DISCLAIMER
The Drop + NuForce Move was sent to me by Drop in exchange for an honest review. I worked this review while I was on a business trip so I do apologize if the review felt more rushed than usual.



INTRODUCTION
The Massdrop brand has been a mainstay in various communities since 2012, basing its entire operation on community driven commerce that aims at providing the best products at the best prices. Over the past few years, Massdrop, formerly a company which premise functioned as group buying site, has dived into the direction of creating their own products (in collaboration with many companies) that are competitive in both its performance and value.

In lieu with their vision to focus on creating their own brand of products, the company has decided to change its name and be known only as Drop, a playful nod to their roots but at the same time allowing for more leeway to venture out and experiment with new ideas. One of such is the product in discussion, the first truly wireless audio option from the team (and its perennial audio partner NuForce) – Drop + NuForce Move (Move).

With proven releases such as the Massdrop x NuForce EDC, Massdrop x NuForce EDC 3, and the recently reviewed Massdrop x NuForce Stride, this tried and true partnership promises to provide the most enticing option in the true wireless market with Move. Have they succeeded in their mission? Join me and let’s find out.



INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The driving force (pun intended) behind Move is a single balanced armature driver from Knowles. Its frequency response range is between 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with an impedance rating of 22 ohms and a sensitivity rating of 105 dB (give or take 3 dB) at 1 kHz. I had no issues powering the Move to ear bleeding levels with my mobile phone so I’m confident that it can be driven with any Bluetooth capable source.

Move weighs in at a measly 10g (0.4 oz), which means they barely put any weight on your ears. The included microphone has a sensitivity rating of -38dB (again, give or take 3dB) and can be used for all your calls and your interactions with mobile voice assistants (in my case, Bixby from Google).

(I’ll be moving into the realm of Bluetooth jargon that frankly is not my forte. Therefore, for those who have similar level understanding as I do of the technology, I apologize for not being able to provide more context on the given specifications.)

I was delighted to see that Drop and NuForce decided to launch with (to my knowledge) latest standard of Bluetooth in Bluetooth V5.0 compared to the V4.1 found in Stride. Its Bluetooth profiles include A2DP V1.3, HFP V1.7, AVRCP V1.6 and HSP V1.2 – all Bluetooth profiles that were also updated versions of the one found in Stride.

Unfortunately, compromises had to be made, with the codecs limited to only SBC and AAC, hence the best quality codecs such as LDAC and aptX-HD (even regular aptX) had to be omitted from the product. Not the biggest lost if you’re entrained in the Apple Ecosystem (since those 2 are the only codecs available for the products anyways) however users of newer Android systems would miss out on the newer formats.

Exclusively sold on Drop’s website, the Move is currently on its first launch, and hence will be sold at a ridiculously attractive price of $90. This price will increase to $130 when sold in subsequent launches, so do put that in consideration while you still have the chance.



ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
The unit I received is a pre-production sample, with the IEMs likely to be very close if not the actual end product. Some cosmetic changes may apply on the accessories given and packaging used for the production run Move.

(I received my sample while I was on business trip hence a change in scenery for the photo background. Apologies if the already less than professional shots are even less glamorous this time.)




Based on my pre-production unit, Move will ship with the smallest box I’ve seen in the Drop (formerly Massdrop Made) line of products, which kinda shocked me considering the list of accessories that were provided. Opening the box reveals two separate compartments separated with more thin cardboard, one with Move in its charging case, the other holds all the other accessories.

Several ear tip options were provided with Move, specifically 3 pairs of single flange and bi flange silicone ear tips in varying sizes, though foam tip lovers would miss out as there none provided out of the box. No matter for me as I prefer silicone tip anyways (and suspect Drop designed Move for use with silicone tips). A short USB-C charging cable was given as well (and yes, the charging standard was updated to USB-C from Stride, more on that later).

The Move’s manual was pretty well hidden within the small gap of the cardboard made compartments, and I honestly would have missed them if I didn’t clear the box a few days after I received it. The manual mainly utilizes diagrams to act as quick guides for the user though I found the short table of instructions provided by Christian to be particularly useful (and more straightforward, I’ll have it up in the “Userability” section below).

In my opinion, the accessories package was pretty fit for purpose, with the glaring omission being the foam tips. Having said that, foam tips are easily sourced so I wouldn’t worry too much on that.



BUILD QUALITY + COMFORT + ISOLATION


Feeling the Move on hand, I believe Drop decided to stick with its use of Lexan polycarbonate material for the body of Move (including its faceplate that also act as its buttons, more on that later). The body is finished in a sleek, unobtrusive midnight-blue, with black faceplates, conforming to the colour standard in most if not all of its audio collaboration products (including all NuForce based designs).

In my experience using other IEMs with the same build material, the IEMs should prove to be sturdily built to withstand the grind of everyday usage while being light in weight for use. I’ve yet to get any scratches on my Drop – NuForce review units so they should be fairly scratch resistant as well.

Move is designed with a water resistance rating of IPX5, which in layman terms mean it can withstand small splashes of water onto it (hence sweat from exercise use should be of no issue), but is not to be used in the shower or for a swim.

Move has average isolation that is further improved if you elect to use the bi flange tips. I found them pretty comfortable for use due to its great fit (thanks to its highly researched shape) but no doubt would have appreciated if it isolated a little more.

An item that needs to be further elaborated this time is the carrying case that it came with, which not only offers protection to the unit but also act as a charging case. The case itself weighs ~53g (1.9 Oz) and has a USB-C port at the back for charging. The Move is charged within the case hence that are no charging ports on the unit itself.

USERABILITY

I found the Move to be pretty user friendly, where I was able to quickly setup the unit for use on my first try without any proper instructions (i.e. the user instruction should be fairly similar to other wireless units). Christian sent me a quick user instruction guide in the form of a table which was more useful to me than the manual itself, which can be found above.

The faceplate buttons, despite feeling a little plasticky, was quite responsive, where I was able to issue commands to the units (such as play/pause, changing volume and powering on/off the unit) with ease. I did find the beeping sound upon each volume toggle to be a little louder than my preference, but YMMV.

Pairing with all my Bluetooth sources was a breeze, yet it was reconnection that I had some issues with. In my past few weeks of using Move, I’ve found myself experiencing the same repetitive problem where the left side of my Move had disconnected from its source, leaving only my right side playing with no quick remedies – a complete reset is always needed. I think what I did to replicate this complication was pairing Move with its source too early (where the left piece was yet to turn on) so while it is pretty annoying, the complication could potentially just be a mistake from the user.

When the Move is connected properly to my mobile (and all my Bluetooth sources), I experienced no connectivity issues within its specification range of 10m (33ft). Call pickup was smooth and easy using the faceplates, and the call quality was more than acceptable. My few experiments with the mic (through calls and the occasional voice assistant) showed that it was pretty capable and of decent quality, with my voice being propagated clearly (or at least a similar level to my mobile phone’s own microphone).

The Move, with its internal batteries, have a reported battery life of 6 hours under normal operation, which in my usage was confirmed to be accurate. While this may not be the longest battery life on the market for Bluetooth IEMs (not sure about the true wireless battery life benchmark), Drop were able to “fix” this flaw through clever engineering on its storing case – installing an extra battery in the case for it to act as a portable charger.

Through this great design, Move gets 3 extra full charges, which increases the total battery life of the Move to a total of 24 hours. In addition, to allow its users to fully utilize this design property, Drop and NuForce had the unit designed for quick charging, where Move could charge up 1 hour of battery life through a short 15-minute charge in its case. While the charging case design element is not new to this industry, for Drop to be able to incorporate it into a unit at this price range was certainly uncommon, with the only other available option known (and more reputable) to me being the TFZ X1.



SOUND QUALITY
Evaluation Process
The Move was burned in for at least 100 hours prior to any critical evaluations made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review:

· iBasso DX150

· HiBy R3

· Samsung Galaxy S8

My impressions were made using the medium sized single flange silicone tips. I’ve yet to do any tip rolling tips but my quick impression on the single flange vs bi-flange design yield little to no sonic differences. The single flange tips were chosen purely based on its comfort, but I may switch onto the bi-flange for its increased isolation.



Sound Signature
The Move have an overall warm, slight mid-centric tone – something that caught me way off guard. In my head, I had expected the sound to be of V-shape, which would be in line with most Bluetooth IEMs that had cross my path, including the Stride. What struck me instead was a full-bodied sound that was focused on its midrange, rich bass with a smooth but slightly subdued highs.

Move’s low end was tuned to be a great supporting act, providing enough rumble to highlight the thumping bass notes of your tracks if needed albeit lacking in the punch or vigour that would knock your socks off. Mid bass seems to be the focus, with deeper male vocals well presented, rich and full though maybe a touch thick. This bass, while acceptable for my listening, may not impress the bassheads within our community, but it does help in make listening with Move an easier listening experience.

The midrange is undoubtedly the star of the show, where its forward yet clear and smooth. Vocals in this region (female vocals in particular) are rich if not lush, with instruments such as guitars coming across full-bodied. I think the design vision here, along with the boosted mid bass, was to have vocals at the forefront of its sound, which certainly helps not only with its song reproduction aspect but also improving call quality, and Move definitely did not disappoint.

Treble was where the Move fell a little short, especially for a treble hungry person like myself. Treble was pulled back, which helps in Move’s goal of being easy to listen but creates a slight veil or lack of articulation that slightly hinders my overall sonic enjoyment especially for string instruments that reside in this region. It’s similarly smooth like the midrange at an audible cost of air and extension, which may not be the biggest factor in terms of call quality but would impact reproduction of tracks from genres such as classical.

Level of detail on Move is sufficient, that is, it doesn’t sound muddy though it won’t amaze you in terms of clearness and transparency of your tunes. It’s soundstage, while not outstanding in width, has a sense of depth that creates enough realism for most ears. Airy, analytical, it is not, but realistic it is.


COMPARISONS
Unfortunately, I do not have any other true wireless IEMs available in my arsenal for comparison. Regardless, I do have its “more wired” sibling – the Stride, available for a head to head. Comparisons would mainly revolve around the build and sound quality of Move.



Massdrop x NuForce Stride
The Stride was first Bluetooth technology based Massdrop Made audiophile product to be launched, with the IEM targeted for consumers who are looking for the best sound for the best price with tolerance for minimal wiring. Sold at $74.99, Stride is cheaper than its newer sibling Move but there were a few updated articles that found its way to the newer and younger sibling which the Stride could have benefited on.

Both units utilized polycarbonate as the material of choice for their housing. Stride may come off as the more “premium” feeling unit of the two through its aluminium use whereas the more plasticky feel on the faceplate buttons of the Move lead to it feeling like the cheaper unit of the two. Both the faceplate buttons on Move and mic control on Stride were fairly easy to use and is quick to pickup so both are pretty user friendly.

The Stride has a longer natural battery life, clocking at 8 hours compared to the 6 hours achievable with the Move but lacks the useful charging case that ships with Move that extends its effective battery life in “one charge” to 24 hours. Instead, it relies on good old fashion cable charging. In fact, it uses an older standard in micro USB compared to the USB-C found on Move. Both units are able to charge up to their full battery life within 1 to 2 hours.

Fit on Move is more, for the lack of a better word, fitting, at least to my ears. The fact that it was lighter and the added fact that, true to its name, its wireless, makes it a better fit for me. I felt more comfortable using the Move on longer listening sessions than the Stride (ignoring the sonic signatures). The Stride did isolate better on most used cases for me so that should be food for thought.

Sound signatures for both units couldn’t be any more different, with the Stride focusing on a V-shaped sound whereas the Move has a mid-centric warm signature. In my opinion, both were aimed at achieving a sound signature that could play well with most genres, with the Stride aimed at a more exciting version of it while the Move was aimed at being easier to listen to.

Stride had stronger overall bass emphasis of the two. Low end detail was a wash for me, with both achieving similar level of detail and extension. Delving deeper, I think Stride focused on providing a stronger punch and kick whereas Move focused its bass effort on rounding off a rich and full sound.

Midrange found on both units are basically opposite ends of the spectrum. Move’s tuning has its midrange pushed forward to be the star of its show; Stride was tuned to have its mids recessed further back. Both were equally smooth though I strongly prefer the mids from Move as it was lusher and richer in tone.

The treble found on both units were also vastly different to each other. Stride edges towards the end of brightness, while, on the other hand, Move prefers to have it pulled back or subdued. Treble energy is highly abundant with the Stride, hence solidifying its position as the more detailed unit at the price of being a little sibilant/strident. Move tends to smoothen out its upper registers to remove any harshness from its sound at the cost of treble detail and extension.


CONCLUSION
As the first audio product in the company’s self-branded line since its name transition, the Drop + NuForce Move continues the legacy of its siblings, proving itself to be yet another compelling product that is strong in both performance and value. Drop’s second venture into the realm of Bluetooth IEMs is yet again a successful one, and would in my mind be a front running option for those who would like to give the world of true wireless IEMs a try.


I’m convinced that this partnership is unable to produce a product that will fail to convince me with its build quality – the Move should be able to withstand day to day use provided a minimal level of care is present. The IEMs were easy to use, light and is supported with a useful array of accessories including its charging case. The overall sound signature is warm and smooth, focusing on a forward midrange with a touch of rich bass, making it very easy to listen to for long sessions.


If I had a wish list on what I would try to improve the Move to better suit my use/ears, top of that list would be a change in tuning for its treble, bumping up the treble energy while attempting to increase the level of its detail and extension. I would better appreciate a design that was similarly comfortable but isolated slightly better without the use of different tips. The included user manual could also do with some touch ups to be more useful for the end users. Finally, I hope the issue I had in terms of losing connection on my ear pieces could be resolved prior to full production.


Drop continues to delve deeper into the Bluetooth audio market, first with its take on a “wireless IEM” (the Stride), and now with its true wireless effort (the Move), coming out reputation further enhanced with more solid products at attractive prices. A Bluetooth headphone is slated for release some time later this year so I’m pretty excited to see what Drop has to offer (again) in the most saturated section of the Bluetooth audio market. If they continue to make products like these it’s hard to deny that their brand is more than competitive when compared to the mainstays of our industry.

DISCLAIMER

The Massdrop x NuForce Stride was sent to me Christian and Thomas from Massdrop in exchange for an honest review.



INTRODUCTION

For any audiophile or avid personal audio equipment fanatic who has been actively involved in the market for the greater part of the past decade, Massdrop (MD), a company that focuses on ‘community-driven commerce’, requires no further introduction. Having played a major part in the industry since 2012. MD continues to provide great products for compelling prices, either from partnering companies or from their direct collaborations with them.

Products stemming from their various collaborations, collectively known as “Massdrop Made” products, have been the rave of town for the past few years, with products such as the Massdrop x Noble X, Massdrop Plus and the Massdrop x NuForced EDC (or EDC 3) well known for their performance that pushes the boundary set by their own, relatively lower price range.

Fast forward to 2019, MD is launching another landmark release, pushing out the first ever MD Made Bluetooth IEM with perennial collaborator NuForce in the form of the Massdrop x NuForce Stride. Will they be able to make a large (pun-intended) stride into the growing pool of Bluetooth IEMs? Let’s delve deeper and find out.



CLARIFICATION

Eagle eye readers who’ve done some deeper research may notice that the Stride is similar to another NuForce made product - their own Be Live5. In fact, when I first saw images and the spec sheet for Be Live5, I was a little confused and wondered: Was this product collaboration was done in the exact same makeup as the Massdrop x Sennheiser 6XX? Is the IEM a like for like replica in the sound design and tuning, with modifications made on both the aesthetic and functional quality?

Upon discussion with the folks at MD, it is confirmed that the Stride is a completely different product for the most part, with a few major changes implemented to Stride, including:

· Complete redesign of the music tuning (fine-tuned to MD’s preference).

· Changes to the voice control scheme (to reduce unwanted activation).

· Removal of several phone controls (to simplify control scheme).

· Colourway change for its shell (to better fit with MD’s product line).

· Most sounds replaced to Massdrop made sounds (because why not).

· Price change, or specifically, price reduction (because that always make things better).

I do not have a Be Live5 with me (or anywhere nearby) to attempt a side by side comparison though judging with MD’s track record for their MDD Made line of products, I strongly believe they would have successfully implemented said changes. So, I would implore you to look at the Stride as a completely different product from the Be Live5, just made by the same company.



INFO + SPECIFICATIONS

The Stride delivers its music through the use of a single 8mm dynamic driver, one with a frequency response between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. The numbers will not jump out like its other wired (or rather, directly wired) counterparts yet it encompasses the hearing range of any regular person. Stride’s sensitivity is rated at 95 dB, give or take 3 dB, at 1 kHz, with an impedance rating of 16 ohms. I’ve had found no issues powering it to my regular listening levels with lots of room to spare, even when using my lower powered sources (e.g. my cell phone).

It weighs at 14g (0.49 oz) including its mic control plus the short cable connecting both sides of the IEM. The mic utilized has an inline microphone sensitivity of -42dB (+/- 3dB), and is ready for use with most if not all Bluetooth capable player or mobile phone for calls, music and engaging voice assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant. Based on my experience so far, I’ve been able to propagate my voice clearly through the mic with no trouble on my regular daily usage (or at least that’s what I gathered from my relatively small sample size).

(I have to come clean before I move on to the next paragraph – I’m a complete novice in terms of Bluetooth related performance specification. I’m acquainted with the current but am clueless on the nitty gritty such as the Bluetooth profiles listed below. Please forgive me if I am not able to better decipher the specifications to other readers who have similar level of understanding to the Bluetooth world. Thanks.)

Perhaps the missed opportunity for the IEMs lies on its Bluetooth type, where the Stride uses Bluetooth V4.1 compared to more modern standards such as V4.2 and the latest update in V5.0. Bluetooth profiles include A2DP V1.2 (AAC, aptX, SBC), HFP V1.6, AVRCP V1.4, HSP V1.2, where a Bluetooth layman (like me) would notice the exclusion of notable formats such LDAC and aptX-HD, likely a calculated measure to keep costs down. The Bluetooth range is rated up to 10m (or 33 ft), which by my estimation is pretty accurate.

Further research into the IEM design shows the depth from which MD and NuForce in developing the unit. Compared to other Bluetooth IEMs, the Stride uses a shorter and wider battery shape which helps reduce its size, allowing room for a wider driver. The extra room is also partly designed to allow for acoustic tuning like a speaker enclosure rather than rely on traditional methods such as digital signal processing (DSP). Two reflex ports used to create airflow for better bass performance rounds off the extensive effort put in for its design.

This IEM will be sold exclusively on MD at $74.99 (with free US shipping) however the first drop has since been shut with no indication on any future releases. Regardless, I will not be surprised if the Stride is easier to obtain in the future as many MD Made items have eventually become readily available for immediate shipping on MD’s site.



ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS

The unit I received is a pre-production sample, with the IEMs likely to be very close if not the actual end product. Some cosmetic changes may apply on the accessories given and packaging used for the production run Stride



In lieu with other Massdrop Made products I’ve received for review over the past few years, the Stride retains a similar packaging in which the unit is housed inside a thin cardboard-based box wrapped with a layer of plastic. Two separate compartments, one holding the IEMs while the other holds the accessories, are revealed once the outer packaging is removed.

Several accessories are included with the Stride, including 3 pairs each of both silicone and foam tips in S, M, L sizes, a micro USB charging cable plus a hard-carrying case. The carrying case is of decent quality, and is my preferred one compared to the other NuForce offerings. No extra cables are provided, nor are they needed due to the design of the Stride.

The accessories package, relatively sparse compared to other Massdrop Made products, but fits in what is necessary for the job, and is as comprehensive if not more than what I know from other competitors.



BUILD QUALITY + COMFORT + ISOLATION


The Stride’s housing is built using a combination of aluminium and the familiar polycarbonate material used for the EDC line of IEMs. It is finished in a smoky blue/gray colourway that has been a trademark of the Massdrop Made products.

With the usage of both materials, the IEMs managed to achieve a pretty sturdy built while maintaining a form of lightness to it. I’ve yet to be able to get any scratches on my unit (I was not intentionally trying to do so) so I would say it should be scratch resistant as well.

The unit is water resistant, with its water resistance rated at IPX5, i.e. it should withstand any water jet of projection onto it. While it’s certainly not suitable for use during a swim, theoretically it could be fine even when used in light rain (but I still don’t recommend it for safety reasons) and absolutely fit for exercise use.

Isolation on the Stride, while not amazing, is on par with most IEMs I tried. It manages to perform reasonably in my favourite train test, as quite a bit of the train’s travelling noise was isolated away. Achieving that in a highly comfortable fit, no doubt helped on by its small form factor, is no mean feat so kudos to both MD and NuForce teams.



USERABILITY

True to its design goal, I found the Stride easy to use despite a lack of instructions for my unit. I was able to complete simple functions such as play, pause, skip tracks and change volume with little to no lag. However, I do think that the unit would benefit from having an instruction manual ready for those who have yet to use any form of Bluetooth IEMs previously.

(I do not wish to elaborate too much on individual functions and button inputs for them so I’ll skip them for now. I will check back with Massdrop on whether a manual will be included in the final product. If there will be no manual, I will try my best to provide as many of the inputs possible.)

I found it easy to pair with any of my Bluetooth sources as all my tested pairings were done fairly quickly. So far, I had only one connectivity problem which was to my HiBy R3, where cut-offs were experienced from time to time. I was not able to replicate the same connectivity drop off with my other sources so I would put it on my player rather than the IEMs. Other than that, I had no drop offs during my music listening sessions or during my calls.

Speaking of calls, I was able to pick up, conduct and end my calls through the unit seamlessly. Call quality was great, with all the voices coming through clearly but don’t expect it to make the caller sound like an angel. The mic functioned well too, as the feedback I gathered from people on the opposite side of calls to either be acceptable or better defined.

The IEMs are rated to have 8-hour long battery life on normal operation through a charge time of one and a half hours. In my experience this for the most part has been accurate, with its battery life easily covering 7-8 hours of my daily usage after charging it for one and a half to two hours. The battery life feels pretty average for me, and with the increasing amount of Bluetooth IEMs that had longer battery life I wished that the Stride had more to cover my entire working day.



SOUND QUALITY

Evaluation Process

The Stride was burned in for at least 100 hours prior to any critical evaluations made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review:

· iBasso DX150

· HiBy R3

· Samsung Galaxy S8

My impressions were made using the Stride with silicone tips. I found tip rolling mainly affecting its comfort and isolation. Sound changes, minimal (to me) as it may be, conforms to normal standards, in which the foam tips lend a warmer/darker sound. The silicone tips will likely provide a sharper/crisper sound however this is down to individual ear shape and perception. I chose silicone tips purely for my preferred comfort factor as that is my most important factor for any IEMs.

Sound Signature

The overall sound signature for Stride resembles a V-shaped sound - an ‘all-rounder’ type sound that will appeal to most if not all consumers. Specifically, the Stride’s V-shape sound does not necessarily involve very recessed mids, instead focusing more on enhanced bass and treble regions, leading to a V-shaped perception rather than a U-shaped one.

Arguably the highlight of the Stride’s sound, its lows are strongly elevated to provide some extra kick for all your bass notes especially in the mid bass region (similar to most IEMs of the same target response). The rich and full bass, albeit borderline thick for some ears, is punchy but full of grip, with enough rumble and extension to satisfy even the most demanding bassheads (though ultra-uber-super bassheads should look away this instant).

It’s mids is a peculiar region, as, to my surprise, I thought it was as close to linear as I’ve seen on a V-shape IEM. In actuality, the mids are pulled back ever so slightly, yet retains its smoothness and a sense of clarity. While I wouldn’t necessarily term it as lush, the mids have ample richness to perform well in both vocal and instrumentation reproduction, particularly evident in its full-bodied lower mids.

Treble to me was perhaps the only region which did not meet my expectations. Despite my treble heavy sound preference, I found the increase in treble energy to be a touch too far, showing itself as a little sibilant if anything, with some roll off near my highest audible range. The highs, while crisply executed, was actually a little too bright in certain regions for me, turning crisp execution into strident at times. This leads to the treble often eclipsing the performance of other regions, losing much needed balance in its overall presentation.

Stride does not intend on shocking you with gobs upon gobs of detail throughout all 3 regions, yet there is sufficient amount of detail that allows for a sound that is always clear and maintains a level of transparency. The soundstage has a great sense of openness but is average in terms of width and depth.



COMPARISONS

Having no other Bluetooth IEMs, I did not make any head to head comparisons to better relate the Stride’s overall performance against other competitors. However, what I will try to do is make comparisons with other wired IEMs to provide perspective on its sound signature. So, the comparisons will mainly revolve around their build quality and sound but not the functionality or anything not commonly related.

Massdrop x NuForce EDC (EDC)

The EDC was among the first few Massdrop Made audiophile products to be launched, with the IEM targeted towards consumers that yearned for a solid, everyday carry performer. Selling at $59.99, it is slightly cheaper than the Stride, and is highly competitive in its own price bracket among other wired IEMs.

Both units utilized polycarbonate as the material of choice for their housing. Stride has a slightly more premium feel due to its usage of aluminium, otherwise they both prove to be similar in terms of build quality. The replaceable, braided cable attached to EDC perhaps felt and look better yet I can understand the usage of flat cables on Stride for ergonomic and functionality purposes.

Both units sound pretty close to each other, with the two units focusing on a V-shaped sound signature. There were some minor differences, however I was not able to confirm if its due to Stride’s usage of Bluetooth as a medium compared to conventional, wired ways.

The bass emphasis on Stride was just a tad stronger, but I felt that I experience a little more detail and extension on the EDC. Comparing both, the EDC had better overall control of its bass presentation, with the Stride preferring to show its strength by hitting harder on the low end.

Both share relaxed presentations for the midrange, with the EDC pulled back a little further in comparison. Details and smoothness are better delivered by the EDC, with the EDC showing a touch more lushness to bring the best of your vocal tracks. For me, it’s down to preference, with the Stride’s midrange positioning akin to sitting closer towards the singer with, in my opinion, less refinement. On the flip side, the EDC is sat slightly further away, though there’s a slight bump in clarity and fluidity.

Treble presentation was better implemented by the EDC. While Stride had more treble energy between the two, EDC’s highs are definitely better defined, with more detail and extension that was executed more crisply. The EDC’s treble is airier despite less treble attenuation in its tuning. Soundstage is pretty similar, with EDC having a bit more depth whereas soundstage width can be called as a wash.


Periodic Audio Mg

The Mg, the cheapest and (arguably) strongest in terms of price to performance ratio among the launching line of products for Periodic Audio, one of the newer names that has risen up the audiophile industry in the past few years. The Mg can be obtained at a retail price of $99, and is another strong contender within the sub-$100 price bracket market.

Similar to Stride, Mg uses polycarbonate in a matte black finish for its housing, with its end cap made using metal injection moulding using stainless steel, hence in terms of both unit’s body build quality they should be on par with each other. In terms of their respective cables, I preferred the one on Stride, with its cable more convincing in terms of build and potential longevity.

Different approaches were taken for their respective sound signatures, with the Stride having a V-shape sound signature while the Mg having a more inverted L-shape sound that focused on a prominent treble, presenting an overall brighter sound.

In terms of bass, the Stride’s elevated bass will appeal to more consumers compared to the neutral-leaning bass that the Mg has. The Stride’s bass hits harder and stronger especially in the sub bass spectrum. Regardless, those who prefer a little more detail and extension in their bass and are willing to sacrifice some bass energy for it will appreciate the Mg’s lows better.

Both have similarly relaxed mids that I felt were positioned closed to each other. The Mg’s presented its mids with more detail and smoothness, yet comparably its mids were a little colder compared to the Stride’s. Stride’s mids, while not the lushest I’ve heard, is noticeably richer than Mg when compared side by side.

The Mg and Stride has ample energy in the treble region, however the Mg had better and control and had more extension on this end. While some may have felt that the Mg’s treble is closing on the harsh side, I personally felt it was crisp and sharp enough for my liking, while the Stride’s highs left more to be desired as it often comes out a little strident. Soundstage is wider on Mg, and they are relatively close in terms of depth.



CONCLUSION

The Massdrop x NuForce Stride is yet another strong performer in the growing line of MD Made products. For Massdrop to produce such a compelling Bluetooth IEM on its first try is no mean feat, and surely puts it as a top option for those who are looking to get their feet wet with Bluetooth IEMs, or Bluetooth personal audio equipment in general.


The Stride is certainly worth every penny of its price, with the IEM’s well built to withstand everyday use, supported by a thoughtfully picked range of accessories. The IEM is easy to use even without its manual. It’s sound is on par if not better than many offerings around its price range regardless of type, with rich and strong bass that will carry through your beat while its relaxed yet smooth midrange will ensure you’re lost in your favorite vocals.


What I would try to improve upon is its treble presentation, where I would have toned down the treble energy so that I can improve the clarity of that particular spectrum. I would also attempt to improve on its battery life, which while is standard across most IEMs would not be allow me to complete my day listening to it without recharging. The isolation also could be better for use in noisier areas.


Now that MD has opened the pandora’s box known as the Bluetooth audio market, I’m interested to see how MD will continue to innovate and surprise. The market is growing rapidly with increasing demand for quality audio in a wireless form factor. The Stride is a great first step, and with its proven track record of producing quality products for attractive prices, I’m sure MD will be delivering even more great products that will maintain to their highest of standards.


What’s next? A MD made Bluetooth headphone? Only time will tell. Until then, I’ll quietly bid my time as I’m listening to my Stride.

DISCLAIMER
The UE18+ Pro was provided to me by the Ultimate Ears (UE) team free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Special thanks to Mike Dias and David Gutierrez for helping to expedite the unit.

This is a review of the first generation UE18+ Pro, and hence my unit was prior to the development of True Tone Plus drivers. This review should allow for a fair assessment of the 18+ Pro but please do take other impressions on the newer version into account for the best description of the 18+ Pro possible.

New changes to the unit in the second generation unit, and my thoughts on them, are included and will be written in italics.


INTRODUCTION
UE has been on the forefront of the IEM market, releasing multiple units that were highly regarded by enthusiasts and other consumers alike. Started in 1995 by you know who, UE’s huge catalogue of products includes the likes of the Tri-Fi 10, the UE18 Pro and the highly revered Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor (UERM), a product that has since been revised into the new Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR), reviewed less than a year ago by myself and Andre.

For the longest time, the UE18 Pro (18) was the flagship monitor for the company. The IEM utilized a 6 driver per side built, and had the sonic performance to match its status, competing with the best of the best, even those that were released years after the 18 was first commercially available in the market.

Using the experience obtained from their work on the UERR, the UE18 Pro was retired from the firing line. In its place, a new (then) flagship emerged to take its place: the UE 18+ Pro (18+). Does the 18+ merely represent a facelift of a longstanding success? Or will it completely rewrite its own lineage? Read on and find out.

*Prior to the review’s release, UE released the UE Live, and a revamped UE18+ Pro. The new official flagship is the UE Live.*


INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
Like its predecessor, the 18+ has 6 balanced armature drivers per side, with the 6 drivers divided into 4 frequency bands. The high frequency drivers are proprietary balanced armature drivers that UE call True Tone drivers, promising to extend the frequency range and delivery a flat response to 18 kHz.

*Again, the True Tone drivers have been replaced with the new True Tone Plus drivers. I’ve yet to hear the new drivers.*

These drivers are designed with a 4-way mixed crossover, specifically using a midrange band pass filter and staggered high pass filters. Furthermore, the lows, mids and highs are separated using UE’s patented triple bore sound channels, keeping them separate until they interact with your eardrum.

The 18+ has a frequency response between 5 Hz and 18 kHz, and is designed to isolate out around -26dB for the custom form. The universal one I have isolated quite well, not on par with the custom UERR I have, but still much better than most universals I’ve experienced on the market.

The input sensitivity of the 18+ is rated at a 100dB (at 1 kHz) at 100 mW of power. The impedance rating of the unit is rated at 37.5 ohms at 1 kHz. I found the 18+ to require a little more juice than my other IEMs to reach my normal listening levels, however it’s nowhere near power hungry or hard to drive.

