DISCLAMER
All the impressions described below are my true feelings and I agree with them completely. The fact that I think something is special should be taken to mean that it is special to me, and not necessarily to you, dear reader. Please treat the admiration or disappointments I have expressed, with “a grain of salt” and remember that each of us is a little different, both in culture, and anatomy, as well as in preferences, experiences, and expectations. Please take this into account.
INTRODUCTION
I have to start by saying that at the time I had the MS3 to review, I also had two other iems to review and I was a bit upfront that the MS3 would suit me the least. Well, here is further proof that we should never be guided by what we think before our ears verify it. So when I started listening I was pleasantly surprised by the technical abilities of these headphones, but also by the powerfully energizing sound, far from boring. Admittedly, there were some reservations quite quickly, but it was still better than I expected. Once I had the review almost "written" in my head, another surprise happened, one I hadn't yet had the opportunity to experience - perfect synergy with the source. When I connected the MS3 to the SONY NW-A55 DAP (Mr. Walkman firmware) the headphones changed so much that I can't imagine not evaluating these combinations separately, so I decided to separate the review into one with the standard pairing and one that I personally consider exceptional - the synergy with the NW-A55. However, I won't hide the fact that I will devote most of the review to my observations of the MS3's cooperation with the A55, since the MS3 reviews already on Head-Fi largely coincide with my feelings about this set in the standard pairing. As for the headphones themselves, I had the opportunity to test them courtesy of HIDIZS, but at no point in the conversation was my review pointed in any direction.
PRESENTATION
The headphones came in a black, three-tiered package. Layer one is the headphones, followed by three sets of tips, with a set of sizes (S, M, L) and 2 sets of interchangeable filters for changing the tuning (plus a set already installed). By default, my set had gold filters, otherwise known as BALANCE, installed, but additionally included was a set of BASS (red) and TREBLE (silver). After seeing the sound that the headphones presented on the gold filter, and reviewing the frequency response graphs for the other filters, I decided to stick with the gold ones, since from what I saw the others offer an experience I'm unlikely to be interested in. Just in case, I also did a quick test, which confirmed my suspicions.
Layer three of the package is the cable (high purity, oxygen-free copper with four conductors, in a mixed braid (192 cores), in my case terminated with a 4.4mm jack. The cable is of good quality, with a solid feel, which is further enhanced by an addition that, in my opinion, works against the presence of the headphones. I am referring here to the strange fang, a plastic claw in the vicinity of the 2-pin connector. I suspect that someone wanted to add drabness to it, but unfortunately, it reached a level of cheapness straight from cheap plastic children's toys - unnecessary embellishment IMHO. The final pieces of packaging are a set of paperwork and a leather (or rather, imitation leather) pouch with a metal (weird) closure system, which I didn't use at all because I have a feeling it would quickly stop looking nice. I don't hide the fact that some kind of hard case would be more welcome, but without exaggeration, here it's all about the sound.
BUILD
The headphones strongly resemble the Fiio FH5 model, but nevertheless, the black color, with a gold band encircling the faceplate in my opinion adds to their mysterious and dark character, which I personally like very much. Despite the rather light weight of the headphones themselves, the construction is solid and does not raise concerns about excessive vulnerability. I won't reiterate here the information on the drivers used, but I would like you to pay attention to the relatively low impedance (18 Ohms), and high sensitivity (112 dB), which in practice translates into very easy driving of these headphones, even directly from a phone. Also at the right level is the level of passive isolation, which allows for comfortable listening. Although among the included tips I could not find a set that satisfied me in terms of fit and comfort, I have successfully used such tips on them as : Whizzer SS20, BVGP W01, or ePro EP01 (most recommended).
SOUND
As described in the introduction, I will split my impressions between:
- based on standard pairing
- based on pairing with the SONY NW-A55L (neutral tuning)
Ad 1. Standard pairing
The listening, which I'm calling standard pairing here, involves pairing with DACs such as the MuseHifi M1, Moondrop Dawn Pro (3.5mm and 4.4mm), Fiio e07k , and as a direct output of the Realme GT 5G phone.
