REVIEW: Unique Melody Merlin - hybrid dynamic/balanced armature custom IEM
Oct 16, 2011 at 7:50 AM Post #106 of 1,290
Project 86, You seem to have agreat taste in Music, to me at least anyway......Hey maybe we just must have  gone to different schools together 
tongue.gif

 
Oct 19, 2011 at 1:37 AM Post #107 of 1,290


Quote:
After reading Maguire's review above it's sparked even more interest in me about the Merlins. I'm still looking for my first customs, with the Merlins currently at the top of my list, the JH16 a close second and the Miracle third. I'm looking for bass and a sound quality that's an improvement over the FX700, although it seems as no one has heard both. I've always been more of a fan of dynamic speaker's bass than BA bass and that's why the Merlins are currently sitting above the JH16 on my list, but I'm concerned that I'll be losing out on some detail and clarity with all this boom that the Merlins supposedly has. People who has heard the Miracles and Merlin stated that the Merlins have too much bass in some songs, leading me to believe that the bass of the Merlins may be too much. I'm not a big fan of analytical phones, and I like my music to have weight but nothing overly warm. I do like bass very very much, I've just never heard a custom before and simply cannot imagine what they sound like and if I were to get one, I'd want it to be a clear upgrade over my universals.Would the Merlins be the right customs for me? 


The Merlins have great bass, but honestly it's nothing that was *too* boomy that it ruined the details. 
I have heard the Merlins, the FX700 and the FX500. I am doing this from memory and not AB, but I'm pretty sure the FX500 hsa more bass than the other two, but just slightly over the FX700 in terms of boominess. The Merlins have a much more controlled, deeper kind of bass that doesn't boom over the details. I wouldn't worry about losing out on details. 
 
Take note thought that I am a basshead and that my tolerance for bass is a lot higher than most people. 
 
Oct 22, 2011 at 8:09 PM Post #108 of 1,290


Quote:
The Merlins have great bass, but honestly it's nothing that was *too* boomy that it ruined the details. 
I have heard the Merlins, the FX700 and the FX500. I am doing this from memory and not AB, but I'm pretty sure the FX500 hsa more bass than the other two, but just slightly over the FX700 in terms of boominess. The Merlins have a much more controlled, deeper kind of bass that doesn't boom over the details. I wouldn't worry about losing out on details. 
 
Take note thought that I am a basshead and that my tolerance for bass is a lot higher than most people. 


Thanks for your quick comparison. As a bit of a basshead myself, I'm curious to what you think of the Merlins in terms of overall sound quality and bass?

 
 
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 3:50 AM Post #109 of 1,290
Hi there Project86, somewhere in the thread you mentioned that using to commute on the bus, its better to spend less on IEMs, is that IEMs in general?
 
Or are you referring to the Merlin because of the noise isolation?
 
I currently own the SM3, and use it to commute to work, and I admit that I do hear a bit of background noise, so I gotta crank up the volume
 
Would the Merlins have better isolation than the SM3's? 
 
Would I still be able to enjoy the Merlins commuting on the bus and train? 
or can I still be able to hear people talk?
 
Maybe I could put up the volume, but don't want to risk tinnitus if I'm gonna do that everyday :p
 
Cheers
James
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 4:20 AM Post #110 of 1,290


Quote:
 
Would the Merlins have better isolation than the SM3's? 


No.  They have good isolation for a vented custom but it is still vented.
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 6:51 AM Post #111 of 1,290


Quote:
No.  They have good isolation for a vented custom but it is still vented.



Thanks Anaxilus
 
Just to be clear, cos I'm a bit neurotic :p
 
So you're saying that the Merlin isolation is on par with the SM3s 
 
or
 
The Merlin's have less isolation compared to SM3's because of the vent?
 
Cheers
James
 
 
 
Nov 1, 2011 at 9:29 AM Post #114 of 1,290
I agree. Isolation is not a strong point with these. Still better than a Yuin PK1 or something, but probably lower than most other IEMs out there. 
 
My point about commuting: in many situations (like public transit), it just isn't conducive to critical listening. For some people, it is already difficult to spot the differences between a pretty good IEM and a top level IEM, even under ideal circumstances. Add a bunch of background noise and distraction, and it only gets worse. Then there is the potential to have your expensive items lost, stolen, or damaged. Personally I would rather use something like a UE4pro, Westone AC2, SM2, GR-07.... something that still sounds great but doesn't cost a fortune. 
 
That doesn't mean that those are as good as the Merlin, JH13, Miracle, ES5, etc. It just means there is a time and a place for every type of IEM.
 
Nov 3, 2011 at 12:59 AM Post #115 of 1,290
I'm on a fairly packed train right now using the Merlins, the isolation is actually really good in terms of blocking outside noise; I'm just noticing a slight loss of bass impact. I still feel very immersed in the music I'm listening to (Goldfrapp - Pilots). These are really no worse than any vented universal to me.
 
Nov 3, 2011 at 3:51 AM Post #116 of 1,290
Thanks for the feedback phntmsmshr.

Could you let me know which source you are using and approximate percentage level on the volume?

Did you find you had to put up the volume knob higher and by how much when using the Merlins in public?

I unfortunately do not have any open vented iem to compare with.
Had the w3s, tf10s, sm3s (those 3 isolated well cept for the tf10 if I move around and lose the seal)

I had the IE8s at once stage and really dug the sound when listening in doors, but the moment I took it outside, the wind noise or the bus grumbles could be felt/heard and that was a deal breaker. Couldn't enjoy outside, as the point of iem.

So sold them straight away after shelling a decent amount on them.

It could be due to te short nozzle and the vet cos of the bass tuning key.
But if isolation is worse than the iems I own, and similar to ie8s, no matter how good the bass is, I don't want to be stuck enjoying them indoors

I could be picky, but just like to not has to worry about hearing external noises :p
 
Nov 3, 2011 at 2:48 PM Post #117 of 1,290
I was using an ipod nano unamped, volume about 2/3 of the way up. I would normally need the volume just over half if using it at home or in a quiet place.
 
Nov 4, 2011 at 3:27 PM Post #119 of 1,290

 
Quote:
phntmsmshr - would you say you have small, medium or large ears? I wonder if that makes a difference, because some of us are experiencing better isolation than others. 


I've got pretty big ears I'd say, I found I get the best isolation with the largest size Monster foam supertip (or an untrimmed Shure triple flange for the narrow bore) for universals. I don't know if it is standard for all Merlins but my vents are positioned almost underneath the dynamic driver, and point downwards when worn.
 
 
 
Nov 4, 2011 at 6:30 PM Post #120 of 1,290
Ahh.. that could be it ?
 
I think I tend to have small - medium sized ears, so maybe isolation would be better
 
From memory I didn't like the medium sized SFPRO5 tips, and went for the smaller sized ones
Then for the W3's I used the small sized sony hybrids with the comply foam tip core.
 
My friend reckons that I should go medium, though as I complain of isolation, but wearing them for long periods make it uncomfortable
But with customs all that shouldn't matter and all be the same isolation regardless of ear shape right?
 
 

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