Ronion
1000+ Head-Fier
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I check this thread everyday waiting on it!
Patience is a virtue... Said no audiophile ever.
LoneRanger
100+ Head-Fier
My Wraith is in production & going through sound checks & burn in by Wong - I think it's absolutely brilliant how he keeps you updated all the time! It's not just the fantastic sound that gets you hooked on Blur's but the great attention to detail and customer service he provides - these might seem more expensive than other buds but the overall experience is second to none - looking forward to getting these soon.........
My Wraith is in production & going through sound checks & burn in by Wong - I think it's absolutely brilliant how he keeps you updated all the time! It's not just the fantastic sound that gets you hooked on Blur's but the great attention to detail and customer service he provides - these might seem more expensive than other buds but the overall experience is second to none - looking forward to getting these soon.........
Mine are going through the soundtest too. Completely agree with you, the service he provides is very professional and most importantly, honest. There has been occasions where for whatever reason the end-product after soundtesting didn't fit his vision (or my hopes) and he has restarted from scratch. I have zero, absolutely zero reservations recommending him. It's just ashame nobody I know is interested in custom earbuds...
Oh well, all the more for me!
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Blur 266 MX150 aPs Retune (150Ω) Review
Source: Shanling M8 > Cayin C9
Used with full foams.
Disclaimer: I paid full price for this earbud, with no incentive from anyone to write this review. Please note, if you believe in source-matching, which I do, I’m using a ‘warm’ source the Shanling M8 to a similarly warm amp the Cayin C9 in tube mode.
Burn in – circa 80 hours.
Music – world music, acoustic, folk and a few electronic/pop tracks.
Preamble
This purchase was made hot off the back of my last Blur purchase the 266 MX64 aPs Special Tuning Edition (STE), which itself was purchased to compliment the OFC cabled version of the same earbud. I concluded that the MX64 STE, in both forms, represents my ‘perfect’ earbud. An open, mid forward presentation that never entered the realm of ‘shouty’ and had phenomenal timbre and great imaging. So the MX150 had a steep hill to climb from the outset.
The motivation for digging deep into the recesses of my ever thinning wallet this time was simply curiosity. I wanted to hear the 150ohm driver, something that would sit between my 300ohm Beautiful Witch and the 64ohm STE. For this model Master Wong retuned his original MX150 lifting both the subbass and middbass, so I was also eager to hear what muscle there was down low.
I typically listen to my earbuds at a desk, mostly seated somewhere where I can transport the M8+C9 stack and so a higher impedance driver wasn’t a concern for usability. The C9 provides 640mW at 150ohm into BAL, so I don’t imagine performance is bottlenecked (then again @WoodyLuvr may be best to comment on this - he is much more technically minded than I!).
Onto what we’re here for…the sound!
Sound
The graph provided by Master Wong for my unit:
Bass:
Balanced bass presentation (neither midbass or subbass feels emphasised), soft midbass impact, minimal rumble or thump, excellent tonality, timbre and detail.
Comment – A very tasteful bass tuning, extending deep for the full picture. Extends better than the MX64 STE, with slightly less impact but better texture. Feels like it has greater presence due to the less forward presentation of the midrange compared to the MX64 STE. Does a better job of managing more genres due to the subbass presence. Definitely not basshead quantities.
Mids:
Neutral-warm, excellent detail, forward
Comment – The mids here are forward, but much less so than the MX64 STE, again bringing more balance to the frequency response. The MX64 STE has a warmer mid presentation (maybe more midbass relative to the size of the second mountain?) that when combined with the forward positioning makes vocals especially intimate, seductive and somewhat dreamy. The MX150 Retune goes for a less romantic presentation but with better detail and encourages a wider attention for other aspects of the music. Instrument timbre is competing neck and neck with the MX64 and there’s very little in it here. I can’t fault it. More detail and a cooler tonality may mean you can discern nuance in timbre slightly better. No issues with sibilance or shout even on certain tracks with saxophone that falls in an areas I’m sensitive to.