Immediately, just after a few notes, it was noticeable that the headphones presented a lively sound, with a solid portion of bass and treble. I also liked the fact that the midrange is not recessed. I would call the tuning a solid “W”, with strongly exposed ends. The vocals sound great. The bass is strong and has a clear texture, and the notes have a lot of weight. It also became clear fairly quickly that the technicalities here stand at a very high level, exceeding the standard of the price range that was set for this set. The instruments are very nicely separated, and details I hadn't heard before appear as if out of nowhere enriching the listening experience. The stage is wide, but not somehow exceptionally deep (although at times, such as when Tom Waits, in the track "A Sweet Little Bullet From a Pretty Blue Gun" strikes the muffled strings with his hand, the sound of the strike flies...... until it disappears somewhere in the distance, like a stone in a well). Male vocals are close and clear.
My thought: this set sounds powerful!
Unfortunately, as I continued to listen, some inconveniences began to occur to me. The bass, which as I wrote is very strong, rather focused on the mid-bass, at times began to tire me with its weight and may even have been the cause of a slight headache after several hours of continuous listening. The treble and upper-midrange added claw to the energetic tracks, but also at times approached, or perhaps even slightly exceeded, the limit of my comfort. All those details pulled from the depths of the mix, those sounds of sliding fingers across the string, every time they appeared encouraged me to turn the volume up, so I could immerse myself in them, but unfortunately, as the dynamics of the song increased, the bass became too strong and the treble too irritating, and I was forced to turn the music down with regret. There were also times when the sound of the upper mids and trebles took on an uninteresting metallic tone, often attributed to balanced armature drivers.
I must add here that all the inconveniences indicated above, in no way disqualify this set. I still consider the MS3 to be a very good headphone, worth its price, and if I had to rate it within this subsection only, it would be 4.5 / 5.0, especially since a large part of these inconveniences can be removed by minor adjustments in any EQ program (for my part, I always recommend WAVELET).
To be honest, this is what this review was supposed to look like. I already had a rating established, my thoughts written down and the good and bad points written out. My SONY NW-A55 had been lying around unused for quite a long time because somehow it never showed exceptional pairing qualities with my iem, but one day I thought it wouldn't hurt to plug it in and see how it played.
Ad. 2 Pairing with SONY NW-A55l, with ePro EP01 tips and a replacement cable, with a budget cable from LS equipped with a single bundle of copper, with crystals, coated with silver (Since my SONY WN-A55L has a 3.5mm input).
HOW DOES IT PLAY? !!!!
I have never had any headphones change their characteristics so much when changing the source.
The first word that came to mind was: BALANCE.
The bass is no longer over-boosted, and the treble, or upper-midrange no longer irritated me at all. As time goes by, I'm inclined to say that the tuning is now a more balanced W (L even), with a slightly boosted mid-bass - quite warm, but not overly so. Detail, my beloved details, came out of the background to the front enriching every song I listened to - I no longer had to turn anything down as all sounds were at the same level.
Another thing I noticed was a significant improvement in the naturalness of the sound, which may be related precisely to making the details visible and moving them to the front. Instruments began to sound convincing and organic. Everything became so very real, tangible. It also became clear that we are dealing here with analytical listening. The mixes are breaking down on their own. Electronic music into samples, acoustic music into component instruments. Nothing was drowned out, each instrument/sample lived its own life.
When I heard this, I couldn't get it together. I fell in love.
...., but okay, one step at a time:
BASS
The bass focuses on the mid-bass. Sub-bass is there, but it doesn't dominate, appearing more when called for. The bass texture is strongly defined, but it's softer than with regular pairing, so it's also more pleasant. The extracted details wonderfully complement the sound of the bass guitar, as, for example, more than once I could hear the twitching of a finger on the bass strings, or the vibration of a string against the fret when releasing finger pressure (such a bassist's perversion, I guess). The analytical bass sound is so detailed that at times you can distinguish the type of strings, i.e. whether round wound or flat wound. I like this very much. Here I will immediately add that this is not a set for bassheads. The bass is there, even slightly boosted in relation to the other registers, but it is not the main star of the show.
