Introduction:
Unique Melody will by now need little introduction from me, since they’re not only a very well-known and established company from China, but also one whose products I have now reviewed on several occasions, usually to great rapture and applause (mine, concerning the quality of the product in question, as opposed to reader’s, concerning the quality of my reviewing)
Pasted below are the IEM details from authorised dealer MusicTeck’s website:
https://shop.musicteck.com/collecti...universal-mason-fusang?variant=39431486931006
This link also has photos and explanations of the tech that features in these IEMs.
The Fusang retails at USD $4’588. A bit of background might be helpful here, for those who are relatively new to this IEM. So, earlier this year, UM released the latest (and probably greatest) edition of their flagship IEM, the Mason.
In this case, it was called the ‘Mason Fabled Sound’ (or ‘Mason FS’ for short). It retailed at an eye-watering (and indeed Traiili-competing) $6k.
Nevertheless, it attracted quite a few buyers, along with glowing reviews.
A bit further down the road, UM released a cosmetically altered version, the Mason Fusang (generally just referred to as the ‘Fusang’). This featured more conventional resin-based shells (as opposed to the rare Cholla wood bodies of the Mason FS), and where the Mason FS featured the more expensive Attila cable from PW Audio, the Fusang features the less expensive (but still fairly premium) ‘Purple Charm’ cable, which is another PW Audio produced cable.
This offered essentially the same sound quality as the Mason FS (it’s been quoted as being maybe 5% different from the Mason FS) at a reduced price.
Personally, I actually prefer the shell design and cable appearance from the Fusang, so I for one was delighted to read about this new model!
So, going forwards from here, when I refer to the Fusang, pretty much all of those comments should apply equally to the Mason FS.
Now, UM – outside of its venerable world-class all-BA offerings – have been busy shaking up the IEM world with their hybrid (quad-brid!) models, particularly through the introduction of the use of Bone Conduction Driver (BCD) technology. Furthermore, they have been continuing R&D on their BCD design, first with the original MEST, then with the MEST Mk II, and now with the Mason Fusang (and Mason FS of course too).
The BCD featured in this IEM represents the pinnacle of that evolutionary process thus far, featuring a BCD that covers the entire frequency spectrum of the IEM, along with a redesigned housing for the driver that further contributes to its performance and character.
Indeed, one of the comments from UM regarding the Fusang was that they felt they’d pretty much reached as close to perfection as they were going to get with regards to tuning an all-BA flagship IEM (after several iterations); the introduction of the BCD was their way of seeing how they could evolve that sound even further, whilst still staying true to the BA-based signature build.
Disclaimer: I was provided with the Fusang free of charge, in exchange for my honest opinion, which is indeed what I shall be providing! My thanks to UM and MusicTeck for making this happen.
So, with all this introductory preamble aside, I suppose you’ll want to see how these things actually look in real life? Alright, go on then..
Photos coming up. In, perhaps unsurprisingly, the following section titled ‘Photos’
Photos:
Build Quality and accessories:
The Fusang are solidly built with no visible blemishes or flaws of any kind.
The only small criticism I could level at them (same as with MEST Mk II) is that if they were going to go with the conventional 2-pin design, then I would have preferred the sockets to be recessed within the body of the IEMs, so that they don’t have the less attractive part of the connectors sticking out (or used a different 2-pin plug on their cable), or that – if there wasn’t enough room available inside the IEM body to do that – then they’d gone again with the same design used on the original MEST.
This small caveat aside, the Fusang comes in what I personally consider to be an improved design aesthetic, with a black carbon fibre appearance with thin purple lines appearing to be etched into the surface; a detail which is further complemented by the somewhat unusual choice of a tasteful purple cable. Anyone with goth leanings will doubtless find this black and purple combo to be a source of great joy and Cthulu-esque profundity, but I’d say it has a universal appeal too. They’re one of the most attractively designed IEMs I’ve seen, with classy logos (the artistic-looking Fusang tree on one earphone and the UM logo on another) and a visually coherent colour scheme.
They come with a 0.78mm 2-pin OCC copper Litz 8-wire cable, which can be terminated with your choice of plugs.
After a period where – due to issues with a supplier – UM were only able to offer 3.5mm or 2.5mm options (albeit with a free adaptor included), it’s really great to see the 4.4mm option back on offer, and this was indeed the one I chose.
Again, I just want to praise UM for continuing to offer a choice of cables; I’ve seen far too many TOTL level IEMs being released with just a 3.5mm or 2.5mm cable, and no options. Choice is king! Let the consumer choose the one that fits their needs!
