HiFi did not disappoint. The combination of a good-quality cardboard sleeve and the magnetic seal made the unboxing experience quite satisfying. The inclusion of a really good quality magnetic pouch and 12 different and good quality tips was what really sealed my thoughts of the overall unboxing experience of the Power. Not only does it come with 12 tips, but the tips also come in their own case with a really good quality sticker of MUSE HiFi on the front. For their first IEM outing, they really did not skimp on the unboxing experience and accessories. Props to MUSE HiFi!



BUILD, FIT AND COMFORT: 5.5 out of 10

Cable:
The cable is a 6N high-purity single crystal copper silver-plated mixed braid with coaxial and litz shielding and a transparent PVC environmentally friendly material.




Starting with the plug, it’s your standard golden plated plug with this stained metal material housing the jack. I’m not entirely sure what material the jack housing is as it was noted stated in their technical specifications, but it feels like a metal alloy. It then transitions to the clear plastic fishtail that leads us to the single crystal copper cable.



The braid is of a 2 core, paracord-like material of a yellow and black colorway. The braids are quite loose and you can put your finger into the braids, but it’s tight enough that you wouldn’t feel anxious that it’d unbraid itself.



Moving up, we find the y-split and chin cinch that are of a similar material to the jack housing. MUSE HiFi’s logo is printed in white on the side of the y-split.



The cable then splits into single strands all the way to the preformed ear hook and the 2-pin 0.78 connectors and its housing.



I love and hate this cable for the same reason. It’s thick and heavy. While I appreciate a well-made cable as it gives me a sense of durability and stability, it also makes the cable difficult to store, excessively heavy when worn and has the tendency to put pressure on your ear. The latter is the biggest issue that I found with the cable of the Power. This could possibly be due to the IEMs themselves but the preformed ear hooks have the tendency to have multiple pressure points on my ear that makes it very uncomfortable to wear on long listening sessions. I also found the usage of a paracord-style braiding on the entire IEM to be an odd choice. Having the paracord be on the jack side makes sense, especially for longer cables, but it makes the IEM feel like a chore to wear. I will say though that the black and white colorway fits the IEM itself and I would love to have a similar aesthetic if I were to have a cable customized to have a paracord cover. It would have also been nice to see a modular cable, especially at this price and product as I found that planars perform best when powered through a balanced output. But honestly, this is just my personal nitpick as I kind of expect this price to start including modular cables if IEMs in the $79 can do it. Overall, really good quality cable but I feel like MUSE HiFi’s choice of going for this style of cable does offer some cons in terms of comfort. But if anything, I know this kind of cable will last a lifetime.

IEM:

Finally, the IEMs themselves. The shells are a combination of hand-painting + CNC + 3D printing in collaboration with a brand named HeyGears to, “ensure that the Planar Magnetic Drivers prevent error in production,”. It uses a five-axis CNC to carve the metal frame while using medical-grade 3D printing for the resin shell.

The faceplate has a gold, grey, and black overall design appearance with the gold appearing to be of a somewhat glittery finish. The faceplate is covered in a resin-like material with the aforementioned CNC metal to close the seams around the faceplate on the resin shell.





Going down to the inner shell, its shape is overall much larger than your usual IEM with very pronounced fins. MUSE HiFi and either L or R is seen printed beside the somewhat protruding 2-pin connector. The protrusion is not very pronounced but it sticks out along with the shell somewhat compensating for it.
There are 4 vents in total. One across the MUSE HiFi print, one directly on top of the driver and two across the fins. The nozzle is ~4.2mm wide and ~3mm long. It uses the cheese grater/shower sink style filters. Thankfully, any hints of driver flex are alleviated (potentially thanks to having a planar driver)

Speaking of the planar driver, the MUSE HiFi Power uses a 14.5mm flat diaphragm planar magnetic driver. Exact specifications and model are currently undisclosed.



This is arguably the worst part about the MUSE HiFI power. While I can see where they were going with the size, fins, and nozzle size, its overall size with the said fit makes it extremely uncomfortable for long listening sessions. Combined with the small nozzle and heavy stock cable, I was constantly reminded that I was wearing an IEM throughout my listening sessions. The aesthetics and shape of the Power are very attractive and quite fancy I would say. The aluminum alloy sealing around the resin faceplate gives it a very confident and well-built feel and the resin overall is very well done. I don’t feel any creases or weak points besides the nozzle, but its length makes it justified. It’s also not a separate material which is a plus for durability. But overall, I found that despite the beautiful aesthetics and confident build quality, the overall fit and comfort of the Power is one of the worst that I’ve tried so far.

SOUND: 31.5 out of 40

Sound signature:

• Mild U-Shape

Driving Power: Above average power requirements (as expected from a planar). At least a dongle DAC is recommended to run for best performance. Scales very well

Bass: 8.5 out of 10

• Tight but well-defined and bodied overall presentation
• Subbass is present when needed but does not dominate the spectrum
• Midbass is tight with a decent punch with a very clean and well-defined detail
• Midbass elevation over sub-bass
• Midbass texture is sufficient but lacking for my taste
• Sufficient midbass bleed that adds body to male vocals without sounding bloated

The Power presents bass in quite an elevated but well-controlled manner. I am aware that planars don’t often present bass in a cohesive or well-defined manner like DDs. However, Muse Hifi tuned the Power’s bass to give an almost DD-like experience. I say almost as I feel that the overall bass dynamics of the Power are on the tighter end of my preference in this kind of tuning. Subbass is on the leaner side where the rumble exists to complement rather than to dominate. It’s more than enough for my library, but I notice its tightness and submissiveness compared to the midbass on tracks with a good balance of midbass and sub bass. Tracks like Waffles by Lettuce include a rather aggressive bass line throughout the song that has a lot of rumble and midbass texture. The Power presents a tasteful amount of subbass with a hefty and well-defined midbass. Synths and drones are arguably the weakest instruments that the Power represents as the lack of a considerable subbass presence along with a smoother midbass quality make the lower registers of the instruments sound too clinical and smooth. A friend described it quite well when he said that despite the midbass dominance, he still felt that the bass was “too fast”. This is not a negative thing as this allows for the Power to provide one of the most articulate and detailed bass response out of all the IEMs I’ve tried. As stated, my nitpick about the power is the bass being almost too clean for how elevated it is.

Mids: 7 out of 10

• Natural lower mids to mids, but become treblesome (pun intended) on the upper mids
• Good body and detail on lower mids thanks to the sufficient bass bleed
• Good overall instrumental cohesion and presentation
• Cold, detailed but borderline shouty upper mids
• Articulated micro nuances but borders unbearable levels

I’m torn with the mids of the Power. While I myself love colder female vocals as a treblehead, the balance of forward upper mids and the treble tonality (that will be discussed in the next segment) makes the overall tonality of the Power on the odd and unnatural side. The lower mids I would argue saves the overall quality of the mids as the Power presents a transparent and organic sounding vocal and instrumentation on the likes of guitars. The aforementioned midbass bleed also doesn’t meddle with the overall clarity of the instruments on the higher registers. Smoke by Cornelius is a perfect example as, despite the midbass dominance, it does not overpower the guitar notes and nuances as other midbass-centric IEMs do. Pianos also sound transparent and dynamic while still having body, albeit starting to thin out due to the upper mids. On that note, the upper mids are quite aggressive and unnatural sounding on the first listen. It has this hard bite that makes vocals sound cold and borderline shouty with female vocals particularly affected by having a colder and more articulate presentation. The forwardness, however, may be too much for some, and find that the vocals in this region sound unnatural and shrill. Again, I personally like this kind of tonality but I can’t shake the fatigue I get from listening to the Power on long listening sessions. Overall, the mids provide enough vocal and instrumental presence and then bumping that presence to 1000 on the upper mids that skews the tonality just a little bit too much.

