As mentioned by @Ojisan , this thread is very quiet. Therefore let me share some expressions of the Mezzo when specifically hearing it side by side with Odin.
What was my intension? I did not intend to do a scientific thesis here but instead share my impressions from a day long listening session during the Christmas break. Again, this is not the attempt to come up with a fully fledged review. Instead, I was looking to simply compare the two and derive with some tangible classification for my own benefit that helps me to parametrise their characters a bit better. I therefore did some critical listening on a completely non-representative playlist, covering mainly electronical music. I did critical listening to classical tracks too and while Mezzo is different than Odin, it performs very well in that genre too. But this requires further investigation.
tldr;
The result
I am very happy to have both, Odin and Mezzo. They both are great performers for electronic music but Mezzo gets 90% play time here. It might well be the honeymooning and if so, I wish it will never end. Odin is complementary and a great set for me to listen too. I don't think Mezzo is better, but certainly my current preference by quite a margin.
Disclaimer(s)
- All statements are highly subjective. Your own experiences will be different, which is good.
- All equipment is my own and I was not asked to do a write up or conclude or advertise.
Setup
I started with the N8II as a source but quickly switched over to the Matrix Mini-i Pro 2S, a handy little desktop DAC (powered by one ES9026PRO and a TPA6120A2) providing significantly better separation and dynamics over the Cayin. Probably because it can release much more juice. Despite the implemented Sabre, I never got any sense of analytical sound. Both IEMs use stock cable. After years of desperate research I finally ended up with Azla tips. I don't want to spent any more time with tip rolling so my standard go-to tips for all IEMs are Crystal and Xelastec. The Spinfits on the Odin are only for the picture
The two performers of the show
I finally found some time to do some active listening / comparison of two of my favourite IEMs. The one is a true classic, EE Odin while the other one is the latest contender, FAudio Mezzo.
FAudio Mezzo
When Andrew had his Black Friday discounts, I pulled the trigger. The MT team was super helpful, as usual and purchase & shipment were a breeze. The Mezzo had me interested right from its announcement. DD, Piezo, new technologies and IP, cool looks, "reasonable" price - many of my requirements were checked. When I first noticed the Mezzo (around mid 2022), the only Head-Fier I found owning it was @Ojisan. He was kind enough to accept my outreach and answered my questions in the most substantiated and kind way. Thanks again, you left a strong impression on me!
Empire Ears Odin
Not much to introduce I guess. I bought this one from Audio Essence in Switzerland approx 1.5+ years ago and it's a trusted member of my audio family, even though it turns out to be a bit of my problem child, occassionally. This is due to its high energy in the (upper) mids and treble. On the other hand, there is the legendary (sub) bass rumble that I originally fell in love with.
Technicalities: Driver structure
While the Odin is a classical tribrid, Mezzo is a special tribrid. It also comes with DD for bass and BAs but for the higher frequencies, FAudio added a Piezo instead of ESTs. The DD of the Mezza has a dual diaphragm and I suspect it's the reason for its crazy bass. FAudio's special trick is, they add another full range BA in order to improve the crossover and thereby coherence of Mezzo. Does it work? Relying on my ears, it definitely does work. I never experienced the slightest crossover imbalance or wished for better coherence. The Mezzo sounds like a single DD with excellent resoultion to me. Oh yes, and then there are three dip switches you can emphasize low, mid and high as to your gusto. I had switched on (enhanced) mids and lows and never that setup works great for me. To my ears, the changes are decent but nonetheless hearable. I'm sure you could spend days analysing the impact. And if you added cables and tips, you could spent your whole life analysing combinations...
Experiences
Bass
The Mezzo bass is so very good!! It perfectly fits my requirements. This is for both, sub and mid bass. The focus is on mid bass here though. Sub bass is there when called for and it supports the massive mid bass just so nicely but to me the mid bass is more remarkable.
I liked LX and EVO a lot too but they never did the trick for me entirely. Their mids (LX) and treble (EVO) did not work well for me. The same for EXT which I did not own, but only auditioned extensively. Hence I was looking for a set that satisfied my cravings for bass without sacrificing details or being a one trick pony.