*With the inclusion of True Tone Plus drivers, the input sensitivity was tweaked to be 105 dB at 1 kHz, 100mW and the frequency response is now between 5 Hz and 22 kHz. Noise isolation and impedance values are still the same.*

For a cool $1499, the 18+ will be individually made for you by the UE team in either universal or custom format. Befitting of its flagship status, it is the most expensive of the UE IEMs, yet that pricing is still some way off from being in the most expensive echelon of IEMs in any format.

It takes 7-10 business days to complete its build, with a premium rush option available for those who require it. I think that is a fair wait time for an IEM that is built to order, and is faster than most CIEM makers would target.


ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
Depending on the format you’ve selected, the packaging and accessories which you’ll receive for your order may differ slightly. The following paragraphs will describe the overall package that one would receive if the universal format was chosen. If you are interested in the package for the custom unit, you can refer to my UERR review for more details.


The 18+ comes in a medium to small sized cardboard box that has the UE logo emblazoned on top. Opening the box using its top magnetic flip cover reveals an information pamphlet plus unit manual for the 18+, and underneath that you will find your CNC machined, anodized round case. For the universal version, you will also find your ear tip array placed in a plastic tray, while your case would be laser etched with “UE 18+ Pro” instead of your name or preferred nickname.


From my experience, the newer anodized round case is lighter, and utilize a twist lock configuration compared to the heavier, pull up configuration found in the round case for my UERR. I think for the most case, you’ll be receiving the newer case as I found it more portable and easy to use, though this could be down to a custom vs universal packaging difference.

The tip array supplied had 6 sets of single flange silicone tips and 3 sets of foam tips in a range of sizes. Frankly, 6 sets of silicone tips is practically unheard of (at least for me), and you should definitely be able to find a tip that suit you unless your preference are for hybrid or dual flange tips.

A standard 48”” long, 3.5mm jack cable in the UE style 2-pin configuration (known as the SL connector) is provided, with an option for a balanced 2.5mm cable available as an add on. The cable uses heat shrink tubes for cable guides, which actually is my preferred option due to its adjustability. The UE 2-pin inserts deeper than a regular 2 pin, and hence any third party cable which you have purchased for your other 2-pin units might not be compatible. Pity, since that might lead to extra investment on cables just for the unit. That said, the cable is pretty sturdy, and the connector itself is solid and hence you should not be facing any cable construction based issues.

*UE has since changed their cable system for all units, teaming up with the Estron team to create their personal UE SuperBax cable, and now has its units utilizing the IPX connector. I have a fair bit of experience with the connector as I own an ACS Evoke which has the same connector, and found that it’s fairly robust and easy to use. The cables are incredibly thin and light, and proved to be tangle free for the most part. My only criticism is that the connector is not a popular configuration among IEMs, and hence looking for a third party option will be tougher than normal.*



As with all other UE Pro line of IEMS (except the UE900s), the shells are all built using SLA-3D printing technology, so while the shells can only be prepared in clear variations (AFAIK, for quality and build time reasons), you’ll be rewarded with a faster build time and almost guaranteed with a high quality shell with no bubbles or imperfections. It also to my experience has a smoother feel, and is consistent as I would find from my custom UERR and this unit.

The shell was of medium size, that is to say that it’s never going to look discrete as most would prefer, but would not be very large like those found in IEMs from JH Audio and some other companies. I do found myself adjusting the fit a little as there’s an optimum orientation for myself, so this may vary from one person to the next.

The universal unit was equipped with a glossy,piano black faceplate. Fingerprint magnet it is, but if kept clean (really easy) is simply gorgeous to look at, with UE’s logo inscribed in silver chrome like paint. If you do opt for a custom unit, UE has a wide variety of faceplate for you to choose from to personalize your unit, and is open to communications in terms of faceplates that are not in their selection (at least from my past experience).


SOUND QUALITY

Evaluation Process
As a standard for most of the gear I review, the 18+ were burned-in for about 200 hours before critically listening sessions were made, to create an even playing field with all the other tested IEMs. The sessions were conducted with files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres, with metal the only notable exception. The source gears that I used during the evaluation period are as follows:

· Chord Mojo

· iBasso DX90

· Questyle QP1R

· Calyx M player

· Samsung Galaxy S8


Initial Impressions
On first listen, the 18+ exhibits a U-shaped tonality. The bass is attenuated: sub bass is punchy, with the mid bass rich and organic. It has slightly far off if not recessed mids though it came across buttery smooth. The highs on the 18+ have a slight lift, sounding full of energy and bring out the apparent detail of the music. Soundstage is decently wide but has lots of depth. This certainly reminds me of the sound signature from the classic 18, yet with a new twist and perhaps a touch more balanced.


Sound Signature
18+ holds on to the legacy of the much beloved sound signature of the original 18, with a U-shaped tuning that focus on the mid bass and treble. The new take on the sound is more balanced, closer to flat on the overall scale, and is more superior in technicalities when compared to its predecessor.

Bass remains north of neutral on the 18+, yet it is tamed and controlled. The lifted sub bass still has visceral impact on every note without bleeding or spilling into the other regions. It’s boosted mid bass is rich and full, and at the same time refined and extended, leading to a highly organic and natural presentation detailing each and every bass note.

The mids on 18+ is a touch laid back, possibly even recessed by some as it felt like it is position further back than the lows and highs. Regardless, it is still smooth throughout the midrange, thus the sound is never harsh, always easy on the ears. And while it is not as lush as it’s similarly priced competitors, its richness should not be underestimated, and should be more than capable of vowing you with its vocal performance.

18+’s treble is more pronounced than neutral, with the extra energy sweetly and delicately conveyed. The top end is airy, detailed and extended, with no hints of sibilance or strident notes found anywhere. This crisp and open sounding treble for me is the most enjoyable part of the overall tuning.

Its soundstage, though wide, is not the widest I’ve experience on a top of the line IEM. The depth on the other hand performs at a top level, and evaluated together with its wide soundstage creates this sense of spaciousness that is hard to rival. Another attribute that I felt the UE18+ performs extremely well on is the act of instrument separation and layering, putting its great soundstage to full use.

*From what I know, the effect of the True Tone Plus driver brings forth a huge improvement in the midrange, leading to a more balanced unit. There may be other improvements in the sound, but that’s the general consensus from the ears I trust.*



Comparisons
For this exercise, I compared the 18+ to the UERR, the Empire Ears Zeus-R and the JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1). Feel free to comment or PM me if you wish to know more about other comparisons and I will try my best to paint you a picture provided I have heard the suggested unit.


Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR)
The UERR is a 3 driver per side unit developed by UE and Capitol Studios, and is priced at $999 regardless of form factor. In some ways, the UERR is the 18+’s older brother, as many of the technical innovations used on the UERR, such as the implementation of UE’s new True Tone Drivers, was subsequently transferred to the 18+.

Build quality is a complete wash, and it should be since both units were produced by the same manufacturer. Both have housings made from 3D-printed acrylic, and both have the option of using either the 2-pin or MMCX as their cable configuration. The only thing that defers the UERR to the 18+ in this category is the availability of its specific Capitol Studios faceplate. That’s it.

Before I move on to the sound, I want to highlight that my 18+ is in universal format, while the UERR is in custom format. Added on to that, I feel that the UERR is still my best fitting IEM regardless of format. So it is obvious that the isolation and fit would heavily favour the UERR. That said, UE has done a great job in building universal shells that have superb fit, closely matching the customs so please bear that in mind as you read the paragraphs that follow.

The UERR is a neutral and balanced IEM, not 100% ruler flat, but is the closest to that ‘ideal’. When compared, the sub bass quantity of the UERR felt like it was turned down a notch, while the 18+ has its sub bass knobs turn up a couple of dials. So, the sub bass notes punch harder and are more aggressive on the 18+, but have more grip and is less ‘boomy’ on the UERR. This difference is still similar on the mid bass, as both have increased quantities in this region over their sub bass, with the UERR closer to neutral while the 18+ is boosted. The mid bass is lusher on the 18+, but a touch clearer on the UERR.

Comparing the mids, the UERR is just a hint forward than neutral, whereas 18+ feels a little more laid back relatively. Both do well in the smoothness department for the midrange, with the UERR’s mids relatively clearer and smoother. On the other hand, the mids on 18+ is more detailed and lusher in nature.

Moving on to the treble, the 18+ has more presence in this area compared to UERR which is neutral here. Both have treble that are airy and sibilant-less, though the 18+ is more extended and crisper, with more apparent detail in the foray.

Both have great levels of separation and imaging that range among the best of IEMs I’ve heard of, even headphones as well, something I found UE do especially well on their products. Their soundstage presentation is highly similar, focusing more on depth compared to the width, although there may be an argument to be made for the 18+ for having it slightly deeper. Overall detail level is a close fought encounter ultimately won by the 18+, but not by much.


Empire Ears Zeus-R (R)
To start, I would like to specify that the R I have is a custom unit, and as such would have a better fit and isolation compared to my 18+.

R is a 14 driver per side unit from Empire Ears, and comes in various versions and formats which prices are varied. The Zeus family of IEMs by Empire Ears can be divided into the vanilla Zeus, the Zeus-R, and the Zeus-XR that is able to switch sound signatures between vanilla and R flavours. Both vanilla and R starts at $2099.99, with the XR selling at 2399.99, a price maintained for universals and customs. You can also add on the ADEL technology to your Empire Ears IEM, raising the price at different extents, with the Zeus priced at either $2429.99 for the vanilla and R or $2729.99 for the XR.

With both IEMs produced by companies that are rooted in CIEM development, it comes as no surprise that both units are made to the highest standard. The aesthetics of the IEM is subjective due to the fact that both are done to customer requests however a slight edge has to be given to the R as the available options are broader. In terms of cable configuration, the Zeus-R comes in the typical 2-pin connector while the 18+ uses either the recessed 2-pin or MMCX, so it’s a case of preference when it comes to the connector applied.

The R is a more reference tuned IEM, or rather, it is an IEM that complies with the ‘reference sound’ trend, being slightly brighter than neutral. Overall bass lift on R can be considered little to minute, while there is a noticeable emphasis within the region especially on the mid bass. I feel that the R has better extension and detail for the bass but the 18+ has a little more punch and weight to it due its emphasis of the region.

At the midrange, the R is slightly forward an aggressive in presentation, whereas the 18+ Pro presents its mids in a more laid back manner. The R has more detail and lushness in the region, with the smoothness a draw in my books. R’s midrange is simply sensational, filled with emotion, leading to misdirection that the 18+ has dry mids in its repertoire, which is not the case.


Both IEMs are brighter than neutral at the top end, with perhaps the R being the brighter of the two by a touch. R is more detailed, has more extension and more crisp in execution. While the R is in no way strident or sibilant, the 18+ may sound easier on the ears for some people. Thus, these people will feel that the R is too analytical and lacks smoothness on the highs when compared to 18+.

R is a little wider on the soundstage yet much deeper even when compared to the already deep soundstage of the 18+. The 18+ has a small step ahead when it comes to the separation and imaging ability though in terms of overall level of detail the R will be the victor for most people.



JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Version 1) (Roxanne)
My Roxanne was the original version of the JH Audio Roxanne in universal format, and retailed at $1299 upon release. Currently, you can obtain the Performance Series version of the Roxanne universals for $1599.99. I am not 100% sure if the Full Metal Jacket version done with Astell & Kern, which retailed at $1999 on release, is still widely available.

The Roxanne is an IEM that utilizes a 12 driver per side configuration: quad low, quad mid and quad high drivers. What differs from the original and the current Roxanne is the implementation of the 4th order crossover that was initially developed with the Layla.

My version of Roxanne had an acrylic body with a carbon fibre faceplate, and was made with the similar process used to make JH Audio’s IEMs. Therefore, the finish and built on my IEM was top notch, and as such I declare the build quality on both to be a wash. Later versions of the Roxannes have different builds, so this does not apply for them.

All Roxannes use the JH Audio proprietary 4-pin connector, which would limit your options in regards to third party manufacturer cables. The use of the 4-pin cable brings its own advantages as you are able to tweak the bass quantity within a certain range without affecting its quality. For my case, I found the Roxanne to have plenty of oomph in the region even at my preferred configuration which is at minimum bass for the bass tuner.

In my opinion, the Roxanne is a warm sounding IEM that attempts at presenting a livelier and more natural sound. Like the 18+, the Roxanne has an overall bass boost though it is more focused on the mid bass than the sub bass. The sub bass emphasis is higher on the 18+, whereas the reverse can be said in regards to the mid bass. I felt that the 18+ hits harder and is more extended in the overall region, while the Roxanne is thicker in tonality.

Delving into the mids, I found both to have laid back mids, with Roxanne more laid back. I always felt that the mids are the weakest point of the Roxannes, and the 18+ triumphs over it in the region by having a midrange that is more detailed and smoother yet maintaining a rich tone.

For the highs, the 18+ has more energy within the region. Both sound sharp and crisp however I felt it was more detailed and extended on the 18+. The 18+ is simply clearer in the treble, and brings through more apparent detail. An argument can be made that the Roxanne has a smoother take for the highs.

Soundstage is where it develops an interesting twist to the conversation. I found myself still revelling in the soundstage of the Roxanne, and thought that it tops the 18+ in both width and depth, rivalling the customs that I have. On the separation and imaging level, I would still give the edge to 18+.


CONCLUSION
How do you improve on a classic? Do you make slight adjustments, tweaks that improve on its previous design or do you flip the script and start from scratch? UE took the former route, and I definitely have to agree that it was the right decision by them. For me, they took what was a familiar and widely cherished U-shaped tonality through a refinement course, bringing in an extra layer of detail with a more balanced approach.

The result? UE has succeeded in building an IEM that is natural and rich in tonality but still full of detail in a wide and deep soundstage. The bass is punchy and extended; the mids smooth and the highs engaging, presenting a sound signature that should be welcomed by the masses. All this, while not losing, actually strengthening, what I feel is UE’s best attribute in their line of CIEMs: the ability to separate and image like no other.

If I had to tweak the IEM myself towards my own preferences, I would have preferred to have the midrange more forward, closer to neutral. I also would have liked to see the soundstage much improved from the UERR so that it’s able to make better use of its natural strengths.

UE is definitely scoring top marks with UE 18+ here. It may not be the most neutral, or the most detailed IEM I’ve ever heard, but it works its magic by having one of the most organic sound signatures and arguably the best separation I’ve heard for anything near its price range (I’m looking at you here, Shure KSE1500). I’m looking forward to what comes next from UE and sincerely wish that the absolutely fantastic True Tone driver technology to be trickled down the line.

*Funnily as I read this, I’m very surprised (and very happy) to see that UE has improved on this so soon. Can’t wait to hear the second generation, and for that matter, the UE6 and the UE Live as well!*

DISCLAIMER
The Massdrop x NuForce EDC3 was sent to me Christian from Massdrop in exchange for an honest review.



INTRODUCTION
Established in 2012, Massdrop (MD) is a company with a simple yet important concept: It’s a ‘community-driven commerce’, which gather ideas from its end users, off it which they would learn and determine products of interests for the general public. From there, they would work towards negotiating and organizing group or bulk purchases to allow end users like us to be able to purchase desired products at a discount. In recent time, MD’s Custom Products department has gone one step further by collaborating with the best companies from the audio industry to produce MD exclusive products that promises a great bang for your buck.

I have previously worked on a couple of MD tuned pieces from many companies, such as the Massdrop x Noble X, the Massdrop Plus and most relevant to this review, the Massdrop x NuForce EDC (EDC). The EDC, or the Every Day Carry, was designed to be a unit in which we can easily carry around every day (as its name would suggest), thus able to be used in many areas and situations though still maintain the audio quality and performance that is staple to the MD house of products. I found the EDC to sound incredible for its $59.99 price tag, and have since recommended it to many people as a possible option for their first take on the in-ear side of the audio industry.

Moving forward to February 2018, MD, in collaboration with NuForce, will be releasing the second unit in the EDC line of products, the Massdrop x NuForce EDC 3 (EDC 3). Unlike how its name suggest, the EDC 3, was designed as a complementary piece to the superb EDC, promising to provide an alternate sound to appease a different section of the audiophile community, while maintaining the same physical form factor that has been widely praised on the EDC. How does it fare? Read on to find out.



INFO + SPECIFICATIONS

Unlike the previous EDC, which used a dynamic driver configuration, the EDC3 uses 3 balanced armature drivers per ear design in a single bass, dual mid/high configuration. The IEMs are matched to within a 2dB difference, and have a frequency response between 20 Hz and 40 kHz. Its sensitivity is rated at 100 dB, give or take 3 dB, at 1kHz paired with an impedance rating of 16 ohms and a maximum input power of 2 mW. It’s fairly easy to drive and I had no trouble with it while using my mobile phone.

The EDC 3, when equipped with its braided cable, weighs 5.7g. The figure increases to 8.5g when the unit is equipped with its mic cable. Speaking of the mic cable, it is compatible with all Apple devices and most of the Android devices. The microphone sensitivity is rated at -42dB, and can be used for some basic player control and call control plus starting your voice assistants such as Siri, Google Assistant or Cortana.

The EDC will be sold at $99.99, a $40 increase from the previous EDC. The accessories provided with the EDC3 is exactly the same as its predecessor, so the price difference It’s a significant jump considering that it’s close to a 50% price increase on the original, but still (now barely) reigns under the $100 price range. As always, the unit is subject to the drop system utilized by MD, which may not be your best friend in terms of availability. However, judging by how the EDC is being handled, it’s safe to say that there will be a couple of drops throughout the year, so those who missed out can still get it at a later date.



ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
I received (what I believe is) a pre-production sample but it looks to be very close to the end product, barring any major changes.




These are front and back shots of the packaging which came with the unit I received. The packaging was a little crumpled due to mishandling from my country’s customs.

The EDC3 is packed similar to the EDC, that is inside a cardboard based box, perhaps wrapped in a layer of thin plastic. I say perhaps as mine was opened by the customs prior to receiving it, hence the slight damage to my box as seen in the pictures above. This should not be an issue with your purchased unit, as unreleased products are more prone to such treatment.


Here are the contents I found within the box, which houses the IEMs and its carrying case which contains the extra accessories provided.

Here is a breakdown of the content one would receive when the EDC 3 is purchased: The unit equipped with braided cable, an extra mic cable, a shirt clip, an array of tips and a carrying case. Picture credits to the Massdrop team.

Removing the packaging box reveals a cardboard cut-out that houses the IEMs and its zippered carrying case. The carrying case is nicely sized to fit into most pocket but would provide some form of protection to the unit but not from heavy damage.

Inside the carrying case, one would find the array of accessories that are included with the units, including 3 sets of silicone tips in S, M and L sizes and 2 set of foam tips in M and L sizes. The case also holds the extra mic cable and a shirt clip, while the unit was already equipped with its braided cable.

Both the braided cable and mic cable are about 54’’ (138cm) in length and is of the 2-pin configuration, with a 3.5mm single ended jack at the end. From what I could tell, the 2-pin configuration is of the more conventional 0.77mm diameter 2-pin type, so custom cable swapping remains an option, though you do lose out on compatibility with the stock NuForce cables.

Shrink wrap is used for its cable guide, not memory wire. Therefore, wearing them straight down isn’t ideal ergonomically. I personally prefer memory wire as I like having the option of adjusting the cable guide according to my preference though this seems to be a popular choice now, especially for those who are wearing glasses.

I’m pretty surprised to see that (AFAIK) Lightning and USB-C based cables will not be available add-on options for the time being, considering that it is an ongoing trend or movement. Regardless, I’m still a firm believer in the conventional 3.5mm jack (I’m looking at you Apple) and am not affected by this. Yet, those who use iPhone 7 and up would probably be less inclined to the unit, unless they use it with their Apple provided adapter.

All and all, you’ll find that the comprehensive array of accessories, more so than most other products of this price range, would cover most of your needs on a day to day listening activities.

BUILD QUALITY

These are high quality photos of the EDC 3. Picture credits to the Massdrop team.






These are my own (less than professional) personal shots of the EDC3.

Similar to the EDC, EDC 3 uses a Lexan polycarbonate material for its housing in a smoky transparent blue/gray colour and a much darker take of the same transparent colourway for the body. In fact, in terms of size and shape alone, it looks identical next to the EDC, except the fact that it’s etched with ‘EDC 3’ this time around. I’m a big fan of the colour way it to look very simple and sleek overall.

With my previous experience from the EDC, the housing proved to be quite sturdy and resistive to scratches. Therefore, the EDC 3 should last you a pretty long time unless it was mishandled.



SOUND QUALITY
Evaluation Process
The EDC was burned in for at least 150 hours before any critical evaluations were made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review:

• Chord Mojo
  
  
• iBasso DX90
  
  
• Questyle QP1R
  
  
• Calyx M player
  
  
• Samsung Galaxy S8

One thing that I would like to strongly emphasize upon is that all listening sessions were conducted with the braided cable equipped. Another variable that I maintained constant throughout my listening sessions was the use of silicone tips that were provided only due to comfort reasons. No tip rolling was made with the provided foam tips or any third party tips available in the market.

Initial Impressions
Upon first listen, the EDC 3 has an overall warm sound signature. The bass is lifted beyond neutral to give a satisfying thump for your music’s lower region notes, never threating to enter the realm of ear bleeding excessive bass. The mids are the star of the show, clear yet smooth, lush yet detailed. The treble is below neutral but there’s more than enough air to go around most music.

Detail, except the midrange, does not come aggressively on you but was sufficient for me on a casual listening basis. Soundstage is deep though not very wide.

Burn-in helps smoothed out the sound of EDC 3. However, don’t expect to have a leaps and bounds improvement experience from the unit post burn-in.

Sound Signature
The EDC 3 takes an overall warm and smooth sound signature. This is an alternate, and I would say trending, take on the ‘all-rounder’ sound signature, in contrast to the previously favoured V-shape sound signature. Specific to the warm tonality of EDC 3, it produces a sound that is mid focused, added bass and has just enough air to disqualify it from the realm of sounding dark.

Bass on EDC 3 is north of neutral, with the elevation in the region primarily present on the mid bass. The bass comes in rich and full but not necessarily thick. Focusing on the subbass, there’s a nice weighty feel to it. It comes across punchy but stays far away from the line of boomy bass. In fact, the sense of control within the region is exceptional, so the bass does not feel intrusive or bleed into other regions.

To me, mids are the main highlight of the piece. EDC3’s mids are clear and arguably the smoothest and most detailed of its 3 main sound regions. It is forward in nature, yet it’s lush and articulate throughout. Vocals, both male and female, were an absolute bliss to listen to on EDC 3. The instruments within the region are also well represented in its tonality, with each note coming through with an organic touch.

Treble presentation was perhaps the most underwhelming of the 3 main regions. The treble is sufficiently airy but is a touch recessed and has a slight roll off specifically at the top end. However, my main gripe is its interplay with the other regions, as the forward mids seems to overshadow the highs, making it sound more recessed than it actually is. It does hit the nail on the head when it comes to smoothness, as I found no sibilance or harsh tones coming from EDC 3, maintaining a sense of sweetness throughout.

EDC 3 will not scream ‘detailed’ to you. Except the midrange, I found the detail level in the other regions to be adequate but not exceptional. Its soundstage, although average in depth, is wide especially at this price point, does help provide a more realistic presentation. It also fare fairly well in terms of its sense of rhythm and timing, ensuring that the music come through in a highly organic manner.

In addition, I found that the EDC 3 responds well to better amplification. It does not require a whole lot of juice to run, though it certainly up its game with more power.


COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the EDC 3 to my Periodic Audio Mg (Mg) and the Massdrop x NuForce EDC (EDC). If you do wish for some comparison notes with the other IEMs I have in my arsenal, please do let me know in the comments below, though I doubt it will be a fair fight as the price range might be quite far apart.



Periodic Audio Mg (Mg)
The Mg currently has a MSRP of $99, so is priced much closer to the original MSRP for the EDC 3, which is at $99.99

Let’s start with a comparison of their physical properties. The Mg uses polycarbonate for its main housing, so it should inspire a similar if not higher level of confidence for its durability and toughness when compared to EDC 3. While EDC 3 has to be worn over the ear, a choice between a straight down or over the ear wearing style could be made with Mg. Furthermore, Mg has fixed cables attached to its housing, thus unreplaceable which does not play well with the fact that its stock cables are flimsy and feels fragile. On the other hand, EDC 3 has replaceable cables which allows for a cable fix or a cable upgrade.

Moving on to the sound, EDC 3 has a warm sound signature whereas the Mg has a sound signature that leans towards brightness. In terms of the bass, EDC 3 has a noticeable bump to it while Mg has bass that is closer to neutral. I feel that EDC 3 has a more enjoyable bass presentation of the two, as it sounds more exiting with its harder bass impact and increase in quantity. I found the EDC 3 to perform better in the quality department as well, with more detail and extension when compared to Mg.

Both share a smooth, forward midrange, with EDC 3 most aggressive of the pair. I found the Mg to be smoother the two, though EDC 3 triumphs Mg in terms of lushness. Considering both units’ detail level within the region is on par with each other in my view, I felt that preference for either is a complete toss up and will differ from one person to another.

When it comes to highs, Mg with its elevated, more extended treble is my preferred sound. While I found the EDC 3’s treble to be a touch recessed and lack energy in comparison, some may find the Mg to be bright or harsh. Soundstage is wider on the Mg; however it lacks depth when compared to the EDC 3.


Massdrop x NuForce EDC (EDC)
The EDC is sold on MD’s site for $59.99, $40 cheaper than the new EDC 3.

EDC and EDC 3 are almost identical in their physical form factor. Both are constructed into identical shapes with the same material. There are only two differences between both units in this area: a slight colour palette swap and a different model number etching on the body of the IEM.

In terms of sound signature, EDC lean towards a V-shaped sound signature whereas EDC 3 has an overall warm sound signature. Both represent a slightly different take on a sound signature aimed at the general consumer market.

EDC has a higher emphasis in the bass region compared to EDC 3. Bassheads will appreciate the harder hitting, thumping bass on EDC, especially with its added quantity. Regardless, I still found EDC 3 to be my preferred taste on bass as I thought it was more controlled and detailed of the two. Bass extension is roughly equal across both units.

They both also have contrasting takes on their midrange. Whereas the EDC has a smooth yet relaxed midrange, EDC 3 has an equally smooth and forward definition of the region. In my opinion, the EDC3 is clearer, richer and more detailed in this region, and certainly plays up more to my preference.

The treble region brought about the most interesting comparison between both units. In one case, when focused upon, EDC 3 has an airier and slightly brighter top end than EDC. However, due to the different ‘balance’ achieved by both units, the midrange presence in EDC 3 made the treble feel more recessed than it should. In the other case, EDC has more of a roll off at the top end though the interplay and balance between its treble and mids made me feel that the treble had more energy and more zing to it. Truth to be told, I actually sort of preferred the EDC’s treble.

In terms of soundstage, I felt that EDC 3 had it wider by a touch. Depth of soundstage of the two is on a similar level. I also felt that there’s an improved detail level throughout the frequency range from the EDC 3.


CONCLUSION
Yet again, MD has pushed the boundaries in delivering outstanding performance at an attractive price point with the EDC 3. That is a strong statement, considering $100 is no longer a price range that is saturated with below par options which are less than competitive in terms of both sound a build quality. As a matter of fact, the EDC 3 has certainly qualified and deserved its spot on the list of recommendations for people working on the aforementioned budget; a list that I felt previously added the EDC last year.

EDC 3, with its warm sound signature and amazingly compact form factor, will surely be a hit with both new and veteran audiophiles alike, especially for those who are looking for an everyday piece of that sound signature. The midrange is absolutely the star of the show, bringing forth a beautiful combination of clarity and smoothness in the region that is almost unrivalled within the price range. A comprehensive range of accessories to support the unit is also a huge factor in increasing its allure towards all its potential buyers.

On the downside, and this should be gathered as my own personal taste, the treblehead in me would tweak the treble and increase its quantity, even if it’s just by a little. Secondly, being that EDC 3 is a piece targeted for everyday use by anyone, I would love to see the unit be available for purchase on demand, so hopefully MD will stock up a few units and make that option available after the initial drop.

Like its predecessor, the EDC, EDC 3 is an amazing product which delivers outstanding sonic performance and delivers an amazing overall package for a unit that, this time barely, stays within the $100 price ceiling. It is a great choice for people who are starting out and are aiming for a warmer tone, and also act as a good ‘complementary’ pair with the original EDC to obtain contrasting flavours of IEMs that are built solidly and highly portable for everyday use. Even though I have a few pair of IEMs that outperform yet are more expensive than the EDC line of products, I still find myself grabbing one or the other when I’m off for a quick listen. Hence, I would highly recommend for everyone to get either for keeps within their collection, or potentially start building an arsenal of their own.

DISCLAIMER
The Massdrop Plus Universal was sent to me by Christian from Massdrop in exchange for an honest review. The unit that I was given is a Development Validation model and as such may not completely reflect the end product received, which differences I will highlight in the review.

In an effort to streamline future review processes, this will be the first review in which the style of writing is tweaked. Please do leave a comment if you prefer the newer style or the previous one.


INTRODUCTION
Hot off the heels of the recent Massdrop x Nuforce EDC, and their even more recent rerelease of the already legendary Kaiser 10 by Noble, aptly named the Massdrop x Noble K10, Christian Tanimoto and his crew is back at it again with a new IEM from Massdrop.

To those unaware of the Massdrop brand, here is an short summary of the company, written myself for past reviews:

Since its establishment in 2012, Massdrop (MD), a company that functions on a business concept as described by them as ‘community-driven commerce’, has continued to gain more attention, not only in the enthusiasts’ side of things but also the general public. By gathering ideas from its end users, MD would then learn and determine the products of interest for the general public, in which it works towards negotiating and organizing bulk purchases to allow said end users to have the chance of purchasing the desired products for a fine discount. More recently, their Custom Products department, manned by people such as Christian Tanimoto and Michael Wilson, took the extra step by working with the best of the best from our industry to produce products that are exclusive to MD, taking pride in their attempt at providing the best value for performance in all of their MD unique products.

Except this time, the landscape has changed drastically. For the first time ever, MD is releasing an IEM that they tuned themselves from the ground up, named the Massdrop Plus Universal IEM (Plus). Taking inspiration sonic wise from the community heralded Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor (UERM) and Etymotic Research ER4SR, combined with several other aspects from IEMs favoured by our audiophile community, to produce what promises to be a game changer at an unfathomable price range.

So will the Plus be able to hold its own when compared to the variety of quality options already produced by MD, like the NuForce EDC and Noble X, let alone the highly condensed playing field of IEMs that have both amazing performance and value? Read on to find out.


INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The Plus is equipped with 3 Sonion balanced armature drivers on each side, with 2 vented drivers for the lows and a single driver for the mids and highs that is incorporated with multiple passive crossover points. The sound is pushed through multi-bore sound channels; I counted two: one a regular circle bore while the other is a more unusual crescent-shaped bore.

It has a frequency response between 5Hz – 18 kHz, with noise isolation rated by MD at around -26dB. That’s right. It’s rated to have a CIEM level of noise isolation, and this is not a case of all talk and no show. I found it to isolate really well, far better than most if not all of my universals, and rival the isolation I found in my customs. This is down to the fit of the unit, which I’ll talk in more detail in a future section.

In addition, the Plus has an input sensitivity of 109dB (at 1kHz) at 1 mW of power, with its impedance rated at 10 ohms (also at 1kHz). In my experience, the Plus is quite easy to drive, and I could drive it to ear bleeding levels for myself even with my mobile phone.

The Plus can be found only on Massdrop and will be sold for $299.99, which I think is a sweet spot for people who are trying to wet their feet in the mid-fi (in terms of pricing). A separate, 2.5mm balanced cable can be added on to the package for an extra $30, a more than fair price for the quality of cable being provided.

