[fire2368]

Waiting for Suyama-san to develop a way to SR upgrade us single bore folks XD

Agreed, I'll be all over it.
 
Can anyone recommend a bright cable for the MH335? I'm using the 000 now. I haven't listened to my 335s for a good amount of time now and I'm loving my desktop setup that I don't feel the specialness of the 335 anymore, like when I first listened to them. I feel they're heavy on bass and it creeps into the lower mids/voices.

 

[KLS]

  My MH335DW-SR Review. I'll probably put this up in the review section one of these days with photos, etc.

The MH335DW-SR originally came in the form of MH335DW back in March '13. Last year around April I had my MH335DW upgraded to the Studio Reference - an offering that was open to a selected few in Japan which later opened up to the rest of Japan in August. Let's call this the MH335DW-SR for now. The idea with the SR version is a titanium tube added and some swapping of the resistors to tweak the crossovers a little.
 
I do want to add a little about my feelings of the MH335DW-SR before diving into the SQ. It has taken me a long time to write about the SR because with the MH335DW/SR series, I felt what I finally received in its CIEM form didn't really sound like the universal demos at the shows - which won my heart in the first place and led me to investing the CIEM version. The same is true for the K10's but that's a different story. Back to the FitEars, this was true to me for both the MH335DW and it's SR versions. However I've not been able to compare side-by-side my final CIEM to the universal demos, I only had to go by memory. Despite FitEar being local, it's not easy to get hold of Suyama-san to compare the CIEM to the universal demos. I know many will say that's because the universal demos don't fit as well as the CIEM equivalents - in my case at least based on my "gut" I preferred the universal demos over the final CIEM - but without being able to compare side-by-side, it was hard t confirm this feeling.
 
Now that's out of the way, let's get more into the MH335DW-SR. Below is based on my MH335DW-SR off the RWAK240 with fw 1.15, and with the  iPhone (Onkyo Player) -> Aurender Flow, with the Beat Audio Prima Donna single ended.
 
The most noticable to the signature is the "DW" portion which stands for "Double Woofer". There's copious amount of quality sub bass in this FitEar model, more so than the universal demos that I tried. The rendering of the sub bass is phenomenal with smooth layering. Yet despite the quanity of sub bass, it doesn't bleed into the other frequencies. The bass prominence does extend up to the mid bass but then tends to pull back a little. Although the vocals aren't recessed, they do feel a less "in your face". As such at least for me, it feels more like a mid row presentation. This gives a sense of space an a little room for the vocals to "breath" in the virtual soundstage presented.
 
In the treble range, I feel the MH335DW-SR creeps back slowly which and fills in nicely without (again) being "in your face". The upper trebles can run hot if the tracks are poorly mastered. What is surprising in the months of listening to the MH335DW-SR is that I was initially unsatisfied with the trebles of my CIEM compared to the universal demo thinking that the universal demo SRs had greater treble extension. But now almost 12 months later I find some of my 80's pop tracks sibilant. It's probably more brain burn-in than earphone burn in - as I've not had a chance to listen to the SR universal demo again, I can't compare my fully bedded in MH335DW-SR to it.
 
The MH335DW-SR has great resolution detail compared to most earphones but having said  that, I do feel it's not the most detailed earphone I've owned. However this hasn't bothered me much as this earphone is already in the upper percentile of the high end earphones.
 
Overall though, I'd still rate the MH335DW-SR as one of my preferred earphones for all genre. It's not a "wow" review, nor would I say the MH335W-SR can replace my TG!334 or K10's. However it is my main general purpose genre agnostic earphone for musical enjoyment.

[Aside: I would probably put my K10's and TG!334 in the category of vocal genre....rock for one and jazz for the latter]

 
Hi AnakChan, thank you for your thoughts. I admit that I didn't search thoroughly, but did you post any review on the MH335DW-SR?
 
I realized that you had Ortofon eQ-7 and Ocharaku Kaede in the past, how would you compare the MH335DW-SR to them regarding midrange? I owned the eQ-7 and still have the Kaede. Although I didn't have a chance compare them side by side, I think I would like the eQ-7 better because to me the Kaede's midrange is less engaging. As a side note EarSonics SM3 (and SM64) are my all time favorites, because of their intimate midrange presentation, especially the low-midrange.
 
Would you say that vocals on MH335DW-SR are as recessed as Kaede? I was interested in the MH335DW-SR, but your assessment on the midrange kind of steers me away.

 

[tomscy2000]

I was in Tokyo (shoutout to @AnakChan) a couple weeks ago, and heard the Monet 17 at the Akihabara e-earphone. Even though I only got a few minutes (~10) with the unit (the store was about to close), I quite liked it. Having never heard the original Monet, I did not think its upper midrange was "overboard", but quite tastefully balanced.
 
The Monet 17 is probably my most preferred FitEar CIEM sound next to the MH334. I didn't really care too much for the Aya, which, while not poor-sounding, sounds nondescript and just not especially detailed. The Monet 17 at least sounds like it possesses a personality.
 
The MH335DW (non-SR version) is indeed FitEar's most detailed-sounding CIEM, especially in the upper bass and lower midrange, but the overall signature tilt is a bit too dark for my personal tastes.

