[Bret Halford]

Welcome to the Head Fi home for all things FATfreq, please feel free to share your impressions, questions etc regarding this up and coming Singaporean IEM brand.

Starting with the trojan bass horse, the Maestro Mini:

https://www.fatfreq.com/maestro-mini
Price: $426 USD

A project that began with the intent of creating a monitor that encompasses all the goals of the upcoming MAESTRO series, at the lowest possible cost.

• 20dB hyper-controlled bass shelf
• 7dB pinna gain
• 2dB/octave descending treble extension 3kHz - 25kHz

3D printed sound channels and a proprietary bass chamber tuned for perfect control

Fatfreq is a small Singaporean brand I had never heard of until about a week ago. Watching some of Crinacle's youtube backlog videos, their newly released Maestro Mini caught my eye.

The Maestro Mini is a low cost 'preview' delivering some of the experience of the pending Maestro proper. It's a humble 1 DD / 2 BA hybrid, with the DD driver employed with a very impressive low pass filter. It's available for order directly from Fatfreq's website for ~$430 USD (S$599).

And oh boy... does it kick.

Just LOOK at that bass response, and all pushed sub 200 Hz.

It took about 5 days total for them to get to me stateside using Fatfreq's free shipping. The bass response is an incredible indulgence. Just epic. For electronic music, this is really an experience you owe yourself.

I see there's a trickle of discussion around these in various threads but neither Fatfreq or the Maestro have any proper home. Let's fix that.

I'll post impression as I get some more ear time with them (just came in yesterday evening). Other owners or folks who have experienced them (or other Fatfreq models) please chime in with your impressions too!

Crinacle vid (Maestro mini @ 27 minute mark):

Precogvision review: https://headphones.com/community/reviews-learning-and-news/fatfreq-maestro-mini-review


Gizaudio: 'If you're a basshead, this is one you need to consider.'
(starts at ~10 min)

HBB: 'Hardest Hitters in the Hobby'

 

[Bret Halford]

I've had a couple days of quality time with the Minis to take them in more, and a chance to A/B them a bit with some of my existing iems.

They come with a whole page of silly stickers, very quirky and fun, also visible is the 'fatbox' case that they ship in, quite sturdy.

Inside in addition to the quite pretty IEMs, there is a desiccant mount/cable management system that works quite well and I could imagine would be particularly nice more humid climates. They're not visible, but in addition to the cleaning tool, they also throw in a free pair of filtered ear plugs, very cool.

The sound... wow these sure leave an impression.

The acoustic chamber / lowpass employed here creates a 20+ dB boost of bass sub 200 Hz, it really is the closes thing to a subwoofer I've experienced in either IEMs or headphones.

I was a bit worried about some of the extra treble energy in the measurements, but as is often the case things sound totally different than they look. The extra airy boost goes a long way in keeping the music coherent, sweet and engaging despite the elephants at the low end - a very impressive feat given the amplitude here!

I've had a lot of trouble pulling myself away from electronic music on these, but I can say that some heavy metal is also deeply satisfying. When there's not much sub content in the music, the left over tuning is competent but not at a level of engagement that the whole package brings. I have also been listening heavily to my Monarch 2s, and while I'd obviously give the low end nod to the Maestros, the tuning elsewhere I'd give to the tribrids so far.

Interestingly, there's no mesh/filter on the nozzle, just this impressive looking insert:

No idea if it will affect longevity, but it might be evidence of some of the acoustic guide technology Fatfreq is fielding here? I haven't popped the filters up in many of my IEMs (at least on purpose lol), so no idea how typical something like this is...

[Edit] It has been confirmed that current version of Maestro Mini ships with a filter for protection, so no more worries there!

 

[Bret Halford]

I've also done some more digging on Fatfreq generally. There are some quaint videos of the pair of founders and some peak at their shop as well as a discussion of how they got started in the business:



I also reached out to them about some of the other Maestro variants I can see on Crinacle's site. Particularly the Maestro SE:

Apparently the SE is Fatfreq's Tribrid design, presumably adding some electrostat tweeters to the mix. Looks like a slightly more coherent high end but with even more crazy bass boost. I didn't find out the total driver count - it's available already I guess by request for $1800 USD. I'd push them for more details, but I'm worried if I keep chatting with them, I'll end up buying one lol.

