[ian91]

No,

It was a second hand, from my friend Magicguy.

We were at an audio exhibition. He owns a lot of elite cable. Then It was the real deal to listen to a lot of different top cables :

- Code 51
- 1960
- another EA cable but I have forget the name. A rare cable...
-OC Studio Frozen (excellent), a real very good surprise

And this Rhapsodio Graphene (it was brand new : just 10 hours of listenin sessions ! ). I was persuasive for an immediate buyout.

However, I looked into it : the asian website - https://www.mestudiobiz.com/zh-hant/products/rsd-graphene - can deliver easily, anywhere in the world.

I was looking for a real elite cable for my Aure Ringo's. So I used the Ringo's to do my evaluations thus, at this audio exhibition.

Absolute crush with this Graphene cable (I was a little... disapointed... by the other cables - especially the most expensive ones - except for the OC Studio Frozen)... The bette so far with my Ringo's... alone with the Aaw Aoraki mk7. I feel this one is still a better than the Graphene with the Ringo's... So these one are using the Aoraki mk7.

But with the Mentawai, this Rhapsodio Graphene is just... perfect. No other word : perfect match. Everything. At the contrary, the Aoraki is less good.
All is about synergies in this hobby...

Synergy really is the key. It took me a while to find the right synergy with the Mentawai but when you get it dialed in to the right source, right cable and with the right tips, there's nothing else like it.

I consider the Mentawai tuning the quintessential W-shaped, balanced IEM. It can handle everything I throw at it. Baroque, R&B, jazz, hip hop, ambient / electronic. It's a real achievement for this to have come from a one-man effort. Fred is a very talented chap.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Synergy really is the key. It took me a while to find the right synergy with the Mentawai but when you get it dialed in to the right source, right cable and with the right tips, there's nothing else like it.

I consider the Mentawai tuning the quintessential W-shaped, balanced IEM. It can handle everything I throw at it. Baroque, R&B, jazz, hip hop, ambient / electronic. It's a real achievement for this to have come from a one-man effort. Fred is a very talented chap.

Absolutely agreed

 

[Sebastien Chiu]

Following

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Complete review to come, quickly

 

[DaveStarWalker]

So...

Here is my "little" review of the Mentawai "Mars" (Mars as found in "Marsupial" : a fellow french forumer which that pair was previously made for, by Aldo40).

It is a "v1", so thet have the first version of the filter, with the bass-reflex tuning behind the dynamic drivers, but without the decompression device placed on the shell, towards the nozzle. So I do have a little bit of driver flex at the insertion, but it's light and frankly without any consequence (it just annoys me! ).

For the fit, as for the finish, these are not the very 1st versions, but already huge revised versions. Personally, it suits me perfectly, in the sense that the construction as well as the finishing are really excellent (not quite at the level of Aure Audio for example, but really close... which is a huge compliment considering that... I think Aure makes the most beautiful earphones on the market, alone with Noble... ). It screams solidity, and moreover, for an acrylic body, I think I distinguish a resin bath inside, solidified (but maybe I was wrong) which gives some very dense earphones, which sound "full" (I am talking about the feel and touch, not the sonority... but the sonority is full too !! more to come ).

Also and finally, the fit is I find exceptional, at least for my ears ; achieved with Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L. Total comfort, and perfect sonic occlusion (what I was able to validate it in the Parisian metro, line 13, one of the "lines of death"!!! ). In that point, they are joining my Ringo's, and FH9's "Dsw tuned" (these last ones in a lesser measure for the phonic insulation).

Disclaimer :

What I look for in my hifi listening is products whose general behaviour, their sound, is as close as possible to the sensations of live music. It has to be lively, as dynamic as possible, with nuanced transients (from murmuring to extreme violence). I'm not interested in whether it's "neutral" or "straight" or "transparent". What I'm looking for is balanced and homogeneous products, both in BP and in texture. I'm also interested in "definition" and "resolution": it has to be as high as possible, but still natural. It's like a TV with too much or too little sharpness. You have to find the right gradient. So I like products that are "on the edge". You also need substance, harmonic richness. I'm not interested in overtly analytical sounds... because they are not realistic. The same goes for the opposite, when I think it's too "round", or too "hot", or lacking in "sparkle" and "bite" (these are purely musical notions by the way). The stories of "musicality" also seem completely abstract to me... However...

Anyway, this is what I'm looking for. If a recording, a song, a track is aggressive, then it should sound like that. If it's soft, then it must sound "soft", if it's... we get it.

So, Alambic Ears Mentawai "Mars" then ?

Well... I can take back most of what I had written... for the Ringo's. I'm talking here about the general tone of what I have said. Because if we fill in the "details", these products are obviously different and offer different renditions, even if many common points exist : e
Frankly, I'm an unimpressive person. But literally in "dirty a**h*le" mode (I assume).

I don't care about prices, marketing ranges, this or that, only the audio results interest me. And so I like it or not, it's the second stage of the rocket.