The first drop is currently planned for 700 units, with the shipping date estimated at February 21st of 2018. Considering that there is about a 4 month wait (at the time of writing) for the completion of the first batch, those who jump in initially are in for quite a substantial wait.

One aspect that MD has improved upon since my last MD-related product review is the fact that a supply of most MD driven products, such as the headphones from their Fostex collaboration, are now available on demand. For such products, the drop is launched and ended on each day. Your unit will then be sent out within 2 business days, provided that stock is available. This is a big change in the MD system that I have been waiting for and I’m glad that they have decided to implement this to most of the products that they have previously collaborated with various manufacturers on. Hopefully they would implement the same system on the Plus post the first few drops.

ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
The unit that I received was a development validation unit and as such was not packaged in any form of discernible packaging. In fact, the unit and all its assorted accessories arrived in (neatly packaged) plastic bags. So I have not a clue in the overall quality of the packaging for the Plus though from my experience with MD products, I think we can expect the functional, non-fussy packaging that continue to convince that most of your hard earned money is spent on the product and not the box its wrapped in.


A small clear case with MD’s logo on top is provided with the Plus, and though it will fit the IEMS and supplied cable without a fuss, the usage of third party cables and custom tips may not. From the feel of it, the case is of a decent quality and should be able to withstand shock like the typical Pelican case.

Other accessories included with the Plus is a cleaner, a silver coated cable and a host of tips which includes single flange silicone tips, dual flange silicone tips and foam tips. To my knowledge, the foam tips are supplied by Comply. Each type of tip comes in 3 sizes, so that should cover most if not all sort of ear sizes.

The cable supplied with the Plus is a silver plated cable that is made specifically for it. It uses a 2-pin configuration, is about 1.2m long and ended with a 3.5mm single ended connector. It uses heat shrink tube as cable guide which does not coil, but instead curve around your ear though it does not completely conform to the shape of my ears. Instead, it leaves a small gap at the bottom of my ear as if its floating however I’ve been told that the shrink wrap will be softer and thinner so that should alleviate this small issue of mine. The add-on balanced cable is similar constructed, only with its end connector altered to a 2.5mm balanced variant. As of yet, there are still no announced plans for a Lightning, micro USB or USB C cable options.

All and all, the cable may not be up to the quality of aftermarket cables commonly seen in our community yet it far surpasses the cables that are supplied with the majority of equipment out there. A nice touch from MD here, and just shows you the attention to detail they’re putting in here.



BUILD QUALITY

The shells of the IEM are 3D-printed acrylic housing in the MD favourite midnight blue colourway, with the entire assembly and quality control all done in a facility located in the US. The shape is based on custom designs worn by musicians on stage, and is derived from the average of thousands of customs shells.

Frankly, it’s not the prettiest IEMs I have laid eyes on, yet it achieves something far more important than being a pretty boy: an immaculate fit. The IEM fits snug and deep in my ear even without any prior eartip rolling, and the body does not extrude but instead sits flush in my ears. I struggle to name many other universal IEMs that fit better, and I think it’s the best sitting among my own arsenal of universal IEMs.

SOUND QUALITY

Evaluation Process

As always, the Plus is burned in for at least 200 hours before any critical evaluations were made on the unit. I didn’t find any huge change in sound after it smooth out after the 15-25 hour mark, nonetheless I continued with the burn in process to eliminate any potential doubts around the burn in time.

The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review of the Plus:

· Chord Mojo

· iBasso DX90

· Questyle QP1R

· Calyx M player

· Samsung Galaxy S8


Initial Impressions

During my initial listening period, a substitute cable was provided for me solely to sample the Plus, as the silver plated cable samples were not completed yet. The Plus has a sound that is close to neutral, bordering slightly U-shaped. There is a linear bass boost in the sub-bass region that does not bleed into the mid bass or the mids. The mids are smooth, clear and engaging. The highs are just a hair above neutral and are crisp throughout.

The initial impression was really good, but the IEM truly transcended to great status when the actual supplied cable arrived. The already linear sub bass boost is even more controlled, the highs more extended while the amazing mids are left untouched. The added level of detail from swapping cables comes through, elevating the IEMs performance to another level.

Sound Signature

The MD Plus has an overall signature that approaches flatness, or neutral, with an obvious lift at the sub bass region. Some may even feel that it has a slight U-shape sound as it has a hint of treble forwardness or brightness. Therefore, the sound is more ‘balanced’, almost reference like, but with a touch of fun to it.

The bass has what I feel is the MD touch to its IEMs, where the sub bass is most pronounced within the region. This sub bass boost is unbelievably flat, both in the frequency charts produced by various other reviewers and during my own listening sessions. The sub bass hit hard and aggressive, yet never boomy or bleeding into the sound. The mid bass is lifted, though not to the extent of the sub bass, and maintains rich and punchy throughout. The overall bass is well extended and well detailed, so it presents a nicely refined bass presentation with that added presence to satisfy the bass lovers.

The mids are very clear and well defined, and is definitely my favourite part of the IEM. This is the region that I feel is closest to neutral, and while it may not be as lush as some of its competitors, it’s still highly articulate and smooth. Like the other regions, it’s full of detail, and with its slightly forward nature, it provides a highly engaging sound that will have you mesmerized if not completely head over heels about it. Much like Christolph Waltz’s performance as Hans Landa, I thought this ‘supporting character’ really stole the show.

The highs are a touch lifted above neutral and performs with a crispness and delicate touch that is perfectly matched with its detailed and extended performance. It lacks a little sense of airiness but never to the extent that you will feel congested or veiled. The treble has no sign of strident in it, so it maintains sweet and is very easy on the ears despite the slight increase in presence. For me, it’s done more than enough to satisfy my more treble head needs, and it will certainly have the energy and apparent detail to please most if not all of its users.

The Plus’s soundstage may not blow your socks off, but its wide and deep enough to create a nicely spaced ‘room’ to allow your music to do what it does best. This is also down to the great detail and separation of Plus, ensuring the image spreading across said room is always clear with a deep sense of realism. The PRaT factor of Plus is also deserving of praise, with a highly organic sense of decay and attack, often times leading to believe that the piece sounds more akin to a hybrid IEM, with a dynamic driver tuned for its bass.


COMPARISONS

For this set of rounds of comparisons, I compared the Plus to the Massdrop x Noble X, the Noble Sage and the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR). I believe comparisons with this particular set from my arsenal will provide the best reference for you all.

If there any other comparisons that you are interested at, I’ll do my best to provide some feedback as long as I am confident that I have a solid impression of the IEM in mind. So please do leave a comment or PM me if you’re curious.

Massdrop x Noble X (X)

Firstly, I would like to note that I do not have the X in my possession currently as my review unit was a loaner that has since been returned upon completion of the review. Regardless, I feel that I still have a good grasp of how it sounds and think that most people will be interested to know how the Plus compare to its other MD cousin.

Now let’s start with the first comparison: the price. X is the cheapest IEM currently produced by Noble but sold exclusively on MD for $249.99. If the driver count matters for you, the X is a 2 driver per side unit that utilizes proprietary balanced armature drivers made by Knowles.

Both have removable cables that are in the 2-pin configuration, so third party cabling options are open to both units’ end users. The X has ABS housing with a CNC aluminium faceplate, which will lead to some believing that the X may be built better and last longer, though I think both should have a similar level of durability. A fair few would certainly be more impressed with the aesthetic quality of the X. Nonetheless, the X offer a good fit to my ears, yet the Plus triumphs defiantly over the X in this bracket.

Moving on to the sound, both units have a level of bass emphasis in them, with the Plus’s emphasis more on the sub bass while the X has a boost in presence throughout the region. Nevertheless, I felt the Plus has a better grip of its bass boost, as it sounded more linear throughout the boosted region. In contrast, the X somehow felt less ‘even’ in that regard, but the increase in mid bass quantity is highly welcomed especially for some vocal notes that are represented in the lower region.

Both units have a smooth, slightly forward midrange, with the mids on the Plus being the more forward of the two. While the mids on the Plus is clearer and a touch more detailed for me, the mids on X is richer and thicker in my experience.

In terms of the treble, the Plus has a slight lift in the region, where as I felt that X has a roll off at the top end for me. The small yet noticeable increase in treble energy from the Plus brings more apparent detail and thus listening joy to my preferences, while in comparison the X sounded a little veiled or muffled for me in the region.

On overall detail, I would prefer the Plus over the X as I felt there is more clarity throughout. Soundstage of the two units sound similar to me, perhaps the X has a slight lead in width while the Plus performs better in depth, though it’s really close for me that the difference is almost negligible.

Noble Audio Sage (Sage)

On the next comparison, the Sage will be the next contender. Like the X, the Sage is a 2 driver per side unit and is currently selling for $599.

It’s similarly built to the X; with the only two differences are the replacement of the basket weave pattern and the colour change of the aluminium faceplate from dark blue to green. Hence, if you already prefer the look of the X, you would probably still prefer the look of the Sage. That said, the shape and thus the fit of the Sage is still the same with the X, which means that the fit of the Plus is still more preferable for me than the Sage.

The Sage has more of a subtle lift to the bass region, affecting both the sub bass and the mid bass, whereas the Plus received a boost mainly within the sub bass. Again, the boost of the Plus is more linear, though the Sage feels much more even handed than the X. Bass heads, particular the ones who craves harder hitting and aggressive sub bass will lean towards the X, while others might prefer the relatively lighter sub bass and a touch heavier mid bass of the sage.

On the midrange side, I feel that the Sage and X is most similar on this regard, so the comparison is highly similar. Both are tuned to have a more forward midrange, and aim towards a sound that is easy on the ears i.e. smooth. The mids on the Plus is still clearer and more detailed for me while the Sage is still richer and arguably lusher for me.

With the treble, both the Sage and Plus have a slight increase in the region with the Plus having a touch more in quantity. The Sage’s treble is smoother than the Plus but loses out a little on the apparent detail department. The soundstage of the Sage is a little wider but the Plus is slightly deeper, though like the X I found the difference to be pretty negligible.

Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR)

For the final comparison, the well-respected UERR is next in line. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to listen to the legendary UERM so this represents the next best option. My UERR unit is a custom unit, whereas the UERR could be obtainable in universal format as well for the same starting price of $999, barring any customizations. The UERR is a 3 driver per side unit that use UE’s proprietary True Tone drivers that can achieve a flat response to 18 kHz.

The UERR has a 3D-printed acrylic housing with customizable faceplates made from a large array of materials ranging from toned wood to carbon fibre. Although both the option to change the acrylic shell’s clear colour or stray away from the selection list of faceplates are not available, it’s safe to say that most would prefer the aesthetic of an IEM that they had a hand in designing.

Fit is harder to compare as my UERR is a custom unit. Nonetheless, I have a universal version of the UE 18+ Pro, and if the overall shape of the shell is similar for the universal UERR, I can say with confidence that the Plus should provide a better fit in most cases. That said, the shell for the UE18+ Pro could be bigger due to the fact that it has to hold a few more drivers so do keep that in mind.

When it comes to the bass, the UERR and the Plus are tuned in two different directions: UERR comparatively have a subdued sub bass, while the Plus is way north of neutral in the same field. The sub bass from the UERR still provided enough rumble to satisfy my preferences but bass heads would automatically prefer the Plus. As for the mid bass, UERR has a subtle lift while the Plus is closer to neutral on that end.

At the midrange, both the UERR and Plus have tunings that are a tad forward, with the Plus being the more forward of the two but not by much. I found the mids on the UERR to be more clear and transparent, with more detail coming through. In terms of richness and lushness, I lean towards the UERR.

On the treble, both the UERR and Plus are slightly brighter than neutral. Only when compared to the UERR, it felt that Plus was a touch piercing (really, it’s not). The UERR’s treble is easier on the ears and more extended. Finally, with the sound stage, the UERR is wider and much deeper, which showcases its superb separation.



CONCLUSION

MD has always been a company that pushed hard to provide us consumers with high performing IEMs at an attractive price point, and the Plus continues to drive home that mission. At $300, the Plus may represent a significant leap for those who have yet to join our circle of audiophiles but I found it hard to suggest other IEMs that could match its performance let alone surpass it at the price range.

The Plus tick a lot of boxes that will be on many people’s checklist in terms of the overall package. Does it have an impressive fit to allow for superb comfort and deep isolation when in use? Does it have the bass presence to satisfy the bassheads that are searching for that extra rumble, especially in the sub bass? Does it have mids that are so clear and smooth that it will keep you enchanted throughout the whole performance? Does it have highs that are never piercing but would allow gobs of detail to come through? To all those questions, I say yes, definitely yes.

What would I change about the Plus?

Perhaps I would change the colour scheme into something a little more vibrant to make it look more attractive? To be honest, this has never been a problem of mine as I have a preference for the simply, utilitarian look with a dark colour scheme that MD is aiming for here, and the fit of it is so great that I fear altering the shape my change its fit.

Perhaps I would like to have a slightly more ergonomic cable that might increase the overall comfort of an already unbelievably comfortable IEM? I have always been one of the select few who actually am a fan of the memory wire cable guides despite its apparent shortcomings. From the small changes I’ve heard they’re making for the production run of the cable (don’t fret, none of the changes will affect the sound), I think they got that covered.

Perhaps the shipping date for the first batch can be a little bit earlier than the current expected date? Now I’m really picking needles from the haystack here.

And that’s it. I really struggle writing through the changes as I found the Plus to be great as it is. The fit, the sound, Plus just brings you an overall amazing package in an IEM. How MD got it so right on both the fit and sound is simply astonishing, and is testament to their hard work in both research and development. As such, the Massdrop Plus will become the first MD item that I’m giving a 5 star rating.

For those who are trying to explore the world of audiophiles, especially when it relates to portable gear, and are willing to spend a little more in hopes of finding something great, put the Plus at the top of your shopping list. For those who have already entered our world through more budget friendly IEMs and are trying to go to the next level, I urge you to do the same. And finally, for those who are already veterans in the scene, I sincerely advise you to grab a piece as I found the Plus to be worthy of joining anyone’s collection.

Because really, it’s a Plus to your team.

DISCLAIMER
The Sony NW-WM1Z (and NW-WM1A) was loaned by Sony Malaysia in collaboration with Sony Japan to me for a month, in which it was promptly returned on the agreed date. Many thanks to Masayuki-san and Tomoaki-san from Sony Japan, along with Bryan, Danny and Diane from Sony Malaysia for both giving the green light for the project and expediting it.

The reviews and writing processes for the two units were done concurrently and as such the two will have certain sections that are carbon copies of itself in delivery, such as the introduction. The review for the WM1Z will be released first, with the release of WM1A review after.

INTRODUCTION
In late 2001, the release of Apple’s iPod arguably revolutionized what we know of the portable audio industry, bringing forth the ability to store and play digitally stored music files into a pocket friendly form factor with an intuitive control scheme. As significant as that may be, the impact of iPod’s release, in my opinion, pales in comparison to the influence of a product that was released 22 years prior to it – the Sony Walkman. Perhaps the most influential product ever to be released in the history of the industry, it made music on the go accessible to the masses, and inspired a host of products that were released after it, including its eventual successor the Discman, the aforementioned iPod and the since discontinued Zune, among others.

But that was more than two decades ago. A lot have changed since then: the World Wide Web was invented, computers are now common in every household, and mobile phones have evolved from a single task unit into a multipurpose device. With the rise and subsequent fall in popularity of both cassette tapes and compact discs as standard music mediums, in line with the surging acceptance of digital formats as the way forward, the Walkman, along with any music player that utilizes physical music mediums, have since been driven to near extinction. What’s left of the Walkman legacy is a branding that is a shell of its former self, releasing solid performing portable players like the NWZ-ZX1 and ZX2, none of them made a huge statement like the original Walkman did.

That is, until now. At IFA 2016, Sony announced its brand new flagship music player – the NW-WM1Z (1Z). Designed as no frills, cost no object unit, the 1Z is Sony’s answer in its quest to combine sophisticated sound technology with beautifully crafted, high-grade materials and class-leading usability. If all that sound like marketing jargon to you, it kind of is since I plucked it from Sony’s product page. In my interpretation, basically what Sony is promising with the unit that fuses high build quality, software and hardware that has both functionality and ease of use, and finally but most importantly standard defining sound quality. Adding on to that, Sony also released (at the same time) another player within the same line – the NW-WM1A (1A), which shares the same design its sibling the 1Z, yet still delivers a package that is more affordable to the masses than the 1Z, at the cost of less premium build materials and storage capacity.

So has Sony Walkman line reclaimed its former glory with the release of the 1Z and 1A? Read on to find out.

*As the title suggest, this review’s main point of focus is the WM1Z. A separate review for the WM1A will be published in the near future.


INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The 1Z is a Hi-Res Audio certified audio player, its outputs consisting of a single ended output and a balanced output. What needs to be highlighted is the balanced output, specifically the type of it. It does not accept the conventional 2.5mm connector employed by the likes of the A&K players, nor does it accept the less used 3.5mm TRRS connector that is favoured by HiFiMAN players. Instead, it plays with the newer Pentaconn standard by Jeita which uses a 4.4mm balanced connector, a first at least for me. From what I know, the 4.4mm was designed to improve in insertion durability and the uniformity of the resistance value across the connector. I have not tested out any 4.4mm connectors repeatedly to confirm this but by the looks of it, it does look sturdier than the older standards, so they are moving in a good direction for me.

The single ended output is rated at 60mW + 60mW (non CEW, High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW), whereas the balanced output is rated at 250mW + 250mW (non CEW,High Gain) and 1.6-4.2mW (CEW). To be honest I’m not entirely sure what CEW stand for. Still, from what I understand, it represents the region in which the unit was made for. The reason for a different unit made for the CEW region (certain European countries) is to comply with volume limit laws set within them, so these CEW units are fixed to output lower power. The sample I tested with was a non CEW unit, and easily drove all of my headphones and IEMs to a comfortable listening level and it feels like it has gobs of power to drive most headphones on the market. My guess would be that it is able to drive notoriously hard to drive headphones to the volume level that I normally listen to (low if not moderate) at high gain.

Additionally, the 1Z is equipped for playback through version 4.2 Bluetooth technology at the 2.4 GHz band, but does not support apt-X codec (unless a firmware revision changed that). The player however is able to support LDAC, which promises 3X the date transmitted, providing enhanced wireless listening experience at near Hi-Res quality. It is also equipped with NFC capabilities; however there is a glaring omission in terms of wireless capability: Wi-Fi. With that omission, it was obvious that the device was designed for music purists, not those who prefer complete digital files compared to streaming on the go with applications like Spotify and Tidal. I don’t use all these streaming services so it ended up perfectly fine for me, still it was surprising to see the absence of Wi-Fi as that has been the way many of us listen to our music nowadays. Perhaps it was a conscious choice to eliminate the function in hopes of providing better sonic performance? That would probably be my guess.

It has a frequency response between 20 to 40,000 Hz when playing a data file, and is capable of playing files ranging from the typical 16 bit/44.1 Hz up to DSD 256. The types of file formats available for playback on 1Z includes WAV, AIFF, WMA, AAC, HE-ACC, FLAC, ALAC and DSD, with the noticeable name left out being APE. Native DSD is available for playback yet it is only accessible when the balanced output is used. DSD playback using the single ended output is through regular PCM conversion, which is a shame as I feel Native DSD should be applicable for both outputs. If you’re going to offer the option, you might as well cover all fronts. The files can be played back ‘raw’, or without any enhancements, through the Direct Source function. It can also be adjusted to possibly improve the overall presentation through various functions such as DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normalizer and a 10 band equalizer. Effects from all these sound options will be explained in a later section.

Furthermore, the 1Z has a built-in rechargeable lithium ion battery neither the sizing nor the power rating publically declared. However, it was stated to have a battery life for 33 hours of continuous playback when 128kbps MP3 files are concerned, and 11 hours when DSD 256 are used, with a full charge completed in approximately 7 hours. In my experience, the quoted charging time holds true and I have been able to consistently reach about 25 to 30 hours’ worth of playback when utilizing my playlist consisting of FLAC, ALAC and DSD; which I found impressive. The battery life can easily last me a one way flight to almost anywhere on the planet! To complement the long battery life, the 1Z itself has 256GB storage on board, effectively about 230GB of user memory capacity, and is expandable through a microSD slot to a (current) total maximum of 518GB of storage. Unless, all your files are in DSD format, most if not your entire library can follow you around with the unit.

Finally, the 1Z have multiple languages on device for its user interface, including English, Spanish and Chinese to name a few. This is a nice touch to make the user interface accessible to a larger portion of the masses. All that, at a whopping retail price of $3199.99. Yes, $3200 for this. I’ll let that sink in for a while.

ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
The unit I had was a product sample from Sony so I did not receive it in its product packaging. From what I gather, the unit comes in a paperboard box similar to that found in most smartphone packaging nowadays like the iPhone and Galaxy S8. I must say I am unimpressed since I assumed that a product such as the 1Z would be presented in a packaging more befitting of its status, though I know some would argue that the product cost should be concentrated on the product itself rather than its soon to be useless packaging. Needless to say, I did not spend $3200 for a package box; still the least I would expect from Sony is for it to be nicely wrapped.

Inside the packaging, you’ll find your 1Z, a USB cable, a wrist strap for your unit, a Startup Guide and an Instruction Manual. Specifically for the 1Z, a leather case is included as well. For this review, I received the player, the USB cable and the leather case. Both the Startup Guide and the Instruction Manual can also be located online through Sony’s product page.


The USB cable used with the 1Z, which is standard across all Sony music players, is fitted with what is to be known as the ‘WM connector’. Personally I would have hoped that Sony changed the standard of connectors to the more common micro USB or USB C, as those cables are more readily available. I find the fact that I have to bring an extra cable for the 1Z when I’m on the go just a tad inconvenient since I am already carrying a micro USB and a USB C cable every day for all my other portable source gear. Nonetheless, it’s more of a suggestion for future products than an actual design flaw that has to be corrected immediately.

I found the leather case, built akin to some of the flip cases available for phones, to be made of high quality leather. It’s not completely made of leather, as there are plastic guides strategically positioned to nestle your 1Z into the case. While it is without a doubt nicely built, I felt that the case was unwieldy, particularly the fact that I have to flip open the case just to get to the front screen or the compartments at the bottom such as the charging port. I much preferred the other cases made by 3rd party manufacturers on the market as it allows simple access to the screen and charge the 1Z without opening the case, though some may appreciate and prefer the Sony case which allows the user to directly press the side buttons, unlike the other cases which cover most of the buttons except the power button.


BUILD QUALITY

The 1Z never stops to astonish me with its good looks; it’s truly a sight to behold. The main chassis is made with oxygen-free copper (OFC), milled from a solid block then gold plated, which was selected as material of choice due to its better grounding capabilities. However, it does come at a price as the player weighs almost 455g, not something to scoff at, and certainly not something you would put inside your pocket daily even if your pocket fit the dimensions.

Speaking of dimensions, the 1Z is sized at 72.9 x 124.2 x 19.9mm, so it’s fairly large in size even when compared to the other DAPs available on the market. I could comfortably fit it in my medium sized hand but one handed operation would be a stretch (no pun intended). At the front of the unit, a 4’’ TFT colour video display panel with a display resolution of 854x480 (FWVGA) and (of course) touchscreen capability serves as your main and only screen. The back of the unit features a textured faux leather piece etched with the Walkman logo at the bottom, as if to lay your electronic goodness with an extra touch of class. I loved the leather back addition as it grants some extra grip to the unit that is highly welcomed. Surely you would not want to risk it dropping or slipping from your hand. You probably want to avoid exposing it to water or liquids in general as it is not waterproof nor water resistant, something we see being implemented more and more of in the mobile phone market but less so in the DAP industry.




The bottom of 1Z houses the microSD card slot, the charging/data transfer cable slot and a strap hole to tie your wrist strap at. At the top of 1Z, you can find your balanced 4.4mm output on the left with the single ended 3.5mm output on the right. Judging by the looks and feel of it, all these connectors and compartments have been solidly built, thus one will feel confident that the parts won’t fail on them unless excessively abused. On the left, you can find the hold switch while all the other buttons are on the right, including the power button, both volume up and down buttons, skip, play and finally rewind buttons. The buttons and switch has a nice tactile feel to them, so pressing the buttons by mistake can be easily detected and significantly reduced if not completely remedied.



A unit priced at a premium like the 1Z should not hold off in its selection of material, and it truly deliver in that regard by bringing the best of the best in terms of internal components. First off, 1Z continues the on-going usage of Sony’s own S-Master HX full digital amplifier that keeps the audio signal processing entirely in the digital domain to accurately process massive audio data while minimising noise and distortion. Secondly, the entire circuitry within the unit was connected with four wire braided cables specifically designed by Kimber Kable. It doesn’t surprise me at all since Ray Kimber, founder of Kimber Kable and a legend in his own, shares a close bond with the people in Sony.

In addition, the 1Z is equipped with high performance resistors known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ and high polymer capacitors known as “FT CAP”, in lieu of achieving their aim at producing the best music player currently available. To further enhance the design, the segment directly involved in the audio playback has been segregated from the rest of the board, specifically done to reduce the S/N ratio. I am not 100% sure how those electrical components factor in since I’m not an electrical engineer myself. Regardless, I have previously experienced a jump in sound quality when I swapped my stock cables to cables from Kimber on my headphones, so I have no doubt that these small details are important and directly affect the performance of 1Z.

USERABILITY
Just to be clear, the 1Z does not use Android for its operating system, opting for an in-house operating system instead. It’s not open source like an Android OS, thus the option of downloading 3rd party applications are removed. I still believe Sony had come up with a solid if not awe inspiring OS, not overreaching, and only functioning as needed.

Starting the unit itself was simple enough; one holds the power button for about 3 seconds which is actually the same procedure to initiate the shutdown sequence. The boot up time was average, coming up to about the same time as my QP1R if not slightly longer. At every boot up, the player will scan for all the songs available on its physical memory and equipped memory card to load up its music library. The load up time feels similar to the time taken for a new memory card to be loaded so I assume that it loads up the entire library each time. It’s slightly unnecessary for me since I do not switch up my cards every day but I didn’t mind it too much as the load up time is pretty short considering the amount of songs I have on each card.


A combination of the simple interface and a responsive touch screen made operating the 1Z was pretty straight forward for me. The home menu shows how all your files are sorted by: songs, albums, artists, genres, release year, composers, playlists and Hi-Res certified files. A simple tap will bring up a sub menu of each category, listing the folders or files clearly in alphabetical order. At the bottom, 4 capacitive buttons allows navigation to the previous screen, the playback screen, the library screen (based on the previously accessed sorting method) and settings screen.


On the playback screen, you’ll find a straight forward layout that maintains the simplicity found on other screens. Three main buttons, rewind, play and forward, lace the screen. Pressing on either volume button will bring up the volume screen, also accessible by tapping on the volume bar that is at the top of the screen, which can then be used to adjust the volume at larger increments.

On the settings screen, 3 smaller round buttons are displayed near the top, which from left to right is for brightness adjustment, Bluetooth connection for headphones and Bluetooth connection for remotes. Below that, there are 3 basic setting screens, one for playback, one for output and one for the device itself. Scrolling down reveals access to more screens for the sound settings and Bluetooth settings.

Through the playback settings screen, you gain access to the play mode, playback range, the sleep timer and options for artist list display and lyrics display. Here is where you adjust your preferred way for music playback, including shuffling and repeating.

With the output settings screen, you are able to control the headphone output, the USB output for DSD and DSD playback settings. Interesting to note is the options held within the headphone output settings, which allows for channel balancing and high gain output, but most importantly the AVLS limit, which restricts the device to a set volume limit when switched on.

Diving into the device settings screen, you can adjust a host of general usage based configurations, such as the beep settings; screen off timer, USB connection settings, clock settings and language settings among others. You are also able to disable the touch panel when the hold button is active on the side in this page.

As previously mentioned, there are 4 sound tuning options available from the sound settings page: a 10 band equalizer, DSEE HX upscaling, DC Phase Linearizer and Dynamic Normalizer. The 10 band equalizer functions like any other equalizer you can find on most devices, providing attenuation or suppression to its designated frequency band. For the 1Z, it’s specifically at 31 Hz, 62 Hz, 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, 4 kHz, 8 kHz and 16 kHz. It’s interesting to note that the frequency band resides well within the typical hearing range of 20 to 20 kHz, while most other players usually start at 20 and end at 20 kHz if not higher. The equalizer works like a charm, with each attenuation step obvious and easily distinguished, yet not sounding artificial or overworked. I still prefer to use Direct Source on almost every listening occasion but the option to tweak the 1Z’s sound to further improve the listening sensation is highly welcomed.

The DSEE HX upscaling is devised to allow compressed quality and even audio CD quality tracks sound similar to High-Resolution Audio tracks. While it didn’t seem to bring much to the table when I use my lossless files (tracks ripped straight from the CD, to prevent any ‘digital’ dispute), it sorta, kinda worked with the 320kbps or less quality MP3/AAC files. Tracks become a tad clearer, though I would still highly recommend you use higher quality files as I found that using my lossless files still sound better than the same track but lower quality file being dusted with the function’s magic.

The DC Phase Linearizer aims at adjusting low-frequency phase shifts to reproduce the audio characteristics of analog amplifiers, which to me is just fancy audiophile language for making your tracks a touch warmer and richer, and that it has achieved. When the focus is solely on this function, tracks would be presented with an extra layer of richness and lushness, though often I found that it felt forcefully imposed onto some of my tracks that are already full of it to begin with, so I end up not using this function more often than not. Of the 3 non-typical sound setting, I found this to be the one that showcase its functionality best.

Last but certainly not least is the Dynamic Normalizer, which aims at moderating the change in volume between tracks to minimize differences in volume level. The performance of this setting was iffy. When it worked, you can notice it immediately. When it didn’t, you’re left wondering if the function had any use for it. It’ll perform better if the volume difference between tracks is more drastic than normal. It functions well if you have a plethora of tracks with drastic volume level difference so you could save a few seconds that you would normally use to slowly adjust your volume.


SOUND QUAITY
Evaluation Process
The WM1Z that loaned to me was previously used in shows, so it already was used for more than the 200 hours duration that I burn in my review units with before any critical listening were made on the unit. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. I had included a couple of DSD files to test out WM1Z’s direct DSD capability among other things but was not able to prepare a 4.4mm balanced connector cable for any of my gear before my loan period ended. Alas, I will make sure to try it out with my own gear the next time I have the chance.

The following is a list of headphones and IEMs that I used to evaluate the WM1Z:

· Mr.Speakers Ether C

· Sennheiser HD 25 I-II (Modified)

· NAD Viso HP50

· Empire Ears Zeus-R (Custom)

· Noble Audio Katana (Custom)

· Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (Custom)

· Ultimate Ears 18+ Pro (Universal)

· JH Audio Roxanne Universals (Generation 1)


The following is a list of source gear that I used to compare and evaluate the WM1Z:

· Chord Mojo

· iBasso DX90

· Questyle QP1R

· Calyx M player

· Sony WM1A (Loaner)

All listening sessions were made only with the single ended output as I could not procure a balanced cable for my gear in time during the loan period. I could only compare the single ended and balance output of the device through Sony’s own MDR-Z1R demo headphone that had two different cables for the respective outputs readily available.


Initial Impressions
Often we are impressed by the plethora of gear available in the market, whether it’s a piece with sonic performance that is more than capable to compete with units that are placed at a higher price bracket, or a TOTL gear that provides a listening experience so realistic, so ‘right’ sounding that we can’t help but fall in love with it. I myself could probably conjure up a list of recommendations for various price ranges that fits the bill for many different sound signature preferences, and I am sure many of us in the same line of interest could do the same.

