I just scored a new MEST MK2 for less than half the original price. This is the only non-favorable review I've found and I really respect you Lachlan, so I HAD to try to recreate your listening experience. I'm trying to be very critical myself, however, maybe I'm hearing things (pun intended). I did all my listening with the stock Xelastec tips and with the Divinus Velvet (twice). Every single note of the bass of the original King Floyd track has tactility to it, and how much it vibrates depends on the volume of the note played. It's really amazing. I had to listen to it on RUclips music because the version on Qobuz is re-recorded. The Norah Jones track - The mandolin is on the left, and the vibrations correspond to it and sound on the same side. The vibrations for the bass are on the right and also correspond to the bass notes. Not a single note lacked the bone conduction effect. Its subtle but it's definitely there, and again, the vibration corresponds to how loud the note is being played. It is, however, a few milliseconds late from the initial hit of the note. This second song I did listen to on Qobuz at 24bit 192khz. As for the last track, I agree with what you said about the hi-hats. However, it just so happens I'm an amateur drummer and this is how I like my music to sound, lol. This IEM makes me very very happy! I know it's an "old" model now at the start of 2024, but I still recommend it for people watching this who might be considering whether to buy it or not. For reference, I also own a Monarch MK3 and I find their differences subtle but perplexing. The treble is definitely hotter in the MEST. EDIT: I have now also tried Dunu S&S tips on the MEST and they completely killed the bass and the bone conduction. The tips make a huge difference on this one! PS: The MEST has driver flex, but it's only noticeable when touching the IEMS, not when moving around.
I'm glad you're enjoying them and the tip variation makes sense. I think that, combined with us all having different ear anatomy could well explain the differences. It's great that you've been able to try them for yourself!
I'm lucky to get fit with original tips, Xelastec dont even want to go in my ear canal they stick and wont move leaving unsealed space what is causing awful sound. After testing them on few amps (now also on a different cable but I dont believe in cable magic) I can tell they are responding really strong changing like chameleon. They sound superb with high quality recordings on my tubes, bass is strong and well defined I will take it over any planars I personally used. Great IEM's but I understand those who dislike it as they cant fit them well or pair with source suitable for their needs. I'm definitely team mest 😁 and forever team tubes
@@soulfulfool im glad you like them too! In the end i settled with spinfit w1s because they are the most comfy for my ear. The ss size goes deep enough to allow the bc to work well enough for my taste. Team mest ftw ;)
@@soulfulfool Just got a Mest MK2 for $900 (brand new) directly from an Unique Melody sales representative. It's easily one of the best things that i've ever heard along with the Mentor (they're pretty similar). Also, I have a Z1R but I think the Mest is definitely more refined and overall better. Really don't get people who would dislike a Mest MK2.
@@dess8808 probably bad fit or amp :) they are really good with tube amps but it has to be good one since they pick up any noise, I tested them with cheap made in china mini tube amp but it was terrible, my little A&K AK70 sound really nice with mest, cheap Hiby R4 also sounds good but after setting those mseb options
Audio community needs more reviewers like this that cut through the hype, I want to get Empire Ears Odin but wasn't sure because I heard some say these compete with the Odin at half the price.
I've had mine for about a year I think and I got them secondhand. No problems at all so far, but I'm also very careful with my IEMs and have only ever had two cables break - one almost straight out of the box when I had only used it once in my office and the other after it appeared to corrode due to moisture getting into the connector. If you're prone to breaking cables, it might be a good idea to look at other options.
MEST Mk2 sounds like it will be perfect for me. It seems to transport you right inside the music and allows the inherent chaos of the composition to ensue. It is a more raw experience. U12T controls the music and processes it inside a virtual space for you to enjoy at a slight distance. If you have a strong preference for either, it is highly likely you won't like the other.
I don't necessarily agree with the idea of being transported inside the music. The coherency issues from the MEST MK2 actually disconnected me more from the music. I respect the U12T a lot, but I'm also not a huge fan of them overall and ended up selling mine so I'm definitely not about just one or other of those IEMs
I'm a bass fan and the KSE1200 definitely have enough for me, but getting a good fit is very important. Check out my review of them for a comparison with the U12t and IE900
It is indeed very interesting, as pointed by others here, that everyone hears things differently. I don’t have IE900 to compare, and I’m pairing my Mest MKII with only a BTR5, so I probably can’t hear all of the nuances, but I don’t hear that disjointed banjo sound that you spoke about in Sinkin’ Soon track. I can hear banjo clearly to the left in the first seconds of the track with some reverb filling the stage on the right side, but then from around 20s I hear the same notes being doubled by piano in quite good harmony so it does sound to me like one note is coming from two different locations. This doesn’t seem to happen though when different notes are played on the piano. The track becomes quite busy later on so it’s hard for me to distinguish whether some sounds are indeed disjointed banjo harmonics or just piano or mandolin. I’m pretty new in „audiophile” world so I’m still learning many things and I find it quite interesting how different people perceive music. On that note, thanks for this informative review.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I can't recall which device I used for most ofy testing, but it was likely the Chord Mojo/Poly combo and the TT2. Those devices will tend to separate sounds more than something like a BTR5 so that could definitely be playing a part. Hopefully you're enjoying your setup though because that's the part that matters most!
I am glad I purchased the 7hz timeless instead of these and saved some cash. I am worried that DROP will drop the ball (pun intended ) and randomly cancel my order, since that has happened with 2 other products. Thank you for your opinion of a flagship product.
I've got the Timeless here now and I think you've made a good choice. It's obviously on a very different level, but I'd actually be more inclined to reach for the Timeless than the Mest 2 despite that fact. That's strange about your orders being cancelled! Hopefully no again this time 🤞🤞
@@PassionforSound I have the 7Hz Timeless otw, too. Folks are saying they're like a Fearless S8F [which I already own and love] with better bass. Can't wait to hear them!
Comparing to the monarch mkii, which one do you think is better? My favorite genre is edm kpop hiphop, and im looking for the one has good energetic bass and good detail retrieval
I thought I was missing something not liking the Mest Mk2 having heard all the great reviews about it. This review is on point with my thoughts on it. When it works it's like magic, but when it doesn't it fails terribly for me.
So glad I could support your impressions and thank you for confirming mine. I sometimes feel like I've missed something when I read comments or see other reviews that rave about them. I've got the Thieaduio Monarch MK2 here now and they're shaping up to be everything the Mest MK2 should have been I think.
I'd definitely believe that customs sound better because they have a better physical connection to the ear which will help with the bone induction driver.
Just responded to your other post. I definitely think tips can improve (or worsen) the sound and there can be some benefits to the more split apart sound, but I don't believe they ever match a good single driver design for coherency so it depends on the exact sound you're looking for.
thank you for detailed and level-headed review. a handful of RUclipsrs I watch regularly put these at the top region of their either A tier or S tier so this is quite surprising. compared to IE 900, would you say MEST Mk II is worse?
I definitely prefer the IE900 - they're my go to flagship IEM these days. I have a feeling that my IEM tastes are quite different to many reviewers out there. Either we're physically hearing them differently or have different expectations because a lot of the top rated IEMs from others are too treble focussed for me and I'm not a basshead with IEMs so I wouldn't go as far as saying it's my preferences skewing a long way from neutral / natural. It's curious...
