Also, never underestimate comfort. E.g. Monarch is a bulky IEM, take in consideration if your ears/canal is on the smaller side.
Precog's IEM Reviews & Impressions
- Thread starter Precogvision
- Start date
Its not like Helios are small. I cant remember which fitted better but personally have fit issue with both. Helios can be intense depending on you sensitivity area in treble but its a very solid choice technically.
Monarch for me wax bland. It is by no means bad. But i just have nothing good to say about it either.
Im currently enjoying Dark Sky. Its not without issues. But as a whole package i like it much more than IE900 or Monarch mkii... That bass and staging caught me by surprise.
jlemaster1957
1000+ Head-Fier
+1 on the Monarch MkII- nothing offensive, pretty balanced, but nothing really exceptional. Agree it is bulky, works ok for me w/ Azla Sedna Xelastics though those aren’t for everyone (some find they feel too sticky)
Hi, my preferred ear tips these days are the Azla SednaEarfitLight (Shorts). They seem to be the most consistent tips for me. Good bass performance because of the rigidity of the silicone and strong treble extension because they're wide bore. Just be aware that they run larger than normal, though.
I don't swap out my ear tips very often, but maybe that's due to rotating through so many IEMs.
Will you ever cover the Xenns Up? It's a basshead IEM that surprisingly received little attention from the community despite the Tea receiving attention outside the infamous cult.
I know Crinacle didn't like the Xenns Up, but that's because the heavy bass shelf and dark treble doesn't fit his taste rather than being a mediocre IEM objectively.
I know Crinacle didn't like the Xenns Up, but that's because the heavy bass shelf and dark treble doesn't fit his taste rather than being a mediocre IEM objectively.
Probably not unless someone loans me one. I'm surprised I didn't see it when I visited Crin's office; maybe it was out on loan.
I'm looking forward to the Diva review! Is the BA bass of the Diva better than the foster DD of the Anhillator off memory?
Unique Melody MEXT Impressions
Price: $1100
Configuration: 1DD/1BC/4BA
This unit was kindly loaned to me by @Infoseeker.
Bass on the MEXT is sub-bass oriented with about ~10dB at 20Hz. To no one's surprise (or at least anyone familiar with my bass preferences), I liked it for this reason - at least initially. This feeling quickly stagnated as I started performing A/B comparisons. It became apparent to me that bass definition is not the MEXT's strong suit. It generally has a stretched characteristic to transients akin to my memory of the Empire Ears Legend X wherein texture and control are sacrificed. To put this in layman's terms, think of bass on the MEXT as being that huge, macho guy who swings clumsily and gets their ass handed to them in a fight by the nimble, skilled fighter who evades and generates force via speed and technique. The latter's an analogy for what true slam should sound like to me. In any case, this basically sounds like a DD woofer that's been pushed past its capabilities. I simply don't feel the ear-splitting intensity that should accompany, say, Hans Zimmer's "Why So Serious" at 3:27, or the sense of urgency to the drums as they abruptly gain cadence and volume at 2:27 on Kenny Chesney's "There Goes My Life".
Further along the topic of deficiencies concerning the MEXT's bass, it does not sound like the BC driver is actually doing much in the bass frequencies to me. If the BC's having an effect, it's most apparent in the midrange. Midrange transients have a brushed quality to them, thus diminishing clarity. The real fun seems to occur in decay wherein I observe a slight echo to consonances at times, such as on the Sabia's "Million Days" when the vocalist hits certain notes (e.g.,1:01 on the 'superstitious' lyric). This seems consistent with my experience listening to Empire Ear's EVO which also sports a bone conduction driver: it's a subtle effect, but one that some listeners will notice if familiar with the track being played. Tonally, I hear male and female vocals as mostly falling in-line with one another. The upper midrange and presence regions are pulled back, but in the linear fashion that I'd associate with Vision Ear's VE7/VE8 IEMs. Mostly smooth sailing in the midrange.
