[Echo42987]

My comparison with the RN6 for anyone interested


RN6 (red filter)
Thicker in the mid/low mid
Closer sounding overall, hence vocals more forward, instruments only slightly, in general
Feels a tad more congestionned, less airy on busy passages (less drivers could show here)
Can hit very hard too, tight attacks, good sub extensions (but sometimes on the verge of boomy)
Little depth but good soundstage, wide and not agressive (like some UM are borderline with that)
Slightly shouty on some tracks, otherwise great tonality
A bit more dynamic contrasts, can be enjoyable but makes it a more intense listening experience

Maestro (without any EQ)
Feels a bit more distant
Low mids just right, not thin or too thick, in comparison
Better vocals, more texture/micro details, yet smoother
Bass attack, slightly better, tigher but with even more sub than the RN6, not boomy but it's a lot imo
Some slight harshness on high frequency percusions (very track dependant and tips)
A bit narrower soundstage but sounds bigger, and i would say it could be more precise in that narrower space



I would have hard time picking a winner if it had to be only one at this point. With my little EQ plateau for the sub on the Maestro, i would give it the nod as it's the closest to my ideal presentation but it's entirely a preference more than fundamentaly better technicalities. Those are slight differences, they are a bit better at different things and as i previously mentionned surprisingly similar in the end. Maestro might be a more relaxed experience outside bass, everything is less forward, except the bass region.
I think equal amount of people would find more musical either one or the other. My personal bias is still the Maestro, it's how i would have tracks mixed and sound like, makes me dance in my head all the time... 2 fantastic sets regardless, can't go wrong with those and i still have to explore further the filters on the RN6 (they are so scaringly small to swap!). Although i forgot the RN6 is almost double the price than a MSE!

I should get the Canpur end of next week to compare. Final death match incoming.

Might go custom after that. I should also mention the RN6 is a smaller shell but i find it less comfortable of all the sets i have strangely, it's a hard shell and a bit more rough than typical resine shell, also more angular. I wonder even if it's the shell notch for the filter that is scratching my ear in some ways, i get soared after a while with them for some reasons. Also not a fan of the cable, it's a bit stiff and not super comfy near the ear hook area. Good side is there is less pressure building than the Maestro, due to the big vent. RN6 is super easy to drive, again in comparison to the MSE. Got caught a few times swapping them on the headamp with too much level for the Maestro...(about double)


ps: wrote way more than planned

Great write up. Currently have the RN6 and waiting on the Maestro. But I do have the Scarletts and know they hit harder then the RN6 currently. The Maestro SE should hopefully show up in the next few weeks. Ordered in December. So we will see lol.

 

[Petalpusher06]

Thanks form me as well !
Any chance you can add Monarch MK3 to this comparison?
TIA

I don't have it, i had the Monarch OG a while ago (when it released) and didn't like too much, it was a resolution beast for the time but agressive imo, offensive in the high end with very thin low mid and stupid elevated sub but no kick bass. I know the MKII is apparently much better and maybe i ll get it at some point, or the MKIII, but have other sets up the list before that.

 

[Petalpusher06]

Great write up. Currently have the RN6 and waiting on the Maestro. But I do have the Scarletts and know they hit harder then the RN6 currently. The Maestro SE should hopefully show up in the next few weeks. Ordered in December. So we will see lol.

Ah that would be interesting to see how much of an upgrade you feel outside of the bass region with the Maestro compared to the Scarlett. Which filters are you on with the RN6?

 

[Echo42987]

Ah that would be interesting to see how much of an upgrade you feel outside of the bass region with the Maestro compared to the Scarlett. Which filters are you on with the RN6?

Currently the stock ones they show up with. I haven't even begun to venture out yet as I really like the sound signature already. But will be rotating them out soon to give them all a try.

 

[Petalpusher06]

Currently the stock ones they show up with. I haven't even begun to venture out yet as I really like the sound signature already. But will be rotating them out soon to give them all a try.

Just so you know, it's like performing surgery on an ant. Better having a very white table and take a deep breath first . You also have to push them first, then screw it down (took me time to figure this out). I would say silver is thick, with more bass, red is more airy and brighter, black in between (that's what im on rn)

 

[w3eonline]

Hi. Want to ask bout what portable setup that can drive Maestro SE to its potency. Since it need more power with the MSE.
I mostly use utws5 for portable. If theres a powerful bt or non bt setup preferable non built in battery. Can power it with power bank.

Thanks

 

[alamnp]

Great write up. Currently have the RN6 and waiting on the Maestro. But I do have the Scarletts and know they hit harder then the RN6 currently. The Maestro SE should hopefully show up in the next few weeks. Ordered in December. So we will see lol.

How’s scarlet resolution and imaging (3D presentation)? Or is it just linear sound with a lot of bass?

 

[alamnp]

I don't have it, i had the Monarch OG a while ago (when it released) and didn't like too much, it was a resolution beast for the time but agressive imo, offensive in the high end with very thin low mid and stupid elevated sub but no kick bass. I know the MKII is apparently much better and maybe i ll get it at some point, or the MKIII, but have other sets up the list before that.