Good to see you got this review out Lachlan. I sold these shortly after I sent them to you. For some genres, they were great. Prog rock, like Plini or Polyphia, awesome. Then for a lot of other genres, a bit disjointed. The U12T on the other hand, very cohesive. After the Mest and U12T I had the Odin and 64 Audio Trio. Both a step up again, and both wonderful.
I own both the Mest mk 2 and the ie900. It's really hard to pick a favorite with these 2. The Mest is more dynamic and more detailed. The ie900 has slightly better bass and more sparkly treble. I have to disagree with him on this review with several things. Maybe he had a faulty pair ,maybe he just hears different, or he has different preferences. I would pay the price again for the Mest Mk 2. I love them.
Thanks again for the loan, Ben. I have to admit that even across a shuffled listen to all my favourite tracks, I never found a sweet spot for the Mest.
@@brooksphillips2234 Definitely weren't faulty. But compare them against something like the U12T, Trio, Odin (which I did) and they definately don't sound as cohesive. They are fun and sparkly and very punchy/dynamic, so for me they worked great with some music, but not so great on a lot of other music. And for some they will be the perfect IEM, or close to it. In Australia, they don't show up used for sale. But the U12T do, and a new Mest Mk2 is about the same as a used U12T. It's sort of a no brainer, if you can only have one IEM, the U12T schools them. But if you can have mulitple, the Mest MK2 could have its place for sure.
Thanks for the review!! I’m currently using a Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 with fiio m15 and chord mojo, should I upgrade to the U12t or other flagship iem for that matter?
The Andromeda is a great iem. There are better and different iem's out there for sure. I own the Andromeda 2020, Mest Mk2, ie900, and Noble K10 and I enjoy the Mest and ie900 the best. I wouldn't let this review steer you away from the Mest. Most ppl and reviewers disagree with Lachlan on the Mest. The Mest may not be his type sound. I absolutely love the Mest. I don't pick up on any of the things he is talking about. It blows the Andromeda out of the water in every aspect. The ie900 is great too. Great bass and highs and very musical.
I agree with Brooks. Don't base your decision on one review (for anything). It sounds like Brooks and I agree on everything else though across the board - K10, IE900, Andromeda, etc. The Andro is a great IEM, but there are better IEMs out there too (no IEM is perfect). The question is probably, what are you looking for more of or less of compared to the Andromeda?
@@brooksphillips2234 I have seen someone mentioned that EST drivers in mest need more power for better control, my mest is still brand new but I did notice how much of a change did higher output resistance to them xD I will do some amp pairings with mest in the future, for sure there is amp and there are tubes to set it right, than it will be 💎 (for now I can make them a bass monster or precise machine, sweet center will come)
I bought them a month ago and was really struggling with tips to get them sound right. After 3 days of tips rolling, i finally settled with the Azla Earfit long. The earpieces were sticking out from my ears but i got this Mest magic (to some degree). They should be used with shorter tips to make a bone conduction driver fully perform but the soundstage was too intimate then. Still i didnt enjoy the tuning of the trebles as they were too boosted in comparison to the withdrawn mids/vocals. Then i found a great deal on the almost new u12t. I sold the Mests in a heartbeat and went for the u12t. This was the way! Im way more happy with the sound quality im getting from the u12t, a definite step up from Mests.
@@PassionforSound yes, they are absolutely insane. The imaging, coherency, staging, everything plays together, no strange peaks, analog sound. And they are very musical and far from being boring like some people report. The calmness and the control make them super engaging for me. The only iems that come very close to me are the Monarchs 2 but they are less musical due to the more reserved mid bass.
Considering that UM makes custom shells, it seems this bone conduction driver is meant mainly for that, since with a custom shell proper contact would be ensured. Would be really interested to hear if custom would fix your issues with it or not, but understandable if we never get to see one :P
Yeah, I wondered that too, but the tuning of the bone conduction in the frequency range seems strange. I don't understand why it's contained to higher bass registers. There's no chance I'll be buying a custom set of these - sorry 🙂
I don't think so. If he doesn't like the universals then can't imagine he'll like the customs. However, I definitely wouldn't let that persuade you against trying the Mest 2, which to many of us is among the best all around IEMs available (e.g., Goldensound, BGGA, Antdroid, Resolve, CMA) unless of course you've already found your tastes in IEMs tends to match more closely to Lachlan's. The U12t is also another solid option and well loved too but not as exciting or tactile to some as the MK2.
@@PassionforSound the first MEST only had the bone conduction from 1000 hz to 20khz, the MK2 brought it down to 500, I think it’s a technology limitation that they are trying to overcome through R&D currently but they are finding a bit challenging to include the entire spectrum with the BC drivers as of now.
Nice review..what durability and lifespan has a hi end iem in this price range ?I try to find a hi end iem for mastering but this v sound fashion is a serious probem
I can't speak for the MEST MK2, but I've had high end custom IEMs last 10+ years. A quality universal IEM should do the same as there's really nothing to wear out. In terms of monitoring, check out my review of the Ambient Dynamics Lyndale (it's part of a battle video). It's not super high end, but one of the closest sounds to a studio monitor that I've heard. You could also look at something like the 64Audio U12t or the CustomArt FIBAE 3x3 too.
@@PassionforSound oh nice because to be honest i had some fear..(im not Elon Mask..) i ll look it now with my coffee..The 64 audio iems have some picks and deeps (ihave seen dozens of frequency resports charts..)The only one i saw that reminds me hd 600 with more linear sub bass is the Kinera Skuld..BUT in their chart the graph is almost a ruler although in an other chart that is not their i see a pick up..Thanks by the way and soory for my English keep the good reviews they are helpful ..
Graphs are so tricky because of how the different measurement rigs influence the sound and also the many different compensation curves that get used. Hope you can find what you're looking for.
Excellent review - I've been looking at some graphs and considering the 3 different driver tech, I had a feeling there was going to be coherence and treble problems, eventhough they are getting excellent reviews (Crinnacle etc). I also had some problems with the U12t; bit of a high treble uplift and uneven frequency, somewhat of an etch and annoyance with longer listening sessions; I think the Campfire Andromeda is more coherent if not as large and holographic sounding... Have you heard the Softears RSV which seems to have exemplary tonality? Which IEMs would you rate highly nowadays?
I agree with the slight etchedness of the U12t. I like them a lot, but ended up selling them. I haven't tried the Softears yet, but would like to. The IEMs I most highly rate (based on somewhat limited experience due to the sheer number of option available) are the Shure KSE1200 and Sennheiser IE900.
Great content! Please review the 7hz timeless if possible. I’m watching those closely. I liked the U12T but loved the Tia Trio from 64 audio. The base from the Tia was just a wow Moment from iems.
I have the Timeless here now. The review is a little way off still. I'm yet to try some other 64Audio IEMs. I ended up selling my U12t because the IE900 performed better for me
@@PassionforSound Wow, I am stunned that you sold your U12t. I'm still loving mine, but might give the IE900 a listen. I'm taking another look at your review of the IE900.
Fit played a part in me selling the U12t because there's no doubt that they sound wonderful. The IE900 was just consistently more comfortable and I love it's bass extension too.
Theodore is spot on with this. Higher quality IEMs will always perform better with higher quality sources, but there's no issue using them with good, list priced units like the 5k
That's an interesting question. I think there are, but a lot of it will come down to preference and tradeoffs beyond a certain point. The Shure KSE1200 are probably the best I've heard so far and the Sennheiser IE900 and 64Audio U12t are also excellent.
