[DaveStarWalker]

Honestly, I would be very curious to hear that space oddity !

 

[Edric Li]

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

Sorry I didn't know the driver count. I didn't ask them about it. Driver count / config doesn't enter my IEM evaluations.

FWIW K3003 was a $999 2BA + 1DD IEM in 2011. It doesn't matter anyway, to me...

 

[Bret Halford]

Tuning>>>Driver Count / Type IMO. That said, $426 USD is a good chunk of coin for an IEM period, regardless of the number of drivers. I certainly think the Mini is a great value for bass lovers, even at that cost - there's very little out there that can match the clarity and impact these combine.

Now for the crazy

I heard back from Ben at FatFreq with more info about the Grand Maestro and Maestro SE. There have been a few impressions of these shared by folks lucky enough to attend Canjam, but not much info generally.

Both the Grand and SE are 12 element Tribrids: 1 DD, 7 BA, 4 EST for low, mid and highs presumably. Both are available as universal/custom, the SE for $1800/$1950 and the Grand for $2600/$2740.

Here are some pics that Ben provided me from Canjam and OK'd to share:

What differs between models is that the (unfortunately un-pictured) Grand has a detachable 3D printed module on the face plate and a vocal switch.

The vocal switch adjusts the crossover point of the boosted response to lift mids rather than bass, quite an interesting sounding bit of flexibility (I do wonder how the show floor model at Canjam was configured!).

The current default face plate module is an open back that features a 23 dB bass shelf (same as SE as far as I can tell), 'Bass and low mids tone is improved' and there is 3-4 dB more treble extension past 10K. Fatfreq plan to offer additional modules to allow users to adjust the Grand's sound profile to taste. It was particularly exciting to hear about a potential closed back module that would kick up the bass shelf a further 7dB to an absolutely crazy 30dB boost - 'unmitigated Bass power' was Ben's description Other modules would produce sub bass that 'dips a little prior to the shelf for more control' for a more refined bass response... sounds potentially very flexible.

The SE looks like an absolute beast, and having a published FR (on 2 rigs now) takes a lot uncertainty out of it, but man the idea of switching between open and closed back to taste sounds pretty awesome if done right.

 

[ljnew]

I wonder how this compares to fir audio xe6?

 

[Bret Halford]

Never had the pleasure of listening to FIR audio. Here is SE vs XE6 (custom) FR:

Measurements not the whole story of course, but given we're talking 10+ dB difference I think it's safe to say XE6 would have more lower mid warmth and the Maestro more sub bass.

 

[ljnew]

Never had the pleasure of listening to FIR audio. Here is SE vs XE6 (custom) FR:



Measurements not the whole story of course, but given we're talking 10+ dB difference I think it's safe to say XE6 would have more lower mid warmth and the Maestro more sub bass.

Thanks. i noticed the graph before. I'm trying to get opinions from people who heard it because the xe6 costs about 9 times more.

They’re both very different from the usual iems i think and seems they're both very different from each other.

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Never had the pleasure of listening to FIR audio. Here is SE vs XE6 (custom) FR:



Measurements not the whole story of course, but given we're talking 10+ dB difference I think it's safe to say XE6 would have more lower mid warmth and the Maestro more sub bass.

Roller coaster

 

[Koresh]

Does the Maestro mini slam hard?

 

[Edric Li]

Thanks. i noticed the graph before. I'm trying to get opinions from people who heard it because the xe6 costs about 9 times more.

They’re both very different from the usual iems i think and seems they're both very different from each other.

I've heard both at Canjam and yes they are very different. To me XE6 is a familiar warm sound that is executed well below its price point. They got the idea right: you want to balance the welcomingly thick midbass and lower mids with the right pinna gain, and it does that. But the treble is just not very refined, nor is the soundstage or imaging particularly outstanding. At $3900, for a tuning that is very common, from a brand that is relatively new, in a form factor that is huge and heavy, they better get it near perfect, and to me they didn't.

The Maestro series, however, was a completely new territory to me. I thought it was a bit too extreme, otherwise I would have bought a pair at the show. But the combination of the stomach-hitting bass, the mostly neutral midrange and the fairly smooth treble was eye-opening to say the least.

Does the Maestro mini slam hard?

Does it?

 

[ljnew]

I've heard both at Canjam and yes they are very different. To me XE6 is a familiar warm sound that is executed well below its price point. They got the idea right: you want to balance the welcomingly thick midbass and lower mids with the right pinna gain, and it does that. But the treble is just not very refined, nor is the soundstage or imaging particularly outstanding. At $3900, for a tuning that is very common, from a brand that is relatively new, in a form factor that is huge and heavy, they better get it near perfect, and to me they didn't.


The Maestro series, however, was a completely new territory to me. I thought it was a bit too extreme, otherwise I would have bought a pair at the show. But the combination of the stomach-hitting bass, the mostly neutral midrange and the fairly smooth treble was eye-opening to say the least.


Does it?

I wonder if dorado 2020 would fit that graph too?

 

[Bret Halford]

Does the Maestro mini slam hard?

Slams like a Tsunami!

Protect your ears, THE BASS is coming for them...

 

[Edric Li]

I wonder if dorado 2020 would fit that graph too?

Never heard the Dorado 2020, but I did hear the Vega 2020, and it reminded me of the UE11, an all-time classic.

To me Vega/UE11 sound very different from XE6/Erlkonig 1/E4000. I personally prefer the latter. Not claiming Vega sound similar to Dorado or anything, just trying to help.

 

[Bret Halford]

@Edric Li you have a real eye for correlated frequency responses!

 

[ljnew]

Never heard the Dorado 2020, but I did hear the Vega 2020, and it reminded me of the UE11, an all-time classic.



To me Vega/UE11 sound very different from XE6/Erlkonig 1/E4000. I personally prefer the latter. Not claiming Vega sound similar to Dorado or anything, just trying to help.

How does dorado graph against xe6 and the vision ears?

 

[Edric Li]

How does dorado graph against xe6 and the vision ears?

You can easily do that on crinacle's website. I assume you are implying that XE6 would graph similar to Dorado too? Possible, but XE6 didn't remind me of UE11 as much as Vega did.

But the main difference is the uppermids to treble ratio. To me XE6/Erlkonig 1/E4000 has the more correct ratio, with XE6 being less refined in the treble. I can't help but pay attention to the treble on the UE11/Vega/PP8 type of this ratio, and I personally dislike that. It is possible that XE6 is somewhere between the two types, but I can't say for sure based on just memory.

In any case, we can move this to DM since this thread is about the Maestro.