Treble:
Good extension, never shrill or sharp
Comment – As usual, a very natural presentation, not emphasised but not dull. There is slightly better definition and air than MX64 STE, that with the bass extension and less forward mid presentation completes the overall picture of tonal balance.
Technicalities:
Stage – good lateral extension and height, feels larger than MX64 STE when listening to mid-centric music, whether by virtue of the balanced tuning with slightly more treble air, or driver characteristics, I’m not sure.
Imaging & Instrument separation & layering – great, plenty of directionality and depth to keep busy tracks from feeling congested.
Timbre:
I described the timbre of the MX64 STE as utter perfection (to my ear) in my review. I find it very hard to discern timbral differences between the MX64 STE and the MX150 Retune. It’s quite possible the MX150 Retune offers up more detail in the time domain thanks to its balance and cooler tonality +/- inherent driver differences, but those are very subtle.
Conclusion
The 266 MX64 STE (my reference target) and the 266 MX150 Retune feel cut from the same Blur ‘cloth’. However there are differences. The MX150 Retune offers greater balance and poise, a less forward midrange and a fuller bass response that I could see working with many genres of music. While I would reach for the MX64 STE for most of my music which leans towards the intimate and mid-centric, if I want tonal balance, a more humble midrange and cooler temperature (still warm) the MX150 Retune is just the ticket.
I appreciate that very few people have heard the 266 MX64 STE but it is the only comparison I feel is fitting. My non-Blur earbuds just don’t come close. Hopefully this can help someone choose between the two. If you have access to a powerful DAP or amp and want to see what a well balanced Blur earbud can offer, the MX150 Retune is a great entry point, or for those Blur aficionados that might be looking for greater dynamic range this driver/tuning certainly fits the bill.
Source: Shanling M8 > Cayin C9
Used with full foams.
Disclaimer: I paid full price for this earbud, with no incentive from anyone to write this review. Please note, if you believe in source-matching, which I do, I’m using a ‘warm’ source the Shanling M8 to a similarly warm amp the Cayin C9 in tube mode.
Burn in – circa 80 hours.
Music – world music, acoustic, folk and a few electronic/pop tracks.
Preamble
This purchase was made hot off the back of my last Blur purchase the 266 MX64 aPs Special Tuning Edition (STE), which itself was purchased to compliment the OFC cabled version of the same earbud. I concluded that the MX64 STE, in both forms, represents my ‘perfect’ earbud. An open, mid forward presentation that never entered the realm of ‘shouty’ and had phenomenal timbre and great imaging. So the MX150 had a steep hill to climb from the outset.
The motivation for digging deep into the recesses of my ever thinning wallet this time was simply curiosity. I wanted to hear the 150ohm driver, something that would sit between my 300ohm Beautiful Witch and the 64ohm STE. For this model Master Wong retuned his original MX150 lifting both the subbass and middbass, so I was also eager to hear what muscle there was down low.
I typically listen to my earbuds at a desk, mostly seated somewhere where I can transport the M8+C9 stack and so a higher impedance driver wasn’t a concern for usability. The C9 provides 640mW at 150ohm into BAL, so I don’t imagine performance is bottlenecked (then again @WoodyLuvr may be best to comment on this - he is much more technically minded than I!).
Onto what we’re here for…the sound!
Sound
The graph provided by Master Wong for my unit:
Bass:
Balanced bass presentation (neither midbass or subbass feels emphasised), soft midbass impact, minimal rumble or thump, excellent tonality, timbre and detail.
Comment – A very tasteful bass tuning, extending deep for the full picture. Extends better than the MX64 STE, with slightly less impact but better texture. Feels like it has greater presence due to the less forward presentation of the midrange compared to the MX64 STE. Does a better job of managing more genres due to the subbass presence. Definitely not basshead quantities.