Great review. Thanks for those specifics Lachlan. Seemingly some are preferring the Oracle over the Clairvoyance for audio tuning as well as for their better fit. The Monarch Mark II is also on the horizon now as well. I would appreciate your opinion on the SeeAudio Neo iem too. Spoilt for choice these days but as you pointed out there are also flaws to be found objectively with top tier iems . Cheers.
The Clairvoyance and Monarch plans fell through, but I'll see what I can arrange for Monarch 2 and the Oracle. I have a SeeAudio contact too so let's see what I can arrange...
What a great great review. Happy to hear you'll be checking the monarchs and clairvoyance, I am hunting for the monarchs, I'll be interested in your thoughts around their price point.
Glad you liked it! The Monarch and Clairvoyance plans fell through I'm afraid, but I've got things up and running with Linsoul again so there might be a chance for some other similar level IEM reviews in the future.
@@PassionforSound do you get those for free? Honestly if you have communication with them. Propose them this idea: You pay them 1500$ or an amount they send you 5 iems of your choose for testing. Upon returning them you get your money back minus 50$ and a 20$ coupon for buying at linsoul. That way we can actually make decisions on what we personally like. Now I have to decide what to buy purely on reviews of others. It's like going yoa restaurent where others tell you what you like.. So yea if they could have a program like that.. That would be awesome. You can do this with camera's already. Why not with hifi!
Thanks for another honest and comprehensive review. I've learned to trust your opinions, so I won't be trying this IEM. I still love my U12t, but am now considering the IE900.
It will be interesting to see if your IEM preferences align with mine because there are quite a few people who seem to disagree with my IEM tastes. Maybe the same as headphones, but there seem to be more. The IE900 IMO are definitely worth a try.
I disagree about the IE900 getting boomy. I'm actually not sure how you could come to that conclusion other than reacting to the fact that it has bass extension right down to the sub bass region. What's an IEM that you'd consider to be doing this better (and without spending way more money)?
@Audio Imperfect It's not better. u12t is a great iem but it will bore you to death after about three weeks. Obviously this is all subjective. This review is pretty much a complete outlier.
I understand what you mean. I just bought the mk2 and it can sound weird at times. It does sound incoherent at times. You need to review the mangird tea. Don't let the price totl iem. That sounds very coherent!
@@PassionforSound since I found the mangird tea, it is just as good as high end iem like mest but only $300. I can't believe it. It makes it hard to justify purchasing the mest. And the tea blows the Solaris 2020 out the water.
@@Usernotknown21 Agreed. The u18 is clearly superior. Much more balanced and lively sounding. The u12 sounded a bit awkward and artificial. People who claim the 12 being better than the 18 need to clean their ears.
@@PassionforSound your totally right and not the first person to talk about being incoherent. I hear it at times too. You should listen to mangird teas. It is coherent as they come. A true totl iem imo.
I have the xenns mangird up and I like the sound and the bass is impressive but I feel like I need a very detailed I wanna hear all those hidden sounds.
@@PassionforSound Well, that's a boomer, because I have the Clairvoyance, and it would've been great to know your opinion about them, so I can judge your tastes compared with mines... I totally agree that some IEM reviewers love too much ear gain elevation. IEM sound are already intense, the elevation there makes them tiring and difficult to enjoy after a not that long listening session. For me, the Clairs can be too intense, for example for electronic music.
Yeah, the ear gain thing is a big problem for me too and likely where this is going wrong. I've got a roundup of some $200 IEMs coming up including the KATO do it will be interesting to see how my views align with others' on that one too.
I don't have either of them here with me anymore so I can only go with what's already in the review - sorry. FWIW, the U12t is the better overall IEM IMO
wondering what's the physical definition of coherence you mean and how it impacts the sound hitting ear perception, scientifically, all different types of drivers are driven electrically followed by filtering/crossover, in respective spectrum handled by individual drivers should be no conherence issue, which only possibly occurs at the spectrum overlap point/section or between different spectrums, sound unsync from drivers is not possible to be detected by human ear considering the physical mechanism of drivers, wavelength of sound and short distance from driver to ear canal, to me, coherence only affects the clarity of sound. BTW, bone conduction driver works for the whole spectrum instead of bass.
I don't know exactly what's causing what I am hearing, but I have a few ideas so some of all of these could be at play (in no particular order): - very specific frequencies being emphasised by different driver types causing certain sounds to stand out from the overall mix - different response times for different driver types causing slight timing variances between different frequencies causing us to perceive the sounds in a non-coherent way - different amounts of decay from different drivers meaning that some frequencies linger longer than others and thus create differences in how we perceive certain frequencies - positioning of drivers not optimised for phase accuracy meaning that the sound from some drivers hits our ears before the sound from other drivers In the end, my biggest issue with the Mest Mk2 is that the sound of a single instrument like a guitar, mandolin, etc. is being reproduced by multiple different types of drivers with their own tonalities and character. Exactly why this is, I'm not sure, but the end result is that the different frequency components of a single strum are being noticeably broken apart and I find it off-putting and unnatural. Some will find it interesting and exciting
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your explanation, but human sense is subjective and affected by many factors - individual difference, environment, mood etc. Only precise measurement can lead to a convinced conclusion. Sound physically holds a composition of signals of different frequencies, in other words, any sound can be recovered by signals indeed broken apart according to their "frequency" feature. Tonality is reflected and defined by the frequency profile (here, "magnitude" and "phase" features are counted in), a same note played by a guitar and piano or other instruments can be therefore distinguished. Any driver technologies (no matter it is dynamic driver, BA, electrostatic, planar magnetic or others) aim to precisely reproduce such frequency profile, which is the core for tonality accuracy. This can be achieved by single driver, single type driver or multiple drivers of different type. There is no evidence that single driver will exert better frequency profile reproduction than a multi-type driver combo, in terms of frequency composition, magnitude and phase response.
@Passion for Sound I agree with you on this review. I feel the same about MEST MKII. It's like too many drivers that are not linked well and they are forced to work at max level. I am thinking to sell my MEST MKII and get a IE900. I still have IE800 but they are not up to latest technology.
Thanks for letting me know that you agree! I was starting to wonder if I'd heard it wrong. There are always personal preferences at play so I don't expect everyone to agree with my take, but it did worry me when I only saw people questioning my findings! 🙂 I think you'll really like the IE900 - just be sure to give them some time to open up and to get the right fit.
@@PassionforSound that's exactly what was happening to me. Everybody just loves MEST so I purchased them. But I never liked the MKII sound and I couldn't say why. Now I see exactly why after your review.
I don't think so. UM have been around a long time so they'd have their QC processes well in place. I think it's a combination of different expectations and preferences combined with differences in anatomy perhaps too.
Today I was listening to a song from the Hot Chili Peppers and when the guitar strings were strung I would hear a string in front of me to my left and by the end of the sweep the last string was further away to my front or to my right ....It was kinda strange !
@@PassionforSound I sold the Mark II and bought my Mark I back again from the guy I sold them to ......They sound so different.....They took a winner and turned it into a wiener ........The voices and tones of instruments sound more natural on the Mark I
Different sources could definitely present the sound differently. I haven't tried the Qudelix yet so can't comment on it specifically. As for the IE600, it's definitely coming, but I don't know exactly when yet...