Treble on the MEXT is pretty standard for a BA tweeter. It has a peak somewhere around 7kHz that's intended to lend sparkle, but transients don't sound particularly exciting; the synths on Taeyeon's "Ending Credits", for example, simply don't pulse and radiate like I'm accustomed to on the Symphonium Helios. Subjectively, there's also a crushed quality to treble dynamic range and to the way subtle inflections in treble instrumentation are produced. Take for example the partially open hi-hats on the left channel of David Nail's "Let It Rain" which remind me of the difference between MP3 vs. FLAC; the MEXT being most indicative of the former. Perhaps this perception is exacerbated by some roll-off past 15kHz where the MEXT sounds quite wispy to me. Anyways, this is a decent treble response in the grand scheme of things, but it's not a standout (or at all commendable, really) given the MEXT's $1100 price tag.
Let's shift gears to intangibles. As I've evidenced above, the MEXT doesn't have great resolution; in fact, the MEST MKII noticeably outpaces it in A/B for note definition and a sense of detail. Dynamics are also generally on the more subdued side, perhaps partially due to the low magnitude of pinna compensation. But it might surprise that imaging on the MEXT is actually pretty good. Sure, the MEXT's not the sharpest in terms of instrument localization, but it's certainly above average in the soundstage department, creating a respectable sense of width and height. It's honestly a pleasure kicking back and closing my eyes on tracks that play with staging like Sawano Hiroyuki's "Binary Star" and following the various plucks of strings and shimmer around the stage.
The bottom line is that I neither love the MEXT nor do I think it's necessarily competitive, but it's at least an interesting listen. I'd rather hear something like this than the plethora of IEMs that've started to all sound the same. Really, I suppose that points to the big picture of homogeneity versus diversification. Homogeneity promotes consistency - which is great - but it stamps incentive to innovate and to try new stuff. And that's really how the gems are created (although I wouldn't say the MEXT is exactly a gem; the original MEST falls more along the lines of what I'm trying to illustrate). In any case, I think the MEXT might be worth giving a listen for some listeners.
Score: 6/10
All critical listening was done off the 4.4mm jack of my DX300 with the stock cable and Azla Xelastec ear tips.
Price: $1100
Configuration: 1DD/1BC/4BA
This unit was kindly loaned to me by @Infoseeker.
Bass on the MEXT is sub-bass oriented with about ~10dB at 20Hz. To no one's surprise (or at least anyone familiar with my bass preferences), I liked it for this reason - at least initially. This feeling quickly stagnated as I started performing A/B comparisons. It became apparent to me that bass definition is not the MEXT's strong suit. It generally has a stretched characteristic to transients akin to my memory of the Empire Ears Legend X wherein texture and control are sacrificed. To put this in layman's terms, think of bass on the MEXT as being that huge, macho guy who swings clumsily and gets their ass handed to them in a fight by the nimble, skilled fighter who evades and generates force via speed and technique. The latter's an analogy for what true slam should sound like to me. In any case, this basically sounds like a DD woofer that's been pushed past its capabilities. I simply don't feel the ear-splitting intensity that should accompany, say, Hans Zimmer's "Why So Serious" at 3:27, or the sense of urgency to the drums as they abruptly gain cadence and volume at 2:27 on Kenny Chesney's "There Goes My Life".
Further along the topic of deficiencies concerning the MEXT's bass, it does not sound like the BC driver is actually doing much in the bass frequencies to me. If the BC's having an effect, it's most apparent in the midrange. Midrange transients have a brushed quality to them, thus diminishing clarity. The real fun seems to occur in decay wherein I observe a slight echo to consonances at times, such as on the Sabia's "Million Days" when the vocalist hits certain notes (e.g.,1:01 on the 'superstitious' lyric). This seems consistent with my experience listening to Empire Ear's EVO which also sports a bone conduction driver: it's a subtle effect, but one that some listeners will notice if familiar with the track being played. Tonally, I hear male and female vocals as mostly falling in-line with one another. The upper midrange and presence regions are pulled back, but in the linear fashion that I'd associate with Vision Ear's VE7/VE8 IEMs. Mostly smooth sailing in the midrange.