Mids:
Neutral-warm, excellent detail, forward
Comment – The mids here are forward, but much less so than the MX64 STE, again bringing more balance to the frequency response. The MX64 STE has a warmer mid presentation (maybe more midbass relative to the size of the second mountain?) that when combined with the forward positioning makes vocals especially intimate, seductive and somewhat dreamy. The MX150 Retune goes for a less romantic presentation but with better detail and encourages a wider attention for other aspects of the music. Instrument timbre is competing neck and neck with the MX64 and there’s very little in it here. I can’t fault it. More detail and a cooler tonality may mean you can discern nuance in timbre slightly better. No issues with sibilance or shout even on certain tracks with saxophone that falls in an areas I’m sensitive to.
Treble:
Good extension, never shrill or sharp
Comment – As usual, a very natural presentation, not emphasised but not dull. There is slightly better definition and air than MX64 STE, that with the bass extension and less forward mid presentation completes the overall picture of tonal balance.
Technicalities:
Stage – good lateral extension and height, feels larger than MX64 STE when listening to mid-centric music, whether by virtue of the balanced tuning with slightly more treble air, or driver characteristics, I’m not sure.
Imaging & Instrument separation & layering – great, plenty of directionality and depth to keep busy tracks from feeling congested.
Timbre:
I described the timbre of the MX64 STE as utter perfection (to my ear) in my review. I find it very hard to discern timbral differences between the MX64 STE and the MX150 Retune. It’s quite possible the MX150 Retune offers up more detail in the time domain thanks to its balance and cooler tonality +/- inherent driver differences, but those are very subtle.
Conclusion
The 266 MX64 STE (my reference target) and the 266 MX150 Retune feel cut from the same Blur ‘cloth’. However there are differences. The MX150 Retune offers greater balance and poise, a less forward midrange and a fuller bass response that I could see working with many genres of music. While I would reach for the MX64 STE for most of my music which leans towards the intimate and mid-centric, if I want tonal balance, a more humble midrange and cooler temperature (still warm) the MX150 Retune is just the ticket.
I appreciate that very few people have heard the 266 MX64 STE but it is the only comparison I feel is fitting. My non-Blur earbuds just don’t come close. Hopefully this can help someone choose between the two. If you have access to a powerful DAP or amp and want to see what a well balanced Blur earbud can offer, the MX150 Retune is a great entry point, or for those Blur aficionados that might be looking for greater dynamic range this driver/tuning certainly fits the bill.
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Stellar write-up as always. Enjoyed the read, so thanks.Blur 266 MX150 aPs Retune (150Ω) Review
Source: Shanling M8 > Cayin C9
Used with full foams.
Disclaimer: I paid full price for this earbud, with no incentive from anyone to write this review. Please note, if you believe in source-matching, which I do, I’m using a ‘warm’ source the Shanling M8 to a similarly warm amp the Cayin C9 in tube mode.
Burn in – circa 80 hours.
Music – world music, acoustic, folk and a few electronic/pop tracks.
Preamble
This purchase was made hot off the back of my last Blur purchase the 266 MX64 aPs Special Tuning Edition (STE), which itself was purchased to compliment the OFC cabled version of the same earbud. I concluded that the MX64 STE, in both forms, represents my ‘perfect’ earbud. An open, mid forward presentation that never entered the realm of ‘shouty’ and had phenomenal timbre and great imaging. So the MX150 had a steep hill to climb from the outset.
The motivation for digging deep into the recesses of my ever thinning wallet this time was simply curiosity. I wanted to hear the 150ohm driver, something that would sit between my 300ohm Beautiful Witch and the 64ohm STE. For this model Master Wong retuned his original MX150 lifting both the subbass and middbass, so I was also eager to hear what muscle there was down low.
I typically listen to my earbuds at a desk, mostly seated somewhere where I can transport the M8+C9 stack and so a higher impedance driver wasn’t a concern for usability. The C9 provides 640mW at 150ohm into BAL, so I don’t imagine performance is bottlenecked (then again @WoodyLuvr may be best to comment on this - he is much more technically minded than I!).
Onto what we’re here for…the sound!
