[MezeTeam]

The Rai Penta is our flagship 5-way IEM with Penta Hybrid Driver Technology. It is composed of Two Dual-BA and one Dynamic Drive, housed in a full metal CNC sculpted chassis with precision milled individual sound bores and pressure equalization system (PES) to control airflow and regulate internal chambers.

Ever since we announced the Rai Penta back in March 2018, we have pushed ourselves to complete the design and ramp up the production as soon as possible. Unfortunately our obsession with engineering, sound quality and craftsmanship has caused unexpected delays.

Now the wait is finally over and our production efficiency has finally improved, so we think this is about time to share our Rai Penta with fellow HeadFiers. We value first-hand experience and constructive feedback from experienced users, and we want to connect with as many dedicated IEM enthusiast as possible.

In view of these, Meze Audio will organize a Rai Penta world tour as follow:

Tour Schedule:

• 24 August 2019: Tour Application Starts
• 2 September 2019: Tour Application Ended
• 5 September 2019: Tour Reviewers announced and start to collect mailing addresses.
• 9 September 2019: Tour Sample will be sent to reviewers

How to Apply:

If you are interested to review our Rai Penta in this world tour, please replay to this thread and provide the following information:

1. HeadFi Username:
2. The city and country you are located.
3. Reviews on Personal Audio products you have published in Headfi forum or elsewhere.
4. Audio equipment that you will be used in your Rai Penta audition
5. Your current or previously owned IEM or portable headphones

Note: The current user profile didn't have a quick link to check user's review portfolio or number of reviews published under your username, so please help us to understand your track record by provide review links of similar/relevant products, if there is any.

Logistic Arrangement:

1. We shall group reviewers according to geographical locations.
2. We shall send Rai Penta review package to first reviewer on each group.
   
3. Each tour reviewer is responsible for paying the shipping costs to the next tour reviewer.
   
4. The last reviewer in the list will be responsible to ship the combo to a designated address to conclude the tour. If the return address requires international shipping, Meze will cover the mailing cost incurred.
   
5. Meze will cover all import tax but please help us to control our tax expenditure whenever possible.
   
6. Unless other stated by your next reviewer, please use trackable mailing service with signature required.
   
7. The tour reviewer should select the most cost effective mailing arrangement. If the package were to mail within the same country, we should expect the package to arrive within 4 days.
   
8. If we have more than one Head-Fiers from the same metropolitan area/city joining the tour, we encourage them to pass the equipment in person to reduce shipping cost and mailing time, and share the final logistic cost.

Terms and instruction

• The first reviewer of each group can keep the Tour sample for not more than 14 days, and reviewers after that can keep the Tour sample for not more than 10 days, please plan your audition and be prepared to ship/pass the package on the 14th or 10th day of your audition period.
• By signing up to the tour, you are agreed to post a formal review and/or some form of impressions within 14 days after your audition period, and Meze Audio can use your review of the Rai Penta for sales and marketing purposes.
• We are particularly interested with the associated electronics you used during the review, and is most appreciated if you can include photo of Rai Penta with associated players, portable amp or DAC/amp in your writing.
• Meze Audio reserve the right on the selection, grouping and scheduling of reviewers in this tour.

Publication guideline

You can free to write up your sharing or impression as long as it represents your true feeling and opinions toward the product. Please state In your review/impression that the Rai Penta is a free loan unit from Meze Audio, and you have/shall return the unit to Meze at the end of review period.

Please do not post your impression in this thread because no one will read this thread after we finalized our tour reviewers. We want your reviews to be read by as many current or potential users of Rai Penta as possible, so please share y our review to the official Rai Penta thread, the Rai Penta Showcase at Head Gear or any related general discussion thread in HeadFi forum if you are happened to be an active member.

On top of the HeadFi forum, you are welcome to post your review/impression to any social media or local Personal Audio forum/blog/magazine etc., but please keep us informed by providing the link of your writing in this thread.

