The Watercooler -- Impressions, philosophical discussion and general banter. Index on first page. All welcome.

[RonaldS86]

Hey, everyone! ‘Wanted to take some time today to share early impressions of the…

Forte Ears Macbeth​

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When Riccardo Yeh at Forte Ears generously approached me with an offer to review his flagship Macbeth, I must admit I hesitated. Impressions I’d read suggested it was a coloured specialist, and the graphs I’d seen seemed to support that. After deciding to give it a go, I was shocked to find that this wasn’t true at all. I heard something only-slightly contoured, but otherwise versatile, technical and brimming with finesse. My hesitation quickly turned to excitement.

​

Touching briefly first on fit and finish, the Macbeth is one of the most comfortable universals I’ve tried in recent memory. I’m known for my heavy, heavy preference for CIEMs, but the Macbeth is an exception I’ve found very easy to tolerate; enjoy, even. There aren’t any pressure points, and there isn’t any pain or irritation after the first half hour. Obviously, that only means it matches my anatomy brilliantly, and that same comfort isn’t guaranteed for everyone else. But, as far as I’m concerned, Forte Ears have knocked ergonomics out of the park here.

For an acrylic IEM, the Macbeth’s build is strong as well. The shells have a semi-gloss finish to them, which I think is clever. Glossy, piano black shells are typically oil and dirt magnets, and this finish does a great job alleviating that. The metallic faceplates are also well-bonded onto the shells. Though they aren’t my cup of tea aesthetically, I can’t help but admire the amount of work put into them. From the coloured jewels, to the tiny engravings, to the almost-volcanic red backdrop, it’s all pristinely done.

​

True to theme, the Forte Ears Macbeth colours music to sound live-performed. It first achieves this through tone-shaping. Its U-shaped response automatically puts you further in the audience than anywhere near the band. And, that colouration is reflected perfectly in its imaging; relaxed in the centre, resulting in a stage that wraps around your head like a horseshoe (or the concave walls of a concert hall). Notes are also hit with clever doses of energy, namely in the low-end and low-treble. This adds a bit of rowdiness, contrast and bite, reminiscent of the heightened energy live performances typically have compared to their studio-recorded counterparts. With these colourations, the Macbeth more-or-less acts like a Live DSP for all your records.

Now, this illusion would never sell if it wasn’t paired with strong techs. Thankfully, the Macbeth is a crisp, clean and collected performer. Its dead-quiet backdrop and headroom pave the way for effortless control. Never is it too busy, crowded or gasping for air, and it allows every lick of micro-detail to coexist in peace. That’s all furthered by a wide, out-of-head stage and pin-point imaging. Its only contentious trait is dynamics. Because of those licks of energy, the Macbeth always comes off a tad agitated; bite-y. It’s not an IEM that can go lush and soothing when the track wants; say, for a quiet piano solo. It also has contrast built-in; always maintaining pockets of space to maintain that concert hall feel. So, it can’t produce that warm, gooey, wall of sound if that’s what you want. But, as far as “live in a spacious setting” goes, the Macbeth is made for it.

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Down low, the Macbeth employs custom Diablo BAs, which you can hear in its slightly-rounded edges. It jabs the ear more than it shakes the skull, and you won’t get that whoosh of air as kick drums slam through the mix. However, Forte Ears should be lauded for the resolution and depth they were able to draw out of these woofers. The lowest of bass notes have the strength to cut through with great granularity, avoiding being lost in the mix. And, it balances slam and control deftly too. Hits are strong, but never sloppy. And, again, the meat and muscle present with each kick is impressive for a balanced armature.

The midrange is where the in-ear takes the most liberties. They’ve used the classic low-mid dip for clarity, contrast and space, tightening up notes (as if pulled into a corset) and emphasizing the free, open space around them. This is ideal if you want your tracks to sound spacious or, again, live in a wide, cavernous setting. But, those after a denser, lusher, more saturated timbre may find the Macbeth’s a bit light. Pianos, for example, will be right-hand dominant. And, string sections will tend to be violin-led. However, if you don’t mind that (or even prefer it) for the openness, air and contrast you’ll get, then this is a midrange you ought to love, especially if you consider its resolution and precision - both outstanding - as well as the depth and texture those BCDs provide.

Up top, the Macbeth continues its precision streak with an impressively clean, jitter-free treble. Transients are focused to a fine point, which is why its imaging is as crisp as it is, and why its background is so noise-free. Spatial cues are the in-ear’s specialty, telling you where every bit is with specificity. And, despite being mainly made of ESTs, there’s good tactility too, preventing you from feeling like you’re chasing ghosts. Again, though, there is colour to the treble, which gives the Macbeth an inherent, lively bite. The gap between the low-treble peak and the low-mid dip is the built-in contrast I described earlier. So, I’d be wary if I were a louder listener, or if my playlist already consisted of hotter tracks, or if my gear upstream already bit to begin with. But, colour aside, it’s a technically-astounding treble that gives the IEM its stellar chops.

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Pairing the Macbeth with the Ambition cable gives it mainly two things: Richness and headroom. The latter opens the IEM up a bit for greater dynamic range; more movement between the back and front of the stage. And, it takes advantage of that space to create richer, lusher notes. That corset-like constriction I heard in the midrange is notably alleviated, resulting in lead instruments that are fuller and project better. Details in the back of the mix are given body and presence too; chimes, percussion, pads, etc. This added size does mean the Macbeth’s note-to-space ratio is now closer to 50/50, rather than the 40/60 it previously was. So, you’re giving up a little bit of vastness for that extra resolution. Finally, the highs have their peak closer to the mid-treble now, resulting in transients that are a bit less peaky, and a bit more sandy; powdery. I appreciate the more refined delivery, and it makes the in-ear easier to take for long periods of time.

Now, although the Ambition cable has already sold out, I don’t think its effects are impossible to replicate. When I first heard the Ambition, its combination of midrange bloom and top-end smoothness really reminded me of Eletech’s Sonnet of Adam, because those exact qualities are why I’ve paired it with my current daily driver: The Aroma Audio Fei Wan. Come to find out, the Ambition is virtually an 8-wire Sonnet. So, if the changes I’ve listed above are what you want out of your Macbeth, Eletech’s current flagship will get you much of the way there.

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So far, the Macbeth’s been a very pleasant surprise. Its colourations are light and tasteful, and there’s a degree of finesse - control - throughout the FR that’s rare for a debut IEM. It serves its designated purpose exceptionally well with technique out the wazoo. And, the limitations it does have seem manageable through cable swaps. I look forward to testing how true that is in the full review. For now, I can only commend Riccardo and co. for delivering such a strong, memorable piece in an unbelievably saturated market.

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Superb writings and photo as always Daniel, and it's great that you manage to try it with the Ambition cable as well

 

[SbassX]

Going through the reviews made my day xD

Not a fan of these super short nozzles and I have no idea why they keep making them

Yes honestly with short nozzles I gotta jam them in and hope they stay, i dont mind fat nozzles as long as they are long enough to atleast go in without the shell pressing hard into the ear.

True to theme, the Forte Ears Macbeth colours music to sound live-performed. It first achieves this through tone-shaping. Its U-shaped response automatically puts you further in the audience than anywhere near the band. And, that colouration is reflected perfectly in its imaging; relaxed in the centre, resulting in a stage that wraps around your head like a horseshoe (or the concave walls of a concert hall). Notes are also hit with clever doses of energy, namely in the low-end and low-treble. This adds a bit of rowdiness, contrast and bite, reminiscent of the heightened energy live performances typically have compared to their studio-recorded counterparts. With these colourations, the Macbeth more-or-less acts like a Live DSP for all your records

How’s the timbre? Does it manage to keep things natural, or does the coloration push it into more artificial territory?

 

[Tawek]

same high level
DD vs AMT

 

[Deezel177]

How’s the timbre? Does it manage to keep things natural, or does the coloration push it into more artificial territory?

Timbre’s great, to my ears. Despite its inherent liveliness and contrast, instruments sound convincingly organic and life-like. As I said on the post, the most the Macbeth bends this would be in the midrange; pretty tight, especially relative to its low-treble cut. But, unless your chain amplifies that quality even further, it didn’t prove problematic to me.

 

[leylandi]

https://shop.musicteck.com/collections/um-unique-melody/products/um-stardust

 

[DaveStarWalker]

dropping the bomb in 3, 2...

