[w3eonline]

Hi... Im about to blindbuy here, considering between MSE and UM Mest mkii or mkiii. No idea how any of those sound . Only by online research, now i use EE bravado mkii , i like how the drum kick, hard hitting thumpin also the sub bass rumbles and resonate.

I like to upgrade that kind of low n sub bass, with a lush airy vocals , also a clear clean cymbal crash on the high freqs.

Anyone have experience with UM mest and FF MSE??

 

[KinGensai]

Hi... Im about to blindbuy here, considering between MSE and UM Mest mkii or mkiii. No idea how any of those sound . Only by online research, now i use EE bravado mkii , i like how the drum kick, hard hitting thumpin also the sub bass rumbles and resonate.

Question: do you like Empire Ears' house sound? I'll tell you right now, EE tunes their IEMs far bassier than either UM or FF (scarlet might beat out EE stuff in sub bass though).

I like to upgrade that kind of low n sub bass

What does this mean? You want a quality upgrade as in less harmonic distortion, or quantity upgrade as in even more?

, with a lush airy vocals

No one will be able to accurately tell you that's what you will hear without knowing your preferred pinna gain response. What does lush even mean anyway?

, also a clear clean cymbal crash on the high freqs.

Anyone have experience with UM mest and FF MSE??

MSE has excellent treble playback, the 4 ESTs put in work. I can't speak to the MEST mk3, someone else will have to chime in.

 

[Petalpusher06]

Hi... Im about to blindbuy here, considering between MSE and UM Mest mkii or mkiii. No idea how any of those sound . Only by online research, now i use EE bravado mkii , i like how the drum kick, hard hitting thumpin also the sub bass rumbles and resonate.

I like to upgrade that kind of low n sub bass, with a lush airy vocals , also a clear clean cymbal crash on the high freqs.

Anyone have experience with UM mest and FF MSE??

I have both and actually have been switching between them all week.

If i want to sum it up:

Mest MKIII has slightly better tonality, it never sounds wrong whatever you throw at it. Instruments and voices are more forward than the MSE. Upper mids and trebles are more present without getting fatiguing (im very sensitive to it), so very pleasant in this area. Imaging and sounstage are better, wider and with a more obvious sense of depth. Resolution is very high but not agressive in the way it is presented to you. (like for example the Monarch series imo)

The Maestro, has a very obvious bass and sub bass boost, that may be too much for some at first sight, beyond that everything is more laidback, wether instruments or voices, however they are very high quality, possibly a tad better than the Mest (some voices rendition are addicting to keep playing back). Everything feels more distant, narrower and "darker". In mixing terms, like you cranked up the audio compressor, but it's not always a downside for some genres, it can feel more coherent at times. Resolution of the MSE might be even a tad higher than the MEST, it's mindblowing at time the details it can retrieve from some tracks.

When it comes to bass and subass quality, i would give it to the Maestro, especially if you are willing to reduce it slightly with a little EQ shelf so it's not overpowering (it's really insane out of the box). It becomes extremely tight with the most satisfying extensions in the sub ive heard in an IEM, it's textured and doesn't feel as detached from the rest than sometimes is the case with the Mest, which in comparison feels slower and not as tight in the bass, relatively.

The best choice might come down to your prefered genre of music. I can try to expand if you have some more particular questions, also drive, fit etc...

 

[KinGensai]

@Petalpusher06
Have you paid any attention to the BC driver vs the MSE? That's UM's big claim to fame, seems like whatever that is doing is hitting your pinna gain response just right because the graph for the MEST mk3 is missing info on that area.

 

[Petalpusher06]

@Petalpusher06
Have you paid any attention to the BC driver vs the MSE? That's UM's big claim to fame, seems like whatever that is doing is hitting your pinna gain response just right because the graph for the MEST mk3 is missing info on that area.

The Mest might be more sensitive to the exact placement against the ear i noticed, like how much contact exactly you have all around the shell, but i suspect it's just because the MEST is a bit smaller and the nozzle isn't as long. If i rotate the shell i can sense a slight shift in tonality, (as in the 2 to 4k region where the scope is on the MEST) which isn't as prominent with the MSE.

 

[KinGensai]

The Mest might be more sensitive to the exact placement against the ear i noticed, like how much contact exactly you have all around the shell, but i suspect it's just because the MEST is a bit smaller and the nozzle isn't as long. If i rotate the shell i can sense a slight shift in tonality, (as in the 2 to 4k region where the scope is on the MEST) which isn't as prominent with the MSE.

I figured, the BC driver logically demands a custom shell so that it can reliably conduct that energy into your bones.