Mids
There is not too much to mention for me here, other than the mids are working very well for me. Balanced. Resolving. Nicely tuned. Of all IEMs I listened to or have owned, the Phönix and the Mentor share the top score in the mids department. Mezzo is not a Mentor but I have zero complaints regarding Mezzo's mids either. Well implemented, not recessed but maybe a 1/100000th step moved to the back - which adds to its musical character and I honestly prefer it, compared to being pronounced. Fast and resolving BAs - well done, thank you.
Treble
I love the Piezo of Mezzo. EST's always scare me a bit. Actually even before actually listening to them - it's my exaggerated expectation, I guess. Expectation bias. In the back of my head, I associate sharpness and piercy sounds with ESTs. Even though this bias was never really confirmed to me. Anyways, Mezzo's treble has a silky sparkling that never comes even close to sounding piercing. Of course, given good source material. The highs are presented really well and "harmonic". They work well with the upper mids - again, I don't hear any transition but instead it's organic and natural.
Details
During my a/b ing with Odin, I got confirmtion Mezzo does it well with details. It is highly detailed, even though electronic music often does not call for highest detail in resolution (especially compared to e.g. opera or more voice centric genres), it's nice to have it, especially when living in times where (electronic) music is compressed to death in order to sound dynamic. Competing with Odin when it comes to detail is a challenge for every set, but Mezzo did very well and I could not even say it's less detailed. Probably my perception of Odin is that it appears to unveil more details, based on its upper mids and treble focus, therefore sounding "brighter" than Mezzo. But the amount of details, even though coloured "warmer" definitely is there for Mezzo. Details are important to my listening and I'm really satisfied. In that context: Mezzo scales massively with a powerful source - keep that in mind.
Coherence
This is where Mezzo made me fall in love. There are many multi-brid sets available and in the meantime they are made very very well, seeming to provide higher dynamic ranges than superb single-driver DDs or Planars. Multi-tier require good cross-over so that specific frequency ranges do not make music sound like something got switched on / switched off. As a result I don't want to be able to determine: "Ah yes, now Piezo kicks in." Mezzo is brilliant in that regard. It feels like a DD but with enhanced resoultion and increase dynamic range.
Neutrality
To me, Mezzo is not neutral but a slightly warmer set. Its strong bass foundation is certainly a main reason for my perception. On the other hand, sometimes warmth does not work well with treble for me and often leads to lesser perceived details. I don't get this with Mezzo. It is not an analytical set and if you are looking for a microscope, stick to Rangar and don't consider Mezzo. In contrast and as part of my testing, Odin is (way) more neutral to my ears -> not a surprise. But again, Mezzo counters this with very good details.
Summary
I like Mezzo a lot. Do I like it more than Odin? No because it is very different. And it complements Odin nicely when I want to experience bass and it's nice to have options. Truth told though: I hardly ever grabbed Odin after I bought Mezzo when listening to electronic music. When it comes to classical music, I do not share classical tracks in the track list below but I did audit some too. Classic is where I insist on impactful bass for many instruments but where I do opt for neutral tonality. And this is where Odin remains a reference for me. Interestingly enough, listening to Bizet - Carmen, Act 2, when Escamillo is having his 5 minutes of fame in the taverna, listening to Mezzo was intriguingly seductive too, so I will have to follow up here, doing additional sessions. Oh - and finally: Mezzo scales significantly with a powerful source!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Tracks and details
Track: New Order - Ruined in a Day (K-Klass Remix) - 06:13 / Electronic, 1995 / DR 12 / FLAC (16/44.1)
https://www.discogs.com/release/47403-NewOrder-The-Rest-Of-NewOrder
Mezzo
Bass: kicks in right from the beginning. Massive mid bass. Not too much sub bass, but it's there. Provides timbre and volume to the bongos
Mids: super homogeneous. Anne's voice is clearly defined with the exactly correct intensity. Her voice is a bit laid back which helps creating this Bladerunner-esque scenario, supporting her storytelling (rather than singing). The sound engineer probably wanted to have Anne talking from middle / middle
Highs: Good. Enough detail. It's not a high treble track, instead has a (very) good dynamic range.
