[tim0chan]

Nope, I've tried 2 different cables and tested them both in the left earpiece. Right earpiece is completely dead.

That's a shame, ping @Ethan Groover I guess

 

[yukiorui]

Deezel177, I read your review of the Unique Melody Mason V3 posted on 23 April 2018. Could I trouble you to share your thoughts on the Phantom vs the Mason V3?

 

[Deezel177]

Deezel177, I read your review of the Unique Melody Mason V3 posted on 23 April 2018. Could I trouble you to share your thoughts on the Phantom vs the Mason V3?

I'd love to compare the two, but unfortunately my Phantom arrived after I returned the Mason V3 back to UM. Generally speaking, the Phantom is the anti-thesis of the Mason in many ways. The Mason maximises space, clarity and technical imaging by implementing small notes (so they are literally pin-point), an upper-treble spike with minimal bass bloom for optimal openness, and a neutral tone to encourage clarity. The Phantom - on the other hand - generally produces larger notes that provoke a more intimate and rich response. The Phantom's linear upper-treble and fuller mid-bass also give it a more organic and natural tone with a more life-like (although less clinically-precise) rendition of imaging. To use an analogy, the Mason V3 is an impeccably-trained orchestral performance - full of numerous intricate moving parts demanding your full attention, almost robotic in its precision, but obviously more technical than emotional. On the other hand, the Phantom is a very well-performed unplugged show - meaty, humane, intimate, and deeply emotional, while strict technical performance takes a backseat to feel and vibe (although they're not as far apart as they usually are).

 

[yukiorui]

I'd love to compare the two, but unfortunately my Phantom arrived after I returned the Mason V3 back to UM. Generally speaking, the Phantom is the anti-thesis of the Mason in many ways. The Mason maximises space, clarity and technical imaging by implementing small notes (so they are literally pin-point), an upper-treble spike with minimal bass bloom for optimal openness, and a neutral tone to encourage clarity. The Phantom - on the other hand - generally produces larger notes that provoke a more intimate and rich response. The Phantom's linear upper-treble and fuller mid-bass also give it a more organic and natural tone with a more life-like (although less clinically-precise) rendition of imaging. To use an analogy, the Mason V3 is an impeccably-trained orchestral performance - full of numerous intricate moving parts demanding your full attention, almost robotic in its precision, but obviously more technical than emotional. On the other hand, the Phantom is a very well-performed unplugged show - meaty, humane, intimate, and deeply emotional, while strict technical performance takes a backseat to feel and vibe (although they're not as far apart as they usually are).

Many thanks for your thoughtful expose there! I recently tried the two, though not in the same session, and I cannot help but fully agree with your analogies. The Phantom thoroughly pulled me into a world of music bliss leaving me mesmerized by the musicality and tonality, whereas the Mason V3 left me in awe with its sheer articulation and wide soundstage. They truly are two different beasts and I am now torn because I want both..

 

[WatCult]

I'd love to compare the two, but unfortunately my Phantom arrived after I returned the Mason V3 back to UM. Generally speaking, the Phantom is the anti-thesis of the Mason in many ways. The Mason maximises space, clarity and technical imaging by implementing small notes (so they are literally pin-point), an upper-treble spike with minimal bass bloom for optimal openness, and a neutral tone to encourage clarity. The Phantom - on the other hand - generally produces larger notes that provoke a more intimate and rich response. The Phantom's linear upper-treble and fuller mid-bass also give it a more organic and natural tone with a more life-like (although less clinically-precise) rendition of imaging. To use an analogy, the Mason V3 is an impeccably-trained orchestral performance - full of numerous intricate moving parts demanding your full attention, almost robotic in its precision, but obviously more technical than emotional. On the other hand, the Phantom is a very well-performed unplugged show - meaty, humane, intimate, and deeply emotional, while strict technical performance takes a backseat to feel and vibe (although they're not as far apart as they usually are).

Any other IEM from EE or VE line that is similar to Mason V3?

 

[shadow1121]

just curious has anyone managed to share a comparison between the Phantom and the SE5U?

 

[Deezel177]

Any other IEM from EE or VE line that is similar to Mason V3?

The Legend X would probably be the closest in terms of soundstage, but none from EE's line-up have a similar presentation to the Mason V3. From VE, the Erlkonig is absolutely the one that's most similar to the Mason V3. It emphasises spaciousness, headroom and air by condensing notes into small pockets fanned equally all throughout the stage. But, the Erlkonig is smoother and a tad warmer because of its bass response - or at least the one of four settings they made available at CanJam SG 2018 was, anyway. Jomo Audio's IEMs also share this trait, except they condense the soundstage too, so you get great precision within a compact physical space that does not feel claustrophobic; it's almost studio-like in this sense.

just curious has anyone managed to share a comparison between the Phantom and the SE5U?

