[Tomm11]

Intended to do some of this a while back.

Mest Mk1 - followed some guidance from this thread. Here are my results.

Cable - Xinhs Graphene
So first of all I have to give props out to Xinhs. I was ordering in China at the same time he had his AliExpress sale, so I think he was quite busy. AE had the....8core?...16core?....graphene cable and TaoBao only had the one below (4 or 8). My wife got in touch with him and said we wanted the more core option. When it came to connectors, the only reason I wanted to change the cable was to get away from the angles, molded plastic connectors that come as stock. Xinhs had flat finish 2 pin connectors which ticked that box, but of course no cover to go over the plug that pops out of the Mest. We sent him pictures of the IEM. "Are you sure you want these connectors and not the ones with a cover?" Yes, we're sure, because the ones with a cover are angled molded plastic again. "Ok"

I think it was three days or so later that they arrived, which is impressive considering how busy he was. Max core graphene cable for 400RMB ($62) - very nice quality. But what is this? He had created a hybrid connector with the flat finish ends that I wanted, but adding a cover for the plug!!!! Not requested, no additional charge. I was very pleased!

So, sound. I was expecting extended highs and lows and increased soundstage, according to reports in here (though they were with MkII). Didn't quite get that. Highs and lows feel a little blunted at the extremes. Not enormously so, just a little less crisp and a little less thudding. Mids were slightly recessed - but this worked quite nicely for me. Though I have to slightly compromise in terms of outer limit resolution and impact, I get a better sense of front depth - there is a feeling that sound is coming from in front of me. This is great for me - although I miss the upper clarity. Again, it's not a huge difference, but you know what we're like!!!!

Overall though, I ended up going back to stock. More to come.

Tips - Spinfit CP100
Usual tips are the Sednas....the slightly sticky ones (I really am not doing well with memory today!). I love the signature, but they're not always comfortable and the right ear has days when it just won't stay in and sealed. No idea why.
CP100s - very nice! VERY comfortable. Tiniest reduction in high end, but not really an issue. Staging is still good. Great seal. These became my new dailies. More to come on this as well.

Tips - Easytips SS20
I want to send a big thank you to @Shinigami76 for championing these.
I have never spent so much money on so many sets of tips for an IEM before. I don't really mind too much - it's a little like the thrill of getting new IEMs, but considerably cheaper! Always looking for better soundstage, ideally without compromise.
Easytips were 30RMB ($4.60). The cheapest I have ever bought. That much for one pair? NO! That much for 4 pairs of different sizes.
SS here stands for soundstage, they are designed and advertised as maximisers of the staging. They do exactly that. Greater width, greater space, more depth. This is IMMEDIATELY noticeable. I have a number of binaural recordings - some I have made myself and some which are commercially produced. The ones I made myself are particularly useful for demoing gear, because I know exactly where the sounds should come from.
The Easytips took me right back to that very first audition of the Mest, where I was placed back in the space I did the recording.
They are fantastic.
There's a slight reduction in the extremes again, but I've come to the conclusion that for forward projection, this is somewhat necessary. That and somewhat recessed or very slightly veiled upper mids. So the SS20 slightly soften the sound overall - think Nighthawks vs Ananda. Some precision is lost, but the gain in soundstage is worth it to me, and the sound is still lovely.
I have a list of 12 or so tracks which I use to demo gear. Buena Vista, Mozart Violin Concertos, Count Basie, Blondie, Zimmer, FKJ, The Roots and more. Typically I'll bounce through the list pretty quickly, because I know the tracks well and I can easily identify what the new gear is doing. This time, I listened to almost every track pretty much all the way through. I was addicted to the presentation and the experience.
These are a triumph.
I'm making a note here: "HUGE SUCCESS"
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.

The Obvious Next Step - Tips and Cable
So then I tried the SS20 with the Xinhs cable, just to see. One would imagine that the extremes would take another hit, all things being equal, right?
Wrong! Upper range doesn't seem to be further affected, low end is actually increased! This pairing works very nicely. Again, some precision is sacrificed, but it's a really pleasing sound signature and VERY spacious. Plus it's the most comfortable for me so far with the Mest Mk1. This is a winning combination.

My Current Position
While I would love to have an enormous soundstage and still maintain the high frequency detail I love so much, it currently doesn't seem to be possible with the Mest and the tips and cables I have (I choose my words carefully here!) I can still try more tips, and I can try another cable - would definitely buy from Xinhs again so might go all silver, for example.

Instead, it seems to me that I have a Swiss Army Knife of IEMs. If I want a technical (yet still very engaging) sound, I know which cable and tips to use. Swapping either or both allows me to experience a greater soundstage, a more relaxed presentation and the balance of staging vs precision can be adjusted by my choice of tips/cable.

The Xinhs cable came with a simple, but nice, carry case which includes a netting pouch. Perfect to keep the cable I'm not using and number of sets of tips. I can choose the presentation that fits my mood wherever I am. This is an absolute win in my books.