It's interesting, because with Aldo40 and especially the Mentawai (not to mention the Mundaka), I had a series of false starts.

Indeed, listening at Lafeuill in October 2021 to the 1st Mentawai proto did not suits me. Globally much too "warm and rounded" for me, lacking coherence between the drivers, lacking clarity... The same day I was blown away by the Final A8000's (important for what follows) and therefore these "Mentaway protos" had awakened in me only a very polite interest ... I had also talked about it quickly to Aldo40 via MP. In short, not my thing.

Much later in September 2022, I had listened to Sundurst's (a fellow frech forumer) Mundaka I think, and there, they were absolutely not my thing, at all. Zero percent... Much too colorful, (ultra) bassy... in short, emh... big NO. Period

To tell you the truth, I didn't understand the whole craze around Aldo40's products...

Then 2 weeks ago, at Zeben78's house (another french fellow), I learn that he bought a Mentawai's pair from Marsupial (hence here their nickname of "Mars", that we had adopted togethe r; I will speak about it from now on like that here). At the time, I was all ears... with Lafeuill's A8000 pair... which I FINALLY managed to fit perfectly (Sedna Xelastec L = at least perfect... ). But towards the end of the day... I told myself that I would listen to these "Mars" again and thus make a definitive statement...

There, I was completely surprised by a product of which I expected strictly nothing, especially after the A8000 fited....

It's silly, but I'll repeat word for word this passage I have written at the time for the Ringo... This is what these 2 products have in common :

I, for one, don't think I've ever heard a hybrid (and especially a tribrid) that was so refined, textured and coherent. The definition and resolution are of the highest level, but perfectly natural. Sublime timbre, neither "BA" type (the case of my Kaiser Encore and 99% of BA in-ear monitors), nor DD (hyper fast but textured, with a lot of charm / the A8000 do this, but with less charm and in a more "clinical" side - in comparison to - please note the inverted commas). Natural dynamics of the highest order as well. Extremely wide, balanced, and with a present but impeccably controlled low midrange (this is very rare). Otherwise it really comes down, but without any unnecessary emphasis, with level, impact, legibility, texture. Superb human voices. Cymbals like lace, we go to the end of the notes. Rich but "transparent". "Musical". Classy. And the object is beautiful (the pictures don't really show it). Maybe one of the best iem I've ever heard.

The Ringo's on the other hand are uiems more enveloping and more "posed", less explosive. It is a little warmer tuning, which handles the paradoxes ; they are also more euphonic and a little more "full" toned, in particular for the medium, than the "Mars". Technically, they are exceptional, but discretionary (personally it is that particularity which continue to impress me, always as much). The restitution in its balance is globally a "V" (or a "U" ?) reversed. To date, I think that these are the best mediums I know (timbres, textures, naturalness...). The rest of the bandwith is excellent, but a bit below these just magical, unique mids. Also, what I'm saying here is valid with the elite cable that is the Aoraki mk7. Also true with the Plussound Tricopper cable (warmer and more colorful in comparison), the Plussound GPS cable (the warmest, by far, a bit too much for my tastes) and the Rhapsodio Graphene cable (one of the best combinations... with the Aoraki mk7 cable).

The "Mars"... they are a ort of "caffeinated hot shot"... : I can't say otherwise. the tuning is neither "hot" nor "cold" for the timbres, but "right" to my ears. Very uncolored, but not at all sterile. On the contrary, it is rich, full of harmonics. Compared to the Ringo's, the technical side is immediately more present, more spectacular, but without falling into the full demonstration. It is just more outgoing. Thus, the separation of the sound sources (for example the various instruments and voices in a mix) is clearer than the Ringo's, which are more "linked" and "liquid". Nevertheless, the "Mars" have the good taste to never fall into the "too much world". That's actually what captivates me the most : all the technical cursors are at their maximum (definition, resolution, separation, dynamics, transcients, etc...), even on the edge, doing "a lot" but not "too much" things. And it's ironic... it reminds me a lot... the Final A8000 style (read again the above ), but these are sometimes close to the fault (it's even more extreme and intense than the "Mars"), or the Rhapsodio Infinity mk2... but these one to my ears are lacking a little in the bass department of the bandwith (especially the subs), a bit shy (quantity).

The cable used with these uiems is a Rhapsodio Graphene which, in my opinion, is the perfect counterpart of these "Mars" = same qualities, paradoxical, with an exceptional definition/resolution/dynamics... but while having materialized timbres, rich, elegant, nuanced...

In these conditions, I would qualify the "Mars" as a "W" restitution, but a very classy, nuanced, refined "W", never vulgar, forced or caricatural (which makes me personally run away...). It is therefore technically spectacular, but not in a circus demonstration way (there too, I jump! and the clowns scare me ). It's a mature tuning, perfectly mastered. I made all my test pieces pass, including the most twisted, and RAS, everything passes with ease, in a classy, natural but energetic and intense way.