 

[mashiron93]

  I was in Tokyo (shoutout to @AnakChan) a couple weeks ago, and heard the Monet 17 at the Akihabara e-earphone. Even though I only got a few minutes (~10) with the unit (the store was about to close), I quite liked it. Having never heard the original Monet, I did not think its upper midrange was "overboard", but quite tastefully balanced.
 
The Monet 17 is probably my most preferred FitEar CIEM sound next to the MH334. I didn't really care too much for the Aya, which, while not poor-sounding, sounds nondescript and just not especially detailed. The Monet 17 at least sounds like it possesses a personality.
 
The MH335DW (non-SR version) is indeed FitEar's most detailed-sounding CIEM, especially in the upper bass and lower midrange, but the overall signature tilt is a bit too dark for my personal tastes.

 
I guess I do really need to try Monet17 soon during my Tokyo trip. Right now I am still considering to get myself either Monet17 or 335 DWSR.
May I know how Monet17's low sector compared to other fitear? 

 

[tomscy2000]

  May I know how Monet17's low sector compared to other fitear? 

 
Didn't get to compare directly to any others, but it seems to have less mid-bass than both the fitear and the Aya, but not sure. The only thing I listened to close succession was the UM Maverick, which is less mid-bassy and more low-bass oriented.

 

[mysony1]

At last 335DW has been open up for upgrade to SR in Hong Kong today.

 

[kerrys30]

Do you know if they have an SR demo unit to try compare sound difference?

 

[mysony1]

Do you know if they have an SR demo unit to try compare sound difference?[/quote

Yes, is available in Jaben & DMA Hong Kong.

 

[nanaholic]

Mingo in HK has advertised that they have Monet 17 demo unit in store, so I guess that means Monet 17 is now officially available overseas.
 
I had a long listen of the Monet 17 at the Fuji-Avec at Nakano during my last trip to Japan (was there for an hour) - it sounded like a brighter and more vocal orientated IEM compared to the 335DW (which I own and was ABing at that time).  I tested it with recent anime songs - as Fitear has advertised them to be tuned for - and they do sound like a good pairing especially for the female vocal songs which I mainly listen to.  I told my friends (whom were also interested) that if my 335s breaks I would replace them with a pair of Monet 17 instead of getting another pair of 335s, but my 335s are still like brand new after 2 yrs of daily usage and not-so-careful handling.  Can't beat those Japanese handcraft quality so I'm probably never getting them.

 

[mashiron93]

I just tried Monet17 in and can't help myself not to love it. I spent a couple of hours in Fujiya Avic looping on my playlist and found out that this is the one that I'm looking for.

But, once I tried MH335DWSR (demo) side by side in suyama hearing aid ginza. I was quite astonished with the sound it produced. How could they alter the MH335DW so much. At that time I had a really hard time to decide which one should I grab.

In the end, since I got like only 15 minutes to listen to them, I pulled the trigger for MH335DW since they told me in I can't order 335DWSR at one time :confused_face:

To be honest, I do prefer Monet17 over MH335DW for most part especially its vocal sector, I do really hope that I won't regret my decission here.

 

[AmberOzL]

What is the price of Monet17 in USD or Euro? Also I might have missed it if already written but any idea about the sound signature? I know more or less how MH335DW sounds but have no idea what Monet17 does.

 

[mtthefirst]

  What is the price of Monet17 in USD or Euro? Also I might have missed it if already written but any idea about the sound signature? I know more or less how MH335DW sounds but have no idea what Monet17 does.

 
Price in Japan is 164,900 yen ( ~1400 USD). You can say that Monet17 is specifically tuned for vocal music especially japan anime music. It focus on mids and trebles.

 

[AmberOzL]

   
Price in Japan is 164,900 yen ( ~1400 USD). You can say that Monet17 is specifically tuned for vocal music especially japan anime music. It focus on mids and trebles.

Thanks mate, much appreciated.

 

[GotBetrayed]

Monet 17 isnt available in Singapore....

 

[OtakuShawn]

  Mingo in HK has advertised that they have Monet 17 demo unit in store, so I guess that means Monet 17 is now officially available overseas.
 
I had a long listen of the Monet 17 at the Fuji-Avec at Nakano during my last trip to Japan (was there for an hour) - it sounded like a brighter and more vocal orientated IEM compared to the 335DW (which I own and was ABing at that time).  I tested it with recent anime songs - as Fitear has advertised them to be tuned for - and they do sound like a good pairing especially for the female vocal songs which I mainly listen to.  I told my friends (whom were also interested) that if my 335s breaks I would replace them with a pair of Monet 17 instead of getting another pair of 335s, but my 335s are still like brand new after 2 yrs of daily usage and not-so-careful handling.  Can't beat those Japanese handcraft quality so I'm probably never getting them.

Hi does that mean the Monet 17 is available for purchase/order in HK? (just wanted to clarify since having a demo unit may not mean they are open for orders)

Also can foreigners order Fitear CIEMs from HK?

Am really interested and have been interested since I tried it last at Fujiya Avic.

Thanks in advance