@w3eonline seems to tend to be a basshead if he chose an EE IEM, those are bassier than the MSE. I think he'll like the MSE's tuning more given that he likes the bravado mk2 and wants a technical upgrade. By your description, MEST mk3 seems like a more mids focused set, that'll sound anemic to him I think.

Interesting hearing you describe the MSE's bass as incredibly tight, I had the opposite impression coming from the QDC V14 lol. Slightly more distortion and flub in the bass, but more satisfying sub bass extension. I have to admit though, the infrasonic extension and party sub bass is super addicting.

 

[SCYJ]

Hi... Im about to blindbuy here, considering between MSE and UM Mest mkii or mkiii. No idea how any of those sound . Only by online research, now i use EE bravado mkii , i like how the drum kick, hard hitting thumpin also the sub bass rumbles and resonate.

I like to upgrade that kind of low n sub bass, with a lush airy vocals , also a clear clean cymbal crash on the high freqs.

Anyone have experience with UM mest and FF MSE??

FF MSE's vocals are not as lush and airy for my liking. It's subbass overpowers and veils the mids. It also has good cymbal hits but not much air.

I prefer GM, it "fixes" those MSE issues. Still a subbass monster but not overpowered, and bass is better separated from the mids, allowing vocals (including female) to shine through. It also has significantly more air, giving vocals that ethereal, breathy characteristic.

 

[Quartex]

...

Anyone have experience with UM mest and FF MSE??

If you can agree to a Head-Fi opinion, that the UM Indigo is a deluxe (more expensive) version of the MEST MK3, then I can share my opinion. Funnily enough I just recently A/B ed them, using the N8II (solid state, A, high gain), stock cables, Azla Sednafit on the Indigo and Coreir on the MSE. Everything is TME, obviously.

To keep this short, I refer to one track only, Seal - Crazy (William Orbit Mix), FLAC, 88.2 kHz, 24 Bit. This version is a borderline track to me with its aggressively engineered treble on top of Seal’s aggressive „ssss“ and „zzzz“ voice. Starting from the caveat (the treble) it’s too much to bear with me with the MSE. There are 3 occasions where this track cuts like a razor. (remember this verdict is for this specific track only. With less aggressive mastering, treble is without issues but still intense) The mids are a bit recessed which might lead to my perception of a strong focus on treble. The mids: Seal’s voice is never vanishing behind the instrumentation but certainly never gains victory either. Not too much to say - average mids. But then there is the bass. And it’s heavenly. W. Orbit never made it a secret how much of a basshead he is. And with this track he masterfully included subbass in just perfect dosage. E.g. right at the beginning: The sub bass is hovering "in the back" and you can feel it. A bit into the track, there are passages when it seamlessly extends to the mid bass which also hits so very pleasantly. The star of the show remains the textured sub bass, no doubts though. Detail and separation on the MSE are top. This track does not have a wide stage but MSE does a good job in keeping voice in the center and adding instrumentation on the x axis. Sometimes extending to the z axis slightly too. Very precisely positioned and distinguishable. Lovely.

The Indigo is not shy on bass either. I do enjoy its sub bass too but it lacks the texture and quantity of MSE. Sub bass certainly is there though. Mid bass is at service too. With quantity and fast enough to make it sound round and present. The bass department is really pleasing - no complaints overall. Mids are more forward than with MSE. The voice has more presence, the instrumentation is a slightly less in your face. Treble is less aggressive and less present. It’s better integrated but it still reveals lots of details, just more subtle than MSE. The piercing element has gone though, luckily. The presentation / staging is different with more depth (z axis). It’s difficult to describe, the stage does not expand much on the x axis but instead instruments are positioned somewhere in an orb and the voice is coming from the upper middle front, whereas the MSE lacks the „middle“ element of this positioning.

The fit of the Indigo is great - nothing to complain at all. The MSE, I can’t wear for more than 90 minutes before my ears start aching. Volume: I was listening louder than I typically do. To match Indigo’s level 25 (high gain), I had to crank it up to 37 (high gain) for MSE.

Obviously I do enjoy both sets. And just to mention it: I gave in and had a dirty 10 minute Miami-Bass Treatment too and this is really mindblowing with the MSE. Purest bliss.
IMO, the clash of the titans is between Raven and MSE but I need a bit more time to prepare myself for it...

 

[Petalpusher06]

I figured, the BC driver logically demands a custom shell so that it can reliably conduct that energy into your bones.

@w3eonline seems to tend to be a basshead if he chose an EE IEM, those are bassier than the MSE. I think he'll like the MSE's tuning more given that he likes the bravado mk2 and wants a technical upgrade. By your description, MEST mk3 seems like a more mids focused set, that'll sound anemic to him I think.