Also, a point where I am absolutely implacable, besides the general tonal balance, is the homogeneity between the signatures of the drivers, and in particular in a "tribrid" context. To be honest, I didn't really understand the craze around EST drivers either... Until now, everything I listened to with this technology lacked coherence for me (EXT a big "V... 8", Aurum... very pronounced "W", Wraith = nope, Canary = muffled... ). And without really measuring the subjective contribution of these EST in the high bandwith. In-ear monitors 100% armatured (Kaiser Encore, Infinity mk2...), hybrids (Ringo, Elixir, FH9 "dsw tuned"...) or even 100% dynamic (mono) driver (mighty A8000 for instance) were not only as good... but even better (energy, extension, finesse...) for the treble register. Well,with these "Mars", and for this precise part of the bandwith, I am not afraid to write that they are the best highs I have ever heard, to date, for uiems. In particular for the extension and the smoothness, the refinement, the harmonic richness... this treble is like fine bubbles which spin up the crystal glass, like the best french champagne (personally, I am very "Krug" or "Bollinger RD" ). Perfect match with the other registers. The EST's are otherwise not heard, but perceived, as for this extension and this finesse of all the moments. It is incisive, but only if the recording demands it. It is also more tolerant than the A8000's treble, which has no mercy on lame ducks... The Ringo's are just as fine, refined, textured, agile... but less extended and "crystal clear" tailored. The FH9's "dsw tuned" are less refined and less extended, but very energetic. It is rather in the low treble that the maximum energy happens with them.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the bass is also one of the best I've ever heard, by its depth, its power (but on this point the FH9 "dsw tuned" do "better" ; better ? : more quantity in fact, earthquake style ), its texture, its agility, its smoothness, its timbres, its precision, its texture... Apart from the A8000's, I don't know any other DD that is as clean and fast worthy of the best balanced armatures, but with the weight and the texture so particular of the dynamic drivers. The decay is short but without being "too short". We feel that the damping as well as the bass-reflex tuning (for lack of a better term) have been fine-tuned by Aldo40. What I also like a lot is that the rumble is there, potentially very powerful, but without becoming invasive, and especially not in a systematic way. It "shakes" when it should "shake". Period. Also the low mids are rich, but at their right place, balanced. The texture is better than the FH9's (including my "DSW tuned" version) which are thicker, with less clean layers. The layering is also a bit sharper and precise than the Ringo's, which are more enveloping by contraste. But it's close. In short, it is a real bass, in its place, never invasive, well present until the lowest frequencies, when it is necessary. A perfect match with the rest of the bandwith, level and drivers signatures. Perfect.

The midrange is a masterpiece absolutely crystal clear, not colored but full of colors : rich, lively, fine, realistic. The Ringo's are warmer, more present and little rounded (but not muffled) in this register. Levels of definition and details are equivalent, but therefore with two different presentations. The FH9 "dsw tuned" are a bit at the crossroads, but less refined, a bit schematic "compared to" but quite excellent. The "Harman Curve" side is more marked (or rather obvious) for the Ringo's and the FH9 "Dsw Tuned", compared to the "Mars".

Finally, the transients are dry (in the best way of this word), ultra fast, sometimes violent, but always under control and faithful to the track listened to. If the track is violent, it's violent. If the track is soft or flowing, it's soft or flowing.
The "Mars" are nervous : when it fights... they like the fight and even ask for more !

Dynamics are excellent, not to say exceptional. Micro : nuanced, refined, fluid, the gesture of the musicians is perfectly respected, the slightest variation, the slightest vibrato. In macro, it scales. The orchestral tutti (uncompressed = cf Reference Recordings for example) are rendered in all their extent, from the murmur to the earthquake.

Oh yes, otherwise, they can be driven very easily. They also have a very rare quality : they grow linearly on the whole bandwidth when you turn up the volume (it doesn't grow "in bell", like many other products ; sign of a stable impedance and a very well studied efficiency between the drivers). It is for me a welcome quality, because I am part of the people who are listening their music a short time but quite loud.

Conclusion

So here we are, full card, after many missed appointments, and in particular "because" of the A8000's... which is rather ironic considering that I... thing, to date, that these are the intras that I know, which are the closest to these "Mars"...

Having listened to many different products, in what the market and "influencers" (rather than reviewers) on the net, consider TOTL or even GOAT, these "Mars" are in my opinion totally part of it.

They swallow everything they are given, with pep, class, energy, and most importantly, they make music, not sound...

Dsw Approved, and without worry in my top 3 to date, of the best uiems I know.... all prices brackets or techno confused stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye. My ranking will be updated soon.

DAP : Aune m1s, balanced output, fast filter, low gain
Cable : Rhapsodio Graphene balanced 4.4mm, 4 wires, plus Plussound PPH adapter to 2.5mm (possible, without this adapter, to maybe gain in definition, dynamics ???)
Tips : "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L

Bravo.