I was hardcore A/B-ing my 6 month old Loki Emerald and an Anni23Ti loaner for 4 days, but in just first minutes it was clear to me I was going to return Anni. No wonder it needs 10 more volume steps, I've never heard such deep and quiet mids. And as you turn the gain up, the midbass becomes boomy and fatiguing. I was a happy owner of custom Legend X for 3 years during my basshead days, and even there I never had such midbass fatigue. The treble? Better on Loki. I don't know what to tell you. Same lower treble notch for smoothness, same mid-treble bump, 2 more EST's on Loki, silky smoothness, same crystalline extension. But Loki is miles more musical, wide and open. Piano solos are an absolute delight to listen to, guitars, horns, violins are as atmospheric as ever, vocals are clear and slightly forward. And it vibrates with BCd on lower piano, but never overpowers other instruments on stage even on highest volume gains. All in all, was very disappointed with The Watercooler IEM.
For anyone who tried Anni but is looking for more present mids and an easier listen with no fatigue, I would highly recommend Loki Emerald.

​

Well,

The success and hype of the Anni (23 : I havent listened to another version) was a complete mystery for me...

 

[smirks_audio]

MusicTeck Visit, Pre-CanJam NYC 2025

It's always a pleasure to make an outing to @MusicTeck every few months to catch up with Andrew and Leo and experience the latest and yet-to-be-released gear. Ever the gracious hosts, they had a bevy of audio goodies ready to go when I arrived. A big thank you to both of them, as always.

Here's a complete list of the gear I demoed:

• Unique Melody MEST MK4 Jet Black
• Forté Ears Macbeth
• Shanling M8T
• Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD
• PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding
• Brise Orochi Ultimate
• Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)
• Quill Acoustics Satin (latest prototype)
• qdc Emperor and qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE
• FlipEars Legion
• Softears Volume S
• Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

Theres a lot of ground to cover, let's get to it.


UM MEST MK4 Jet Black

The MEST MK4 Jet Black, just announced, is the latest iteration in UM’s beloved and successful MEST lineup. It features a 1DD/4BA/2EST/3BCD driver configuration. From what I understand, the 3BCD drivers cover the entire frequency range. I had the chance to demo a prototype with the final tuning, though the shells weren’t finalized, so I’ve included a picture of the production shells above.

The last MEST I heard was the MK3, which I recall sounding open, spacious, and clean—though a little flat timbrally. Although the MEST MK4 Jet Black shares the same DNA, it feels more adrenaline-laced and W-shaped in comparison. It sounds more contrasted, with a slightly more pigmented midrange. The bass and overall dynamics are bombastic, while the treble has a subtle upward lilt compared to previous iterations. The spaciousness the MEST series is known for endures, with the MK4 offering an added boost in resolution.

To my ears, the MEST MK4 Jet Black is a clear technical evolution and a worthy successor to the MEST lineup. That said, it may not be for everyone—it can sound intrusive at times if you’re used to more laid-back IEMs.


Forté Ears Macbeth

Macbeth's faceplates may be polarizing but its sound shouldn't be. Its signature is palatable and easygoing with ample punch in the mid-bass and a pleasant fullness in its elevated sub-bass. The midrange is stellar, with vocals placed neutrally or a touch back, and infused with lushness. Staging and resolution are impressive, holding their own against the formidable 622B. Depth imaging, in particular, is convincing, and instrument decay is well-executed.

Before my demo, I saw Macbeth’s measurements which initially had me concerned that it might sound overly bright. However, during my listening session, I realized that the measurements had made a mountain out of a molehill. There is a perceptible peak but it sounds tiny in practice and has the effect of adding a welcome droplet of zest as opposed to detracting from the listening experience.

If you can get past the faceplates, Macbeth has the potential to be a great all-rounder—a one-and-done IEM for most listeners. While it’s not the last word in dynamics, it scores high across most technical categories and is tastefully tuned.


Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD

I've been interested in Valhalla since its been teased, so I was really excited to get some time with it. I don't care too much for Valhalla's faceplates but its 3D printed titanium shells are beautifully crafted, lightweight, and very ergonomic.

The first thing that stood out to me, that I think Valhalla executes at a top 3 or so level is its sub-bass. Absolutely insane sub-bass resolution. Extremely granular. Valhalla is a little lighter on mid-bass, a little lean in midrange note weight, and has a ton of air. It's not my usual cup of tea but I appreciate what it's doing and and what it's going for. Although I have some treble sensitivity, Valhalla doesn't seem to hit my pain points at least.

Valhalla is very resolving and ultra-precise with its imaging cues. Staging is wide-ish but stage depth is a little lacking. Very impressive set overall.

Valhalla may be the newer, shinier Thieaudio sibling, but for all its technical prowess, it's unable to match Prestige LTD's ease and musicality. The faceplates are easier on the eyes as well, though it's constructed out of resin instead of titanium.

I prefer the tuning of Prestige LTD to Valhalla. It has a large sub-bass elevation like Valhalla but with added mid-bass for a fuller bass presentation. Prestige LTD has good treble extension as well, but it's devoid of Valhalla's occasional brightness.

Prestige LTD as a whole is kind of hard to truly fault. If I had to nitpick I wish it had slightly more resolution and a more defined instrument attack. It's a little too laidback and sounds veiled at times. Overall solid set.


Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

MusicTeck has been very active in the collaboration space lately and this one, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is the one I took to the most. It’s still in its nascent stages, with Leo continuing to tweak the tuning but from what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like a mature, cleaned up Mentor.

It has every bit and possibly more of Mentor's famous staging, and none of its overly warm, at times congested presentation. The bass is much improved from Mentor, resolution sees a boost, and the treble is extremely linear. I believe Leo is looking to add a bit more bass hence the Venom pairing.

In a way, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is very un-UM-like. It's a very clean sound—almost reference-like—but with UM’s BCD tech on full display to interesting effect. My guess is that it can broaden UM's appeal to a more general audience, particularly those who find UM's typical offerings a little too colored.

The UM x MT unnamed prototype should make an appearance at the upcoming CanJam. Please give it a try and tell Leo what you think. Maybe you'll have an influence on the final outcome.


Quill Acoustics Satin (latest prototype)

My other favorite listen of the day was the latest prototype of Quill Acoustics Satin. Satin has a midrange that sounds not just pleasant, but exquisite, reminiscent of Traillii, the Watercooler darling.

True to its name, the midrange has a gorgeous, satiny feel with tons of microtextural goodness that extends to its tastefully tuned bass. The mid-bass has a gentle punch and the sub-bass just enough presence to not be too shy or obtrusive.

Satin is quite spacious sounding giving notes ample breathing room to decay. The treble, like the bass and midrange, is tastefully tuned, maintaining presence without being overbearing. Satin is not a bombastic, highly dynamic set. It's more like a maître d' that delivers nuanced and impeccable service at a fine dining restaurant while fading into the background.

As a whole, the latest Satin prototype is elegance personified. To me, it's the spiritual successor to the Traillii—every bit as good, and without the bass trade-off. Selfishly, I hope that it won’t carry Traillii’s price tag when it releases.


Brise Audio Orochi Ultimate

Brise's Orochi Ultimate is a cable that recently made some big waves in some circles I run in. The earhooks are stiff and it's somewhat difficult to coil but the sound is very rewarding.

I shared some impressions of Shirogane 8W and PWA 1950s with Shielding in a previous post, both highly capable wires that I enjoyed, albeit with different personalities. Shirogane has a refined sound with a slower, more organic decay, wide and deep staging, excellent treble extension, and a rich sub-bass presence. 1950s has a faster, bombastic sound, with a highly dynamic and boosted bass, a darker background from which notes pop, and great treble extension as well. Its stage is just as wide as Shirogane's but doesn't reach as deep.

Orochi Ultimate is more 1950s than Shirogane, and takes things further with superior resolution and a more agreeable timbre. It has insane clarity and resolution, bested only slightly by the cable I demoed next, PWA's Orpheus with Shielding.

Orochi Ultimate’s timbre carries a refined copper sheen, a noticeable improvement over Shiro’s somewhat dry timbre, and is less fatiguing than the 1950s’. The bass is just as dynamic as the 1950s’ but less intrusive, while the midrange is more neutrally positioned compared to the 1950s' slightly forward presentation. Orochi Ultimate's treble is more even as well.

In my mind, Orochi Ultimate is a categorical upgrade over the 1950s with Shielding, which is all the more impressive given it retails for a couple hundred less than the latter. Orochi Ultimate is different enough from Shirogane that they can be viewed as complementary.

Orochi should be an easy match with most sets given its fairly balanced tuning. Shirogane, being V-shaped, requires more careful pairing.


PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding

Supposedly, PW Audio’s Orpheus with Shielding is MusicTeck’s best-selling cable—a bit shocking considering it's a near $6,000 cable, but less so once I got a chance to hear it. Its appeal lies in the midrange: gorgeous, lush, 3D mids with astonishing resolution. Compared to all the other cables I've heard, it's singular in this regard.

Orpheus is unquestionably a mid-centric cable. It can come across a touch bass-light coming from the likes of Orochi and Shirogane. Still, it should be an easy pairing for vocal lovers (with very, very deep pockets).


Shanling M8T

I have a soft spot for Shanling's M9 Plus which is my favorite DAP to date. The M8T comes in at half the price, offers 90% of the performance, and has a tube mode to boot. It's light and ergonomic in the hand and has plenty of power and dynamics on tap.

