Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

Softears is simply one of my favourite brands to try out and hear their offerings, where I have had more hits than misses- with the Volume S, Twilight and RSV MK2 being their all time favourites; but when I got offered by one of my patrons to try out their new boxy offering, and a controversial “spiritual” successor to the Twilight in form and specs, the Edge, I simply said yes and spent a good chunk of my time, being surprised, blind sided and caught off guard by the Edge. Thank you to my good friend for making this review possible.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

This is the first time I have unboxed a product from Softears, and I must say this was different- none of the cringe waifu branding, no product advertisement even: straight up why they named it Edge, their brand philosophy in very minimal font in a square box of grey. Unlidding the box gives way to a translucent sheet of paper underneath which lies the shells of the Edge in foam padding. Under that is a circular case which had the cable, protective covers for the IEMs, cleaning tool and microfiber cloth; and for eartips- three pairs of Softears Ultra Clears, and three pairs of regular (generic) eartips. 

The stock cable is an abomination for the Edge, as it tangles easily, feels cheap, is not modular and the earhooks are so slim that if the Edge shells were not well balanced; this definitely would have caused so much fatigue to me but I am glad that although they weigh quite a bit, they don’t cause fatigue cause I had a 10/10 fit with these. 

Word to the wise, Softears got it too angular where the edges can definitely scrape on the eardrums, and they definitely could have been softer (or Softear, pun intended). The Edge has vents, which means no pressure buildup and those are some big vents, but I didn’t feel an awful lot of compromises on the isolation. Enough chit-chat, here’s the sound.

LOWS

Tipper : Mariscos

The Softears Edge has a wonderful start here. The opening intro has a perceived rippling effect which oozes a lot of polish and when the rest of the elements come in, the bass keeps on going with a wonderful level of separation from the rest, the beats are super strong with a lot of punch, fast attack & a decay that is not sluggish by any means. The drop has a superb, clean, precise execution where not once did the bass feel overpowering.

Rush : Limelight

If there is one way I could describe how the Edge performs on this track, COHERENT is what I would choose. Right from the beginning, both the drums and the bass know what to do and that makes me feel very nice about the Edge. Of course, the width on the perceived stage is a bit lacking but it has enough depth to beautifully capture the prodigally controlled aggression on Peart's drums, while across moments, Geddy's bass lines get so intense, I feared that it would spill over the drums but the Edge has ridiculous composure to reel it in like Nadal on a clay court. 

Daft Punk : Get Lucky

The Edge does a brilliant job on this track - be it the amount of control it needs to hold over the slam on the bass, the degree to which notes from the bass need to be enunciated in a way that doesn't diminish the track. The depth in the perceived stage is adequate, the warmth in tonality is restrained enough to not cloud over the rest of the sound, and vocals are planted in the center. But I must say again, I thoroughly enjoyed this track on the Edge.

MIDS

Tool : Lateralus

The Edge might come off a tad excessive when it comes to the intensifying drum intro as the guitar straddles through, but once all the elements join in, the Edge once again gets back in its track for keeping things auditorily fun. The Edge surprisingly manages to not humble Maynard's vocals in terms of weight and guitars have a shade of warmth that I appreciate with tons of energy. Instrument separation is fabulous and specially for an IEM which is this warm, imaging is precise while timbre remains fairly accurate. I was amazed when I heard the clarity sap through with the final rudiment of Carey and right before I could appreciate the texture of the wah-ing bass.

Queens of the Stone Age : First It Giveth

This is on a busy track with a lot of fast paced elements and the Softears Edge once again impresses me. Crisp, well separated, timbrally accurate snare hits, energetic, weighted guitars, planted vocals with adequate weight and the cymbals being audible. What I also like about the Edge is that despite this observation of such energy on the guitars, not once did the Edge feel fatiguing or shouty.

HIGHS

Dave Brubeck : Take Five

The Edge first gets the shimmery almost peppy textures on the cymbals and then the snare where the timbre is remarkable. Then once the horns come in, the Edge pulls my attention to how easily it was able to capture the faint drawing of the breath on them, as well as the pressing of the keys, while not making me forget that it is leading the act. Notes of the piano are nimble and tonally warm but not warm enough that they sound different from the actual key, but the best part comes in the drum solo where the Edge caught the potency of the kicks, the crisp snares and the toms resonant enough to almost sound like how it would sound live.

Patricia Barber : Icarus

This is another track that I really enjoyed listening to the Edge but there was a blemish in my excitement levels; this is a track that is sibilant from the get go and the Edge definitely exaggerates the sibilance which surprisingly manages to keep the cymbals from being fatiguing. Through the straight note sustain, the Edge exhibited no sign of pierce, while the piano, bass and guitars supplemented the lush texture of Patricia's voice, it was just the sibilance that had to diminish what was otherwise an excellent listen.