P.S. : I hope my english is not to bad...

 

[drftr]

P.S. : I hope my english is not to bad...

Nothing wrong with your English!

It's the ears, mate...

drftr

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Nothing wrong with your English!

It's the ears, mate...

drftr

I hope my english is not too bad... lol

 

[ian91]

So...

Here is my "little" review of the Mentawai "Mars" (Mars as found in "Marsupial" : a fellow french forumer which that pair was previously made for, by Aldo40).



It is a "v1", so thet have the first version of the filter, with the bass-reflex tuning behind the dynamic drivers, but without the decompression device placed on the shell, towards the nozzle. So I do have a little bit of driver flex at the insertion, but it's light and frankly without any consequence (it just annoys me! ).

For the fit, as for the finish, these are not the very 1st versions, but already huge revised versions. Personally, it suits me perfectly, in the sense that the construction as well as the finishing are really excellent (not quite at the level of Aure Audio for example, but really close... which is a huge compliment considering that... I think Aure makes the most beautiful earphones on the market, alone with Noble... ). It screams solidity, and moreover, for an acrylic body, I think I distinguish a resin bath inside, solidified (but maybe I was wrong) which gives some very dense earphones, which sound "full" (I am talking about the feel and touch, not the sonority... but the sonority is full too !! more to come ).

Also and finally, the fit is I find exceptional, at least for my ears ; achieved with Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L. Total comfort, and perfect sonic occlusion (what I was able to validate it in the Parisian metro, line 13, one of the "lines of death"!!! ). In that point, they are joining my Ringo's, and FH9's "Dsw tuned" (these last ones in a lesser measure for the phonic insulation).

Disclaimer :

What I look for in my hifi listening is products whose general behaviour, their sound, is as close as possible to the sensations of live music. It has to be lively, as dynamic as possible, with nuanced transients (from murmuring to extreme violence). I'm not interested in whether it's "neutral" or "straight" or "transparent". What I'm looking for is balanced and homogeneous products, both in BP and in texture. I'm also interested in "definition" and "resolution": it has to be as high as possible, but still natural. It's like a TV with too much or too little sharpness. You have to find the right gradient. So I like products that are "on the edge". You also need substance, harmonic richness. I'm not interested in overtly analytical sounds... because they are not realistic. The same goes for the opposite, when I think it's too "round", or too "hot", or lacking in "sparkle" and "bite" (these are purely musical notions by the way). The stories of "musicality" also seem completely abstract to me... However...

Anyway, this is what I'm looking for. If a recording, a song, a track is aggressive, then it should sound like that. If it's soft, then it must sound "soft", if it's... we get it.

So, Alambic Ears Mentawai "Mars" then ?

Well... I can take back most of what I had written... for the Ringo's. I'm talking here about the general tone of what I have said. Because if we fill in the "details", these products are obviously different and offer different renditions, even if many common points exist : e
Frankly, I'm an unimpressive person. But literally in "dirty a**h*le" mode (I assume).

I don't care about prices, marketing ranges, this or that, only the audio results interest me. And so I like it or not, it's the second stage of the rocket.

It's interesting, because with Aldo40 and especially the Mentawai (not to mention the Mundaka), I had a series of false starts.

Indeed, listening at Lafeuill in October 2021 to the 1st Mentawai proto did not suits me. Globally much too "warm and rounded" for me, lacking coherence between the drivers, lacking clarity... The same day I was blown away by the Final A8000's (important for what follows) and therefore these "Mentaway protos" had awakened in me only a very polite interest ... I had also talked about it quickly to Aldo40 via MP. In short, not my thing.

Much later in September 2022, I had listened to Sundurst's (a fellow frech forumer) Mundaka I think, and there, they were absolutely not my thing, at all. Zero percent... Much too colorful, (ultra) bassy... in short, emh... big NO. Period

To tell you the truth, I didn't understand the whole craze around Aldo40's products...

Then 2 weeks ago, at Zeben78's house (another french fellow), I learn that he bought a Mentawai's pair from Marsupial (hence here their nickname of "Mars", that we had adopted togethe r; I will speak about it from now on like that here). At the time, I was all ears... with Lafeuill's A8000 pair... which I FINALLY managed to fit perfectly (Sedna Xelastec L = at least perfect... ). But towards the end of the day... I told myself that I would listen to these "Mars" again and thus make a definitive statement...

There, I was completely surprised by a product of which I expected strictly nothing, especially after the A8000 fited....