It's actually what I used to demo all the gear during my visit (in transistor mode). Like the M9 Plus, I enjoy the the way it balances musicality with excellent technicalities. My only nitpick is that it has a bit of a mid-bass boost, maybe a db or two. I tend to prefer my sources linear. Other than that, it's excellent, especially at its going price.


FlipEars Legion

FlipEars is a brand I'm not too familiar with yet so I had no idea what I was holding in my hand. The faceplate design is certainly interesting—likely to be polarizing—but the shells felt incredibly premium, reminiscent of Odin's shells.

I liked the mid-bass density on this set, it had a quick decay with good dynamics and bass resolution. I enjoyed the female vocals as well, which had an earthy tone, and were positioned neutrally. The staging was about average, so not too spacious but not closed in either.

I thought it was okay for what I assumed was a $2k to $3k set based on the build quality—it's certainly tuned well and does a lot right. Then Andrew told me its actual price: $850.

For $850 it's an excellent value. Legion has a warmer, thicker tuning, kind of like Empire Ear's Triton. It's definitely worth a demo if you're into this kind of tuning. Legion was a nice introduction to the FlipEars line-up.


qdc Emperor/qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE

I had mixed feelings while listening to Emperor. It has excellent bass texture, but the bass is quite bloated. Female vocals sound a bit recessed, which typically leads to a deeper sounding stage, but that wasn’t the case here. Instead, Emperor sounded boxy and congested, with notes lacking room to breathe. To top it all off, there was an audible upper treble peak somewhere. Cymbal decay was nice at least, but I have to admit, I'm not sure what qdc was aiming for with Emperor.

Compared to the original, MusicTeck's re-tune of Emperor is like a breath of fresh air. The stage opens up considerably and notes no longer feel strangled. There's a tasteful sub-bass boost and the treble is less peaky than the original. The re-tune still has the excellent bass texture and nice instrument decay.

Redeemed by Leo's tuning chops, I think the qdc x MusicTeck Emperor collaboration is an all-around win. I'd definitely recommend the collaboration over the original.


Softears Volume S

The Volume S has been gaining a lot of traction lately. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews of it pop up on YouTube so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which impedance mode I heard it in.

The bass on Volume S was genuinely surprising. Great bass dynamics, excellent sub-bass depth and body, as well as mid-bass slam. Isolating Volume S to just its bass for a moment, I'd say it sounds much more expensive than its $320 price tag would suggest.

Unfortunately, that's where the praise ends. The image is small, resolution is middling, and instruments sound compressed. When I hear a piano note, I expect to hear the initial key strike, the main piano note, followed by a natural decay. On Volume S, I'm not getting the the fullness of the piano note or the decay, only the initial strike followed by a compressed piano note and a stunted decay which I found very distracting.

Female vocals sounded okay, but there were some timbral issues with male vocals as well as some lower treble wonkiness. I was a bit disappointed in Volume S given all the hype, but I did really enjoy the bass at least.


Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

If Volume S was going for a more "natural" timbre, this prototype sounds slightly more pigmented to me. The resolution and note decay are much improved from Volume S, as is the staging. The treble tone is really pleasant and the extension is decent as well. Vocals sound neutrally positioned.

I don't recall if Leo said this has 5 drivers or 5 types of drivers (big difference, I know). It's a decent sounding set overall but it's perhaps missing a special sauce. I think the bass quality could use some improvement as well which I communicated to Leo. I think if Softears put the Volume S bass drivers in the prototype, it could sound more interesting.

Overall enjoyable and competent set, I'm looking forward to how it evolves.

That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see many of you at CanJam!

 

[zlayde]

MusicTeck Visit, Pre-CanJam NYC 2025



It's always a pleasure to make an outing to @MusicTeck every few months to catch up with Andrew and Leo and experience the latest and yet-to-be-released gear. Ever the gracious hosts, they had a bevy of audio goodies ready to go when I arrived. A big thank you to both of them, as always.

Here's a complete list of the gear I demoed:

• Unique Melody MEST MK4 Jet Black
• Forté Ears Macbeth
• Shanling M8T
• Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD
• PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding
• Brise Orochi Ultimate
• Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)
• Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)
• qdc Emperor and qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE
• FlipEars Legion
• Softears Volume S
• Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

Theres a lot of ground to cover, let's get to it.


UM MEST MK4 Jet Black



The MEST MK4 Jet Black, just announced, is the latest iteration in UM’s beloved and successful MEST lineup. It features a 1DD/4BA/2EST/3BCD driver configuration. From what I understand, the 3BCD drivers cover the entire frequency range. I had the chance to demo a prototype with the final tuning, though the shells weren’t finalized, so I’ve included a picture of the production shells above.

The last MEST I heard was the MK3, which I recall sounding open, spacious, and clean—though a little flat timbrally. Although the MEST MK4 Jet Black shares the same DNA, it feels more adrenaline-laced and W-shaped in comparison. It sounds more contrasted, with a slightly more pigmented midrange. The bass and overall dynamics are bombastic, while the treble has a subtle upward lilt compared to previous iterations. The spaciousness the MEST series is known for endures, with the MK4 offering an added boost in resolution.

To my ears, the MEST MK4 Jet Black is a clear technical evolution and a worthy successor to the MEST lineup. That said, it may not be for everyone—it can sound intrusive at times if you’re used to more laid-back IEMs.


Forté Ears Macbeth



Macbeth's faceplates may be polarizing but its sound shouldn't be. Its signature is palatable and easygoing with ample punch in the mid-bass and a pleasant fullness in its elevated sub-bass. The midrange is stellar, with vocals placed neutrally or a touch back, and infused with lushness. Staging and resolution are impressive, holding their own against the formidable 622B. Depth imaging, in particular, is convincing, and instrument decay is well-executed.

Before my demo, I saw Macbeth’s measurements which initially had me concerned that it might sound overly bright. However, during my listening session, I realized that the measurements had made a mountain out of a molehill. There is a perceptible peak but it sounds tiny in practice and has the effect of adding a welcome droplet of zest as opposed to detracting from the listening experience.

If you can get past the faceplates, Macbeth has the potential to be a great all-rounder—a one-and-done IEM for most listeners. While it’s not the last word in dynamics, it scores high across most technical categories and is tastefully tuned.


Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD



I've been interested in Valhalla since its been teased, so I was really excited to get some time with it. I don't care too much for Valhalla's faceplates but its 3D printed titanium shells are beautifully crafted, lightweight, and very ergonomic.

The first thing that stood out to me, that I think Valhalla executes at a top 3 or so level is its sub-bass. Absolutely insane sub-bass resolution. Extremely granular. Valhalla is a little lighter on mid-bass, a little lean in midrange note weight, and has a ton of air. It's not my usual cup of tea but I appreciate what it's doing and going for. Although I have some treble sensitivity, Valhalla doesn't seem to hit my pain points at least.

Valhalla is very resolving and ultra-precise with its imaging cues. Staging is wide-ish but stage depth is a little lacking. Very impressive set overall.



Valhalla may be the newer, shiner Thieaudio sibling but for all its technical prowess, it's unable to match Prestige LTD for its ease and musicality. The faceplates are easier on the eyes as well, though it's constructed of resin instead of titanium.

I prefer the tuning of Prestige LTD to Valhalla. It has a large sub-bass elevation like Valhalla but more mid-bass as well for a fuller bass presentation. Prestige LTD has good treble extension as well but is devoid of Valhalla's occasional brightness.

Prestige LTD as a whole is kind of hard to truly fault. If I had to nitpick I wish it had a slightly more resolution and a more defined instrument attack. It's a little too laidback and sounds veiled at times. Overall solid set.


Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



MusicTeck has been very active in the collaboration space lately and this one, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is the one I took to the most. It’s still in its nascent stages, with Leo continuing to tweak the tuning but from what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like a mature, cleaned up Mentor.

It has every bit and possibly more of Mentor's famous staging, and none of its overly warm, at times congested presentation. The bass is much improved from Mentor, resolution sees a boost, and the treble is extremely linear. I believe Leo is looking to add a bit more bass hence the Venom pairing.

In a way, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is very un-UM-like. It's a very clean sound—almost reference-like—but with UM’s BCD tech on full display to interesting effect. My guess is that it can broaden UM's appeal to a more general audience, particularly those who find UM's typical offerings a little too colored.

The UM x MT unnamed prototype should make an appearance at the upcoming CanJam. Please give it a try and tell Leo what you think. Maybe you'll have an influence on the final outcome.


Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)



My other favorite listen of the day was the latest prototype of Quill Audio's Satin. Satin has a midrange that sounds not just pleasant, but exquisite, reminiscent of Traillii, the Watercooler darling.