Sound
The graph provided by Master Wong for my unit:
Bass:
Balanced bass presentation (neither midbass or subbass feels emphasised), soft midbass impact, minimal rumble or thump, excellent tonality, timbre and detail.
Comment – A very tasteful bass tuning, extending deep for the full picture. Extends better than the MX64 STE, with slightly less impact but better texture. Feels like it has greater presence due to the less forward presentation of the midrange compared to the MX64 STE. Does a better job of managing more genres due to the subbass presence. Definitely not basshead quantities.
Mids:
Neutral-warm, excellent detail, forward
Comment – The mids here are forward, but much less so than the MX64 STE, again bringing more balance to the frequency response. The MX64 STE has a warmer mid presentation (maybe more midbass relative to the size of the second mountain?) that when combined with the forward positioning makes vocals especially intimate, seductive and somewhat dreamy. The MX150 Retune goes for a less romantic presentation but with better detail and encourages a wider attention for other aspects of the music. Instrument timbre is competing neck and neck with the MX64 and there’s very little in it here. I can’t fault it. More detail and a cooler tonality may mean you can discern nuance in timbre slightly better. No issues with sibilance or shout even on certain tracks with saxophone that falls in an areas I’m sensitive to.
Treble:
Good extension, never shrill or sharp
Comment – As usual, a very natural presentation, not emphasised but not dull. There is slightly better definition and air than MX64 STE, that with the bass extension and less forward mid presentation completes the overall picture of tonal balance.
Technicalities:
Stage – good lateral extension and height, feels larger than MX64 STE when listening to mid-centric music, whether by virtue of the balanced tuning with slightly more treble air, or driver characteristics, I’m not sure.
Imaging & Instrument separation & layering – great, plenty of directionality and depth to keep busy tracks from feeling congested.
Timbre:
I described the timbre of the MX64 STE as utter perfection (to my ear) in my review. I find it very hard to discern timbral differences between the MX64 STE and the MX150 Retune. It’s quite possible the MX150 Retune offers up more detail in the time domain thanks to its balance and cooler tonality +/- inherent driver differences, but those are very subtle.
Conclusion
The 266 MX64 STE (my reference target) and the 266 MX150 Retune feel cut from the same Blur ‘cloth’. However there are differences. The MX150 Retune offers greater balance and poise, a less forward midrange and a fuller bass response that I could see working with many genres of music. While I would reach for the MX64 STE for most of my music which leans towards the intimate and mid-centric, if I want tonal balance, a more humble midrange and cooler temperature (still warm) the MX150 Retune is just the ticket.
I appreciate that very few people have heard the 266 MX64 STE but it is the only comparison I feel is fitting. My non-Blur earbuds just don’t come close. Hopefully this can help someone choose between the two. If you have access to a powerful DAP or amp and want to see what a well balanced Blur earbud can offer, the MX150 Retune is a great entry point, or for those Blur aficionados that might be looking for greater dynamic range this driver/tuning certainly fits the bill.
Ronion
1000+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- May 17, 2013
- Posts
- 1,343
- Likes
- 5,946
Excellent review! Very well written and thought out. Best read I’ve had in a while and it only wets my appetite
I have the 266 MX64 STE on the go tonight. Listening to some wonderful vocal/choral/chamber music by Arvo Part:
Such humanity to how vocals are portrayed on this set. Nothing comes close!
Such humanity to how vocals are portrayed on this set. Nothing comes close!
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DBaldock9
Headphoneus Supremus
Received a message from Wong, saying that my new set of Blur 266 MX150 were mailed this morning. It's the White set, with the 2.5mm TRRS plug, that he posted a photo of last week.
godspeed! may they travel safely and swiftly to your awaiting ears.
The same for my Blur 266 MX400. I think it should be here later this week.
Make sure to let us know how you get on. I'm quite curious about the 400ohm driver!
I'm curious myself and cannot wait to get ahold of them as they are my first Blur earbuds.
Wong also mentioned he might have to discontinue the current MX400, as the drivers were rather hard to work with.
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