However, when it comes to units that convey music so magically it manages to speak to one’s soul, distorting your perception of what’s real and what’s a piece of recorded art, those are few and far between, and for me, the WM1Z definitely rank within this category. If the previous description is too long, too overdressed for you, then let me summarize the WM1Z in one word: transcendent. Exceptional and peerless, I personally think that the unit ranks as numero uno on my personal list of DAPs that I have ever got the honour of listening to, even at first listen.

(What I would like to point out is that I am yet to hear the A&Ultima SP1000, but I thought the WM1Z sounded slightly better than the AK380 in any variation.)

Bass to my ears come across smooth and detailed, yet impactful, but never overbearing. The mids are textured heavenly, with its lushness only outmatched by, again, the detail in it. The treble felt like the gentle kiss from an angel: silky, airy and expansive. Everything just tie up together wonderfully to produce absolute sonic bliss in my ears. It took my breath away, literally, well almost literally.

Sound Signature
WM1Z is an analog work of art. Its sound signature is best described as highly, nay, immensely organic, with superior resolution and amazing imagery to complement its outstanding tonality. Further dissection of the sound reveals an enticing warm sound which envelops the soundstage, creating this illusion of myself sitting on a cosy chair in my favourite pub listening to the best tunes playing out from the jukebox. The lift on the bass and mids which brings out the warmish tone is done tastefully, and while obvious in presence it never feels obtrusive, rather it sounds even handed throughout. The word ‘balanced’ almost left my mouth when describing it, and although it’s not (and never paraded itself as) neutral, the ‘balance’ in sound presentation is nothing short of remarkable.

The bass of 1Z was simply the most euphonic experience I’ve ever come across from a source I can easily put into my backpack. It is extremely lush, with a richness that would make Bill Gate’s bank account look like a small piggy bank. Adding to that is a superb bass extension and resolution that pulls out all the details, elevating the bass experience. The thing that amazes me the most is how the bass just come and go, where its presentation is almost chameleon like. The bass comes full and punchy when I listen to bass heavy genres while the bass will present itself warm and tight when the 1Z plays tracks that focus on other regions of the frequency response. There is never a doubt that the bass region is emphasized more than any other region, yet it doesn’t feel the least bit boomy, and will leave you craving for more. Arguably, the bass performs its best when I’m listening to more jazz or classical style tunes, though that might not be the same for everyone, and I love that.

Like the lower regions, the mids are lifted, not to the same extent as the bass, but definitely enough for it to be declared as ‘forward’. The mids has, in my opinion, unrivalled smoothness in the mids from any DAP that I’ve crossed paths with, and like the bass it is lacquered with lushness all over. Vocals come off organically like never before, with the raw emotion poured into each lyric leaving the vocalist’s lips clearly felt from body to soul. The amount of detail that can be found from 1Z’s mids is beyond comparison, even down to the minor details; from the way a vocalist annunciate the track’s lyrics to the way an instrument within the region was played. That last bit was most evident when I’m listening to studio recorded acoustic guitar driven tracks, where I could clearly hear and feel the strings being plucked and reverb upon it, a sensation hard to replicate even through the better desktop systems available now on the market.

The treble region is the closest to neutral for me, with a resolution and detail that is on par with 1Z’s bass and mids, if not even better. Like the bass, it’s well extended; no hints of strident or sibilant sound from any of my listening sessions, which serves to produce a crisp yet delicate upper region. For that matter, the treble maintains sweet throughout, yet comes with a smoothness that ensures it’s non-fatiguing to listen to even in longer listening sessions. At the same time, the treble is presented in an airy and breathy manner, again being able to seamlessly outline the skill involved in instrument playing that focus on the upper registers, registering every note from instruments like flute and sax with unmatched naturalism. 1Z’s treble does no try to upstage its other two main regions with sparkly highs, though it succeeds in reaching a high level of quality that would ensure that its performance is more than capable to stand its ground when compared to the best DAPs on the market. It’s not the bona fide showstopper, but it sure does put on hell of a show.

As highlighted upon multiple times in the review, the 1Z manage to pair it’s off the charts musicality with a resolving ability throughout its frequency range that, as of now, still knows no equal. The music is always clear and transparent; fully capitalising on 1Z’s soundstage which is both deep and wide, creating an illusion that you’re listening to the entire studio or live performance at an airy and spacious arena, standing/sitting at the best spot of the house. The 1Z also did not forget about the importance of its imaging capabilities, where instruments and vocals could be placed at its location with ease, bringing forth an even greater sense of naturalism in our music. Together with impeccable PRaT acting as the icing on our proverbial sound ‘cake’, it’s hard to pin point anything negative sound wise. I found that I hardly needed to use any of the equalizer or any of the sound functions to have the 1Z sounding at its best. Having the option to tweak its presentation to suit our personal preference is akin to coming with a gift for the host at a party, highly welcomed but never necessary. If it’s right on the money, why fix it?


COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the 1Z to my own Questyle QP1R player and the loaned 1A. The QP1R is in my view the best performing standalone player within my arsenal, and we certainly can’t have enough comparisons made on the fight for internal supremacy between the 1A and the 1Z.

I deliberately avoided comparing the 1Z with the Mojo as I wanted to make the comparisons solely based on standalone players rather than external DAC/Amps added to other sources. If you do wish to know more on what I think of the two, please let me know in the comments below or better yet send me a PM.

Sony NW-WM1A (1A)
Whenever a conversation about the 1Z start, especially to someone who has yet to encounter and listen to the unit first hand, this question would surely come to mind: How does it’s less fancy, lower priced sibling the 1A compare to it? Having the good fortune of holding both units in possession to listen at a more in-depth level at various environments, particularly quiet surroundings that can showcase both units performing at their best, let me share with you my thoughts on how the two compare to each other.

First off, let’s talk about the non-sonic related differences between the two. Immediately, the first detail that will jump to you is the price, with the 1Z priced at $3199.99 (again, let that sink in) and the 1A at a relatively moderate price of $1199.99, or $3200 and $1200 because really at this price range $0.01 don’t look significant to me. For almost 3 times the price, the 1Z, compared to the 1A, brings to the table what Sony identified as better quality materials for certain components and a memory capacity upgrade, but nothing else. There are no key functions, applications or components left out when transitioning from one unit to the other, which was for me an excellent move on Sony’s part.

So what are the components that are different between 1Z and 1A? It’s the chassis, internal wiring and resistors used at the sound part of the circuit board. 1Z’s chassis is milled from a solid block of OFC that is gold-plated, while the 1A’s uses a chassis that is milled from a solid block of aluminium, hence an immediate weight difference with the 1A being almost half as light even at the same dimensions. For the internal wiring, 1Z utilizes 4 wire braided cable made by Kimber Kable while the 1A uses ‘regular’ OFC cable from an unnamed source. In terms of the resistors, 1Z is equipped with what is known as ‘Fine Sound Register’ resistors while 1A is equipped with more commonly found ‘MELF Register’ resistors. The use of different materials for these 3 components is the cause that led to a difference in sound between the two units. Finally, the 1Z has 256GB in internal memory compared to the 1A which has 128GB, though that difference will be less felt as both have an external memory slot readily available. So unless your entire collection revolves around DSD tracks, the capacity supplied (including the slot) should more than cover your needs for memory space.

Now, to the most important comparison: the sound. Both share a similar sound signature, where they both exude a sound that is warm, detailed and highly musical. Regardless, when compared to each other, the 1Z feels like it has a little more body to the overall sound, while the 1A just feels like the less coloured of the two. If the 1Z was the apex of analogue sound reproduction, the 1A is a more ‘digital sounding’ take of the 1Z’s presentation.

From the bass, 1Z’s emphasis on the region is more pronounced than that found on the 1A. As mentioned previously, there is some extra body coming through from the 1Z, creating a sense that the 1Z is more natural and musical. Even with the added body, the level of detail is similar, if not better, on the 1Z. Nonetheless, both share a healthy level of bass boost, so if you prefer a closer to neutral, yet still elevated bass presence the 1A might be more in line with your preference, while someone who prefer a more fun sound through the added weight in the lower end will prefer the 1Z.

The same can be said with the mids, where it is lusher and more euphonic with the 1Z. There’s a sense that an extra level of emotion is layered onto the 1Z’s mids, with the 1A’s mids coming off colder and more analytical. Having said that, the 1A’s midrange would still qualify in most people is still rich and smooth, and to me it is not on par with the 1Z, but would easily produce a vocal performance that would sway you off your feet. Again, the resolving ability of the two units is similar in this region, so there’s a choice to be made based off its tonality.

Treble is where the 1Z triumphs over the 1A. There is definitely some added quantity in the region for the 1Z compared to the 1A, and it feels slightly more extended and more resolving within these upper registers. The 1Z is able to carry the added detail without sounding harsh at all, with a tonality that is easier on the ears. In comparison, the 1A felt like it brought a knife to the gun fight, coming across more mellow and closed-in. The 1Z also has added depth and width into its soundstage to weave around, so there’s a better sense of separation and imaging than the 1A.

For me, the 1Z no doubt is a step up in sound from the 1A, and while the differences are not immediately apparent through quick A/B comparisons, a longer listening session will slowly uncover its added prowess over its cheaper sibling. The key is whether that added 5-10% increase in performance (if it’s even measurable) is worth paying over double the money you required for the 1Z. For most cases, I would recommend going for the 1A and using the rest of money from a 1Z budget to invest in better transducers: headphones or earphones, as I truly believe that the transducer quality should be of priority followed by the source. If money was no issue though, the 1Z would more often than not come out tops through its superior sound quality.

Questyle QP1R (QP1R)
At the point of its release, the QP1R was a solid high performance DAP, sold at a relatively reasonable price of $999, considering it was announced then subsequently released around the same time where a few DAPs above the $1500 mark was the rage of town (I’m looking at your highly attractive, out of my price range DAPs A&K). It has since been superseded by the upcoming QP2R. I have yet listen to the QP2R so I will refrain from making any comparisons based on the comments I’ve read and heard about it.

Back to the QP1R, at less than a third the price of a $3199.99 (really, sink that in) 1Z, it comes in a machined aluminium body merged with a Gorilla glass front and back, with a volume knob that resembles a crown knob of a luxury watch and a click wheel obviously inspired by the timeless iPod click wheel design. In fact, I found the knob to be the most well designed volume control that I have tried till date, every satisfying click letting me know that I’ve increased it a step without looking at the screen.

The build quality of the QP1R is similar to any of the other electronics coming out from Foxconn’s factory: spot on for most of the time, with a few misses here and there on a handful of units. Its click wheel is notorious for being one of the most unresponsive, hard to control physical mechanism on a well-known DAP. On the other hand, the 1Z with its copper body is more solid in the hand, the controls buttons provide a more tactile feedback, and overall exudes better build quality. I won’t recommend dropping either of the units, but the 1Z would probably fare better upon a fall from height than the QP1R.

Moving on to functionality, both units focus on being a purist driven player, where there are no net capabilities to support any streaming services. Both units have the basic functions: 10 band equalizer, gain change, search through categories among others. Nonetheless, the 1Z is the more function pack of the two, capable of Bluetooth based playback, balanced output playback and extra sound tuning functions just to name a few.

The software is also more accessible on the 1Z for me. It’s hard to compare as one uses only physical controls while the other mainly use a capacitive touchscreen, so it’ll provide a different feel from the units. Still, it’s easy for me to see that I have an easier time to search through my songs and folders on the 1Z, where as an extra amount of effort and time will be needed to navigate through the menus on the QP1R. Had the QP1R been a breeze to go through like the old classic iPod, I would call this category a wash, or perhaps even a slight edge due to its more common familiarity.

To clarify (if you have skipped the top part of this review), both units were compared through their single ended output. QP1R does not feel dissimilar in the direction of its sound tuning, leaning towards an overall warm sounding tonality. When comparing the two, I felt that the QP1R was darker, where the added quantity in bass compared to the lift in the mids is more apparent than the 1Z. The darker personality is extra imposed due to a more subdued treble on the QP1R than the 1Z.

In the bass department, both have emphasized bass; with the QP1R making an impression that it is further north of neutral than the 1Z. The QP1R is relatively less detailed and less extended in these lower register, which may have contributed into conjuring itself with an image of overemphasized bass during the comparison. This is certainly not the case as the QP1R is a DAP focusing on musicality that has a tasteful lift in the bass, never overwhelming rest of the frequency response. I also feel that the 1Z has an overall more attractive tonality with the bass, whereas the QP1R is a touch punchier and more hard hitting. If I had to choose, I would go with the 1Z’s bass, as the amount of detail that it brings to the table is difficult to ignore when you switch sources.

Diving into the midrange, the QP1R has a lightly lifted midrange while the 1Z’s mids are lifted a little more. Once again, the tonality is richer and more appealing on the 1Z to my taste, as the more seductive presentation especially in the vocals bring out the best of my favourite tracks. Furthermore, like the bass, I felt that the 1Z is more resolving in this area, so you don’t miss out on even the slightest of detail, and is carried through with a smoothness level like no other. The 1Z is a clear winner in this region for me, it’s simply too hard to compete in what has been arguably my favourite midrange presentation of any portable source yet.

The treble range has a larger difference between the two units than any other region, where the QP1R is just a hair less than neutral while the 1Z has a subtle boost to it. Both units do not have any sharpness or strident features in its playback, yet the 1Z is smoother hence easier on the ears. It also is better extended, paired with better resolution between the two; it plays well with my treble focused preference. The soundstage is wider and deeper for the 1Z, so there is a better sense of airiness in the tracks, whereas the QP1R felt more constricted. There is also better separation and imaging coming from the 1Z, therefore it creates a more ‘visible’ and realistic image. Yet again, 1Z has to be my preferred presentation of the two units.

I hate to paint the QP1R in such a light. It’s a highly capable unit that combines TOTL level sound quality in a welcomed form factor at an acceptable price range. The comparison process taught me a lot, and while the QP1R is no slouch at all, it just comes to show that the 1Z is just that good at what it does; or rather it plays better to my personal taste. If price was not a factor, I would choose the 1Z any day of the week. Here’s to hoping that the QP2R brought enough improvements to the foray to compete with the 1Z.


CONCLUSION
When Sony first announced the 1Z, I have to admit I was pretty surprised by that decision. While more and more companies are focused on delivering units that perform amazingly for a good price point, akin to what Sony did with the 1A, Sony manage to thicken the plot as well by releasing the 1Z. It promises only the best performance that money can buy in a compact form, and for me it has certainly delivered on it. I’m not one for strapping 10 units to form a ‘portable’ ecosystem of a gear, so for 1Z to deliver in such great proportion was a good ‘ear opening’ experience.

In the 1Z, Sony sought out to reproduce your music in the most natural and organic manner they thought possible. It’s warm and smooth attracts you in, its detail and extension throughout keeps you asking for more, and its lushness and richness ensures that you’ll never want to leave its soundstage. Combine that with sublime build quality, superb battery life, a control system that is intuitive and fast to learn, plus a host of functional tuning applications to tweak the sound signature further for one’s preference, the 1Z is without a doubt one of the most complete packages for a portable player in the market right now.

Does it have any downsides? I know a fair few who would appreciate Wi-Fi capabilities designed into it, as streaming services are in a boom right now for portable player. Secondly, I for one do not like that Sony decided to maintain on the Walkman connector standard, and much prefer if they move to the more common Micro USB or even the flavour of the month USB C. It’s also not something you can just fit into your pocket, seeing that it weighs half a kilo (I’m British standard educated).Those are small quirks, and should be pretty acceptable for most people. What would alienate most to turn to other competitors is the price. I don’t know about you but $3200 is a pretty hefty amount of dough for me, and it’s not every day that someone would be willing to splash a nice chunk of their hard earned cash onto, well a unit that essentially plays music, and does little to nothing else.

Do I want a 1Z? Yes, I do. Do I have the money to afford it? No, I don’t, and that’s the sad part. Having spent the greater part of a month with such a magnificent player, I initially had a hard time transitioning back to my other players; such was its impact to my ears. Don’t get me wrong, my other players and stacks sound superb, still nothing could make me forget the allure of 1Z, and that shouldn’t change for a while. Every time I listen to my own sources, I’ll always remind myself of a few things: Remember when this track was presented with even more vigour? Remember when it was much easier to search for particular tracks? Remember when my player wouldn’t die on me on the train after a day’s worth of playback?

So, if you are able to afford it, and already have invested in high performance transducers, I highly recommended you go for a listen then get one. If you’re like me, I recommended you dig deep and work harder to earn one.

And if you haven’t listened to one, and can’t afford it, I totally recommended you to refrain from an audition, as your wallet might just regret. Seriously, it’s just that good.

DISCLAIMER
The Massdrop x NuForce EDC was sent to me by Michael (Mike) and Christian from Massdrop in exchange for an honest review.

Due to the inconsistency in tuning for EDC samples received by many reviewers, Massdrop has sent out a second sample to most if not all reviewers to ensure the EDC’s evaluated are of the intended tuning. I have since received a second EDC sample. I thought it would be interesting to include my original writing for the first unit in for comparison. This review is written based on the unit with final tuning. Certain interesting findings identified during comparisons of the two units will be written in Italic, and indicated with a *.



INTRODUCTION
Since its establishment in 2012, Massdrop (MD), a company that functions on a business concept as described by them as ‘community-driven commerce’, has continued to gain more attention, not only in the enthusiasts side of things but also the general public. By gathering ideas from its end users, MD would then learn and determine the products of interest for the general public, in which it works towards negotiating and organizing bulk purchases to allow said end users to have the chance of purchasing the desired products for a fine discount. More recently, their Custom Products department, manned by people such as Christian Tanimoto and Michael Wilson, took the extra step by working with the best of the best from our industry to produce products that are exclusive to MD, taking pride in their attempt at providing the best value for performance in all of their MD unique products.

Just a month ago, I was given the opportunity to work with the team from MD and review an exclusive product from the company – the Massdrop x Noble X (X). The X, cheapest Noble unit sold on the market as of writing, was warm yet smooth, and is evaluated (by me) to be a good recommendation for someone who wishes to find an all-rounder performance type IEM for the price. Nonetheless, at roughly $250, it still proved quite steep for some people, especially those who are just trying to dip their foot for the first time into the bottomless pool that is the audiophile hobby. I have since returned the X back to MD as promised between the two sides for the previous review, though I missed the days where I could reach for it from my bag as I can easily carry it around me every day.

This is where the Massdrop x NuForce EDC comes into play. The EDC, which stands for Every Day Carry, was designed to do what its name suggests, acting as a unit which one could easily bring around on each day, able to stand up to everyday usage in a multitude of real life situations, and most importantly provide zero compromises in audio quality performance, albeit at a price cheaper than the Noble X. Does the EDC live up to its own name and purpose? Let’s find out.


INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
The EDC is equipped with a single 6mm dynamic driver on each side, with the left and right channels matched within +/- 2dB difference, which was done in order to aim for a cleaner and perhaps more coherent sound. EDC has a frequency response between 20 Hz to 40 kHz, with the IEMs weight quoted at 15g when connected with the supplied braided cable (more on this later) and 16g when paired with the supplied remote/mic cable. The unit has its impedance rated at 16 ohms, with its maximum input power set at 2 mW, while its sensitivity rating at 1 kHz is rated at 90.5dB, give or take 3dB, which should mean that it’s fairly easy to drive. However, in real world usage, I found that I had to provide it a little more juice than expected, just barely hitting the volume warning limit of my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge to achieve listening levels that I have been accustomed to, whereas most other units I’ve tried with similar sensitivity rating never reached that ceiling.

The microphone sensitivity was rated at -42dB, give or take 5dB, and calls were clear for the most part, but I will not go further in depth with my comments as I have been sparingly using it with the mic cable. It was designed to be compatible with Apple and most Android devices, and allows for functionality such as play/pause, start/end call and next/previous song, though functionality may vary for Android users, depending on their device. For my case, it functions as designed when paired with my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

The EDC has an original MSRP of $99.99; nevertheless one can snag it at a price of $59.99 from MD, including the remote/mic cable that was previously mentioned. In fact, there are no additional accessory that could be separately added onto your purchase, as (I assume) it has been deemed to carry all the basic accessories that are needed for an IEM. It is sold exclusive through MD, which may lead to someone thinking that $59.99 is the actual price tag for the unit. On the other hand, many may have forgotten that the units are offered at wholesale prices, as a large volume purchase is needed to allow for such a discount. All and all, I am glad MD went with this direction; specifically that it comes at a price that is perhaps more affordable to most at the sub $100 market and at the same time made little to no (major) compromises on its design and the accessories that comes with it.

A specific limit on the amount of EDCs available for purchase per customer was not stated, with a quick browse onto the order page seems to indicate the limit per order on 5 units. One may be able to make multiple orders of 5’s if they wish; still I think it’s better to seek clarification from MD directly about this. They have also not stated about the total amount of units available for the first two drops, so it would be safe to assume that there are more than enough units to go around. There is no official confirmation as of yet when the next drop will go on, or if there even is one. Regardless, I have been told to expect further drops in the future, perhaps after the first and second order batch has been shipped on October 12th 2017.

As touched on previously in the X review, I am divided on the modus operandi of MD, more when it comes to their exclusive product. I appreciate that the products are being offered at a substantial discount, some rivalling the ones we can get in shows and events, but the drop system has its limitations. One loses the ability of purchasing a unit immediately, as we would have to wait until a drop is available to put in our purchase order. Then the waiting game commence, as both MD and the partnering company, NuForce for this case, would require some extra time to process and produce the units to fulfil the orders, so instant gratification or reward for your investment is absent, safe for a few drops that I have previously seen. I personally think that the products should be instantly available, at least for the MD exclusive products, though how this will impact the business structure of MD is beyond my understanding and capability. For all I know, I might be too adamant and pressing too hard on this part of the case. Well, who doesn’t appreciate a good deal being available at any time of calling?

*The two units are identical in regards to their specification.

ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS
Firstly, I would like to assert the fact that both units I received is a pre-production sample which might be slightly different compared to the end product that you will receive as last minute changes may still apply. The second unit arrived with a packaging that seems to be close to the actual final packaging. No other changes to the packaging have been stated by the MD team.



The EDC comes in a packaging made with what feels to me to be the conventional cardboard material, wrapped in a layer of thin plastic. It feels like a typical packaging you would expect from a decently build electronic, and I frankly I don’t expect much more than that as I rather not have a impeccably crafted box that increases the price unnecessarily for a product at this price range.

* The front of my pre-production packaging (for the original unit) had a typo in which “Monitor” was spelled as “Mo” instead but I was assured that this will be rectified in time for the actual production run. The typing error on the packaging has since been rectified during the latest run of review units. Furthermore, the packaging has been further streamlined through the removal of its hang tabs which is commonly placed to allow for neat and convenient storing on store shelves, which is not needed since Massdrop does not sell any products through other commercial outlets or brick and mortar stores anyways.

Inside the packaging box, it reveals two separate pieces, one is the same cardboard material cut out that houses the IEMs itself, the other the IEM carrying pouch. The soft, zippered carry pouch is very nicely sized and will surely fit most people’s pockets if not one of their own hand. It should not be able to withstand a car running over it still it should be able to take some (softer) hits on much more forgiving circumstances. Sadly, I wasn’t extreme enough to prove my inference wrong, but hey it’s still a pretty nice case overall.

The carrying pouch holds the accessories that come with the EDC, including the array of both foam and silicone tips, the extra mic cable, and a Velcro strap. 3 set of silicone tips in S, M and L sizes and 2 set of foam tips in M and L sizes are included in the package, so people who require S size foam tips should look for external additions. The Velcro strap provided is slightly wider than normal, and come swith the ‘NuForce’ logo etched.

*Originally, the carrying pouch holds the braided cable while the IEM was equipped with the mic cable. The velco strap provided was a more pedestrian one with no logo.

The EDC comes attached with the braided cable, and with the two cables, you are essentially getting a spare cable. The braided cable to me was more like a twisted cable, but with no official confirmation for this, I shall continue to treat it as a braided cable. Both the mic cable and the braided cable come in the 2-pin configuration, soldered to a 3.5mm single ended jack, with both cables (as confirmed by MD) made with copper and about 48’’ long. The cable guide is made with shrink wrap rather than the conventional memory wire. This makes wearing them straight down unsuitable ergonomically though I would fathom a guess that it was not their intention for you to wear them like that anyways. Personally, I prefer memory wire as I enjoy the option of adjusting my cable guide as I please. On the other hand, people with issues towards wearing memory wire in the past will rejoice with MD’s choice of direction.

My sample unit came with a rather unfamiliar 2-pin configuration (at least to me) as it comes with shrouded 0.75mm diameter 2-pin, which is actually NuForce’s in house standard for cables. From the information provided by my good friend @glassmonkey, this will be more familiar to people who have previously (or currently) used or owned the Trinity series of IEMs that employ a similar design for their detachable cables. I didn’t like this configuration as it made replacing the cables a tough task, seeing that options with 3rd party cable manufacturers is much more limited, forcing you to be stuck with the NuForce cables. This is hardly ideal if you are trying to look into pairing your EDC with the multitude of fancier upgrade cables available on the market right now.

It has since been rectified by MD, as they have since declared that they would move to the conventional 0.77mm diameter 2-pin for their production run. Earlier testing from MD showed that the EDC would accept a range of 2-pin cables, but varying tolerances have since made them change their mind to allow for flexibility with aftermarket cables. The two EDC stock cables will still be shrouded despite the diameter change, though MD has assured that the EDC is compatible with most if not all aftermarket 0.77mm diameter cables. As a trade-off, you may no longer fit the NuForce stock cable they use for their HEM range of monitors properly. I think most would favour this change, I certainly do.

As previously mentioned, there are, as of time of writing, no add-ons that is listed with the EDC, hence one could possibly find a glaring omission – there is no option, or at least there is none directly from MD, for a Lightning cable. This will not be a big issue for some of us, who prefer to always have a separate DAP as their main music source. However, those who primarily uses their phones, specifically their iPhone 7/7 Plus, and possibly any future iteration of the iPhone, will have to either fork out for an extra adapter or sought out a specific 2-pin Lightning cable. This is probably a non-issue for most of us. Regardless, I foresee a big portion of the EDC orders will be made with the view of pairing it with a mobile, so users of the more recent iPhones may have to look elsewhere if they do not favour the options above, unless you wish to fork out for an extra adapter from Apple. Alternatively, you can always switch to a non-Apple phone, your choice really.

*My second review sample came attached with its braided cable. It remains to be the less conventional 0.75mm 2-pin cable compared to the classic 0.77mm 2-pin cable. I have been assured that the changes will be implemented for the actual production run.


Housing shells are made with a material known as Lexan Polycarbonate. Polycarbonate is, among our circle, a material that is best known for its uses in CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays. It is quite resistive to impact and fairly sensitive to scratches from my previous experience. Based on the EDCs that I have, you shouldn’t have any dent or scratch issues on regular usage given a standard of proper handling. I store within the given case and have it inside my bag almost every day and I have yet to see a mark on it, so the build quality is quite good and has a nice solid feel to it, perhaps better than most within the price range.

The final production EDC has a smoky transparent blue/gray colour and a matte black body, with the blue hue more akin to the midnight blue found on the HD 6XX colour scheme. The overall colour scheme might look a little pedestrian to some, but I found it attractive as it looks simple, sleek and unassuming, just the way I prefer my gear to look. Or it’s probably just the darker colour scheme.

*The older unit came in a different colour, known as charcoal black.

SOUND QUAITY
Evaluation Process
The EDC was burned in for at least 100 hours before any critical evaluations were made on the unit. Reasoning behind the change in usual burn in time for the EDC is due to timing of the final sample, which arrived very close to the closing date of the first batch/second drop, so the change might potentially allow for this review to be posted before it is shut off.

Burn in for the EDC is crucial, which I will highlight in the proceeding sections. As most users will be pairing the EDC with their mobile, I also made sure to have an extended listening session with mine to get a better feel of it. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review of the X:

· Chord Mojo

· iBasso DX90

· Questyle QP1R

· Calyx M player

· Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

· Sony WM1A + WM1Z (loaners)

One thing that I would like to strongly emphasize upon is that all listening sessions were conducted with the braided cable equipped, which EDC was tuned upon. MD has advised me that the mic cable might slightly affect the sound due to its inline circuitry, but YMMV. Another variable that I maintained constant throughout my listening sessions was the use of silicone tips that were provided only due to comfort reasons. No tip rolling was made with the provided foam tips or any third party tips available in the market.


Initial Impressions
The EDC is a unit that should not be judged based on your first immediate listening experience, based on the units I received. The bass was like a ravaging monster, too much yet uncontrolled, wreaking havoc on everything it could reach. Its treble felt like a weakened superhero, overly subdued, thus unable to contend with its bass. The mids, like the average citizen involved in the struggle, is completely lost and devastated due to the extreme lack of balance. Before an initial period of burn in, the EDC sounded all over the place, and the listening experience did not improve by much when I changed my source from my mobile to my dedicated music sources.

Now, what I’m going to say next might tick off more than a few, but I’m going to come straight about this here: Burn-in actually tamed the EDC beast. From my past experience, I reside within the group that believe in the hocus-pocus black magic people like us call burn-in, more so when the gear tested involves a dynamic driver configuration. Having said that, when Mike advised me that the EDC benefits from being burned in for at least a couple of hours before giving it a serious go, I did not expect this night and day difference that I have not experienced since my LH Labs Geek Pulse Infinity went through a similar transformation.

Burn-in put a leash on the EDC’s bass, controlling and taming the elevated bass, which no longer feels bloated or excessively thick. The treble is no longer overwhelmed by the bass, with its less than neutral quantity ensuring the bass remains to be the focal point of the piece. The mids are more in the relaxed region rather than recessed thanks to the better sense of balance achieved. The details might not be bursting through left and right but it was proving to be quite an easy and fun piece to listen to.

The EDC upon first listen was something that doesn’t belong in the MD catalogue. The EDC upon second listen post burn in was definitely a unit that boasts a performance which MD exclusive products are more commonly associated with. If I wasn’t excited to listen to it more at the start, I am now.


Sound Signature
EDC has a V-shaped sound signature, one that is standing near the borderline of U-shaped sound. If you are looking to associate words like ‘balanced’ and ‘neutral’ to the EDC, words that I commonly associated with each other, then this might just not be the piece for you. This does not surprise me one bit as I found, in general, that units which are labelled as ‘everyday usage’ or ‘all-rounders’ usually share this sort of sound signature. Specifically to the EDC, it has more of a lopsided V-shape sound, as the boost or lift to the bass region means that EDC has significantly more bass quantity than treble. Safe to say, if you like more bass in your music, yet don’t want something that is completely dark, then the EDC is one for you.

The bass is the star of the show, both in quantity and quality. For me, most of the boost provided for this region comes in the mid bass, coming across with a heavy-hitting punch that Mike Tyson would certainly be proud of (George Foreman fans look away, he’s too old for me). The bass is punchy (that was honestly not intended), rich and thick, which would surely tickle the fancy of bass lovers out there. It’s not the most detailed and well extended bass you will find out there, but punch (I should stop) higher than its weight within its price range. Most importantly, it’s not the least bit boomy or bloated, always maintaining in control, so the additional quantity does not rip the ‘balance’ of the IEMs to pieces. It is right at the edge, refined enough to keep the quantity over quality conversations behind doors, and yet does not alienate the growingly bass loving everyday user in their quest for some sound thump with a hint of class from their IEMS.

And I swear if I use the word again I am going to pu…… MOVING ON!

The mids are pulled back, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since its v-shaped, but would be ranked as relaxed more than recessed. I perceive the upper mids to be the highlight of the region, as I found guitar or female vocal focused tracks to come through better than tracks that emphasize male vocals, coming across just a touch less lush and organic. It is not the most detailed or articulate of mids, nonetheless it doesn’t sound muddy or congested amidst the strong bass and relative stronger treble. The mids are never harsh, coming through smoothly; hence they are pretty easy to listen to. All and all, the mids prove to be a strong supporting cast, and while I’ll not be running to my desk to rush an order if forward and lush mids are at the top of my ideal sound wish list, its performance absolutely up to task, forming a nice solid foundation for EDC’s sound signature.