MID
The midrange is not recessd. Vocals are close and both male and female vocals sound very good. Once again, I'll use the word balance here, because, to my satisfaction, the midrange registers are on par with the others (and maybe even slightly forward). Despite the warm tonality, I don't hear the bass bleeding over into the midrange either. There's no lack of dB in the high-mid area either, so guitars on overdrive sound powerful and clear, which especially in rock and metal works very well. At the same time, I don't notice an excess of energy here, which would translate into excessive harshness. The midrange is clear, but not exaggerated. In my opinion, however, the mids gained the most from the pairing with the SONY, as the extracted details enriched these very registers the most. This is where you can hear the vocalist swallowing his saliva before starting to sing, it’s where the string plucks, hands clap, and other snaps are. So rich and lush registry. It's great (IMHO)
TREBLE
Well, and here it is also very good. Thanks to great technical capabilities, the dance of the sticks on the drum cymbals can be easily followed and enjoyed throughout the songs. There is also no fear of some metallic sounds, because, as I wrote earlier, along with the great synergy came the naturalness of the sound of the instruments.
STAGE, SEPARATION, IMAGING
The stage is not very deep, but it is instead very wide. Sounds appear from many sides and at different depths, but the presentation should nevertheless be classified as close - a bit in the style of "in your face", but also " all around". Imaging and separation delighted me. The hybrid design of the headphones certainly helps with sound separation, but comparing the effect to other hybrids I've tested, the MS3+A55 does something special. I can track any instrument, from any range of the frequency spectrum, without the slightest problem. If one, like me, enjoys hearing how songs are built, one will fall in love with the sound of these Sony DAP-powered headphones.
Small addendum here:
I don't want to hype this set, any set.
I, for one, was enthralled by this synergy.
None of the sets I've had the opportunity to listen to so far have given me as much as the MS3+A55.
Why such a synergy? I don't know. Maybe the reason is the low impedance of the headphones, combined with the high sensitivity and low output power of the DAP ( rumored to be an almost legendary phenomenon at SONY). Maybe the sound, which is a result of the bright sound of the headphones and the warm sound of the DAP simply fits my preferences best. I don't know.
Back to the review:...
LISTENING IMPRESSION ON SELECTED SONGS
I guess that from the description alone it's hard to imagine what distinguishes MS3+A55 from other sets, so I figured I'd pick a few tracks and describe what I hear. Maybe if someone compares his feelings on the same tracks, he will understand me more.
| Fink - Looking too closely | |
The first thing that struck me was that the piece begins with a classical guitar. For someone who plays an instrument, it's pretty obvious when you think about it, but normally you don't think about it, and here suddenly....., out of nowhere a thought: those are nylon strings! You can hear that characteristic crunch. Then the piano and catch-ups of acoustic guitar. Vocals appear, with some affection, and after a while a bass. Slowly the percussion elements appear, the drum cymbal resounds, and in the bridge and chorus, when the instruments are playing all at once, you can hear those keyboards pressed in. A lot is going on, but nothing gets drowned out.
| Amy Winehouse - Valerie (Live at BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge London) | |
Separation is the word that immediately pops into your head. Every musician has their own to playing here. Guitar, Keyboard, maracas (?), bass, and of course Amy. All as equals. No one is too quiet, no one too loud, and everyone is in their place. I close my eyes and can, without the slightest problem, not only listen to the bass guitar line and, for example, catch the moment when the string pulls away from the neck and buzzes on the fret. For me, as an unfulfilled, no longer practicing bass player, this is a real feast for the ears.
