Unique Melody Mest Jet Black

Scubadevils

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: > A superb technical performer with somewhat unique but incredibly impressive tuning
> High quality visceral bass
> Wonderful treble
> Beautiful shells
> The usual excellent array of UM accessories
Cons: > Might be too bright for some
> Not an emotive or warm set
> Not for bass-heads
> Shells are a touch heavy
Unique Melody Mest ‘Jet Black’

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  • 1x Dynamic Driver (Low Frequency)
  • 2x Balanced Armature Drivers (Mid Frequency)
  • 2x Balanced Armature Drivers (High Frequency)
  • 2x Electrostatic Drivers (Ultra-High Frequency)
  • 2x Composite Balanced Armature Bone Conduction Drivers (Low & Mid Frequency)
  • 1x Piezoelectric Bone Conduction Driver (High Frequency)
RRP: $1,999 (including cable, available without cable for $1,699)

Introduction

First of all, I don’t usually open a review with a detailed view on the driver configuration but I’ve been intrigued by the mix of drivers in Jet Black, and felt it was important to set the scene with that in mind – it is a very interesting array of drivers, combining a fairly standard mix of DD, BA, and EST, but made more unusual here with the addition of a hybrid bone conduction system – I can assure you, this mix of drivers really does serve up quite the technical beast in Jet Black. Anyway, park that in your head for now as I will of course come back to this later!

I’ve reviewed several Unique Melody IEMs now and always a pleasure to experience what they serve up, and fair to say I’m always impressed. I have reasonable skin in the game when I review a UM IEM, I do not get them for free as is the case with several others – the ‘benefit’ there if I can call it that is I can always sell once I’ve completed the review and put the cash back in the bank (clearly not, we all know very well it will be quickly consumed by another audio toy…). Maven II was the last set I had from UM, and probably safe to say my favourite IEM from UM so far – I think it already has a somewhat legendary status and loved by many in the community, a massive hat tip to UM for that creation!

I would like to thank both Musicteck and Unique Melody for the opportunity as always. Plus of course to point out that all thoughts and words my own…

The Mest ‘Jet Black’ is available from Musicteck HERE

About Me

I worked in the consumer electronics industry for a large part of my career and have been passionate about music and technology for as long as I can remember. Even as a small child, I would ask my mum to put records on the turntable (Abba, Supertramp, and Planxty if anyone is curious).

My music preferences are very varied—anything from classical to techno, indie rock to jazz, and everything in between. In my early teens, I was a big fan of bands like The Cure and The Smiths (still am all these years later). I was bitten by the dance music bug in the early 90s, becoming passionate about genres like techno, house, trance, and IDM. I amassed a huge collection of records and CDs, DJing at various parties and occasional pirate radio station slots. Although it remained a hobby, I still own thousands of records, and my trusty Technics 1210 turntables are still going strong 30 years later—a testament to Japanese engineering!

I am not a professional reviewer, just an enthusiast who loves music and the devices we use to listen to it. Over the last few years, I have become obsessed with IEMs and related gear. I've bought and sold many, and kept a select few—ranging from the $20 Moondrop Chu to kilobuck sets like the Aroma Jewel, Oriolus' infamous 'Traillii,' UM Mentor, and various beloved single DDs. Through this exploration, I like to share my thoughts with the Head-Fi community, hoping they might be useful to others. However, remember that this is a highly subjective hobby, and your mileage may vary.

While I've been fortunate to own and try a variety of the TOTL sets on the market, I honestly enjoy lower-priced sets as much - especially as the gap continues to close, many much cheaper sets now offering significant value and further driving diminishing returns.

I’ll admit I do suffer from happy ears—rarely do I find an IEM that I genuinely dislike. At this stage, there are very few truly "bad" IEMs; it all comes down to individual preferences. Since I listen to such a wide variety of genres, I almost always find synergy with some part of my library. Where I tend to deduct marks is in areas like value for money, poor accessories, or an uncomfortable fit—things that can detract from the overall experience.