Treble: 8 out of 10

• Uneven but well extended
• Lower treble is very forward and occasionally shrill sounding
• Mid treble is uneven with dips in clarity on certain regions
• Very well-extended upper treble and air
• Sibilance is occasionally present, but generally tolerable compared to the upper mids
• Micro Detail retrieval is very impressive despite the unevenness in the treble

The treble both disappointed and satisfied me for the sole fact that the unevenness creates this edginess that I adore in some IEMs. When the unevenness is well executed, it can create an almost holographic and immersive stage. When done poorly, however, it ends up sounding almost one-dimensional and lo-fi in a sense. Thankfully, the transient peaks and dips on the Power are smooth enough to still have good clarity and articulation. However, its unevenness is quite evident, especially in tracks with more aggressive cymbal and percussive hits that border that splashy sound. There are also instances where certain cymbal strikes can sound somewhat dulled in presentation while others are very well represented. But this still offers a quite resolving treble response, albeit potentially being sibilant for some. Personally, the Power sparkles enough for me to resonate with the percussive strikes without having to wince at every hit. What really brings the Power to my preference is how well it represents micro nuances in the likes of guitar plucks, high vocal notes, and especially the lingering sparkle due to the extended upper treble. It has the tendency to become too much at times, but I found it extremely enjoyable and very articulate. But I really do wish the lower to middle treble was smoothened out a bit more to alleviate the dips in clarity in certain areas. Overall, I enjoyed the treble despite the few qualms I have with it.

Soundstage, Imaging, and Separation: 8 out of 10

• Decently wide but has really good stage depth
• Precise and accurate imaging but limited by stage width
• Great separation, but suffers from congestion in the upper region

I wasn’t so surprised to hear the Power perform as capable as it did, especially after hearing how prominent the treble is. I was, however, surprised by how well separated the low-end was for being as elevated as it did. The instrument separation of bass guitars, low register voices, and synths were clean and the imaging was very crisp. It’s still not headphone levels as I still feel the clear distinction when switching gears (this could be attributed to the stage) but it’s still no slouch. The stage is very much depth leaning rather than width as I occasionally found the stage to be narrow but with a sense of grandness in instrumentation. Where I personally hear the Power slightly suffers is when the upper mids to mid-treble gets congested where I feel that the capability of the Power to separate starts to take a hit as some instruments take center stage and others are pushed back a bit too much for my liking. This isn’t a massive difference, but it's noticeable enough for me to mention.

Gaming Performance: ✪✪✪✰✰
The technical capabilities of the Power really show in gaming but suffer from the same problems stated in the technicalities section. While immersive games such as Genshin Impact, Sky: Children of the Light, and other games with expansive sceneries provided one of the most beautiful gaming experiences I’ve had on IEMs, competitive gaming is quite disappointing. The narrower stage made me feel like all the sounds I hear are exactly behind me. I had a situation where I called out in Valorant that an enemy was in front of me running when in reality it was a teammate meters away. Due to the Power’s tuning, certain gunfire also causes quite the pierce to my ears. Overall though, this would be a great IEM if you were to use this exclusively for immersive games

Multimedia Performance: ✪✪✪✪✰
Similar to gaming, the multimedia performance of the Power is very desirable. Films and Shows offer a very immersive experience with nature sounds, soundtracks, and overall sound design is easy to appreciate and hear the nuances. But the tuning really takes a hit on especially action movies where gunfire becomes quite uncomfortable to listen to. I should also bring up the fact that the IEM is quite uncomfortable over a long period of time which will definitely affect your binge-watching.

COMPARISONS:

vs TangZu Zetian Wu ($150)

• Zetian Wu is more balanced while the Power is leaning closer to being a mild u-shape
• Zetian Wu has better overall bass balance but Power is more detailed and textured
• Zetian Wu mids are more balanced compared to Power but Power has better male vocals.
• Zetian Wu doesn’t sound as offensive as Power, especially on upper mids
• Treble sounds cleaner on Zetian Wu, but microdetail retrieval is better on Power
• Power handles busier tracks and deeper than Zetian Wu but Zetian Wu has a wider stage and more precise imaging

VERDICT:



If I were to take a look at the MUSE HiFi in a vacuum, I would say that this is one of the most impressive releases that I’ve seen and heard of recently. The combination of a glorious unboxing experience, a lot of accessory inclusions, a good build, and technically capable sound makes the MUSE HiFi power a very recommendable planar option.

The problem arises when you look at the competition and its development over time. The sudden resurgence of planars in the first place was due to a brand providing a revolutionary planar that redefined people’s perspective on what planar is capable of in the IEM space. I can only assume that MUSE HiFi attempted something similar with the Power. Due to its bizarre, potentially offensive tonality, large size and most importantly the price, the MUSE Hifi Power seem to really be an attractive option only for those looking to collect all the planars in the market.

It’s not to say that the MUSE HiFi Power is bad. Far from that. I personally really enjoyed the Power and I’m actually really intrigued with what MUSE HiFi has in store in the future. But it’s one of, if not, the most contested market in the IEM world as of recent. If it was priced in the $150 range, I would have felt that the Power would be a very competitive option even with its fit and tuning quirks. But $200 is steep, especially now when you can get the likes of SHUOER S12, TangZu Zetian Wu, and the $49 Celest Gumiho. I still think that the MUSE HiFi power exists in a spot where there will be people who will be attracted to it, but I wouldn’t count on it to be the first suggestion when someone asked for a Planar IEM.

Thank you for taking the time to read my review! Please consider liking and following Facebook my page if you want to see more audio review content from me. Thank you and have a beautiful day!
https://www.facebook.com/OB.ODIO

If you would like to buy one for yourself, here is a non-affiliated link. Happy listening!
https://keephifi.com/products/muse-hifi-power

INTRODUCTION:

The Muse HiFi Power is part of our review tour. I would like to thank Kent Aldriann Alfonso and Muse HiFi for providing us with the unit to review. This is my first encounter with the brand. And to be purely honest, I was quite surprised that this didn’t fall into my personal preference. If you’ve noticed, there are more cons above. Read on to know why…

DISCLAIMER:​

My opinions here are entirely my own. I am NOT in any way influenced by any form of incentive. This is purely my honest, subjective impressions and experience with the gear on hand. I cannot stress more that you should take this as a grain of salt for we have different perception to sound and what we hear. I always try my best to stick with the stock accessories that come with the gear by default. You are free to try other methods such as tip rolling or cable rolling. Below are worth noting before concluding on what I say here:

1. DAP (digital audio player, be it phone, laptop, mobile, or stationary setup)
2. DAC or dongle or any external amp
3. Ear Tips
4. Cables
5. Source of audio file be it offline FLACS or streaming services like Deezer, Apple music, Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify and the likes..
6. Your playlist. It matters and is worth to be considered when reading from a reviewer's perspective. It is apparent that you get to know your favorite reviewer and what they are listening to leisurely and critically.

My reviews are more on how music sounds in my ears. The technical stuff like frequency graphs and the physics behind the tech and drivers used, I leave to other reviewers.

SPECIFICATIONS:​

Configuration: 14.5mm Planar Magnetic Driver
Impedance: 32ohms
Sensitivity: 106db
Freq response: 10hz - 40khz

PACKAGING:​

Inclusions are on the generous side. Especially the ear tips. Below comes with the packaging.

