[jwbrent]

Thanks for the suggestions above! One extra thing I started to notice is that FS seems to be quite responsive to the quality of recording. I have recordings from the 90s and some more recent ones. All are stripped from CDs. I can tell that the newer albums are generally better recorded and mastered. When I listen through my other IEMs or Diana V2, the quality difference is not so noticeable.

Yes, the FS resolves hi res recordings perhaps better than anything else in my collection, especially now with some burn-in.

 

[jwbrent]

By the way, I really like this cable. Nicely made although I do wish they would clean up the shrink glue that spills over the outside of the shrink. My MKII cable had the same problem. I don’t have any cable noise issues that some have reported on the 1960s 4-wire cable.

 

[bluestorm1992]

Yes, the FS resolves hi res recordings perhaps better than anything else in my collection, especially now with some burn-in.

Yes things started to get interesting after some burn-in, and also my brain burn-in. It is definitely more resolving than lots of other IEMs I have experienced, but do so in a smooth way.

By the way, I really like this cable. Nicely made although I do wish they would clean up the shrink glue that spills over the outside of the shrink. My MKII cable had the same problem. I don’t have any cable noise issues that some have reported on the 1960s 4-wire cable.

Agree completely. The cable has a really nice touch to it.

 

[jwbrent]

well, my “raw material” came already broken



I think they under-watered my cactus! Good time for someone to swoop in with a broken wood joke…

I have no use for mine, so I’d be happy to send it to you if you’d like.

I found both samples had very little similarity to the actual shells when it comes to the wood/paint. The cube was virtually all blue.

 

[SeeSax]

I have no use for mine, so I’d be happy to send it to you if you’d like.

I found both samples had very little similarity to the actual shells when it comes to the wood/paint. The cube was virtually all blue.

That’s very kind, but all good my friend. I won’t lose much sleep over broken wood…



-Collin-

 

[SeeSax]

Also, @hshock76 noticed something interesting about mine and the MusicTeck photo…

Hmmmmm….

 

[bluestorm1992]

How are you guys planing to use that wood cube? It looks cute and I don’t want it to just sit in a box.

 

[SeeSax]

How are you guys planing to use that wood cube? It looks cute and I don’t want it to just sit in a box.

That’s an easy one. I plan to leave it in the box and use it for resale value when Mason V5 comes out

 

[jwbrent]

Also, @hshock76 noticed something interesting about mine and the MusicTeck photo…



Hmmmmm….

you have the photo shoot version

 

[Marat Sar]

Just ordered the Mason FS from Musicteck. Will be arriving in 3-5 days; will share impressions. Sound descriptions here made it sound sweet and neutral, plus the vocals trickery seems mysterious, just the kind of thing I get obsessed. Also, I need a companion piece to the Trailli's musicality. Also also -- there's a je ne sais quo to this IEM. Something in its looks, the presentation, the word "fabled" in the name. Even that blue case it comes with.... It just calls to me. Gotta hear it. Gotta hear the cactus.

One question before it arrives: I never had a Unique Melody IEM before, where are the company from? What's their vibe? Oriolus are impeccable Japanese masters I take it. The Japanese like musicality and technicality, but usually err on the side of musicality. 64 audio are US based, but led by a very competitive Russian guy. Beyonce uses their IEMs! (u12t, to be precise). They also have the TIA driver. I hear their founder soooorta stole the APEX module from their previous employer; and then patented the hell out of their own TIA solution! Nothing wrong with a bit of inter-company backstabbing

So what's UM all about?

 

[bluestorm1992]

Just ordered the Mason FS from Musicteck. Will be arriving in 3-5 days; will share impressions. Sound descriptions here made it sound sweet and neutral, plus the vocals trickery seems mysterious, just the kind of thing I get obsessed. Also, I need a companion piece to the Trailli's musicality. Also also -- there's a je ne sais quo to this IEM. Something in its looks, the presentation, the word "fabled" in the name. Even that blue case it comes with.... It just calls to me. Gotta hear it. Gotta hear the cactus.