(Layman1 climbs back down from his soapbox)
The cable here is 8-wire, which I was happy to see personally. It is, I must advise you, rather heavy and not the most flexible of designs. However, I have no trouble using it on a daily basis and haven’t had any issues with microphonics or fatigue. And plus, all that weight is offset by the sheer
gorgeousness of the thing
The Fusang comes with a good range of accessories.
As can be seen in the photos, in addition to the various things included previously such as premium Comply ear tips, and an artisan Dignis leather case, the Fusang comes bundled with 3 various-sized pairs of Sedna Xelastec ear tips, which would normally set you back $30 or so by themselves, not to mention a completely upgraded cable offering (which I just mentioned).
I think the only criticism I could level at the Fusang in terms of accessories is that they’d already raised the standard so high with their MEST releases (which were sub $1500 releases). As such, for an IEM costing 3 times as much (4 times for the Mason FS!), it’s perhaps a bit of an anticlimax to have a set of packaging and accessories that are virtually identical to a much lower-priced model. An almost identical leather case, albeit with a slightly different design (I actually preferred the design of the case bundled with the MEST models personally) and same box and packaging. I think for a flagship release – especially ones at such lofty price points, perhaps UM could raise the bar a bit.
Having said that, it’s still a good range of accessories (particularly the ear tip selection), it’s just that they’ve kind of spoiled us for choice with previous releases already!
Sound:
Regarding my gear and music for testing, I have a few tracks which I’ve only found available on MP3; the rest are FLAC or WAV in 16/44 or 24/192, with a few DSD56 tracks sneaking their way in too.
For the purposes of this review, the sources I chiefly used were the Sony WM1Z (using MrWalkman’s ‘Midnight Plus’ free custom firmware), iBasso DX220MAX and iBasso DX300 (with AMP12).
The Fusang has been an interesting experience for me. By way of a bit of background regarding my own preferences, my tastes have evolved over the years I’ve spent in this delightful (albeit wallet-busting) hobby. I started out (pre-audiophile days) desiring the earphone with the most bass (X-Bass anyone?!). As I got deeper into the audiophile rabbit-hole, I became enamoured of the neutral-reference sound signature. I think this was due to being entranced by the levels of detail retrieval, along with clarity and size of soundstage and separation. Then I began to appreciate and embrace the qualities that more a more warm and organic sound signature had to offer. I think since the overall quality and range of choice of IEMs has skyrocketed in the last 5+ years, it’s now eminently possible to enjoy stellar levels of technical performance outside of the neutral-reference tuning, which has allowed me to appreciate those benefits in conjunction with more musical sound signatures.
Things like note weight, note thickness, warmth, richness, impact, slam and rumble have all become qualities I’ve found quite addictive in various IEMs. Not to mention the appeal of the hybrid designs, with all the sound qualities the various drivers have to offer.
I first reviewed the Mason V3 a few years back, whilst I was still (I think) mainly favouring the neutral-reference tuning. I found that to be a remarkable IEM that would still give most within its genre a run for their money to this day. So now, I have come full circle, via heavily-coloured (sonically speaking) IEMs such as my beloved Stealth Sonics U4 and EE Phantom, via audiophile bass cannons such as the Legend X and Nemesis, via vivid, hard hitting technical paragons such as the MEST models, all the way back today to the latest UM flagship in their traditionally all-BA neutral reference model.
I have to admit, I was a bit apprehensive how I’d feel, coming back to this kind of sound signature after all the gear I’d come to love in the intervening years between now and when I reviewed the Mason v3 some years ago. Would I find it anaemic or unsatisfying?
Could I, as a reviewer, set aside my bass-head predilections and review this IEM objectively, when I might be constantly feeling disappointed by the lack of low-end power?
Read on, intrepid adventurer, to find the answer to this question, and indeed many more!
Lows:
So, let’s get this out of the way, first up; the Fusang is NOT a bass-cannon. Obviously, it was never designed to be, and that’s ‘OK’. The good news is, it’s
far better than I was expecting.
I find it to have a fairly linear tuning in the low end (and indeed overall); there’s perhaps a slight lift in the mid-bass, but I do like that the sub-bass extends deep.
The bass is – as one would expect from a BA-based implementation, fast, accurate and tight.
However, this is where those bone conduction drivers start to work their magic; there is a presence, power and precision here that astonished me.