1. 4 kinds of ear tips. 3 pairs each kind
2. a pair of Muse HiFi Power IEM
3. Braided black cable cloth in material
4. a cleaning tool
5. Documentation
6. a carrying pouch

Sound Impressions:​

The sound signature of Power is on the brighter side. Though I can handle brightly tuned sets, (my Kinera Idun Golden for example) the Power is problematic on top. Let’s dive in deeper.

Starting with the lows, which are the best part, are very quick, punchy, and have excellent responses. It possesses a clean presentation and minimal bleeds to neighboring frequencies. The lows gave me a thumping and good nodding on some of my favorite tracks. It has a good reach at the sub-bass level. I will compliment the mid-bass having grit and bite and good details. If the track calls for a sub-bass presentation, Power gives. Playing classic tracks with more emphasis on mid-bass is fairly accurate and was never bloated.

Mids are the first I noticed to exhibit having a thin and lean character. More often than not, female vocals tend to be unnatural and boxy. Therefore Power favors male vocals by a noticeable amount. Instruments like pianos and acoustic guitars are also tainted with a smear of unnaturalness and unrealism. Though near borderline, it is tolerable. Violins on high registers also give that sheen that is natural to planar drivers. The mids sometimes get hot and fatiguing to listen to, being a chore over time.

Trebles are the most problematic in this set. Trebles are thin by default but Power reproduces it in a non-appealing way to my ears. My Kinera Idun is also a bright set but it has a more organic way of delivering trebles. Power on the other hand, is somewhat unrealistic. It tries to maintain organicness on some instruments, but it struggles and elements will sound unnatural every now and then. On top of that, like the mids, it is fatiguing to listen.

Conclusively, the whole presentation here leans to be thin and brittle. Fatiguing to listen. You might want to consider pairing this with a warm and analogous source to fix the trebles. The one thing that saves this set, is the lows. Ear tip rolling is also strongly suggested. Maybe that is the sole reason why they included 4 kinds of tips.

Fit & Isolation:​

Despite the large build of Power, the fit is very snug, and never felt they will fall off my ears. I easily manage to achieve optimal fit. Pain-free wear and comfortable. Isolation is above average leaving me and my music in our own world.

Technicalities:​

Now we come to the key strength of Power. Its technicalities. Can this aspect save this set? Read on…

First off, Power has medium drivability. I find myself notching my volume level a few steps louder. Hence, a dongle or dac-amp is suggested.

Sound stage is quite nice and has that extra head room. While IEMs are designed to be intimate with our music, having a large build is beneficial when it comes to sound stage.

Imaging is very admirable as instruments are well placed and easy to follow. Elements never felt overlapping. Rather instruments have their own scope and are occasionally thrown at the far right or left in an accurate manner.

Speed of drivers are very adequate and capable. Complex tracks are a breeze and Power executes busy tracks effortlessly.

Resolution and details are very high with Power. Macro and micro details are well audible and present with tracks I’m very familiar with.

Conclusively, technicalities are above average and might be the selling point of Muse HiFi power. Rightfully and fitting for a planar driver performance.

SOURCES AND GEARS:​

• LG V30 hifi dac (high impedance mode)
• Hiby Music player
• UAPP app (USB Audio Player Pro)
• Tidal Masters subscription
• offline FLACS
• Hidizs AP80 pro
• Deezer Hifi subscription

Here are some tracks I usually listen to when reviewing:

That’s the way of the World by EWF
Africa by TOTO
The Girl in the Other Room by Diana Kral
Balmorhea album All is wild, All is Silent
Sila by Sud
Smooth Escape by D’Sound
Never too Much by Luther Vandross
P.Y.T by Michael Jackson
Ain’t no Sunshine by Eva Cassidy
Shoot to Thrill by AC/DC
Another one bites the Dust by Queen
Good times bad times by Edie Brickell
Alice in Wonderland by Bill Evans
Ain’t it Fun by Paramore
Redefine by Incubus
Far Away by Nickelback
Lovesong by Adele
Lingus by Snarky Puppy
Harvest for the World by Vanessa Williams
Love Bites by Def Leppard
No Such Thing by John Mayer
As by Stevie Wonder
Whip Appeal by Babyface
Ain’t Nobody by Chaka Khan
Futures by Prep
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Every Summertime by NIKI
SADE tracks
AC/DC tracks
Queen tracks


And many more… I always listen to High-resolution format, being the least quality 16bit/44khz FLACS, whether offline or online.

VERDICT:​

This set proves that technicalities alone cannot save a gear. The technicalities outweigh the tonality which results in a not balanced set in terms of performance. Fatiguing to listen to. Imagine you are trying to enjoy your music for hours but just cannot do it for the reason it gives you a fatiguing experience. That’s a deal breaker for me. Power still tries to be enjoyable but more often than not, it falls short. Unnatural tonality, occasional sibilance, and boxy female vocals prevent me from enjoying and recommending this set.

As the planar wars continue, the Muse HiFi Power is the least in my opinion. It is just too hot to handle. Too tiring to listen to and very hard to appreciate. I’m listening to it as I’m writing this review and I can’t wait to finish this article so I can put it back in its packaging. Sorry Muse HiFi, but I think you need to rehaul this set and fix its cons for your upcoming IEM releases.

That’s a wrap and I hope that you’ve reached this end. Again, love the music more than the gears!! Cheers! Catch you on the next one!!

INTRODUCTION​

Hello Everyone welcome to my Review. Today we will have the MUSEHIFI POWER. This is my first time with the brand; honestly, this set is a new experience for me. Now, let’s start this review with my exciting emotions and take,

Background about me and personal taste in music.​

I am a student and currently a hobbyist in the world of audio. When it comes to my sound library. I am more into anime songs and jpop artists (but not all jpop artists). To all my fellow anime fans, even otaku or weeb expect me to put anime references in my reviews by using anime music. The MUSEHIFI POWER somewhat reminds me of Megalo Box.

Personal Sound Preference​

mid-centric guy. or neutral balanced with an emphasis in the mids. This Unit of MUSEHIFI POWER somewhat provides some of those aspects; I will explain it further in this review. Since this is a Plannar setup please bear with my review since I don't have that great source to drive this Planar.

Disclaimers.​

I would like to thank Sir kent for giving me an opportunity to test this unit.
We have different audio perspective and beliefs
The MUSEHIFI POWER I have is a tour UNIT arrange by kent and sir loo law
I am a hobbyist and budget reviewer so expect that my take are based on my budget setup
All my reviews are my own, I didn’t gain any monetary reward in this review.

Click to expand...

Sound Signature​

The sound of this pair has a U-Shape sound. This has more emphasis on the bass and treble sections of the spectrum.

Package​

inside the box is the following​

• Two sets of Eartips
• Iem case/pouch
• Cleaning Brush
• paper for instructions and warranty
• 4-core cable with imported high purity single crystal copper wire
• The Iem itself

Eartips​

The eartips included in the box are great high-quality eartips. I didn't use the eartips since I used my eartips which are the kbear-07 eartips.

Cable​

The cable is made out of imported high-purity single crystal copper wire. So in general saying, it has a stock cable made out of copper. It has a 2-pin connector pin.

Lows/bass​

The most prominent in the audio spectrum. Since I love anime and Jpop The vibes of the Lows are very engaging it has the punch and speed that I want. It has a great Sub-bass rumble. In the "track Yona Yona Journey / TAKU INOUE & Mori Calliope" I can hear how the sub-bass attacks and slaps. In terms of Mid-bass, it has that texture but has a weak bass punch and kick.