Yup! Nic has in his THL review:

"But the Phantom’s natural competitor is the 5-Way; that other IEM with a rare blend of timbre and performance. As with Zeus, the Phantom shares a few similarities; in the case of the 5-Way, its three-dimensional stage, and similar vocal reconstruction in terms of body and forwardness. However, they are equally defined by key differences, starting with their bass. In my opinion, the 5-Way has the best BA bass from an audiophile perspective, combining deep extension with a resolved mid-bass, natural in tone. The Phantom can’t quite match the naturalness of its bass, opting for a cleaner bass, with similar extension. The difference returns throughout the presentation. The 5-Way’s warmer tonality results in its exceedingly natural and organic signature, with warmer upper mids and a smoother treble. The Phantom trades some of its warmth for clearer, more melodious upper mids, as well as slightly greater instrument body. Its treble is a bit crisper, where the 5-Way’s is warmer, and a bit smoother. Taken together, the 5-Way has the warmer, more romantic tuning. The Phantom in turn offers greater transparency as well as a more versatile sound, while sharing a similar beauty in its timbre."

 

[proedros]

and SE5 offers a ownership transfer/reshell option , plus it's based in Europe so no custom taxes

but on the other hand if EE organizes a demo tour and i like what i hear.....

should be interesting year

 

[Colors]

I listened to the Bravado today and it blew my mind. The best IEMs I have at the moment are the ER4XR (which are great) and the Campfire Comet.

I can't believe this is an entry level model. Wide soundstage, good clear bass quantity and extension to the sub-bass, mega clear vocals without mid-bass bleed and some nice sparkly treble. Excellent separation of the frequencies.

My first foray into this brand and $500+ earphones..

 

[Adventure]

It was a deduction made from the post of Rick Oldersom @Adventure back in the Canjam Singapore impressions thread where he had said he bought the Phantoms ciems for himself and a whole uiem lineup for business. Since his Member of the Trade shows Hifi Solutions ( www.hifisolutions.nl ), yeah.
but please let us not ruin it. let companies do their reveal, social media marketing events at their own pace.

Got it. Thanks for this info!

Yes it is right but I was on a long trip in Florida, could not respond sooner, as soon I have all the demo units and stock I will tell !!
Can take a while they are handmade, Jack told me !!

 

[yukiorui]

To the Phantom owners here, has any of you felt that the soundstage was lacking? I imagine that the immersive sound signature is due to the sound stage being more intimate than wide, and so I can't have my cake and eat it too.

 

[NaiveSound]

I listened to the Bravado today and it blew my mind. The best IEMs I have at the moment are the ER4XR (which are great) and the Campfire Comet.

I can't believe this is an entry level model. Wide soundstage, good clear bass quantity and extension to the sub-bass, mega clear vocals without mid-bass bleed and some nice sparkly treble. Excellent separation of the frequencies.

My first foray into this brand and $500+ earphones..

Empire Ears offer outstanding value for the performance!, it's what first attracted me to this bad ass brand.

 

[sorrick]

Got the Phantom universals in the mail yesterday afternoon and have spent about 3-4 hours listening to them since then. I am a very happy camper . I was hoping to get a isolating iem that has some of the holographic, transparent magic that I get from my Audeze i4, but with a little more warmth. I also wanted something that would be a good counterpart for my Noble Encores, which fall on the bright side, and can sound a little thin.

And the sound...the phantoms sound fantastic. The timbre on these phantoms really is just right from top to bottom. The warmth rounds out the notes and gives a presence and heft to the sound that I sometimes feel is lacking with my encores. The bass, which I had thought might be on the light side, is actually strong, deep, and impactful when it called upon to be so. The stock final e tips fit my ears, are very comfortable, and give a great seal, but sounded a little congested. I switched to spiral dots and they opened up nicely. May also try spinfits but they have never worked well for me with other iems.

I’ll have to listen more once I settle in the right tips for me to get a good impression of the soundstage. Instrument localization is precise, and the stage is definitely 3 dimensional, intimate on some recordings, but also wide and deep on others. My sense is that they are very transparent to the recording, so for those where there are depth cues (like a live recording) these are conveyed, but on pop/top 40 type stuff where each track of the recording is recorded individually in studios designed to eliminate sound bouncing around, you feel more like you are in the center of the studio (or perhaps more aptly, you feel like you are at the sound board at the point where all the tracks are mixed together).

 

[fuhransahis]

To the Phantom owners here, has any of you felt that the soundstage was lacking? I imagine that the immersive sound signature is due to the sound stage being more intimate than wide, and so I can't have my cake and eat it too.

I don't think it's about having your cake and eating it. It's more about which flavor of cake you prefer.

Do you want the widest, most spread out soundstage out there? If you do, then by nature the sound will not be natural and organic. It could have precise imaging, superb layering, and incredible micro detail retrieval, but that's not lifelike, warm, or organic. That presentation is by nature more distant and cold than intimate, as you view the action from afar. I deem that not cake, but lemon meringue pie. Sharp yet subtly sweet and crumbly but delicious. Light but not without substance. Something like the Mason V3.

On the other hand if you want a natural, lush, organic, realistic, balanced, deep, all- encompassing, holographic and 3D sound that is masterful in balancing all aspects of dynamism and reaches far into the highs and lows of all of what your music presents, then go for the decadent chocolate fudge cake. Something like the Phantom.

Neither one loses out versus the other - their presentations just contradict one another.

 

[klyzon]

After being on the phantoms for the better part of the week, going back to say my kaiser encores and everything sounds kind of mechanical and soulless. Sure the cymbals and treble have excellent clarity and separations, but it feels less coherent, with instruments going off like they’re being played by robots. Precise yet less harmonious.