I have always loved and respected your reviews but I was shocked at how much I disagree with you this time. I don't pick up on these things from the Mest Mk2. The Mest is probably my favorite iem I e ever heard. The Mest and the ie900 actually. It is interesting how we all hear different and have different preferences. I appreciate your review and will be looking out for more. Keep up the good work!
I've had a couple of people say that to me now about the Mest MK2 and I think it might be a sign of just how variable IEMs can be based on things like insertion depth, ear canal anatomy, etc. I love the IE900s still (they're my favourite IEM so far), but the Mest never got me.
@@PassionforSound tips do make a difference I settled for the Azla Sedna earfit light in a small. I normally wear a medium/large. Going down on size helps with deeper insertion.
@@PassionforSound different strokes for different folks! That is the beauty of this hobby! I must admit it took me a while to get the right fit. I ordered sooooo many tips. I came close a couple of times but finally I started re ordering the tips that almost worked in a smaller size a I finally found the right fit.
I have been following ur reviews since your Empyrean review and loved the empy vs susvara vs utopia review of yours. Can you pls do some chifi flagship reviews (Tri bid with est drivers)? I love the Kinera Baldr and actually bought it whimsically last year. There's no coherence issues or harshness in the high frequency. Infact it produces better bass and smoother sound than my Arya and doesn't get unenjoyable in poorly recorded tracks whereas in Arya it was annoying in Metal tracks. It seems the kinera iem has meze type safe tuning. I would like to get your opinions on the Kinera baldr and some newer iems like Thieaudio Divinity V16 as our opinions matched quite a few times with Empyrean, Susvara etc
Glad you're enjoying the reviews. I'm still trying to find a supplier who'll provide the high priced flagship IEMs. I'm working more with Linsoul now so that might help, but otherwise I have to rely on viewer and patron loans.
@@PassionforSound If I didn't leave so far away in Bangladesh, I would send you my baldr and the upcoming Divinity v16 for sure. Your explanations are so easy to understand (as it should be for subjective audio reviews)
Wonderful and unique critique. You might be the only reviewer where I want to listen to the entire review and don't skip through. It may indeed be impossible for multi-brid designs to cohere the timbre, details, and overtones of a single instrument across the entire spectrum of frequencies that instrument is capable of producing, in a precisely imaged virtual "out-of-head" space. I actually assumed that with the broadening of the response range by the bone conduction driver in the mk2 vs. the mk1 that there would be less of an obvious on/off effect.
Thank you for the kind words. It's great to hear that I'm keeping things interesting and relevant for you! I definitely think it should be possible to get coherency at least on par with other multi-driver designs (i.e. multi-BA units or dynamic/BA hybrids), but I think the tuning needs to be very carefully managed. I'm not suggesting I could do better than the UM designers and I'm sure it's a very tricky job. It's just a shame that, to me, it didn't quite land.
I just wrote on another comment that I wonder sometimes if either I physically hear IEMs differently (due to ear canal shape or something) or if I have different expectations because it's not uncommon for me to not enjoy IEMs that others rave about. I do agree with others on products like IE900 U12t, etc. so not sure what the factor is that influences this
@@PassionforSound well I have always known that the U12 T was a superior iem but was just a little Too expensive I have a feeling that listening to the U12 T would make the mest mk 2 slightly underwhelming
I don’t always agree with something you say on here but this is one of these time I may have to agree with you as i am looking at both of these iem and I am working on getting u12t instead of the mest2.. plus I would prefer to buy u12t in uk
No need to always agree and a good reason to check out multiple reviews before making any decisions. I definitely think the U12t is superior to the Mest Mk2 though so I think you're making the right decision
This reviewer likes to go against everything praised and well received so he can then somehow appear a tiny bit in the midle of a massive crowd. Sorry bro but you are the only thing here that sounds weird. No offence.
No, you're making assumptions there. Maybe check out my review of the massively hyped 7Hz Timeless before you decide that my impressions are based on the hype/crowd. I go with what I hear - nothing more. This hobby, like some others, is prone to "new toy syndrome" and building hype without always having substance behind it. I just try to avoid buying into the hype until I really understand a product. It's fine if you don't agree with me - this is a subjective hobby. It doesn't make me wrong or you wrong in relation to these IEMs.
The all resin UM MEST whatever version of mest is mine it sounds very coherent and I can feel the BC driver as long as there's contact to the ear.
I just scored a new MEST MK2 for less than half the original price. This is the only non-favorable review I've found and I really respect you Lachlan, so I HAD to try to recreate your listening experience. I'm trying to be very critical myself, however, maybe I'm hearing things (pun intended). I did all my listening with the stock Xelastec tips and with the Divinus Velvet (twice). Every single note of the bass of the original King Floyd track has tactility to it, and how much it vibrates depends on the volume of the note played. It's really amazing. I had to listen to it on RUclips music because the version on Qobuz is re-recorded. The Norah Jones track - The mandolin is on the left, and the vibrations correspond to it and sound on the same side. The vibrations for the bass are on the right and also correspond to the bass notes. Not a single note lacked the bone conduction effect. Its subtle but it's definitely there, and again, the vibration corresponds to how loud the note is being played. It is, however, a few milliseconds late from the initial hit of the note. This second song I did listen to on Qobuz at 24bit 192khz. As for the last track, I agree with what you said about the hi-hats. However, it just so happens I'm an amateur drummer and this is how I like my music to sound, lol. This IEM makes me very very happy! I know it's an "old" model now at the start of 2024, but I still recommend it for people watching this who might be considering whether to buy it or not. For reference, I also own a Monarch MK3 and I find their differences subtle but perplexing. The treble is definitely hotter in the MEST. EDIT: I have now also tried Dunu S&S tips on the MEST and they completely killed the bass and the bone conduction. The tips make a huge difference on this one! PS: The MEST has driver flex, but it's only noticeable when touching the IEMS, not when moving around.
I'm glad you're enjoying them and the tip variation makes sense. I think that, combined with us all having different ear anatomy could well explain the differences. It's great that you've been able to try them for yourself!
I'm lucky to get fit with original tips, Xelastec dont even want to go in my ear canal they stick and wont move leaving unsealed space what is causing awful sound. After testing them on few amps (now also on a different cable but I dont believe in cable magic) I can tell they are responding really strong changing like chameleon. They sound superb with high quality recordings on my tubes, bass is strong and well defined I will take it over any planars I personally used. Great IEM's but I understand those who dislike it as they cant fit them well or pair with source suitable for their needs. I'm definitely team mest 😁 and forever team tubes
@@soulfulfool im glad you like them too! In the end i settled with spinfit w1s because they are the most comfy for my ear. The ss size goes deep enough to allow the bc to work well enough for my taste. Team mest ftw ;)
@@soulfulfool Just got a Mest MK2 for $900 (brand new) directly from an Unique Melody sales representative. It's easily one of the best things that i've ever heard along with the Mentor (they're pretty similar). Also, I have a Z1R but I think the Mest is definitely more refined and overall better. Really don't get people who would dislike a Mest MK2.
@@dess8808 probably bad fit or amp :) they are really good with tube amps but it has to be good one since they pick up any noise, I tested them with cheap made in china mini tube amp but it was terrible, my little A&K AK70 sound really nice with mest, cheap Hiby R4 also sounds good but after setting those mseb options
Audio community needs more reviewers like this that cut through the hype, I want to get Empire Ears Odin but wasn't sure because I heard some say these compete with the Odin at half the price.