Midrange​

I will explain it in Vocals, Instruments, and overall presentation. The female vocals have more extension compared to the male vocals. Both Vocals are evident in the track. The instruments in this pair are good it sounds organic. Violin strings sound realistic. Guitar has sparkle even acoustics has it also. The overall presentation of the mids is leaning on forwarding.

High-pitched range​

I like this part of the audio spectrum. It has upper mids extension making it too peaky in some music genres. For treble-sensitive peeps out there it might hurt your precious ears. a hint of Sibilance, but only very minimal it depends on the quality of the track and the production behind it. I like how they extend the Highs it has a feel of Hi-Fi audio Since in detail it shows both macro and micro.

OVERALL TECHNICALITIES​

So technical aspects this is the part that I also want in my Iem. Now let's break it up, shall we? Let's start with Soundstage, The stage has above-average wideness and spacing. The imaging is your typical Stereo setup. Stereo is a type of audio channel that consists of two channels. In terms of the placement of vocals and instruments in the Stereo Setup. As a former Violinist, I am having a hard time locating the vocals and instruments in some tracks.

DRIVABILITY​

To the people that will buy this pair. and The source is only A Phone with no Decent Dac or Audio Dac implementation. Then Don't Buy it, except for the LG V Series and Some LG G Series. I tried this pair with my OPPO A95 and the Result was A bloody Mess(Gordon Ramsy Voice). In general Planar Pairs need decent sources with Proper Audio Dac Implementation or Amp.

SETUP CONFIGURATION.​

• Abigail Dac- Volume of 20-30%
• ES-PRO 9318- Volume of 22-32%
• OPPO A95- Volume of 55-70%
• Roon exclusive mode in all USB Dac

Eartips​

I usually use stock eartips but I am in love with Kbear-07 eartips. The Stock eartips of this pair are good and Any eartips will do.

Closing​

Since this is my first time trying planars and my source are substantial. Well, I did my best to review it using my not-that-great sources.

General Advice​

Always take care of your ears since this hobby involves our ears.


Proper fit can make the sound better or retain, This also applies to eartips.


Never exceed above 60% of volume, well it depends on the hearing and source.


Clean your ears when using your Audio Gears.


Cable rolling usually depends and is optional. The stock cable will do just fine.

Test Tracks​

• chikichikibanban-Queendom[Hi-Res]
• The Queen of white- Date a bullet music [CD-Quality]
• infermata-Spotlight kids[HI-Res]
• Villian Vibes-Amalee and mori calliope. [CD-Quality]
• cha la head cha la- cover by amalee[CD-Quality]
• Gimme X Gimme-Hachioji-P and Giga-P.{Cd-quality]
• Inner Urge-Sumire Uesaka[CD-Quality]
• Round and Round-Merm4id[Hi-Res]
• Life Will Change-Cover by Amalee[CD-Quality]
• Yona Yona Journey / TAKU INOUE & Mori Calliope[Hi-Res]
• Tribes by Victory Worship[CD-Quality]
• For your Purpose by Victory worship, Lee Simon Brown[CD-Quality]
• Steep by Lauren Christy[CD-Quality]
• The color of the Night by Lauren Christy[CD-Quality]

Terminology Used​

• Stereo
• USB Dac
• Imaging
• Details.
• lows(Bass),Midrange(Mids),Highrange(Treble).
• Channel

Hello and welcome to my another IEM review blog. it's been a long time since I'm posted my last review article as I'm really busy for these past weeks and now I have a spare time to publish more IEM reviews coming from backlog items.


What I have here is a first product offering from a new audio company in China, Muse Hifi and they named their product, Muse hifi Power. Muse Hifi Power is a single Planar Magnetic driver IEM that will be competing and aiming to some current competitors in the market with the same planar drivers set-up like from Letshouer, 7Hz and the first Chi-fi company implementing a planar driver on an IEM, Tin Hifi.




To be honest, I've only tested 2 IEMs with planar drivers before and these are Audeze iSine 10 and Tinhifi P1, I remembered that I am that not particularly impressed on those planar magnetic IEMs before as they are really hard to drive that you really need a better source just to properly power them up and yet it only delivers a mediocre tonal quality. That's reason I'm really skeptic on those planar IEMs as it really kills the whole point of a versatile, portable hifi setup with these hard to drive IEMs.


A planar magnetic driver works a bit different compare to a more traditional dynamic driver as it is more complex. The principle of planar magnetic driver is to send an electrical signal and impulses to a very conductive element of which membranes and thin diaphragms are made of and they are sandwiched by a pair of strong magnets specifically a high quality neodymium, that it will have faster response rate due to the diagphragm reacted well on feeding electric signals coming for an audio source. But I digress and let's go back to the main point of this review.


Muse Hifi Power is indeed one of a very few special IEM with a uncommon driver set-up (for now), a 14.5mm planar magnetic with a thin diaphragm and it currently price at around US$200/£140 which I see it as very competitive with its given price value. The shells are indeed humongous and chunky but I didn't have fitting issues on them as they snugly fit into my average-size lugholes with acceptable weight which I don't find uncomfortable. Isolation is very commendable on this one as it seals well against external noise from the outside.




The shells are quite sturdy and it is made of high quality medical grade resin material that are friendly to my skin as I didn't encounter any irritations even in a long listening session. Its faceplate are quite a looker as its design is somehow takes an inspiration from a swirly foam art in a cup of cappucino (I'm a coffee lover). It has a metal alloy frame that holds bother the resin base cavity and the faceplate.




Given to its price value, The Muse Hifi Power is packed in a medium-size black box. It's packaging is well-thought and loaded with accessories that you will only encounter on most midrange to Top-of-the-line products from other companies.




Here are the contents inside from the box:

• A pair of Muse Hifi Power IEMs
• A black braided clothed sleeved black cable in 3.5mm termination plug
• A four (4) sets of different types of ear tips in three (3) pairs.
• A good quality IEM faux leather case.
• An instruction manual.

As for driving requirement, It is a given thought that planar drivers are very demanding when it comes to amplification, they are indeed power hungry sets but on Musehifi Power it is really a quite surprising that it can be drive from my LG phones for at least 80% of volume level to be decent listenable level and but it scales well on better sources with more powerful amps like dedicated DAPs ( I have a new DAP, F.Audio XS04 just to drive these planar properly in high impedance/gain mode) and desktop DAC/Amps that its gives a more lush sounding with better dynamics.


As for its tonality, Muse Hifi Power has a distinct U-shape sound signature, with an elevated bass and treble and a neutral midrange. It is more approaching towards on being a tad warmer in general.


I will point out some characteristics that I've observed from each frequency response spectrum of Musehifi P1 for the past days during my listening and testing phase.



LOWS/BASS


This is the most prominent frequency response region of Muse Hifi Power, it has that sufficient punch, a peculiar dynamic sounding and precision. The subbass has a good depth and extension as it has a rumble that will be beneficial to some genres like modern pop, hip-hop and synth-pop that it gives a more impact and reverb to synthesizers and electronic drums.


And for mid bass, it has an ample texture to give a sufficient growl on a bass guitar that sounds earthy and a thuddingly but a bit soft sound of bass kicks. There are some instances a tad of bass bleed to some bass heavy tracks but it is still remain firm and controlled and nonetheless, it is at least affecting the midrange quality after all.


MIDRANGE:


As the mids are more on a linear side but it has an added tad of warmth into it that it gives a more tonal balance to other frequencies, it has a clarity, a good resolution and an energetic nature. Both vocals quality of both gender are benefited on that sufficient texture as it is sounds natural and good clarity on it but female vocals shines a bit further as it is in onward position due to added energy and sonic range due to that emphasis towards to the uppermids which will I explain later on the treble part of this review.