To my surprise, treble presentation of the EDC is the region that impressed me the most. The EDC has a roll off at the top end, something that comes expected with a bass heavy piece, but with a bit of help from the upper mids it doesn’t come across muffled. The extra bit of energy given to the treble rather than the mids makes string instrument that resides around this region like the violin sing, more so than the counterparts that are more commonly found in the mids. At times I even found the treble to be pretty crisp, not piercing nor edgy, bringing a rather pleasant shimmer to cymbals played from my favourite tracks. The treble keeps the overall sound signature in check, transforming the EDC from what would have amounted to be a dark or warm IEM to a V-shaped one. EDC’s treble is something I feel more acceptable for the wider public, even for the basshead among us, and ensures trebleheads like me do not get overwhelmed. Calling it clear and well extended may be a stretch, though the EDC boasts a treble performance that would appease most general consumers.

The EDC is not one for the detail heads. I wouldn’t go to the point of calling it blurred as it is not, but the details will not immediately come to you, especially in the mids. However, the wider than normal soundstage typically seen on IEMs of this price range help spread out the sound, hence lending for a non-blurry or muddy image of your music. The depth is average, but PRaT certainly hits a high mark. Coming from a dynamic driver, I expect no less of a natural decay and a superb attack, which I think the EDC certainly delivers. The EDC has a sense of rhythm and timing that is highly organic, along with a nice fast sound, so it’ll easily keep most people tapping on their feet.

I got decent isolation and fit from the EDC using the stock tip. Despite that, I still found the EDC to require more amplification, even when compared to my IEMs that are less sensitive. Not only does it need more juice the achieve my normal listening level, as mentioned before, it also benefits and scale better when there’s more power going into it. Therefore, it can still sound good and at a suitable listening level for most through the phone, though you’ll have to note that it might go pass the volume warning limit on most mobiles. So you don’t have to worry about getting an external DAP, but one is recommended if you can find the extra change for it.

*As stated, the sound quality is judged solely on the unit with MD’s intended final tuning. However, if you’re interested to know how the initial sample sounded like, I’ll try to summarize it here for you. The first unit, or the ‘bad’ sample, was a bass heavy unit, with more recessed mids (than the final tuning) and a treble that is rolled off right at the top and slightly below neutral in quantity. The newer sample is tamer in bass, has more of a relaxed midrange but similar in treble. While the detail is not there on the first unit when compared to the second unit, it is an EXTRA FUN MODE piece, and would still be enjoyed by others. I have to say I prefer the final tuning, but bassheads who wished for more bass from the production EDC might have missed out this time.


COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the EDC to my Periodic Audio Mg and my Echobox Audio Finder X1. I set the benchmark for the comparisons to be within $100 of the EDC price to allow for the comparisons to be made with IEMs of roughly the EDC’s price range. The Finder X1 barely makes the cut at its current price, but the Periodic Audio Ti misses out.

If you do wish for some comparison notes with the other IEMs I have in my arsenal, please do let me know in the comments below, though I doubt it will be a fair fight as the price range might be quite far apart.

Periodic Audio Mg
The Mg currently has a MSRP of $99, so is priced much closer to the original MSRP for the EDC, which is at $99.99

If the option of replacing your cables is a must, you should look far away from the Mg. The cable on Mg is without a doubt it’s biggest flaw or weakness. Not only does it feel flimsy with its uninspiring build quality, it’s highly tangle prone and worst of all, non-replaceable. There is a non-existence of any form of chin lock on the cable, which I thought was a glaring omission and could have been rectified with a plastic sheath or something similarly low cost but highly functional. So if the cable side of your Mg died during action, it’s sad to say that the IEM will have to be buried with it too. The EDC, with its replaceable cables, easily triumph in this department, offering users with the option for an upgrade or a quick replacement if a previous cable is damaged.

Both use Polycarbonate as the material of choice for their main housing, so should have similar build quality in terms of durability and toughness. However, the end cap of Mg is made using metal injection molding, where stainless steel is used. While I am yet to test and compare the durability of both units through stringent stress test, visually, body to body, the Mg would convince me it had better build quality. The shape of Mg’s body would allow for the piece to be worn over ear or straight down, which is not the case for EDC, yet more often than not I would resort to wearing Mg straight down as I found it more comfortable like that. EDC, to me, is much more comfortable to wear in the long run with its natural over ear orientation.

The bump to EDC’s bass is made more apparent by the boosted, but closer to neutral bass which the Mg wields. With its increase in quantity across this region, the bass on EDC hits harder, faster and stronger, though not necessarily better. For those who appreciate their bass to be more extended and filled with more details, then the Mg’s bass might be of your preference as I found it to perform better than the EDC in these categories. Between the two, I preferred EDC’s bass, as I found the difference in bass extension and detail to be small, while the difference in the extra energy and better PRaT is more substantial and to my ears, which sounded more in place.

Both share smooth, relaxed mids in their repertoire, with the one on the EDC placed further back. Again, the Mg triumphed in terms of detail, able to convey each note more accurately. I found it slightly cold compared to the richer, lusher mids of EDC. Not by much, but it is noticeable. With the same consideration made to the bass comparison, I found myself to prefer the mids of the Mg, as its difference in detail is more significant than the difference in tonality.

Treble wise, it’s easy to see where my taste would lean towards. The Mg does not have the roll off at the top that EDC has, is more pronounced, and better extended. However, some people I know have found the Mg to be more sterile and at times a little harsh for them, and preferred the EDC’s treble as it’s easier to listen to in the long run. The soundstage felt wider on the Mg, but the sense of depth for the EDC is more realistic.

In terms of their sound signature, Mg and EDC could not be any more different. From the get go, it was obvious that the two pieces are heading towards separate directions. The Mg is a treble driven, brighter and the more detailed IEM while the EDC, the more ‘fun’ sounding IEM, is a beast pushed by its bass. So if you like one, chances are you’re not going to enjoy the other as much, unless you are a person for all sounds.


Echobox Audio Finder X1
The X1 (mic version) is currently being sold at $159 on the Echobox web shop, but one could have gotten an X1 for prices as low as $79 if you hope on the Indiegogo campaign train early. Hence, the price difference between the X1 and EDC, which may be a huge leap for a lot of people. The original MSRP for the X1 is $229.99.

First and foremost, let’s talk about the physical part of the two IEMs. The X1 applies a non-detachable cable, which is a caveat for most, but let me assure you that it’s highly durable. Although you can’t replace the cable if it DOES break (let me know how you did it), it’ll last you a pretty long while. On the other hand, the EDC is open to replaceable cables, so even if you break one you can just easily find a replacement for it. The added benefit is that you will be able to fiddle with upgrade cables for the EDC, which is an option unavailable to the X1, but I don’t foresee that happening often as most upgrade cables are most of the time more expensive than the EDC itself.

The X1 is made of what Echobox term as ‘aerospace grade’ titanium. I don’t believe they actually took the X1 and tested it in a space simulation rig for its toughness and overall build quality; it will easily convince you that it’s build well, albeit suggestive looking. When compared, the EDC came across extra plasticky, and while it’s still built well, I’m convinced that the X1 would fare better if the two were thrown towards the wall by your mates. Not that you should ever do it for any of your gear, but it’s always a plus to have this luxury. Shape of the X1 allows for the user to choose between a straight down or over the ear wearing method, while the shape of the EDC limits those options down to only the latter. I still much prefer to wear my IEMs over the ear as I found it more comfortable that way, but people who find it otherwise should take note.

To clarify, the following sound comparisons were made with specific configurations on both the X1 and EDC. First of all, the X1, which applies a filter system that allows the user to tweak its overall sound signature based on 3 types of filter selection, is used only with the ‘reference’ filter. With the reference filter, the X1 takes on an overall U-shaped sound, bordering on becoming V-shaped. The other, is that both IEMs were compared when equipped with single flanged silicone tips that were supplied together with the units. Do note that both EDC and X1 utilizes dynamic driver designs, but with different diaphragm material and structure.

Elevation in the bass, which both share, is actually fairly similar. If I had to choose, I would say it is slightly more prominent on the EDC than the X1. The bass on the X1 is a little more detailed and better extended, but the one on EDC will have a deeper impact and sense of timing. With that better sense of PRaT, the EDC will come across as the one with more vivid and lively in this region, though it falls short when it comes to the ability of clearly conveying each and every note of the lower register.

The X1’s mids are comparatively pulled further back than the one found on the EDC, with the X1 having what I would regard as recessed mids. The mids on EDC simply came across fuller, smoother and more detailed, which is surprising as mids is not its forte.

When it comes to the treble, the X1 felt sharp and somewhat sibilant when compared to EDC. The detail on the top end, not the strongest point for both, is on par with each other but it is better conveyed and presented on the EDC, which has an overall smoother, easier on the ears treble. Soundstage felt wider on the X1 with both having similar depth, but I would not say they are leagues apart, just subtle differences.

CONCLUSION
In recent years, many companies, to the benefit of us consumers, pushed beyond their limits to deliver products with better value for performance. $100 is no longer a price point where outstanding performers in the IEM world are scarce, so it’s becoming harder to impress and continue to stay relevant. Despite the fierce competition, I found the EDC more than capable to compete with the best in the bracket, and it’s obvious that many people believe so too even without listening to it as the first batch was quickly followed with a second batch to comply with huge demand.

To me, the EDC delivers what it has set out to do, and gave a little more. For the price, the EDC is an easy inclusion to my list of recommendations for anyone who is looking for a competitively priced piece to take their baby steps into the hobby. With its V-shaped sound signature and comfort while worn, those who pre-ordered the unit in search of an IEM that is both easy to carry and easy to listen for day to day use will be fairly impressed with what they are receiving. Its superb bass response and added quantity would ensure that your favourite bass notes does not get drown out in noisier environments, yet is done tastefully enough that it does not come across excessive in quieter situations. Accessories which comes with the unit also far surpass what is offered by most at its competitors, even at price points higher than it, especially with the option for a mic or non mic cable.

It’s not perfect, but its downsides are few and far between. First off, it doesn’t have the most orgasmic mids you will ever experience in its bracket, so don’t expect many vocal performances to knock your socks off through the unit. Secondly, it is harder to drive than what its sensitivity would explain, which means that it will be harder to achieve ideal listening levels through regular mobile devices for loud listeners. Also, in an ideal scenario, I would love to EDCs available for purchase constantly, with the product being sent out within dates of order confirmation. This is (for now) not achievable through MD’s drop system, so I wish to see drops consistently occurring to provide more people with a chance to purchase a pair and experience them first hand as they are just that darn good. Finally, since we reviewers had an issue with it, I hope that the inconsistency that plagued the sample units will be completely resolved by production.

Let’s make it clear: The EDC is no game changer, but it is pretty damn close to being one. It’s not the first to break, or rather, stay within the $100 boundary and deliver amazing sonic performance, yet it took inspiration from several IEM that precede it, improving on what was seemingly not improvable (in the stiff pricing target) to provide one of the best, if not the best, overall package for an IEM within the $100 price range. A great sounding IEM with solid build quality paired with a comprehensive array of accessories, all that $59.99. At that price, you owe it to yourself to at least give these a try and finally take your first step into the audiophile world. Even if you have a host of other gear that outperform (and most likely, outprice) the EDC, it’s still a great one to keep within the collection.

So jump in when you still can. If you miss this drop, jump in the next drop, because this is definitely a train worth hopping on.

DISCLAIMER
The Massdrop x Noble X was sent to me by Christian from Massdrop (with full support from Brannan of Noble Audio) as a loaner in exchange for an honest review.

(Certain) Comments below are made based on my interpretation of the information given by Massdrop on their website and John Moulton (aka The Wizard) from Noble on the Head-Fi forums, specifically the Massdrop x Noble X main thread, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of both parties. For the absolute facts and accurate answers to all questions revolving the Massdrop x Noble X, please forward your enquiries towards the Massdrop or Noble team.

This is my first review since the platform change, so I do apologize if there are any mistakes or inconsistency in the formatting.

INTRODUCTION
A few months ago, I was fortunate enough for a piece of Noble Audio gear, their co-flagship the Noble Audio Katana, to grace my front door for a review. The Katana is clear, detailed, ultra-silky smooth and definitely rank among my favourites for use in my daily IEM rotation. However, as good as the Katana was and still is it’s not necessarily the most accessible Noble product to the masses as it may not be within the budget of most people. Even the Noble Trident, the lowest priced option within the classic Noble stable, might just be a touch off the mark with people’s budgets at $399.

Enter Massdrop (MD). MD is a company established back in 2012 that focuses on a business concept that runs on ‘community-driven commerce’. In a nutshell, MD gathers ideas from its end users to learn of the products of interest for the general public, then negotiates and organises bulk purchases for said products, thus allowing the users to usually obtain desired products at a group discount. In recent times, people like Will Bright and Christian Tanimoto from their Custom Products section has worked tirelessly to discuss and develop uniquely MD products with several major companies. These products include the Massdrop x Fostex TH-X00 series, the Massdrop x Grace Design M9XX and most recently the Massdrop x Sennheiser HD6XX. Late last year, MD, in collaboration with Noble Audio, released the Massdrop x Noble X (X).

With the X project, MD was aiming at creating their first unique foray into the UNIVERSAL IEM market, and wanted that extra touch of magic from a company that is led by an aptly named Wizard. I had previously reached out to Christian about a potential review project for the X during its first drop but as there were a lack of samples available at the time; we had to put it on hold. As the second drop approached, a sample was finally available and I was approached by Christian (thanks for remembering about me) who wanted to know if I was still interested in doing a review. You bet I am. Days later, with the help of Christian, the sample was expedited and sent to my grateful hands.

So will the X manage to cast its spell on the masses and keep them tapping on their feet?

INFO + SPECIFICATIONS
In contrast to the modus operandi of Noble Audio, more details of the driver configuration and specifications of the X are actually available on MD’s website. The X has 2 proprietary balanced armature drivers on each side, supplied by Knowles Electronics, and has a frequency response between 15 Hz to 20 kHz with its impedance rated at 30 ohms. The drivers are separated into two bands, one for the bass while the other is for both the mids and treble. According to MD, the bass driver has a reconfigured vented port which would allow for increased extension for the overall bass response along with a slight lift in quantity. The sensitivity rating was not revealed but from my experience drivability is not an issue as I could easily from my Samsung Galaxy S7 to listening levels that are louder than what I normally listen to.

The X has an MSRP of $499.99, but is available at a price of $249.99 through MD, the cheapest unit made by Noble Audio by far. It is crazy to believe that Noble is able to offer the X at such a price, especially considering the Sage, and previously the Savant, are sold at $599 although all 3 are pieces from Noble that utilises two driver designs. However, as explained on the forums, MD commissioned the build of the X, and had made a large volume purchase of the units that propel Noble into offering a substantial discount, thus enabling MD to offer the X at wholesale prices. The price to me is a huge up and would allow for a wider audience in the public to be more willing to invest in a Noble piece, knowing that there are no compromises made to the performance of the unit, just the packaging around it.

As the X is available exclusively through MD, do not expect it to appear on Noble’s product page. It will only be available for purchase using MD’s drop system, more of which you can learn here. When I started my writing, the details of the next drop has not been revealed to the public but the initial drop had 2000 units available for all MD members worldwide, with each member being limited to 3 units. The second drop, as I was told, was going to feature about 500 units (this was later confirmed on drop day to be 510 units, with 175 Lightning Cables available), with the same limitations per purchase. I think this would help allow more members to have a chance at purchasing a piece, but at the same time thwart potential resellers from bulk purchases to resell the X for a higher price, something I believe MD will have definitely taken into deep consideration.

This is a huge disadvantage to the availability of the X, as one can only obtain the unit if the drop is ongoing. Furthermore, since this is basically a bulk order, and the order has to be processed by MD before distribution to its customers, the shipping date is usually a few months after the drop ended, which means you will not receive your unit immediately but only after a wait period. This is unlike the rest of the Noble Classic Universal Line, in which it will be shipped immediately by Noble once the order details are processed, provided stock of said unit is available, but people who has gone through the process of obtaining Noble’s custom might have a similar experience. Safe to say, a little patience is needed if you are to order the X. The preceding comments were made before the second drop, and since the unit has been confirmed to ship a few days after the end of the drop, the comments as of such are no longer valid. The X is still only available through drops, which I feel is a huge disadvantage, but at least your patience won’t be tested that seriously anymore.

ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS

One thing that I do have to continuously clarify is that the unit is a sample and the contents of my package may slightly differ from what you would receive as an end product.

The Massdrop x Noble X does not come shipped with a Pelican case sleeved in a Noble logo emblazoned cardboard sleeve used for all the other Noble units. Instead it comes in a form of an aluminium can, with the insides filled with a small card listing the specifications of the unit and a plastic round case, similar to the round case that comes as an additional option that could be found in the Noble Audio online shop. I personally don’t find that as an issue as I usually carry my other IEMs in a smaller case, such as my Katana that is stored in the Noble round case, unless the extra protection offered by a Pelican case is needed. This, to me, is definitely a cost reducing measure that I feel is completely justified, as the round case would probably serve to be enough protection for most day to day used cases, such as storing it in a backpack.

Within the round case, I found the X inside, already equipped with a pair of M sized single flanged silicone ear tips. This is probably where my sample differs from the final product, in which my sample does not come with the array of tips an end consumer would receive. The actual product would come with 2 pairs of single-flange silicone ear tips, 2 pairs of Noble foam ear tips, both in M or L sizes, an a pair of M sized double-flange silicone ear tips in a plastic pack, rather than the usual metal plate. It comes also with a cleaning tool, which is highly welcomed. Speaking as a consumer, I would appreciate it if the X came with at least an extra set of S sized silicone and foam ear tips, so that it would be easier for more people to find their right fit.


The X, like the rest of Noble’s products, is designed to use a detachable cabling system in the 2-pin configuration. The supplied cable is configured with a gold-plated, 1/8 inch (3.5mm) plug. Additionally, from what I could gather, uses the same wiring material as the Noble stock cable but utilizes cable guides wrapped with heat-shrink tubing instead of memory wire. I have found no issues with regular memory wire as a spectacles user but some end users had always found discomfort with memory wire based headphone cables. For me, the cable supplied with the X is fairly comfortable but there are certain moments that I would have like to have memory wire as I prefer to be able to adjust the wire around my ear. To my experience, no cable microphonics was experienced while using the X, whether it’s sitting at a desk or walking about.

When purchasing the X, one could also opt to add on a Noble Lightning cable for an additional $40, which would allow the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus users to use the X, due to their lack of a 3.5mm input jack. The Lightning cable was offered by Christian to me for evaluation, but since I do not use any other iProduct except my trusty iPod Classic, I would have found it redundant and hence I declined. Both the supplied cable and the additional Lightning cable are 50 inches in length or for the metric people (like me), 127cm in length.

In the near future, an option may become available for X users to swap out for their stock X design and have it reshelled as a Wizard Universal. This option, currently priced at $200, will be available directly through Noble, with its details available to be found on this particular post by the Wizard himself. For more information in regards to the reshell option, stay tune to the Massdrop x Noble X thread on Head-Fi.

BUILD QUALITY

The X has faceplates made with CNC aluminium, similar to the rest of Noble’s universal line. However, the design of the plates itself is like none other, with what is known as a ‘basket-weave’ like texture around it. The faceplates are in midnight blue, the same colour (or similar) they use with the HD6XX. From far, it might look black, akin to the black used for its ABS plastic shell, but closer inspection will reveal a shade of blue that I personally found a liking to. Both the aluminium faceplate and ABS shell paired together allowed for a solid feel, and since it uses the same housing as those found on the other universals, I am sure it has sturdy enough build quality to go through everyday use without a hitch, as long as its afforded proper care.

As I have personally not own a piece of Wizard Universal, I am unsure if the new option would lead to a product with better build quality. Regardless, as it is being built by Noble, I am not concerned that the final product would be in any way worse than the original product.

A lot of buzz was initially made when MD, by its own accord and without the direct approval from Noble, made a statement declaring that the X, from top to toe was a Made in America product. This statement has since been pulled back, with the origin of most of its parts and manufacturing processes being clarified. It is as follows:

• Drivers sourced from a US company
• Socket, ABS housing, and aluminium CNC housing manufactured in the US
• Cable, tubing, solder, and wiring manufactured in Taiwan
• Partial assembly overseas; final assembly and QA in the US

SOUND QUAITY
Evaluation Process
Similar to the review procedure that I previously used for my other reviews, the X was burned in for at least 200 hours before more critical evaluations were made. This allows to for a basis that keeps the X on a fair playing field with my other pieces. In addition to my usual gear, I also extended my source gear to my mobile to get a feel for end users who are not currently interested in investing in a dedicated music player. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review of the X:

· Chord Mojo

· iBasso DX90

· Questyle QP1R

· Calyx M player

· Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge


Initial Impressions
The first time I listened to the X is with this sample that was sent to me. MD claims that the X was designed with the sound inspired by the Noble Savanna, Savant, and Django, where the X will have impeccable clarity but also remain fun, punchy, musical, and engaging, with a solid bass presence.

The instant I plug in the X into my DX90 + Mojo stack and listen, I knew MD and Noble has a winner on their hands. It is perhaps treading on the line between warm and dark for me. It is clearly not on the level of my Katana, but I did not expect it to be, especially putting their respective prices into consideration.

Its bass is definitely the star, with the elevated bass response lending for a superb experience to dance and techno tracks through the unit. I found the mids to be appropriately positioned, and retained the smooth sound that Noble is known for. The treble was left to be desired though, but I gave the X the benefit of the doubt as it was not fully burned in yet.

Sound Signature
First and foremost, it is important to note that no form of tip rolling was involved during my reviewing process. I fully understand and respect the idea of tip rolling would tweak the sound of the X, but I would have probably chose the single flanged silicone ear tips anyways, solely for comfort reasons. I do not prefer foam tips for most of my IEMs. But to provide some context, the Noble X has been said to sound thicker and darker with the foam tips.

During the initial stages of the burn in, I found myself swaying between two general sound signature definitions for the X. Is it warm? Or is it dark? Listening to a host of genres of music certainly didn’t help, as it continually shifted my opinion from one side to the other. But finally, after longer periods of listening upon finishing the previously fixed burn in time, I can conclude that the X is a warm sounding IEM. Yes, the elevated lows have made it sound slightly bassy, hence dark at times, but the midrange definitely pulled the line towards the warmer side of things. One thing for sure, it is not the subjectively ‘balanced’ sound of the Savant, nor does it share the same level of transparency of the Savanna or the same level of musicality of the Django, but it does take pieces and parts of the sound from those 3 units to create its own unique identity.

If you are looking for a well- controlled, but emphasised lower end response, then the X is definitely the IEM for you. For me, it is only second to the Dulce Bass in terms of bass quantity when compared to the entire spectrum. The bass come across full and rich, but words like boomy never crossed my mind. The sub-bass coming from the earpiece punch through the air with a precision and slam that is timed to near perfection, and when paired with superb bass extension, especially for the price, it lends for a wonderful experience when listening to my tracks that require great performance in the sub-bass to bring itself to life. This region is also the region that I found most detailed for the X, to ensure that you literally never miss a beat. People who appreciate bass both in superb quality and additional quantity would fall in love with the piece upon first listen, and a self-declared treble head like me still found it to have a bass presentation that brings out the best from my dance and techno related tracks.

The mids on the X is the region in which the sound is closest to neutral, with the overall mids being pushed just a touch forward. The mids, similar to the lower region, is rich yet it retains the familiar smoothness found on most if not all Noble products. It sometimes comes across as breathy to me, where upper mids response in an airy and organic manner, especially on instruments such as the trumpet and the saxophones. This make it more of a do-it-all in genres featuring mids as the focus, as it excels at creating a realistic voicing for the vocals and instruments found in jazz, but also performs excellently with old school pop due to its forward mids. In fact, the forward mids when paired with its well-mannered but lifted bass make it a highly qualified candidate for use as a main IEM if most of your listening revolves around mainstream pop and rock genres. Sibilance was minimal if any, which naturally let the smoothness to come through even more, thus allowing for some near fatigueless listening.

If I were to pick out what I regard as the biggest fault on the piece, it would be the treble presentation. It has probably the least treble energy within the Noble line. There seems to be a slight roll off at the top end that made the overall sound just a little veiled or muffled for me. This may have helped in rounding up the overall sonic signature of the piece, where a more tamed or even lowered treble would allow for a less U-shaped but a warmer sound from the X. It perhaps reminded me most of the old K10. The sound signature and the sound quality are absolutely different from one another, with the K10 miles ahead in terms of raw performance. Regardless, both suffered from the same issue, at least with a self-pronounced treble lover like me, that the more laid back presentation of both pieces did not fit my personal taste. Don’t get me wrong, the treble is still decent, and would probably be detailed and cleared enough for most people, just not for me.

So, transparent it is not. It is definitely musical though. The cohesion found between the two drivers, as expected from a Noble design, along with a sense of speed and timing that I found wonderfully natural, will surely keep most people on their two feet while listening to their tunes. It doesn’t have the deepest or the widest soundstage when compared to its competitors that are around the same price range, but it is good enough to ensure that the illusionary space between your ears, or the head stage if you will, for your music does not feel constricted or jammed. The imaging is perhaps no on par with best, but I feel that it might have been limited by its soundstage performance. I could still pick out the placement of each instrument and voice being played out, especially on live tracks, just not as accurately or easily as I would hope for.

An important thing that I want to point out is that the X does not need a great sounding player or desktop setup to sound good. Yes, it does scale, perhaps not to the same extent as the Katana or the K10 Encore, but I was already fairly impressed by the sound and the fact I was able to draw out most of its performance when listening to it directly through my mobile. Therefore, do not fear that you would need to invest in one of those fancy DAPs just to get the X to perform well.

COMPARISONS
For the comparisons below, I compared the X to my Earwerkz Supra-2 and my Echobox Audio Finder X1. In addition, I also made comparisons (to the best of my ability) with the Noble Audio Savant and the Noble Audio Sage, since most would be interested in this particular comparison as they all share a common point in which they are all two driver designs from Noble.

Noble Audio Savant + Noble Audio Sage
Before I start, let me clarify that as of writing, I do not own either of these two units, nor have I extensively listen to both of them, so please take my comments with a grain of salt. I have listened to both, spending more accumulative time with the Savant than the Sage, and am trying to pull out my sound memories to try my best to compare the 3. Do remember the Sage, and previously the Savant, are sold only through Noble and their dealers at a price of $599.

The X has the heaviest touch on the bass among the 3, followed by the Sage then the Savant. All 3 have similar if not the same bass performance but only differ from one another in terms of sheer bass quantity, with the Sage slightly better for me. The mids are a wash for me. I recall that the Sage might have the sweetest mids among the 3 but it is perhaps due to its overall tonal balance, which for the Sage is probably the one I would rank as the one closest to the ‘ideal’ warm line. The Savant would have the best treble among the 3, possibly again due to overall tonal balance, as the Savant has been often described as bright but I have found it to be the most ‘balanced’ among the 3. Soundstage and imaging is practically similar, maybe just a slight edge to the Sage based on memory. Musicality and engagement would favour the X or the Sage, at least for me. A choice between the 3 in terms of overall performance would be hard to make as I found all 3 to be almost similar. Just based on sound preference, I would probably prefer the Sage or the Savant over the X but considering potential budget requirements the X is absolutely the best choice in terms of performance to cost ratio.

It is important to remember however that the sound differences, if any, are slight but noticeable. The Sage and the Savant use different drivers, as Noble’s proprietary driver was introduced into the Sage, and I suspect the X uses the same drivers as the Sage but has a different tuning. So, to summarise, my opinion about the 3 are:

Bass Quantity : X > Sage > Savant

Bass Quality : Sage > X ≈ Savant

Treble Quantity : X < Sage < Savant

Treble Quality : X < Sage < Savant

Mids Quality : X ≈ Sage ≈ Savant

Soundstage : X ≈ Sage ≈ Savant

Imaging : X ≈ Sage ≈ Savant

Musicality : X ≈ Sage > Savant


Earwerkz Supra -2
The Supra was the sole survivor of the massive overhaul of the product line-up when Earwerkz became Empire Ears some time ago. It was first sold (I believe, not sure if it was sold before this) as a Kickstarter project from Earwerkz, with prices ranging between $229 as an early bird backer and the final tier pricing of $299. You could argue that post Kickstarter, and under the current Empire Ears brand, the Supra-2 is actually a $429 unit, but do remember that the X has a MSRP of $499.99, and only available at its current price due to a bulk purchase discount. Hence, the price ranges are fairly similar for the two.

Considering only sonic performance, the two units have very different overall sound signatures. The X is a warm sounding unit bordering on dark while the Supra has a more mid-forward sound. The Supra to me is the more balanced of the two, although some people claim that it might be a little too bright for them. Bassheads will prefer the X from the two, as I felt the bass on the X had better punchiness and has more quantity to it, though I felt both had similarly detailed bass. The bass region is lifted on the X side while the Supra has bass that is closer to neutral between the two.

Mids play a central role in the Supra sound, and I felt that it delivered more detailed and euphonic sound than the X. It is less smooth than the X, possibly due to its more forward or aggressive (relatively) nature. When the top end was compared, I found the Supra to have a treble that is a touch north of neutral while the X is relatively subdued. The difference in treble quantity led to a reduction on what I would think is ‘perceived detail’, which tilt my preference towards how the treble is presented on the Supra. The soundstage is wider on the Supra but not deeper, and the imaging is a wash for me.

Overall, I prefer the sound of the Supra, but that’s solely because it fits my taste better than the X. In terms of overall performance, I think the two are on par with each other, and there is no right or wrong decision when choosing between the two. So it’s a case of which one is more fitting towards your taste of IEM sound.


Echobox Audio Finder X1
Comparing the prices of the X and the X1 is near impossible, as the X1 has been offered in so many different prices that it’s hard to pin it down. It was initially sold as part of their crowd funding campaign on Indiegogo for prices as low as $79, and was then sold on their website for about $199, but don’t quote me on that. Currently, with the impending release of the Nomad N1, Echobox’s latest flagship IEM, it is currently sold at a price of $159 (as of the release of this review), so that would be the best benchmark for our comparison.

Before the comparisons, I would like to point out a few things. First of all, the cable configuration on the X1 allows for a person to wear it straight down whereas the X will only be practical when worn over the ear, but both were worn over the ear during comparisons. Secondly, the X1 applies a filter system that lets the user tweak and tinker its overall sound signature, so for this comparison, only the ‘reference’ filter was used. The cables on the X1 are non-detachable, so to make it a more even fight the X had to stick to its stock cable for a stock versus stock comparison. Both units were equipped with single flanged silicone tips that come with the product when compared. Finally, the X1 uses a dynamic driver design while the X uses a design based on balanced armature drivers, so there would be inherent differences in presentation.

With the reference filter, the X1 takes on a sound that is overall U-shaped, bordering on becoming V-shaped. The bass on the X has significantly deeper impact, better extension, and more detailed, at least to me. When the two units are compared, the X1 seems to have a hard time keeping up with the bass, making the timing and attack of the notes from the lower region sound less fluid. This is more of a case of high praise for the X and is not a shoot against the X1, as when listening to the X1 as a standalone, I found the X1 to perform well at the bass department.

The mids on the X1 are recessed, and surely less smooth than the one I found on the X. It is more sibilant, and thus I found it less enjoyable. The treble of the X1 felt strident and sharp, but only when I compared it to the X. The soundstage felt wider on the X, but have similar depth between the two, though in terms of imaging the X is leagues ahead for me.

Between the two, I would choose the X more often than not. The price difference is not insignificant, but I felt the higher price for the X is well justified, and without budget constrictions it would be my preferred choice. But if durability and longevity is a must, then the X1 may be your cup of tea as the whole unit is built like a tank, capped off with a well-rounded performance.