Don’t get Monarch MKii, that’s even thinner bass than the OG

 

[Echo42987]

Just so you know, it's like performing surgery on an ant. Better having a very white table and take a deep breath first . You also have to push them first, then screw it down (took me time to figure this out). I would say silver is thick, with more bass, red is more airy and brighter, black in between (that's what im on rn)

Ha, that's good to know. I will let you know how it all works out!

 

[Echo42987]

How’s scarlet resolution and imaging (3D presentation)? Or is it just linear sound with a lot of bass?

Imaging is there. It's impressive how they were able to combine so much bass. It is very bass forward, but on most tracks you can feel the instruments pulling from different locations. I wouldn't call it linear. At least not with my early listenings. I've only got about 5-6hrs on them so far. But I haven't heard much loss in terms of quality or timbre. They'll be in my ears for awhile moving forward.

 

[Echo42987]

Hi. Want to ask bout what portable setup that can drive Maestro SE to its potency. Since it need more power with the MSE.
I mostly use utws5 for portable. If theres a powerful bt or non bt setup preferable non built in battery. Can power it with power bank.

Thanks

Depending on your budget, I just recently added the Mojo2 to my WM1AM2 and it really brought the Scarlett to life. I'm still waiting on the Maestro SE, but heard they are pretty similar in terms of power needed. The Sony player could handle them, but the Mojo2 honestly woke them up. Especially in terms of the bass.

 

[alamnp]

Imaging is there. It's impressive how they were able to combine so much bass. It is very bass forward, but on most tracks you can feel the instruments pulling from different locations. I wouldn't call it linear. At least not with my early listenings. I've only got about 5-6hrs on them so far. But I haven't heard much loss in terms of quality or timbre. They'll be in my ears for awhile moving forward.

I just got my Mentor, while I was impressed with the 3D presentation, the bass was nowhere near my Odin before. So, having Scarlet beating RN6 in terms of bass while having a good resolution, was it a kilo-bucks killer?

Wondering if there are any bass monster IEMs with holographic presentation?

 

[Petalpusher06]

I just got my Mentor, while I was impressed with the 3D presentation, the bass was nowhere near my Odin before. So, having Scarlet beating RN6 in terms of bass while having a good resolution, was it a kilo-bucks killer?

Wondering if there are any bass monster IEMs with holographic presentation?

Did you already try the MEST MKIII? I wouldn't call it basshead compared to the MSE, but it's relatively bass heavy, def more than the MKII, the quantity is more or less the same than the RN6 but it has a wider stage and better imaging.

Don’t get Monarch MKii, that’s even thinner bass than the OG

Damn how is that possible, from like 4 years ago memory the bass per say was so weak, the sub bass was dominating on most percussions, which gave a very weird sounding signature, like you were standing next to a subwoofer cutting at 60hz + some metallic high mid with tweeters, while the woofers felt like a small box 10 meters away. Id have to check the graphs, so why everybody thinks the MKII is better? Less offensive in the mid and high?

 

[Petalpusher06]

Hi. Want to ask bout what portable setup that can drive Maestro SE to its potency. Since it need more power with the MSE.
I mostly use utws5 for portable. If theres a powerful bt or non bt setup preferable non built in battery. Can power it with power bank.

Thanks

You will need plenty of power, relatively for an IEM, no other way around that with the MSE. From my own estimations, you need at least 100mw@32ohm to drive it correctly, perferably in low gain to have the best black noise floor and great dynamic range. Ideally.

The best solution will be to go with a powerful dongle, like a L&P W2 that can do 250mw@32 in low gain, other than very expensive DAPs. The W4 is even more powerful but this will be overkill for IEMs and more expensive. You can probably find a W2 for 150€ these days. Constructors specs are usually at high THD and high gain so you have to look for that. There are other good dongles.

My estimation is based on the fact i tried it both on the Singxer and a backup DX7+ pro that clearly runs out of juice, im full power on the headamp it doesn't play that loud, it even sounds more hollow on it as it runs out. It's also a single ended design where balanced connectors (4.4mm and XLR) are just there for convenience, so higher impedance that shifts the frequency response a bit, you don't want that (it's like adding a resistor)

This runs out for sure as i tested it (34mw):

This doesn't for sure (312mw)

On the Singxer i have some headroom, to play very loud i go up to 3 or 4pm on the knob, this is a very loud without any distorsion from the amp, it sounds so good but this is almost 10 times more power than the DX7+ pro with even lower noise and distorsion (near 120db from 100mw to full bean).

A L&P W2 can do 250mw@32 with a great THD+N, which is i think more than enough (lowgain on the left here)

If i keep this level with any other IEM on the Singxer i might literally go deaf. This Maestro is all kind of dangerous

 

[w3eonline]

You will need plenty of power, relatively for an IEM, no other way around that with the MSE. From my own estimations, you need at least 100mw@32ohm to drive it correctly, perferably in low gain to have the best black noise floor and great dynamic range. Ideally.

Complete explanation here. Thanks a lot. Also the suggestion. Very clear.