 

[SenorChang8]

Great to hear your very positive impressions, these have also intrigued me a lot and I’m very tempted by them. The bare nozzles do look vulnerable, the Azla Max or Comply with wax guard could be useful.

 

[lmfboy01]

I got the Maestro Mini a few weeks ago...a keeper for sure, appreciate the wax guard pro-tip, will have to try. Seen a few videos on these and I believe they are accurate. Gabs of precise sub-bass like I've never heard in a headphone/iem before, and that goes with a pretty full mid-range. Can say it is not typically recessed vocals that you normally see in most "basshead" units. Its very close to a car subwoofer bass thats also tuned nicely for everything else in an IEM shell, super efficient.

 

[Raketen]

Almost impulse bought these myself after seeing Crinacle's measurements, glad some others voluntered first!


The last basshead IEM I remember really enjoying was the Futuresonics G10, Maestro Mini looks like an improvement w/ actual treble.

(personally main hesitation was the 8khz accent in the graphs which I tend to find bothersome depending on balance w/ upper mids but perhaps in a basshead can this is not such an issue (same thing keeps me from IE900 which otherwise looks like a possible successor from boosted ex1000, another bass favorite))

 

[ljnew]

 

[Bret Halford]

I've had a chance to get some more head time on the minis these past few weeks, particularly testing them out more outside of electronic. They are quite enjoyable for metal, particularly percussive heavy varieties. When you stray away from the low end more, they do become a bit more average as opposed to class leading...

HBB's impressions really touch on some key points: totally impressive, maybe unsurpassed packing this much sub bass without destroying the lower mids. I also agree with his take that these sound particularly live... I got these shortly after seeing one of my favorite (electronic) groups live and I have to say, these IEMs are about the closest to that experience I've gotten in the living room (for better and for worse).

Also, that thing visible in the nozzle is a balanced armature. Seems like the pragmatic solution for keeping the highs from getting lost in that bass is to get it as close to your canal as possible lol.

I've done a bit more investigating/stalking on Fatfreq, there are 4 Maestro models, not 3 as I thought:

Maestro Mini - 2 BA 1 DD - $426 USD
Maestro - $1590 USD Universal / $1730 Custom
Maestro SE - 1 DD 7BA + 4EST - $1800 USD Universal / $1950 Custom
Grand Maestro - 1 DD 7 BA 4 EST, user swapable 3d printed tuning module - $2600 USD Universal / $2740 Custom

I've reached out to them for some more info on the Grand <eep>.

 

[ljnew]

I've had a chance to get some more head time on the minis these past few weeks, particularly testing them out more outside of electronic. They are quite enjoyable for metal, particularly percussive heavy varieties. When you stray away from the low end more, they do become a bit more average as opposed to class leading...

HBB's impressions really touch on some key points: totally impressive, maybe unsurpassed packing this much sub bass without destroying the lower mids. I also agree with his take that these sound particularly live... I got these shortly after seeing one of my favorite (electronic) groups live and I have to say, these IEMs are about the closest to that experience I've gotten in the living room (for better and for worse).

Also, that thing visible in the nozzle is a balanced armature. Seems like the pragmatic solution for keeping the highs from getting lost in that bass is to get it as close to your canal as possible lol.

I've done a bit more investigating/stalking on Fatfreq, there are 4 Maestro models, not 3 as I thought:

Maestro Mini - 2 BA 1 DD ~$430 USD
Maestro - ?
Maestro SE - 'Tribrid' $1800 USD
Grand Maestro - ?

I've reached out to them for some more info on the Grand <eep>.

Any comparisons to legend x or other basshead iems?

 

[ljnew]

I've also done some more digging on Fatfreq generally. There are some quaint videos of the pair of founders and some peak at their shop as well as a discussion of how they got started in the business:



I also reached out to them about some of the other Maestro variants I can see on Crinacle's site. Particularly the Maestro SE:



Apparently the SE is Fatfreq's Tribrid design, presumably adding some electrostat tweeters to the mix. Looks like a slightly more coherent high end but with even more crazy bass boost. I didn't find out the total driver count - it's available already I guess by request for $1800 USD. I'd push them for more details, but I'm worried if I keep chatting with them, I'll end up buying one lol.

