[marcusd]

Hi Marcus,
Great review.

How would you compare the ME.1 to the Katana and may be the Kaiser Encore is you had the chance to try it?
Thanks

Well one is more than half the price so that's the big one out of the way

Though both are spacious the Katana is very different in the presentation for me. Its a detail monster with a very precise level of control and articulation. Its bass has a nice little uptick but doesn't slam as hard as the very low end of the ME.1. By way of contrast, the Katana's top end is airier and more articulate with tremendous extension.

 

[audionewbi]

I went back to Comply to reduce the treble energy. I'm testing whether ME.1 can be a high fidelity, across genera IEM. Regretfully I can't say it is. I will talk about it more in my review, or later once I am certain no other tip can help with this matter but the issue I have is high pitch voices in a loud live rock concerts, the sound is simply too energetic for me. The part where the crowd are screaming, female choir, they can be a little too hot, not quiet sibilant however powerful enough to make me want to reduce the volume.

But bass, mids, impact of bass is so addictive that while I was writing my BA-10 OAK review I found myself listening to UM ME.1 and colorfy C4 instead of focusing on my review.

 

[ranfan]

I went back to Comply to reduce the treble energy. I'm testing whether ME.1 can be a high fidelity, across genera IEM. Regretfully I can't say it is. I will talk about it more in my review, or later once I am certain no other tip can help with this matter but the issue I have is high pitch voices in a loud live rock concerts, the sound is simply too energetic for me. The part where the crowd are screaming, female choir, they can be a little too hot, not quiet sibilant however powerful enough to make me want to reduce the volume.

But bass, mids, impact of bass is so addictive that while I was writing my BA-10 OAK review I found myself listening to UM ME.1 and colorfy C4 instead of focusing on my review.

Thanks for sharing your brief impression. Looking forward to your review. When do you estimate it'll be finished? I'm pretty used to energetic treble, having had the Yuin OK1 for some while. Really like its big soundstage by the way, so I was hoping that the ME-1 could deliver something similar as well. Do you think the treble is alike any Grado headphones? And what do you think about its sensitivity/volume? I ordered a unit of iFi EarBuddy to play with, and will try it on with ME-1 later then.

 

[audionewbi]

Thanks for sharing your brief impression. Looking forward to your review. When do you estimate it'll be finished? I'm pretty used to energetic treble, having had the Yuin OK1 for some while. Really like its big soundstage by the way, so I was hoping that the ME-1 could deliver something similar as well. Do you think the treble is alike any Grado headphones? And what do you think about its sensitivity/volume? I ordered a unit of iFi EarBuddy to play with, and will try it on with ME-1 later then.

I don’t have an exact deadline as they are my own pair that I purchased so the manufacturer isn’t husseling me for a review.!im waiting for final audio silicon tips to arrive and after that I need to listen more to them.

For me burning in the device hasn’t effected the treble at all.
I read somewhere that the ME.1 has similar tonality to EX1000. In terms of treble detail I couldn’t agree more. I still love the EX1000 but I only use it for a very specific style of music.

 

[Brooko]

I went back to Comply to reduce the treble energy. I'm testing whether ME.1 can be a high fidelity, across genera IEM. Regretfully I can't say it is. I will talk about it more in my review, or later once I am certain no other tip can help with this matter but the issue I have is high pitch voices in a loud live rock concerts, the sound is simply too energetic for me. The part where the crowd are screaming, female choir, they can be a little too hot, not quiet sibilant however powerful enough to make me want to reduce the volume.

But bass, mids, impact of bass is so addictive that while I was writing my BA-10 OAK review I found myself listening to UM ME.1 and colorfy C4 instead of focusing on my review.

You're not the only one thinking this - but its nothing to do with treble. They have an early rise in the mid-range close to 1 kHz and then a drop off soon after. Its tuned very similar to the Jupiter in this respect (and I very much disliked that tuning). What it gives you is more emphasis on vocal fundamentals (especially female vocals), and takes away a lot of the harmonics (which are necessary to avoid dissonance). The EQ I'm using isn't perfected yet - but try this if you can and see if it improves things:

With any luck I'll be posting my review in the next 24 hours.

 

[marcusd]

You're not the only one thinking this - but its nothing to do with treble. They have an early rise in the mid-range close to 1 kHz and then a drop off soon after. Its tuned very similar to the Jupiter in this respect (and I very much disliked that tuning). What it gives you is more emphasis on vocal fundamentals (especially female vocals), and takes away a lot of the harmonics (which are necessary to avoid dissonance). The EQ I'm using isn't perfected yet - but try this if you can and see if it improves things:



With any luck I'll be posting my review in the next 24 hours.

Actually, if I may I just wanted to add my own 0.02c regarding the concept of fundamental frequencies within harmonics and vocals (pitch). There is no single fundamental frequency in a vocal pitch, especially when singing because singing is the very act of controlling a frequency to elicit a desired response. However in a relaxed "normal talking manner" a human vocal range has a natural fundamental frequency. Not all devices can pick up these frequencies and as such you get a missing fundamental frequency, for example, how some people sound on crappy cell phones.

