[coolmingli]

Are your mentors custom or universal?

If universal, how do the shells/fit compare if you don't mind me asking?

The Mentor fits better,  it is much smaller and bit lighter. I have the Universal, I am serious consider reshell them to custom.
Ref 1 has fullness vocal and big sound stage, those two things coherent well, Mentor vocal is a bit thin but wins at clairty, sound stage Mentor is narrower,
Ref 1 has overwhelming bass with texture, Mentor bass amount is just about right, typical BA type bass quality.
The highs on the Mentor you have to listen to believe it , these nifty tiny highs and sparking treble yet very smooth.
 
You had one, you should know what I am talking about.
 
I am not an expert, these were just my observations. 

 

[Wyd4]

The Mentor fits better,  it is much smaller and bit lighter. I have the Universal, I am serious consider reshell them to custom.
Ref 1 has fullness vocal and big sound stage, those two things coherent well, Mentor vocal is a bit thin but wins at clairty, sound stage Mentor is narrower,
Ref 1 has overwhelming bass with texture, Mentor bass amount is just about right, typical BA type bass quality.
The highs on the Mentor you have to listen to believe it , these nifty tiny highs and sparking treble yet very smooth.

You had one, you should know what I am talking about.

I am not an expert, these were just my observations. 

Thanks again and I agree somewhat with your mentor impressions.
Though with the AK. Sometime I feel the mentors treble is a little much for me (never harsh though I must say) and the bass quantity a little low.

I am hoping the ref1 is a good change for me.

Oh I see, so they ate bigger than the mentor. Hopefully not as big as the Roxanne universal. I can't even get those near my ears

 

[coolmingli]

Thanks again and I agree somewhat with your mentor impressions.
Though with the AK. Sometime I feel the mentors treble is a little much for me (never harsh though I must say) and the bass quantity a little low.

I am hoping the ref1 is a good change for me.

Oh I see, so they ate bigger than the mentor. Hopefully not as big as the Roxanne universal. I can't even get those near my ears

Unfortunately the Ref1 is as big as the Roxanne if not bigger, I don't have the Roxanne with me so I can't compare, fitting wise, the Ref 1 is one step up from the 1P2, I had problems fitting the 1p2 at first, the Ref1 is a bit more refine contour the shape.
Did you try different cables with the Mentor? If you use AK balanced out, the Mentor would sound bright, but you can use cable to tone it down a bit.

 

[Kiats]

It sounds perfect.
Thank you.
I never cared much for sound stage for years, having only owned closed cans for various reasons. Then one day I tried the hd800 and I was hooked.

I am really in looking forward to hearing these.
Having mostly had planar cans, I am also a fan of deep quality bass.

Really the only thing concerning me is fit. The mentors are fantastic for me as a universal, I am hoping I can get these to be as comfortable.

Thank you for your response.
I really hope my dap is resolving enough. I may have to play the ignorance is bliss card I think.

No worries. As for comfort, you can easily switch the tips to a make that suits you better.

Happy to hear your thoughts in due course.

Btw, be warned that it hits the sweet spot around the 200 hours.

 

[Mimouille]

Besides what Kiats has said, I think you will miss the sparking high from the Mentor,  should have kept the Mentor, I love the Ref1, but if I can only have one, Mentor would be my choice.

I strongly disagree. I by far prefer the tonality of the Ref1, I found the Mentors upper mids and highs sounded really off. To me they were really a miss from UM. That is just me though.

 

[Mimouille]

Unfortunately the Ref1 is as big as the Roxanne if not bigger, I don't have the Roxanne with me so I can't compare, fitting wise, the Ref 1 is one step up from the 1P2, I had problems fitting the 1p2 at first, the Ref1 is a bit more refine contour the shape.
Did you try different cables with the Mentor? If you use AK balanced out, the Mentor would sound bright, but you can use cable to tone it down a bit.

I do not know why you would say that...comfort is not the best about the REF1 but the Roxanne universals are twice as large...that is just plain misinformation.

 

[Wyd4]

I do not know why you would say that...comfort is not the best about the REF1 but the Roxanne universals are twice as large...that is just plain misinformation.

I am happy to hear this as the Roxanne's are big to the point I cannot get them to stay in my ears, they hurt and generally look ridiculess.

Scott

 

[soundblast75]

Is anyone else here waiting to get their Ref1's back from Gavin, it feels like an awful long time,
what went wrong with the most expensive uni on the market??

 

[Kiats]

Is anyone else here waiting to get their Ref1's back from Gavin, it feels like an awful long time,
what went wrong with the most expensive uni on the market??

That would be conjecture. Have you written to ask for timelines?

 

[coolmingli]

I do not know why you would say that...comfort is not the best about the REF1 but the Roxanne universals are twice as large...that is just plain misinformation.

I only had for few hours on loan from a local member, sorry for the misinfor.

 

[lee730]

Wow twice as large..... Are they even bigger than SE5? Well my pair that is ...

 

[coolmingli]

Is anyone else here waiting to get their Ref1's back from Gavin, it feels like an awful long time,
what went wrong with the most expensive uni on the market??

He has to ship them to factory in Shanghai, maybe that is why it takes longer.

 

[MikePortnoy]

Hey guys,

Does Ref1 have sibilance problem as 1+2? Since I found 1+2 too sibilant with stock silver cable.

 

[warrior1975]

Not IMHO... Not even close.

 

[Mimouille]

I only had for few hours on loan from a local member, sorry for the misinfor.

No problem mate.

Wow twice as large..... Are they even bigger than SE5? Well my pair that is ...

The Roxanne Uni are just huge from what I saw. My SE5 are huge and still not as large. My Roxannes are also larger than my other customs.