CONCLUSION
As I was applying my last touches to this review, I checked the orders on the current drop and almost 400 of the 510 units within the first few days of the drop, with about the unit still available for order (provided it doesn’t run out) for another 11 days. That is just testament to how well received the X has been, that even the second drop is already about 80% sold out even at its early stages.

I am fairly certain that those who have recently pre-ordered, like those who had ordered in the first drop, will be pleased with what they will receive. The warm sound signature of the X will be to the liking of many people who are after all-rounding performers, especially those who are attempting their first step into a deeper part of this hobby. The X comes with a robust build, paired with the ability to deliver great sound even from your mobile, and packed with all the necessary accessories. This will rank up as one of the top recommendations from me for a person who wants to invest in a suitably priced, great performing contender.

It does not come flawless, but nothing ever has. The treble on this piece left something to be desired, and the soundstage and imaging, albeit decent, may not wow and impress everybody who listens to it. But the biggest problem I have, and probably the one issue that will plague everyone else’s mind when they’re deciding on the X, is availability. Based on the MD drop system, the X is basically available in seasons, and it’s hard for a consumer to predict when the next drop will happen, if any. I would hope that MD will increase its availability through methods that can be agreed by both MD and Noble. Maybe, just maybe, MD could purchase a bigger bulk order, keep stock of the X and with Noble’s blessing, sell them individually throughout the entire year. The X is simply too good in terms of value for money for it to be have an availability that is not definitive.

It is products such as these that remind me, as a reviewer, I can have my own bias and preferences when it comes to sonic taste, but I should never ever allow those things to cloud my judgement of a product. The X may not play directly into my preferred taste, but it is still a great sounding unit in its own right. So, if you have a fondness for modern pop and rock and wish to elevate your experience, or if you simply prefer a warmer sound from your gear, rank the X high above your wanted list. Better yet, log in or sign up at MD right now and join the second drop while you still can because if you don’t act now, you’re going to be miss out on a wonderful opportunity.



And you’ll not know when your next chance will appear again.

DISCLAIMER
This is a duo review written by Eu Jin Ong (@ejong7) and Andre Moore (@shiorisekine). The main body of the review are general comments on the product that are agreed upon by both sides. Personal opinions on the product by each reviewer are stated in separate dialogues, indicated either by EJ (Eu Jin) or AM (Andre Moore). For this review, EJ will be reviewing the IEM in its custom format, while AM will be reviewing the IEM in its universal format.
 
EJ:          The Katana unit was provided by Noble Audio free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Brannan, Sunny and the rest of the Noble Audio team who helped me arrange and deliver the unit from start to finish, including the ear impressions needed. Special thanks to Gisele from Aid2Hearing who made my ear impressions.
 
AM:        The Katana unit was provided by Noble Audio free of charge in exchange for an honest review. I would like to thank Brannan who helped arrange the unit for me and had it quickly shipped out.
 
INTRODUCTION
Since their introduction in October 2013, Noble Audio, led by Dr.John Moulton (@FullCircle on Head-Fi, also known as the Wizard) and Brannan Mason (@bangkokkid), has made a strong statement on the custom in-ear monitor (CIEM) market, previously dominated by companies of audio legend such as Ultimate Ears and Westone. With each addition to its well respected line-up, one which underwent a complete refresh in March 2016, that excels in both the aesthetics and performance, they continue to make their mark in the industry, and have since etch their name as one of the few names that first come to mind when people speak of IEMs.
 
Within their stable of IEMs, the one that is most well-known is perhaps the Kaiser 10 (K10), which has also been recently updated to the new K10 Encore (K10E). Intended to be a highly musical piece paired with unrivalled smoothness, it won over many fans, as proven by its 28 5-star reviews on Head-Fi at the time of submission. However, many fans of the Wizard’s work had called for a piece from Noble that was more reference in tuning, yet able to share if not surpasses the K10’s status as the flagship from Noble. After almost 3 years, the team from Noble finally answered those calls, releasing the Katana.
 
With its name inspired by the Japanese katana, famously used by samurais of ancient and feudal Japan, as a way of paying homage to the Japanese IEM market which serves as a major part of Noble’s business, the Katana is Noble’s answer in an industry where every other company is aiming at releasing its own reference piece. So will the Katana come and be the knife at a gun fight? Or will it slash away all of its foes and reign supreme? Read on to find out.
 
INFO & SPECIFICATIONS
The Katana represent a first in the Noble line-up, where it’s the first 9 driver model coming from the company, 1 less than the K10. Make no mistake though; there are no pulling punches for the Katana from Noble, as they have decided to up the ante by making it the first piece from their company to use their brand new proprietary balanced armature drivers, supplied by Knowles, and name it as a co-flagship alongside the K10. It uses the updated Noble universal form factor and geometry in the form of aluminium housings that were precisely machined, but is not the same exact housing that are used in the other models. In fact, the universal housing is actually specifically made for Katana to be pillow friendly, an attribute held so important in the design consideration that the driver count was also taken into account, as explained by the Wizard himself (credits to the source of the Youtube video we linked).
 
Not much else could be covered here as Noble, as they traditionally do, did not release other specifications revolving the piece, perhaps to protect the intellectual property they own revolving the product itself. Therefore, the official numbers in regards to the Katana’s design specifications, such as its impedance rating, crossover structure and frequency range are not available to the public.
 
EJ:          As my Katanas are custom, they would fit differently than the universal one. I personally wouldn’t find my unit to be pillow friendly, but I think it’s due to the shape of my ears as my CIEMs tend to lean towards a larger size. So, your mileage may vary, at least for customs.
 
 
Since the specifications weren’t given, I would comment about them based on my own experience. I found the isolation from the unit to be similar with my Empire Ears Zeus-R and my Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR), so I estimate it to be capable of isolating up to -26db of surrounding noise, give or take. It slots in between the Zeus-R and the UERR in terms of input sensitivity, as I found it easier to drive than my UERR but harder to drive than my Zeus-R. But fret not, as I was capable of driving it to my usual listening levels through my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge easily.
 
AM:        The fit on the Universal Katana is above the rest of the universal IEMs that I have tried. This is perhaps due to the smooth edges of its body; hence it doesn't really poke my ear. For my case, I can use them while lying down as long as I am lying on my back. It is however not applicable for me when I am lying down sideways as I find them to protrude a little, just enough for it to be not as comfortable for me because it presses the IEM awkwardly onto my ear on the side I am lying on.
 
The isolation, while not to the standard of my custom fit UERR, was still very good especially for a universal. If the UERR had an isolation of -26dbs, I would estimate the isolation I experienced from the Universal Katana to be about -18dbs.  I had no issues driving the Katana, which was much easier to drive than my UERRs, even on my iPhone.
 
The Katana, in either universal or custom format, starts at $1850, a price it shares with the co-flagship, the K10E. Do keep in mind that, for a custom format, that would mean a barebones IEM design at its base price. If you wish to pursue a design that is made specifically for you by the Wizard himself, or get one that is similar to his past designs, additional fees will be charged. The Katana, along with the K10E, are only available in acrylic, and not silicone for the usual custom format. It is also available in the Prestige format, which is custom formatted pieces but made with more exotic materials such as speciality woods and even honeycombs, starting at $2850.
 
EJ:          The Katana does not come cheap, and probably will be out of reach for many at the price, yet this particular price range seems to be norm for flagship IEMs right now. I had hope that Noble would have kept the SLA option for pieces like the Katana, to drive the price lower for people who were after the performance at the cost of its aesthetics, but that option seems like it has been phased out by Noble. I can’t blame Noble for setting up the price to be that high as there is a need to cover its manufacturing cost, especially since they used their own proprietary drivers that probably drive the cost up, but felt it’s a shame that less people would be able to own a piece because of the price.
 
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS

 

 

 

 

EJ:          The delivery box from Noble that I received, which includes a Pelican 1010 case, sheathed with a sleeve emblazoned with the Noble logo, which houses my IEMs and some other goodies inside.
 

 

 

 

 

 

AM:        This was the delivery box that I received from Noble. It has the same content as the one sent out with the customs and an additional metal plate that houses an assortment of tips.
 
The Katana arrives in medium to large sized box, sealed around with Noble logo emblazoned tape, which was well padded inside to protect your product. Inside, you will find a Pelican 1010 case, sheathed with a Noble sleeve made with cardboard, which houses your IEMs. Within the Pelican case, you can find the IEM pouch that contains your IEMs and a couple of Noble amp bands.
 
AM:        For the universal, I received multiple sets of tips inside, including silicone and foam options. Each came in 3 sizes and held on a metal plate, so everyone should have little to no difficulty finding a pair of tips that fit them.


 

 

EJ:          The extra container on the side was packed with a Noble round case, which is not part of the order package and is only available as a separate purchase.
 

EJ:          The Pelican case contains a card that has my contact details, some Noble amp bands and the IEM pouch which has my Katana.
 
EJ:          As I personally prefer to carry my IEMs around in a smaller case, I asked for Brannan to send me a Noble round case along with my IEMs. The round case came in a padded container strapped to my order box, and is made of plastic. It is pretty small in size, smaller than the ones I found provided by Ultimate Ears or JH Audio, which makes it extremely portable. However, with its smaller size, people with bigger IEMs, especially CIEMs made for large ears might struggle with it a little, as I found myself barely able to fit my own piece. I don’t think you would have any issues if you were to use it with universal units, but do keep in mind that it’ll most probably not fit your IEMs with custom cables. It is sturdy enough to make myself be comfortable with putting it into my backpack, but do not expect it to be void of scratches or continue to be pristine in nature after a couple uses. All and all it is a nice case, but perhaps it should be slightly bigger to allow people to fit their custom cables, while maintaining its portability factor over the Pelican case.
 
Within the Pelican case for my custom unit, there is a card that details my name, phone number and email, which is a nice touch and could potentially get your unit back to you if you lost it and it was found by a kind soul. The details, except my name, are removed for obvious reasons.
 
The Katana uses the standard 2-pin connector that is used by brands such as Vision Ears and Empire Ears, with the unit coming in the standard Noble cable. The cable is about 50’’ long, and the y-splitter has a Noble logo on it. Generally, custom cables made with the 2-pin connector should fit with your Katana, unless if it was design for use with UE pieces.
 
EJ:          I personally would have love for the Katana to come with a nice cable made from a reputable cable company, but I completely understand the choice at helps lower the cost for the consumers. If you believe in cable magic and wish to upgrade the stock cable, you could venture on another odyssey of its own or you could stick with the supplied cable and you would still be able to obtain the sonic experience that Noble intended on.
 
BUILD QUALITY
As the review units received by the both of us are in different formats, please refer to individual comments about the exact format that you wish to get more info about, or read both. The comments do not reflect the opinion of the other reviewer on the same format, i.e. EJ’s comments about the custom format may not be shared by AM, and vice versa.
 
Custom

EJ:          The ear impressions that were made by Gisele from Aid2Hearing for my Katana review unit.
 
EJ:          Brannan was kind enough to offer me the choice between a universal format and a custom format review unit of the Katana. Upon knowing that my preference was for a custom Katana, he quickly arranged a session for me with Gisele from Aid2Hearing to obtain my ear impressions.


 

 

EJ:          Beautiful photos that were first sent to me before my IEMs were shipped out. The photos were taken (I presume) from the Noble studio.
 


 


EJ:          My own photos to show the finish on the actual IEM piece. To me, it looks even better in real life than in the studio photos.
 
EJ:          As mentioned above, my ear impressions were taken and sent to Noble’s office in Santa Barbara, California as inspections for the impressions made are conducted there prior to being sent to their lab facilities in China. Upon receipt of the impressions at their labs, it takes about 30-40 business days, or 6-8 weeks to complete your IEMs. I found the timeline given to be accurate, as I got my piece roughly 2 months after my impressions reached their labs. I have no experience about the rush option from Noble, so I would refrain from commenting about that, but they estimate that it would take approximately 6-8 days upon receipt to complete the piece. This timeline is probably longer than most other companies, as the common build time is around a month, or perhaps shorter than that, which could potentially pose a problem for new Noble customers who would’ve hope for an earlier delivery date. A bit of patience is certainly needed if you were to be interested to have a piece crafted for you by Noble.
 
Regardless, I found the end result to be particularly spectacular. First, let’s talk about the fit. The fit, albeit not as seamless as the one I found with my UERR, I found it to be very comfortable. So comfortable, I wore it to sleep with no issues during a ride back to my hometown that took a few hours. Do bear in mind that my impressions were done in the ‘open mouth’ position, accomplished by using a bite block, as per recommended by Noble on their website. Having no idea prior to its completion on how it would look like, I was totally amazed by the finish of the entire piece, with its carbon composite faceplate that changes its tint depending on the lighting of the environment paired beautiful with a bubble-less shell that has a colour that is pretty hard to describe. From the studio photos taken by Noble, it looks like a glossy black finish. However, upon inspection by my own eyes at natural lighting, it has hues or hints of dark purple inside. It is not clear, so I wasn’t able to check out the internals but at certain angles and light intensity the insides could be vaguely visible.
 
This brings me to the faceplate and shell options from Noble, where all I could say is that there are endless possibilities. I was given the privilege to have a piece done in the ‘Wizard Design’, in which you could give direction to the Wizard himself who would conjure up his own imagination and interpretation of the story you would like to tell from your IEM finish. You could also opt for the ‘Wizard Reprint’, in which an approximation of finish that was previously done by the Wizard could be obtained, however it would not be reproduced to the exact finish. Do note the products of both options are final, but you could potentially discuss it with the Noble team if the finish does not meet your expectations. You could also opt to design your own look for your IEMs, where you could pick from many options ranging from aluminium to exotic woods as your faceplates, and select from a limited selection of colours for your shell. Don’t forget that there is also the Prestige version of the Katana, which would considerably drive up the price of your IEMs, but would open up more options for your finish.
 
For those who would like to know the direction I gave for my unit, I asked for a piece that would have a stealthy look but not over the top. I wanted it to be classy and elegant, but do not want glitter or the colour yellow to be on it. You be the judge if the piece fulfilled my vision. One thing for sure though, it’s not yellow.
 
Universal

 

 

 

 
AM:        Photos of the Katana Universal as obtained from the Noble Audio website.

 


AM:        My own photos to of the Katana Universal. These photos pales in comparison to the ones taken by Noble, but I can attest that the actual unit looks similar if not even better than the one from the Noble pictures.
 
AM:        For the Universal Katana, it was once backlogged for a few weeks due to the initial demand when it was first released, but now should ship out within 24 hours of your order provided that Noble has them in stock.
 
As mentioned in a previous section, the Universal Katana is made of specifically machined aluminium, but what differentiates it from the rest of the line is not only its size but also its texture. The Katana has a body that it’s textured similarly to the diamond shaped hand wrap design of the actual Katana blades. However, it does not affect the comfort while wearing the IEMs at all. In fact, I found the fit on the Katana, and even the rest of the Noble line, to be the best in terms of universals, and don’t feel that they cause any ear fatigue on my side. I am usually able to wear my Katana for at least 2 or 3 hours before they start to slightly weigh down on me due to my sensitive left ear canal, but that is already an amazing period of time to begin with.
 
 
SOUND QUALITY
Evaluation Process
EJ:          Continuing the review procedure that I have previously used, the Katana was burned in for about 200 hours before critically listening sessions were made. This will keep it in line with the other pieces that I have previously reviewed. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review of the Katana:

1. Chord Mojo
2. iBasso DX90
3. Questyle QP1R
4. Calyx M player

 
 
AM:          I did my listening sessions with FLAC/ALAC as well as Tidal for certain albums.  I listened to a wide variety of genres including the genre that that was skipped by EJ which was metal. The gear involved in the test was:

1. iPhone 6S Plus
2. Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon 2.0

 
Initial Impressions
EJ:          I first heard the Katana, in its universal format, at CanJam London 2016. I had previously listened to the K10 at several different occasions, and although I thought it was a nice piece of gear, I always knew that it was not for me. Not that it was has any deficiency in technical capabilities, it was the warm, laid-back nature of the sound that made me conclude that it probably wouldn’t suit my tastes.
 
Upon first listen, I could immediately tell that it has succeeded in its aim of producing a more ‘reference’ sound. It was more detailed, more treble heavy than the K10 (to me), but still retain the smoothness that Noble is famous for across its IEMs. Its mids, although not as euphonic as the one I found from my pair of Zeus-R, has enough lushness for me to bring the best of my vocal heavy music. The bass was more controlled than the K10, but felt like it didn’t lose its impact, as it maintains its presence in the face of my bassier tracks, yet disappears when a less bassy track is played.
 
I am pleased to find that the performance on my custom piece is at least on par if not better than the universal one I heard previously. The bass impact is tighter than before, which I attributed to better fit. I thought it was as revealing as the universal piece, and its smoothness was making me a fan.
 
AM:        My first time hearing the Katana was at the Noble event held in Playa Vista, CA a couple of weeks after its initial launch at the Tokyo headphone show. Going in I was excited to get a chance to hear the new Noble co-flagship, and I was not disappointed.
 
I made sure to listen and compare to the Noble K10 when I first got a chance to sit down and listen to the Katana. While I wasn’t too fond with the K10, the Katana proved to be everything that I have ever wanted from the Noble team. The sound is smooth, neutral with a little bump up on the treble but always able to stay musical.
 
Sound Signature
EJ:          The Katana blends in well with the current trend of IEMs achieving for a reference sound signature, in which it is tuned towards neutrality but has a slight bump at the treble. This is probably the first within the Noble family that I consider having more treble in the overall spectrum, something that I do not find even in the Noble Savanna and the now discontinued Noble Savant, two that were touted as the more balanced pieces within the family. To differentiate itself from the rest of the pack, the Katana offers what to me is the smoothest version of the reference sound signature, at least for the IEMs that I have tried. This completely complies with what I feel is the Noble house sound, in which regardless of the tuning in mind for a specific piece, it will always maintain a form of smoothness.
 
To my surprise, the bass on the Katana is perhaps the property that is closest to neutral for me within its overall audio spectrum. It is just a slight touch north of neutral, so slight that you’ll miss it if you didn’t focus on it. The sub bass I get from the piece has enough impact to keep my satisfied, but it’ll probably not be enough to please people who prefer a little more weight and punch, especially people who identify themselves as bass heads. The bass itself is full and rich that has this velvety like texture to it, which more evidently presents itself when you listen to tones from classical instruments that reside around this area of the spectrum, such as tubas and French horns. So this allow it to perform better with more acoustic or classical forms of bass, but less so with the electronic sort of bass that is currently popular though it still performs admirably for it. This is not to say that the extension of the lower end on the Katana is subpar as I found it to be very well extended and very detailed.
 
Smoothness reigns supreme in the Katana’s mids presentation. However, I wouldn’t say it’s completely flat in this category, as I found the mids to be just a touch laid back than flat, creating an image that the source of the midrange sound took just one step back, away from the microphone. Even with the slightly laid back tuning, I still found the mids to be heavily detailed yet never sibilant, and it does come out sounding pretty lush and natural though not on the level that I would call euphonic. So for tracks focusing heavily on vocals around the midrange area, it performs superbly for the more relaxing genre’s such as jazz, but slightly underperform when it comes to more aggressive genres like mainstream pop. This is not to say that it’s bad with vocal based pop, more of saying that it does those genres well, just that it performs better with old school vocal tracks. It also excels when dealing with musical instruments such as the acoustic guitar and the multitude of saxophones, where it comes out rich and full-bodied, making it very easy on the ear.
 
As referenced above, the treble is perhaps the most prominent in quantity, making the sound to be termed off as bright. Like its lower end, the treble on the piece is well extended and comes out very clean and clear. It sounds crisp, proven by the brilliant shimmering sound I get from the cymbals in my music, and with its amazing resolving ability the music from my piece is always highly detailed. Yet, even with the bright nature of the sound smacking you with details left and right, it still maintain its identity as a smooth criminal, effortlessly casting its musical magic. This is perhaps, no, definitely the smoothest treble I’ve experience from a reference type IEM that I have heard long term, and it even rivals my full size cans in that regard, so you can be sure to put terms like cold, analytical and piercing to the back of your mind. So maybe saying that the sound is smacking you with details is an incorrect statement, rather its served to you on a platter for you to receive at your leisure.
 
Even with an unusual, if not rare, driver configuration, the Noble team has succeeded in making it sound as a cohesive unit, a fast one in fact. The soundstage, conceivably one of the widest and deepest within the Noble stable, may not create the same sensation that would immediately impress someone, but was sufficient wide and deep enough to create a sense of airiness in the space, just not significantly better than most of its competitors. When I listen to the Katana, I always imagine that I’m listening in one of those old school bars with live music taped using black and white film, albeit a large one. It’s a slightly more constricted space when compared to a place like an open air stadium, but with its fantastic layering and separation qualities, it creates this sort of realism in my music that is not easy to find.
 
AM:        The Noble Katana is to me one of the most musically neutral sounding IEMs I have ever had a chance to hear. Like EJ, I felt that it was just a little north of neutral, which tells me that the universals should sound very similar to the customs, so kudos to Noble for getting that part nailed.
 
The bass on the Katana universals is simply phenomenal. To me, the bass is very well detailed, punchy enough and extends fairly deep yet doesn't really bleed into the mids. This makes the bass easily the smoothest I have heard on an IEM and something that I feel you can only really get from top of the line headphones. The sub bass on the Katana is probably the best out of everything I own; it even kicks my HE-500’s ass in this department, with a very deep and rich-creamy textured sound.
 
As EJ said above, the Katana is the king of smooth mids. However, the mids did not sound laid back at all for me, and I found it to be very present comparatively with the rest of the frequency spectrum. When I was listening to Metal, Rock or more vocal based music like Pop or Hip-Hop, the mids never feel repressed or further away from the rest of the music. Guitars on the Katana are so hypnotizing, even electric guitars sound silky smooth to me, never getting too harsh or distorted. I would also agree with EJ that, much like its low end, the mids are very full bodied and heavily detailed as well.
 
When I first listened to the Katana, I thought the highs were immaculate. I thought they were the best that I would ever get out of IEMs. While they remain my favourite IEMs for highs, I have to say although they aren’t perfect; I still love them through their imperfections. The highs on the Katana have a bit of an edge to them, and are probably the most detailed out of any IEM that  I have ever own or heard. However, I did have certain moments while listening to heavy metal felt the highs from the Katana had a bite to it, which I, weirdly enough, love but know that there would be people out there that wouldn’t like that. So while this might not be the smoothest treble I have heard, an honour I reserve for the UERR, the highs on the Katana are still my favourite from just about anything from the headphone world, be it IEMs or full size headphones.
 
If I had never been introduced to the UERR, I would have said the Noble Katana has the best details in an IEM I have ever heard. Regardless, the Katana is the most open sounding IEM I know and have some of the most expansive soundstage I have yet heard in personal audio. I do agree with EJ that the Katana provides a soundstage that creates a form of airiness around it, which gives me the same sense of realism I got from the UERR. The Katana also has a strong sense of instrument separation and layering, making the sound just that much more open.
 
Comparisons (EJ)

EJ:          The IEMs I used for the comparison part of this review, clockwise starting from top left: Noble Audio Katana (Custom), Empire Ear Zeus-R (Custom), JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) and the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR).
 
EJ:          I used my custom Empire Ears Zeus-R, custom UERR as well as my JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) for the comparisons.
 
Empire Ears Zeus-R

                              Empire Ears Zeus-R vs. Noble Audio Katana
 
EJ:          In terms of their sound signature direction, the Zeus-R and the Katana are both aimed at a similar one in which it approaches the ‘reference’ type of sound, but their approach towards it is individually unique. Whereas the Zeus-R is a reference monitor with an elevated midrange within its own spectrum, Katana conforms to a more common reference monitor sound with its boosted treble, something that the Zeus-R still have but is less pronounced due to its mids. I felt that the Katana has the edge (no pun intended) over the Zeus-R in terms of delivering a smoother sound but Zeus-R is the winner in terms of bringing the details from my music, especially on the treble. On the mids, the Zeus-R, with its more forward yet luscious mids takes the bag for me in terms of a more euphonic presentation. The Katana was just a tad laidback in the mids for my taste but is smoother and more rounded, which makes the vocals be presented in an effortless manner. As for the bass, the Zeus-R will have a little more punch and impact but the Katana has the better extension and detail, probably because it was easier for me to pick them apart with less but sufficient impact, which probably tilted me towards giving the Katana the nod in this department. I feel that it’s very hard to go wrong with either choice, and since the price is rather close (for the units I have), it comes down to music you listen to that you want presented under a reference tuning. I felt that with the Katana, its smoother sound lends a better experience when listening to more classical and instrumental music, while at the same time allow it to be the one that is less fatiguing between the two. With the Zeus-R, I felt that it is perhaps more suited for the current mainstream music with its extra rumble at the bottom end and its euphonic mids, and would be the one I go to if I would like to feel my music a little more. 
 
Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered

               Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR) vs. Noble Audio Katana
 
EJ:          When compared to the UERR, in my book a truly neutral monitor, it was made even more apparent to me that the Katana, while ‘reference’ sounding, is not completely neutral, rather it has a comparatively elevated treble presence. However, both share a smoothness that makes the sound easy on the ears, with the Katana at times being the smoother of the two. In both the treble and the bass, the Katana was more detailed and has better extension, with superior bass impact to boot. With the mids, the Katana was more resolving yet felt smoother at the same time. In fact, I felt that the Katana was overall the more resolving one, and has both the wider and deeper soundstage, but the UERR is better when the discussion is limited to purely instrument separation. For me, this fits well with the tuning in mind for both pieces, in which the Katana was tuned towards audiophiles that prefer a slight lift in the upper end while the UERR was tuned to be a mastering unit that is also capable of showing a musical presentation for consumers who are aiming for a sound that is neutral and revealing. However, something very important to consider is the price difference between the two units, with the Katana roughly doubles the price of the UERR, even before the alterations to the aesthetics of either unit is decided, which makes the UERR a major winner in the price to performance ratio bracket. In my opinion, the UERR is a highly worthy competitor, and I would definitely be satisfied to have it as my daily driver. Having said that, if the cost is not an issue, and since I do not work as a mastering or music engineer, I would lean towards getting a Katana to use as my daily driver because of its resolution and tuning that is more appealing towards my current taste.
 
JH Audio Roxanne (Generation 1)

               JH Audio Roxanne (Generation 1) vs. Noble Audio Katana
 
EJ:          For everyone’s reference, the bass port on my Roxanne’s are set to the minimum on both sides, which is my preferred setting for the piece. Both the Katana and the Roxannes are detailed, resolving pieces but the two does not share a similar tuning. The Katana is a more reference sounding piece while the Roxannes was tuned towards a warmer and perhaps more fun sound. With the bass, I found there was about roughly the same quantity, which says a lot about the bass coming from the Roxannes since the Katana I have are customs which would help with bass response. However, the Katana comes through with better detail and extension at the lower. In terms of the mids, both are tuned towards a smooth but resolving sound, with the Katana having the edge on both the smoothness and resolution. In comparison, the Roxannes just sound a tad bit veiled or muffled, which it does not in general. The Katana is also better at the upper end, being more crisp, more detailed and clearer than the one I found on the Roxannes. The Roxannes I found truly shine against the Katana when the soundstage and separation were compared. Even though the one I had was a universal, I found that the soundstage is just as wide and deep if not a step up from the Katana. I also felt that picking out the individual placing of instruments was pretty straightforward and on par with the Katana. For me, the Roxannes excel at presenting live music in a more realistic manner, and did well in genres that I feel pairs well with warmer sounding equipment such as rock. The Katana, being crisper with the treble and smoother on the mids, are more suitable for genres like pop, so choosing between the two really comes down to the music you favour. I shall not compare the pricing and the value of the performance of the two pieces as my Roxannes has since been obsolete and the price value is no longer valid.
 
Comparisons (AM)
AM:        The IEMs I used for my comparisons are my Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR) and my Ultimate Ears 18 Pro (18). One thing that I do have to note is that both my UE IEMs are customs, which allows them to have a better fit on my ears, thus sealing better than the Katana.
 
Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered
AM:        When comparing these two IEMs, the honour of which IEM I leave the house with comes down to preference and my mood. Both IEMs set out to do the same thing, in which it exerts a reference sound; however the UERR is more neutral reference sound while the Katana is more of a fun reference sound. The Katana has a sharper treble while the treble on the UERR is way more laid back.  As stated in a previous review, I would rather use the Katana for most of my listening sessions as I enjoy the treble of the Katana over the treble of the UERR plus the overall presentation of the Katana which pushes the detail through as I enjoy my music. The Katana does fall short to the UERRs when it comes to details and overall neutrality, probably due to the bump I felt in its treble and bass.
 
Ultimate Ear 18 Pro
AM:        To me, the UE18 and the Noble Katana are on two opposite sides of the audio spectrum. The UE18 is warmer in sound, and is not as detailed as the Katana. For my current taste, I felt that the Katana would definitely edge the 18 in terms of being more likely to be grabbed out of the house. As the Katana is cleaner and more detailed sounding than the 18s, this makes it more enjoyable for me.  I do think that bassheads would enjoy the 18s more than the Katana as the 18s have a much stronger low end comparatively.
 
CONCLUSION
EJ:          As more time is spent listening to the Katana, I begin to have a better understanding about the idea behind its name and how it relates to its tuning direction. Although the word ‘Katana’ does not necessarily keep in line with the general naming theme of the Noble IEMs, not like there was a real obvious trend going on in the first place, it definitely earns its name. Like the blade, the Noble Katana is built with impeccable craftsmanship and has the ability to cut through the veils of your music, producing a clean and clear finish. However, it does not ever sound ‘sharp’, where it has this buttery smoothness to its sound signature that is unmatched by the current crop of competitors, especially when compared to the reference sounding pieces. This smoothness, found across its entire sonic spectrum, paired with its amazing resolution ability, made it an IEM that is very easy to listen to but never fails to show case the details available from your music.
 
Ironically, like the blade in which it got its namesake, the Katana excels better in close combat, in which I feel that it performs better with music that was recorded or conveyed in a more intimate or enclosed space, but suffers slightly when the music calls for a wider and deeper soundstage, such as recordings from a live concert album played in a large stadium or arena. I would also had hoped that the mids was just brought slightly forward to make it sound a little more balanced, though how it would affect the smooth Noble house sound is beyond me. Lastly, since it’s a flagship product, it has a price tag that would probably be out of the budget for most, which would make it hard for people who appreciate the sound signature but do not have the resources necessary to fund it.
 
This is definitely my favourite Noble product so far, but I somehow feel that it is just the start of the new evolution for the company. As they have shown through the Katana, Noble constantly find new ways to up their game, and perhaps with their new proprietary drivers they could even bring their current line further up a notch. They have already started to improve some of their previous units with these drivers, including the K10 that was updated into the K10E and the Savant that was updated into the Sage. I wouldn’t be surprised if Noble had planned to update its entire line with these drivers in the near future. Until then, I shall patiently await the news while slashing away through my music with the Katana.
 
AM:        The Noble Katana has become my go to IEM to take out and about with. It isolates well enough that I can use it on the bus and not have any problems with outside noise. It is also a detailed and fun sounding IEM.
 
Does it live up to its billing as a co-flagship alongside the K10 when it was first announced? Yes, yes it does. Even before the K10E was officially announced and released, I had guessed that the K10 would be updated just because the Katana felt like it was leagues ahead of its older compatriot. To be honest, I have yet to hear the K10E, nor the Sage, but the Katana alone has made me excited about what is to come in the future from Noble.
 
So is the Noble Katana a cut above the rest? Yes, the Katana is in my opinion the best IEM that Noble has in their line-up that I have heard so far, which includes everything except the two products using the new proprietary drivers is mentioned previously. The Katana has a musically neutral sound signature that just makes it the IEM I naturally gravitate to when I leave the house.

DISCLAIMER
This is a duo review written by Eu Jin Ong (@ejong7) and Andre Moore (@shiorisekine). The main body of the review are general comments on the product that are agreed upon by both side. Personal opinions on the product by each reviewer are stated in separate dialogues, indicated either by EJ (Eu Jin) or AM (Andre Moore).
 