As for instruments it sounds organic with a tad of bright as it has a crisp and twanging sound on guitars either it is an acoustic, a lead or rhythm. a blaring sound of a brass trumpet, a rich and vivid sound of a piano and a shrilly and sharper snare strikes.


Overall, the mids performs well and its presentation is very decent and convincing of such a delivery from a performance of a planar driver.


HIGHS/TREBLE:


The treble part is where will I have some concerns the overall tonality of Muse Hifi Power. It has noticeable peak on the upper mids that it give a piercing and shriek sound as I encounter it on some female vocal tracks and a miniscule amount of sibilance that is more prevalent to sibilant-laden tracks. To be honest its just a slight issue to me as I want a good treble quality but my concern on that too much emphasis on the upper mids are some treble sensitive individuals that are less tolerant on that certain frequency range that gives a discomfort and unpleasant listening experience.


Evidently, cymbals has a shimmer and sheen sound with decent airy extension and hi-hats has that prim and cursory crisp chick sound.


Despite that particular issue on the treble quality, I still consider it as a good one as I see a silver lining on it which is a more better resolution capability on both macro and micro-details and boosted upper mids and presence treble region gives off that kind of high fidelity vibe.


SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:


To give you an idea of the overall proportion of its sound field and spatiality, It is significant on the height (tallness)and depth over width. It has an above average wideness, with good immersive depth and height reach in the whole spatial profile of Musehifi Power.


Other aspects on the technical side such as imaging, separation and layering are only performing decently but not an ideal preference that I really incline for as excellent and laudable as I already expect some possible shortcomings of a planar driver. Imaging is just a typical two-dimensional stereo panning, and it has only an ample perceive distance of spacing and gaps between singers and instruments and having a bit of difficulty to determined the placement and exact position of each element but at least its doesn't feel congested and boxy but not my ideal technical aspect as it is one of main prerequisites to have those in an IEM.


As for the coherency of the drivers, I will give it a high mark. Why? Because it is a planar driver, Planar drivers are known to have a very nimble and agile driver tech. It has quicker bass response and very cohesive performance that it has a lesser harmonic distortion….but at the expense of a sucking up more power from its source.


As for timbre quality, it is on a natural side but it has an added sheen and gleam tended to have a tad brighter tonal colour. And lastly for its resolution capability, it has good detail retrieval and sufficient information on sonic value and harmonics.



PEER COMPARISONS:


Audeze iSine 10

• Audeze iSine 10 is more of a V-shape sounding and a bit lean while Muse hifi is more of U-shape and more balanced sounding.
• It demands more power just to drive it properly, Muse hifi Power requires less power output that it can be driven by a decent source but compare to dynamic drivers and balanced armature sets, it is more source dependent that needs better amplification.
• iSine's bass quality are tighter and less sustaining, Muse hifi Power is more on quantitative side.
• iSines are a bit heavier and have some discomfort and keep adjusting its position to have a suitable fitting into my ears.
• iSines has a subpar resolution retrieval.

Tinhifi P1

• Harder to drive set than Muse hifi Power
• Has a lesser technicalities aspect especially on imaging and soundstage, Tinhifi P1 performs it underwhelmingly and Muse hifi Power is a bit better in a respect.
• Too much smoothness that harmonics and air are almost gone and details are lacking of infos to retrieve.
• P1 has a tighter bass response compare to Muse Hifi Power's more punchier bass.
• P1 stock eartips doesn't have that good sealing and isolation that I really want. Included stock eartips on Musehifi Power are way superior.

As I'm an agnostic on the power efficiency and performance of planar magnetic IEMs of the past. Given to the fast track development of newer type of magnetic planar drivers along with trying to minimizing the moving parts of it to make it more easier to produce and more viable to the audio market. Those notions of mine might change as I see a potential of planar magnetics are even going better and it will be more common in a coming months as I already see many companies are adapting it already




Muse Hifi Power is one of the few products that gives me an alternative thought and it somehow amends my views on planars. Musehifi managed to surprisely me with a solid performance and price value of their introductory product. I find it very pleasant to listen to day after day and Musehifi Power will be my favourite planar magnetic set for now.





SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: MUSE HIFI POWER

IMPEDANCE: 32Ω

SENSITIVITY: 106dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 10Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M

PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) 14.5MM PLANAR MAGNETIC DRIVER


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



Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **

Suzanne Vega – Luka **



P.S.

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



Once again, I would like to thank Steve Tong and MUSE HIFI for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on his generosity towards me and other reviewers.

MUSE HIFI is a new player in the chifi market and has come to challenge the planar lower end market against the likes of 7Hz with their tech. Well, competition is what improves the market and I love it.
So today we try their new iem- MUSE HIFI POWER.

SPECIFICATIONS-

• Impedance: 32Ω.
• Driver Module: 14.5mm nanometer flat diaphragm planar magnetic driver.
• Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz.
• Plug Type: 3.5mm single-ended.
• Sensitivity: 106dB.

DISCLAIMER- I WAS SENT THIS CABLE FOR REVIEW BY MUSE HIFI AS A PART OF REVIEW TOUR IN INDIA. SURELY, I WANT TO THANK THEM FOR CONSIDERING ME AS A PART OF THE REVIEW TOUR BUT ALL MY OPINIONS ARE MY OWN WHETHER POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE AND WILL NOT BE INFLUENCED BY ANYTHING EXCEPT ME ALSO THANKS TO @machinegod FOR SENDING ME TO REVIEW IT.

UNBOXING-
Beautiful as every other chifi iem like I have seen between 100-200$. The thing I loved which was different, was the way the ear tips are presented in the box.



BUILD AND FIT-
The build is okayyyyy, but I highly doubt that if it falls, it will survive. It’s a semitransparent design and is quite light weight too.
The fit is good, but its generous size at the back, hits my concha a bit too much. Its bearable for an hour max but bigger ears have more of a chance with it.

CABLE-
An SPC beautifully covered in nylon clothing. Its looks and feels great. No sounds from wire when moving either too.

ACCESSORIES-

1. Case- Synthetic leather case
2. Ear tips
3. An ear tip cleaner

POWER REQUIREMENT-

With my N6ii with A01, High gain and 20-25 is good enough for me. So yeah, it does require power but not a ton.

NOTE- THIS IEM HAS BEEN USED WITH N6II WITH A01 ENTIRELY. THE XUDOO MT602 HAS GOOD SYNERGY WITH THIS AND WILL BE RECOMMENDED BUT NOT USED FOR THIS REVIEW. I HAVE ALSO TRIED AN PURE COPPER CABLE FROM THE STOCK CABLE OF MY IEM SHOZY POLA WHICH WAS ENOUGH TO MAKE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS EXCEPT THE FIT. THE ENTIRE REVIEW THOUGH HAS BEEN DONE WITH STOCK CABLE TO KEEP VARIABLES TO A MINIMUM.



SOUND IMPRESSIONS- KEEP IN MIND THEY MIGHT BE DIFFERENT FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE-

SUB-BASS –

Adequately present with good rumble, well separated and extends well into the headspace. It’s quite energetic with good differences felt in between the different notes. The decay is great long enough to leave a slightly extended feeling of the note in your mind . It has a big loud hit to the notes body with beautiful fast attack to the notes but feels a bit lacking in punch. The timbre is excellent but slightly with a leaner tonality which seems to be the downside. Texture could be more enhanced which seems a but lacking in it. Now tonality is very dynamic, lending good differentiation between different percussion instruments. Well try with a copper cable and warmer source and it will be epic .

