[rantng]

I’ve only heard MEST Mk1 which was a technically excellent IEM & which hit above its price point so it makes sense that Monarch doesn’t approach it otherwise it would be selling like hot cakes.

@sS1RuXx what type of sound are you looking for?

 

[Skullar]

I’ve only heard MEST Mk1 which was a technically excellent IEM & which hit above its price point so it makes sense that Monarch doesn’t approach it otherwise it would be selling like hot cakes.

@sS1RuXx what type of sound are you looking for?

They are selling pretty well in UK at least. They are a decent set. Its just that Mest and probably Mext(did not a/b those) are more technical. If fact, Monarchs tuning should be generally more acceptable than both UM models.
Saying that, V16 might be a good alternative. Trading blows with Mest mkii that one is.

 

[sS1RuXx]

I’ve only heard MEST Mk1 which was a technically excellent IEM & which hit above its price point so it makes sense that Monarch doesn’t approach it otherwise it would be selling like hot cakes.

@sS1RuXx what type of sound are you looking for?

I'm looking for an iem that has a good bass and maybe sub-bass, mostly for rock and electronic music (no EDM), also with a good soundstage, separation, imaging enought good for fps games, the last iem i had was the thieaudio clairvoyance and i give it to my brother, i'm very interested on the unique melody MEXT because i found it for 700€ almost like new.

 

[corgifall]

Thank you very much for the answers and clarifications, apart of that, i would like to know if the MEXT can compete with the monarch mk2 because they are at the same price and i don't know which one would be more worth it..

I have both the MEXT and Monarch mk2 on hand and I prefer the Monarch for detail retrieval and as a "all rounder" I don't like the fit at all. I like the wider staging and relaxed sound tuning of the MEXT over the Monarch. I can personally wear the MEXT for much longer than the Monarch mk2 if that means anything.

 

[sS1RuXx]

I have both the MEXT and Monarch mk2 on hand and I prefer the Monarch for detail retrieval and as a "all rounder" I don't like the fit at all. I like the wider staging and relaxed sound tuning of the MEXT over the Monarch. I can personally wear the MEXT for much longer than the Monarch mk2 if that means anything.

Nice, which one has better bass, separation and imaging?

 

[corgifall]

Bass is a little more clean on the Monarch mk2. It can sound borderline too much on the MEXT but the staging is much wider and deeper on the MEXT. Monarch has better imaging. I would say the Monarch mk2 is almost always the safer bet. MEXT is a great focused IEM for like electronic music and vocals IMO. I like how unique the MEXT is but the Monarch mk2 has better technicalities if you can get the fit right on the extreme nozzle angle. I'm almost always using the MEXT over the Monarch mk2.

 

[sS1RuXx]

Bass is a little more clean on the Monarch mk2. It can sound borderline too much on the MEXT but the staging is much wider and deeper on the MEXT. Monarch has better imaging. I would say the Monarch mk2 is almost always the safer bet. MEXT is a great focused IEM for like electronic music and vocals IMO. I like how unique the MEXT is but the Monarch mk2 has better technicalities if you can get the fit right on the extreme nozzle angle. I'm almost always using the MEXT over the Monarch mk2.

I appreciate the information, I will definitely buy the MEXT, thanks.

 

[sS1RuXx]

Bass is a little more clean on the Monarch mk2. It can sound borderline too much on the MEXT but the staging is much wider and deeper on the MEXT. Monarch has better imaging. I would say the Monarch mk2 is almost always the safer bet. MEXT is a great focused IEM for like electronic music and vocals IMO. I like how unique the MEXT is but the Monarch mk2 has better technicalities if you can get the fit right on the extreme nozzle angle. I'm almost always using the MEXT over the Monarch mk2.

Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind, could you take some pics to see how big they are on size together?

 

[corgifall]

Just out of curiosity, if you don't mind, could you take some pics to see how big they are on size together?

It will have to wait till I get home from work but I can totally do that for you.

 

[corgifall]

Hope this helps. MEXT is on top/left.

 

[reginalb]

Has anyone noticed a sensitivity to distortion on these? I am doing a little audition of them, going to put together some thoughts, but I have noticed a few times some strange distortion, I noted it today in some piano keystrokes listening to Tidal on my computer via a Fiio BTR5. It's around 2 minutes in to À La Tour Eiffel on the latest Melody Gardot album. I can repeat it every time, but can't hear it with my OG Merlins. I also tried swapping the cables in case I had a bad connection, I can hear it every single time with the MEXT iems, and never with the Merlins.

Now, I swapped over to that same track on a DX160 and there is no distortion. I have noticed that the BTR5 is a touch sensitive to something in my office, but I would expect that the Merlins would have picked it up as well. Those things are finicky, I can't imagine these being even more so.

Also, does anyone know if you can get these reshelled by UM in to customs? I have universals that I purchased at a discount, but if I really like them, I might want them shelled up as custom. I emailed UM and received no response, so I just tried Musicteck, but haven't yet heard back from them. I can't even find what I paid for the Merlins being reshelled when my wife stepped on them. EDIT: I did find what I paid last time, it was $290, but that was 2018, don't know if the cost hasn't risen since, or if its different due to the different types of drivers in these.

 

[reginalb]

I've been running some MEXT iems for a couple of weeks now, and I do have to say if you're a basshead and you want some IEMs, these are the most potent I've ever tried. I didn't know if they would be a bit of a gimmick, but man, they definitely have some bass. I also didn't know how well the bone conduction would perform with universal IEMs, but the bass is there, for sure.

The closest thing that I would have to contrast to them are OG Merlins. I also compared them to a pair Grado PS1000 headphones, and for the heck of it a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones. Those have 50mm and 40mm drivers respectively, and while Sony is known for bass, and Grado isn't, there is more bass from those PS1000 cans. Both have quite a bit less bass than the MEXT iems. Honestly, they are the closest thing to subwoofers that I have used on my head.

I listen to a lot of jazz, and I do love the sound of the bass (the instrument), and honestly, it's not just with hip hop, even with bass heavy jazz listening back to back, the MEXT IEMs sounded much more lively, more like wearing full size cans. But then when firing up some hip hop...holy crap. I mean, just night and day. It's the best listening experience I've ever had with hip hop without an actual subwoofer. I am really quite impressed.

I am considering having them reshelled as custom, as I mentioned (I did eventually hear back from UM on that). I had planned that next year I would bite the bullet on JH Jolenes, but now I am not so sure. It really is a unique experience for IEMs.

That said, I really don't like the new UM cable. I do have a couple extra cables for my Merlins that will work with them, but the new cable has that big bulky connector which is annoying, neither the iems or the cable are labeled R and L, so you definitely have to pay attention when you're connecting them up, and the universal versions are powerfully ugly. The design on the one that doesn't just say UM is really weird. Like a cross between a weed, a dragon, and an old school tribal tattoo.

My initial impressions are pretty positive. I like them a lot more than I expected, that's for sure.

 

[sS1RuXx]

Hope this helps. MEXT is on top/left.

Sorry for the late reply, Thanks a lot for the pics! i finally bought the MEXT and i will have to wait a week to get them.

 

[corgifall]

Enjoy them!!

 

[holsen]

Sorry for the late reply, Thanks a lot for the pics! i finally bought the MEXT and i will have to wait a week to get them.

They are large but very comfortable. I love mine.