Tech: More pinpointing than Odin. The bongos from the upper right have an easier to determine topology. Very accentuated but not carved out of the overall floor.
Odin
Bass: Significantly less mid bass. Hardly any audible sub bass hit.
Mids: Ok, acceptable. Clear.
Highs: Generally good. A hand full of occassions when Sumner's "s" is on the fence of piercing. Providing great clarity to the track.
Tech: Stage has more depth. Clearer separation makes width appear larger. Seems a bit faster. Focus is more on the mids and a bit on treble. This leads to good clarity.
Comparison
Difficult. Almost a tie. But then, I do enjoy Odin a tad bit more for this track. To my ears it calls for more clarity the way it was arranged and remixed. Also the Odin seems to have the upper hand for some of the sound effects moving from mid to right. On the other hand, this underscores the coherency of Mezzo where this effect is not equally audible while still being there, fitting more in the overall tonality. Sumners voice is transported very well by Odin.
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Track: Nhii - Tsubaki (Namito Remix) - 06:13 / Electronic, 2021 / DR 7 / FLAC (16/44.1)
Not yet on Discogs.
Mezzo
Bass: Excellent impact of the mid bass. Round with beautiful decay. Stompy but defined. Sub bass supporting but not being the main act.
Mids: Harmonic, warm. No voice to cover. Creating a sense of relaxed urgency.
Highs: Fitting, unspectacular but defined. Exactly good amount of energy. The constant hihat is never offensive and placed in the back.
Tech: Not spectactular either. The main part happens in the front / slightly above eye level. Some channel tricks increase stage. Hihats are placed on the left / right border of the stage. Fast decay for some effects but slow, beautiful rumbling across the entire track, induced by the bass.
Odin
Bass: Sufficient mid bass. Sub bass is audible to a higher extent than Mezzo. Sounds leaner with less impact. Still very pleasant.
Mids: Prominent. The melody is carved out and stands a bit more in front of the bass, unveiling more details. Airier.
Highs: Good. Certainly spicier than Mezzo but not sharper, not piercing but with mucho energetico. Forming a nice contrast with the sub bass.
Tech: Highhats acceptable. Very defined. Stage mid / mid - not as much from above as Mezzo and a little less wide. More 3D. Great separation.
Comparison
The two sets create two very different experiences. Today I enjoyed the Odin more since it unwraps more of the sound effects and the character of the song. Odin gives the DJ experience whereas Mezzo provides the dancefloor experience, more hypnotic, more powerful and inviting you to move and to dive in. Odin is the conductor steering the trip, Mezzo is the client.
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Track: Massive Attack feat. Ghostpoet - Come near me - 05:46 / Electronic, 2016 / DR 8 / FLAC (24/44.1)
https://www.discogs.com/release/8842063-Massive-Attack-The-Spoils
Mezzo
Bass: Oh Lord, what a bass! Thank you. This is so round and so well defined, makes me feel like I am sitting 20 cm away from a massive kickdrum. This is heaven. Supported by the hints of the sub bass, this is as good as it can get. Powerful. Priceless.
Mids: Energetic. So much that my ultrasensitive clipping indicators reported false alarms with Hope's voice thrice. A DR of 8 is a tricky indicator - everything can, nothing must. Lots of energy in the upper mids. Brilliant. Her voice comes out and fades back. 3D.
Highs: Good with just the right amount of power and nicely rounded without sounding dull.
Tech: A nice cosy orb, defined by the heartbeat of the mighty bass. The strings build a nice supporting layer, increasing stage width but not breaking the orb. Out of the small amount of details of this "simple" track, Mezzo unveils everything and provides good separation.
Odin
Bass: EE bass at its best. Deep mid bass, outstanding but still slightly subtle sub bass support. The bass defines / undergirds the entire track. Perfect carrier for the voice of Hope.
Mids: Energetic but tame. Does not uplift the strings into unpleasant areas. Organ is fine too. The female voice is put in the focus. Impressively clear during the passage when only the strings support her towards the end (04:20 ff). Very defined.
Highs: Surprisingly rounded for Odin. Massive Attack / engineering magic, proving their darker house sound that still contains so many details.
