[dweaver]

A surprise arrived for me today (on a Sunday!)

My initial thoughts were these are going to be to bass light for me. But as I listened either my ears got used to the sound or the bass changed a bit and I started to find the bass just about right. I fired up the song Rest by Beckah Shae and the bass definitely goes as deep as my Z5 but is less heavy. I would say it is actually similar to the new Sony 100AAP for the bass which will good news to anyone who found the MDR XBA-H3/A3 or the Z5 to over powering.

The midrange is beautifully balanced not slanting towards the lower or upper areas to much. In comparison the Z5 is warmer and the new Echobox X1 or Fidue A73 are brighter. The midrange is ever so slightly forward so the vocals never get over whelmed but don't shout either.

The treble is detailed and present but never in your face or harsh. In this area the Z5 and the M4U4 are very similar and just the way I like my treble. The Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 are on the other end of the scale being too hot and bright for me.

Nothing really jumped out at me as being exceptional as I started my listening but here is a telling point. As I was listening and going through specific tracks I use for testing I found myself time and time again not wanting to skip to the next track but just kept letting the music play as I was caught up in the music.

I will have to do some true A/B testing but I think the Z5 will have a larger sound stage and be more 3D in its presentation. But the M4U4 is larger than the Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 and is above average.

Detail retrieval appears to be slightly higher than the Z5 and on par with some of the other better IEMs I have owned but with a more natural quality to it.

Comfort wise I would say it is above average. The stems are a bit long for me so I can't get a flush fit of the IEM body to my ear as I can not handle deep insertion in my ear. Isolation seems better than the Z5 but I have to see when I am on the train and in the downtown area to be sure. I also have yet to go for a walk with these so can not comment on wind and microphonics yet.

Genres I really like with these so far are choral, classical, Jazz, classic rock, psychedelic rock.

MH, I tried these with Rush and yup they sound very good indeed .

 

[AlanU]

I think anyone wanting more detail will want marginally more treble. The PSB cannot be defined as having a troublesome veil but it's not a hyper detailed clarity beast. It's the sweet spot with smooth characteristics.

No fatigue for sensitive ears. The more and more I'm using these IEM with memory foam tips the more I feel it's a killer set of earphones for the price.

 

[Toom]

A surprise arrived for me today (on a Sunday!)

My initial thoughts were these are going to be to bass light for me. But as I listened either my ears got used to the sound or the bass changed a bit and I started to find the bass just about right. I fired up the song Rest by Beckah Shae and the bass definitely goes as deep as my Z5 but is less heavy. I would say it is actually similar to the new Sony 100AAP for the bass which will good news to anyone who found the MDR XBA-H3/A3 or the Z5 to over powering.

The midrange is beautifully balanced not slanting towards the lower or upper areas to much. In comparison the Z5 is warmer and the new Echobox X1 or Fidue A73 are brighter. The midrange is ever so slightly forward so the vocals never get over whelmed but don't shout either.

The treble is detailed and present but never in your face or harsh. In this area the Z5 and the M4U4 are very similar and just the way I like my treble. The Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 are on the other end of the scale being too hot and bright for me.

Nothing really jumped out at me as being exceptional as I started my listening but here is a telling point. As I was listening and going through specific tracks I use for testing I found myself time and time again not wanting to skip to the next track but just kept letting the music play as I was caught up in the music.

I will have to do some true A/B testing but I think the Z5 will have a larger sound stage and be more 3D in its presentation. But the M4U4 is larger than the Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 and is above average.

Detail retrieval appears to be slightly higher than the Z5 and on par with some of the other better IEMs I have owned but with a more natural quality to it.

Comfort wise I would say it is above average. The stems are a bit long for me so I can't get a flush fit of the IEM body to my ear as I can not handle deep insertion in my ear. Isolation seems better than the Z5 but I have to see when I am on the train and in the downtown area to be sure. I also have yet to go for a walk with these so can not comment on wind and microphonics yet.

Genres I really like with these so far are choral, classical, Jazz, classic rock, psychedelic rock.

MH, I tried these with Rush and yup they sound very good indeed .

Great initial impressions, thanks for making them.

Can I ask which tips you have been using? I've cycled through a few now and have finally settled on the smallest supplied silcones. While the Comply do offer the best isolation, I don't love the treble-dampening effect they have. The silicones give the best balance for my ears.

 

[dweaver]

I am using the large silicone tips. I will try some Sony hybrids later but so far the included tips work very well for me. I like you find the comply tips more isolating but they do attenuate the treble and I Also find them not as comfortable.

 

[AlanU]

I am using the large silicone tips. I will try some Sony hybrids later but so far the included tips work very well for me. I like you find the comply tips more isolating but they do attenuate the treble and I Also find them not as comfortable.

I just find running around or even eating can disturb the seal with silicon tips. Didn't realize until I started to use them outdoors and at work. Memory foam tips seem to work well for my ears.

 

[dweaver]

I tried the Sony hybrids but they attenuated the treble so I am sticking with the stock tips which are very close to as comfortable for me anyway.

No issue eating for me.

