Ok here goes...I will don my flame suit and prepare for the ire that this statement is probably going to garner: I'm going to be de-throning the Melomania Touch and replacing it with the ADV M5-TWS (2nd Gen) for my "midrange" recommendation for the SQ-focused consumers out there.
The Melomania Touch is still timing out after an hour of listening with apps like Neutron and UAPP; this happens regardless of the selected BT stack. I thought this was something they removed after the latest firmware update, but I am still encountering it. Such a shame, too, as they're tuned such that you could listen to them for hours if that weren't the case. The ADV will play right up until the battery dies or you happen to walk far enough away for signal to cut out. As soon as you're back in range, they seem to reconnect, but you will have to manually restart whatever track you're listening to.
They're both supremely comfortable, just in different ways. It's practically a coin toss in terms of which I prefer more. If anything, the ADV do protrude a bit more from the ears, but I don't have nearly the same amount of microphone issues as I do with the MT (constantly being asked to repeat things, for example). I can also maintain a more consistent seal with the M5, regardless of tips used.
The tuning...Oh my word, the tuning. Listening to the MT on its own is a completely enjoyable experience, but there are very apparent improvements in the M5's midbass/midrange management and treble extension when compared against the MT. I think the stigma of being "tuned by Harmon" really did a disservice to ADV as people expected something that, well, was tuned exactly to the Harman target. In all honesty, I wish the JBL were tuned more like the
M5 rather than the other way around. They honestly make up for the JBL's shortcomings, especially on the lower end, and especially in terms of volume output. You shouldn't have any headroom concerns with the M5, but most of us did with the JBL until we added that gain boost in the in-app EQ. The sort of attack you get with the M5 is palpable. It's infectious. It's sorely missing from the MT's more warm, polite representation, and I can't get enough of it.
Even listening to Genesis' stereo mix of "Get 'Em Out By Friday" displays a clear and identifiable stage. Each drum hit is properly captured and defined, right down to the last muted snare roll or cymbal ride. Never does the basswork fall behind in the mix. Everybody gets a chance to shine and It's honestly an impressive listen. Super grateful to
@samandhi for making the recommendation and it became the perfect album to use when unwinding for the night. Not even the UE FITS rendered that song as completely as the M5 did; you really do benefit from that improved low end.
So, for all those folks who followed my suggestion to hold off until the initial impressions were done, perhaps it's time to reconsider and just be aware of the M5's limitations. Based on the lack of developer support for firmware, it's probably still a little too soon to invest more in the customs, but good news is the universal feels great as is.
This is Head-Fi after all, so sorry about your wallet