Custom In-Ear Monitors information & discussion thread

masquerati

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are there any close competitors to unique melody mentor? it's quite good on some songs. on the others which it didn't shine exceedingly well, i suspect it might be due to the source and a lack of superior amplification.

i tried the new westone w60 and it reminded me of westone es5 (which i sold after few months haha). sound's more warm and intimate.

looking for an airy, good soundstage and balanced sound that is not biased towards any genre but presents all genres well.
 

weng

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are there any close competitors to unique melody mentor? it's quite good on some songs. on the others which it didn't shine exceedingly well, i suspect it might be due to the source and a lack of superior amplification.

i tried the new westone w60 and it reminded me of westone es5 (which i sold after few months haha). sound's more warm and intimate.

looking for an airy, good soundstage and balanced sound that is not biased towards any genre but presents all genres well.

Comparing a well burn-in es5 and a rather raw w60, imo w60 is the best out of their entire new w and um lineup (coincidentally also the priciest haha) but it's quite different from the es5. Um mentor based on demo imo is snappier and crispier but treble seems thin and may pierce on certain tracks. I think es5 still has the qualities you have described :D
 

XcoldstarX

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are there any close competitors to unique melody mentor? it's quite good on some songs. on the others which it didn't shine exceedingly well, i suspect it might be due to the source and a lack of superior amplification.

i tried the new westone w60 and it reminded me of westone es5 (which i sold after few months haha). sound's more warm and intimate.

looking for an airy, good soundstage and balanced sound that is not biased towards any genre but presents all genres well.

Here are some of my suggestions:

1. Fitear C435 (treble might be a bit forward)
2. Fitear Private 333 (one of the most neutral iem, mid centric)
3. Noble Kaiser 10 (very versatile iem, but might be too warm)
4. Rooth LSX
 

xr0256

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Comparing a well burn-in es5 and a rather raw w60, imo w60 is the best out of their entire new w and um lineup (coincidentally also the priciest haha) but it's quite different from the es5. Um mentor based on demo imo is snappier and crispier but treble seems thin and may pierce on certain tracks. I think es5 still has the qualities you have described :D

didnt he just sell his es5 though :O
 

masquerati

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i sold my ES5 2 years ago i think. and i never once missed it at all :D the sound's too dark/warm for my taste regardless of the separation blah blah blah

i did miss my ue11pro. sold it after getting the ES5. which is a mistake :( should have kept the ue11pro.

been using senn ie80 for 2 years now :p itching for a superior upgrade

mentor has a healthier price compared to the other flagships and stereo of course has a good service record (disclaimer: not affiliated to stereo hahaha)

tried the miracle as well. it sounds like it's harder to drive and the highs are more rough; vocals have a bigger presence though. mentor's highs are pretty smooth to me.
 

weng

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when i first received the es5 at the hearing centre office, i tested in front of the guy and immediately decided it was 1.5k down the drain. so much for the leap of faith. it sounded really horrible. springy, thin cheapskate sound... really is bueh tahan, and yet i have to put on a straight face in front of him, after bye bye liao then go hide one corner and cry :s13:

but since it's money already thrown in, i went through the phases... let it run... burn in etc. and after 400+ hrs, slowly i swear it's the sound that has changed and not my ears getting used to it :D it's a totally different iem. imo it isn't dark but we could be hearing differently anyway. it's a little warm yes, but overall it has that kind of neutrality across genres that whatever genre you throw at it, it just delivers music to your ears. classical, jazz, pop... to rock! i can listen to it forever without getting fatique or bored.

another difference in opinion is the ue11pro. i don't have the ciem though. just tried the demo and i thought in no way it's a match for es5. i find it having too much mid bass hum/bloat that smears the overall sound. treble and timbre sounded synthetic. i had the ie80 too. yeah some similar sentiment with the ue11pro... the mid bass bloat was a tad too much.

then again there are just too many variables and subjectivity. happy finding! :D
 
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doki81

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when i first received the es5 at the hearing centre office, i tested in front of the guy and immediately decided it was 1.5k down the drain. so much for the leap of faith. it sounded really horrible. springy, thin cheapskate sound... really is bueh tahan, and yet i have to put on a straight face in front of him, after bye bye liao then go hide one corner and cry :s13:

but since it's money already thrown in, i went through the phases... let it run... burn in etc. and after 400+ hrs, slowly i swear it's the sound that has changed and not my ears getting used to it :D it's a totally different iem. imo it isn't dark but we could be hearing differently anyway. it's a little warm yes, but overall it has that kind of neutrality across genres that whatever genre you throw at it, it just delivers music to your ears. classical, jazz, pop... to rock! i can listen to it forever without getting fatique or bored.

another difference in opinion is the ue11pro. i don't have the ciem though. just tried the demo and i thought in no way it's a match for es5. i find it having too much mid bass hum/bloat that smears the overall sound. treble and timbre sounded synthetic. i had the ie80 too. yeah some similar sentiment with the ue11pro... the mid bass bloat was a tad too much.

then again there are just too many variables and subjectivity. happy finding! :D
400hrs++.... Must be your brain burn in liao.. Hahaha
 

masquerati

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when i first received the es5 at the hearing centre office, i tested in front of the guy and immediately decided it was 1.5k down the drain. so much for the leap of faith. it sounded really horrible. springy, thin cheapskate sound... really is bueh tahan, and yet i have to put on a straight face in front of him, after bye bye liao then go hide one corner and cry :s13:

but since it's money already thrown in, i went through the phases... let it run... burn in etc. and after 400+ hrs, slowly i swear it's the sound that has changed and not my ears getting used to it :D it's a totally different iem. imo it isn't dark but we could be hearing differently anyway. it's a little warm yes, but overall it has that kind of neutrality across genres that whatever genre you throw at it, it just delivers music to your ears. classical, jazz, pop... to rock! i can listen to it forever without getting fatique or bored.