It's silly, but I'll repeat word for word this passage I have written at the time for the Ringo... This is what these 2 products have in common :

I, for one, don't think I've ever heard a hybrid (and especially a tribrid) that was so refined, textured and coherent. The definition and resolution are of the highest level, but perfectly natural. Sublime timbre, neither "BA" type (the case of my Kaiser Encore and 99% of BA in-ear monitors), nor DD (hyper fast but textured, with a lot of charm / the A8000 do this, but with less charm and in a more "clinical" side - in comparison to - please note the inverted commas). Natural dynamics of the highest order as well. Extremely wide, balanced, and with a present but impeccably controlled low midrange (this is very rare). Otherwise it really comes down, but without any unnecessary emphasis, with level, impact, legibility, texture. Superb human voices. Cymbals like lace, we go to the end of the notes. Rich but "transparent". "Musical". Classy. And the object is beautiful (the pictures don't really show it). Maybe one of the best iem I've ever heard.

The Ringo's on the other hand are uiems more enveloping and more "posed", less explosive. It is a little warmer tuning, which handles the paradoxes ; they are also more euphonic and a little more "full" toned, in particular for the medium, than the "Mars". Technically, they are exceptional, but discretionary (personally it is that particularity which continue to impress me, always as much). The restitution in its balance is globally a "V" (or a "U" ?) reversed. To date, I think that these are the best mediums I know (timbres, textures, naturalness...). The rest of the bandwith is excellent, but a bit below these just magical, unique mids. Also, what I'm saying here is valid with the elite cable that is the Aoraki mk7. Also true with the Plussound Tricopper cable (warmer and more colorful in comparison), the Plussound GPS cable (the warmest, by far, a bit too much for my tastes) and the Rhapsodio Graphene cable (one of the best combinations... with the Aoraki mk7 cable).

The "Mars"... they are a ort of "caffeinated hot shot"... : I can't say otherwise. the tuning is neither "hot" nor "cold" for the timbres, but "right" to my ears. Very uncolored, but not at all sterile. On the contrary, it is rich, full of harmonics. Compared to the Ringo's, the technical side is immediately more present, more spectacular, but without falling into the full demonstration. It is just more outgoing. Thus, the separation of the sound sources (for example the various instruments and voices in a mix) is clearer than the Ringo's, which are more "linked" and "liquid". Nevertheless, the "Mars" have the good taste to never fall into the "too much world". That's actually what captivates me the most : all the technical cursors are at their maximum (definition, resolution, separation, dynamics, transcients, etc...), even on the edge, doing "a lot" but not "too much" things. And it's ironic... it reminds me a lot... the Final A8000 style (read again the above ), but these are sometimes close to the fault (it's even more extreme and intense than the "Mars"), or the Rhapsodio Infinity mk2... but these one to my ears are lacking a little in the bass department of the bandwith (especially the subs), a bit shy (quantity).

The cable used with these uiems is a Rhapsodio Graphene which, in my opinion, is the perfect counterpart of these "Mars" = same qualities, paradoxical, with an exceptional definition/resolution/dynamics... but while having materialized timbres, rich, elegant, nuanced...

In these conditions, I would qualify the "Mars" as a "W" restitution, but a very classy, nuanced, refined "W", never vulgar, forced or caricatural (which makes me personally run away...). It is therefore technically spectacular, but not in a circus demonstration way (there too, I jump! and the clowns scare me ). It's a mature tuning, perfectly mastered. I made all my test pieces pass, including the most twisted, and RAS, everything passes with ease, in a classy, natural but energetic and intense way.

Also, a point where I am absolutely implacable, besides the general tonal balance, is the homogeneity between the signatures of the drivers, and in particular in a "tribrid" context. To be honest, I didn't really understand the craze around EST drivers either... Until now, everything I listened to with this technology lacked coherence for me (EXT a big "V... 8", Aurum... very pronounced "W", Wraith = nope, Canary = muffled... ). And without really measuring the subjective contribution of these EST in the high bandwith. In-ear monitors 100% armatured (Kaiser Encore, Infinity mk2...), hybrids (Ringo, Elixir, FH9 "dsw tuned"...) or even 100% dynamic (mono) driver (mighty A8000 for instance) were not only as good... but even better (energy, extension, finesse...) for the treble register. Well,with these "Mars", and for this precise part of the bandwith, I am not afraid to write that they are the best highs I have ever heard, to date, for uiems. In particular for the extension and the smoothness, the refinement, the harmonic richness... this treble is like fine bubbles which spin up the crystal glass, like the best french champagne (personally, I am very "Krug" or "Bollinger RD" ). Perfect match with the other registers. The EST's are otherwise not heard, but perceived, as for this extension and this finesse of all the moments. It is incisive, but only if the recording demands it. It is also more tolerant than the A8000's treble, which has no mercy on lame ducks... The Ringo's are just as fine, refined, textured, agile... but less extended and "crystal clear" tailored. The FH9's "dsw tuned" are less refined and less extended, but very energetic. It is rather in the low treble that the maximum energy happens with them.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the bass is also one of the best I've ever heard, by its depth, its power (but on this point the FH9 "dsw tuned" do "better" ; better ? : more quantity in fact, earthquake style ), its texture, its agility, its smoothness, its timbres, its precision, its texture... Apart from the A8000's, I don't know any other DD that is as clean and fast worthy of the best balanced armatures, but with the weight and the texture so particular of the dynamic drivers. The decay is short but without being "too short". We feel that the damping as well as the bass-reflex tuning (for lack of a better term) have been fine-tuned by Aldo40. What I also like a lot is that the rumble is there, potentially very powerful, but without becoming invasive, and especially not in a systematic way. It "shakes" when it should "shake". Period. Also the low mids are rich, but at their right place, balanced. The texture is better than the FH9's (including my "DSW tuned" version) which are thicker, with less clean layers. The layering is also a bit sharper and precise than the Ringo's, which are more enveloping by contraste. But it's close. In short, it is a real bass, in its place, never invasive, well present until the lowest frequencies, when it is necessary. A perfect match with the rest of the bandwith, level and drivers signatures. Perfect.