Interesting hearing you describe the MSE's bass as incredibly tight, I had the opposite impression coming from the QDC V14 lol. Slightly more distortion and flub in the bass, but more satisfying sub bass extension. I have to admit though, the infrasonic extension and party sub bass is super addicting.

That's what i thought initially too as it's too much out of the box, imo the 20-100hz needs at least -10db and all of a sudden it reveals itself like that. Which is what the GM basically do with different modules. The silly level of sub bass doesn't mask everything anymore.

I don't really agree with FF for this kind of tuning and i consider myself a basshead but on a potent headamp it rattles your skull, it's funny for 10min...or once in a while, then i felt i needed something more physically musical but the good thing is you can have both... Matching bass's level on the Mest and MSE, i think the Maestro easily wins in quality.

 

[KinGensai]

That's what i thought initially too as it's too much out of the box, imo the 20-100hz needs at least -10db and all of a sudden it reveals itself like that. Which is what the GM basically do with different modules. The silly level of sub bass doesn't mask everything anymore.

I don't really agree with FF for this kind of tuning and i consider myself a basshead but on a potent headamp it rattles your skull, it's funny for 10min...or once in a while, then i felt i needed something more physically musical but the good thing is you can have both... Matching bass's level on the Mest and MSE, i think the Maestro easily wins in quality.

Interesting. Classic example of mid-bass bias vs sub-bass bias here, I love the sub-bass oomph on the MSE and need to drop the mid-bass about 2dB from 110 ~ 280 Hz to reach my preferred tuning, you are basically saying keep the mid-bass but drop the sub-bass significantly.

Also interesting how the sub bass masks the rest of the sound for you, the mid bass masks mids to me.

 

[Petalpusher06]

Interesting. Classic example of mid-bass bias vs sub-bass bias here, I love the sub-bass oomph on the MSE and need to drop the mid-bass about 2dB from 110 ~ 280 Hz to reach my preferred tuning, you are basically saying keep the mid-bass but drop the sub-bass significantly.

Also interesting how the sub bass masks the rest of the sound for you, the mid bass masks mids to me.

There is some of that too. To me the priority was to reduced the sub to reach something more enjoyable and closer to my target, also to listen for an extended period of time but im 50% electro, 50% everything else.

A track like this makes me dizzy on the MSE without a shelf:



Yet pure electro bliss once the sub is dialed in, it's exactly how that type of track should be presented, i think the tuning overall potentially fits all sorts of EDM the most.

I do agree as well with some others that sometimes the highs can be piercing. The Mest is a lot safer, you plug it and just enjoy music, the MSE is more extravageant and dependant on what the tracks play with, how well it's mixed... Snare hits can get offensive at times, you squint.

 

[KinGensai]

Love this track on my MSE unmodded. The measured 8k peak and pinna gain comp does border on sibilance sometimes, but for tracks like this, good times for me.


Recent banger from KARUT, that guy always makes catchy songs.

 

[SCYJ]

Interesting. Classic example of mid-bass bias vs sub-bass bias here, I love the sub-bass oomph on the MSE and need to drop the mid-bass about 2dB from 110 ~ 280 Hz to reach my preferred tuning, you are basically saying keep the mid-bass but drop the sub-bass significantly.

Also interesting how the sub bass masks the rest of the sound for you, the mid bass masks mids to me.

Amazing how we all perceive things differently and with our different preferences. I noticed that for me, only midbass can really bleed into mids. I can crank subbass up (~120hz and below) as much as I want and not feel much veiled mids. 150hz onwards is where things start to become a little worrying for me.

 

[w3eonline]

Thanks for all the description and compares guys. Seems like im more onto MSE wow factor on the low and high but still want a more closer vocal that MSE lack off (since its a V shape). Im also a sibilance and treble sensitive.
Also that MSE requires lots of power to bring out the potential than the mest mkiii or indigo right?

Or Are there any other iem recommendation near the price range?

 

[SCYJ]

Thanks for all the description and compares guys. Seems like im more onto MSE wow factor on the low and high but still want a more closer vocal that MSE lack off (since its a V shape). Im also a sibilance and treble sensitive.
Also that MSE requires lots of power to bring out the potential than the mest mkiii or indigo right?

Or Are there any other iem recommendation near the price range?

MSE/GM requires ALOT of power. Like, ALOT. Based purely on volume dial, it is the most "volume-demanding" IEM I've ever heard, even more so than the Storm (but I'm not implying that the GM scales better with sources than the Storm).

Honestly if you're looking for MSE wow factor but with better vocals, GM's the go-to. If you get customs, you should not have treble sibilances. Or you could use certain eartips (eg, Divinus Velvets) with the universal GM to tame the treble peaks a little.

But if GM is out of your price range, then it can't be helped