EJ:          The UERR unit was provided by the Ultimate Ears (UE) team free of charge in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Mike Dias and David Gutierrez who help expedite the entire process. Special thanks to Paul Best and Nick Bruce-Smith who both represent UE in the UK.
 
AM:        I too would like to thank Mike and David over at UE. They were able to arrange for a pair of UERRs free of charge just days after discussing this whole idea with them.
 
INTRODUCTION
For anyone who is remotely interested in the custom in-ear monitor (CIEM) market, UE has been and continues to be one of the leading companies in the field.  Officially started in 1995, they have since maintained if not strengthened their standing in the CIEM echelon with the help of products such as the UE11 Pro, UE18 Pro, now revised with the brand new UE18+ Pro, and of course the famous Ultimate Ears Reference Monitor (UERM).
 
The UERM, first released in 2010, was an IEM that utilizes a 3 driver, 3-way crossover design which was specifically tuned for professional mixing and sound engineers for use in a studio. Known as one of the most neutral and revealing IEM in the market, it got itself many fans from both the professionals and personal audio enthusiasts while at the same time became a cult favourite among critics and reviewers as it allows them a natural reference or standard to evaluate other gear.
 
6 years down the road, UE and the recording engineers at Capitol Studios, who first worked on the UERM, came out with the sequel to the already legendary piece – the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR). With its tuning design lead by Barak Moffitt from Capitol Studios, the intention is to fine tune a piece that is already held in such high regard, update the design to conform with the increasing availability of high resolution recordings regardless of the era which the music was produced in hopes of satisfying returning fans of the product and also attract potential new users to the foray.
 
EJ:          As I’ve never heard the previous rendition, my review should appeal more to the latter, which are new users who are trying to dwell into the well-respected UERM lineage of IEMs.
 
            AM:        I have heard the old UERM, so I can do a few comparisons based off what I remember.
 
INFO & SPECIFICATIONS
Following the footsteps of its older brother, the UERR remains a 3 driver design using balanced armature drivers, with multiple passive crossover points and a triple bore sound channels incorporated into the design, as quoted from UE’s website itself. However, the drivers are all new proprietary drivers, which UE are calling True Tone Drivers that are able to extend the frequency range and deliver a flat response to 18 kHz.
 
As listed on the specifications page of the UERR, the frequency response is 5 Hz to 25 kHz, with the IEM being capable of isolating up to -26dB of ambient stage noise if fitted properly.
 
EJ:          To my experience, the UERR blocks out enough noise for me to comfortably use them as a pseudo passive noise cancelling headphone, notably when used on an airplane or a crowded café.
 
AM:        In my experience, the UERR blocks off enough sound for me to be afraid to use them when walking around outside and to make me have to take them out when I cross a street, as I cannot hear anything outside of what the IEM is playing.
 
The CIEM has an input sensitivity of 100dB @ 1 kHz, 1mW with an impedance of 35ohm at 1 kHz.
 
EJ:          Although it is not the easiest IEM in my arsenal to drive, that remains to be the Empire Ears Zeus-R, I have yet to find difficulty in driving it on most of my portable devices, including on my Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.
 
AM:        I agree with Eu Jin here. When using the UERR on my iPhone 6S Plus, I only have to put the volume on 6/16 to be at a listening level and only ever have it at most 8/16 before it gets too loud. While plugged into an amp such as the Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon 2.0, I have to have it on normal gain and can only turn the volume to about 7:30 on the dial.
 
Probably the biggest news is that UE has decided to maintain the price point of the CIEM at $999, which is a rarity in a scene that is regular to see waves of updates, improvements and refinements to a previously available product come with a significant price increase. This will surely help attract new users as they just have to fork out the same amount of money to get an updated product.
 
Sadly, with the release of the UERR, UE has decided that it was time to say goodbye to the UERM, and has since discontinued the UERM, so it will no longer be possible for anyone to experience the magic it once entailed on its listeners, unless you could find someone who has one in universal form. Good luck in finding one of those.
 
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS

 

 

 

EJ:          The box that was sent over by the folks from UE, which contains the aluminium case that houses my UERR unit.
 
The UERR arrives in a medium sized cardboard box that has both the UE and Capitol Studios emblazoned on top. The box has a premium feel to it, something you would definitely expect from a no nonsense company like UE. The top cover uses a magnetic flip cover, which when open will reveal the CNC machined, anodized round case, made from aluminium with the users name, or preferred nickname, laser etched onto the case. It is slightly different from the generic case that you can purchase off the UE website, where the name is etched below the UE logo at the top and the Capitol Studios logo is etched at the bottom of the case.
 
EJ:          This is probably the best case I’ve received with my IEMs. It is sturdy and just the right size for me to carry around at 3 and ¼ inch diameter. CIEM companies have often supplied their IEMs with their personalized version of the Pelican case, which provides maximum protection for your IEMs but does not fit with my usage as I prefer a smaller, less cumbersome storage case. This proves particularly useful whenever I wear a top or jacket with a pocket, as I can just easily slip it into one to carry around. Do note that the case is meant to be directly lifted off and not twisted off like a bottle cap, as it will squeak like no tomorrow if you try to twist it off.
 
AM:          Having already owned a UE product, I have always enjoyed the carrying case over say a pelican style case as it is easier to put in my pocket and not something I have to put in my backpack. It still provides protection all the same but I guess if I go swimming with my case in my pocket it might not hold up. But who needs to swim when you have headphones.
           
 

 

EJ:          Inside the aluminium case is my UERR unit, in the ‘classic’ UERR design, which came with a UE buffer jack and a ¼ inch stereo adapter.
 
Inside the case are your UERRs, along with some accessories such as the typical cleaning tool and a ¼ inch stereo adapter. Something that will surprise new UE customers is the inclusion of a buffer jack, which UE claims will ‘lower audio signals on airplane entertainment systems and buffers electrical impedance mismatch. In other words, it will help allow your UERR to play nice with audio gear that is typically used for higher impedance headphones and earphones.
 
EJ:          I have successfully used the buffer jack with a number of sources to date with continued success on its original intention but I would highly recommend that you get a source component that will instantly play well with the UERR’s impedance rating as I found the sound quality to just slightly decrease when using the buffer jack. Specifically, I found it to be less clear and revealing in nature, with just a slightly boosted lower end that may cause you to have the wrong perception that the UERR or the source component to have the described sound signature.
 
The UERR is standardly equipped with a 48’’ long cable, which is connected with a 2-pin connector and a 1/8 inch headphone jack as its input connector. The cable supplied was of acceptable quality and users should not experience any microphonics. If you wish to obtain a longer cable or a different input connector such as the 2.5mm balanced connector, the cables could be purchased off the UE site. You could have them custom made by a number of custom cable manufacturers but do note that the 2-pin connector slightly differs from the industry standard to fit with the recessed sockets used by UE’s CIEMs, hence you will not be able to easily chop and change your cables with your other IEMs that uses the regular 2-pin connector.
 
EJ:          Although I find this to be a little unwieldy as it would mean that I have to make a new set of cables for them rather than use my previously available cables, I found the UERR’s recessed connectors to be particularly sturdy among my IEMs, and provides a sense of an extra level of tightness or security to the connection. However, if you do break the 2-pin connector by handling it with excessive force, you probably have to send it back to UE to get it fixed as I have seen a couple users who got their connectors stuck in the recessed socket.
 
AM:        However, if you do somehow break the sockets on a UE IEM, UE has a very fast turnaround rate which I had experienced with my UE18s that ended up breaking before I got the UERR. I got them back within 2 days of UE receiving them.
 
BUILD QUALITY

EJ:          My UERR unit, in the ‘classic’ UERR design with the stock 3.5mm cable.
 
As the UERR provided was a custom piece, one’s ear impressions are needed to construct it. This is where UE differs from many of its competitors. Rather than just using physical impressions, also known as silicone ear moulds, UE offers another option for their customers: digital impressions. With the help of a firm called United Sciences, they use a 3D digital scan to obtain one’s ear impression, which aims at improving the accuracy of the ear impression of a customer that will potentially reduce the already low return rate of UE’s products. To learn more about this intriguing process that may revolutionised the CIEM industry, please refer to this video.
 
The process is not made available worldwide yet but do contact your local UE dealer to enquire about its availability as it was made known that UE’s intentions are to have the process widespread in the near future.
 
 
EJ:          Personally my impressions that were sent in are digital and were taken by a UE representative that was present in an event that I attended. The impressions were taken with my mouth closed, which I ever so slightly regret, with details to follow.
 
AM:        My impressions were taken before UE started to use the digital scan impressions so mine were made with the old way of making impressions - silicone molds. I did however get them with a bite block in my mouth.
 
The impressions, regardless of form, are then sent to their headquarters in Irvine, California where the building process commence. Physical impressions require some carving and polishing work from highly trained specialist before being scanned into a digital print where as digital impressions are immediately skipped into the next step of the process: SLA-3D printing of the shells. This has significantly reduced the build time for each monitor according to the folks from UE, but has currently limit the shells to be only of the clear variant as coloured once has previously brought upon certain build quality issues that did not comply to UE’s high standards. Folks who order their UE CIEMs should have their units built within 7-10 days after UE receives their impressions, and even shorter if the rush option was included.
 
EJ:          Personally I would have loved for coloured shells, as one of my dreams is to have a custom IEM from UE to be customized to the colour of my old UE900, my first ever higher end IEM. I received my UERRs in the UK about a week after my order was made, with the rush option and the fastest delivery option with UPS included in the package. Talk about fast. I have readily made headphones arrive much later than that upon order.
 
AM:        While I do love having colour shells like with my Noble 5C, I do understand some of the reasoning for not being available. The UERR is a very good looking IEM. I live in SoCal where UE is based and I ordered it on a Wednesday. It was shipping on Friday the very same week, which is insanely fast. Most high end companies have a couple of months lead time before you get your unit. UE gets them out fast and this is all thanks to the 3D printed shells. Another reason that they do clear shells is so you can tell if the IEM is actually broken or just had a bunch of wax build up when you are having problems with your IEMs.
 
EJ:          The shells of my UERRs are so impeccably crafted that I have difficulty finding words to describe certain aspects of it. It is first and foremost, bubble-less, which is to be expected but not always received from all CIEM manufacturers. These shells however had a different feel than most of the other CIEMs that I had the opportunity of inspecting, where it is much smoother than I have expected, perhaps due to the stream-lining of the manufacturing process that reduces potential of human error.
 
The fit of the UERR is probably the best of any gear I have owned till date. I don’t think I have anything related to audio that fits more comfortably on me than the UERR, and this is a major selling point for many. However, it does break the seal a little when excessive movements are made with your mouth. This is probably because my impressions were made with my mouth closed, as instructed by most operators if you are not a professional musician, but I think it should be made standard that the impressions should be open-mouthed to allow for better comfort when talking with the IEMs on. Not that I would really talk with the UERRs on but it’s a nice option to have.
 
AM:        The UERR and the UE18 fight for the best fit for CIEM gear that I have. As for the problem Eu Jin has, I don't have that issue because as mentioned before I took my impressions with a bite block which I thought was always the normal way to do it, as I had to do it that way with Noble as well. So I actually can use the mic cable on mine without the seal breaking and I can eat while wearing them. However, when I got the UERR, there was a chip on the right monitor. I ended up sending them back and got them fixed ASAP and free of charge. The chip wasn't too bad though as I was able to wear them without noticing, I only felt it when I would be putting them in.
 
A wide array of options is available for the faceplates, with UE intending on including more faceplate options according to the seasonality. Hence you should expect a collection that is different to one another when it changes from one season to the other. Whether a particular faceplate would be available at a different season was not explicitly announced, so do ask if you are interested. The faceplate that would probably be the selection of most is the standard faceplate with UE’s logo on the left and Capitol Studios on the right with a white background instead of the black found on the UERM’s standard faceplate, which only available if you order the UERR.
 
EJ:          Personally I went for the stock white faceplate as I prefer my CIEM designs to be clean and simple, or as ‘stock’ as possible, which is hard to come by with CIEMs. It is also nice that I could showcase the two companies involved in my CIEMs in honour of their collaboration and efforts that brought forth the product.
 
            AM:        I felt the same, plus I have a set of UEs that have custom arts on them already so I didn't need this one to be all flashy and what not. I think the “normal” look is good the way it is.
 
SOUND QUALITY
Evaluation Process
EJ:          As a standard for most of the gear I review (unless under a time-limited review tour), the UERR were burned-in for about 200 hours before critically listening sessions were made. Yes, they are equipped with balanced armatures but I would like to start my reviews with a level playing field. The sessions were conducted with files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres, with metal a notable exception. Not my cup of tea. The source gears that I used during the evaluation period are as follows:

1. Chord Mojo
2. iBasso DX90
3. Questyle QP1R
4. Calyx M player

 
AM:          I did my listening sessions with FLAC/ALAC as well as Tidal for some albums. I listened to a wide variety of genres including the genre that Eu Jin doesn’t like – Metal. The gear I used:

1. Apple iPhone 6S Plus
2. Cavalli Audio Liquid Carbon 2.0

 
Initial Impressions
EJ:          I would honestly admit that I was less than impressed with the UERR at first listen. For everyone’s information, the UERR I first listened to was connected to UE’s demo listening system, which although provides a unique demoing experience has led to a decrease in sound quality for most if not all of UE’s products. It sounded muddy, slightly veiled, with most of the instruments being placed in a congested area.  The mids were the only saving grace of demo unit, as vocals are present and clear, but the overall picture was a mess as the instruments would just be on top of one another and not presented in clear layers. Save to say I was more than a little disappointed, but remained hopeful that the custom unit would perform differently with a different source system and a better fit.
 
To my delight, my hopes were merited. The custom unit when compared with the demo unit was night and day, with it being clearer and now having its separation as one of its greatest strengths as appose to one of its greatest weakness. The overall sound was more balanced, and definitely more neutral, which was the intended sound signature.
 
AM:        Admittedly when I signed up for the review I was a bit wary because I haven't heard the UERR beforehand but I have heard the UERM and I wasn’t the biggest fan. The UERM for me was very tame sounding and at the time I was more into fun sounding headphones like the UE18. So upon getting the UERR I was kind of happy and disappointed. While I did like it better than the UERM, the kind of music I listened to didn't sound amazing, or so I thought. For me, my biggest problem was the way the drums sounded on the unit. They sounded very hollow and at the time I was so used to the way the 18s and my Hifiman HE500s sounded. I thought they sounded wrong but then after listening more and more I realized they just sounded more as if it was live. The longer I listened to the UERR the more I appreciated it.
 
Sound Signature
EJ:          The UERR is the most neutral audio listening equipment I have heard in my entire journey as a Head-Fier, though I have to remind that I have never heard the UERMs. Many CIEMs are claimed by their manufacturers to be reference in sound signature which I agree to in the overall picture but would always tilt to either end of the spectrum ever so slightly. Not this. In fact, the UERR should be a reference standard to judge all other gear, then you will truly know where your gear lies on the spectrum.
 
The music is presented in a smooth and effortless manner, hence making the sound of the UERR very organic. The overall sound is that of a balanced reference monitor, where no particular aspect of the sonic spectrum is emphasized over the other. It does remain highly musical, never sounding boring or sterile even across a long listening session, which is really hard to do. It sounds very clear and transparent to my ears, neither forward nor laid-back in its overall presentation, making it feel like you’re listening to the artist in the middle of a medium sized room.
 
The sub-bass is controlled but may prove to be subdued for many people, especially those who mainly listen to modern music, so bass-heads should look elsewhere. I do appreciate the sub-bass of the UERR as my taste tilts towards gear with less emphasized sub-bass but sometimes I do wish for a little more rumble down the spectrum, especially with my dance and electronica orientated tunes. The bass above the sub-bass spectrum is equally controlled, full but not warm, hence making it play rather well with music focussing on male vocals.
 
The mids are slightly more pronounced when fully dissected, but only relative to the other ends of the spectrum of the UERR. The smoothness of the UERRs mids should not be underestimated, and I found few others that can match it on smoothness even when compared to its bigger size competitors. It is decently punchy, and made a highly satisfying experience of listening to instruments like pianos and guitars.
 
The highs are airy, with no sibilance or rolling off found, at least to my experience. It probably lacks the crispness found in other IEMs that claim to be of the reference sound signature, but is nicely extended in its own right. There is certainly no veil on the UERR, and I found the cymbals in my music to be well-presented, a huge requirement for me to properly appreciate most of my music.
 
The UERR is well-detailed but never reaching the point of being analytical, to continue with its intention of producing a smooth image of your music. Perhaps its second biggest strength in its sound, after its neutrality, is the separation and layering that I found in the piece. I highly appreciated the ability of the UERR to place the instruments in my music at just the right level, making it easy to differentiate each instrument from one another, something I found particularly present when I try to picture the layers of the kicks, snares and cymbals in my music. The soundstage is not the widest nor the deepest I’ve experienced from an IEM, but it is of good depth and width.
 
A particular pairing that I enjoyed for my UERRs is when I used it with my Chord Mojo. As the Chord Mojo is also highly detailed, smooth but musical source equipment albeit being a touch warmer than neutral, it helped to keep the music engaging at all points while being easy to listen to. It helps me learn that the UERRs are never intended to be fatiguing, and will always play to its source equipment. The QP1R plays well with the UERR as well, just not to the synergy that I found with the Mojo.
 
AM:        The unit for me is the best mastering IEM I have ever heard, and it’s the most neutral/ balanced IEM as well. With the UERR, I could place myself in the seat of the person in charge of mastering the music. I could imagine the potential lack of balance found in the headphones/earphones used by said person based off listening to the track with the UERR, which gives off a flat frequency response. This led me to believe that the usage of unbalanced equipment by the producer would force him/her to tune his/her music in a way that allow him/her to listen to the track with a better balance coming out, but would end up being presented as unbalanced when listened through something as flat as the UERR.
 
I agree with Eu Jin here about the sub bass, there will be some people that don't like it that much. I do enjoy it however because it reminds me of the AKG K701 style of sub bass that is very deep sounding and extends for what seems like a limitless amount. It’s very controlled and to me somewhat fun sounding and it did put a smile on my face once my ears finally adjusted to the sound of it.
 
The mids are very satisfying on the UERR, very smooth especially on acoustic guitars and female singers. Very detailed and textured sounding, the UERR has one of the best sounding mids I have heard on an IEM probably, only rivalled by the Noble Katana.
 
The highs on the UERR are very crisp sounding, and very transparent. I think it was the one part of the IEM where when I first put them on I said ‘Wow that is really good sounding.’ I agree with Eu Jin that there is no sibilance or rolling off in the highs, which probably comes from the frequency response extending to 18 kHz and it gives the UERR a feeling of endless highs.
 
The UERR is the most detailed IEM/headphone I own period. I actually think the UERR is pretty analytical but that might just be because I don’t normally use very detailed headphones. I tend to drift more towards fun sounding headphones that aren’t always very revealing except maybe the Hifiman HE-500. THE UERR has a way of making me think about how the music is produced and why they did certain things on tracks or why something sounds a certain way, unlike anything I have heard before. It has a really good sense of layering and instrument separation that make listening to metal and rock very enjoyable, because there is so much separation the sounds never get too clogged up and distorted which is a common occurrence on metal music and most headphones. I do agree with Eu Jin on the sound staging while it is not the widest or deep it does have some depth and width to it.
 
Comparisons (Eu Jin)
            
EJ:          The IEMs I used for the comparison part of this review, clockwise starting from top left: Noble Audio Katana (Custom), Empire Ear Zeus-R (Custom), JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) and the UERR.
 
EJ:          I used my custom Empire Ears Zeus-R, custom Noble Katana as well as my JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) for the comparisons. Yes the price point is rather far apart, but I felt the UERRs deserved to be compared with the best of the best within the market. I do emphasize that these are comparisons and do not paint the overall standalone sound signature of those compared.
 

UERR vs. Empire Ears Zeus-R
 
Compared to the Zeus-R, I found the R’s to be just a touch wider in soundstage but significantly deeper. The R’s satisfies me more with just a touch more rumble down low and its seductive mids. The highs of the R’s are crisp, much more so than the UERR. The R’s sounded much more resolving that the UERRs, bordering analytical. However, the UERRs make the R’s sound less smooth in comparison, which is a difficult feat in itself. The R’s are also significantly more sensitive than the UERR’s, and most importantly, is twice the price of the UERR’s, more so when the ADEL version is officially launched. I would recommend the R’s regardless of price, but the UERR’s prove themselves to be no slouch even compared to its more expensive competitors.
 

UERR vs. Noble Audio Katana
 
Compared to the Katana, I found myself caught in a war between two smooth criminals (see what I did there). Both share a similar aim in achieving a more neutral but highly smooth sound in their design to my ears, with the Katana perhaps having a slight tilt towards the highs compared to the UERR. I still find the Katana more resolving than the UERR, but perhaps due to the Katana’s smooth signature, smoother than the UERR at times for me, the gap does not feel as big as the one when compared with the Zeus-R. The Katana is a little easier to drive compared to the UERR, and in comparison has a wider and deeper soundstage than the UERR. Then again, the Katana is easily double the price, so the UERR once again has proven its worth to be in the pen with the big boys, and might even be the better choice in terms of value for money.
 

UERR vs. JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1)
 
Compared to the Roxannes, with the bass selector at minimum bass which is my default configuration, I found myself to actually prefer the UERRs slightly. The Roxannes are more detailed, and have a wider soundstage than the UERRs, but I found the separation ability of the UERRs to be hard to ignore. The Roxannes are also just a little less balanced when compared to the UERRs, with a slight emphasis placed on the lower end, which is less suited to my current taste of more reference, perhaps slightly brighter sound signature. I do prefer listening to live music and recorded concerts through the Roxannes, but I would rather listen to my UERRs for studio recorded sessions.
 
One thing I can vouch for is that the UERR’s is easily the most comfortable piece of equipment I have in my arsenal currently, and triumph against everyone else in this department. I could easily wear them for hours and hours on end, not that I couldn’t with the others, but this is just a step above.
 
Comparisons (Andre)
             AM:          For comparisons I used my UE18 and my Noble Audio Katana Universals.
 
So when comparing the UERR and the UE18, one of the first things you notice is how much cleaner sounding the UERR is compared to the 18s. The 18 is a more fun sounding IEM compared to the reference UERR. While I do enjoy both IEMs, I think the UERR is superior to the UE18 in not only being more neutral but by having a wider and deeper sound staging. The 18 is by no means a balanced IEM. It has strong low end which sometimes bleed into the mids while the UERR has an overall balance sound to it. One of the biggest differences in the UE18s and the UERR is the highs. The UERR has some of the most crisp sounding highs I have ever heard in a IEM, rivalled only by the Katana, while the UE18 has very textured highs (in a good way) but they do roll off more than I would like. If I had to choose to listen to either IEM, I would use the UERR for rock and metal over the 18s because they are cleaner sounding and most heavy metal sounds distort on the UE18s and cymbals just sound amazing on the UERR. However I would use the 18s for more pop music or hip-hop as it has the more fun sound.
 
So with the Katana, I would have to say that these IEMs are so similar sounding, much to what Eu Jin said above, the Katana has the UERR beat in how good the highs are. For me the Katana is much like the UERR but with a bit more edge, which isn’t always a good thing. The Katana to me has some bite to it, while the UERR is always very smooth and never really fatiguing while with the Katana on some songs I get sibilant highs. As Eu Jin has mentioned above the Katana is about 2 times the price of the UERR and I have to agree with him the UERR does hold its own against the Katana. They both set out to achieve similar things In the IEM world and I think they both have their respective uses, as I would use the UERR over the Katana for mixing or recording as it is more detailed and neutral sounding overall. Katana has a little spike in the highs. I would however use the Katana for listening sessions as I do enjoy the spike in the highs; I know I am odd compared to most of the people in the Hi-Fi world.
 
CONCLUSION
EJ:          How do you appreciate your music? Do you like it if your music is conveyed with that extra thump in the bass? Do you prefer it with a lift in the treble so that all your string instruments are more pronounced? Maybe you like a very forward and aggressive midrange so that all your vocals sound just sound more euphonic? Or, you simply wanted to listen to your music like how your favourite artist had intended to? If the latter is your choice, then the UERR is definitely the best IEM for you. To me, it succeeded in its goal of trying to achieve a neutral but not boring, detailed but not analytical and most of all balanced sound. If that wasn’t sweet enough, UE makes probably the comfiest pair of CIEM I have yet owned, packaged with the best carrying case I’ve seen so far and a plethora of accessories to go from.
 
Some may find the UERR too flat for their taste, especially if they crave that extra lift on the bass region. Some may find the UERR too be a little too smooth, making sound more laid back than they perhaps prefer. Due to every person’s different perspective on how music should sound like, the UERR may not be for all of us. However, these people would be missing out on what is perhaps the best separation and layering I found on an IEM, which is a key tool in music mastering.
 
UE’s great work on the UERR has made me very excited to listen to their new flagship, the UE18+, something that I hope I could have a listen to in the near future. Until then, I am highly satisfied with my UERRs, and it would probably be in most comparison I make in regards for IEMs as it is easily the best one to act as my measuring stick for the rest of the stable.
 
AM:          The UERR has become one of my staple IEM, hell one of my staple headphones to listen to and to use as a reference of what neutral should sound like in my opinion. The UERR has given me a new appreciation for the neutral sound as before the UERR I enjoyed a more warm sounding signature and I never really enjoyed anything too neutral sounding.
 
So does the UERR do what it sets out to do? Yes, I think it does, the UERR is definitely a studio monitor. The RR was designed for studio engineers by studio engineers, and we audiophiles get to reap all the spoils of this collaboration between UE and Capitol Studios.  The RR has a solid flat frequency response that doesn’t seem to roll of in the highs and extends into the low end in ways that most in-ears don’t. But there are some flaws with the unit as nothing is perfect. The flat response can sometimes make some music very non-engaging and the micro details can bring out the worst in your music which can be a bad thing but is a good thing about the UERR.
 
I remember hating the UERM so whole heartedly when I had heard it back at CanJam 2014, but the UERR just seems to have a dynamic that I was not prepared for, I fell in love with it. This might be due to the new proprietary drivers that UE is using, and if that is so I can't wait to hear the new UE18+ in the future as I think the 18 would benefit a lot much like the UERR has over the UERM. Would I recommend the UERR to anyone, the answer is yes, the UERR is a very beautiful sounding IEM and its comfortable which is a very important thing for a CIEM.

DISCLAIMER
The Empire Ears Zeus-R was purchased during my trip to the Empire Ears office at Buford, Georgia. The Empire Ears team have since moved their operations to their newer and larger facility at Norcross, Georgia.
 
INTRODUCTION
In recent years, the IEM industry, previously dominated by a few traditional names, has seen a huge increase in companies trying to get in on the action. Empire Ears (EE), the rejuvenated and revamped version of Jack Vang’s old company Earwerkz, has maintained its status as one of the leading companies in the field. They continuously strive to innovate, breaking new boundaries, as evident from their recent partnership with the likes of Asius Technologies, which you can learn more of here. If you are interested to learn more about the EE brand, I urge you to follow this link (shameless self-plug) to obtain a clearer perspective into the inner workings of the machine known as EE and gain a new understanding of EE’s products pre-Asius Technologies partnership announcement.
 
Nonetheless, this review is not about the multitude of marvellous products that EE has in its arsenal, but is all about the current pièce de résistance of their work, or at least its pre-ADEL era masterpiece, the EE Zeus-R. No mistake about it, the Zeus-R is a statement piece, and what a statement it has made. It consequently caused a huge impact on the ‘driver war’ saga that is currently ravaging the industry, not by being an IEM that has an adequate but conservative amount of drivers with a price to performance ratio that might single-handedly dominate the market, but by being, at the point of release, the IEMs with the most drivers available to the public. That title has since been transferred to the 64 Audio tia Fourté, but the reputation that the Zeus-R has earned as one of the best IEMs ever bestowed upon mankind did not falter. Instead, it has been further strengthened with the release of its updated and even more popular brother – the Zeus-XR ADEL.
 
With such a huge reputation on the line, and a great first impression from the demo unit that I listened to in the EE office, will the Zeus-R continue to impress? Or does it fail to live up to its own specifications sheet then stumble and fall from the great heights that its older brothers has previously achieved?
 
INFO & SPECIFICATIONS
The Zeus-R, like its twin the original Zeus, is an IEM equipped with 14 balanced armature drivers per side that is available in both custom and universal format. The 14 drivers are separated into 6 high drivers, 6 mid drivers and 2 low drivers that incorporate one of EE’s proprietary series of balanced armatures – the EMP87, a first even within the EE line up. And as if the previous 7-way crossover system was not complicated enough, the Zeus-R utilizes a brand new 8-way crossover system but has continue its lineage by using a quad bore design, with a designated bore for each of the following: highs, mids, mid-highs, and lows.
 
What most probably would not have noticed, and I didn’t until I read the official product page of the Zeus-R, is that all of the drivers used in the IEM is applied with a patent pending nano magnetic coating that will prevent moisture and potentially harmful contaminants from causing damage to drivers but also shields the magnetic field of each driver, eliminating all interference thus optimizing its performance. The people at EE also did not hold back with the internal wiring of the Zeus-R by using a 7-strand, sapphire and gold, silver-plated copper Litz wires that were individually wired and insulated to ensure acoustic feedback is reduced to the point of elimination. Even the soldering work was done using a robust, ultra-pure quad-eutectic solder to allow for maximum conduction.
 
Here are the rest of the numbers for the specification sheet folks out there. The Zeus-R has a frequency response between 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The noise isolation that could be achieved from using a custom Zeus-R that was properly fitted could reach about -28 dB, give or take 2dB. I have found this to be rather accurate as I have achieved a reasonably similar isolation to my Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR) after mine were properly refitted, that have a noise isolation rating of -26 dB.
 
Its impedance rated at 21 ohm @ 1 kHz and an input sensitivity of 119dB @ 1mw. This leads to one of the few qualms I have with the Zeus-R, it’s too sensitive, maybe just more than I would have liked. I admit that I am more sensitive than most in terms of listening to hiss produced from my sources through my headphones or earphones but the Zeus-R’s are on another level. Even with my trusty Chord Mojo I could faintly hear some hissing in the background, which does not have an apparent effect on the listening experience when music is played but does appear in between track changes. I previously had the privilege of listening to a Zeus-R which was less sensitive and it did resolve my hiss issues to a certain extent but I found that the depreciation of the sound quality to not warrant the reduction of hiss, at least to my ears. If anybody is interested in getting a lower sensitivity Zeus-R you may discuss about it with Jack but please do not give him a hard time if the product did not sound as good as you have heard previously.
 
The retail price for a Zeus-R in non-ADEL format starts at $2099, with the ADEL format going for higher, barring any potential customization that you might add in the end, is my second qualm with the piece. Yes, I do understand that it is a wonderful piece of work, and somehow someway the resources spent for the research and development of the product has to be made up for, but I feel that by breaching the $2000 price barrier it could potentially drive away many potential new users. Having said that, the latest pieces from 64 Audio has blown that price range to bits and pieces so it might be easier than before to justify the price now. I have yet to hear the pieces from 64 Audio that are more expensive than the Zeus-R so I shall refrain from any other comparison.
 
ACCESSORIES & OPTIONS

 

 

The cardboard box arrives emblazoned with golden Empire Ears Logo.  The Empire Ears Aegis Case that houses my Empire Ears Zeus-R is inside the box.
 
A medium sized, magnetic flip cover cardboard box was used to house the Zeus-R and a host of accessories that EE includes within the package. The cardboard box and the accessories inside are emblazoned with a gold-coloured EE logo, which is only available when an Apollo or the Zeus series is purchased. The rest of the line-up comes with a cardboard box and accessories that has a silver EE logo on top. Within the box, you will find a dust bag, an IEM pouch, a cleaning cloth, a quick start user guide and the Empire Ears Aegis case which I think is a personalized S3 case.
 