There is no introduction, we are immediately presented with the main melodic line. Bass (probably played with a pick on muffled strings) and keyboard lead the way, accompanied by snare, hi-hat, and bass drum. In the background, on the sides, from time to time, alternating sounds can be heard from afar, as if pieces of wood were being gently struck together. Jamie's vocals lead the stanza, until a thickened hi-hat introduces the chorus. After the bridge, a new sound appears, as if some kind of guitar chord, but here I'm not so sure what I'm hearing anymore, because the sound makes for a background and at times it becomes a background. This time we are introduced to the chorus by the sound of bongos. I know it sounds a bit like a deconstruction of the song, but that's exactly what this set allows you to do, which personally gives me a ton of fun.
| Manu Katche - Keep On Trippin | |
The piano leads the track, the electric bass plays its line, the electric guitar plays the overdubs, and the clarinet (I think) plays the main melody line. This track best demonstrates how the MS3+A55 handles the high registers, as the entire track is a constant avalanche of sticks hitting the drum cymbals. And how does it handle? And it handles superbly. The clicks of different tonalities can be heard around your head, and the placement of each element is according to the way they were recorded and is constant throughout the song. If you listen closely, you won't lose any sound. If you listen to the bass guitar, you can notice the effect of articulation on the sound, because at times, when the other instruments are also playing, the bass is clear and full, while at the end of the song, when everything quiets down, the bass is just the gentle tinkling of the guitar strings.
I could go on like this for a long time, and I wouldn't even have to particularly focus on the selected songs, because almost everyone discovered something before me, something I hadn't heard before, or hadn't paid attention to. , e.g.:
- Marcus Miller's "Power" - at one point you can hear a keyboard pretending to be a violin
- Pantera "Revolution is my name" - during the intro the bass on the "sustain" effect lasts a long time and does not mute, while the electric guitars sound raw and powerful
- Prince "When the light go down" - how those drums sound!
Here is a note: All percussion elements sound sensational on this set.
I have not been able to find a genre of music in which the MS3+A55 would not sound great.
... and here we come to an important question:
Is there anything to dislike?
Of course, there is.
Listening to music is based on satisfying one's preferences, and these vary.
The main element that can affect the different feelings of listeners is the sound characteristics themselves. A close, highly detailed presentation of a song may not appeal to every listener. Listening is very engaging and, because of the proximity of the sounds, quite imposing. This is not relaxing playing. Although I personally find this set melodic, the amount of detail may bother some people. Another thing you may not like is the fact that messily cleaned samples expose their imperfections and can spoil the listening experience. Situations of this type have usually occurred while listening to electronic music, but not too often (as far as I remember Mr. Norman Cook does not revel in high-quality samples) .
Okay, I think that's it.
Below I have still prepared a table with the main differences between the standard pairing and what I have called here "Perfect synergy":
Normal synergy:
Moondrop Dawn Pro, Musehifi M1, Fiio e07k, directly from phone (Realme GT 5G) | “Perfect synergy” with
Sony Nw-a55 |
4,5 / 5 | 5 / 5 (6/5 considering the price ceiling) |
Great technicalities | Great technicalities allow for analytical listening |
Strong bass with texture | Bass with texture a little less pronounced, but this is not a minus |
Rather energetic tuning with strong bass and slightly exaggerated treble, which can tire over time | Fairly balanced tuning, with a slight bass boost (mid-bass) |
a rather bright tone | slightly warm timbre |
vocals a little distant compared to the SONY, but further quite close | vocals closer |
good weight of notes | great weight of notes |
possible local sibilance | no sibilants |
holographic sound | holographic sound |
rather a deep stage | stage is not very deep, but wide and surrounds on all sides |
great imaging | great imaging; |
true detail hunter | true detail hunter |
sound of instruments is not as natural as by Sony, but not overly artificial either | natural, organic sound of instruments and vocals; analogish |
good separation of instruments; sounds at times a little overshadow each other, but it is still very good | great separation of instruments; sounds do not cover each other, |
Thank you for your attention and best regards
Please find few photos of this det below