COMPARISONS

Softears Twilight

There is no clear winner here in my juvenile opinion. The Edge brings a ferocious, energetic warmth with punchy bass and tight control, though it can get a bit spicy if a track is inherently sibilant. The Twilight drops the aggressive bite entirely- it is a midrange masterclass that gives you a much smoother, completely fatigue-free listen that just naturally sounds correct. However, the Twilight’s bass is sloppy and might feel blob-like with minimal tightness, and the Edge takes it to the cleaners when it comes to detail retrieval. Also, fit on the Edge is miles better.

Symphonium Meteor

Both of these go for a warm, cohesive vibe, but they handle the low-end very differently. The Meteor commits hard to a thick mid-bass that can sometimes overpower the lower mids and crush the details that tracks might have, which is where the Edge rules dominantly, while the Edge comes off quite sibilant in tracks where the Meteor either won’t show it or just be quite resistant to its exposure. The Edge keeps its bass way more composed. It punches hard without muddying the mix and offers significantly better instrument separation with stellar imaging, though one loses the Meteor’s totally relaxed top end.

Xenns Top Pro

If the Edge is all about rich, ferocious warmth while balancing technicalities, the Top Pro is an alternate take. The Top Pro flexes a freakishly controlled sub-bass, a wider perceived stage, and imaging that goes head to head with the Edge where the stage’s width is not quite there. On the top end however, it’s a “choose your poison” situation- where the Edge exaggerates existing sibilance, the Top Pro can get straight-up fatiguing and sibilant during high-frequency climaxes.

Softears Studio 4

This one is basically the unapologetically fun daily driver versus the disciplined monitor. The Studio 4 offers a more nuanced, more cautious take on a neutral warm signature while the Edge trades that maturity away for pure engagement, throwing in a visceral bass slam and punch, kind of equal if not better vocals, but better stage and imaging, significantly better detail, and a much peppier treble.

Elysian Pilgrim

These two sit on pretty different ends of the spectrum. The Pilgrim goes for the same presentation with a fabulous imaging, and for the most part, decent vocals but definitely felt strained in higher pitched vocals, where on busier tracks it could sound claustrophobic, instrument separation takes a good hit. The Edge completely fixes that underwhelmed feeling with its ferocious warmth, deep bass punch, and thick note weight, but you do sacrifice the Pilgrim's stage width and have to deal with the Edge's sensitivity to sibilance.

Hisenior Mega5EST

Honestly, the Edge easily outclasses the Mega5EST in almost every way. The Mega5EST struggles with an excessive mid-bass thump that tucks instruments into a blanket and messes with technical isolation. The Edge, on the other hand, shows ridiculous composure, keeping everything crisp and well-separated. The Mega5EST's only real win is its impressive restraint against sibilance, whereas the Edge delivers a vastly more energetic and polished listen at the cost of highlighting sharp sibilance.

CONCLUDING NOTES

At $499, the Softears Edge is an unapologetic powerhouse. It doesn't try to be a perfectly neutral studio monitor, nor does it aim for the relaxed, fatigue-free realism of something like the Twilight. Instead, it brings a controlled yet violent shade of warmth, ridiculous bass composure, and high-octane energy to almost everything you throw at it, and hits you blindside with a spear of detail and instrument separation which I didn’t expect given the lows that it has. 

However, it is not free of flaws and the exaggerated sibilance which in my opinion is a by-product of an IEM being unforgiving in terms of handling tracks can be a deal breaker, for which eartip rolling and EQ is highly recommended. But, all things said and done, I thought I knew this IEM, but I didn’t- and safe to say, unlike Adam Copeland; I was least prepared for a positive sonic whiplash. (I think you know him). 

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely, yeah. 

Will I buy it used ? Absolutely, yeah.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp, the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C. 

The Softears Edge is an extremely easy to drive IEM, so it’s very source friendly.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Divinus Velvet standard: Absolutely excels in controlling bass quantity with quality, doesn’t affect perceived stage, makes the Edge sound the least sibilant where some might observe a miniscule loss in textures with instruments like cymbals. 
• AZLA Origin: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip. 
• Softears Ultra Clear: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width. 
• Final E: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost. 
• KBear Coffee: Just no.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Here’s a YouTube video on the same.

This is not a review post, but a call-out post. As someone who regularly reviews audio gear, I recently reached out to Douk Audio to discuss a standard review collaboration, as they have just officially launched on Amazon India.

THE SHADY OFFER

As you can see in the first two attached emails, the company rep mentioned my metrics didn't quite meet their standard sample-shipping criteria, which is completely fine and understandable. However, they immediately followed up with an "alternative arrangement" and reading the further print on that pissed me off real bad.

They floated the offer that I buy the product directly on Amazon and promised a full refund via PayPal, specifically on the condition that I publish a full review and leave a guaranteed 5-star rating to help them "reduce Amazon advertising costs" which absolutely does not make sense to me in any way, shape or form.