I really need to try some Empire Ears IEMs. So glad you liked my approach to reviewing
Yes. I also heard these compete with odin, that's why I'm here.
I'd be getting the Odins for sure. I have no desire to revisit the Mest
I haven't tried the Odin's yet, but would like to. The Shure KSE1200/1500 (same driver) is still my reference for a great sounding IEM
I've had mine for about a year I think and I got them secondhand. No problems at all so far, but I'm also very careful with my IEMs and have only ever had two cables break - one almost straight out of the box when I had only used it once in my office and the other after it appeared to corrode due to moisture getting into the connector.
If you're prone to breaking cables, it might be a good idea to look at other options.
Good day sir,
I absolutely appreciate your work !
Thank you
I'm so glad I can provide value! ♥️
MEST Mk2 sounds like it will be perfect for me.
It seems to transport you right inside the music and allows the inherent chaos of the composition to ensue. It is a more raw experience.
U12T controls the music and processes it inside a virtual space for you to enjoy at a slight distance.
If you have a strong preference for either, it is highly likely you won't like the other.
I don't necessarily agree with the idea of being transported inside the music. The coherency issues from the MEST MK2 actually disconnected me more from the music. I respect the U12T a lot, but I'm also not a huge fan of them overall and ended up selling mine so I'm definitely not about just one or other of those IEMs
@@PassionforSound what is your favorite iem?
My current faves are the Sennheiser IE900 and Shure KSE1200
I'm a bass fan and the KSE1200 definitely have enough for me, but getting a good fit is very important. Check out my review of them for a comparison with the U12t and IE900
@@PassionforSound have you heard sennheiser ie600?
It is indeed very interesting, as pointed by others here, that everyone hears things differently. I don’t have IE900 to compare, and I’m pairing my Mest MKII with only a BTR5, so I probably can’t hear all of the nuances, but I don’t hear that disjointed banjo sound that you spoke about in Sinkin’ Soon track. I can hear banjo clearly to the left in the first seconds of the track with some reverb filling the stage on the right side, but then from around 20s I hear the same notes being doubled by piano in quite good harmony so it does sound to me like one note is coming from two different locations. This doesn’t seem to happen though when different notes are played on the piano. The track becomes quite busy later on so it’s hard for me to distinguish whether some sounds are indeed disjointed banjo harmonics or just piano or mandolin.
I’m pretty new in „audiophile” world so I’m still learning many things and I find it quite interesting how different people perceive music. On that note, thanks for this informative review.
Thanks for sharing your experiences. I can't recall which device I used for most ofy testing, but it was likely the Chord Mojo/Poly combo and the TT2. Those devices will tend to separate sounds more than something like a BTR5 so that could definitely be playing a part.
Hopefully you're enjoying your setup though because that's the part that matters most!
I am glad I purchased the 7hz timeless instead of these and saved some cash. I am worried that DROP will drop the ball (pun intended ) and randomly cancel my order, since that has happened with 2 other products. Thank you for your opinion of a flagship product.
I've got the Timeless here now and I think you've made a good choice. It's obviously on a very different level, but I'd actually be more inclined to reach for the Timeless than the Mest 2 despite that fact.
That's strange about your orders being cancelled! Hopefully no again this time 🤞🤞
@@PassionforSound I have the 7Hz Timeless otw, too. Folks are saying they're like a Fearless S8F [which I already own and love] with better bass. Can't wait to hear them!
Fearless is another brand I need to check out at some point 🙂
Hope you love the Timeless!
@@PassionforSound Thanks. Will keep y'all posted. Cheers!
I'm yet to try those
Comparing to the monarch mkii, which one do you think is better? My favorite genre is edm kpop hiphop, and im looking for the one has good energetic bass and good detail retrieval
I definitely prefer Monarch Mk2 which I've also reviewed just recently
@@PassionforSound i already watched your review. Maybe i’ll get the mest mkii thanks for its bass
@@PassionforSound I really wanna take a listen to Monarch MKII. About mids, would you take it over Mest, right?
I thought I was missing something not liking the Mest Mk2 having heard all the great reviews about it. This review is on point with my thoughts on it. When it works it's like magic, but when it doesn't it fails terribly for me.
So glad I could support your impressions and thank you for confirming mine. I sometimes feel like I've missed something when I read comments or see other reviews that rave about them.
I've got the Thieaduio Monarch MK2 here now and they're shaping up to be everything the Mest MK2 should have been I think.
I'd definitely believe that customs sound better because they have a better physical connection to the ear which will help with the bone induction driver.
Just responded to your other post. I definitely think tips can improve (or worsen) the sound and there can be some benefits to the more split apart sound, but I don't believe they ever match a good single driver design for coherency so it depends on the exact sound you're looking for.
Mest mk2 or the xelento 2?
I’m planning to get either one of these
Kindly suggest one ☝️
I would choose Xelento 2 for sure! You need to know that they are a bit bassy and fun, but they are great if that's to your liking
thank you for detailed and level-headed review. a handful of RUclipsrs I watch regularly put these at the top region of their either A tier or S tier so this is quite surprising. compared to IE 900, would you say MEST Mk II is worse?
I definitely prefer the IE900 - they're my go to flagship IEM these days.
I have a feeling that my IEM tastes are quite different to many reviewers out there. Either we're physically hearing them differently or have different expectations because a lot of the top rated IEMs from others are too treble focussed for me and I'm not a basshead with IEMs so I wouldn't go as far as saying it's my preferences skewing a long way from neutral / natural. It's curious...
Good to see you got this review out Lachlan. I sold these shortly after I sent them to you.
For some genres, they were great. Prog rock, like Plini or Polyphia, awesome. Then for a lot of other genres, a bit disjointed. The U12T on the other hand, very cohesive.
After the Mest and U12T I had the Odin and 64 Audio Trio. Both a step up again, and both wonderful.
I own both the Mest mk 2 and the ie900. It's really hard to pick a favorite with these 2. The Mest is more dynamic and more detailed. The ie900 has slightly better bass and more sparkly treble. I have to disagree with him on this review with several things. Maybe he had a faulty pair ,maybe he just hears different, or he has different preferences. I would pay the price again for the Mest Mk 2. I love them.
Thanks again for the loan, Ben. I have to admit that even across a shuffled listen to all my favourite tracks, I never found a sweet spot for the Mest.
@@brooksphillips2234 Definitely weren't faulty. But compare them against something like the U12T, Trio, Odin (which I did) and they definately don't sound as cohesive. They are fun and sparkly and very punchy/dynamic, so for me they worked great with some music, but not so great on a lot of other music. And for some they will be the perfect IEM, or close to it. In Australia, they don't show up used for sale. But the U12T do, and a new Mest Mk2 is about the same as a used U12T. It's sort of a no brainer, if you can only have one IEM, the U12T schools them. But if you can have mulitple, the Mest MK2 could have its place for sure.
Thanks for the review!! I’m currently using a Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 with fiio m15 and chord mojo, should I upgrade to the U12t or other flagship iem for that matter?
