cleg
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2011
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Russian company MyST isnt very well-known worldwide, but they made some really interesting products that really worth your attention. Here, on Head-Fi there is a tread, about their portable DAC/amp built on multibit AD1688 chip PortaDAC OCUB, also sold now in Europe under Tento trademark (Headfonia review can be found here). But their products are not limited to this device, so I'd like to tell you a little bit about their lineup of earphones, called Nails.
Roman, owner of MyST, always told that best earphones are single driver ones, as the're have less problems with interference and thus offers better resolution and clarity. After careful Nails auditioning I can agree with him. BTW, there are lots of really excellent single-driver earphones: Etymotic ER-4, Ortophon models, Phonaks, etc.
Well, for now, there is the only way to do it. You can contact Roman directly via e-mail rom@mycroft.su or Skype tov.Sergeant and purchase directly from him. It's not that comfortable, as using online shop, but this earphones makes it worth it.
As Nails are made entirely in Russia (except receivers of course), they're sharing similar tough design. It's simple and effective, as Kalashnikov rifle and Sputnik. All earphones are made of metal and have a shape of thin tube. Just look at photos, there is not much to say about them. All of them come without any eartips, carrying cases, boxes and other stuff. This is done to reduce cost as much as possible, and I think it's not a big issue, because almost everyone here have it's bag of eartips
From other hand, Nails' cable is really nice. It's silver-plated copper, in silicon, so it's tough, it's tangle-resistant and it's definitely sounds good. MyST uses big angled full-metal Neutrik jack that is few times bigger then earphones themselve.
Anyway, comfort of this earphones are really superb, and with proper tips you can get perfect passive noise cancellation.
Almost all of those have high impedance, so they play well with good amplifiers and players (and not good with simple sources), so they really does benefit from good sources. All of Nails offers amazing details and clarity, but have different sound signatures. All of them will surprise you with level of details, you'll got from your well-known recordings.
Nails v1
Impedance 60Ω, price ≈ $250. Their frequency response is a little bit V-shaped, with small accents on lows and highs. Great microdynamics offers you tons of details. Nails v1 have very energetic classical sound with nice soundstage. They fits almost any genre, so they are one of the most universal models in MyST lineup.
Nails v2
Impedance 120Ω, price ≈ $280. Their sound have dark flavour. Good hint of warms makes their bass tough and punchy, with great layering and details retrieval. But bass are absolutely not leaking to mid frequencies, so Nails v2 offers excellent details and emotions for instruments. Highs are little rolled off, but still offers very nice details. This model is perfect for classic rock records, electronic music, etc.
Nails v3
Impedance 25Ω, price ≈ $250. This model uses receivers from classical Sleek Audio SA6, so sound signature is pretty close (but build quality is few times better). Somewhat smoothed lows reminds models with dynamic drivers, but mids and highs are nice. This earphones offers really sweet sound with relaxed signature, that fits greatly for jazz, acoustic performance and so on.
Nails 2x2
Impedance 150Ω, price ≈ $225. The only dual-driver model in company lineup. Actually, they dual balanced armatures, built in once case. This are antonyms for Nails v2: bright (but not harsh) earphones with main accent on mids and highs. They can be sibilant on bad records, but on good ones, they'll give you incredible soundstage with spacious and airy sound.
Nails are earphones really worth paying attention. For now, Roman is looking for ways to offer his models worldwide, and I hope he'll manage to do it. You can also find more information about different MyST products on english version of their homepage.
PS Sorry for my english.
Roman, owner of MyST, always told that best earphones are single driver ones, as the're have less problems with interference and thus offers better resolution and clarity. After careful Nails auditioning I can agree with him. BTW, there are lots of really excellent single-driver earphones: Etymotic ER-4, Ortophon models, Phonaks, etc.
How to get them
Well, for now, there is the only way to do it. You can contact Roman directly via e-mail rom@mycroft.su or Skype tov.Sergeant and purchase directly from him. It's not that comfortable, as using online shop, but this earphones makes it worth it.
Design
As Nails are made entirely in Russia (except receivers of course), they're sharing similar tough design. It's simple and effective, as Kalashnikov rifle and Sputnik. All earphones are made of metal and have a shape of thin tube. Just look at photos, there is not much to say about them. All of them come without any eartips, carrying cases, boxes and other stuff. This is done to reduce cost as much as possible, and I think it's not a big issue, because almost everyone here have it's bag of eartips
From other hand, Nails' cable is really nice. It's silver-plated copper, in silicon, so it's tough, it's tangle-resistant and it's definitely sounds good. MyST uses big angled full-metal Neutrik jack that is few times bigger then earphones themselve.
Anyway, comfort of this earphones are really superb, and with proper tips you can get perfect passive noise cancellation.
Sound
Almost all of those have high impedance, so they play well with good amplifiers and players (and not good with simple sources), so they really does benefit from good sources. All of Nails offers amazing details and clarity, but have different sound signatures. All of them will surprise you with level of details, you'll got from your well-known recordings.
Nails v1
Impedance 60Ω, price ≈ $250. Their frequency response is a little bit V-shaped, with small accents on lows and highs. Great microdynamics offers you tons of details. Nails v1 have very energetic classical sound with nice soundstage. They fits almost any genre, so they are one of the most universal models in MyST lineup.
Nails v2
Impedance 120Ω, price ≈ $280. Their sound have dark flavour. Good hint of warms makes their bass tough and punchy, with great layering and details retrieval. But bass are absolutely not leaking to mid frequencies, so Nails v2 offers excellent details and emotions for instruments. Highs are little rolled off, but still offers very nice details. This model is perfect for classic rock records, electronic music, etc.
Nails v3
Impedance 25Ω, price ≈ $250. This model uses receivers from classical Sleek Audio SA6, so sound signature is pretty close (but build quality is few times better). Somewhat smoothed lows reminds models with dynamic drivers, but mids and highs are nice. This earphones offers really sweet sound with relaxed signature, that fits greatly for jazz, acoustic performance and so on.
Nails 2x2
Impedance 150Ω, price ≈ $225. The only dual-driver model in company lineup. Actually, they dual balanced armatures, built in once case. This are antonyms for Nails v2: bright (but not harsh) earphones with main accent on mids and highs. They can be sibilant on bad records, but on good ones, they'll give you incredible soundstage with spacious and airy sound.
Conclusion
Nails are earphones really worth paying attention. For now, Roman is looking for ways to offer his models worldwide, and I hope he'll manage to do it. You can also find more information about different MyST products on english version of their homepage.
PS Sorry for my english.
These things all look great. I love those with this form factor. Too bad they are not within my embarrassingly low budget....