MY RESPONSE

I have formally declined the offer, and you can read my exact reply in the third screenshot. This is a blatant violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service and classic astroturfing.

I would rather stop reviewing altogether than agree to deal with brands practicing such methods. The credibility as reviewers relies entirely on transparency and unbiased, honest evaluations and being accomplices in purchase-and-refund schemes for guaranteed ratings completely undermines the trust in this community, where reviewers entirely are considered with extreme skepticism, but all things said and done, I refuse to compromise my editorial integrity for this. I have been dropped by brands for being a bit too curt in my opinions, but that doesn’t matter to me, because I still am supported by my local audio communities and drooping down to such practices would be a cruel insult to their faith and support in me.

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER

I wanted to put this out there as a warning to the community. If you see a sudden influx of glowing 5-star reviews for Douk Audio/Nobsound products on Amazon India (or Amazon global or any other retailers), please take them with a massive grain of salt. It is incredibly disappointing to see brands resort to buying ratings instead of letting the audio equipment speak for itself, and then belittle reviewers who might not be able to afford the products directly, but still try to help the brands and the community at such by being better providers and better purchasers.

This is not a review post, but a call-out post. As someone who regularly reviews audio gear, I recently reached out to Douk Audio to discuss a standard review collaboration, as they have just officially launched on Amazon India.

THE SHADY OFFER

As you can see in the first two attached emails, the company rep mentioned my metrics didn't quite meet their standard sample-shipping criteria, which is completely fine and understandable. However, they immediately followed up with an "alternative arrangement" and reading the further print on that pissed me off real bad.

They floated the offer that I buy the product directly on Amazon and promised a full refund via PayPal, specifically on the condition that I publish a full review and leave a guaranteed 5-star rating to help them "reduce Amazon advertising costs" which absolutely does not make sense to me in any way, shape or form.

MY RESPONSE

I have formally declined the offer, and you can read my exact reply in the third screenshot. This is a blatant violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service and classic astroturfing.

I would rather stop reviewing altogether than agree to deal with brands practicing such methods. The credibility as reviewers relies entirely on transparency and unbiased, honest evaluations and being accomplices in purchase-and-refund schemes for guaranteed ratings completely undermines the trust in this community, where reviewers entirely are considered with extreme skepticism, but all things said and done, I refuse to compromise my editorial integrity for this. I have been dropped by brands for being a bit too curt in my opinions, but that doesn’t matter to me, because I still am supported by my local audio communities and drooping down to such practices would be a cruel insult to their faith and support in me.

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER

I wanted to put this out there as a warning to the community. If you see a sudden influx of glowing 5-star reviews for Douk Audio/Nobsound products on Amazon India (or Amazon global or any other retailers), please take them with a massive grain of salt. It is incredibly disappointing to see brands resort to buying ratings instead of letting the audio equipment speak for itself, and then belittle reviewers who might not be able to afford the products directly, but still try to help the brands and the community at such by being better providers and better purchasers.

This is not a review post, but a call-out post. As someone who regularly reviews audio gear, I recently reached out to Douk Audio to discuss a standard review collaboration, as they have just officially launched on Amazon India.

THE SHADY OFFER

As you can see in the first two attached emails, the company rep mentioned my metrics didn't quite meet their standard sample-shipping criteria, which is completely fine and understandable. However, they immediately followed up with an "alternative arrangement" and reading the further print on that pissed me off real bad.

They floated the offer that I buy the product directly on Amazon and promised a full refund via PayPal, specifically on the condition that I publish a full review and leave a guaranteed 5-star rating to help them "reduce Amazon advertising costs" which absolutely does not make sense to me in any way, shape or form.

MY RESPONSE

I have formally declined the offer, and you can read my exact reply in the third screenshot. This is a blatant violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service and classic astroturfing.

I would rather stop reviewing altogether than agree to deal with brands practicing such methods. The credibility as reviewers relies entirely on transparency and unbiased, honest evaluations and being accomplices in purchase-and-refund schemes for guaranteed ratings completely undermines the trust in this community, where reviewers entirely are considered with extreme skepticism, but all things said and done, I refuse to compromise my editorial integrity for this. I have been dropped by brands for being a bit too curt in my opinions, but that doesn’t matter to me, because I still am supported by my local audio communities and drooping down to such practices would be a cruel insult to their faith and support in me.

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER

I wanted to put this out there as a warning to the community. If you see a sudden influx of glowing 5-star reviews for Douk Audio/Nobsound products on Amazon India (or Amazon global or any other retailers), please take them with a massive grain of salt. It is incredibly disappointing to see brands resort to buying ratings instead of letting the audio equipment speak for itself, and then belittle reviewers who might not be able to afford the products directly, but still try to help the brands and the community at such by being better providers and better purchasers.

(Note: The attached screenshots have personal contact details manually redacted.)

This is not a review post, but a call-out post. As someone who regularly reviews audio gear, I recently reached out to Douk Audio to discuss a standard review collaboration, as they have just officially launched on Amazon India.