BASS-

The bass is quite balanced with no hint of being too much interfering with other frequencies at all. There is an abundance of energy just needs a bit of push with warmer and powerful sources (as in case of me its an amp XDUOO MT 602 (1954 Sylvania tubes). The best thing about this is that the hits on the snare drum is rather good and gives the tension with which the leather on the drum is tightened. What I love about this is that even though the tonality is slightly lean, the difference between different bass instruments is so beautifully presented that you would be abacked. Notes attack and extension are surprisingly good, but a little thicker body would be appreciated (Hence the need of warmer source). The upper bass could need an echelon with the mid-bass since sometimes you would want those thicker male vocals in some songs which seems a but lacking. The separation is so beautifully done that even the notes are well differentiated. The texture though is lacking for sure.

MIDS-




TREBLE-

Its there for sure. Its sparkly, energetic and well tonally distinct between different instruments present here. The notes have a small beginning and body, but the presence is quite easily felt. They are all widely separated and have a good headspace for the placement of the instruments. There is good amount of air present for sure. The metallic instruments might be a bit too much real with slightly leaner tonality making it slightly fatiguing and bit sharp when there’s triangle or bells present. While wind instruments and string instruments here have a beautiful presentation. The timbre is great too doesn’t seem to be lacking at all. The energy is great too, not lacking to surprise when needed. Upper treble might be a bit lacking as the notes top ends are not that much excellent. The notes height difference needs a touchup too.

HEADSTAGE AND IMAGING-

This is beautiful to say the least. There is good 3D imaging in your head that happens with this iem. There is good width in the head stage that it feels to be coming from the corner of your ears. There is good stage depth (z axis) of the instruments too. The height of the notes could have been a bit more overall but its still good. What it requires is notes height difference to be more enhanced. Imaging even in the – Y-axis is sometimes present in certain tracks or at least it feels like it haha.

SEPARATION AND RESOLUTION-

Resolution is rather good with great transparency overall. The microdetails pop up like a kid’s eye when offered a candy haha!!! The microdetails though aren’t too much maturely presented, it just pops ups and doesn’t flow with the note’s presentation. But at this price getting such an iem is difficult. Separation is excellent overall. Inter-instrumental separation is surprisingly good with good inter-notes separation too, such that you would not stop to think even in busy what instruments were where and this I love for sure.

COMPARISON-

7HZ TIMELESS-
PROS-
Warmer tonality
Better bass texture
Taller head stage
Bass has bigger presence
Notes have bigger body
Timbre is pretty good

MUSE HIFI POWER-
PROS-

Wider head stage
Better rumble in sub-bass
Better microdetails
Better separation
Better female vocals
Better treble extension and air
Beautiful imaging
Transparency is much better



SUMMARY-

This is a straight up recommendation in case you have a warmer source and copper cable lying around. This will fit much better with anything warmer. But overall, with other sources it will be great too. This kind of separation and balanced sound, I have rarely tried something . The slightly spicier treble and leaner tonality is something you would get used to easily over time but this kind of beautiful true to life sound is rare at this price. Highly recommended (seems like I am repeating haha, but this is worth it)

Disclaimer

I got the Muse Hifi Power as part of a review tour and the impressions provided below are my personal opinions and I didn’t receive any monetary compensation for the review.

Ah another planar iem! These are popping up like crazy in Chifi after the popular 7hz Timeless. Possibly they’re using the same driver in different shells or is it ‘tuned’ better? In this review I will try to compare the Timeless, Kato and Power from what I hear.

Looks, Feel & Accessories

Muse Power has a premium package with assortment of tips and a well built sleeved cable. There’s a small pouch which is similar to Kato. The tips provided looks identical to timeless, Kato comes with spring tips. So packaging wise I feel all three iems do a good job around $200.




The tips looks very similar to what Timeless also comes with

Build is where the Muse Power falters.It’s faceplate looks good but the material is plastic and feels like entry level kz iems. Kato with steel and Timeless with magnesium build hopefully will take a bit of bumps and will last longer in my opinion.

Also the shell is bigger and gets uncomfortable after an hour or so. Timeless has fit issues too as the earphone itself is oddly shaped. Kato provided the best fit for me and with spring tips the seal was excellent too.


The driver is visible inside the transparent shell

Sound

Like mentioned earlier Muse Hifi follows the latest trend with a large planar driver similar to Timeless and Kato uses a Dynamic Driver. Personally I prefer dynamic timbre more and feel planar has a thinness which I kinda dislike.
The driver is capable technically producing a well spacious and resolving sound. The stage is wide and depth is good for an iem. Layering chops are also impressive with a holographic presentation. Transients are fast maybe a bit fast for my taste, think this is a reason for the leading note sharpness I feel. Kato has the DD timbre going for it even though it’s less technically proficient.

Bass is good, has a bit more mid bass emphasis than sub bass rumble. Tonally I find the upper mids and treble are pushed up more than what I usually like. The Kato and Timeless have a bit more subdued sound in this region. This sometimes makes things like cymbals and high hats a bit ‘splashy’. Vocals too are delivered with a bit of thinness due to this upper midrange boost.

Interestingly there’s no tuning foam in the nozzle of the Muze power. From BGGARs measurements of Timeless without filters seems very close to Muse Power.

Conclusion
For $200 the Muse Power is technically proficient but Tonally I find the Kato to my liking. Also there’s a possibility that another new iem may come soon with a better tuning considering the drivers are very similar among the new Chifi planars. Boon and bane of Chifi remains, exceptional sound at a good price but will possibly be superseded by another better performer in no time!

INTRODUCTION:

Muse HiFi, the brand based out of China is a newly established brand concentrating on the IEM market has released its new product POWER, a planar based IEM with an attractive pricing of 199 USD makes a nice place in the IEM Planar market. In this review let's check out if this really gives a tough competition in the sub 200 USD planar market since the 7Hz Timeless already took its place.



SPECIFICATIONS:

>New flat-diaphragm 14.5mm planar magnetic driver.
>Impedance: 32Ω.
>Driver Module: 14.5mm nanometer flat diaphragm planar magnetic driver.
>Frequency response range: 10Hz-40kHz.
>Plug Type: 3.5mm single-ended.
>Sensitivity: 106dB.
>High-purity single-crystal copper+Silver-Plated Hybrid cable.

DISCLAIMER:
This unit has been provided to me as a part of a review circle and the whole views are based on my observations, sources and pairings hence the views might differ from person to person.

DESIGN AND FIT:

The design is pretty standard for an IEM with a gold trimmed faceplate and a sturdy resin body. For the price the body could have been a metal but it's not the case here. The provided stock cable is of good quality where they are completely cloth braided and the metal parts are used in the termination and splitter areas. The ear guides are slightly thicker making the fit a bit resistant.

The fit is pretty good and the isolation it provides is decent enough and one can easily find a good fit since they provide a nice selection of various ear tips in the package. The provided case is nice faux leather wrapped with magnetic closure and the branding over the case looks subtle and neat.



SOUND:

The sound of the Power is more transparent and open as told in the description of the earphone but lacks the qualities of the planar earphones that usually has. The driver that they have used here is og high quality (14.5mm nanometer flat diaphragm) but the quality that they deliver here is of very limited quality.

The sound overall is more open and transparent but needs more mature tuning and definition. The staging is a pretty impressive aspect of this earphone but the dynamism is the lacking factor here that the planar usually has in them. Let’s check out each frequency in detail in the following sections of this review.

BASS:

The bass in this Power unit is pretty subtle in terms of both sub bass and the mid bass. The mid bass is slightly better than the sub bass presence but still they need more improvement in that area. The sub bass feels pretty null in terms of presence where even with some sub bass heavy tracks the rumble and the reach in the low end is very subtle to experience.