Public reviews:

Headfonia: https://www.headfonia.com/meze-audio-rai-penta-review/
Majorhifi: https://majorhifi.com/meze-audio-rai-penta-review/
Headphonedungeon: https://www.headphonedungeon.com/meze-rai-penta-vs-sony-ier-m9-review/

 

[MezeTeam]

The Rai Penta Tour will be conducted in the following grouping:

Group 1:

1. Wiljen Kingsport, TN USA (Headgear Sep 28, 2019)
2. petestradamus Lakewoodn, NJ USA (Rai Penta thread, Oct 4, 2019)
3. rantng Brooklyn, NY USA (Retired from tour, bought personal unit)
4. Niyologist Bronx, NY USA (Headgear Oct 10, 2019)
5. NymPHONOmaniac Montreal Canada

Group 2:

1. ngoshawk Warrensburg, MO USA
2. twiceboss West Des Moines, IA USA (Headgear, Oct 11, 2019)
3. Army-Firedawg Concord (NC) USA (Youtube, Open box Oct, 17, 2019, Headgear, Oct 27, 2019)
4. wazzupi Miami, Florida USA
5. wormsdriver McAllen, TX USA

Group 3:

1. davidmolliere Paris France (Headgear Sep 22, 2019)
2. angpsi Athens Greece
3. kmmbd Munich Germany
4. maniac2003 Apeldoorn Netherlands
5. sunstealer Devon UK
6. betula Salisbury UK

Group 4:

1. gLer Cape Town South Africa (Headgear Sep 25, 2019)
2. Suman134 India
3. robthemac Whangarei New Zealand
4. yukitq Singapore

 

[MezeTeam]

Reserved for announcements

 

[rantng]

1. rantng
2. Brooklyn, NY, US
3. EE Bravado review, UM Mason V3 review - head-fi doesn't seem to provide links to individual reviews
4. DAPs - Sony ZX-2, FiiO X7ii, Hiby R6, FiiO M11
5. My entire collection is posted in my profile, but here are a few - CA Andromeda, Noble Katana, UE 18+, CustomArt 8.2, AKG N5005. Previously owned CA Solaris, Noble K10, JH Roxanne

I'd love a chance to hear the Rai Penta & would greatly appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this tour. Thank you for your consideration!

 

[Azanulimbar]

1. tolisgtr
2. Trikala, Greece
3. Haven't published any reviews yet, but I would love this to be my very first one.
4. DAP - Sony WM1A
5. IEM's: KZ ZSN, BGVP DM6, RHA CL2 (Sold)
VMonk Plus, Tanchjim Oxygen (Current)

Since it is virtually impossible to audition the Rai Penta's in my country, this would be my only chance of getting to listen to them! I am pretty excited for such a possibility and I hope that I finally make it.

 

[Merkurio]

1. Merkurio
2. Chihuahua, México
3. FiiO M7 (from another world tour)
4. Topping DX3 Pro and iPhone XS Max with Lightning adapter
5. Audeze iSINE20, Audiosense T800, IMR R1, IMR R1 Zenith, JVC FD01, Massdrop Plus, Sennheiser IE800

It would be great to have a chance to hear these Rai Penta not only because the opportunity itself, but because I’m really interested in get a TOTL IEM under $1200 USD at the end of the year and compare it with my current gear.

It’s also worth mentioning the fact that’s almost impossible to try this kind of stuff in my country and I’ll provide an objective and regular user approach to my review, with budget desktop gear that most people can afford (my Topping DX3 Pro) and my phone instead of any fancy DAP.

 

[maniac2003]

Would be lovely to test and hear the Penta Rai. Looks like something that's up my ally.

1. HeadFi Username: maniac2003
2. The city and country you are located: Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
3. Reviews on Personal Audio products you have published in Headfi forum or elsewhere: 64 Audio U8
4. Audio equipment that you will be used in your Rai Penta audition: Pioneer 300R, FiiO X3 II, Radsone ES100 (for portable, on-the-go without dedicated equipment), Creative X7 L.E. desktop DAC/Amp
5. Your current or previously owned IEM or portable headphones:
   - AKG N40
   - Custom Art Ei.XX
   - 64 Audio U8
   - Logitech UE900
   - Future Sonics Spectrum Series G10
   
   - Sony WH-1000XM3

 

[F700]

Hi there, I was considering buying the Penta Rai, but it would be great to give them a try within the Review Tour before the purchase . I will be pleased to report my impressions.

1. HeadFi Username: F700
2. The city and country you are located. Zurich, Switzerland
3. Reviews on Personal Audio products you have published in Headfi forum or elsewhere. I reviewed your Meze 99 Classics 3 years ago here on Head-Fi (4.5stars out of 5). I cannot copy the link of my individual review, but you will find it if you search
4. Audio equipment that you will be used in your Rai Penta audition: Dethonray DTR1 and Calyx M -> 2 daps with limited features, but acclaimed for their SQ. I also will use the Penta Rai with my smartphone, just for fun...
5. Your current or previously owned IEM or portable headphones: Current = Fearless S8F (8BA), Sony N3 (Hybrid 1DD, 1BA), Final E5000 (1DD), Final E1000 (1DD) / Previous = Sony Z5, Final B1, DMG DM6, Shure SE 215

Thanks for considering my candidature for the tour.