True to its name, the midrange has a gorgeous, satiny feel with tons of microtextural goodness that extends to its tastefully tuned bass. The mid-bass has a gentle punch and the sub-bass just enough presence to not be too shy or obtrusive.

Satin is quite spacious sounding giving notes ample breathing room to decay. The treble, like the bass and midrange, is tastefully tuned, maintaining presence without being overbearing. Satin is not a bombastic, highly dynamic set. It's more like a maître d' that delivers nuanced and impeccable service at a fine dining restaurant while fading into the background.

As a whole, the latest Satin prototype is elegance personified. To me, it's the spiritual successor to the Traillii—every bit as good, and without the bass trade-off. Selfishly, I hope that it won’t carry Traillii’s price tag when it releases.


Brise Audio Orochi Ultimate



Brise's Orochi Ultimate is a cable that recently made some big waves in some circles I run in. The earhooks are stiff and it's somewhat difficult to coil but the sound is very rewarding.

I shared some impressions of Shirogane 8W and PWA 1950s with Shielding in a previous post, both highly capable wires that I enjoyed, albeit with different personalities. Shirogane has a refined sound with slower, more organic decay, wide and deep staging, excellent treble extension, and a rich sub-bass presence. 1950s has faster, bombastic sound, with a highly dynamic and boosted bass, a darker background from which notes pop, and great treble extension as well. Its stage is just as wide as Shirogane's but doesn't reach as deep.

Orochi Ultimate is more 1950s than Shirogane, and takes things further with superior resolution and a more agreeable timbre. It has insane clarity and resolution, bested only slightly by the cable I demoed next, PWA's Orpheus with Shielding.

Orochi Ultimate’s timbre carries a refined copper sheen, a noticeable improvement over Shiro’s somewhat dry timbre, and is less fatiguing than the 1950s. The bass is just as dynamic as the 1950s but less intrusive, while the midrange is more neutrally positioned compared to the 1950s' slightly forward presentation. Orochi Ultimate's treble is more even as well.

In my mind, Orochi Ultimate is a categorical upgrade over the 1950s with Shielding, which is all the more impressive given it comes in a couple hundred less than the latter. Orochi Ultimate is different enough from Shirogane that they can be viewed as complementary. Orochi should be an easy match with most sets given its fairly balanced tuning. Shirogane, being V-shaped, requires more careful pairing.


PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding



Supposedly, PW Audio’s Orpheus with Shielding is MusicTeck’s best-selling cable—a bit shocking considering it's a near $6,000 cable, but less so once I got a chance to hear it.

Its appeal lies in the midrange: gorgeous, lush, 3D mids with astonishing resolution. Compared to all the other cables I've heard, it's singular in this regard.

Orpheus is unquestionably a mid-centric cable. It can come across a touch bass-light coming from the likes of Orochi and Shirogane. Still, it should be an easy pairing for vocal lovers (with very, very deep pockets).


Shanling M8T




I have a soft spot for Shanling's M9 Plus which is my favorite DAP to date. The M8T comes in at half the price, offers 90% of the performance, and has a tube mode to boot. It's light and ergonomic in the hand and has plenty of power and dynamics on tap.

It's actually what I used to demo all the gear during my visit (in transistor mode). Like the M9 Plus, I enjoy the the way it balances musicality with excellent technicalities. My only nitpick is that it has a bit of a mid-bass boost, maybe a db or two. I tend to prefer my sources linear. Other than that, it's excellent, especially at its going price.


FlipEars Legion



FlipEars is a brand I'm not too familiar with yet so I had no idea what I was holding in my hand. The faceplate design is certainly interesting—likely to be polarizing—but the shells felt incredibly premium, reminiscent of Odin's shells.

I liked the mid-bass density on this set, it had a quick decay with good dynamics and bass resolution. I enjoyed the female vocal tone as well, I thought they were positioned neutrally. The staging was about average, so not too spacious but not closed in either.

I thought it was an okay for what I assumed was a $2k to $3k set based on the build quality. It's certainly tuned well and does a lot right. Then Andrew told me its actual price: $850.

For $850 it's an excellent value. Legion has a warmer, thicker tuning, kind of like Empire Ear's Triton. Definitely worth a demo if you're into this kind of tuning. Legion was a nice introduction to the FlipEars line-up.


qdc Emperor/qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE



I had mixed feelings while listening to Emperor. It has excellent bass texture, but the bass is quite bloated. Female vocals sound a bit recessed, which typically leads to a deeper sounding stage, but that wasn’t the case here. Instead, Emperor sounded boxy and congested, with notes lacking room to breathe. To top it all off, there was an audible upper treble peak somewhere. Cymbal decay was nice at least, but I have to admit, I'm not sure what qdc was aiming for with Emperor.



Compared to the original, MusicTeck's re-tune of Emperor is like a breath of fresh air. The stage opens up considerably and the notes no longer feel strangled. There's a tasteful sub-bass boost and the treble is less peaky than the original. The re-tune still has the excellent bass texture and nice instrument decay.

Redeemed by Leo's tuning chops, I think qdc x MusicTeck Emperor collaboration is an all-around win. I'd definitely recommend the collaboration over the original.


Softears Volume S



The Volume S has been gaining a lot of traction lately. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews of it pop up on YouTube so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which impedance mode I heard it in.

The bass on Volume S was genuinely surprising. Great bass dynamics, excellent sub-bass depth and body, as well as mid-bass slam. Isolating Volume S to just its bass for a moment, I'd say it sound much more expensive than its $320 price tag would suggest.

Unfortunately, that's where the praise ends. The image is small, resolution is middling, and instruments sound compressed. When I hear a piano note, I expect to hear the initial key strike, the main piano note, followed by a natural decay. On Volume S, I'm not getting the the fullness of the piano note or the decay, only the initial strike followed by a compressed piano note and a stunted decay which I found very distracting.

Female vocals sounded okay, but there were some timbral issues with male vocals as well as some lower treble wonkiness. I was a bit disappointed in Volume S given all the hype, but I did really enjoy the bass at least.


Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



If Volume S was going for a more "natural" timbre, this prototype sounds slightly more pigmented to me. The resolution and note decay are much improved from Volume S, as is the staging. The treble tone is really pleasant and the extension is decent as well. Vocals sound neutrally positioned.

I don't recall if Leo said this has 5 drivers or 5 types of drivers (big difference, I know). It's a decent sounding set overall but it's perhaps missing a special sauce. I think the bass quality could use some improvement as well which I communicated to Leo. I think if Softears put the Volume S bass drivers in the prototype it could sound more interesting.

Overall enjoyable and competent set, I'm looking forward to how it evolves.




That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see many of you at CanJam!

Interesting that they demo Thieaudio considering they don't sell it on their site at least.

 

[smirks_audio]

Interesting that they demo Thieaudio considering they don't sell it on their site at least.

My understanding is that Leo was sent a demo. I have no idea if MT intends on carrying Thieaudio or not, but it was there so I asked if I could audition it.

 

[theintention]

As you can tell, I tried to resist and failed.




I'm okay with there being an adapter, especially if that was done to slim down the player overall. And in the grand scheme of things, I would rather they went with 3.5 TRRRS than 2.5 TRRS. Luckily for me, they do include the adapter in the box.

I’m definitely waiting for your thoughts on this one! Cool device, the adapter is the only thing I assume holding most of us back

Nozzles look too short to get proper fit. My son loves the origin but the nozzles are so short that he jams them deep into his ear resulting in painful soreness and pressure on the ear area where the shell is making contact with the ear. I think this would be the same. Not a fan of these super short nozzles and I have no idea why they keep making them. PMG figured this out.

For the Origin, have him try the Azla Origin tips! Size down for best results imo. They have an insanely long stem.

MusicTeck Visit, Pre-CanJam NYC 2025



It's always a pleasure to make an outing to @MusicTeck every few months to catch up with Andrew and Leo and experience the latest and yet-to-be-released gear. Ever the gracious hosts, they had a bevy of audio goodies ready to go when I arrived. A big thank you to both of them, as always.

Here's a complete list of the gear I demoed:

• Unique Melody MEST MK4 Jet Black
• Forté Ears Macbeth
• Shanling M8T
• Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD
• PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding
• Brise Orochi Ultimate
• Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)
• Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)
• qdc Emperor and qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE
• FlipEars Legion
• Softears Volume S
• Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

Theres a lot of ground to cover, let's get to it.


UM MEST MK4 Jet Black



The MEST MK4 Jet Black, just announced, is the latest iteration in UM’s beloved and successful MEST lineup. It features a 1DD/4BA/2EST/3BCD driver configuration. From what I understand, the 3BCD drivers cover the entire frequency range. I had the chance to demo a prototype with the final tuning, though the shells weren’t finalized, so I’ve included a picture of the production shells above.