About Unique Melody

I don’t see an ‘about us’ to copy and paste here, but I think 99.99% of readers are well aware of who UM are. Probably made ‘famous’ in recent years for the original MEST, which was built upon by the MKII edition, then MKIII and now ‘Jet Black’. UM have had great success at the top-tier level also with the likes of Mentor and Mason series, plus of course the great ‘MEXT’ which is a truly fun set.

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Specifications:


Impedance: 12.6Ω
Sensitivity: 106dB @1kHz

Crossover:

Air Conduction: 4-Way Crossover
Bone Conduction: 2-Way Crossover

Unboxing

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The UM unboxing experience has followed a fairly consistent theme over the years, albeit with a few differences between models. I have always have a warm fuzzy feeling when a new UM arrives, I think possibly due to the memory of when I bought my first UM, the MEST MKII and how excited I was at the time, stepping up to my first ‘kilobuck’ set.

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The unboxing and packaging always has a premium look at feel, often reminiscent of an item of jewellery.

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Accessories

I really love the mix of accessories included with UM IEMs – always top-notch quality and everything you could need. This includes their own silicone tips in S/M/L, and their transparent tips in both ‘open’ and ‘petal’, again in S/M/L – I am unfortunately not blessed with small ear canals, and all of the stock tips are just a touch too small for me! – I’ll be in the minority here, but maybe they could consider an XL tip for the freakier large canals such as mine…

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You also get a cleaning cloth which you’ll definitely need to keep those ceramic shells looking shiny, and individual mesh pocket bags to store the IEMs – I use these all the time, there is a nice sense knowing they are safely wrapped up in the mesh and packed away in the case.

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Case

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The case is very similar to what has been supplied in the past with other sets, albeit with nuances of design changes – I don’t have Maven II anymore so can’t compare directly but it feels like this case is an upgrade. It has a very high-quality finish of leather with a nice soft interior.

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I like how the inserts are arranged so you can place the mesh into a pocket each, and then wrap the cable around the exterior. It does take perhaps a minute or so to pack away and indeed take out each time, but consider that a bit of a ceremony in preparation for musical enjoyment, and confidence knowing they are pretty secure when you are done.

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In addition, you get that all-important pocket for some extra tips etc. I find these very useful as I often have a selection of tips that I might be experimenting with when a new set arrives.

Cable

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I chose the ‘UM Dreamy Custom’ cable as I preferred the look, nothing more than that. It is again quite similar to others from UM with a PVC exterior which as a bit of a rubbery texture to it and is reasonably light and ergonomic with minimal microphonics. It is an OCC copper cable with 24AWG.

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The cable terminates to a 2-pin connection to the IEMs, and you can choose between 3.5mm single-ended or 4.4mm balanced.

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Design and Fit

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The shells are medium to large and have a bit of weight to them due to the use of ceramic. I have found the weight can at times lead them to shift a touch out of my ears, requiring an adjustment to set back in position – I tried to correct this by using larger and thicker tips, but that curiously led to some pressure build – I say ‘curiously’ as I don’t typically experience pressure with hybrids, but have found sets with BCDs can cause this issue. In addition, I don’t see any vents so maybe this explains it, strange though to have a set with a DD and no vents? – let me know in the comments if my failing eyes have missed them! I’ve read reports of driver flex from some owners but this is not something I’ve experienced.

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The ceramic finish looks and feels wonderful, and dare I say quite ‘unique’ in a world where many IEMs are made from 3D printed resins, or my personal favourite, titanium. As noted, the use of ceramic does mean they feel a bit heavy. They are of course fingerprint magnets too, so definitely handy to have the included cloth stored in the case to keep them nice and shiny.

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From a durability perspective, my understanding is that ceramic should hold up well but I have certainly been incredibly cautious with them, I feel a sense of panic at even the thoughts of dropping one on a hard floor, I’m not confident they’d withstand impact from a high fall…

The 2-pin connection has a slight recess and I’ve found the cables very secure once inserted.

Listening Impressions

I have tried Jet Black with multiple sources over the last few weeks, and found lately that my favourite synergy is with the Astell & Kern CA1000T using a hybrid tube setting.