The midrange is a masterpiece absolutely crystal clear, not colored but full of colors : rich, lively, fine, realistic. The Ringo's are warmer, more present and little rounded (but not muffled) in this register. Levels of definition and details are equivalent, but therefore with two different presentations. The FH9 "dsw tuned" are a bit at the crossroads, but less refined, a bit schematic "compared to" but quite excellent. The "Harman Curve" side is more marked (or rather obvious) for the Ringo's and the FH9 "Dsw Tuned", compared to the "Mars".

Finally, the transients are dry (in the best way of this word), ultra fast, sometimes violent, but always under control and faithful to the track listened to. If the track is violent, it's violent. If the track is soft or flowing, it's soft or flowing.
The "Mars" are nervous : when it fights... they like the fight and even ask for more !

Dynamics are excellent, not to say exceptional. Micro : nuanced, refined, fluid, the gesture of the musicians is perfectly respected, the slightest variation, the slightest vibrato. In macro, it scales. The orchestral tutti (uncompressed = cf Reference Recordings for example) are rendered in all their extent, from the murmur to the earthquake.

Oh yes, otherwise, they can be driven very easily. They also have a very rare quality : they grow linearly on the whole bandwidth when you turn up the volume (it doesn't grow "in bell", like many other products ; sign of a stable impedance and a very well studied efficiency between the drivers). It is for me a welcome quality, because I am part of the people who are listening their music a short time but quite loud.

Conclusion

So here we are, full card, after many missed appointments, and in particular "because" of the A8000's... which is rather ironic considering that I... thing, to date, that these are the intras that I know, which are the closest to these "Mars"...

Having listened to many different products, in what the market and "influencers" (rather than reviewers) on the net, consider TOTL or even GOAT, these "Mars" are in my opinion totally part of it.

They swallow everything they are given, with pep, class, energy, and most importantly, they make music, not sound...

Dsw Approved, and without worry in my top 3 to date, of the best uiems I know.... all prices brackets or techno confused stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye. My ranking will be updated soon.

DAP : Aune m1s, balanced output, fast filter, low gain
Cable : Rhapsodio Graphene balanced 4.4mm, 4 wires, plus Plussound PPH adapter to 2.5mm (possible, without this adapter, to maybe gain in definition, dynamics ???)
Tips : "Canal Works 肉球 Gel Narrow Bore" L

Bravo.

P.S. : I hope my english is not to bad...

Your English is great. As for your impressions, I agree with them in their entirety. I purchased the Mentawai a good while back in a painless and professional transaction with @Aldo40. His technical knowledge was clear from the outset and the execution sounded and looked great. Despite this, he came back to me and offered to upgrade (free of charge despite requiring hours work and a reshell) to reflect the newer circuity he had been working on. He also changed some of the driver topography within the shell and this improved the perceived treble extension of the ever-so-tricksy EST drivers.

The reason I went for this set in the first place was the appeal of an IEM with the Triallii tuning but with DD bass. I wanted better dynamics, especially in the low end. I got that, but I believe I got a whole lot more too. The coherency of this tribrid is exceptional and with the superb balance innate in the tuning it really is the most versatile IEM I have listened to. Like you said, soft and nuanced when needed and exceptionally aggressive when called for. It's a chameleon. It also helps that it's the most beautiful IEM too (although I am biased).

Mentawai (pre-revision)

Mentawai (post-revision)

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Your English is great. As for your impressions, I agree with them in their entirety. I purchased the Mentawai a good while back in a painless and professional transaction with @Aldo40. His technical knowledge was clear from the outset and the execution sounded and looked great. Despite this, he came back to me and offered to upgrade (free of charge despite requiring hours work and a reshell) to reflect the newer circuity he had been working on. He also changed some of the driver topography within the shell and this improved the perceived treble extension of the ever-so-tricksy EST drivers.

The reason I went for this set in the first place was the appeal of an IEM with the Triallii tuning but with DD bass. I wanted better dynamics, especially in the low end. I got that, but I believe I got a whole lot more too. The coherency of this tribrid is exceptional and with the superb balance innate in the tuning it really is the most versatile IEM I have listened to. Like you said, soft and nuanced when needed and exceptionally aggressive when called for. It's a chameleon. It also helps that it's the most beautiful IEM too (although I am biased).