So there you go! Thank you to all of you for the ongoing suggestions and feedback with different tips and cables.
The Mest has turned out to be one of (if not "the) best audio purchases I've made.

I've seen those straight, covered 2 pin connectors before so they aren't a one off. I don't remember which cable brand I've seen them on before. Could have been XINHS, and if so, maybe they are exclusive to him.

 

[Shinigami76]

How are you enjoying the Cayin DAP with your mk2?

I can says it's perfect matching
E02 for EDM
R01 for most music. As I feel I'm into the music world

 

[Shinigami76]

Exactly, that's what I'm saying.. It looks like you get all sizes no matter which color you choose. Usually different colors are used to reflect size differences, here the colors are different for esthetics only, I believe.

I only need the L, not M, S size tips. No interest in a package with all different sizes.

Maybe you can try Amazon for loose pack.
Take note. I found that the nozzle stem is smaller than others Azla sednafit. Don't know is it a typo

 

[Scubadevils]

Just checked Amazon Japan and new Azla there but likewise, each pack contains the full mix of sizes... counts me out for now!

 

[Tomm11]

Just checked Amazon Japan and new Azla there but likewise, each pack contains the full mix of sizes... counts me out for now!

I agree. It's effectively $16.99 for one pair of tips unless one can find use for more than one size.

 

[Ufanco]

Looking at the Mest MK11 as a possible upgrade so I have a few questions. I notice a lot of people upgrade the cable when I look at the description seems the cable sells for a third to the cost the Mest. Is it not a quality cable that’s included? Second is buying used vs new is the warranty transferable? Or would I be better off buying a used like new from musicteck, he has them listed at $2299.00 and since he accepts amazon payments I would get 5% back. If not what do you feel is a reasonable price for a used pair?

Most of the reviews seem good but rather check with members. It seems everyone that own them really enjoys them, any buyer remorse after buying? How’s the build quality of them in general. How well do they work for wide range of music taste and for someone that enjoys classic rock? The bone conduction is really interesting feature on paper how is it real life usage? I see some members upgrade to custom fit. If you go custom can you reuse your universal set inners or is it a complete new purchase?

Sorry about the amount of question it’s a lot of money to spend on a iem so want to research it as much as possible.

 

[misteral201103]

Looking at the Mest MK11 as a possible upgrade so I have a few questions. I notice a lot of people upgrade the cable when I look at the description seems the cable sells for a third to the cost the Mest. Is it not a quality cable that’s included? Second is buying used vs new is the warranty transferable? Or would I be better off buying a used like new from musicteck, he has them listed at $2299.00 and since he accepts amazon payments I would get 5% back. If not what do you feel is a reasonable price for a used pair?

Most of the reviews seem good but rather check with members. It seems everyone that own them really enjoys them, any buyer remorse after buying? How’s the build quality of them in general. How well do they work for wide range of music taste and for someone that enjoys classic rock? The bone conduction is really interesting feature on paper how is it real life usage? I see some members upgrade to custom fit. If you go custom can you reuse your universal set inners or is it a complete new purchase?

Sorry about the amount of question it’s a lot of money to spend on a iem so want to research it as much as possible.

Hopefully you'll get a few different views on cables - here's mine.
I love the sound from the stock cable and I am fully aware of the price value. For me personally, I find the connectors on the stock cable problematic in terms of comfort, so if I had the chance to get the same sound signature but more comfortable connectors, I would be happy. However, given the quality of the sound and the price of the cable alone, I was not in a rush to change.
The other aspect, for me, is as soon as someone tells me about a relatively low cost cable or tip which provides EVEN MORE soundstage, I will want to try it out!!

In my opinion, the stock cable is high quality and beautifully matched to the IEM.

 

[MatW]

I don't hear much difference between cables. I buy cables mainly for esthetics, but the stock cable is fine for me.

 

[14christ]

Looking at the Mest MK11 as a possible upgrade so I have a few questions. I notice a lot of people upgrade the cable when I look at the description seems the cable sells for a third to the cost the Mest. Is it not a quality cable that’s included? Second is buying used vs new is the warranty transferable? Or would I be better off buying a used like new from musicteck, he has them listed at $2299.00 and since he accepts amazon payments I would get 5% back. If not what do you feel is a reasonable price for a used pair?

Most of the reviews seem good but rather check with members. It seems everyone that own them really enjoys them, any buyer remorse after buying? How’s the build quality of them in general. How well do they work for wide range of music taste and for someone that enjoys classic rock? The bone conduction is really interesting feature on paper how is it real life usage? I see some members upgrade to custom fit. If you go custom can you reuse your universal set inners or is it a complete new purchase?

Sorry about the amount of question it’s a lot of money to spend on a iem so want to research it as much as possible.