The Andromeda is a great iem. There are better and different iem's out there for sure. I own the Andromeda 2020, Mest Mk2, ie900, and Noble K10 and I enjoy the Mest and ie900 the best. I wouldn't let this review steer you away from the Mest. Most ppl and reviewers disagree with Lachlan on the Mest. The Mest may not be his type sound. I absolutely love the Mest. I don't pick up on any of the things he is talking about. It blows the Andromeda out of the water in every aspect. The ie900 is great too. Great bass and highs and very musical.
I agree with Brooks. Don't base your decision on one review (for anything). It sounds like Brooks and I agree on everything else though across the board - K10, IE900, Andromeda, etc.
The Andro is a great IEM, but there are better IEMs out there too (no IEM is perfect). The question is probably, what are you looking for more of or less of compared to the Andromeda?
@@brooksphillips2234 I have seen someone mentioned that EST drivers in mest need more power for better control, my mest is still brand new but I did notice how much of a change did higher output resistance to them xD I will do some amp pairings with mest in the future, for sure there is amp and there are tubes to set it right, than it will be 💎 (for now I can make them a bass monster or precise machine, sweet center will come)
@soulfulfool more power will make no difference to the MEST, but different quality levels and output impedances absolutely will.
I bought them a month ago and was really struggling with tips to get them sound right. After 3 days of tips rolling, i finally settled with the Azla Earfit long. The earpieces were sticking out from my ears but i got this Mest magic (to some degree). They should be used with shorter tips to make a bone conduction driver fully perform but the soundstage was too intimate then. Still i didnt enjoy the tuning of the trebles as they were too boosted in comparison to the withdrawn mids/vocals.
Then i found a great deal on the almost new u12t. I sold the Mests in a heartbeat and went for the u12t.
This was the way! Im way more happy with the sound quality im getting from the u12t, a definite step up from Mests.
The U12t are way better than the Mest Mk2, aren't they? Glad you found the right solution for your enjoyment
@@PassionforSound yes, they are absolutely insane. The imaging, coherency, staging, everything plays together, no strange peaks, analog sound. And they are very musical and far from being boring like some people report. The calmness and the control make them super engaging for me. The only iems that come very close to me are the Monarchs 2 but they are less musical due to the more reserved mid bass.
I agree 🙂
U are not bad , u know what u are talking about.. nice review.
Considering that UM makes custom shells, it seems this bone conduction driver is meant mainly for that, since with a custom shell proper contact would be ensured. Would be really interested to hear if custom would fix your issues with it or not, but understandable if we never get to see one :P
Yeah, I wondered that too, but the tuning of the bone conduction in the frequency range seems strange. I don't understand why it's contained to higher bass registers. There's no chance I'll be buying a custom set of these - sorry 🙂
I don't think so. If he doesn't like the universals then can't imagine he'll like the customs. However, I definitely wouldn't let that persuade you against trying the Mest 2, which to many of us is among the best all around IEMs available (e.g., Goldensound, BGGA, Antdroid, Resolve, CMA) unless of course you've already found your tastes in IEMs tends to match more closely to Lachlan's.
The U12t is also another solid option and well loved too but not as exciting or tactile to some as the MK2.
Well said
@@PassionforSound the first MEST only had the bone conduction from 1000 hz to 20khz, the MK2 brought it down to 500, I think it’s a technology limitation that they are trying to overcome through R&D currently but they are finding a bit challenging to include the entire spectrum with the BC drivers as of now.
@RaptorTeam10 - Audio Thieaudio Monarch would like to have a word with you xD
Nice review..what durability and lifespan has a hi end iem in this price range ?I try to find a hi end iem for mastering but this v sound fashion is a serious probem
I can't speak for the MEST MK2, but I've had high end custom IEMs last 10+ years. A quality universal IEM should do the same as there's really nothing to wear out.
In terms of monitoring, check out my review of the Ambient Dynamics Lyndale (it's part of a battle video). It's not super high end, but one of the closest sounds to a studio monitor that I've heard. You could also look at something like the 64Audio U12t or the CustomArt FIBAE 3x3 too.
@@PassionforSound oh nice because to be honest i had some fear..(im not Elon Mask..) i ll look it now with my coffee..The 64 audio iems have some picks and deeps (ihave seen dozens of frequency resports charts..)The only one i saw that reminds me hd 600 with more linear sub bass is the Kinera Skuld..BUT in their chart the graph is almost a ruler although in an other chart that is not their i see a pick up..Thanks by the way and soory for my English keep the good reviews they are helpful ..
Graphs are so tricky because of how the different measurement rigs influence the sound and also the many different compensation curves that get used. Hope you can find what you're looking for.
@@PassionforSound yes i know i ve noticed that with so many that i saw..👍⭐
thanks for pointing the cons while others focus on the pros.
My pleasure. I just try to focus on my whole experience as an end-user / consumer. 🙂
Excellent review - I've been looking at some graphs and considering the 3 different driver tech, I had a feeling there was going to be coherence and treble problems, eventhough they are getting excellent reviews (Crinnacle etc). I also had some problems with the U12t; bit of a high treble uplift and uneven frequency, somewhat of an etch and annoyance with longer listening sessions; I think the Campfire Andromeda is more coherent if not as large and holographic sounding... Have you heard the Softears RSV which seems to have exemplary tonality? Which IEMs would you rate highly nowadays?
I agree with the slight etchedness of the U12t. I like them a lot, but ended up selling them. I haven't tried the Softears yet, but would like to.
The IEMs I most highly rate (based on somewhat limited experience due to the sheer number of option available) are the Shure KSE1200 and Sennheiser IE900.
Great content! Please review the 7hz timeless if possible. I’m watching those closely.
I liked the U12T but loved the Tia Trio from 64 audio. The base from the Tia was just a wow Moment from iems.
I have the Timeless here now. The review is a little way off still.
I'm yet to try some other 64Audio IEMs. I ended up selling my U12t because the IE900 performed better for me
@@PassionforSound wow the IE900 must have been impressive if they made you these the U12T.
They really are. Super cohesive, incredible, linear bass response and super comfy. They aren't perfect, but as close as I've heard so far.
@@PassionforSound Wow, I am stunned that you sold your U12t. I'm still loving mine, but might give the IE900 a listen. I'm taking another look at your review of the IE900.
Fit played a part in me selling the U12t because there's no doubt that they sound wonderful. The IE900 was just consistently more comfortable and I love it's bass extension too.
Do you think that the qudelix-5k Bluetooth receiver is enough to move the melody?
Yes it will sound awesome with that but they do scale very well so the better the dac/amp the better sound
Theodore is spot on with this. Higher quality IEMs will always perform better with higher quality sources, but there's no issue using them with good, list priced units like the 5k
Is there anything that competes or exceeds the andromeda in terms of soundstage and imaging?
That's an interesting question. I think there are, but a lot of it will come down to preference and tradeoffs beyond a certain point. The Shure KSE1200 are probably the best I've heard so far and the Sennheiser IE900 and 64Audio U12t are also excellent.
absolutely. UT12 is better in everyway. imo. MEST MK2. 64 audio Duo has an enormous stage.
livepro
Great review. Thanks for those specifics Lachlan. Seemingly some are preferring the Oracle over the Clairvoyance for audio tuning as well as for their better fit. The Monarch Mark II is also on the horizon now as well. I would appreciate your opinion on the SeeAudio Neo iem too. Spoilt for choice these days but as you pointed out there are also flaws to be found objectively with top tier iems . Cheers.