The Jet Black were absolutely not a love-at-first-listen set for me. In fact, when they first arrived and I excitedly + hurriedly popped into my ears and hit play, and then thought ‘oh’ – these are maybe a touch too clinical or even sterile… I even questioned whether brain-burn would make a difference and wondered if the Jet Black would be the first from UM I wouldn’t actually appreciate. Anyway, one must persist in these scenarios, and persist I did, fast-forward maybe a month later, and I have a very different relationship with them now. To be clear though first of all, if your focus is a lush, smooth, emotively captivating set, probably best stop reading as the Mest Jet Black is not that set… likewise if you are a bass-head, the Jet Black (let’s call it JB from here!) will not deliver for you either. The JB is about precision detail with excellent airy, crisp, zingy treble… oh indeed if you are sensitive up top, probably not for you either! So for those of you still here, you must appreciate a more analytical set…

Low Frequency

I’m not a bass-head, so any ‘normal’ level of low-frequency is absolutely fine with me, in fact I prefer not to have bass too prominent. I do however seek good quality, and definitely have a soft spot for bass delivered with a visceral sensation in the lower realms of sub and JB definitely delivers here, albeit in a lower quantity as I say that some might prefer – I recall Maven II certainly has a larger quantity. The sub-bass to my ears is very distinctive in delivery and more than adequate, JB is not ‘bass light’ by any means and can pump out a sub-woofer like presentation when called for… Drum & Bass for example is very well rendered.

The mid-bass has a nice heft to it with a solid authoritative slam. I hear kick drums with excellent realism, with a good sense of the post impact vibration. In contrast to my personal preferences, JB has a bit more focus on mid-bass versus sub-bass, I am a sub-bass guy but it’s marginal really and not enough to put my nose out of joint.

Midrange

As noted in the listening impressions intro, the JB is not a lush or mids focused set – the overall tuning leans in a U-shape and as such the mids take a backseat, giving them excellent clarity and buckets of detail, but on the thinner side and certainly lacking that heavily emotive delivery some may seek in this region. I find tuning like this works incredibly well for electronic genres, especially more recently produced and say D&B, techno, house, trance etc – it is these genres I’ve found myself mostly reaching for any time I plug the JBs into my ears. I must note however that while the focus is definitely analytical, I wouldn’t label as ‘clinical’ though either – instruments in this region are well represented, and I do even find violins for example rendered well, the upper mids extend nicely but without venturing into any sense of harshness.

High Frequency

This region is certainly a standout and could either make or break for many – I do think if sensitive to treble that JB will very likely be a problem for you… on the flip side, if like me you like a good zing with crisp extended delivery, rendering percussion with fantastic realism for example, the JB is worth an audition. JB really shines a light on any music with a lot of high-frequency detail due to the combination of drivers up top, I can’t help but have my attention fully drawn to this region in those scenarios – in a positive way though, with a real sense of awe.

Technical
The BCDs sound very cohesive as part of the overall presentation, so much so to be honest I wouldn’t have guessed there were BCDs at play if I listened in a blindfold test – this for me is a good thing as I think BCDs at times can sound a bit out of place in that the imaging is just too super-precise. The stage has excellent width with good height and depth, lets say a rugby ball or American football for the other side of the Atlantic to me, those in other parts of the world, hopefully you get my drift here! Imaging and layering is superb and ultra-clear while again still staying cohesive in the overall mix.

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Tracks

Japanese Breakfast – Orlando in Love



I’m loving this latest album from Japanese Breakfast and it has had a lot of plays since it’s release a few weeks ago. This is a great example of what I just closed off on the above in terms of instrument imaging and placement in the stage – it sounds truly spectacular to hear each element of the track be introduced, ultra-clear and ample space – the vocals are well centred and just a touch back. The presentation across the stage is incredibly immersive.

Djrum – A Tune For Us



This is the opening track to the absolutely wonderful new album from Djrum. I noted earlier how I’m really enjoying JB with electronic music, and this is a great example of where the set really excels for me – Djrum is very much about complexity and what feels like almost endless layers of music, and a set like JB really does showcase this in the highest definition of presentation. The cymbals are divine, sparkling out to the right of the stage with incredible realism. The strings soar nicely where again the upper-mid focus allows them to render with a captivating charm. The bass swoops in occasionally with that visceral realism, I suspect this is where the BCDs work some magic.