The last MEST I heard was the MK3, which I recall sounding open, spacious, and clean—though a little flat timbrally. Although the MEST MK4 Jet Black shares the same DNA, it feels more adrenaline-laced and W-shaped in comparison. It sounds more contrasted, with a slightly more pigmented midrange. The bass and overall dynamics are bombastic, while the treble has a subtle upward lilt compared to previous iterations. The spaciousness the MEST series is known for endures, with the MK4 offering an added boost in resolution.

To my ears, the MEST MK4 Jet Black is a clear technical evolution and a worthy successor to the MEST lineup. That said, it may not be for everyone—it can sound intrusive at times if you’re used to more laid-back IEMs.


Forté Ears Macbeth



Macbeth's faceplates may be polarizing but its sound shouldn't be. Its signature is palatable and easygoing with ample punch in the mid-bass and a pleasant fullness in its elevated sub-bass. The midrange is stellar, with vocals placed neutrally or a touch back, and infused with lushness. Staging and resolution are impressive, holding their own against the formidable 622B. Depth imaging, in particular, is convincing, and instrument decay is well-executed.

Before my demo, I saw Macbeth’s measurements which initially had me concerned that it might sound overly bright. However, during my listening session, I realized that the measurements had made a mountain out of a molehill. There is a perceptible peak but it sounds tiny in practice and has the effect of adding a welcome droplet of zest as opposed to detracting from the listening experience.

If you can get past the faceplates, Macbeth has the potential to be a great all-rounder—a one-and-done IEM for most listeners. While it’s not the last word in dynamics, it scores high across most technical categories and is tastefully tuned.


Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD



I've been interested in Valhalla since its been teased, so I was really excited to get some time with it. I don't care too much for Valhalla's faceplates but its 3D printed titanium shells are beautifully crafted, lightweight, and very ergonomic.

The first thing that stood out to me, that I think Valhalla executes at a top 3 or so level is its sub-bass. Absolutely insane sub-bass resolution. Extremely granular. Valhalla is a little lighter on mid-bass, a little lean in midrange note weight, and has a ton of air. It's not my usual cup of tea but I appreciate what it's doing and going for. Although I have some treble sensitivity, Valhalla doesn't seem to hit my pain points at least.

Valhalla is very resolving and ultra-precise with its imaging cues. Staging is wide-ish but stage depth is a little lacking. Very impressive set overall.



Valhalla may be the newer, shiner Thieaudio sibling but for all its technical prowess, it's unable to match Prestige LTD for its ease and musicality. The faceplates are easier on the eyes as well, though it's constructed of resin instead of titanium.

I prefer the tuning of Prestige LTD to Valhalla. It has a large sub-bass elevation like Valhalla but more mid-bass as well for a fuller bass presentation. Prestige LTD has good treble extension as well but is devoid of Valhalla's occasional brightness.

Prestige LTD as a whole is kind of hard to truly fault. If I had to nitpick I wish it had a slightly more resolution and a more defined instrument attack. It's a little too laidback and sounds veiled at times. Overall solid set.


Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



MusicTeck has been very active in the collaboration space lately and this one, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is the one I took to the most. It’s still in its nascent stages, with Leo continuing to tweak the tuning but from what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like a mature, cleaned up Mentor.

It has every bit and possibly more of Mentor's famous staging, and none of its overly warm, at times congested presentation. The bass is much improved from Mentor, resolution sees a boost, and the treble is extremely linear. I believe Leo is looking to add a bit more bass hence the Venom pairing.

In a way, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is very un-UM-like. It's a very clean sound—almost reference-like—but with UM’s BCD tech on full display to interesting effect. My guess is that it can broaden UM's appeal to a more general audience, particularly those who find UM's typical offerings a little too colored.

The UM x MT unnamed prototype should make an appearance at the upcoming CanJam. Please give it a try and tell Leo what you think. Maybe you'll have an influence on the final outcome.


Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)



My other favorite listen of the day was the latest prototype of Quill Audio's Satin. Satin has a midrange that sounds not just pleasant, but exquisite, reminiscent of Traillii, the Watercooler darling.

True to its name, the midrange has a gorgeous, satiny feel with tons of microtextural goodness that extends to its tastefully tuned bass. The mid-bass has a gentle punch and the sub-bass just enough presence to not be too shy or obtrusive.

Satin is quite spacious sounding giving notes ample breathing room to decay. The treble, like the bass and midrange, is tastefully tuned, maintaining presence without being overbearing. Satin is not a bombastic, highly dynamic set. It's more like a maître d' that delivers nuanced and impeccable service at a fine dining restaurant while fading into the background.

As a whole, the latest Satin prototype is elegance personified. To me, it's the spiritual successor to the Traillii—every bit as good, and without the bass trade-off. Selfishly, I hope that it won’t carry Traillii’s price tag when it releases.


Brise Audio Orochi Ultimate



Brise's Orochi Ultimate is a cable that recently made some big waves in some circles I run in. The earhooks are stiff and it's somewhat difficult to coil but the sound is very rewarding.

I shared some impressions of Shirogane 8W and PWA 1950s with Shielding in a previous post, both highly capable wires that I enjoyed, albeit with different personalities. Shirogane has a refined sound with slower, more organic decay, wide and deep staging, excellent treble extension, and a rich sub-bass presence. 1950s has faster, bombastic sound, with a highly dynamic and boosted bass, a darker background from which notes pop, and great treble extension as well. Its stage is just as wide as Shirogane's but doesn't reach as deep.

Orochi Ultimate is more 1950s than Shirogane, and takes things further with superior resolution and a more agreeable timbre. It has insane clarity and resolution, bested only slightly by the cable I demoed next, PWA's Orpheus with Shielding.

Orochi Ultimate’s timbre carries a refined copper sheen, a noticeable improvement over Shiro’s somewhat dry timbre, and is less fatiguing than the 1950s. The bass is just as dynamic as the 1950s but less intrusive, while the midrange is more neutrally positioned compared to the 1950s' slightly forward presentation. Orochi Ultimate's treble is more even as well.

In my mind, Orochi Ultimate is a categorical upgrade over the 1950s with Shielding, which is all the more impressive given it comes in a couple hundred less than the latter. Orochi Ultimate is different enough from Shirogane that they can be viewed as complementary. Orochi should be an easy match with most sets given its fairly balanced tuning. Shirogane, being V-shaped, requires more careful pairing.


PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding



Supposedly, PW Audio’s Orpheus with Shielding is MusicTeck’s best-selling cable—a bit shocking considering it's a near $6,000 cable, but less so once I got a chance to hear it. Its appeal lies in the midrange: gorgeous, lush, 3D mids with astonishing resolution. Compared to all the other cables I've heard, it's singular in this regard.

Orpheus is unquestionably a mid-centric cable. It can come across a touch bass-light coming from the likes of Orochi and Shirogane. Still, it should be an easy pairing for vocal lovers (with very, very deep pockets).


Shanling M8T




I have a soft spot for Shanling's M9 Plus which is my favorite DAP to date. The M8T comes in at half the price, offers 90% of the performance, and has a tube mode to boot. It's light and ergonomic in the hand and has plenty of power and dynamics on tap.

It's actually what I used to demo all the gear during my visit (in transistor mode). Like the M9 Plus, I enjoy the the way it balances musicality with excellent technicalities. My only nitpick is that it has a bit of a mid-bass boost, maybe a db or two. I tend to prefer my sources linear. Other than that, it's excellent, especially at its going price.


FlipEars Legion



FlipEars is a brand I'm not too familiar with yet so I had no idea what I was holding in my hand. The faceplate design is certainly interesting—likely to be polarizing—but the shells felt incredibly premium, reminiscent of Odin's shells.

I liked the mid-bass density on this set, it had a quick decay with good dynamics and bass resolution. I enjoyed the female vocal tone as well, I thought they were positioned neutrally. The staging was about average, so not too spacious but not closed in either.

I thought it was an okay for what I assumed was a $2k to $3k set based on the build quality. It's certainly tuned well and does a lot right. Then Andrew told me its actual price: $850.

For $850 it's an excellent value. Legion has a warmer, thicker tuning, kind of like Empire Ear's Triton. Definitely worth a demo if you're into this kind of tuning. Legion was a nice introduction to the FlipEars line-up.


qdc Emperor/qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE



I had mixed feelings while listening to Emperor. It has excellent bass texture, but the bass is quite bloated. Female vocals sound a bit recessed, which typically leads to a deeper sounding stage, but that wasn’t the case here. Instead, Emperor sounded boxy and congested, with notes lacking room to breathe. To top it all off, there was an audible upper treble peak somewhere. Cymbal decay was nice at least, but I have to admit, I'm not sure what qdc was aiming for with Emperor.



Compared to the original, MusicTeck's re-tune of Emperor is like a breath of fresh air. The stage opens up considerably and the notes no longer feel strangled. There's a tasteful sub-bass boost and the treble is less peaky than the original. The re-tune still has the excellent bass texture and nice instrument decay.