First off the warranty through Andrew at MusicTek is transferrable so if you were to purchase used from someone that originally got it from Andrew then he will honor that warranty. If you do purchase used make sure the original invoice is included with the purchase and shown to you before the purchase so you know for sure that your covered. I made that mistake and took the guy for his word and ended up being purchased through ebay and now I am not covered under warranty and have to pay for repairs. So, make sure you see the invoice before purchase if purchasing used. My advice is to purchase "like new" from Andrew at MusicTek. That guarantees that your covered and you know your gear is legit.

For me, coming from Variations to MEST was a bit confusing because the sound signatures are so different. The Variations is built for EDM. It is literally godtier when it comes to EDM. Variations is a highly analytical IEM. So much so that the music you hear from them is not a real representation of the music. So when I first listened to the MEST I was honestly a bit disappointed due to the lack of it being a highly analytical signature. I thought I wanted an analytical signature but it turns out that I absolutely do not want that and I want music to be reproduced the way it is meant to be heard, and the MEST does THAT godtier.

Basically my taste in music has shifted from EDM to blues, rock, jazz, and even some outlaw country. I have really fallen in love with the MEST. Its a strange relationship with this IEM. Its a very addictive IEM and it seems the more I listen to it the more I enjoy it. Its such a smooth, realistic, and rich signature. Its so smooth that its literally soothing to my ears whereas the Variations could be but mainly was piercing and way too intense to enjoy. Yes there were moments of enjoyment with Variations but nothing close to MEST.

So my advice, if you purchase MEST do not have any preconceived notions or expectations of it sounding like Variations. MEST imo is what an IEM is supposed to sound like. Another thing to remember is that if you find that you dont care for the MEST you can always sell it on the forum. They are a hot item and usually sell within a week.

Hope my experience helps you make the right decision.

 

[misteral201103]

@14christ
" Its a very addictive IEM and it seems the more I listen to it the more I enjoy it. "
Amen brother (no pun intended)

 

[Ufanco]

Good points on resell value @14christ guess could always sell the variations I got a great deal on them (paid $468.00 total). Plus have a couple cables and the phonak 232 that I’m not using. With current health issue moneys is a little tight. I’m waiting on back pay from the disability claim. At the same time there is a lot pain and music and being active here helps me to escape from it.

Anyways I’m one step ahead since I have a ton of eartips already. Guess since I’m not in a hurry and variations still hit the spot I can wait for a good deal. Great point about the invoice being needed for warranty to be transferable. Have you sent yours back for repair?

Good point too about the cable it would give me a chance to try a expensive cable. Might change my mind on cables.

Guess I be lurking here and rereading this thread. Thanks again for taking the time answer some of my questions.

 

[14christ]

@14christ
" Its a very addictive IEM and it seems the more I listen to it the more I enjoy it. "
Amen brother (no pun intended)

Im listening to Hans Theessink "Six Strings Down" right now and its blowing my mind

 

[14christ]

Good points on resell value @14christ guess could always sell the variations I got a great deal on them (paid $468.00 total). Plus have a couple cables and the phonak 232 that I’m not using. With current health issue moneys is a little tight. I’m waiting on back pay from the disability claim. At the same time there is a lot pain and music and being active here helps me to escape from it.

Anyways I’m one step ahead since I have a ton of eartips already. Guess since I’m not in a hurry and variations still hit the spot I can wait for a good deal. Great point about the invoice being needed for warranty to be transferable. Have you sent yours back for repair?

Good point too about the cable it would give me a chance to try a expensive cable. Might change my mind on cables.

Guess I be lurking here and rereading this thread. Thanks again for taking the time answer some of my questions.

Yeah Ive gone through several cables but eventually came back to stock. This PW Audio Copper M2 cable is tuned for these IEMs and just sounds right. The only cable I think would be better for the MEST MK2 would be either Eletechs Socrates $699, or possibly some of PW Audio's super high end copper like the PWA 1960's 4 wire $2199. So hopefully you get my point. The stock cable is an amazing cable.

 

[14christ]

Good points on resell value @14christ guess could always sell the variations I got a great deal on them (paid $468.00 total). Plus have a couple cables and the phonak 232 that I’m not using. With current health issue moneys is a little tight. I’m waiting on back pay from the disability claim. At the same time there is a lot pain and music and being active here helps me to escape from it.

Anyways I’m one step ahead since I have a ton of eartips already. Guess since I’m not in a hurry and variations still hit the spot I can wait for a good deal. Great point about the invoice being needed for warranty to be transferable. Have you sent yours back for repair?

Good point too about the cable it would give me a chance to try a expensive cable. Might change my mind on cables.

Guess I be lurking here and rereading this thread. Thanks again for taking the time answer some of my questions.

Well you know what they say..."Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait."

 

[Ufanco]

Well you know what they say..."Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait."

Good point had the phonaks for almost 10 years lol don’t think going wait that long this time.

Does anyone use the Luxury & Precision W2 with the mest ? Wonder if that would be good mix with them.