Tech: Not a technical but a very simple track (Massive Attack shall be praised. Forever.) Small, orbital stage, surrounded by the mighty Odin sub bass and the well defined mid bass. Being the ultimate clipping detector, I thought I came close to a dodgy second but no, there is none. I verified 10 times.
Comparison
Being a bass afficionado, enjoying this with Mezzo is heaven. I don't need no Mentor staging here. Instead i want the impact of the bass, thankfully accepting Massive Attack's offer. Hope Sandoval's voice floating over the carpet is so pleasing. It is detailed, rich and all of the greatness is reflected in the spectrograph (this trip was so good, I had to verify the spectrum). This directly hit my physical endorphins production facility. Beautifully mastered track.
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Track: Monolink - Amniotic - 07:31 / Electronic, 2018 / DR 7 / FLAC (16/44.1)
https://www.discogs.com/release/13589285-Monolink-Amniotic
Mezzo
Bass: Bass heaven. What a slam, once it kicks in. What a gorgeous supporting sub bass leading into the track before the mid bass is finally there, almost one and a half minute in the intro. So slow, so hypnotic such a perfect collaboration between sub and mid.
Mids: Good - nothing special to mention. Male voice is clear, good timbre and a bit laid back but not recessed.
High: The clapping / hihat support is never annoying. The maracas never go on my nerves.
Tech: Small stage. Directly in your face, supported by the subtle hall effect of the main voice. More depth than width.
Odin
Bass: Very pleasant sub bass starting to weigh in at 02:03. Before, the mid bass was underwhelming, having hear Mezzo before. Afterwards the sub bass joins forces with the mid bass. The sub bass remains in the lead, again, EE at its best - this great crunch that lays the foundation of the mid bass. Good.
Mids: Lots of energy in the upper mids. Becoming a bit too intense with loud volume and in passages where the voice is not working as a lightning rod.
High: Sometimes a bit sharp. But adding to the clarity of this track. Strong contrast to phenomenol sub bass.
Tech: Even smaller stage than Mezzo. But the track is happening a bit higher than with Mezzo.
Comparison
Mezzo is great. The power of its bass (mid and sub) is irresistible. Despite its richness in bass, this song never turns into a bass soup. Odin's definition puts a focus on the upper registers of the frequency spectrum which is very pleasant. On a different day / mind set, I'm sure Odin could please me equally well, providing more elegance to this track, compared to the power of Mezzo. And this really is atrack that unveils Odin's sub bass magic to me, when it is working hand in hand with the mid bass, but remaining the star of the show, remaining superior to Odin's mid bass.
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Track: Anne Clark - Our Darkness (Marc Romboy Respect Mix) - 07:03 / Electronic, 2021 / DR 7 / FLAC (16/44.1)
https://www.discogs.com/release/18928105-Anne-Clark-Synaesthesia-Classics-Re-worked
Mezzo
Bass: very pleasing mid bass, round and defined. Sub bass kicks in very subtle adding a touch of warmth. Massive mid bass. When required: good sub bass too.
Mids: super homogeneous. Anne's voice is clearly defined with the exactly correct intensity. Her voice is a bit laid back which helps creating this Bladerunner-esque scenario, supporting her storytelling (rather than singing). The sound engineer probably wanted to have Anne talking from middle / middle
Highs: Good detail but silky. Rounded.
Tech: Normal stage width. Despite the strong base foundation, left/right effects are very fast and defined well. Quite a bit of depth too.
Odin
Bass: Significantly less mid bass. Track is sub bass anaemic but in the rare situations there is some, Odin provides it and with irresistible and decent vibrato.
Mids: Good. No sharpness, no harshness.
Highs: Good - again, no sharpness no harshness. ESTs are more aggressive than Piezo though.
Tech: Anne is talking a bit outside of her cave. Significantly clearer / leaner sounding. Her voice is more accentuated. The track seems to have a slightly higher resoultion. More analytical. Less homogeneous. Mids seem to be torn out a bit - but that suits the track well.