When we sing a song, we are controlling the fundamental frequency of our voice according to the melody of that song. Since a person's voice typically varies over a range of fundamental frequencies, it is more accurate to speak of a person having a range of fundamental frequencies, rather than one specific fundamental frequency, Nevertheless, a person's relaxed voice usually can be characterized by a "natural" fundamental frequency that is comfortable for that person as mentioned.

Thus when we define a fundamental frequency in vocals (singing) it is a measure of how high or low the frequency of a person's voice sound and this is contextual to how that person sings. Vocal range is quite wide and often a lot of vocals can and do start below 1Khz . For instance, most male fundamental frequencies are in actual fact around 150mHz and for a female around 250mHz and a child as high as 450Mhz. That does not mean their pitch or voice is heard at these frequencies but rather the typical relaxed fundamental harmonic starts there under normal circumstances. In singing, some vocalists can go lower or higher depending on the melodic requirements.

Generally speaking, even harmonics balance will sound smooth neigh musical, too much and it is overly rounded and lacking in bite. Odd harmonics give a little and necessary clarity and bite, too much and its harsh, sharp (partial overtones). In musical theory, a sweet sound is known as consonant and one we generally enjoy, the concept of dissonance is the opposite and Brooko you quite right to make the connection between dissonance and a harmonic imbalance. Anything above the 3rd harmonic order has to be treated with caution as this is where dissonance usually occurs.

 

[Brooko]

Agree Marcus - I should have clarified the vocal fundamental point. I generally think of it as (majority of times) being from around 250-300 Hz through to about the 1-2 kHz mark, with harmonics often strongest in the 1-3 or 4 kHz area. Question though - are you also hearing it, because it is quite obvious to me (and evidently to audionewbi as well)? And I know what vocals should sound like - as I can easily calibrate back to relatively neutral/natural with my Alclair Curve, HD600 and even the HD800S to a certain extent. Even my car speakers and JBL LSR305's (small studio monitors) tell me that there is comparative dissonance.

It'll be in my review - but here was my measurement of the ME.1

I'll also post UM's graph which is pretty much very close to mine.

 

[marcusd]

Yup, if something is fundamental at 440Hz then the 3rd harmonic will chime in at 1320Hz which is right where that peak starts so my guess is the harmonic "strain" is on the 3rd which is where the dissonance might be occurring. Mind you I did my review with symbios tips which are hybrid tips. I felt the stock foams a little too wide for my ears and the stock silicone tips too thin and the Symbios W just the perfect fit. It may well be the hybrid tip keeps everything in check nicely. Well, it did for me. I see you also caught the 6k dip

 

[Brooko]

And my review just posted : https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/unique-melody-me1.22652/reviews#review-19230

 

[kubig123]

You're not the only one thinking this - but its nothing to do with treble. They have an early rise in the mid-range close to 1 kHz and then a drop off soon after. Its tuned very similar to the Jupiter in this respect (and I very much disliked that tuning). What it gives you is more emphasis on vocal fundamentals (especially female vocals), and takes away a lot of the harmonics (which are necessary to avoid dissonance). The EQ I'm using isn't perfected yet - but try this if you can and see if it improves things:



With any luck I'll be posting my review in the next 24 hours.

thank you,
following your input and adjusting the EQ now the ME.1 sounds much closer to the other ciems I have, much needed improvement!

 

[Ahmad313]

And my review just posted : https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/unique-melody-me1.22652/reviews#review-19230

Very nice review ,
am a bit dishearten because i never see a comparison with Big Dipper and Andromeda ,,

 

[Brooko]

Very nice review, am a bit dishearten because i never see a comparison with Big Dipper and Andromeda ,,

Unfortunately my Dipper is with another reviewer at the moment (so I couldn't do a side by side). And I don’t have an Andromeda - when I reviewed it, I did it solely as part of a tour. Not having one does hinder follow up posts/comparisons - but unfortunately I don't have the means to afford one at the moment (having just actually purchased the Dipper from LZ).

 

[darveniza]

Received the ME-1 units several days ago. I have burned them in for 50 hrs using a playlist that goes from instrumental, rock, etc and at a specific volume and Mid Level gain in the amp. and the sound has evolved. Also used several songs from a Spotify Playlist titled Songs to Test Headphone with to determine these changes

The units have an expansive sound stage and overall sound expansion that my DAP volume scale has to be reduced when compared with other IEM's. Currently using the supplied tips but will be moving forward with the Symbios to test.

One thing I will say I have a set of Audeze I20's and they don't seal or feel as good as these ergonomically. Sound wise these are way better than the audeze Isine 20's. Will need to compare with the LCD i4's one of these days

 

[darveniza]

 

[darveniza]