THE SHADY OFFER

As you can see in the first two attached emails, the company rep mentioned my metrics didn't quite meet their standard sample-shipping criteria, which is completely fine and understandable. However, they immediately followed up with an "alternative arrangement" and reading the further print on that pissed me off real bad.

They floated the offer that I buy the product directly on Amazon and promised a full refund via PayPal, specifically on the condition that I publish a full review and leave a guaranteed 5-star rating to help them "reduce Amazon advertising costs" which absolutely does not make sense to me in any way, shape or form.

MY RESPONSE

I have formally declined the offer, and you can read my exact reply in the third screenshot. This is a blatant violation of Amazon’s Terms of Service and classic astroturfing.

I would rather stop reviewing altogether than agree to deal with brands practicing such methods. The credibility as reviewers relies entirely on transparency and unbiased, honest evaluations and being accomplices in purchase-and-refund schemes for guaranteed ratings completely undermines the trust in this community, where reviewers entirely are considered with extreme skepticism, but all things said and done, I refuse to compromise my editorial integrity for this. I have been dropped by brands for being a bit too curt in my opinions, but that doesn’t matter to me, because I still am supported by my local audio communities and drooping down to such practices would be a cruel insult to their faith and support in me.

WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER

I wanted to put this out there as a warning to the community. If you see a sudden influx of glowing 5-star reviews for Douk Audio/Nobsound products on Amazon India (or Amazon global or any other retailers), please take them with a massive grain of salt. It is incredibly disappointing to see brands resort to buying ratings instead of letting the audio equipment speak for itself, and then belittle reviewers who might not be able to afford the products directly, but still try to help the brands and the community at such by being better providers and better purchasers.

(Note: The attached screenshots have personal contact details manually redacted.)

Meze and I have been acquaintances, not strangers, not friends either; where I have heard their IEMs longer than their headphones, and even in the case of their headphones, I still remain very juvenile in my opinions and thoughts; but when I got nominated and selected for a limited review tour by Meze’s India division, I couldn’t contain my excitement to be blessed with an opportunity to see for myself, the sequel to one very well spotted, well seen, popular headphone from them- the Meze 99 Classics V2. Thank you Meze Audio for giving me this opportunity.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Meze right out of the gate has kept everything somewhat minimalist with the box which comes with very limited typography with a pleasing font (I am a sucker for good fonts), and once I lifted the lid off- I found a hardshell case with the Meze logo, and underneath that, a sealed pack of acoustic foam (nod to Resolve from headphones.com uploading measurements of the paper towel vs acoustic foam inserts vs stock sound) and some paperwork.

Unzipping the case, gives way to the beautiful, beautiful set of headphones where the cups are made of walnut wood where the grain gives each set a distinct look. The feel and finish are quite smooth, the earcups are easily removable by a clip system which means the earpads from Classics V1 incompatible with these. There are no Left Right indicators on the cups which feels like a slight bummer, and the included 2x3.5mm to 3.5mm cable too is devoid of markers.

Meze also bundles it with a 3.5mm to type-c dongle which is nice and makes sense to include it, considering the fact that the 99 Classics V2 do not need a lot of juice to run them, and there’s an inclusion of a 3.5mm female to 6.35mm male plug.

The depth of the earpads are more than the Classics V1, and comparing something to the likes of the Sony MDR MV-1, the V2 earpads are considerably deeper but again for some, it might still not be enough. They are leather too, so usage in heat is not recommended from my end. The headphones are also light and stretch very well, so I did not feel any fatigue on the top of my head, and I used it while wearing a pair of silver hoop earrings and glasses (two plastic slim frames, and one thick acetate), and the 99 Classics V2 didn’t feel too clampy. 

Last detail before I ramble on the sound (warning: it’s a tragedy), I have used a Hifiman 2x3.5mm to 4.4mm cable from Openheart for my review, and I am not a cable believer, so with that being out, let me describe to you how much disappointed I was with the sound.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Meze 99 Classics V2 feels unclear with what it wants to do with intro where the rippling intro feels more like a fizz, and the initial hit of the beats feel like they have almost no power, very anemic while I could still appreciate the separation amidst the elements of the track; and once the drop comes in- my disappointment grows greater, as the beats just feel like they have no power besides a forced, at gunpoint-esque grunt that simply lets me feel like, “oh yeah, the hit’s there but what about it?” I just wanted to enjoy this track, and appreciate the elements that it has, but it seems like the Meze 99 Classics V2 wants to nail only half of my priorities right- and the punchy yet crisp hits that this track has, especially in the breakdown, is simply too obscure. And yet this set has a long way to go.