Comparison
I enjoy Mezzo more. When cranking up the volume, the track becomes intense. Mezzo provides a very intense experience. It shares the same amount of detail as Odin but without focussing on the upper mids / treble registers. The bass slam is supporting from start to finish. Never bleeding but nonetheless creating thickness. Juicy. The Odin is lacking dynamics in comparison and is providing a very different experience. Had I not a/b'ed with Mezzo, I would have accepted Odin's drier, more analytical presentation without complaints but having Mezzo, this is how it should sound.
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Track: Eli Rose - Alibi (Accoustic) - 03:19 / Genre?, 2022 / DR 10 / FLAC (16/96)
Not yet on discogs.
Mezzo
Bass: Having heard Odin first: With Mezzo, there is an extra kick on the low octaves of the piano that creates a beautiful body of the composition. This is not coloured though. Just added weight, timbre and authenticity. Long decay.
Mids: Good. Not recessed but pulled out a little less than Odin. There seems a lot happening in the 10 kHz range and Mezzo renders it beautifully and with style. Nice timbre, prepared by and supported by the DD.
High: Just nice. Exactly as expected.
Tech: Very narrow stage, even though a bit wider than Odin. Low depth but it fits the song well. Good separation.
Odin
Bass: Giving the neccessary weight to the piano and her voice. Nothing more, nothing less.
Mids: Energetic. Pulling Eli's voice a little bit in front which sounds very plesant, especially with lower registers of the piano. In combination with the brighter tones and when she is singing higher notes, this is intense, but still nice.
High: Good. No sweat attack due to harshness or piercing.
Tech: Probably one of the tiniest stages I have heard with Odin. Great note separation. Audible variations of her voice when holding a tone - nice. Good timbre, remaining organical and not turning into analytical
Comparison
Mezzo allows me to listen longer, that's for sure. It's not putting out a microscope to analyse the song down to quark level. Odin does neither but is defo more analytical. Surprisingly I find Mezzo equally detailed even though there is the silky cover over everything; let's call it musicality. Mezzo unveils the timbre more beautifully than Odin. (This certainly is not a 24 / 96 mastered track but instead somebody had just scaled it up, judging from the dynamics.)
---------------------------Track: New Order - Touched by the hand of God (Twelve Inch Mix) - 07:04 / Electronic, 1987 / DR 14 / FLAC (16/44.1)
https://www.discogs.com/release/79782-New-Order-Touched-By-The-Hand-Of-God
Mezzo
Bass: It's just there, right from the beginning. Very pleasing. Supporting the track very well. No sub bass is pulled here though.
Mids: So smooth, providing the voice some relaxed authority. The slightest nuances are hearable. When the track gets busy, Sumners voice remains as the rock, perfectly tied to a mid / mid position. A micro micro metric recessed but maybe not.
Highs: Stunning. Especially when cranking up the volume a bit. Rich and round. Very harmonic but energetic. The bass delivers through the entire track making the treble musical too.
Tech: The stage is awesome. Very accentuated instruments and separation. This track has very dynamic passages, alternating with minimal passages. Both are perfectly covered.
Odin
Bass: ok. Not a bass track hence support is sufficient. It sounds "elegant" to some extent and in contrast.
Mids: The voice is coming a bit from the off. The partially whispery character is transported very well but it does peak out occassinally.
Highs: Generally good. A hand full of occassions when Sumner's "s" is on the fence of piercing. Providing great clarity to the track.
Tech: Highhats acceptable. Accentuated and visible, providing the rhythm from the far right, identifiable throughout the entire track. Quite energetic but should not be any more energetic.
Comparison
Difficult. A DR of 14 calls for technically savvy monitors. They deliver both. Both at excellent level. I prefer Mezzo by a bit though. It adds volume and musicality while never dropping detail. Separation is excellent - on par with Odin. Sumner's voice sounds richer with Mezzo which is good with this track.
Which switch setting did you stick to after all your testing???
It used to be Mentor but eventually Mezzo took over the pole. I still think Mentor is superb but my recent time was spent using Mezzo almost exclusively.
I also want to do a proper in-home shoot-out against Kublai Kahn and Ragnar. I think they would compete based on my brief demo of KK.