I am enjoying the Heck out of these! I will have to wait and see which I ultimately like more but these are the first IEM to challenge my Z5. They are also the first balanced signature I have really liked since I turned to the dark side. I have not used them on the train yet but I a pretty sure they isolate better than the Z5 and are above average in this regard. Microphonics are not as good as the Z5 but well above average. Not sure about wind yet as there has been none to try in yet but I suspect they will good.

They definitely can play with the IEMs I have owned and own that are in the $400-700 range which is awesome considering they are $300.

Their connector is more like the one used by Meelec than the standard round coaxial connector used by Sony, UE, Shure etc. so I won't be able to try them in balanced mode on my Pono unless I can find a 3rd party cable but they sound as good as my Z5 in balanced mode anyway so I might not ever worry about it.

 

[MacedonianHero]

A surprise arrived for me today (on a Sunday!)

My initial thoughts were these are going to be to bass light for me. But as I listened either my ears got used to the sound or the bass changed a bit and I started to find the bass just about right. I fired up the song Rest by Beckah Shae and the bass definitely goes as deep as my Z5 but is less heavy. I would say it is actually similar to the new Sony 100AAP for the bass which will good news to anyone who found the MDR XBA-H3/A3 or the Z5 to over powering.

The midrange is beautifully balanced not slanting towards the lower or upper areas to much. In comparison the Z5 is warmer and the new Echobox X1 or Fidue A73 are brighter. The midrange is ever so slightly forward so the vocals never get over whelmed but don't shout either.

The treble is detailed and present but never in your face or harsh. In this area the Z5 and the M4U4 are very similar and just the way I like my treble. The Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 are on the other end of the scale being too hot and bright for me.

Nothing really jumped out at me as being exceptional as I started my listening but here is a telling point. As I was listening and going through specific tracks I use for testing I found myself time and time again not wanting to skip to the next track but just kept letting the music play as I was caught up in the music.

I will have to do some true A/B testing but I think the Z5 will have a larger sound stage and be more 3D in its presentation. But the M4U4 is larger than the Echobox X1 and the Fidue A73 and is above average.

Detail retrieval appears to be slightly higher than the Z5 and on par with some of the other better IEMs I have owned but with a more natural quality to it.

Comfort wise I would say it is above average. The stems are a bit long for me so I can't get a flush fit of the IEM body to my ear as I can not handle deep insertion in my ear. Isolation seems better than the Z5 but I have to see when I am on the train and in the downtown area to be sure. I also have yet to go for a walk with these so can not comment on wind and microphonics yet.

Genres I really like with these so far are choral, classical, Jazz, classic rock, psychedelic rock.

MH, I tried these with Rush and yup they sound very good indeed

.

 
Excellent...I'm glad you like them. And yes, they do rock with Rush! 

 

[dweaver]

Ok isolation is wayyyy better than the Z5 and quite a bit above average, approaching almost Shure levels of isolation for me. I can hardly hear the announcements on the train and the train noise is almost completely gone as well.

Sonic wise these have amazing dynamics allowing them to be delicate and yet powerful as each song requires with an effortless quality I have not heard for quite a while. The last IEM I owned that had the same effortless quality was the MDR-7550 which similarly was a balanced IEM. But the M4U4 goes deeper and a bit higher than the 7550 so improves on that IEM sonically plus has the added isolation, a more manageable cable, easier ergonomics, 2 quality cables, a case... I will stop as I think my point is made .

 

[SwedishBass]

Long time, no post for me. As a preface, I'm nowhere near an audiophile, I'm just a musician since 20 years that wants musical sounding headphones, which to me are the PSB M4U 2:s. My greatest accomplishment as a headphone nerd is noticing that RHA had changed the voicing on their 750 IEM:s after returning them on warranty repair and getting a new pair. "You are indeed correct in that we have altered the voicing slightly, well spotted", or something to that effect. They had altered the voicing to a slightly less V-shaped one, which I noticed right away.
 
Anyway, as I was running some errands today in downtown Stockholm, I popped in at my local hifi-store, where I previously bought my much beloved M4U 2:s (they are the only store in the whole country that have them in stock).
 
They had received a demo pair of the M4U 4:s, and I was asked to try them out. They had the silicone tips on (L size, I believe) the first time. I ran them straight out of my iPhone 5 (don't judge me , that is the audio source I am the most used to, being a low income worker), and I found them a bit too trebly. Not all the sound signature I had come to love. I expected something more neutral and balanced.
 
I also tried out the RHA T20:s, as they were also on display. They sounded good, but too V-shaped [for my taste], even with the "reference" filter used. Very deep sub bass, but just too much of it for my taste. Not in any way muddy or boomy, but too much none the less.
 
Anyway, I struck up a conversation with the staff (it being a slow Monday) regarding music, being bass players, the M4U 2:s and my disappointment with the 4:s. I just love discussing headphones with people who know their stuff and have a passion that shows. We talked a lot about the "Beats issue" on today's headphone market, loudness issues slowly being eradicated, and the state of music in general. I've often heard the phrase "how can you spend €300 on headphones" thrown at me, but for me, the opposite question is the important one; how can you not spend €300 on headphones, for the most beautiful thing in the world, music?
 