 

Inside the box, a quick start user manual, an IEM pouch and a dust bag are among the accessories provided for your purchase.
 
I have personally found no use for the dust bag as it was too large for the IEMs itself but it could probably fit the S3 case, if you are into that sort of thing. The IEM pouch is of decent size, but is not sturdy enough for me to comfortably place my expensive IEMs inside to carry around. The opposite end of the problem is the Aegis, which could probably survive being run over by a truck but was too large to properly fit into a coat pocket. I personally wished there was a soft pouch or even a small plastic/aluminium case provided with the product but I could comfortably say that the array of accessories provided is more than what most other manufacturers provide. The user guide I found particularly useful as I was a novice in CIEMs previously and although it would probably be general information for most people it is still a nice touch for the relative newcomers to the field. Inside the Aegis case is where you’ll find your IEMs, along with a cleaning tool that was provided. If you obtain any of EE’s line-up in universal format, a host of tips will also be provided, including the renowned Spin-Fit brand of ear tips that are hard to come by in the UK but are widely available now in many parts of Asia.
 

My Empire Ears Zeus-R, as first seen at the Head-Fi San Francisco Meet 2016.
 
The Zeus-R uses the industry standard 2-pin socket for its cable that is removable, but a major inclusion, possibly to the delight of many, is a Starlight Cable from BTG Audio as the standard cable for the Zeus-R, which I will from here on out refer to as the stock cable as the standard EE cable was not provided in the box. It is about 4 feet in length, with a y-splitter that incorporates the logo of both EE and BTG Audio. It might not be the prettiest cable from a custom cable company you’ll ever see, but it does the job well. When compared to the standard EE cable, I found the Starlight to be more resolving but at the same time produce the hiss I found at a louder level. Both did not produce any microphonics to my experience. The provided cable has since been changed to one made by Whiplash Audio, and as I’ve not used it before I shall refrain from moulding my opinion around it. It is definitely a plus that EE decided to take the hit for a custom cable to be included with their top of the line product, a generous gesture that will certainly attract many newcomers.
 
BUILD QUALITY

 

My Empire Ears Zeus-R before a refit (top) and after a refit.
 
I will be upfront with everyone: I got a refit. Although my impressions were taken by Chief Engineer of EE, Dean Vang himself, I found my first fitting to be uncomfortable on the right ear piece and decided to send it back to EE as soon as possible. What was amazing was the fact that it took less than a week for the folks at EE to place, build and send out my order so that it could arrive at my hotel during my US trip, even though I had not previously asked for it.  The quick build time allowed me to try on the fitting before I made it back to the UK, and had it sent back through domestic shipping. It took just a day for Jack to inspect and fix the fitting issue, but he insisted on an extra day to make sure that the Zeus-R’s were sent out at optimum working condition, such is his dedication to perfection of his craft. The official website states that it takes about 15 business days for the IEMs to be built upon acceptance of your ear impressions with the option to rush it to 5 business days but I would think that it will be sent out earlier than expected regardless of which option you choose to undertake.
 
From both fittings, I found the IEM’s shells to be built at one of the highest qualities possible, especially considering that it is completely made by hand from start to finish. The shell did not feel as smooth as my UERRs, which were made using 3D printing technology, but smooth nonetheless. I remember how Christian from Massdrop lauded about the bubble-less craftsmanship of the CIEM, and proceeded to sing its praises to anyone that pass by us at the 2016 San Francisco Meet. The fit, although not as comfortable as the one I found with my UERRs or my Noble Audio Katana, was comfortable enough for me to wear it for hours without fatigue. It also does better in situations where I am required to talk, perhaps owing to the fact that my impressions for the Zeus-R were done with the open mouth method.
 
Faceplate options for IEMs from EE are pretty hard to describe as the options available to the end user are too many. A quick browse through on the faceplate options using their IEM design user interface on their website, which I found very simple to use, shows the design possibilities that include solid or transparent colours and more exotic customisation options with incredible materials such as beautiful woods and carbon fibre. This however is not the limit to which you can design your personal IEMs, as evident from the pictures posted on EE’s Instagram page and on the forums. The same can be said of the body of the IEMs so it is best to check with Jack to see if it is possible to make your own dream design before making your final decision. For myself, I chose my favourite colour – orange as my body that I made sure was translucent so that I can see the inner workings of the piece, along with the beautiful Amboyna Burl wood to pair with it, in which Dean himself picked out the perfect shade for it, and the golden EE logos on each side to round it all off.
 
SOUND QUALITY
Evaluation Process
As a standard for most of the gear I review (unless under a time-limited review tour), the Zeus-R’s were burned in for about 200 hours before critically listening sessions were made. I believe this would allow for a more level playing field in my reviews as each piece of gear would have underwent the same pre-treatment before critical listening sessions were made. The tracks used for my listening sessions are files that are either FLAC/ALAC from a wide variety of genres except metal. The following is a list of source gear that I used during the review of the Zeus-R:

1. Chord Mojo
2. iBasso DX90
3. Questyle QP1R
4. Calyx M player

 
Initial Impressions
Before going into the impressions, I would like to admit that, before my first listen of the demo Zeus-R’s, my knowledge of the sound signature of CIEMs in general were purely based on what was written in the forums, so I only had a limited repertoire of sound signatures for me to compare to with the EE Zeus-R. Having said that, I felt upon my first listen that the Zeus-R’s was the best IEM I have ever heard at that point of time, and is arguably one of the best if not the best portable piece of gear I have yet heard, which to me is strong praise considering that I actually use my full size Mr.Speakers Ether C as a portable headphone as well.
 
The midrange, which was a little too forward on the original Zeus for me, was so transparent and lush that I felt it was the best piece of gear to use when listening to Chinese music as it performs at its best with the kind of music that is heavily focused on the vocals. Listening to my favourite Chinese artist of all time, 周杰伦 (Jay Chou for the non-Mandarin speakers), I felt the emotion of his voice pouring into each line that could only be matched with my full sized gear. The soundstage, while not being the widest I’ve heard, was wide enough to convey tracks from concert albums with enough realism that I was caught in the setting of the concert itself.
 
The demo unit was highly revealing, so revealing in fact that I thought I would easily suffer from fatigue because of it, but Dean pointed out that since I was not accustomed to CIEMs of such stature before I would need an adjustment period to make myself comfortable with listening for long periods of time, a statement that was later proven true.
 
Sound Signature
The Zeus-R has an overall ‘audiophile’ or ‘reference’ sound signature, in which it attempts at leaning towards neutrality (not to be confused with being lean sounding) but I will never label it as completely neutral, something that I would associate more with my UERRs.  It does not completely conform to the commonly known ‘reference’ sound, in which rather than having a sound that lean towards an accentuated treble, it actually has more pronounced mids when the overall spectrum is overviewed. This mid-centric sound signature, reminiscent of the IEMs hailing from Japan, was very tastefully done, as at no point of time have I find the sound to be completely unbalanced, although labelling it as balanced may be a stretch. It is definitely a more coloured sound than the other ‘reference’ signature IEMs.
 
The bass on the Zeus-R’s, although not entirely ruler flat, I find it hard to label it as pronounced or accentuated because it is that small of a lift. It is very tight and punchy yet controlled, probably the most controlled I have come across from an IEM that has bass north of neutral. With the sub bass, I found that it thumps and slams hard but the word ‘boomy’ never crossed my mind. Both bass and sub bass have superb extension, which in turns causes my trance and electronic tunes to sound better than never before. The notes within this region does decay a little slower than expected but it creates a very unique sense of texture to the bass that I have yet felt on other IEMs.
 
If your biggest priority when choosing your gear is its mids, then you will enjoy what is to come with the piece. The mids are arguably the best I’ve ever experienced on any piece of gear, regardless of price, form and size. It is slightly forward or aggressive, but always maintains its lush and natural tone. There were no signs of sibilance throughout my listening experience, a great deal for people who mainly listen to music that has strong vocal focus. The best part of the mids, however, is that despite its aim at an overall euphonic sound, it doesn’t lose any of those micro details, something I find rare within gear that tries to achieve a similar sound. It is also not overdone, not overly lush to the point that it masks the beauty of the rest of the music. In a few instances, where some of my acoustic guitar music was recorded at a very high quality, I was able to pick out the specific wood material of the guitar used as it could very accurately showcase the tonality of the wood, something I previously only could achieve with full sized gear.
 
The highs, as previously alluded to, are a touch brighter than neutral, which to me helps keep the sound from going totally off balance. The highs are well extended and maintain its crispness throughout, which allows for a very clear yet detailed sound. In fact, one of its biggest strength lies in its detail retrieval, something that I have since find difficult to name a worthy challenger in other IEMs. This might be a double edge sword for some as the very revealing nature may mislead people into believing that its perhaps sound too analytical and lack smoothness. As referenced above, I found the sound signature to be easy on the ears upon an adjustment period, which was highly welcomed as all the details would come to waste if I had find it hard to listen for long periods of time. It does sound smooth, cold and harshly analytical it is not, it is actually pretty forgiving in most cases, yet the word smooth just won’t be the first that comes to mind when you listen to it.
 
Another great spell that the EE team managed to cast on the piece is that it is wonderfully cohesive, so cohesive that often times it creates an illusion that all the sound is being pumped out by a single driver, and not 14 total drivers, something that is easily promised but a whole different story when it comes to achieving it. The soundstage presented is deep and while it is not the widest I’ve come across in terms of flagship IEMs it was sufficiently wide for me and the music I listen to and paired with some of the best layering and separation I’ve experienced on an IEM it produces a more realistic image of my music.
 
Comparisons

The IEMs I used for the comparison part of this review, clockwise starting from top left: Noble Audio Katana (Custom), Empire Ear Zeus-R (Custom), JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) and the Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered (UERR).
 
I used my custom UERR, custom Noble Katana as well as my JH Audio Roxanne Universal (Generation 1) for the comparisons. These are the best IEMs I have within my stable right now, and the pieces I felt could possibly provide a fair fight to the Zeus-R.
 

Empire Ears Zeus-R vs Noble Audio Katana
 
Let’s start with the Noble Katana, in custom form, since they’re closest in terms of pricing. Both are trying to achieve the neutral yet revealing type of sound signature, yet each has their own approach around it. The Noble Katana has this overall smooth yet detailed sound, with it besting the Zeus-R in the smoothness department. However, I felt that there are more details coming through with the top end of the Zeus-R, which is a strong statement in itself as on its own I felt the Noble Katana has gobs of detail coming from all directions. I feel that the mids and bass are a toss-up, as both have its own merits when compared to each other. With the Katana, I felt that the mids are a little more laid-back with a smoother sound, while the Zeus-R has a lusher yet at the same time aggressive mids. In the bass department, the Zeus-R is perhaps a little punchier but the Katana has the edge in terms of the details and extension. In the end, I think it really depends on the mood and general usage of the IEM if you’re deciding with the two. I would probably opt for the Katana if I were to be listening for longer periods of time, such as during a long-haul flight, but I will take my Zeus-R if I want to feel my music more through its rumble and more euphonic sound. It will also depend on the type of music that you’re listening to, as I prefer to listen to more classical and instrumental music on my Katana but I prefer to listen to more mainstream music with my Zeus-R.
 

Empire Ears Zeus-R vs Ultimate Ears Reference Remastered
 
Moving on to the UERR, in custom form as well, it was then that I could reaffirm my opinion in which the Zeus-R’s are not entirely neutral, but is pretty close to it. The Zeus-R hits harder at the lower end, which makes the UERR sound bass light or rather the UERR has a neutral bass sound. The mids are definitely fuller on the Zeus-R end, and although the UERR perhaps has a hint of mid forwardness (if there is any sign of uneven sound at all), it definitely is not as forwards as the Zeus-R. With a more crisp and extended treble along with a wider and much deeper soundstage, the Zeus-R sounds much more resolving that the UERRs. Only when comparing the two would I ever think of the Zeus-R as cold or analytical, but not harsh.  The UERR’s is smoother overall and maybe due to its more balanced and neutral sound, it lends a better separation of the individual instruments in the music. In music mastering situations, I would always lean towards the UERR as it would be important to catch onto any imbalance across the spectrum that would prevent the intended final product. Regardless, I would most definitely pick up my Zeus-R if I were to be longing for a more engaging and detailed piece for my music.
 

Empire Ears Zeus-R vs JH Audio Roxanne (Generation 1)
 
For the following comparison with my Roxannes, in universal format, I left its bass adjustment at its minimum as it’s my preferred configuration for the piece. I felt that the Roxannes showed themselves as a warmer sounding IEM while the Zeus-R is more neutral-revealing, which makes them sound quite different to each other. The bass I found more extended and delivered with more of a punch on the Zeus-R. Do note that, since the Zeus-R is a custom, it will have the better fit, which will usually lead to better bass performance than most universals could provide. Mids isn’t the strongest point on the Roxannes, and it shows itself to be muffled or recessed when compared to a beast in the mids like the Zeus-R. Both are crisp with the treble, but the Zeus-R is better extended and clearer. However, I was pleasantly surprised with the soundstage of my Roxannes, as its width and depth rivals that of the Zeus-R even though it’s in a universal format. I think if you mainly listen to live recordings and music with a lot of energy in the background, such as rock, you may lean towards the Roxannes. But in most other cases, I feel that the Zeus-R would be the way to go.
 
CONCLUSION
So has the Zeus-R successfully lived up to its hype and the expectations I had after my first listen? It certainly has, and even exceeded them. It made me realise that, although I appreciate neutrality, a completely flat sound signature is not the sound that I sought after when I’m listening to music. This is where the Zeus-R truly shines for me. The Zeus-R is like an audiophile chameleon, being able to change its ‘colour’ at the change of a track, parading itself as a bass juggernaut when I’m listening to my tunes that requires an extra punch of bass, and then immediately turning itself into an elegant singer with one of the best voice you’ve ever heard before when the tunes that bring vocals to the forefront start playing.
 
It is without flaws? Certainly not, but what is? The sensitivity I wished could be improved, in a way which the sound quality would be maintained if not improved, but would do away with the hiss issues that I face with the piece. Perhaps it plagues only those like me who are ultra-sensitive to hiss, but I have since got accustomed to it and don’t feel that it disturbs me when the music is playing. I also wished that there was a slightly watered down piece that upholds a similar standard of sound quality available now, as I felt that it’s a shame because most would not be able to feel a piece of this magic due to its price tag. Maybe next time eh Jack?
 
I still fondly remember my trip to the EE base in Buford, Georgia before their move to their current base, when Jack silently exuded confidence in his products by leaving me to audition his products without any prior backstory or build up. With the Zeus-R, he has definitely hit a home run and made a huge statement in the IEM world. It reminds me of a line from the Wolf of War Street, where Jordan Belfort, acted by Leonardo DiCaprio, clearly explained: “I never ask my clients to judge me on my winners. I ask them to judge me on my losers, because I have so few.” This is definitely a winner in my books. Bravo, Jack, Dean and the rest of the EE team. I await your next masterpiece.

DISCLAIMER
This is my first ever written review, and frankly I have no prior experience of writing a review for any kind of item unless you count that “Delivered on time. Item came in one piece. Good service” kind of sentences that you see all over each Amazon item. So I figured, what the heck, I might as well try to have fun with it while I’m doing it. All forms of comments or criticisms are welcomed as long as they are presented in a civilized manner. So yes you can slam me for possibly making the review longer than it should, or for it to be lacking content, or even just hating on that grammatical error that I do once in a while/pop up every sentence. But please, play nice.
 
Finally, I would like to thank Maurice (moedawg140) who gave me the encouragement to actually publish a review for once, Trev (Takeanidea) who vouched for me to be considered for this Mojo review tour and of course Levi (Musicday) for actually loaning his personal unit for me to review. Thanks guys.
 
*My first review and I already made a major mistake. Lesson learnt. Next time take pictures early on in the review especially if the unit is a loaner. I apologize for the lack of pictures and if you felt that the review was a word fest.
 
INTRODUCTION
When I first heard of Chord Electronics a few years ago, I was like “Whaaaaat? Don’t they make cables? So they finally found themselves venturing into DAC/Amps eh?” so you will probably understand how embarrassed I felt when I found out they were two different companies and Chord Electronics has already been in the scene before I was even born. Well, shame on me for being not well informed but they certainly have produced several outstanding products through the years; the first I know of was the Chord Hugo a few years back.
 
Now the Chord Hugo was infamous within my friendship circle of audio enthusiast back home, first for the size which honestly I still found rather quirky. It’s designed to be a portable DAC/amp but I found it just too bulky for me to be bringing it around unless I were lug it around stored inside my bag. So, portable it is not, but it is in fact transportable. Also it sold for a cool £1400, which at the time was the cost of my whole desktop and portable rig combined with change to spare. Yet, it has a sound that rivals even some desktop rigs, with enough juice to power up some of them power hungrier headphones, and basically pushed most if not all other portable rigs to the side in the race for supremacy. I don’t personally own one but I still remember that insanely detailed sound with an expansive soundstage that I could definite do with in my life. That amount of resolution and its way of handling the dynamics was simply unforgettable for a device designed to be portable, until you are reminded about the price tag which forces you to forget it.
 
In steps the new Chord Mojo. The Mojo, or Mobile Joy through some clever word play by the people working for Chord, is the brand new toy released to the market this year. I would say that it’s the first product that Chord actually designed to target not only the mid-level audiophile but also the general consumer who has some spare cash lying around for some neat new gear as the Mojo was designed not only to be used when paired with a digital audio player (DAP), our personal computer but also our smartphone. For £399 or $599, it promises to have Hugo-like sound with a much smaller price tag. Let’s see if it actually delivers.
 
SPEFICIATION
This is a place where I show my skills in copy-pasting. Here you go. Picture credits to Mython whom I took it from in the first page of the Mojo thread.
 
 
 
 
PHYSICAL DESIGN AND ACCESSORIES
How big is the Mojo? Its big brother, the Hugo was roughly the size of a mini tablet, slightly bigger than your average TOTL smartphone but not as big as say the iPad. The Mojo however probably resembles more like a fresh unopened deck of poker cards. But don’t let that size fool you as the Mojo actually packs some weight. Not saying it’s heavy but it’s rather a weight that makes it feel solid, helped by the fact the case is machined from a single solid block of aluminium.
 
It comes in the most unassuming of colours – black but stealth-looking it is not. Why? Firstly, there’s the Mojo name that was laser etched onto the case, making itself known to everyone what it is. Also, it comes with these 3 ‘balls’ that act as the power button and both volume up/down buttons. The power button illuminates different colours based on the sample rate of the input file, with red being the standard 44.1kHz and white being the new ‘everyone must have’ DSD. The volume buttons will also illuminate different colours based on loudness, with red being the softest while white is the loudest.
 
Some has criticized the device due to having the ‘balls’ but I have no issues whatsoever with the balls as the buttons. It’s designed well, feels great and makes you feel that each volume step while not significantly actually has a difference. And I’m glad they made it so that it’s actually buttons that feels tactile rather than a scroll wheel which at first I thought it was like when I first saw them on the Hugo. However I found something that I would change – the lights. I wished that the lights of the buttons could be switched off when in use but by this time I would think it is a Chord signature. The rubber feet below are a welcomed addition as I like that Chord has taken its own measures to help with scratch prevention.
 
The box it comes with is the most low profile product box from a major company I’ve seen so far. Small white box, with Chord Mojo being detailed on the box and can be seen when viewed at an angle. I do like the fact that they still have the technical specifications and general instructions written on the small box, along with the guide for the sample rate illumination. It comes packed with a short USB to Micro-USB cable and the Mojo. Nothing else. Not even a physical copy of the manual for the unit. Do take note that this is not my own unit so it might differ from yours.
 
Now I for one don’t really care if they supply a physical copy of the manual or not. Yes it’s nice to be able to just flip through the pages when you open the box but if Chord thinks it is more accessible in their product page then I have no complaints. It’s a pretty green initiative anyways. As for the cables remember this is Chord Electronics, not Chord Company. THEY DON’T MAKE CABLES. So expecting them to prepare every type of cable for every possible termination is just foolish. I do think that a micro-USB OTG cable should be provided so that it is just plug and play with your android smartphones if you have the right software installed. Yes I understand most audiophiles would just throw away the supplied cables for those fancy custom cables but this is also for those general consumers. As for the Apple cables, well you have to find a CCK cable anyways so finding an extra cable is part of the job. Sorry Apple fans.
 
USABILITY
Using the Mojo on my Windows laptop was fairly straight forward. Plug it in with the supplied cable then download the driver from Chord’s website, install it and you’re good to go. Foobar is my preferred media player of choice on my laptop and I love that once I finish installing the driver the asio driver is automatically set up although I did install Foobar’s asio drivers beforehand. I do face a problem that I’m not sure if anyone else faced which is that every time I try to SELECT a song from my playlist it’ll kind of skip the first 0.5 or less second of the song, though it does not happen when one song skips to the next in the playlist. Annoying at first but I didn’t really care as much as I usually just let my playlist go anyways.
 
In terms of raw power this little device does not lack any. Although I do not have any particularly hard to drive headphones in my arsenal, the hardest probably being my HE-400S, I don’t think it will not be able to power up any of the headphones you’re going to use it with especially on the go based on the specification given unless you use with them super power hungry ones like the Hifiman HE-6 and maybe the HD800/HD800s. I don’t think that will be the case as I’ve seen products with lower power that drives the HD800 although how well it drives it is another story. Just for the case for the people who actually run into the problem with driving their headphones, well then I would recommend a separate more powerful amp. Or a better recommendation would be to actually use your designed for desktop headphones to be use at your desktop.
 
I do wish that they actually considered a gain switch for this, even a simple two step gain. Using my most sensitive equipment readily available – my JH Audio Roxanne Universals, I found that some hiss could be heard when there’s no music playing. It is completely unnoticeable when in use but as again a stickler for detail I can’t help but want complete dead silence (at least to my ears) when I plug in my headphones. Having the ability to toggle it would probably help with that and still have enough power to juice up my other headphones.
 
Let me be clear: this unit gets warm. So no it doesn’t get blazing hot to touch, it gets WARM. I found it to be warmer when it’s charging compared to when it is in use, which is perfectly fine for me as I don’t expect myself to be holding onto the unit while using it let alone charge it. Even if I do have to use it like a handheld I find it still bearable, definitely not like the much hotter LH Labs Geek Out (V1) although both to the knowledge use an aluminium casing. The GO V1 is also tolerable but using the Mojo have me wondering why it dissipates more heat when its much smaller and for my case much lower in power output having used the GO100.
 
The battery on this unit was touted to be 10 hours and I believe this is true. I’ve been able to get about 8-10 hours roughly on any of my headphones at continuous use. Not sure if higher power headphones would affect this as all of my headphones used about the same battery power. Note that if you do use it with a DAP or a mobile phone it may lead to a larger strain than usual on the battery of the connecting device.
 
TEST GEAR
To give you all a basis for comparison, I’m listing the gear I’ve used during the process of the review with the unit. I’ll also include a few songs that I listened to although I think I listen to more than what will be stated.
 
Gear

1. Sennheiser HD25 1-II (Custom Cans Uber Mod)
2. Hifiman HE-400s
3. JH Audio Roxanne Universals
4. LH Labs Geek Out V2 Infinity
5.  

Music

1. Coldplay – Ink
2. Norah Jones – Don’t Know Why
3. Adele – Hello
4. Fall Out Boy – Dance Dance
5. Ed Sheeran – I See Fire
6. AC/DC – Back in Black
7. Hans Zimmer – Mombasa

 
My music preference is fairly wide although as you can probably tell my tendency is to lean towards modern side of things. Simply said I listen to all genres except heavy metal which is simply not my cup of tea.
 
Due to the limited time I have with the unit I felt that I would be rushing the comparison if it were to be made with my desktop rig or my Calyx M player. However I do regret that I wasn’t able to make a comparison with my iBasso DX90 player. I actually ordered a coaxial cable from fellow head-fier derGabe but I guess the cable just hasn’t arrived at the time of writing.
 
SOUND IMPRESSION
General Sound
Again, I stress that this is not my own unit. However, I believe that the unit has already gone through at least 150-200 hours of runtime based roughly on how many guys had their hands on it for at least a week to play around so it should be fully burned in by now, although by what method whether it’s regular music files or pink noise files I have no idea.
 
My first impression on the Mojo was that it was SMOOTH. The sound was so smoothly presented that it made me feel that every song playing was played so effortlessly. It is clear to me however that although it was one of the smoothest sound signatures of a DAC/Amp that I could remember for equipment at that price range this little device did not lack any dynamism. It is dynamic enough that I can sense people toe-tapping listening to this yet I wouldn’t say its aggressive enough to be forward sounding. If I were to paint a picture it would be that I’m sitting in between the middle of the concert hall. It’s not so much in your face punchy sounding stuff that you’ll get from the front row seats but you’ll still be able to enjoy the music and the hall’s acoustic.
 
Does the comparison to a concert hall’s acoustic suggest that the device has a wide soundstage? Absolutely. It is one of the widest soundstage I’ve heard from a DAC/Amp at this price range. I did not have a Hugo on hand for a comparison but the Hugo I would say have a wider soundstage. Yet to be able to get maybe 2/3 of that soundstage (how do you actually put a value on this sort of thing really) on the Mojo is simply astounding. It is also as detailed if not more detailed than most of the stuff you can get at this price range. Again it is not as detailed as the Hugo but to be able to hear those strums and slides on the guitar strings so clearly from a device (relatively) so small is amazing.
 
The sound signature would in general be of the neutral sounding amp, but I would say it leans towards the warmer side of things, definitely more warm sounding than the Hugo.  If the Hugo was this analytical, cold general with a keen eye for detail then the Mojo would be that warm, more engaging captain that sees most of the battlefield. This sort of sound also tend to mean that the Mojo would be the less fatiguing of the two but I do not recall either to be fatiguing at all.
 
What amazed me about the Mojo was actually simply how natural it sounded. Everything about the music whether its pace or timing just felt right to my ears. The bass was not bloated (thank CHORD for that) and it has enough extension and impact that I think suits a lot of my songs.  It also never sounds harsh to me on the treble, and the midrange is just right. Definitely not recessed although saying it was emphasised would also be wrong. Hence, it has this sense of balance that made it just sound natural.
 
If I had to choose one headphone of the three I tried to be the pair for the Mojo I think it would be the HD25. It was slightly too powerful for my Roxannes which although still sounds great made me feel that there was lack of finesse or control over the sound. A small little detail but that’s what makes it not a GREAT but only a GOOD pairing for me. The HD25 however, being the headphone that leans towards aggression the most among the three (I listen to my Roxannes only at the lowest bass knob setting) had this yin-yang thing going between it and the Mojo. Its somewhat like an aggressively spiced dish served in a restaurant being paired with a smooth tasting wine. The HE-400s, being the smoothest sounding one, was a good pairing too, but it was much like smooth on smooth. I guess what I would like to say is that the Mojo pairs well with most if not all headphones, even if all 100 of your headphones have contrasting signatures.
 
MOJO VS GEEK OUT V2 INFINITY
It is important to point out the fact that the model I own is the Infinity version, not the standard version of the V2. So for those who overwhelmingly preferred the Mojo over the V2 put your pitch forks away. I would have also preferred to compare the V2+ and the Mojo which share similar target markets in my eyes but alas that will not be the case this time. I should also point out that I only use the single ended output of the V2.
 
As the V2 does not have its own internal battery, it is much smaller in size when compared to the Mojo. In terms of weight, the V2 is much lighter due to not only its smaller size but also the material which was used to build the case which was 3D-printed. The V2+ will have a similar construction in terms of the case (though they are redesigning it at the time of writing) so I would assume it would be much lighter than the Mojo. It is simply unfair to judge the unit’s separate weight as one is basically plastic while the other uses a solid block of aluminium. Heat dissipation of the units is where it gets interesting. I initially assumed that it would run much hotter than the V2 but to my surprise it was quite comparable. Yes it is still hotter but not much as I would have thought based on the fact that it’s case is aluminium, where those with the Geek Out V1 made of similar material would know that it lead to a case of “Please be careful of this hot slab” at the side of your computer.
Using my Roxannes, I would listen to my V2 at the lowest gain setting on the FRM filter. The V2 has a slightly quieter noise floor compared to the Mojo. The hiss is louder and more noticeable on the Mojo but not by much considering its much higher output power compared to 2/3 of gain settings of the V2. I did try out the V2 at its highest gain setting but still found it to be quieter.
 
Soundstage was close but if I had to name one winner it would probably be the V2. That might be due to the lower hiss I felt that gives this impression that the soundstage is more spread out and more airy. Both the V2 and the Mojo leans towards a neutral sound signature but I would say that the Mojo is warmer than the V2. Although the V2 uses a Sabre DAC chip, it doesn’t have the traditional Sabre harsh glare that most of us are not too fond of. The Geek family of products probably has the smoothest implementation of a Sabre DAC I have ever experienced. However, it doesn’t sound as smooth as the Mojo. The V2 is noticeably sharper in sound, and while it is in no way fatiguing to me it is apparent that the Mojo would be the easier one to listen to. The bass impact on the V2 hits harder than that on the Mojo.  That kind of make it sound like a contradiction as I said the Mojo was the warmer of the two but I felt that the sharper sound of the V2 made that the sound of the V2 to be more balanced. They’re both equally as dynamic and natural sounding.
 
If I were to be asked for a recommendation of the two to someone on the street, I would probably lean my recommendation towards the Mojo. Again I stress that I use the V2 Infinity and this is important as that made the price difference to be a relatively small $100. For an extra $100, you would receive a unit that has a considerably much better made casing, one that you can be using on the go with very comparable sound quality. Also, you would be able to escape from the infamous customer service of LH Labs as you can (as far as I know) only get the Infinity directly from them now. The edge that I will give to the V2 is that it works far better with my sensitive IEMs so that might have to play a part in your consideration. The lack of a need of a connecting cable may also work better for you if you spend more of your music listening time on your laptop which you move around a lot.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS AND CONCLUSION
So now that I have returned the review unit, will I be getting one for myself? No. But not for the reasons you may be thinking of.  I agree that it represents great value in the market, with good value being something that is actually getting easier to find now but great value being that higher echelon of products, but it still cost £399 or $599. It is probably the cheapest item Chord produced thus far to my knowledge but that is not the kind of money a regular person would spend easily when he goes into a shop. And as a student that doesn’t earn squat except for an odd part-time job here or there that kind of money is simply hard to fork out myself. I certainly do hope that I can get a personal Mojo in the near future though.
 
I do think the Mojo can still grow. If the same components and sound quality can be incorporated into a music player with a comparable price tag it will become a complete game changer and would sell like hot cakes (not that it doesn’t already). I personally wouldn’t even mind if it is some sort of add-on module for a micro SD reader that makes the Mojo akin an iPod Shuffle. No screen, a few buttons just for simple navigation for pure musical bliss. I’m pretty sure most of us would still slam Chord for not making a full-fledged DAP if they go through with this recommendation but the same people would probably already be in love with the Mojo already. Sometimes you just can’t please everyone.
 
If you have yet to own a pair of decent headphones (no your $5 convenient store earbuds do not count) then I think the wiser choice would be to use this money to invest in one. If you do own a pair my suggestion would be to get a music player next like the FiioX3/X5/X7 or the iBasso DX50/80/90 because I personally think a separate DAP is better compared to using your mobile phone as your source. You may want a solution that can be used both on the go and at desktop situations which allows you to conserve your mobile phone’s battery for other uses (don’t want to upset the boss/missus for missing their calls) and some also believe that this kind of DAPs serve as a better transport for external DAC/Amps. But if you have both of those and still found that upgraditis nerve tingling and are searching for a device of this price range then the Chord Mojo will be at the top of my recommendation list. It has enough power to drive most of the headphones that are commonly available with sound quality that could easily serve as your desktop rig as well. Now, seriously, a Chord DAP though?