Redeemed by Leo's tuning chops, I think qdc x MusicTeck Emperor collaboration is an all-around win. I'd definitely recommend the collaboration over the original.


Softears Volume S



The Volume S has been gaining a lot of traction lately. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews of it pop up on YouTube so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which impedance mode I heard it in.

The bass on Volume S was genuinely surprising. Great bass dynamics, excellent sub-bass depth and body, as well as mid-bass slam. Isolating Volume S to just its bass for a moment, I'd say it sound much more expensive than its $320 price tag would suggest.

Unfortunately, that's where the praise ends. The image is small, resolution is middling, and instruments sound compressed. When I hear a piano note, I expect to hear the initial key strike, the main piano note, followed by a natural decay. On Volume S, I'm not getting the the fullness of the piano note or the decay, only the initial strike followed by a compressed piano note and a stunted decay which I found very distracting.

Female vocals sounded okay, but there were some timbral issues with male vocals as well as some lower treble wonkiness. I was a bit disappointed in Volume S given all the hype, but I did really enjoy the bass at least.


Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



If Volume S was going for a more "natural" timbre, this prototype sounds slightly more pigmented to me. The resolution and note decay are much improved from Volume S, as is the staging. The treble tone is really pleasant and the extension is decent as well. Vocals sound neutrally positioned.

I don't recall if Leo said this has 5 drivers or 5 types of drivers (big difference, I know). It's a decent sounding set overall but it's perhaps missing a special sauce. I think the bass quality could use some improvement as well which I communicated to Leo. I think if Softears put the Volume S bass drivers in the prototype it could sound more interesting.

Overall enjoyable and competent set, I'm looking forward to how it evolves.




That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see many of you at CanJam!

Always love your write ups, thanks for this. lots I want to hear on that table, consider me jealous! MusicTeck and Leo are cooking over there with those collabs jeez!

---

Maven II day!!!!

 

[DaveStarWalker]

Head over heels in love with The Composer - I knew they suited my preferences even when I briefly tried at the meet up in Amsterdam last year, but having had some focused listening now, I really adore them… the sense of atmosphere, spaciousness, and detail is just incredible - definitely the sort of set to just kick back and immerse myself in full attention to an album.

Super good headphone, and so easy to drive

 

[AxLvR]

MusicTeck Visit, Pre-CanJam NYC 2025



It's always a pleasure to make an outing to @MusicTeck every few months to catch up with Andrew and Leo and experience the latest and yet-to-be-released gear. Ever the gracious hosts, they had a bevy of audio goodies ready to go when I arrived. A big thank you to both of them, as always.

Here's a complete list of the gear I demoed:

• Unique Melody MEST MK4 Jet Black
• Forté Ears Macbeth
• Shanling M8T
• Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD
• PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding
• Brise Orochi Ultimate
• Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)
• Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)
• qdc Emperor and qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE
• FlipEars Legion
• Softears Volume S
• Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

Theres a lot of ground to cover, let's get to it.


UM MEST MK4 Jet Black



The MEST MK4 Jet Black, just announced, is the latest iteration in UM’s beloved and successful MEST lineup. It features a 1DD/4BA/2EST/3BCD driver configuration. From what I understand, the 3BCD drivers cover the entire frequency range. I had the chance to demo a prototype with the final tuning, though the shells weren’t finalized, so I’ve included a picture of the production shells above.

The last MEST I heard was the MK3, which I recall sounding open, spacious, and clean—though a little flat timbrally. Although the MEST MK4 Jet Black shares the same DNA, it feels more adrenaline-laced and W-shaped in comparison. It sounds more contrasted, with a slightly more pigmented midrange. The bass and overall dynamics are bombastic, while the treble has a subtle upward lilt compared to previous iterations. The spaciousness the MEST series is known for endures, with the MK4 offering an added boost in resolution.

To my ears, the MEST MK4 Jet Black is a clear technical evolution and a worthy successor to the MEST lineup. That said, it may not be for everyone—it can sound intrusive at times if you’re used to more laid-back IEMs.


Forté Ears Macbeth



Macbeth's faceplates may be polarizing but its sound shouldn't be. Its signature is palatable and easygoing with ample punch in the mid-bass and a pleasant fullness in its elevated sub-bass. The midrange is stellar, with vocals placed neutrally or a touch back, and infused with lushness. Staging and resolution are impressive, holding their own against the formidable 622B. Depth imaging, in particular, is convincing, and instrument decay is well-executed.

Before my demo, I saw Macbeth’s measurements which initially had me concerned that it might sound overly bright. However, during my listening session, I realized that the measurements had made a mountain out of a molehill. There is a perceptible peak but it sounds tiny in practice and has the effect of adding a welcome droplet of zest as opposed to detracting from the listening experience.

If you can get past the faceplates, Macbeth has the potential to be a great all-rounder—a one-and-done IEM for most listeners. While it’s not the last word in dynamics, it scores high across most technical categories and is tastefully tuned.


Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD



I've been interested in Valhalla since its been teased, so I was really excited to get some time with it. I don't care too much for Valhalla's faceplates but its 3D printed titanium shells are beautifully crafted, lightweight, and very ergonomic.

The first thing that stood out to me, that I think Valhalla executes at a top 3 or so level is its sub-bass. Absolutely insane sub-bass resolution. Extremely granular. Valhalla is a little lighter on mid-bass, a little lean in midrange note weight, and has a ton of air. It's not my usual cup of tea but I appreciate what it's doing and and what it's going for. Although I have some treble sensitivity, Valhalla doesn't seem to hit my pain points at least.

Valhalla is very resolving and ultra-precise with its imaging cues. Staging is wide-ish but stage depth is a little lacking. Very impressive set overall.



Valhalla may be the newer, shiner Thieaudio sibling but for all its technical prowess, it's unable to match Prestige LTD for its ease and musicality. The faceplates are easier on the eyes as well, though it's constructed of resin instead of titanium.

I prefer the tuning of Prestige LTD to Valhalla. It has a large sub-bass elevation like Valhalla but more mid-bass as well for a fuller bass presentation. Prestige LTD has good treble extension as well but is devoid of Valhalla's occasional brightness.

Prestige LTD as a whole is kind of hard to truly fault. If I had to nitpick I wish it had a slightly more resolution and a more defined instrument attack. It's a little too laidback and sounds veiled at times. Overall solid set.


Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



MusicTeck has been very active in the collaboration space lately and this one, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is the one I took to the most. It’s still in its nascent stages, with Leo continuing to tweak the tuning but from what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like a mature, cleaned up Mentor.

It has every bit and possibly more of Mentor's famous staging, and none of its overly warm, at times congested presentation. The bass is much improved from Mentor, resolution sees a boost, and the treble is extremely linear. I believe Leo is looking to add a bit more bass hence the Venom pairing.

In a way, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is very un-UM-like. It's a very clean sound—almost reference-like—but with UM’s BCD tech on full display to interesting effect. My guess is that it can broaden UM's appeal to a more general audience, particularly those who find UM's typical offerings a little too colored.

The UM x MT unnamed prototype should make an appearance at the upcoming CanJam. Please give it a try and tell Leo what you think. Maybe you'll have an influence on the final outcome.


Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)



My other favorite listen of the day was the latest prototype of Quill Audio's Satin. Satin has a midrange that sounds not just pleasant, but exquisite, reminiscent of Traillii, the Watercooler darling.

True to its name, the midrange has a gorgeous, satiny feel with tons of microtextural goodness that extends to its tastefully tuned bass. The mid-bass has a gentle punch and the sub-bass just enough presence to not be too shy or obtrusive.

Satin is quite spacious sounding giving notes ample breathing room to decay. The treble, like the bass and midrange, is tastefully tuned, maintaining presence without being overbearing. Satin is not a bombastic, highly dynamic set. It's more like a maître d' that delivers nuanced and impeccable service at a fine dining restaurant while fading into the background.

As a whole, the latest Satin prototype is elegance personified. To me, it's the spiritual successor to the Traillii—every bit as good, and without the bass trade-off. Selfishly, I hope that it won’t carry Traillii’s price tag when it releases.


Brise Audio Orochi Ultimate



Brise's Orochi Ultimate is a cable that recently made some big waves in some circles I run in. The earhooks are stiff and it's somewhat difficult to coil but the sound is very rewarding.

I shared some impressions of Shirogane 8W and PWA 1950s with Shielding in a previous post, both highly capable wires that I enjoyed, albeit with different personalities. Shirogane has a refined sound with slower, more organic decay, wide and deep staging, excellent treble extension, and a rich sub-bass presence. 1950s has faster, bombastic sound, with a highly dynamic and boosted bass, a darker background from which notes pop, and great treble extension as well. Its stage is just as wide as Shirogane's but doesn't reach as deep.