Penelope Trappes – Sleep



Another recent and excellent release. This again has a lot going on, and JB comfortably takes the microscope and showcases every single nuance. It’s an interesting one as part of me might prefer to reach for something like Turii Ti here, yet I find myself almost uncomfortably intrigued by the level of precision here, delivered with a sense of doom or gloom almost due to the somewhat foreboding nature of the track. I think on balance I’d likely choose a more mid focused set for this album, but JB does provide a truly interesting journey here too.

Hallucinogen – LSD (Remastered)



This is a classic psytrance track from the mid-90s and one I’ve loved since first hearing back then. I chose this as a good (great…) example of where I feel JB really do shine, and shine they certainly do. Psytrance is a very immersive genre, with multiple layers of synths and often featuring samples interwoven into the track – JB really steps up to the mark here, allowing me to again hear absolutely every nuance from kickdrums through to the numerous layers of synths. The bass lines are again rendered wonderfully and so utterly distinct in the presentation.

Jordan Rakei – Sorceress



It has been quite a while since I’ve listened to this album, just happened to stumble across while browsing my DAP folders. I chose as a bit of an ‘experiment’ in ways as it didn’t strike me as an album I’d naturally choose with JB, yet I was actually very pleasantly surprised with the outcome – again, I can’t help but be unbelievably impressed by the overall amount of sheer detail and that alone deserves a mention. The vocals as per Japanese Breakfast sit a touch back but not dramatically, and just a bit thinner than I might prefer. Percussion again sounds wonderful, I’m definitely concluding this being due to the combination of BCDs and EST in this region, it truly is an incredibly visceral and captivating experience.

Vladislav Delay – Anima A



If ever there was an artist that would benefit from the sort of tuning on offer from JB, step forward the legendary Vladislav Delay – this is quite literally a perfect track and overall album to fully demonstrate the technical competency on offer from JB, and boy does it deliver. There is just buckets of detail here, and delivered with jaw-dropping levels of laser-sharp precision – it has a cold, cavernous sensation to the track anyway, and that combined with the technical prowess of JB is simply perfect synergy. Vladislav Delay has been an artist I’ve followed for many years, and I do not exaggerate when I say I don’t think I’ve heard as good as with JB – nearly worth owning this set just to listen to him and others of this ilk.

Idles – Never Fight a Man with a Perm



Now here is a test if there ever was one when loading up something ultra-energetic on a brighter leaning and analytical set. The result? Well it does get a bit much here as the track hits a climax – it’s just a bit too sharp for my ears, not to the point where I need to frantically hit stop, but I just wouldn’t see me loading this one up again in a hurry.

Comparison

The obvious one is Maven II, which I unfortunately no longer own but I’m giving a very brief ‘from memory’ and my own review as a previous reference. Put simply, they are pretty much other ends of the spectrum… where JB is a somewhat cold technical beast, Maven II is a highly engaging and nicely emotive all-rounder – chalk and cheese perhaps, but equally owning both would equate to being incredibly well covered. Maven II has more bass emphasis, richer mids, and more traditional sounding EST treble execution – far less technical, but certainly no slouch either. I wish I still owned Maven II, and do think I’ll pick up a set again at some point. Which do I prefer? – Probably Maven II, simply as a more competent all-rounder and just easier to listen to – JB is harder work, but likewise incredibly rewarding.

Conclusion

The latest of the ‘MEST’ series is an incredibly impressive set for those seeking something that stands out for technical prowess and overall more analytical leaning presentation, it really does excel in this regard and absolutely should be on the radar for those who appreciate this type of tuning. I’ve been on the fence as to how long I’ll keep the JB in my collection, but anytime I listen I find it incredibly apparent how unique it is, offering something that I actually don’t have in my collection at present – and that is a lot of what this hobby is about for me now, finding sets that tick a previously unticked box in my collection. I recall in my earlier days of this hobby when I was climbing a ladder to discover ‘the one’ set that meets my needs, and with time realised such as a set simply doesn’t exist for my diverse library of music – it is very much about a collection of specialists, and JB certainly does tick a clear box here. They look fantastic, come with excellent accessories, and provide a unique and highly compelling listening experience… with that in mind, I direct a hat tip towards UM for this creation!