The Clairvoyance and Monarch plans fell through, but I'll see what I can arrange for Monarch 2 and the Oracle. I have a SeeAudio contact too so let's see what I can arrange...
What a great great review.
Happy to hear you'll be checking the monarchs and clairvoyance, I am hunting for the monarchs, I'll be interested in your thoughts around their price point.
Glad you liked it! The Monarch and Clairvoyance plans fell through I'm afraid, but I've got things up and running with Linsoul again so there might be a chance for some other similar level IEM reviews in the future.
As always, apparently your honesty 🙏
Always my aim 🙂
What about our boy the thieaudio monarch mk2? Does it have the same behavior +
I need to get a pair to try 🙂
@@PassionforSound maybe someone in your country could lend them to you.. To avoid import costs and such
I'll see if Linsoul can come to the party 🙂
@@PassionforSound do you get those for free? Honestly if you have communication with them. Propose them this idea:
You pay them 1500$ or an amount they send you 5 iems of your choose for testing. Upon returning them you get your money back minus 50$ and a 20$ coupon for buying at linsoul.
That way we can actually make decisions on what we personally like.
Now I have to decide what to buy purely on reviews of others. It's like going yoa restaurent where others tell you what you like.. So yea if they could have a program like that.. That would be awesome.
You can do this with camera's already. Why not with hifi!
I don't have that kind of influence I'm afraid. One of the challenges with IEMs (and headphones to a lesser degree) is hygiene.
Great review, I would love to see a Empire Ears evo review, which i believe has a better bone conduction technology 😢
I don't yet have a contact for Empire Ears, but I've got some newer UM models coming up for review with some new bone conduction drivers.
great review! thanks
My pleasure 🙂
Thanks for another honest and comprehensive review. I've learned to trust your opinions, so I won't be trying this IEM. I still love my U12t, but am now considering the IE900.
It will be interesting to see if your IEM preferences align with mine because there are quite a few people who seem to disagree with my IEM tastes. Maybe the same as headphones, but there seem to be more.
The IE900 IMO are definitely worth a try.
I disagree about the IE900 getting boomy. I'm actually not sure how you could come to that conclusion other than reacting to the fact that it has bass extension right down to the sub bass region. What's an IEM that you'd consider to be doing this better (and without spending way more money)?
I'm working on getting the IE600s in for review
@Audio Imperfect It's not better. u12t is a great iem but it will bore you to death after about three weeks. Obviously this is all subjective. This review is pretty much a complete outlier.
I understand what you mean. I just bought the mk2 and it can sound weird at times. It does sound incoherent at times. You need to review the mangird tea. Don't let the price totl iem. That sounds very coherent!
I'll see what I can arrange. Sorry that you've finding the Mest MK2 a bit incoherent
@@PassionforSound since I found the mangird tea, it is just as good as high end iem like mest but only $300. I can't believe it. It makes it hard to justify purchasing the mest. And the tea blows the Solaris 2020 out the water.
That's a lot of money to spend for podcast editing 😉
@Ivan Kalashnikov - Exploration I actually love mest mk2. It depends on the genre your listening to.
Have you heard 64 audio u18t?
I haven't as yet. Would love to
@Klaus Josef Eichmann no its not not
@ Badbrad i did
@@Usernotknown21 Agreed. The u18 is clearly superior. Much more balanced and lively sounding. The u12 sounded a bit awkward and artificial.
People who claim the 12 being better than the 18 need to clean their ears.
We have different ears and preferences, so nothing unusual about this. The Mest MKII is a great IEM, just not for everybody.
I completely agree. One person's opinion (no matter who it is) should rarely be a basis for purchasing a subjective product, particularly IEMs.
@@PassionforSound your totally right and not the first person to talk about being incoherent. I hear it at times too. You should listen to mangird teas. It is coherent as they come. A true totl iem imo.
That's really interesting to hear, PfA!
I have the xenns mangird up and I like the sound and the bass is impressive but I feel like I need a very detailed I wanna hear all those hidden sounds.
Looking forward to your future reviews of the Oracle, Clairvoyance and 7Hz Timeless. Meanwhile, happy listening 👂🏼 👂🏼
The Clairvoyance review fell through, but the Timeless are here and I'll look into the Oracle soon.
@@PassionforSound Well, that's a boomer, because I have the Clairvoyance, and it would've been great to know your opinion about them, so I can judge your tastes compared with mines...
I totally agree that some IEM reviewers love too much ear gain elevation. IEM sound are already intense, the elevation there makes them tiring and difficult to enjoy after a not that long listening session. For me, the Clairs can be too intense, for example for electronic music.
Yeah, the ear gain thing is a big problem for me too and likely where this is going wrong. I've got a roundup of some $200 IEMs coming up including the KATO do it will be interesting to see how my views align with others' on that one too.
love your take. please review ThieAudio Monarch MKii next (with comparison of course)
It's in the pipeline already and impressing me with its sound. Stay tuned... 🙂
@@PassionforSound excellent. look forward to it
Can you comment more on the tonality and detail retrieval of mest mk2 vs u12t
I don't have either of them here with me anymore so I can only go with what's already in the review - sorry. FWIW, the U12t is the better overall IEM IMO
Interesting take. Could you please also review Dusks?
It's unlikely I'll get to the Dusks at this point with the neverending flow of new IEMs ☹️
When is the Meze Elite Review coming? The wait has been too long 😃
I know! Not long to go now though - I promise!
wondering what's the physical definition of coherence you mean and how it impacts the sound hitting ear perception, scientifically, all different types of drivers are driven electrically followed by filtering/crossover, in respective spectrum handled by individual drivers should be no conherence issue, which only possibly occurs at the spectrum overlap point/section or between different spectrums, sound unsync from drivers is not possible to be detected by human ear considering the physical mechanism of drivers, wavelength of sound and short distance from driver to ear canal, to me, coherence only affects the clarity of sound. BTW, bone conduction driver works for the whole spectrum instead of bass.
I don't know exactly what's causing what I am hearing, but I have a few ideas so some of all of these could be at play (in no particular order):
- very specific frequencies being emphasised by different driver types causing certain sounds to stand out from the overall mix
- different response times for different driver types causing slight timing variances between different frequencies causing us to perceive the sounds in a non-coherent way
- different amounts of decay from different drivers meaning that some frequencies linger longer than others and thus create differences in how we perceive certain frequencies
- positioning of drivers not optimised for phase accuracy meaning that the sound from some drivers hits our ears before the sound from other drivers
In the end, my biggest issue with the Mest Mk2 is that the sound of a single instrument like a guitar, mandolin, etc. is being reproduced by multiple different types of drivers with their own tonalities and character. Exactly why this is, I'm not sure, but the end result is that the different frequency components of a single strum are being noticeably broken apart and I find it off-putting and unnatural. Some will find it interesting and exciting
@@PassionforSound Thank you for your explanation, but human sense is subjective and affected by many factors - individual difference, environment, mood etc. Only precise measurement can lead to a convinced conclusion. Sound physically holds a composition of signals of different frequencies, in other words, any sound can be recovered by signals indeed broken apart according to their "frequency" feature. Tonality is reflected and defined by the frequency profile (here, "magnitude" and "phase" features are counted in), a same note played by a guitar and piano or other instruments can be therefore distinguished. Any driver technologies (no matter it is dynamic driver, BA, electrostatic, planar magnetic or others) aim to precisely reproduce such frequency profile, which is the core for tonality accuracy. This can be achieved by single driver, single type driver or multiple drivers of different type. There is no evidence that single driver will exert better frequency profile reproduction than a multi-type driver combo, in terms of frequency composition, magnitude and phase response.