The mid bass is less in terms of quantity but good in terms of quality however. The mid bass has less bleed into the midrange hence the midrange felt pretty cleaner. The mid bass attack and slam is pretty weak making the bass impact very dull and powerless.

Overall the bass in the Power is pretty average in terms of quantity but good in terms of texture and clarity. The impact could have been better and misses on that planar bass quality where they would feel more impactful and powerful. The bass speed could have been reduced a bit to make the bass more fuller and presentable and I hope in the next iteration of the product they would change the negatives.

MID RANGE:

The mid range in the Power is a pretty neat aspect of this IEM. The lower mids are slightly recessed out while the upper mids are exaggerated a bit hence you will definitely notice that slight sibilant for the letters “S” in the upper midrange section.

The tonality of this IEM is on the neutral side where it's neither too warm nor too cold. The transparency that this IEM possesses is the main aspect here with its nice open sound. The staging is bigger and that's one of the aspects that I like in the Planar setups. The bigger stage helped the Power in establishing the nice sense of space in between the instruments and the overall presentation felt much grander and open.

The vocals are presented in a well established position where they are slightly a bit forward too. The upper mid emphasis makes some sibilant prone letters to sound a little bit more harsh. The lower mids recession makes the male vocals sound slightly recessed. The timbre of the instruments are good and neutral too hence no metallic taste is observed.

The piano notes and the acoustic guitar strings have a nice tone in the Power while the kick drums lack the impact and weight in the lower midrange section.

Overall the midrange is pretty neat when compared to the other frequency response but needs a bit more improvement in the lower midrange fullness and the upper midrange emphasis reduction. The presentation feels overall grandeur and made the sound more open.



TREBLE:

The treble in the Power is another well established frequency in the Power where the detail retrieval and the clarity in the top end is really nice and well tuned. The instrument notes are neatly brought out with a good amount of details in the background.

The cymbal crashes and the trumpets sound really nice with great tonality representing the natural tone of the instruments. The electric guitar strings have that natural strike and tone delivering some impressive tonal aspect. The treble section has been tuned nice and smooth with no fatigue in the longer listening sessions.

The upper end also feels more open and the presence of air is more than adequate. No congestion in the top end has been observed, making the treble section sound nice and open without putting out any restrictions on them.

Overall the treble section in the Power is well detailed, clarity rich and open sounding. A smoother and safer tuning in the treble section but still this managed to bring out all the essential qualities of the top end.

TECHNICALITIES:

STAGING: The staging in the Power is pretty nice and wide with more than adequate width and height. The sense of depth is average since the low end in the Power is just average. The sense of width gave that nice grandeur presentation. The instruments and vocals had a great sense of space in between them making the separation felt better.

IMAGING: The imaging aspect of the power is nice since the staging is nice and wide. The spatial cues and the instrument positioning feels more or less accurate. The channel sweep and the transition from one channel to the other feels smooth. The notes of each instrument can be easily spotted even in the busy tracks and thanks to that nice spacious staging and great separation of the Power.

Overall the separation and detail retrieval of this Power IEM is pretty satisfactory and meets the quality of a Planar driver. The technicalities aspect from this planar driver is extracted to the fullest.



VERDICT:

The Power, the latest offering from the house of Muse HiFi is a Planar driver based IEM with the size of 14.5mm nanometer flat diaphragm is a well tuned package but also has a room for quite a bit of improvement to be done in several aspects.

The design aspect of this IEM is pretty gorgeous with a nice gold trimmed faceplate with a nice resin sturdy body. The 2 pin connection feels nice and tight with some great stock cable in the market. The fit is good and the isolation it provides is great since they provide great options of tips to find the best fit for the user.

The sound aspect is the area that needs more improvement especially in the Dynamism. The planar is known for its impactful sound, especially that dynamic factor! The bass in the planar usually sounds tighter, punchier and has a good amount of reach and rumble but in the Power the quality just lacks rather the quantity like the texture and clarity feels nice. The upper midrange feels more emphasized hence the sibilant sounds are much more prone here while the lower mids fullness is absent thus the kick drums lack the impact in the sound. The treble section is the positive aspect of this Power where the detail retrieval and the separation is above average. Frankly I would choose the 7Hz Timeless over this Power for its impressive sound quality!

Overall a safely tuned IEM with much more improvements can be done in terms of sound if the drivers full potential has been extracted and i hope the UNTAPPED POTENTIAL would be re-established in the next iteration of product from the house of Muse HiFi.

Over the past few months, we have seen a sudden rise in the Planar Magnetic Driver IEMs. Tin HiFi, 7Hz, Shuoer, have done their part in this by releasing some excellent IEMs like the P1 Plus from Tin HiFi, Timeless from 7Hz, and S12 from Shuoer. I for one, have been a fan of Planar Magnetic driver IEMs, the latest Shuoer S12, P1 Plus are two of my favorite IEMs around the 200$ price bracket. A few weeks back a new name came up in the Chinese HiFi audio industry, Muse HiFi. Entering the HiFi IEM market, Muse HiFi has introduced a planar magnetic driver set, the Muse HiFi Power. I have never heard of Muse HiFi before, and I believe this is their very first pair of in-ear monitors in the international market. So without wasting any more time, let us begin with my take on the Muse HiFi Power.

Disclaimer:-

A huge shoutout to the Muse HiFi team for organizing a review tour of the Power in my country. I happen to be a part of the tour and got the pair for auditioning for a few days. The unit has undergone about 100 hours of burn-in before it reached me(after a reviewer before me). I have used the pair for about a week now. Rest assured, all the impressions in this review blog are completely my own without any influence from anyone else. They might be affected due to my personal preferences for listening to music, which is mostly neutral with a slight sub-bass boost. If interested, you can purchase the Muse HiFi Power from HiFiGo from the link below.

https://hifigo.com/products/muse-hifi-power

Package & Contents:-

Power comes packed in a plain black rectangular cardboard box with a simple slip-on cover. The outer slip-on cover here has the Muse HiFi branding logo printed on the front along with their brand slogan. At the back of this slip-on cover, we have key features of the Power IEMs written in multiple languages including Chinese, English, and more. There’s also brand information and address at the back of this cover. Inside, the main cardboard packaging has the same front as the outer silicone cover, but here the box has a nice textured finish. Backside here is plain with nothing printed. Our latest set of planar magnetic IEMs is sitting firmly inside a foam layer with a grey-colored carry case at the top layer inside the package. The stock cable is inside this carry case. At the bottom layer, we have two small boxes with multiple sets of silicone ear tips. There’s also a user manual inside the package.


Package contents:-

>Muse HiFi power earphones.

>Sleeved 3.5mm terminated two-pin cable.

>Grey colored magnetic earphone carry case.

>12 pairs of silicone ear tips(3x White silicone ear tips, 3x grey silicone ear tips, 3x black silicone ear tips, 3x black silicone ear tips with red tubes).

>User manual.

Design & Build Quality:-

The ear shells of Muse HiFi Power have a slightly big size. They have a semi-transparent dark grey inner cavity through which we can have a look at the internals under proper lightning. The shells boast elegant and classy looks with their designer faceplates. Each earpiece has a unique design on its faceplate with waves of glittery golden and black shades. These are actually hand-painted faceplates. Around the faceplates, we have a rose-gold colored metallic frame that adds to the look of the pair. In terms of design and looks, the Muse HiFi Power has got some points in its favor. The pair looks beautiful, classy, and quite elegant. Even though they have used a glittery finish in the faceplates, they don’t look blingy or hot, the color combination here is actually very good.