another difference in opinion is the ue11pro. i don't have the ciem though. just tried the demo and i thought in no way it's a match for es5. i find it having too much mid bass hum/bloat that smears the overall sound. treble and timbre sounded synthetic. i had the ie80 too. yeah some similar sentiment with the ue11pro... the mid bass bloat was a tad too much.

then again there are just too many variables and subjectivity. happy finding! :D

i took a leap of faith too for es5. and also, there were not many reviews back then.

haha i only believe in burn in to a mild extent. my es5 fresh from the box was okay for me.

i agree that ue11 is not as good as es5 but i like it more bc it's less intimate/warm and it was my first custom iem haha.

es5's eartips are really good. the sound isolation is the best i ever had.

afterall, it's a sound taste preference i guess...

i like this kinda sound; jm lab or focal as it's known now has transparent sound. i'm listening through my macbook air speakers. i have heard a few focal systems myself in person and it's the same transparent kinda sound.

http://youtu.be/ns5Rzc_Nd1I

there's something about wide soundstage and airy sound. it's energetic and like a breath of fresh cool air :D

UM's acrylic shells seem to be of inferior quality as compared to Noble Audio. NA's shell designs and quality are really outstanding. at least from the photos.
 

XcoldstarX

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i took a leap of faith too for es5. and also, there were not many reviews back then.

haha i only believe in burn in to a mild extent. my es5 fresh from the box was okay for me.

i agree that ue11 is not as good as es5 but i like it more bc it's less intimate/warm and it was my first custom iem haha.

es5's eartips are really good. the sound isolation is the best i ever had.

afterall, it's a sound taste preference i guess...

i like this kinda sound; jm lab or focal as it's known now has transparent sound. i'm listening through my macbook air speakers. i have heard a few focal systems myself in person and it's the same transparent kinda sound.

Accuphase / JM Lab Alto Utopia - YouTube

there's something about wide soundstage and airy sound. it's energetic and like a breath of fresh cool air :D

UM's acrylic shells seem to be of inferior quality as compared to Noble Audio. NA's shell designs and quality are really outstanding. at least from the photos.

There's also the Wizard Design option.
 

Guan22

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i took a leap of faith too for es5. and also, there were not many reviews back then.

haha i only believe in burn in to a mild extent. my es5 fresh from the box was okay for me.

i agree that ue11 is not as good as es5 but i like it more bc it's less intimate/warm and it was my first custom iem haha.

es5's eartips are really good. the sound isolation is the best i ever had.

afterall, it's a sound taste preference i guess...

i like this kinda sound; jm lab or focal as it's known now has transparent sound. i'm listening through my macbook air speakers. i have heard a few focal systems myself in person and it's the same transparent kinda sound.

Accuphase / JM Lab Alto Utopia - YouTube

there's something about wide soundstage and airy sound. it's energetic and like a breath of fresh cool air :D

UM's acrylic shells seem to be of inferior quality as compared to Noble Audio. NA's shell designs and quality are really outstanding. at least from the photos.

I've had my Miracle for more than 2 years.
Still perfectly fine.

#justsaying

Do you own UM customs or reshells?
Coz their quality lasts longer than it looks.
 

XcoldstarX

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I've had my Miracle for more than 2 years.
Still perfectly fine.

#justsaying

Do you own UM customs or reshells?
Coz their quality lasts longer than it looks.

I would believe that while most users had an excellent experience with UM, there are a small numbers of users who had a not so stellar experience with UM, like one who had a clean hole appearing from nowhere on his Merlin and also another who had the faceplate of his Mentor made too thinly and developed a crack due to that.

But I am very sure Stereo's and UM's after sales support is excellent and that those that had poor experience had got their problems resolved.

On a side note, here are 2 excellent articles on custom in-ear monitors by our fellow forumer who recently became a member of cymbacavum:

GOING CUSTOM: YES OR NO? | CYMBACAVUM

Universal to Custom Reshell — Things to Know Beforehand | CYMBACAVUM
 

weng

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i took a leap of faith too for es5. and also, there were not many reviews back then.

haha i only believe in burn in to a mild extent. my es5 fresh from the box was okay for me.

i agree that ue11 is not as good as es5 but i like it more bc it's less intimate/warm and it was my first custom iem haha.

es5's eartips are really good. the sound isolation is the best i ever had.

afterall, it's a sound taste preference i guess...

i like this kinda sound; jm lab or focal as it's known now has transparent sound. i'm listening through my macbook air speakers. i have heard a few focal systems myself in person and it's the same transparent kinda sound.

Accuphase / JM Lab Alto Utopia - YouTube

there's something about wide soundstage and airy sound. it's energetic and like a breath of fresh cool air :D

UM's acrylic shells seem to be of inferior quality as compared to Noble Audio. NA's shell designs and quality are really outstanding. at least from the photos.

yeah all boils down to personal preference.

i like focal too. although utopias are way out of my league, i did have the next best thing after the utopia series in my car previously and loved them. unfortunately one of the tweeter blew and i had the option of replacing just the tweeters but i went ahead to change to a pair of rainbows. also have their spirit one and spirit classic headphones :D
 
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eclipse.mint

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I have a simple question. What is the maximum lifespan of BA ciem? Will it last for 5-10 years although I always take care of it?
 

Aegis_Yeo

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I have a simple question. What is the maximum lifespan of BA ciem? Will it last for 5-10 years although I always take care of it?

I think 5 years at least. After that, can't guarantee however I have heard of people whose BA drivers have lasted close to 10 years.
 
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