@Passion for Sound I agree with you on this review. I feel the same about MEST MKII. It's like too many drivers that are not linked well and they are forced to work at max level. I am thinking to sell my MEST MKII and get a IE900. I still have IE800 but they are not up to latest technology.
Thanks for letting me know that you agree! I was starting to wonder if I'd heard it wrong.
There are always personal preferences at play so I don't expect everyone to agree with my take, but it did worry me when I only saw people questioning my findings! 🙂
I think you'll really like the IE900 - just be sure to give them some time to open up and to get the right fit.
@@PassionforSound that's exactly what was happening to me. Everybody just loves MEST so I purchased them. But I never liked the MKII sound and I couldn't say why. Now I see exactly why after your review.
Sometimes it's the hype train and sometimes it's just different people having different preferences. Not sure which is at play here...
@@PassionforSound do you think that these are QC issues?
I don't think so. UM have been around a long time so they'd have their QC processes well in place. I think it's a combination of different expectations and preferences combined with differences in anatomy perhaps too.
Today I was listening to a song from the Hot Chili Peppers and when the guitar strings were strung I would hear a string in front of me to my left and by the end of the sweep the last string was further away to my front or to my right ....It was kinda strange !
Exactly! That's the kind of stuff that detracts from these for me
@@PassionforSound I sold the Mark II and bought my Mark I back again from the guy I sold them to ......They sound so different.....They took a winner and turned it into a wiener ........The voices and tones of instruments sound more natural on the Mark I
That's very interesting. Glad you were able to swap back
It will vary from track to track IME. Some tracks sounded fine and others sounded off when I was reviewing them
Different sources could definitely present the sound differently. I haven't tried the Qudelix yet so can't comment on it specifically.
As for the IE600, it's definitely coming, but I don't know exactly when yet...
It's a catch 22 but I think you need to try the CIEM version to best test the sound with bone conduction 😅
That's probably true, but I don't think I'd be game to take that step based on this experience
I have always loved and respected your reviews but I was shocked at how much I disagree with you this time. I don't pick up on these things from the Mest Mk2. The Mest is probably my favorite iem I e ever heard. The Mest and the ie900 actually. It is interesting how we all hear different and have different preferences. I appreciate your review and will be looking out for more. Keep up the good work!
I've had a couple of people say that to me now about the Mest MK2 and I think it might be a sign of just how variable IEMs can be based on things like insertion depth, ear canal anatomy, etc.
I love the IE900s still (they're my favourite IEM so far), but the Mest never got me.
@@PassionforSound tips do make a difference I settled for the Azla Sedna earfit light in a small. I normally wear a medium/large. Going down on size helps with deeper insertion.
I tried a bunch of tips with the Mests and nothing got them quite right on sound for my ears ☹️
@@PassionforSound different strokes for different folks! That is the beauty of this hobby! I must admit it took me a while to get the right fit. I ordered sooooo many tips. I came close a couple of times but finally I started re ordering the tips that almost worked in a smaller size a I finally found the right fit.
Absolutely. This is a very subjective hobby 🙂
The shells here are made from real carbon fiber so the build is excellent 👌
There's no doubt that they're a lovely looking and feeling iem
I have been following ur reviews since your Empyrean review and loved the empy vs susvara vs utopia review of yours. Can you pls do some chifi flagship reviews (Tri bid with est drivers)? I love the Kinera Baldr and actually bought it whimsically last year. There's no coherence issues or harshness in the high frequency. Infact it produces better bass and smoother sound than my Arya and doesn't get unenjoyable in poorly recorded tracks whereas in Arya it was annoying in Metal tracks. It seems the kinera iem has meze type safe tuning. I would like to get your opinions on the Kinera baldr and some newer iems like Thieaudio Divinity V16 as our opinions matched quite a few times with Empyrean, Susvara etc
Glad you're enjoying the reviews. I'm still trying to find a supplier who'll provide the high priced flagship IEMs. I'm working more with Linsoul now so that might help, but otherwise I have to rely on viewer and patron loans.
@@PassionforSound If I didn't leave so far away in Bangladesh, I would send you my baldr and the upcoming Divinity v16 for sure. Your explanations are so easy to understand (as it should be for subjective audio reviews)
Thank you for the thought. It's a shame we're not closer together! Glad you find my explanations valuable
Wonderful and unique critique. You might be the only reviewer where I want to listen to the entire review and don't skip through.
It may indeed be impossible for multi-brid designs to cohere the timbre, details, and overtones of a single instrument across the entire spectrum of frequencies that instrument is capable of producing, in a precisely imaged virtual "out-of-head" space. I actually assumed that with the broadening of the response range by the bone conduction driver in the mk2 vs. the mk1 that there would be less of an obvious on/off effect.
Thank you for the kind words. It's great to hear that I'm keeping things interesting and relevant for you!
I definitely think it should be possible to get coherency at least on par with other multi-driver designs (i.e. multi-BA units or dynamic/BA hybrids), but I think the tuning needs to be very carefully managed. I'm not suggesting I could do better than the UM designers and I'm sure it's a very tricky job. It's just a shame that, to me, it didn't quite land.
If they can give me some of that magic Im good, bought mest mk2 new for 1000$ u12t is worth like 2200$ where I live
Wow thought you would like these 😕
Yep, me too. These are my favorite IEMs by a wide margin and ranked among the bests by many others.
I expected good things too, but sadly they never got me engaged
@@PassionforSound I respect that 👍
I just wrote on another comment that I wonder sometimes if either I physically hear IEMs differently (due to ear canal shape or something) or if I have different expectations because it's not uncommon for me to not enjoy IEMs that others rave about. I do agree with others on products like IE900 U12t, etc. so not sure what the factor is that influences this
@@PassionforSound well I have always known that the U12 T was a superior iem but was just a little Too expensive I have a feeling that listening to the U12 T would make the mest mk 2 slightly underwhelming
I don’t always agree with something you say on here but this is one of these time I may have to agree with you as i am looking at both of these iem and I am working on getting u12t instead of the mest2.. plus I would prefer to buy u12t in uk
No need to always agree and a good reason to check out multiple reviews before making any decisions. I definitely think the U12t is superior to the Mest Mk2 though so I think you're making the right decision
This reviewer likes to go against everything praised and well received so he can then somehow appear a tiny bit in the midle of a massive crowd. Sorry bro but you are the only thing here that sounds weird. No offence.
No, you're making assumptions there. Maybe check out my review of the massively hyped 7Hz Timeless before you decide that my impressions are based on the hype/crowd. I go with what I hear - nothing more.
This hobby, like some others, is prone to "new toy syndrome" and building hype without always having substance behind it. I just try to avoid buying into the hype until I really understand a product.
It's fine if you don't agree with me - this is a subjective hobby. It doesn't make me wrong or you wrong in relation to these IEMs.
Mest MK2 weired sound for me. Sorry for not agree with HBB and ranking from HBB , no hype train.
I'm with you on that one
I wanted music not stupid headphones this isnt a melody