Mentawai (pre-revision)




Mentawai (post-revision)

Fully agreed

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Logically :

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/rank-the-iems-youve-heard.454855/page-294#post-17364127

Also, a few things I didn't mentioned yet :

The soundstage (for lack of a better term) is excellent : very stable, accurate and holographic. However, don't expect a "cathedral effect" like with some other products. It is vast but "normal", if I may say so. According to my attempts : appropriate. No less, no more.

It is in any case very changeable, proof of an excellent phasing, and also of an excellent fidelity.

This is where I will conclude : more than "allrounders", these uiems are... faithful : technically and musically to the sources, tracks, artists intentions.

In the fullest and purest sense of a real high fidelity in audio gears.

These Mentaway "Mars" have become my personal best reference, ever, about uiems.

Endgame.

 

[deanorthk]

Bad or good english, words are tools to describe the hardest things that one can share, its inner feeling about how he is feeling about what is going on between our ears.
Pleasure is one thing, as subject to inner interpretation on one brain.
It's been more than 2 months with my Noosa, my very first experience with IEM that fits me perfectly. I have discovered too late (after making my ears mold) that my left ear canal was way smaller than the right one, hence my terrible experience with IEM so far (no bass, bad fitting etc etc). With custom mould, I have discovered that such small things could create an experience close to my feelings with full headphones.
And as dependant to the source as their big brothers.

As you said, DaveStarWalker, I do not really care about many things, but I do care about headphone that are too bright, that are fatiguing . So at first, buying them without testing them was a real leap of faith.
2 months later, it is indeed the headphone I listen the most to, not that I left my TH900 MK2 and the iDSD pro, but I'm like you all, I do spend most of my time at work, and some times moving from home to work ans vice versa And there, IEM are a marvel. I bet non custom IEM act as noise isolator, but custom IEM are a natural counterpart of electronic sound reduction.

What is trully stunning with the Noosa, and I guess that statement is worthy of the Menta' and the other, I have yet to find a music genre that sound bad.
And yes, my main stuff is melodic death metal (In Mourning, Swallow the Sun, Insomnium..), but I listen to almost everything. And everything works.....
Can I ask for more? ...erhm... it's an audiophile chromosome to always wants more, but there, I do not

 

[BrokenHill]

Hi.

My first comment on this thread.

A few months ago, I decided to reduce my iem collection, to focus only on the ones I like, and to be able to buy one that for me was the TOTL in terms of what I can afford.

I've spent too much trying to identify the sound I like, and have been greatly disappointed with some IEMs from well known and valued brands like Thieaudio or Campfire. They are not bad IEMs at all, but they did not satisfy me in terms of the tuning that I prefer.

I discovered, thanks to the Serial, that I could trust the Penon brand in terms of tuning and since then, I have been a fan of their sound. As you can see in my signature I have several of their products. Early on in my modest audiophile path, I was skeptical of cables. I bought some, simply for aesthetics, but I didn't notice any changes. Penon also changed that, and with the Serial I realized that any of my cables, made the one that came from stock worse. That's why I also know that I can trust them in terms of cables, and now I like to detect differences in sound when I change them, and detect which is the best pairing for my IEMs.

I had been hearing that Penon was going to release a new IEM (Impact) and I was waiting for it to be my TOTL, but the truth is that I expected a lower price. I'm not saying it's not worth it, it just eluded me a bit. With several sales of IEMs and other equipment that I no longer used, I can get there, but I have taken his time off, for the Chinese New Year, to think it over. What throws me back the most is BA's bass. I don't have any IEMs that have it because I've always liked DDs bass.

In this period of reflection, I have come across your thread, and thanks to your comments, I have begun to consider the Mentawai as that possible TOTL that I am looking for. If you have continued reading this far, I would like to describe what I am looking for, and if in your honest opinion, the Mentawai would cover it. It is very difficult for me to save for this hobby and I would like to play it safe (having a little girl, in addition to the mortgage and energy costs, does not allow me to save much in these times). In short, what I am looking for in this TOTL IEM is:

• I love to feel the texture of the percussions: in that sense I have the Serial as a reference. I haven't heard any BA basses, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think that's where I would lose the most. I like a natural percussion, with the natural reverberation, that you feel the hand or the stick bouncing on the drum.
• I like the midrange of the Penon tuning. I like the Volts a lot, but I find them a bit lax and lacking in detail. The Yanyin Moonlight in that aspect seem better to me, with a lot of air in the treble, but perhaps with the midrange a bit advanced for my taste.
• I like to notice the separation of instruments, identify them in the scene. That in a clean jazz recording, for example, you can determine where each sound comes from, and even hear the pulsation of the strings of a double bass, or the brushes caressing a drum, but that in more energetic passages of metal, post-rock or even electronics, do not mix the instruments or textures when there are many on stage, turning it into chaos.
• I like a real scene, neither too wide and unreal, nor the instruments on the face. I like to have the feeling that the instruments are around me, to feel in the center when I close my eyes, that the stereo sensation is not just left/right.