Rush: Limelight

The 99 Classics V2 just doesn’t have that exciting grunt that both the drums and the bass have in this track- there’s no semblance of punch in the kicks and the toms where they simply enunciate as hits without an enjoyable extension in its body, the snares come off just too flat, and notes from the bass lines simply cannot keep up. This becomes more annoying for me, as I can sense the headphones clearly trying its best to maintain a commendable level of separation, and the imaging being enough for me to try ignoring the shortcomings there; but sadly the headphones simply have voided the excitement. The only time I can hear the bass audibly from the drums is when the guitar solo comes in, and even there when the tremolo of the guitar starts mimicking a bird’s call, the bass starts getting obscure and the guitar gets piercing.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

Well, I can finally hear the bass wallop through the drums and the rest of the elements in this track (mainly because this album has a solid masterclass in how bass in an aggressive track should sound without getting muddy), and the 99 Classics V2 rightfully demonstrates that it sounds quite clean for a closed back: even better instrument separation, great imaging, and this set really manages to let the cymbals shine through and supplement the great tango that happens between the drums and bass from the 3 minute mark. I thought these would be warm tonally, but I wouldn’t be too confident in myself saying that these are warm, and this track showed that perfectly for me. Lord, did I wish for some more bass while maintaining the same neatness through instrument separation and letting the midrange have some respite.

Daft Punk: Get Lucky

The 99 Classics V2 reconfirms my observation that it has an inherent problem with managing the perceived sound stage for my ears, as I had a perpetually uneasy time in comprehending the lack of depth which was impacting the bass line once again so drastically, and the way the hits are enunciated in this track are a tragedy; there seems to be no depth in the perceived note weight and except for having a clean separation, I cannot say anything remarkable about it. Guitars on this track have a faint harshness to them, like something faintly scratchy which ruins the otherwise smoothness that it could have had; cymbals are just fine, and vocals feel adequately balanced in terms of tonality and weight.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The 99 Classics V2 once again comes up with problems, and to begin with things, it starts with the snares: the hits are crisp when it comes to detail but when it comes to having body, it has halfway evaporated. And throw in the disturbance of an already wonky perception of the bass, which keeps things consistently not good. And then, when the guitars start coming in, they have decent energy to carry forward a charge, but the strength is lacking as the drums simply cannot keep on supplementing it. Then, while this is not enough, Josh Homme sounds like wailing and then simply muffled towards the end of the track and specially through the chorus, because although in the former track, I needed a second guess to gauge the weight on vocals, but here; it’s as clear as day- the 99 Classics V2 really mess up the rationing of the weight.

Alf Linder: Cantate Domino

There is some respite offered on this track by this set, as the timbre through the organs was fairly accurate to the key I would say, while tonally it was balanced somewhat. I would also add that when the choir comes in once the carpet has been laid out, I made no mistakes of saying it was grand, but notes had adequate spacing plus the great imaging aided in showcasing the layers of the choir in this piece. And, the little pannings across the channels that the organs have was accurately reproduced. But the issues of the choir sounding mildly piercing was not shed by the Classics V2 which happens when it gets falsetto-esque, so there I go, I only had a slice but not the full pie. I must still say again, that the quality of the horns was just fantastic on the Classics V2- enough sparkle, accurate timbre which wasn’t too dry, and well separated.

Tool: Lateralus

The 99 Classics V2 tries to hold its ground towards more breadcrumbs of redemption, but all of its efforts go in vain: now, here I find the bass to be adequate, but the guitars and vocals are just thin, and cymbals get highly problematic as the track progresses, and especially once the breakdown ends, where the saving grace is the final rudiment from Carey being executed with the detail that it needs and enough punch to not be labelled as anemic. But the way the cymbals come off is surprisingly fatiguing, borderline harsh in terms of textures and tonally leans towards a glaring, inconsistent, unpleasant shade of bright.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

A complete mess, that’s the summarisation and allow me to explain why. This is my track when it comes to sibilance, not to gauge how sibilant the gear can sound as sibilance is a property of the track as well, but how much control does the gear have when it comes to holding it back; and the 99 Classics V2 do a disastrous job on that. Right out of the bat, the way Patricia enunciates her Cs and Ss is sibilant enough for me to take the headphones off now and then to let my ears breathe, the cymbals and guitars feel borderline prickly as perceived note weight is just a question mark; and especially the loss of texture on the cymbals and Patricia’s vocals spiritually hurts me on this.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

I am going to keep it short on this one- except for the separation that the channel splits in this track bring and keeping the imaging just surgically accurate, with a remarkable level of detail, the 99 Classics V2 shows the potential on how significantly better it could have been. The attack and decay on the kicks finally can be assessed to being adequately paced, and the 99 Classics V2 doesn’t appear to be sluggish, timbre remains accurate through the snares, the horns and the keys; there’s a satisfying resonance to the floor toms to be precise, and the stage is wide enough. Never did I think that something could have made the horns sound painfully piercing, and the Meze 99 Classics V2 just made me experience that for the first time, where every time the horns ascended to the upper registers, I just have to shuffle the cups a bit to relieve myself of some tension. That’s it for this track.