With resin cavities, the shells are lightweight. Although one might find them big, they are quite comfortable to wear. The ergonomics are beautifully managed here to achieve a comfy fit.

The cable here, I find it pretty good. It has a sleeved finish with a metallic Y-splitter, chin slider, connector covers, and termination plug cover. It has gold-plated 3.5mm termination and 2-pin connectors. Near the connectors, we have firm memory foam support that helps in achieving a comfortable fit. I personally like Sleeved cables, and I liked the cable as much as I liked the design of the pair itself.

Fit & Isolation:-

Shells are slightly big, but lightweight. For me, I have medium-sized ears, the fit was very good. I don’t find any issues in fit or isolation with the set. Both the shells sit firmly into my ears and don’t fall off. They don’t apply any additional pressure on my ears, very comfy wearing experience.

Driving The Muse HiFi Power:-

The biggest issue faced by Planar Magnetic driver IEMs is their power requirements. Tin HiFi P1 and P2 were very solid IEMs but they were able to take boatloads of power. But over time this thing is slowly changing with newer technologies in IEMs. 7Hz Timeless was pretty well off straight from a smartphone. And I will say the same here for the Muse HiFi Power. The pair ran pretty well straight off my Redmi Note 10 Pro. Although I always recommend using a dedicated DAC/AMP(Moondrop Moonriver 2, and more)or audio player(Shanling M3X) for best performance with Hi-Res signal decoding.

As for me, I used the Muse HiFi Power with a variety of sources including NuPrime Portable USB DAC/AMP, Astell&Kern SP2k Cu DAP, and Redmi Note 10 Pro smartphone. I never faced any issue with any given device.

Sound Impressions:-

Being listening to the Muse HiFi Power for some time now I appreciate its sound and like its presentation. The pair has got a fast lower end with decent sub-bass rumble, delicate, smooth midrange, and nicely extended treble frequency response. Muse HiFi has given a pretty smooth and in-offensive tuning to the Power. The pair shows very good clarity and resolution for its price bracket. All this is presented with a decently wide soundstage presentation. Muse HiFi not only produces a wide soundstage but also maintains pretty good air on the stage. Instruments and vocals are nicely separated and can be recognized precisely. Technically the Muse HiFi Power is quite good. Now let’s discuss different frequencies.

Lower-End/Bass Response:-

As I stated earlier, Power produces a quick bass response. The pair shows very good control presenting us with good texture on slams in the mid-bass region and at the same time having a decent rumble in the sub-bass region. It maintains a balanced presentation with its lower end, although I would have loved slightly more punch here in the lower end. Please don’t get me wrong here, Power doesn’t lack details or extensions in the lower end, it just isn’t as punchy as I prefer. Speed and decay are good, an extra bit of punchiness is needed for my taste. I tried to EQ the set, adding about 4-5dB to the 50-150Hz segment improved the output and made it more to my liking.

Midrange:-

I loved the Power for its midrange presentation. It’s actually very beautiful and smooth. Lower mids sound slightly recessed, but upper mids are decently forwarded. The transition between the lower-end frequencies and mid-range frequencies is clean. Vocals have a nice texture to them, they sound slightly forward to me too. Both the Male Vocals and Female Vocals have a clean textured presentation to them. They have good tonal weight to them too, I don’t notice them going overly warm or bright at all but they sound slightly warmer than neutral. Instruments such as guitars, and pianos show excellent details in the mid-range segment.

Treble:-

Treble with the Muse HiFi Power is clean and detailed. The extensions here are very good with a smooth and inoffensive tuning. Though I notice the notes in the treble to be a bit leaner, but they sound precise and not harsh at all. The pair doesn’t lose its resolution or clarity in high notes. There is no noticeable sibilance or harshness at all. Although a little bit of thickness in the treble section would have made it more to my liking.

Soundstage, Layering, Dynamics:-

Muse Hifi Power produces a wide soundstage presentation with good airiness characteristics. Imaging and dynamics are average as per the 200$ price bracket, they are decent. Liked the soundstage here. It creates an immersive presentation while maintaining a nice wide stage.

Muse HiFi Power Vs Shuoer S12:-

Shuoer S12 was one of the most recent Planar Magnetic IEMs that I recently tried. It became an instant favorite for me with its smooth and lively sound presentation, how does it compare against the Muse HiFi Power? Let’s find out.

>S12 has a more neutral approach to its sound. Muse HiFi Power sounds a little bit more analog in its tonality.

>S12 bass has got slightly better punch, the speed for both the units are similar.

>Power has got bigger shells, S12 is comfier for longer hours. Although both are lightweight and I don’t have any issues with either of them in fit or comfort.

>Power Treble has a safer tuning, S12 has got an extra bit to its treble. No, it doesn’t sound harsh or brittle or sibilant but has a better sense of energy in S12. Power is better suited if you are treble sensitive.

Muse HiFi Power Vs 7Hz Timeless:-

I got to listen to the Timeless a few months back. I have a brief memory of its sound. Here’s my take between the Power and the Timeless.

>Timeless has got a better punch in the lower end, deeper too.

>Power has got smoother and more natural sound presentation than the Timeless.

>Timeless also had a little bright sound, S12 is tonally warmer than Timeless.

>Timeless detailing was excellent, the same can be said for the Power although power is softer in its presentation, Timeless is snappy and a little sharp.

>Power I feel to be comfier for me out of the two.

Final Words:-

Despite their first product in the international market, Muse HiFi has given us a pretty solid performer in the form of Power. The pair packs an enjoyable sound performance. The competition for Muse HiFi Power is tough with the release of the latest P1 Max from Tin HiFi too while I have not heard the latest P1 Max yet, Muse HiFi Power has a smooth and inoffensive tuning to its sound. I hope it will keep its place in front of the P1 Max too as it has over the other two we just compared above. I find the Power to be an enjoyable set with solid built, unique design, and at the same time easy on the pocket!!

Build & Fit
The build quality is nothing out of the ordinary, the usual plastic shell with a fancy faceplate. The design is beautiful to look at. However, the shell size is massive. People with small ears will indeed have trouble getting it to be comfortable.
I have medium sized ears and even then it feels quite big (because it is). Some adjustment is needed every time the earphone is worn to get it sitting right.



Amp Needs
This is a planar earphone, and planar earphones really do need proper amplification no matter what the manufacturer says, the same is true for Power. An amplifier is must, period.



Sound quality
Power scores high when it comes to technicalities. Separation and detail retrieval are really good, it presents a wide soundscape with accurate positioning within the head-stage. However the tuning is really not up to the mark. Starting with the treble, Detail and spatial cues are gushing are well portrayed and easy to decipher given the high resolving power. However it has a tendency to aggravate the "S" and "T"s and is critical of this region. So badly recorded and compressed music shall not be forgiven.
Midrange presence is more to the neutral side, sounding neither warm nor cold. There is a lot of detail and texture in this region which comes out naturally, in an un-forced manner, however the timbre in this region is not the best I have heard, which is more obvious when it comes to female vocals as it appears a bit hollow and distant.
The bass does have its own problems, there is noticeable muddiness in the bass region which makes the bass sound a bit confused and also a bit hollow. Again given the high quality of the driver inside there are oodles of detail and resolution in this region.




Conclusion
Power will appeal to those looking for an experience rich in technicalities, for those who consider timbre and tonality to be secondary. For such people, Power will be adored due to the quality driver inside which is very capable in terms of technicalities. However if it is a more natural and refined experience you are after, there are better options out there like the Shuoer S12 or 7Hz timeless.