I wish they kept the prices low for all models. They would likely murder the competition.

Funny more brands not taking that plunge. Seems like everybody else just does what everyone else does and tunes the same

 

[Bret Halford]

Any comparisons to legend x or other basshead iems?

Nothing else I have compares, closest I've experienced would be xelentos, but those def whipe out the mids much more.

It seems like Elysian might top them in bass and almost certainly in overall quality, but I have no first hand experience with them unfortuantely (also much pricier than the mini!).

 

[Bret Halford]

I wish they kept the prices low for all models. They would likely murder the competition.

Funny more brands not taking that plunge. Seems like everybody else just does what everyone else does and tunes the same

Well I guess I should wait and see on the Grand pricing, buy 1800 for a high end tribrid isn't that crazy (looking at you, UM).

Agree 100 percent on design conformity. It seems like every influencer just wants to see a slight Harman variation and it unfortunately drowns out real specialists like these!

 

[Bret Halford]

There was a lot of enthusiasm for FatFreq at the recent Canjam Socal 2022. While I was not able to attend, I've been monitoring impressions and pestering people that mentioned them

Very nice impressions of the mini, Maestro SE and the Grand by @Rockwell75 (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can...ember-17-18-2022.964899/page-13#post-17150762):

Perhaps the biggest surprise was this small Singaporean company called FatFreq. I actually met them all in the elevator when I first arrived and was heading out to my room and finally got around to checking out their table on Sunday morning. I tried their Maestro (?) sub-flagship and entry level models. These IEMs have some of most singularly unique and engaging bass I’ve ever heard in an IEM. Impressive still is all the mid-range and top end clarity. I would have bought the $500 mini-Maestro for $500 except there was no vent on the front and the BA was sitting right there. I’d be to paranoid a fleck of dust would get in and wreck it. Still I will be following these guys (and girl) and will be purchasing one of their IEMs eventually. Watch for them.

@Edric Li had this to say about the mini (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can...tember-17-18-2022.964899/page-7#post-17149366):

FatFreq Maestro series: not because that they sound particularly good, but because they achieved a level of bass that I never thought was possible with IEMs. Must try.

@Shecky504 shared some impressions of the Maestro (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/can...ember-17-18-2022.964899/page-29#post-17154658):

FATfreq Maestro (non-SE): I demoed these near the end of the day Sunday and the left channel was a bit blown but I could still hear the tuning well enough and enjoyed these the most out of the other offerings from FATfreq. The fit wasn't the most comfortable but perhaps just takes some more time to figure that out.

@twister6 shared measurements of the epic Maestro SE (look at the bass shelf!) as well in the Watercooler thread (https://www.head-fi.org/threads/the...ge-all-welcome.957426/page-2396#post-17158076):

Yes, that Maestro SE tuning is crazy lol Like I said, the bass made my ears bleed FR is similar to Crin's capture:

Reading through all the impressions of Canjam has been really enjoyable, but thanks in particular to those that gave some impressions about FatFreq, it's great to get a better feel for their product range!

 

[Edric Li]

@Bret Halford Glad you find it helpful. FYI two friends of mine walked into Canjam not knowing what Fatfreq was and walked away from it with the Maestro Mini. At $450 (?), they are way underpriced for their performance and uniqueness. There isn't anything in the market, at any price point really, that sounds like the Maestro series. A lot of the big-bass iem today usually has bright treble to balance it out. Fatfreq doesn't. They balance it out with uppermids, which IMO is the better thing to do. They could charge whatever they want, and they decided to charge $450. Kudos to them.

The staff was extremely friendly too. I asked the engineer Aaron what the secret was, whether they had figured out something about venting that no one had figured out to achieve this level of bass. He told me that the secret is not about controlling the air behind the driver, but about dampening the mids and highs evenly, to achieve the exact bass FR. Brilliant stuff.

On a side note, my favorite FatFreq wasn't the Maestros. It was the Sakura. Upon hearing it, I immediately recognized its signature.

At $950!!! These guys are nuts!

 

[Uebelkraehe]

@Bret Halford They could charge whatever they want, and they decided to charge $450. Kudos to them.

$450 for a 2BA + 1DD IEM doesn't seem to be especially affordable, however uncommon their tuning may be.