 

[Wiljen]

I am very interested in this tour as i have not had the chance to hear the Rai Penta yet.

Wiljen:
Kingsport, TN USA
I have a large number of reviews here (https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/member/wiljen.434769/) as well as my blog https://audiofool.reviews and headpie.net
I'll be using the DethonRay DTR1, Sony WM1A, and iFi xDSD as portable test gear and the Burson Swing/Fun and Schiit Bimby/Valhalla as desktop gear if I get to test the Penta
I've got too many IEMs to count but top end models include a couple of Ciems, EE Bravado, and JH14s.

Thanks for doing this!

 

[twiceboss]

1. twiceboss
2. West Des Moines, IA, US
3. Hugo 2
4. iFi xCAN, ES100, Hiby W5, S10plus
5. Owned/Owning - IEM - Andromeda, iSine20, Comet, ER2Se, Fidue A83, EX800st, TinT2Pro, Fearless S8Pro, Samsung Earbuds Wireless

Would love to try this if it's actually fits my sound preference !

 

[wazzupi]

1. wazzupi
2. Miami, Florida United States
3. Various threads on head-fi only and I've done reviews for plenty of on tour products.
4. A&k kann cube, lgv40 khadas board jds atom(desktop)
5. Audeze Isine 20 ikko oh10 audiosense t800 Sony ier-z1r sony ex800st sennheiser ie80

 

[Niyologist]

1. Niyologist
2. Bronx, NY (USA)
3. , , , https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/empire-ears-bravado.23202/, https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/em...io-reference-e-s-r.23028/reviews#review-22103
4. iBasso DX150, iFi xDSD, Samsung Galaxy S9, iFi iOne, PC.
5. Currently owned: Final Audio Design F Series (F3100, F4100, & F7200), Massdrop Plus, HiFiBoy OS V3, Astrotec S80, CTM VS2, SIMGOT MT3, SIMGOT EN700 PRO, UM ME.1 (DECOMISSIONED).

 

[davidmolliere]

Interested!

1. Headfi pseudo : davidmolliere
2. Paris, France
3. Reviews here on HF and also on headpie.net : including a few which made HeadFi homepage Campfire Solaris, EM64, FIBAE4, StealthSonics U9 also reviewed the U2 (as part of the StealthSonics tour), JVC FW10000, FIBAE Black, RHA CL2, Astrotec Lyra.
4. I’ll use DX220 + AMP1 mk2 + AMP9 + AMP8
5. Current IEMs : Vision Ears VE8 - Empire Ears Phantom - Earsonics EM64 - Custom Art FIBAE 4 - FIBAE Black and in the coming weeks StealthSonics U9, FIBAE 7

I also take part in numerous meetups in Paris with the TN community as well, opportunities for a french Tour maybe Elite Diffusion is reading us

 

[gLer]

1. @gLer
2. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Reviews:

• FiiO M11: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/22107
• IMR R1 Zenith: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/22453
• Dekoni HD800 earpads: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/22290
• Dekoni LCD earpads: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/21136
• Dekoni Bulletz: https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/review/21718

4. FiiO M11, Audio-gd R-28, iPhone
5. Cayin N3, FiiO M9, FiiO FH5, Massdrop Plus, ifi Micro iDSD

South Africa is home to a small but growing community of head-fi enthusiasts, many of whom are migrating from larger speaker systems to more portable technology. The country - and by extension community - has a strong connection to Europe and European technology, through its roots to European culture and history, especially so in the very ‘European’ city of Cape Town. I would be delighted to fly the flag and review the Rai Penta, both on Head-Fi where I’m an active member and through my own review portal, www.theheadonist.com.

 

[robthemac]

1. robthemac
2. Whangarei, New Zealand
3. Did a bunch of reviews for HifiMan earlier this year.
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-re2000-silver-loaner-tour.902874/page-4#post-15050696
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ananda-loaner-tour.905067/page-6#post-15024009
https://www.head-fi.org/threads/hifiman-he6se-loaner-tour.902344/page-8#post-15006163
Also https://www.reddit.com/r/headphones...x_vs/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share
4. Woo Audio WA-7 Fireflies for desktop, Fiio E17 for portable, stock Xiaomi USB-C adaptor if desperate
5. Currently own 64 Audio U10, HifiMan RE2000 and Shure SE846.