Orochi Ultimate is more 1950s than Shirogane, and takes things further with superior resolution and a more agreeable timbre. It has insane clarity and resolution, bested only slightly by the cable I demoed next, PWA's Orpheus with Shielding.

Orochi Ultimate’s timbre carries a refined copper sheen, a noticeable improvement over Shiro’s somewhat dry timbre, and is less fatiguing than the 1950s. The bass is just as dynamic as the 1950s but less intrusive, while the midrange is more neutrally positioned compared to the 1950s' slightly forward presentation. Orochi Ultimate's treble is more even as well.

In my mind, Orochi Ultimate is a categorical upgrade over the 1950s with Shielding, which is all the more impressive given it retails for a couple hundred less than the latter. Orochi Ultimate is different enough from Shirogane that they can be viewed as complementary. Orochi should be an easy match with most sets given its fairly balanced tuning. Shirogane, being V-shaped, requires more careful pairing.


PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding



Supposedly, PW Audio’s Orpheus with Shielding is MusicTeck’s best-selling cable—a bit shocking considering it's a near $6,000 cable, but less so once I got a chance to hear it. Its appeal lies in the midrange: gorgeous, lush, 3D mids with astonishing resolution. Compared to all the other cables I've heard, it's singular in this regard.

Orpheus is unquestionably a mid-centric cable. It can come across a touch bass-light coming from the likes of Orochi and Shirogane. Still, it should be an easy pairing for vocal lovers (with very, very deep pockets).


Shanling M8T




I have a soft spot for Shanling's M9 Plus which is my favorite DAP to date. The M8T comes in at half the price, offers 90% of the performance, and has a tube mode to boot. It's light and ergonomic in the hand and has plenty of power and dynamics on tap.

It's actually what I used to demo all the gear during my visit (in transistor mode). Like the M9 Plus, I enjoy the the way it balances musicality with excellent technicalities. My only nitpick is that it has a bit of a mid-bass boost, maybe a db or two. I tend to prefer my sources linear. Other than that, it's excellent, especially at its going price.


FlipEars Legion



FlipEars is a brand I'm not too familiar with yet so I had no idea what I was holding in my hand. The faceplate design is certainly interesting—likely to be polarizing—but the shells felt incredibly premium, reminiscent of Odin's shells.

I liked the mid-bass density on this set, it had a quick decay with good dynamics and bass resolution. I enjoyed the female vocal tone as well, I thought they were positioned neutrally. The staging was about average, so not too spacious but not closed in either.

I thought it was an okay for what I assumed was a $2k to $3k set based on the build quality. It's certainly tuned well and does a lot right. Then Andrew told me its actual price: $850.

For $850 it's an excellent value. Legion has a warmer, thicker tuning, kind of like Empire Ear's Triton. Definitely worth a demo if you're into this kind of tuning. Legion was a nice introduction to the FlipEars line-up.


qdc Emperor/qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE



I had mixed feelings while listening to Emperor. It has excellent bass texture, but the bass is quite bloated. Female vocals sound a bit recessed, which typically leads to a deeper sounding stage, but that wasn’t the case here. Instead, Emperor sounded boxy and congested, with notes lacking room to breathe. To top it all off, there was an audible upper treble peak somewhere. Cymbal decay was nice at least, but I have to admit, I'm not sure what qdc was aiming for with Emperor.



Compared to the original, MusicTeck's re-tune of Emperor is like a breath of fresh air. The stage opens up considerably and notes no longer feel strangled. There's a tasteful sub-bass boost and the treble is less peaky than the original. The re-tune still has the excellent bass texture and nice instrument decay.

Redeemed by Leo's tuning chops, I think qdc x MusicTeck Emperor collaboration is an all-around win. I'd definitely recommend the collaboration over the original.


Softears Volume S



The Volume S has been gaining a lot of traction lately. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews of it pop up on YouTube so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which impedance mode I heard it in.

The bass on Volume S was genuinely surprising. Great bass dynamics, excellent sub-bass depth and body, as well as mid-bass slam. Isolating Volume S to just its bass for a moment, I'd say it sound much more expensive than its $320 price tag would suggest.

Unfortunately, that's where the praise ends. The image is small, resolution is middling, and instruments sound compressed. When I hear a piano note, I expect to hear the initial key strike, the main piano note, followed by a natural decay. On Volume S, I'm not getting the the fullness of the piano note or the decay, only the initial strike followed by a compressed piano note and a stunted decay which I found very distracting.

Female vocals sounded okay, but there were some timbral issues with male vocals as well as some lower treble wonkiness. I was a bit disappointed in Volume S given all the hype, but I did really enjoy the bass at least.


Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



If Volume S was going for a more "natural" timbre, this prototype sounds slightly more pigmented to me. The resolution and note decay are much improved from Volume S, as is the staging. The treble tone is really pleasant and the extension is decent as well. Vocals sound neutrally positioned.

I don't recall if Leo said this has 5 drivers or 5 types of drivers (big difference, I know). It's a decent sounding set overall but it's perhaps missing a special sauce. I think the bass quality could use some improvement as well which I communicated to Leo. I think if Softears put the Volume S bass drivers in the prototype it could sound more interesting.

Overall enjoyable and competent set, I'm looking forward to how it evolves.




That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see many of you at CanJam!

Awesome write up bro! You got me curious for the Satin proto

 

[raylu]

MusicTeck Visit, Pre-CanJam NYC 2025



It's always a pleasure to make an outing to @MusicTeck every few months to catch up with Andrew and Leo and experience the latest and yet-to-be-released gear. Ever the gracious hosts, they had a bevy of audio goodies ready to go when I arrived. A big thank you to both of them, as always.

Here's a complete list of the gear I demoed:

• Unique Melody MEST MK4 Jet Black
• Forté Ears Macbeth
• Shanling M8T
• Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD
• PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding
• Brise Orochi Ultimate
• Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)
• Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)
• qdc Emperor and qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE
• FlipEars Legion
• Softears Volume S
• Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)

Theres a lot of ground to cover, let's get to it.


UM MEST MK4 Jet Black



The MEST MK4 Jet Black, just announced, is the latest iteration in UM’s beloved and successful MEST lineup. It features a 1DD/4BA/2EST/3BCD driver configuration. From what I understand, the 3BCD drivers cover the entire frequency range. I had the chance to demo a prototype with the final tuning, though the shells weren’t finalized, so I’ve included a picture of the production shells above.

The last MEST I heard was the MK3, which I recall sounding open, spacious, and clean—though a little flat timbrally. Although the MEST MK4 Jet Black shares the same DNA, it feels more adrenaline-laced and W-shaped in comparison. It sounds more contrasted, with a slightly more pigmented midrange. The bass and overall dynamics are bombastic, while the treble has a subtle upward lilt compared to previous iterations. The spaciousness the MEST series is known for endures, with the MK4 offering an added boost in resolution.

To my ears, the MEST MK4 Jet Black is a clear technical evolution and a worthy successor to the MEST lineup. That said, it may not be for everyone—it can sound intrusive at times if you’re used to more laid-back IEMs.


Forté Ears Macbeth



Macbeth's faceplates may be polarizing but its sound shouldn't be. Its signature is palatable and easygoing with ample punch in the mid-bass and a pleasant fullness in its elevated sub-bass. The midrange is stellar, with vocals placed neutrally or a touch back, and infused with lushness. Staging and resolution are impressive, holding their own against the formidable 622B. Depth imaging, in particular, is convincing, and instrument decay is well-executed.

Before my demo, I saw Macbeth’s measurements which initially had me concerned that it might sound overly bright. However, during my listening session, I realized that the measurements had made a mountain out of a molehill. There is a perceptible peak but it sounds tiny in practice and has the effect of adding a welcome droplet of zest as opposed to detracting from the listening experience.

If you can get past the faceplates, Macbeth has the potential to be a great all-rounder—a one-and-done IEM for most listeners. While it’s not the last word in dynamics, it scores high across most technical categories and is tastefully tuned.


Thieaudio Valhalla and Prestige LTD



I've been interested in Valhalla since its been teased, so I was really excited to get some time with it. I don't care too much for Valhalla's faceplates but its 3D printed titanium shells are beautifully crafted, lightweight, and very ergonomic.

The first thing that stood out to me, that I think Valhalla executes at a top 3 or so level is its sub-bass. Absolutely insane sub-bass resolution. Extremely granular. Valhalla is a little lighter on mid-bass, a little lean in midrange note weight, and has a ton of air. It's not my usual cup of tea but I appreciate what it's doing and and what it's going for. Although I have some treble sensitivity, Valhalla doesn't seem to hit my pain points at least.

Valhalla is very resolving and ultra-precise with its imaging cues. Staging is wide-ish but stage depth is a little lacking. Very impressive set overall.



Valhalla may be the newer, shiner Thieaudio sibling but for all its technical prowess, it's unable to match Prestige LTD for its ease and musicality. The faceplates are easier on the eyes as well, though it's constructed of resin instead of titanium.