PinkPantheress: Stateside ft. Zara Larsson

Once again, the Classics V2 has that anemic bass rolling the ball through perpetual disappointment, where now I find PinkPantheress to be a bit too forward sounding. Just a tad bit more low end punch could have solved some of the glaring issues on this track, where firstly the synths have a good level of separation from the phonk style beats but come off fatiguing, and the way the beats approach their decay exhibits a whisker’s length worth of distortion, and once Zara steps into the mix, she comes off faintly piercing and awfully thin. I just couldn’t finish listening to this track and simply had to take the headphones off.

CONCLUDING NOTES

Meze has done a fantastic job from the bloat fest that the Meze 99 Classics V1 was, but to my ears I felt Meze played with the lows a bit too smooth and the highs are a major, tragic miss for me. And not once, did I think about ditching my open-backs, the Sennheiser HD600, 560S, Audiotechnica R70x, and for closed backs, the Meze 99 Classics V2 felt like a worse buy at retail compared to something like the FiiO FT1, as I am of the opinion that meaningful improvements done with regards to the previous iteration by the brand can only be meaningful if the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of the offerings, versus what the demographic might want are also considered and I feel, Meze has read the room just half right. The Sennheiser 480 Pro exists just right there, and I would take that 10 out of 10 times over the Meze, especially for the midrange and the way the bass makes me feel a certain way, which is shown off in technically complex tracks.

It is truly a tragedy because the 99 Classics V2 has some of the best passive attenuation I have experienced on a pair of headphones, has excellent build quality, is aesthetic (at least to me), insanely comfortable but the sound is just simply not there. I think we are still a few good years behind from having actually competent closed back offerings, but I hope brands don’t stop.

And honestly, the provided foam inserts really didn’t do a lot for me, so that’s another bummer.

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely not. 

Will I buy it used ? No, unless offered at a fraction of the price.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp. Recreationally used with the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Meze and I have been acquaintances, not strangers, not friends either; where I have heard their IEMs longer than their headphones, and even in the case of their headphones, I still remain very juvenile in my opinions and thoughts; but when I got nominated and selected for a limited review tour by Meze’s India division, I couldn’t contain my excitement to be blessed with an opportunity to see for myself, the sequel to one very well spotted, well seen, popular headphone from them- the Meze 99 Classics V2. Thank you Meze Audio for giving me this opportunity.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Meze right out of the gate has kept everything somewhat minimalist with the box which comes with very limited typography with a pleasing font (I am a sucker for good fonts), and once I lifted the lid off- I found a hardshell case with the Meze logo, and underneath that, a sealed pack of acoustic foam (nod to Resolve from headphones.com uploading measurements of the paper towel vs acoustic foam inserts vs stock sound) and some paperwork.

Unzipping the case, gives way to the beautiful, beautiful set of headphones where the cups are made of walnut wood where the grain gives each set a distinct look. The feel and finish are quite smooth, the earcups are easily removable by a clip system which means the earpads from Classics V1 incompatible with these. There are no Left Right indicators on the cups which feels like a slight bummer, and the included 2x3.5mm to 3.5mm cable too is devoid of markers.

Meze also bundles it with a 3.5mm to type-c dongle which is nice and makes sense to include it, considering the fact that the 99 Classics V2 do not need a lot of juice to run them, and there’s an inclusion of a 3.5mm female to 6.35mm male plug.

The depth of the earpads are more than the Classics V1, and comparing something to the likes of the Sony MDR MV-1, the V2 earpads are considerably deeper but again for some, it might still not be enough. They are leather too, so usage in heat is not recommended from my end. The headphones are also light and stretch very well, so I did not feel any fatigue on the top of my head, and I used it while wearing a pair of silver hoop earrings and glasses (two plastic slim frames, and one thick acetate), and the 99 Classics V2 didn’t feel too clampy. 

Last detail before I ramble on the sound (warning: it’s a tragedy), I have used a Hifiman 2x3.5mm to 4.4mm cable from Openheart for my review, and I am not a cable believer, so with that being out, let me describe to you how much disappointed I was with the sound.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Meze 99 Classics V2 feels unclear with what it wants to do with intro where the rippling intro feels more like a fizz, and the initial hit of the beats feel like they have almost no power, very anemic while I could still appreciate the separation amidst the elements of the track; and once the drop comes in- my disappointment grows greater, as the beats just feel like they have no power besides a forced, at gunpoint-esque grunt that simply lets me feel like, “oh yeah, the hit’s there but what about it?” I just wanted to enjoy this track, and appreciate the elements that it has, but it seems like the Meze 99 Classics V2 wants to nail only half of my priorities right- and the punchy yet crisp hits that this track has, especially in the breakdown, is simply too obscure. And yet this set has a long way to go.