By way of an analogy, in sports and martial arts, there’s power that can come from size and muscles, but also power that can come from perfect technique and precision (Roger Federer in tennis and Judd Trump in snooker spring to mind immediately; I’m sure there’s many other examples!). This is the kind of power that I feel the Fusang brings.
It’s always controlled, focused and harnessed; never muddy or loose or flabby.
The Fusang surprised me with the amount of impact and slam it was able to reproduce.
Would I like MOAR bass? Of course, I’m Layman1
I funk, therefore I am.
But can I love the Fusang despite it not being a bass-cannon? Absolutely.
I keep coming back to it because it has enough to satisfy, and it just does it so ridiculously well, with remarkable tactility and texture as well.
Mids:
This is the aspect of the Fusang which has probably gained the most praise, and rightly so.
Despite the relatively neutral-reference signature, there’s still a small tinge of warmth and musicality here, but what really stands out for me again is the note weight. The notes aren’t especially thick, but they are weighty, with a real presence. This does wonders for acoustic instruments and both male and female vocals, but also extends to electric guitars and indeed most things I fed into it. As with the lows, there’s a gorgeous texture and tactility that I usually find in dynamic driver-based IEMs.
Finally, there’s also a pretty unique quality that seems to come from the BCD’s; there’s a subtle kind of reverb effect on some vocals and instruments. It doesn’t sound artificial to me in any way; indeed, it actually enhances the realism greatly and makes me feel like I’m there in the room with the artist(s). It’s as if I’ve gotten used to how regular IEMs present vocals and instruments, and when listening to the Fusang, I’m reminded about what they sound like in real life. It’s also a physical feeling, as much as a musical one.
I listened to two tracks by The Stranglers, from their ‘About Time’ album, where the main singer had been replaced by someone who sounds a bit like a lounge singer but which I actually really like. ‘Golden Boy’ and ‘Sinister’, two outstanding tracks from the album.
Golden Boy opens with a kind of humming, thrumming sound, and I noticed, from around 11s to 15s into the song, the Fusang delivers a level of physical power to this bit that I’ve never heard before. This is followed almost immediately by some percussion (drum rim taps I think?) and again, there’s a remarkable level of tactility and realism here.
The track ‘Sinister’ opens with a mixture of kick drum and snare and a cello comes in shortly after. That cello sounds remarkably good; there’s a real grain and texture to it with the Fusang, as well as a delightful depth and weight to it.
Moving on to something completely different, it’s my favourite classical opera review test track, Handel’s Lascia la spina, sung beautifully by Hong Kong based soprano Alison Lau.
What I always look out for here is a point from 14s to 16s, where the strings all descend into lower notes. I love it when an IEM renders this part with real body, richness and weight, and the Fusang does not disappoint in this regard. Even more so, considering the other IEMs which I typically love in terms of how they handle this section of the song are usually ones that are rather (or exceptionally) warm IEMs, such as the EE Phantom and Stealth Sonics U4.
So for a relatively neutral IEM like the Fusang to still deliver the goods here is high praise indeed.
One more here; R.E.M. ‘Nightswimming’ (24-192 HDTracks). The piano on this is just jaw-droppingly good with the Fusang. SO much sustain, note weight, and a stunning resonance that seems unique to the Fusang, likely a product of the bone conduction drivers.
Highs:
To continue with The Strangler’s ‘Sinister’ song notes, furthermore, some of those IEMs that excel with the strings as they swoop low, do comparatively less well with the sparkly harpsichord in the background; sometimes that sparkle is a bit muted or dull, but here is has a lovely soft sparkle.
Generally, I can commend the Fusang for those who might have a sensitivity to treble (such as myself) or upper-mids for that matter. Even with tracks such as the aforementioned Alison Lau opera song, where she hits some piercing highs which can trigger my sensitivities with other IEMs, the Fusang remains marvellously smooth, yet never dull or rolled-off.
I feel the Fusang highs are carefully balanced with the lows and mids. They suffuse air and separation throughout the whole sound signature, without any shrillness or harshness. There’s enough brightness and sparkle to keep things feeling alive and captivating, but this is not an excessively ‘trebly’ IEM.
And as if on cue…
Technical Performance:
Yeah. It’s really good. Haha.
As I’ve mentioned, in addition to the expertly implemented BA drivers, those Bone Conduction drivers have worked some flat-out magic here with this IEM. It presents details in a way I’ve come to appreciate with other IEMs; naturally and organically, not in terms of tonality but in the way I just naturally notice details as an holistic part of just enjoying the music. It’s not an ‘in your face’ kind of presentation of detail, or one which is constantly drawing one’s attention away from the appreciation of the song as a whole.