One question before it arrives: I never had a Unique Melody IEM before, where are the company from? What's their vibe? Oriolus are impeccable Japanese masters I take it. The Japanese like musicality and technicality, but usually err on the side of musicality. 64 audio are US based, but led by a very competitive Russian guy. Beyonce uses their IEMs! (u12t, to be precise). They also have the TIA driver. I hear their founder soooorta stole the APEX module from their previous employer; and then patented the hell out of their own TIA solution! Nothing wrong with a bit of inter-company backstabbing

So what's UM all about?

OK, let me share what I know about the company.

UM is a Chinese company, located in a city called Zhuhai, which is right next to Macau. In fact, Cayin and UM are from the same city and their employee share a very good relationship. UM has a very very long history in the IEM market, especially in making customs. UM and QDC are the two major custom IEM makers for singers/performers in mainland China, just like 64 audio for Beyonce, although QDC is arguably a much larger company.

Actually, Traillii is designed and made in another Chinese city Shenzhen, which is right next to Hong Kong. Their Japanese retailer has a certain degree of involvement in the business development of Traillii, but all the major work is done in Shenzhen. Oriolus's founder/lead engineer is Mr. Rao. Rao was one of the first few people who started iBasso (yes, that DAP maker), and then moved on to open his own audio company. So, you will see that besides IEMs, Oriolus also makes DAPs and amplifiers.

 

[bluestorm1992]

A funny story, UM's company is right next to my undergraduate college in China. I did not know this until very recently that I chatted with their lead engineer Mr. Li.

 

[bluestorm1992]

A quick note after 5-6 hours of listening today. I changed a couple of things since my last long listening session: the source’s signature (tube to SS), some burn-in time of the FS, and my brain burn-in from my occasional listening sessions in-between.

The thickness of vocals improved even further. Not that it was thin before; it just gets better and even more coherent now. I attribute this to the burn-in of the BCD.

As @jwbrent has mentioned, there is a noticeable change in the treble: It moves from smooth to be tight and crystal, but never too aggressive.

The joint impact from these is that FS moves from dead-neutral to neutral but now with a degree of musicality/emotional impact. Still a very neutral IEM, but not like the plain and super neutral presentation at first. The best way I can put this is: It is still a slight U-shape IEM. But now, with the burn-in going on, the BCD is doing a more and more salient job in filling the details in the mid range. Therefore, the overall presentation improves to my preference.

 

[AEIOU9]

A quick note after 5-6 hours of listening today. I changed a couple of things since my last long listening session: the source’s signature (tube to SS), some burn-in time of the FS, and my brain burn-in from my occasional listening sessions in-between.

The thickness of vocals improved even further. Not that it was thin before; it just gets better and even more coherent now. I attribute this to the burn-in of the BCD.

As @jwbrent has mentioned, there is a noticeable change in the treble: It moves from smooth to be tight and crystal, but never too aggressive.

The joint impact from these is that FS moves from dead-neutral to neutral but now with a degree of musicality/emotional impact. Still a very neutral IEM, but not like the plain and super neutral presentation at first. The best way I can put this is: It is still a slight U-shape IEM. But now, with the burn-in going on, the BCD is doing a more and more salient job in filling the details in the mid range. Therefore, the overall presentation improves to my preference.

Would you say the treble getting a bit more detailed was more pronounced with the SS amp setting on the C9 only or are you seeing more of it in both tube & SS settings because of burn in?

 

[bluestorm1992]

Would you say the treble getting a bit more detailed was more pronounced with the SS amp setting on the C9 only or are you seeing more of it in both tube & SS settings because of burn in?

I would say only with the SS mode. In fact, I cannot rule out the possibility that this change is completely due to the change to SS mode.

How’s your experience with this so far?