Rush: Limelight

The 99 Classics V2 just doesn’t have that exciting grunt that both the drums and the bass have in this track- there’s no semblance of punch in the kicks and the toms where they simply enunciate as hits without an enjoyable extension in its body, the snares come off just too flat, and notes from the bass lines simply cannot keep up. This becomes more annoying for me, as I can sense the headphones clearly trying its best to maintain a commendable level of separation, and the imaging being enough for me to try ignoring the shortcomings there; but sadly the headphones simply have voided the excitement. The only time I can hear the bass audibly from the drums is when the guitar solo comes in, and even there when the tremolo of the guitar starts mimicking a bird’s call, the bass starts getting obscure and the guitar gets piercing.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

Well, I can finally hear the bass wallop through the drums and the rest of the elements in this track (mainly because this album has a solid masterclass in how bass in an aggressive track should sound without getting muddy), and the 99 Classics V2 rightfully demonstrates that it sounds quite clean for a closed back: even better instrument separation, great imaging, and this set really manages to let the cymbals shine through and supplement the great tango that happens between the drums and bass from the 3 minute mark. I thought these would be warm tonally, but I wouldn’t be too confident in myself saying that these are warm, and this track showed that perfectly for me. Lord, did I wish for some more bass while maintaining the same neatness through instrument separation and letting the midrange have some respite.

Daft Punk: Get Lucky

The 99 Classics V2 reconfirms my observation that it has an inherent problem with managing the perceived sound stage for my ears, as I had a perpetually uneasy time in comprehending the lack of depth which was impacting the bass line once again so drastically, and the way the hits are enunciated in this track are a tragedy; there seems to be no depth in the perceived note weight and except for having a clean separation, I cannot say anything remarkable about it. Guitars on this track have a faint harshness to them, like something faintly scratchy which ruins the otherwise smoothness that it could have had; cymbals are just fine, and vocals feel adequately balanced in terms of tonality and weight.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The 99 Classics V2 once again comes up with problems, and to begin with things, it starts with the snares: the hits are crisp when it comes to detail but when it comes to having body, it has halfway evaporated. And throw in the disturbance of an already wonky perception of the bass, which keeps things consistently not good. And then, when the guitars start coming in, they have decent energy to carry forward a charge, but the strength is lacking as the drums simply cannot keep on supplementing it. Then, while this is not enough, Josh Homme sounds like wailing and then simply muffled towards the end of the track and specially through the chorus, because although in the former track, I needed a second guess to gauge the weight on vocals, but here; it’s as clear as day- the 99 Classics V2 really mess up the rationing of the weight.

Alf Linder: Cantate Domino

There is some respite offered on this track by this set, as the timbre through the organs was fairly accurate to the key I would say, while tonally it was balanced somewhat. I would also add that when the choir comes in once the carpet has been laid out, I made no mistakes of saying it was grand, but notes had adequate spacing plus the great imaging aided in showcasing the layers of the choir in this piece. And, the little pannings across the channels that the organs have was accurately reproduced. But the issues of the choir sounding mildly piercing was not shed by the Classics V2 which happens when it gets falsetto-esque, so there I go, I only had a slice but not the full pie. I must still say again, that the quality of the horns was just fantastic on the Classics V2- enough sparkle, accurate timbre which wasn’t too dry, and well separated.

Tool: Lateralus

The 99 Classics V2 tries to hold its ground towards more breadcrumbs of redemption, but all of its efforts go in vain: now, here I find the bass to be adequate, but the guitars and vocals are just thin, and cymbals get highly problematic as the track progresses, and especially once the breakdown ends, where the saving grace is the final rudiment from Carey being executed with the detail that it needs and enough punch to not be labelled as anemic. But the way the cymbals come off is surprisingly fatiguing, borderline harsh in terms of textures and tonally leans towards a glaring, inconsistent, unpleasant shade of bright.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

A complete mess, that’s the summarisation and allow me to explain why. This is my track when it comes to sibilance, not to gauge how sibilant the gear can sound as sibilance is a property of the track as well, but how much control does the gear have when it comes to holding it back; and the 99 Classics V2 do a disastrous job on that. Right out of the bat, the way Patricia enunciates her Cs and Ss is sibilant enough for me to take the headphones off now and then to let my ears breathe, the cymbals and guitars feel borderline prickly as perceived note weight is just a question mark; and especially the loss of texture on the cymbals and Patricia’s vocals spiritually hurts me on this.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

I am going to keep it short on this one- except for the separation that the channel splits in this track bring and keeping the imaging just surgically accurate, with a remarkable level of detail, the 99 Classics V2 shows the potential on how significantly better it could have been. The attack and decay on the kicks finally can be assessed to being adequately paced, and the 99 Classics V2 doesn’t appear to be sluggish, timbre remains accurate through the snares, the horns and the keys; there’s a satisfying resonance to the floor toms to be precise, and the stage is wide enough. Never did I think that something could have made the horns sound painfully piercing, and the Meze 99 Classics V2 just made me experience that for the first time, where every time the horns ascended to the upper registers, I just have to shuffle the cups a bit to relieve myself of some tension. That’s it for this track.