Nevertheless, I found myself consistently hearing things I’d never noticed before (which, given the amount of quality gear I’ve been privileged enough to hear over the years, is a noteworthy observation). Imaging and layering are simply superb and the degree of separation is excellent too. Each component of a song (instrument, vocal) is easily picked out and can be focused on at will. Soundstage is an interesting one.. I think it extends quite far and is holographic for sure, but I only noticed the extent of this extension on certain tracks (‘Love Dies’ by Club 8 for example); most of the time, the staging of the Fusang seems to be smaller, with more of an ‘intimate venue’ type of feel; spacious, but you’re close to the action, not 50 meters away up in the high stands.
Comparisons:
Well, I know that here people would normally expect to see comparisons.
I decided to omit them, simply because I'd be comparing apples and oranges.
I don't as yet simultaneously own any other IEMs worth $2k+, and of those $1k - $2k IEMs I do own, they are so very different in sound signature that I can't really see much basis for comparison. Add to that the frankly unique qualities of the Fusang and I hope you'll appreciate why I decided to simply let the Fusang speak for itself here. As it were.
Sources and synergies:
I have predominantly used the Sony WM1Z in this review, as I found it’s smoothness and musicality lent itself rather well to the extensive listening sessions this kind of review inevitably entails.
With the DX220MAX, I found the Fusang to sound more crisp and slightly less smooth, more open and airy, and with a small increase in note weight. More neutral in signature, but still very musical. Details seemed to pop out more noticeably vs the WM1Z. Low end slightly more impactful. A really nice shimmer.
With the WM1Z, I found the sound to be more warm, organic, full-bodied, smooth and musical.
It has great timbre and is effortlessly engaging.
I found the DX300 (with AMP12) to fit sonically somewhere in between the WM1Z and DX220MAX; it has the lovely shimmer of the DX220MAX, and detail retrieval is almost on a par with that DAP too. It seems to have more richness and power than the WM1Z, but bears some similarities to the WM1Z with a fairly warm and organic signature. Soundstage is on a par with the WM1Z, and there’s not quite that huge sense of air and space that I get with the DX220MAX.
So, as I remarked in a previous review, if you were reading my notes on the DX220MAX and WM1Z synergy and thinking “Gosh, Layman1, if only there were a DAP that could combine some of the great qualities from each of those two!” then today’s your lucky day
Overall, I felt the DX220MAX had the best synergy as it pretty much doubles down on everything that I love about the Fusang; astonishing note weight and presence, fairly neutral-reference tuning but with a tonne of musicality, superb detail retrieval. It expands out the soundstage and separation of the Fusang, bringing a significant increase in air and spaciousness, but still with no loss in richness and impact.
The only negative (and the reason I still often reach for the WM1Z, is that it’s such a pinpoint, vivid and detailed presentation, that I sometimes find myself getting a little fatigued with long sessions. However, I have sensitivities to various sounds/frequencies, so this may not be an issue for most.
The WM1Z on the other hand, is effortlessly smooth with an organic musicality that I can just get lost in for hours. So, the choice is yours
Bonus cable roll (!!):
Eletech Plato X Socrates 8-wire (limited edition):
It’s a testament to the quality of the stock cable that the changes I hear are not that pronounced at all. With other IEMs and their stock cables (EE Nemesis and Phantom for example), I heard a significant (positive) difference with the Eletech cable.
With the Fusang, I hear a small increase in clarity, shimmer, impact, soundstage and separation when using the Eletech cable.
I feel the stock cable has a bit more smoothness and musicality though, so it’s probably going to come down to personal preference.
Conclusion:
Well, the Fusang has pretty much blown my mind. It really is that good.
It does things I’ve never heard other IEMs do (courtesy of a stellar bone conduction driver implementation). It manages to take the neutral-reference template, stay quite faithful to that, whilst injecting a musicality, weightiness and presence that has to be experienced to be believed. Technical excellence combined with pure soul.
Even for an unabashed basshead like myself, I’ve felt nothing to be lacking here.
I’ve thrown every genre I can think of at it and loved what I’ve heard.
I cannot really comment on whether it merits a $4k+ price tag, since such matters are personal and relative. What I can say is that if you are willing and able to part with such a sum, then I’d highly recommend giving this IEM some serious consideration.
