[tdshain]

I'm looking for a high quality iem that has the sub bass kick kick of the atrio mg 7 (or close) without sacrificing the rest of it's sound. An all around fantastic sound that will give me the feeling of standing in the middle of a club when I turn up my dance music.
 
Custom fit isn't a good option for several reasons. One being that I'm pretty certain my ears aren't finished growing, another is that I share my headphones with my girlfriend and often let close friends audition them. There's a few more, but the easy answer is that now does not seem like the right time for me to go custom. 
 
The mg6pro would probably be ideal. However, it's a bit pricier and more importantly I don't know if they would make one in a universal fit. I've heard that UM will do this with their products though.
 
The Merlin has gotten great reviews, people rave about the bass and it's sound signature seems like a good choice for me. My only concern here is that the bass will be overpowering with some genres, but since I consider myself somewhat of a basshead, I think this would be an acceptable trade off. Besides, I can always eq the bass down if it's too heavy for certain music.
 
The other option I'm looking at is the Sennheiser ie 800, which of course isn't released yet, but the design (vents in back) suggests that they might also have a great sub bass kick. Given their expensive price tag, I would expect them to be a competitive option. Only time will tell with these, I will wait until comprehensive reviews come out before making a decision.
 
Anyway, my question: Would a universal design of the Merlin (or mg6pro if they'll make it) be detrimental to the sq? Would it sound the same as custom, or would the design changes cause them to sound worse/better. And if they sound worse, is it still worth it?
 
 
Just looking for different impressions/opinions. Also, if you think you know of something better, let me know.

 

[Cassadian]

It probably will affect the Merlin more than the Miracle.  That's what I've heard.  Also in almost any case (except such as the Fitear MH334 which is out of your price range around 1400-1500 I believe), the universal will be slightly or marginally worse.

 

[tdshain]

 
Quote:

It probably will affect the Merlin more than the Miracle.  That's what I've heard.  Also in almost any case (except such as the Fitear MH334 which is out of your price range around 1400-1500 I believe), the universal will be slightly or marginally worse.

 
So, sort of an all or nothing deal? If that's the case and the ie 800s are a bust, then I might have to rethink my needs. I haven't found any high quality universals that have a decent sub bass kick yet, so I may have to see an audiologist and get a professional opinion on going the custom route. 
 
Any other opinions or suggestions?

 

[tdshain]

Also, has anyone heard both the Merlin and the mg6pro? Would love a direct comparison and of course still taking suggestions.

 

[tdshain]

Any other opinions?

 

[ProjectDenz]

I don't think the universal version is worth the cost, there's just too big of a difference in the fullness of the sound between customs and universals due to the fit. This is what I found between the JH13 universal and custom version. It will be even worse for bass intensive ciems like the Merlin, where a perfect seal is a must for the best bass performance.

 

[Poetik]

When I demo'd the universal Merlin I felt that my sennheiser ie8's were better.  Actually after I heard the demo I didn't want to buy the Merlin at all because it felt like it wasn't even worth the money.  However, project86 owns the custom Merlin, had the demo Merlin, and can confirm that the custom is a ton better.  The demo is just there to give you an idea of how the iem will sound, it definitely isn't the iem at it's fullest potential.

 

[tdshain]

So the consensus is that it's not worth it? Seems like I might just have to wait till the ie 800s come out and hope they have what I'm looking for.

 

[bmiamihk]

First off the Fitear will NOT have the bass of the merlins and not near the bass as the MG6Pro nor the universal Atrios which he mentions he likes and would want. The Futear will be like the Shure 535 but a lot more expensive and the Fitear goals are to be Neutral which is Flat.
Quote:

It probably will affect the Merlin more than the Miracle.  That's what I've heard.  Also in almost any case (except such as the Fitear MH334 which is out of your price range around 1400-1500 I believe), the universal will be slightly or marginally worse.