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Attachments

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Gramal
Gramal
Pay attention to the large screw. It has a small hole in it - this is a T-shaped drilled ventilation
Scubadevils
Scubadevils
Ah ok - thank you!

mikaik

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: Excellent for metal
Exquisite manufacturing
Quite balanced
Good looking
Cons: Not really an all-rounder
Treble might be a bit spicy for some
They lack a bit of warmth
Difficult to keep them clean, in particular because of the knob on the face plate
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This is a tour sample that was kindly sent by Unique Melody and Hedonist of France to be circulated within the Head-fi community and will be returned to UM at the end of the tour.

My opinions expressed here reflect the way I hear them. I might have a slight bias, since I have a couple of UM sets and there are at least two more out there that I would like to acquire at some point.

Since this is a tour unit, the original packaging is not available. It arrived,, however with two cables.

Ergonomics and construction

These are extremely beautiful, with a finish that evokes metal rather than ceramic. Some of the most beautiful shells I have seen. I'm not so sure of the faceplates though, as they are a magnet for fingerprints, dirt, dust (that knob, in particular)

The Dreamy cable is nice, soft and does not tangle up easily. A little bit of microphonics is present, but nothing serious enough to prevent me from enjoying the set.

Driver flex is present when inserting them. I got used to it, I see it as a sign that perfect seal has been achieved. Besides, all my UM sets have a little bit of driver flex.

The nozzle is thick and rather long. The fit is obviously something very personal, but to me they are less snug than Maven 2 and Mest 3. I can ear them for hours, but they tend to constantly come out of my ears. The chin slider helps a little bit.
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Sound

Bass has good extension, hitting quite deep when the situation requires, but they are in no way a bass head’s first choice. There is relatively little rumble, with certain genres, but play some rap/hiphop and they can shake the ground. The sub-bass has a subwoofer quality, being able to start and stop at a moment’s notice, which was a bit disconcerting in the beginning, but after half an hour or so it became so familiar that now I miss that when moving to other sets. What I find very interesting, is that the sub bass can be very polite, articulated, but subdued with technical metal music (the way it should be), but it can make your eyes rattle when playing some hip hop tracks (or Playing God by Polyphia).

The mid bass is elevated compared to sub bass, with a very good presence that can sometime take the front of the stage. It is not unpleasant though, the level of details is very high, and it is easy to focus out of the mid bass should you want to. The bass is very fast, with very tight control, making that elevated mid bass very enjoyable. I do sense, however, a small intrusion of that nicely textured bass in the mids territory. It's done tastefully though, and with the large stage, the instruments and the voices still have enough space to shine.

Vocals are a mixed bag for me, clear, detailed, with that combination of smoothness and grittiness that UM masters so well. Male voices have a slight advantage, they appear fuller and more emotional. Female voices appear to lack a bit of substance, the notes are just a MJB comes across as a bit cold, and thus it is better to pair them with less analytical sources. Some female voices, such as Chimene Badi’s may even appear a bit strident. Guitars have fast attack, with the right amount of grittiness. Just like with the voices, a bit more substance would have been appreciated.

The treble is definitely the strong point: good extension in the high frequencies, with the cymbals sounding crystal clear, with meaty notes and with the right timbre. It’s not that shimmery EST treble of Maven 2, but nice, vibrant, thick notes characteristic more to BAs. There is an impression of infinite air, but it is true that the treble might be too hot for some. Not a problem for me, as my tolerance for high frequencies is high. The cymbals strike with fast attack, the decay times are also quick, and when the situation demands it, the note is perfectly sustained, before dying as fast as it arose.