I prefer the tuning of Prestige LTD to Valhalla. It has a large sub-bass elevation like Valhalla but more mid-bass as well for a fuller bass presentation. Prestige LTD has good treble extension as well but is devoid of Valhalla's occasional brightness.

Prestige LTD as a whole is kind of hard to truly fault. If I had to nitpick I wish it had a slightly more resolution and a more defined instrument attack. It's a little too laidback and sounds veiled at times. Overall solid set.


Unique Melody x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



MusicTeck has been very active in the collaboration space lately and this one, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is the one I took to the most. It’s still in its nascent stages, with Leo continuing to tweak the tuning but from what I’ve heard so far, it sounds like a mature, cleaned up Mentor.

It has every bit and possibly more of Mentor's famous staging, and none of its overly warm, at times congested presentation. The bass is much improved from Mentor, resolution sees a boost, and the treble is extremely linear. I believe Leo is looking to add a bit more bass hence the Venom pairing.

In a way, the UM x MT unnamed prototype is very un-UM-like. It's a very clean sound—almost reference-like—but with UM’s BCD tech on full display to interesting effect. My guess is that it can broaden UM's appeal to a more general audience, particularly those who find UM's typical offerings a little too colored.

The UM x MT unnamed prototype should make an appearance at the upcoming CanJam. Please give it a try and tell Leo what you think. Maybe you'll have an influence on the final outcome.


Quill Audio Satin (latest prototype)



My other favorite listen of the day was the latest prototype of Quill Audio's Satin. Satin has a midrange that sounds not just pleasant, but exquisite, reminiscent of Traillii, the Watercooler darling.

True to its name, the midrange has a gorgeous, satiny feel with tons of microtextural goodness that extends to its tastefully tuned bass. The mid-bass has a gentle punch and the sub-bass just enough presence to not be too shy or obtrusive.

Satin is quite spacious sounding giving notes ample breathing room to decay. The treble, like the bass and midrange, is tastefully tuned, maintaining presence without being overbearing. Satin is not a bombastic, highly dynamic set. It's more like a maître d' that delivers nuanced and impeccable service at a fine dining restaurant while fading into the background.

As a whole, the latest Satin prototype is elegance personified. To me, it's the spiritual successor to the Traillii—every bit as good, and without the bass trade-off. Selfishly, I hope that it won’t carry Traillii’s price tag when it releases.


Brise Audio Orochi Ultimate



Brise's Orochi Ultimate is a cable that recently made some big waves in some circles I run in. The earhooks are stiff and it's somewhat difficult to coil but the sound is very rewarding.

I shared some impressions of Shirogane 8W and PWA 1950s with Shielding in a previous post, both highly capable wires that I enjoyed, albeit with different personalities. Shirogane has a refined sound with slower, more organic decay, wide and deep staging, excellent treble extension, and a rich sub-bass presence. 1950s has faster, bombastic sound, with a highly dynamic and boosted bass, a darker background from which notes pop, and great treble extension as well. Its stage is just as wide as Shirogane's but doesn't reach as deep.

Orochi Ultimate is more 1950s than Shirogane, and takes things further with superior resolution and a more agreeable timbre. It has insane clarity and resolution, bested only slightly by the cable I demoed next, PWA's Orpheus with Shielding.

Orochi Ultimate’s timbre carries a refined copper sheen, a noticeable improvement over Shiro’s somewhat dry timbre, and is less fatiguing than the 1950s. The bass is just as dynamic as the 1950s but less intrusive, while the midrange is more neutrally positioned compared to the 1950s' slightly forward presentation. Orochi Ultimate's treble is more even as well.

In my mind, Orochi Ultimate is a categorical upgrade over the 1950s with Shielding, which is all the more impressive given it retails for a couple hundred less than the latter. Orochi Ultimate is different enough from Shirogane that they can be viewed as complementary. Orochi should be an easy match with most sets given its fairly balanced tuning. Shirogane, being V-shaped, requires more careful pairing.


PW Audio Orpheus with Shielding



Supposedly, PW Audio’s Orpheus with Shielding is MusicTeck’s best-selling cable—a bit shocking considering it's a near $6,000 cable, but less so once I got a chance to hear it. Its appeal lies in the midrange: gorgeous, lush, 3D mids with astonishing resolution. Compared to all the other cables I've heard, it's singular in this regard.

Orpheus is unquestionably a mid-centric cable. It can come across a touch bass-light coming from the likes of Orochi and Shirogane. Still, it should be an easy pairing for vocal lovers (with very, very deep pockets).


Shanling M8T




I have a soft spot for Shanling's M9 Plus which is my favorite DAP to date. The M8T comes in at half the price, offers 90% of the performance, and has a tube mode to boot. It's light and ergonomic in the hand and has plenty of power and dynamics on tap.

It's actually what I used to demo all the gear during my visit (in transistor mode). Like the M9 Plus, I enjoy the the way it balances musicality with excellent technicalities. My only nitpick is that it has a bit of a mid-bass boost, maybe a db or two. I tend to prefer my sources linear. Other than that, it's excellent, especially at its going price.


FlipEars Legion



FlipEars is a brand I'm not too familiar with yet so I had no idea what I was holding in my hand. The faceplate design is certainly interesting—likely to be polarizing—but the shells felt incredibly premium, reminiscent of Odin's shells.

I liked the mid-bass density on this set, it had a quick decay with good dynamics and bass resolution. I enjoyed the female vocal tone as well, I thought they were positioned neutrally. The staging was about average, so not too spacious but not closed in either.

I thought it was an okay for what I assumed was a $2k to $3k set based on the build quality. It's certainly tuned well and does a lot right. Then Andrew told me its actual price: $850.

For $850 it's an excellent value. Legion has a warmer, thicker tuning, kind of like Empire Ear's Triton. Definitely worth a demo if you're into this kind of tuning. Legion was a nice introduction to the FlipEars line-up.


qdc Emperor/qdc x MusicTeck Emperor SE



I had mixed feelings while listening to Emperor. It has excellent bass texture, but the bass is quite bloated. Female vocals sound a bit recessed, which typically leads to a deeper sounding stage, but that wasn’t the case here. Instead, Emperor sounded boxy and congested, with notes lacking room to breathe. To top it all off, there was an audible upper treble peak somewhere. Cymbal decay was nice at least, but I have to admit, I'm not sure what qdc was aiming for with Emperor.



Compared to the original, MusicTeck's re-tune of Emperor is like a breath of fresh air. The stage opens up considerably and notes no longer feel strangled. There's a tasteful sub-bass boost and the treble is less peaky than the original. The re-tune still has the excellent bass texture and nice instrument decay.

Redeemed by Leo's tuning chops, I think qdc x MusicTeck Emperor collaboration is an all-around win. I'd definitely recommend the collaboration over the original.


Softears Volume S



The Volume S has been gaining a lot of traction lately. I've seen a lot of glowing reviews of it pop up on YouTube so I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Unfortunately, I'm not sure which impedance mode I heard it in.

The bass on Volume S was genuinely surprising. Great bass dynamics, excellent sub-bass depth and body, as well as mid-bass slam. Isolating Volume S to just its bass for a moment, I'd say it sound much more expensive than its $320 price tag would suggest.

Unfortunately, that's where the praise ends. The image is small, resolution is middling, and instruments sound compressed. When I hear a piano note, I expect to hear the initial key strike, the main piano note, followed by a natural decay. On Volume S, I'm not getting the the fullness of the piano note or the decay, only the initial strike followed by a compressed piano note and a stunted decay which I found very distracting.

Female vocals sounded okay, but there were some timbral issues with male vocals as well as some lower treble wonkiness. I was a bit disappointed in Volume S given all the hype, but I did really enjoy the bass at least.


Softears x MusicTeck (unnamed prototype)



If Volume S was going for a more "natural" timbre, this prototype sounds slightly more pigmented to me. The resolution and note decay are much improved from Volume S, as is the staging. The treble tone is really pleasant and the extension is decent as well. Vocals sound neutrally positioned.

I don't recall if Leo said this has 5 drivers or 5 types of drivers (big difference, I know). It's a decent sounding set overall but it's perhaps missing a special sauce. I think the bass quality could use some improvement as well which I communicated to Leo. I think if Softears put the Volume S bass drivers in the prototype it could sound more interesting.

Overall enjoyable and competent set, I'm looking forward to how it evolves.




That's all I have for today. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see many of you at CanJam!

Nice review bro !

 

[smirks_audio]

Always love your write ups, thanks for this. lots I want to hear on that table, consider me jealous! MusicTeck and Leo are cooking over there with those collabs jeez!

Awesome write up bro! You got me curious for the Satin proto

Nice review bro !

Thanks guys! Much appreciated.

 

[F208Frank]

Anyone else excited for upcoming Can Jam? I am local to NY so I am stoked!