[jwilliamhurst]

And honestly still the most bonkers staging I've ever heard in an IEM. I still maintain they nerfed the bone conduction on the MKii.

was it that the OG Mest is so large that it touched everyone’s concha because of its mass and that is why the staging excelled!? I have the mason fs and if the shell isn’t pressed against my concha I don’t get the full affect of the BC. The Mest mkII was so much smaller and I can see how maybe it’s fit wouldn’t be as easy to touch the outer ear for the vibrations to transmit through the bone…..just a thought…

 

[Rockwell75]

But that is forgivable considering the technical ability along with the soundstage magic.

And dat BASS...thick juicy and massive...to a degree simply not possible with a BA in my experience. The bass in the MEST II was one of the most disappointing things about it relative to the MKi for me.

 

[Pascal3366]

And dat BASS...thick juicy and massive...to a degree simply not possible with a BA in my experience. The bass in the MEST II was one of the most disappointing things about it relative to the MKi for me.

Weird. I heard so many times nos that the MK2 would be a superior upgrade over the mk1 in any way, especially mids and bass tuning

 

[Rockwell75]

It was the OG Mest so large that it touched everyone’s concha because of its mass and that is why the staging excelled!? I have the mason fs and if the shell isn’t pressed against my concha I don’t get the full affect of the BC. The Mest mkII was so much smaller and I can see how maybe it’s fit wouldn’t be as easy to touch the outer ear for the vibrations to transmit through the bone…..just a thought…

Was it smaller? I never had them side by side but don't remember thinking it was smaller...I never had fit issues with either.

 

[jwilliamhurst]

And dat BASS...thick juicy and massive...to a degree simply not possible with a BA in my experience. The bass in the MEST II was one of the most disappointing things about it relative to the MKi for me.

Oh yea I remember! Been thinking of picking another OG up….

 

[jwilliamhurst]

Was it smaller? I never had them side by side but don't remember thinking it was smaller...I never had fit issues with either.

Definitely. MkII smaller. MkII fit me better but like you missed the bass and staging magic of OG

 

[Verificateur]

I would also mention the fit of the ier-Z1R and how they will make or break the sound, However even with a good fit it sounds like a cavernous cave in my Opinion.
For that money one can get something that just doesn’t have good bass. Soundstage is expanded because the upper mid suck out…looking at the graphs of all three, I would steer clear of the Roxanne. Def would take the Z1R over the Roxanne. Hands down!

And honestly still the most bonkers staging I've ever heard in an IEM. I still maintain they nerfed the bone conduction on the MKii.

I must be lucky? I find the IER-Z1R to be supremely comfortable with deep insertion (either stock Sony silicone or Azla Crystal). Really good noise isolation too. They just sit deep and don’t move, no need to adjust them, and despite them being on the heavier side, I don’t feel them as being heavy since they are lodged deep in and the weight is distributed I assume.

I was reading all the messages about fit and felt discouraged, but finally decided to take a leap of faith … and it paid off. Sold all my other IEMs, as the tuning and grandeur of the IER-Z1R have won me over.

PS forgot to mention, driving them with Shanling M8 on Turbo gain, as @Rockwell75 mentioned they do indeed love power…I can hear the increase the dynamics (unless my brain is playing tricks on me of course).

 

[Rockwell75]

Weird. I heard so many times nos that the MK2 would be a superior upgrade over the mk1 in any way, especially mids and bass tuning

It's more "even keeled" I suppose. My summary impressions of the MEST II written back in April were as follows: "It's a very nicely balanced and engaging IEM. Compared to my memories of the OG MEST I miss the oomph and impact of the bass, but the mids are more forward and possibly more natural sounding. It doesn't have the almost surreal wow factor that I remember the staging on the original having that left me feeling almost that I was inhabiting another dimension when I was listening to them. Upper mids seem just a hair breadth too energetic for me...though possibly no different than OG. On the whole I would say the MKii is a refined and ultimately more polite take on the original...more mature but not as much spectacle or fun. I feel comfortable saying they're a great IEM as to whether they're an upgrade over the original may ultimately depend on the individual."

 

[Rockwell75]

I must be lucky? I find the IER-Z1R to be supremely comfortable with deep insertion (either stock Sony silicone or Azla Crystal). Really good noise isolation too. They just sit deep and don’t move, no need to adjust them, and despite them being on the heavier side, I don’t feel them as being heavy since they are lodged deep in and the weight is distributed I assume.

It was reading all the messages about fit and felt discouraged, but finally decided to take a leap of faith … and it paid off. Sold all my other IEMs, as the tuning and grandeur of the IER-Z1R have won me over.

PS forgot to mention, driving them with Shanling M8.

Shanling M8 + IER Z1R was an absolutely epic pairing. My fit issues vanished entirely once I start using OG Sedna tips but I always bring up fit as it's so persistently an issue with these IEMs. I've owned the IER Z1R twice in my life but ultimately it's not my ideal FR.

 

[blotmouse]

I currently own and auditioned the Roxanne Aion for about 30 mins and packed it back up where it has stayed ever since.
Never heard the u12t. I am super unmotivated to hear that, honestly. I couldn't be more bored with the idea of it.

 

[drftr]

was it that the OG Mest is so large that it touched everyone’s concha because of its mass and that is why the staging excelled!? I have the mason fs and if the shell isn’t pressed against my concha I don’t get the full affect of the BC. The Mest mkII was so much smaller and I can see how maybe it’s fit wouldn’t be as easy to touch the outer ear for the vibrations to transmit through the bone…..just a thought…

Tnx - getting your earlier sizing comment now.

drftr

 

[Pascal3366]

I guess I will choose from :

- U12T
- Mest Mk1
- Mest MK2

Then.

Sadly I can't find any mest in Europe, not for testing and not for buying

 

[drftr]

I guess I will choose from :

- U12T
- Mest Mk1
- Mest MK2

Then.

Sadly I can't find any mest in Europe, not for testing and not for buying

There's a €650 OG in the classifieds listed in GBP. If you don't like it you can probably resell it for more!

drftr

 

[jwilliamhurst]

I currently own and auditioned the Roxanne Aion for about 30 mins and packed it back up where it has stayed ever since.
Never heard the u12t. I am super unmotivated to hear that, honestly. I couldn't be more bored with the idea of it.

You should at least hear it. You may be surprised. I used to be in the same boat as you on it and when I heard it, mind changed dramatically. Don’t pass it up if you get the chance

 

[Rockwell75]

You should at least hear it. You may be surprised. I used to be in the same boat as you on it and when I heard it, mind changed dramatically. Don’t pass it up if you get the chance

Did you just get it recently or have you had it for a while? Congrats on finding something you love despite having reservations going in. That's always a great feeling. The u12t is the Lord of the Rings of the IEM world for me...it's a towering (haha) presence in the community, with many people-- including many very prominent reviewers & hobbyists-- thinking it is he de facto greatest "all rounder" there is and yet...as with Tolkien's books (and Jackson's movies)-- the whole thing just leaves me cold, despite numerous attempts to make myself like it. I used to think there was something wrong with me because I just couldn't connect with it when so many others insisted was the greatest thing ever...but it actually helped me come to grips with the fact, in this hobby and elsewhere, that we all hear things differently and nothing, no matter how good it is, will be for everyone. The world would be a much less interesting place if this were not so.