Treble on the MEXT is pretty standard for a BA tweeter. It has a peak somewhere around 7kHz that's intended to lend sparkle, but transients don't sound particularly exciting; the synths on Taeyeon's "Ending Credits", for example, simply don't pulse and radiate like I'm accustomed to on the Symphonium Helios. Subjectively, there's also a crushed quality to treble dynamic range and to the way subtle inflections in treble instrumentation are produced. Take for example the partially open hi-hats on the left channel of David Nail's "Let It Rain" which remind me of the difference between MP3 vs. FLAC; the MEXT being most indicative of the former. Perhaps this perception is exacerbated by some roll-off past 15kHz where the MEXT sounds quite wispy to me. Anyways, this is a decent treble response in the grand scheme of things, but it's not a standout (or at all commendable, really) given the MEXT's $1100 price tag.
Let's shift gears to intangibles. As I've evidenced above, the MEXT doesn't have great resolution; in fact, the MEST MKII noticeably outpaces it in A/B for note definition and a sense of detail. Dynamics are also generally on the more subdued side, perhaps partially due to the low magnitude of pinna compensation. But it might surprise that imaging on the MEXT is actually pretty good. Sure, the MEXT's not the sharpest in terms of instrument localization, but it's certainly above average in the soundstage department, creating a respectable sense of width and height. It's honestly a pleasure kicking back and closing my eyes on tracks that play with staging like Sawano Hiroyuki's "Binary Star" and following the various plucks of strings and shimmer around the stage.
The bottom line is that I neither love the MEXT nor do I think it's necessarily competitive, but it's at least an interesting listen. I'd rather hear something like this than the plethora of IEMs that've started to all sound the same. Really, I suppose that points to the big picture of homogeneity versus diversification. Homogeneity promotes consistency - which is great - but it stamps incentive to innovate and to try new stuff. And that's really how the gems are created (although I wouldn't say the MEXT is exactly a gem; the original MEST falls more along the lines of what I'm trying to illustrate). In any case, I think the MEXT might be worth giving a listen for some listeners.
Score: 6/10
All critical listening was done off the 4.4mm jack of my DX300 with the stock cable and Azla Xelastec ear tips.
Last edited:
o0genesis0o
Headphoneus Supremus
That's a strange graph. I imagine if this IEM comes from a no-name company, it would be shot down immediately based on the tuning. The completely lack of ear gain kind of reminiscing of old school IEMs like Westone stuffs. I guess that explains the large perception of soundstage.
Anyhow, luckily I did not join that "reviewer discount" on MEXT several months ago and put all of that fund to Andromeda 2020 instead. Thanks for the review.
When I'm attempting to grasp the reasoning behind an IEM's tuning choices, one thing I try is comparing it with the manufacturer's previous models. If certain reviewers are praising the MEST Mk II's improved tonality over the Mk I but criticizing the lack of treble definition due to the reduction in 6 kHz, one possible move is to shift some energy over from the upper treble to both raise that 6 kHz quantity and maintain the overall low/mid/high tonal balance.
Now you've got a big blob of treble that looks like a caricature of the pre-2020 Andromeda's and kills dynamics by drowning the rest of the music under the now-exaggerated mid-treble overtones, but you've kind of accomplished what you set out to do.
Last edited:
I haven’t heard the MEXT but I own the Indigo, which in a graph lacks upper mids as well, but it ends up sounding like a W shape when actually listening to it.
Sorry, missed this. I don't think one or the other is necessarily better; they sound very different. The Foster DD is snappy and slams, but the transients are dry for a DD. Lee has told me himself that he doesn't like the driver very much and it's basically a miracle that it sounds like it does on the Annihilator. The BA bass on the Diva sounds more like the U12t from memory to me. It has smoother and lusher transients; however, it doesn't quite sound like a DD in terms of slam. Diva is also slightly more sub-bass focused in terms of where the bass shelf comes down.
jlemaster1957
1000+ Head-Fier
Same here - but my fund was to buy the U12T… which I also got on a great open box deal. The ‘reviewer discounts’ look great, how does one get to review stuff for free without quitting the day-job to work for a headphone company (not happening ever).
Last edited:
The Indigo upper mids scream Sennheiser-styled upper mids aka "depression upper mids" Crinacle memed about during his IE600 video.
Are you basing this statement on how it sounds or how it graphs?
Users who are viewing this thread