The sibilance is, in general well controlled, even though I tested them with my usual offenders (such as Soen-Atlantis, Iron Maiden-Seventh son of a seventh son). Some traces of sibilance still appear on some tracks, but unless you are very sensitive to it, all is good.
The stage is massive, spherical, or rather ovoidal, as it extends more laterally. Each instrument has it’s own, well defined space, with no noticeable gaps in the sound stage. Everything is laid out beautifully, and while you have the impression the stage has no limits, everywhere you turn, there is some sound. Not quite a wall of sound, but close enough.


Tips and cables rolling
They are very responsive to both tips and cables rolling. On Mest 3 I prefer Divinus tips, but here they didn’t work, as I couldn’t get a proper fit with them. Spinfit Neo and Azla Xelastec were much better options. Most of the time though, I have used Eletech Baroque.

My favourite cable pairing was the PlusSound quadcopper, that lend them a bit of warmth, without further enhancing the already well formed mid bass. Of the two cables provided with the set, I prefer, by a large margin, the UM Dreamy. It sounds to me more balanced, smoother and slightly warmer. Also form the ergonomics point of view, I prefer it to the Jet Link cable, which is a bit too thin for my taste and it is more prone to tangling up than its less noble brethren. Jet Link augmented the clarity even further, to the point where they sounded a bit sterile.
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Equipment used
Astell&Kern SP3000T in hybrid mode, Cayin N3U, also in tube mode, Teac UD-507, Luxury&Precision W4 dongle.
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Songs
Tori Amos - Ruby through the looking glass.
Perfect for this kind of voice. The only nag, the bass guitar is too powerful. The voice is very detailed, better than both Mest 3 and Maven 2. Maven 2 has less details, but wins on overall balance and sounds more emotional. Mest 3 is somewhere in between.

Xzibit - My name
Surprisingly boomy. The tightly controlled bass works miracles here. While Maven 2 has deeper extension, the dryer bass of MJB works better with this song. I was afraid that the treble might be too hot, but I’m glad to be proven wrong. MJB takes the cake for this one.

Dream Theater - Wither (Piano version).
Maven 2 beats the other two, the voice is just amazing, nice, detailed, warm, gives me goosebumps from the beginning to the end. MJB is more detailed, but some of the emotion in James Labrie’s voice is lost, or rather, masked. Mest 3 is also a better fit for this song, with its warmer mids.

Death - Zero tolerance.
This is MJB’s home turf, and let me tell you, it does a hell of job. Every instrument is clear, in its own space, the cymbals flourishes are perfectly identifiable and separable, even with all the guitars and drums. However, despite this being one of the most technical death metal albums ever recorded and MJB displaying every little nuances, I still find Maven 2’s presentation more atmospheric. This is not a fair fight though, as I had months to optimise Maven’s performance (it features, for example, a silver Rhapsodio cable) and I only had one week with MJB.
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Conclusion

A highly technical and detailed set, that cuts through everything thrown at it like surgical steel, presenting music in a spacious soundstage with good layering and instrument separation. Very good for technical extreme metal, progressive rock and, surprisingly (for me), for rap/hip hop. You can tell it is a descendent of the Mest 3, as it sounds similar, but it is a clear improvement in soundstage, clarity, bass and treble. When it comes to mids, I have a slight preference for Mest Mk3, but the difference is marginal at best.
With its large soundstage, MJB is very good for live performances, giving you the feeling you are right there, in the middle, at just a couple of rows from the artist. The more I listened to them, the more convinced I am that there I haven't heard a better set for technical metal. But this makes them a bit of a specialist set.

Would I upgrade from Mest 3 to MJB? For sure, MJB is a clear step up. Whether it makes sense, this is another question. I think MJB excels in some regards, but Mest 3 is a better allrounder for me, mostly due to better fit.

Would I upgrade from Maven 2? No, I find Maven 2 to sound more analog, and despite its lesser technicalities, it remains one of my favourite IEMs.
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Daveshast
Daveshast
Excellent Review. Will listen to these at CJ Dallas.
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vasix
vasix
One of the most technical IEMs for technical death metal is the IE600. I wouldn't choose a multi-driver IEM for metal for many reasons. There are more technical songs on Zero Tolerance, but Chuck is great.
A
Alexzander
Thanks for the honest review!
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