[aaf evo]

Also just to add about stage… I don’t think either of them will leave you desiring more @armstrj2 , I just prefer that way the XE6 presents it.

 

[Scubadevils]

Thanks for the album recommendation. Back in my hotel room, unwinding after gym, ready for ZZZs with EVO x 3MAX + Phaeleh. Mmm melodic spatial album with deep EVO sub bass rumbles.

EVO another I would love to try - I'm a bit wary now of larger shells following MEXT, definitely the largest I've tried and touch and go as to whether I'll hold on or sell them, the tuning is so damn addictive though...

 

[RTodd]

EVO another I would love to try - I'm a bit wary now of larger shells following MEXT, definitely the largest I've tried and touch and go as to whether I'll hold on or sell them, the tuning is so damn addictive though...

Remember when we were hearing.
MEST is BEST
Now
MEXT is BEXT

Does not mean anything anymore the IEM world has changed so much, and what was the best is now kind of entry level for UM.
Back to the confusion of the brand.

Still it is a very addicting set as you say, for the price good choice if you want an energetic set.

 

[Rockwell75]

Interesting... I have not heard Kr5, but after comparing Ne4 with Xe6, I heard Ne4 vocals presented as a bit more forward compared to the Xe6. Are you talking male and female vocals? To me, both male and female vocals (to a greater extent) sound closer and more upfront on Ne4, although Xe6 presents male vocals especially with more weight and gusto than on the Ne4. I think perhaps I hear the Ne4 mids as more forward since you don't get quite the treble extension, detail and same level of midbass elevation you get on the Xe6, so the perception is that the Ne4 mids stand out more?

I do agree that the Ne4 provides a more laid back sound and overall an easier listen not because Xe6 is peaky or harsh at all, simply because Xe6 is so dynamic it really entices you to focus on the music, which can get fatiguing for me after awhile. Due to this, I do feel Ne4 may be the better all arounder, despite falling short of Xe6 in many areas. It really isn't fair though since Xe6 is almost twice the price.

I haven’t compared XE6 directly with NE4 yet…will do so and report back.

@Scuba Devils when are you heading to Germany?

 

[armstrj2]

We seem to like similar IEMs

Haha, for sure. You're a great man for being first in and then describing what you hear accurately. It really helps when you know the person also likes similar IEMs, sometimes anyway!

Also just to add about stage… I don’t think either of them will leave you desiring more @armstrj2 , I just prefer that way the XE6 presents it.

Cool. I think I know which way I am leaning anyway. I am just waiting for @arijitroy2 to realise he's bought too many IEMs and start listing some of them for sale here in the EU

 

[Rockwell75]

Haha, for sure. You're a great man for being first in and then describing what you hear accurately. It really helps when you know the person also likes similar IEMs, sometimes anyway!



Cool. I think I know which way I am leaning anyway. I am just waiting for @arijitroy2 to realise he's bought too many IEMs and start listing some of them for sale here in the EU

I’m grateful for the high rollers and trail blazers paving the way for us bottom feeders.

 

[Scubadevils]

Remember when we were hearing.
MEST is BEST
Now
MEXT is BEXT

Does not mean anything anymore the IEM world has changed so much, and what was the best is now kind of entry level for UM.
Back to the confusion of the brand.

Still it is a very addicting set as you say, for the price good choice if you want an energetic set.

This is exactly what has me curious on an upgrade to what is comparitively a 'low' price IEM from UM... I really would like my next expensive IEM to be a very high performing energetic set to complement Traillii... big bass, lush mids, crisp treble, big stage, lots of detail but without being too analytical.

 

[Scubadevils]

I haven’t compared XE6 directly with NE4 yet…will do so and report back.

@Scuba Devils when are you heading to Germany?

Wednesday - appointment with VE then on Thursday at 1pm. My daughter finally tested negative today, and the rest of the house didn't catch it so looking good!

 

[armstrj2]

Wednesday - appointment with VE then on Thursday at 1pm. My daughter finally tested negative today, and the rest of the house didn't catch it so looking good!

Result! You've set a pretty high bar in that last post though. Not sure too many IEMs can live up to that billing!

 

[Scubadevils]

Result! You've set a pretty high bar in that last post though. Not sure too many IEMs can live up to that billing!

One can dream! To be fair, MEXT almost satisfies on every count - except for the usual curiousity (and fit issue), one could live happily ever after with MEXT and my lively electronic music library!

 

[Neweymatt]

Im sure a similar situation holds for others too.

Yeah, it was your early rec's of Andro2020 that convinced me to take it seriously, and it has now earned a permanent spot in my collection. It's a bit of an outlier in that it doesn't do sub-bass near as well as most everything else I have, but every time I listen to it, it casts a kind of spell that nothing else does. Just about every session I use it seems memorable in some way.

Dropping a size with Spiral Dot++ on MEXT might save the day... I absolutely love them.

... and here is @Scuba Devils hyping MEXT yet again, getting hard for me to resist

My go to single DD right now is the CCA CRA lol

There's no 'lol' about it the CRA are legit. They get an hour's ear time with me everyday first thing when I'm at the gym or out running. I get great seal and isolation with Symbio foams, their elevated bass works well in louder environments, and for $15 I'm ok with them getting wet, or if I should damage them.

 

[armstrj2]

One can dream! To be fair, MEXT almost satisfies on every count - except for the usual curiousity (and fit issue), one could live happily ever after with MEXT and my lively electronic music library!

I'm still going to try and convince you to consider an Elysian IEM but I think EXT can tick a lot of those boxes for you too.

 

[gLer]

Had a brilliant session with @xenithon this evening while he's here on a visit. Shared copious thoughts about EXT and Z1R while listening back and forth to music we each like. Must say it was quite eye (and ear?) opening, and also incredibly helpful to compare how we each hear the same songs with both these IEMs.

TL;DR - the differences between the two are very clear to me now, even moreso than when I compared them on my own. I also have a better understanding of why I prefer the Z1R, and why others would prefer the EXT, but also why some of the words I used to describe EXT's sound fell flat. I was describing it very much through my own personal lens, but taking a step back and dissecting how someone else hears it in real time gives me a far better handle on how to tackle IEM descriptions in future reviews.

For the record (listen up @Tristy) I'm retracting the use of the word clinical from my review and replacing it with etched. I maintain this quality, which @Deezel177 also alluded to, makes some female vocals sound drier - or at least not as sweet - to me when compared to Z1R, but since @xenithon doesn't quite hear it the same, there's definitely some wiggle room here.

Lastly, I also realised how near impossible it is to comprehend how an IEM sounds, let alone describe it, without very specific track examples and references. It's literally like comparing apples and oranges otherwise.

Just sharing thoughts, didn't take any pics as we were mostly sat in the dark. Sadly we had to stop once EXT enflamed the inside of @xenithon's right ear.

 

[Auricon]

EVO another I would love to try - I'm a bit wary now of larger shells following MEXT, definitely the largest I've tried and touch and go as to whether I'll hold on or sell them, the tuning is so damn addictive though...

Ja, I feel the same way with EVOs - definitely the largest IEMs in my collection but don't feel large once in. With Spiral DOT++ (size ML for my Chunnel), I don't feel like I'm wearing IEMs I haven't been able to locate a photo of the size differences between the MEXT vs EVO.

 

[Neweymatt]

I’m grateful for the high rollers and trail blazers paving the way for us bottom feeders.

I can't tell if there's a LOL missing here or not!!

I am certainly not any kind of trailblazer in this hobby, my collection would make that pretty obvious. But I certainly do very much appreciate the efforts of many on this thread to share their impressions & learnings, it's been a huge help for this risk-averse wannabe.