I don't know if I'm asking too much. Would the Mentawai meet these characteristics? If so, I'd consider them highly in my purchase over the Penon Impact, which I'm still waiting for more impressions from other head-fiers.

Thank you very much for bothering to read me.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Hi.

My first comment on this thread.

A few months ago, I decided to reduce my iem collection, to focus only on the ones I like, and to be able to buy one that for me was the TOTL in terms of what I can afford.

I've spent too much trying to identify the sound I like, and have been greatly disappointed with some IEMs from well known and valued brands like Thieaudio or Campfire. They are not bad IEMs at all, but they did not satisfy me in terms of the tuning that I prefer.

I discovered, thanks to the Serial, that I could trust the Penon brand in terms of tuning and since then, I have been a fan of their sound. As you can see in my signature I have several of their products. Early on in my modest audiophile path, I was skeptical of cables. I bought some, simply for aesthetics, but I didn't notice any changes. Penon also changed that, and with the Serial I realized that any of my cables, made the one that came from stock worse. That's why I also know that I can trust them in terms of cables, and now I like to detect differences in sound when I change them, and detect which is the best pairing for my IEMs.

I had been hearing that Penon was going to release a new IEM (Impact) and I was waiting for it to be my TOTL, but the truth is that I expected a lower price. I'm not saying it's not worth it, it just eluded me a bit. With several sales of IEMs and other equipment that I no longer used, I can get there, but I have taken his time off, for the Chinese New Year, to think it over. What throws me back the most is BA's bass. I don't have any IEMs that have it because I've always liked DDs bass.

In this period of reflection, I have come across your thread, and thanks to your comments, I have begun to consider the Mentawai as that possible TOTL that I am looking for. If you have continued reading this far, I would like to describe what I am looking for, and if in your honest opinion, the Mentawai would cover it. It is very difficult for me to save for this hobby and I would like to play it safe (having a little girl, in addition to the mortgage and energy costs, does not allow me to save much in these times). In short, what I am looking for in this TOTL IEM is:

• I love to feel the texture of the percussions: in that sense I have the Serial as a reference. I haven't heard any BA basses, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think that's where I would lose the most. I like a natural percussion, with the natural reverberation, that you feel the hand or the stick bouncing on the drum.
• I like the midrange of the Penon tuning. I like the Volts a lot, but I find them a bit lax and lacking in detail. The Yanyin Moonlight in that aspect seem better to me, with a lot of air in the treble, but perhaps with the midrange a bit advanced for my taste.
• I like to notice the separation of instruments, identify them in the scene. That in a clean jazz recording, for example, you can determine where each sound comes from, and even hear the pulsation of the strings of a double bass, or the brushes caressing a drum, but that in more energetic passages of metal, post-rock or even electronics, do not mix the instruments or textures when there are many on stage, turning it into chaos.
• I like a real scene, neither too wide and unreal, nor the instruments on the face. I like to have the feeling that the instruments are around me, to feel in the center when I close my eyes, that the stereo sensation is not just left/right.

I don't know if I'm asking too much. Would the Mentawai meet these characteristics? If so, I'd consider them highly in my purchase over the Penon Impact, which I'm still waiting for more impressions from other head-fiers.

Thank you very much for bothering to read me.

Well...

I think the Mentawai are ticking all these cases....
My 2 cts

 

[deanorthk]

I'll say that with an "if", and a big "if" that is, but if the Noosa is the little brother or the Menta', they are sharing some common strenght and weaknesses. And I do say that, for example regarding your first love : percussion.
From all the music I know by heart and brain, that I test a lot, and I tested them a LOT on the Noosa, I was stunned by the impact of the percussion. Be it on double bass reading (melodic death metal), on more subtile (angus&julian stone "devil's tear), on more electronic (C2C "Le banquet"), or modern (Samantha Crain "paint", if Noosa and mentawai share something on that side, you won't be disapointed. It's accurate, punchy without beeing blurry or "greasy"
For mid range, and vocals, I tested it with Ana BRUN, Eva CASSIDY, Malia, Vamala (3'000 miles, amazing song)
And the scene, yes, I can define where is what, not as much as with my desktop headphone, but if the menta are going even further, then again, you are not taking risks here.

ha, about the scene... my main headphone is a fostex TH900MK2, so a "bit" V shaped. on that side, the scene with the noosa is more neutral, layers are audible/visible.
Take all that with a grain (or a brick) of salt, as I said my experience is with the noosa

 

[DaveStarWalker]

About the percussive power, the Mentawai are super accurate. No other word. Bam !

Really, the best word to describe it is "fidelity".

If it's loud and violent, it will be loud and violent. But if it's soft and smooth, it will be soft and smooth.