But, I digress!
 
I remember reading in a review that Paul Barton voiced the M4U 4:s with the Comply tips. Having read reviews stating that the 4:s come very close to the sound of the 2:s, I just couldn't leave the store before trying them again, but this time with the Comply tips. I have quite small ear canals, so I tried the small size ones. 
 
I turned on my "reference" track, and BOOM!
 
There it was! THE SOUND!
 
Everything I expected out the M4U brand was there. The tight and accurate (and in fact better extended) bass. The incredibly natural mids, and the musical treble I've come to expect from PSB headphones. A silly smile appeared on my face as I got lost in the musicality of these IEM:s. I have been using RHA 750:s for my IEM needs, and while they sound really good for their price range, they just couldn't compare to my M4U 2:s. The 4:s, however, can! Like I mentioned, I even found a greater bass extension in the IEM:s over the over-ear model. While I prefer a neutral and accurate bass, the 2:s just sound a tad bass shy with some material of lesser sound quality/mixing, but the IEM:s were a pure musical home run for me.
 
tl;dr:
 
With the Comply tips, the M4U 4:s sounded exactly like I wanted them to; close to a carbon copy of the M4U 2:s, but with better bass extension. That's the best review I could ever think of. 

 My wallet will be hurting, but my ears will be happy during the cold and snowy Swedish winter, listening to these!

 

[dweaver]

Nice impressions. Its fun how little things like the tips can make just enough difference. I find the treble just right using the stock silicone but can easily see how the comply tips will be better for others like yourself. If you have any Sony hybrid tips kicking around you might find they give you a very similar effect.

 

[SwedishBass]

Nice impressions. Its fun how little things like the tips can make just enough difference. I find the treble just right using the stock silicone but can easily see how the comply tips will be better for others like yourself. If you have any Sony hybrid tips kicking around you might find they give you a very similar effect.

It is indeed interesting how much of a difference the tips can make. I find IEM comfort to be a big issue, I usually can't listen for more than 45 minutes with the stock [size S] silicone tips on my RHA 750:s before I need to take them out and "air out" my ear canals. Sadly all the supplied foam tips were all too large for my ears, I couldn't get the deep fit needed for optimal sound, so I was stuck with silicone. In comparison, the Comply tips felt like pillows for my ears, very comfortable and not at all sweaty or warm. The S size seemed to be perfect for my ear canals, and the noise isolation and great sound I got with them solidified this fact.

 

[AlanU]

Local shop had the PSB's for $259 cdn on sale. What an absolutely incredible IEM for that price.
 
My friend took advantage on that killer price after he took my suggestion.  The more and more I read about real end users reviews I'm very grateful for such a great IEM for the price.

 

[SwedishBass]

  Local shop had the PSB's for $259 cdn on sale. What an absolutely incredible IEM for that price.
 
My friend took advantage on that killer price after he took my suggestion.  The more and more I read about real end users reviews I'm very grateful for such a great IEM for the price.

I'm hoping that my local store will have them for sale after christmas; in Sweden it is tradition for music/electronics retailers to have sales after the holidays are over. Your friend got a great price indeed, I'm jealous.

 

[AlanU]

  I'm hoping that my local store will have them for sale after christmas; in Sweden it is tradition for music/electronics retailers to have sales after the holidays are over. Your friend got a great price indeed, I'm jealous.

 I'm totally jealous too!!!!
 
My ears are without a doubt "NOT" golden. I am somewhat particular in my "speakers".  
 
The foam tips fit OK  but I do appreciate how the foam contours to the ear canal so that the IEM's never walk out of my ears while I'm eating or running around. The small silicon tips works well too but it's a matter of time where I twist my head and I suddenly loose seal. 
 
I still find it remarkable that my iPhone 6 Plus is such an incredible media player that has some finesse in how it presents the music. I know some may cringe but for a semi critical listen I will never complain of the SQ the PSB's provide with such a commonly found unit found in our pockets

 

[SwedishBass]

   I'm totally jealous too!!!!
 
My ears are without a doubt "NOT" golden. I am somewhat particular in my "speakers".  
 
The foam tips fit OK  but I do appreciate how the foam contours to the ear canal so that the IEM's never walk out of my ears while I'm eating or running around. The small silicon tips works well too but it's a matter of time where I twist my head and I suddenly loose seal. 
 
I still find it remarkable that my iPhone 6 Plus is such an incredible media player that has some finesse in how it presents the music. I know some may cringe but for a semi critical listen I will never complain of the SQ the PSB's provide with such a commonly found unit found in our pockets

Indeed. The versatility and ease of use of the M4U 2:s are what got me interested in them in the first place. The fact that I don't need an external amp to drive them, and that that they sound fantastic even in passive mode is the icing on the cake on the already great design. 
 
I just need to have the IEM:s, now...
 
That's the problem trying out something from PSB; they make such musical sounding products, at a very attractive price point, that the GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) is very strong.