PinkPantheress: Stateside ft. Zara Larsson

Once again, the Classics V2 has that anemic bass rolling the ball through perpetual disappointment, where now I find PinkPantheress to be a bit too forward sounding. Just a tad bit more low end punch could have solved some of the glaring issues on this track, where firstly the synths have a good level of separation from the phonk style beats but come off fatiguing, and the way the beats approach their decay exhibits a whisker’s length worth of distortion, and once Zara steps into the mix, she comes off faintly piercing and awfully thin. I just couldn’t finish listening to this track and simply had to take the headphones off.

CONCLUDING NOTES

Meze has done a fantastic job from the bloat fest that the Meze 99 Classics V1 was, but to my ears I felt Meze played with the lows a bit too smooth and the highs are a major, tragic miss for me. And not once, did I think about ditching my open-backs, the Sennheiser HD600, 560S, Audiotechnica R70x, and for closed backs, the Meze 99 Classics V2 felt like a worse buy at retail compared to something like the FiiO FT1, as I am of the opinion that meaningful improvements done with regards to the previous iteration by the brand can only be meaningful if the strengths and weaknesses of the rest of the offerings, versus what the demographic might want are also considered and I feel, Meze has read the room just half right. The Sennheiser 480 Pro exists just right there, and I would take that 10 out of 10 times over the Meze, especially for the midrange and the way the bass makes me feel a certain way, which is shown off in technically complex tracks.

It is truly a tragedy because the 99 Classics V2 has some of the best passive attenuation I have experienced on a pair of headphones, has excellent build quality, is aesthetic (at least to me), insanely comfortable but the sound is just simply not there. I think we are still a few good years behind from having actually competent closed back offerings, but I hope brands don’t stop.

And honestly, the provided foam inserts really didn’t do a lot for me, so that’s another bummer.

Will I buy it at retail ? Absolutely not. 

Will I buy it used ? No, unless offered at a fraction of the price.

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp. Recreationally used with the Shanling M9 Plus stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro transportable DAC amp running RoHM DAC chips, via USB-C.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna

Hisenior had achieved significant name and fame, with one particular set that put them right on the map, and despite having a good chunk of time passed since this release, a friend of mine decided to send me the cult classic in the mega5EST for assessment, and I got to see has the IEM turned into wine or milk after all this time. I have had some good pleasure listening to another set of theirs, the Cano Cristales, and now it was time for me to assess this IEM. So thank you, dear friend for loaning this.

UNBOXING, ACCESSORIES, FIT AND COMFORT

Hisenior has left no stone unturned when it came to the accessories of the Mega5EST; and with the cover out which advertised the product aptly (the one I got was the 7th anniversary edition), taking the lid off gave way to a Pelican-esque carry case which I think is good enough for a few absent minded sit downs and a few missed throws (I wish more brands gave cases like these). The IEMs were right there with the stock cable, which is pleasant and has heft. There was a generous assortment of eartips along with a cleaning tool. The shells had febos written on it in cursive, which meant FEEL THE BEAUTY OF SOUND, which was their previous name.

I got the perfect seal on the Mega5EST with a shallower insertion than most, and thanks to the vents for not allowing any pressure buildup. Despite the large shells, I would say that the contouring contributed to having much less fatigue than usual, and the fatigue happened across the earhook areas, after I had this set for hours on end.

LOWS

Tipper: Mariscos

The Mega5EST shows juvenile signs of competence with a good level of cleanliness demonstrated in the opening rippling like intro of this track, and once the rest of the elements catches up, the initial beats that should have been strong come off rather in an anemic fashion, and then the Mega5EST caught me off guard with a deep, borderline grovelling bass hit in the drop which I felt was a bit too excessive with how the beats sustained. Attack seems to be moderately paced and the decay lingers on for slightly longer than usual. The phase-like fuzzy elements in this track didn’t feel as quite polished as some other sets have been in, but still not too shabby. Not too impressive either.

Rush: Limelight

The Mega5EST, through this track shows it can definitely add in the thump that the kicks and toms specially have here, although the kicks have a more prominent presence than the toms. What the Mega5EST does rather poorly here, is that the notes from the bass line in this track seems to evaporate because it emphasises the drums excessively, and the only time the grain from the chaff (bass from the drums) is separated is when the guitar solo comes in here, and as soon as the solo ends, the bass tends to get tucked into the blanket that the drums seems to have created; which indicates that the Mega5EST cannot handle isolation in technically elaborate tracks as this one. Adding on to this, the rudiments towards the end of the track lack the resonance that makes the ending so satisfying on this track.

Rage Against the Machine: Bullet in the Head

The intro of this track sounds potent at first, but as the intro concludes for the rest of the elements in this track to barge through, I could sense that this IEM really was not letting the bass fully belt out in its full glory, and a little enhancement in the separation of the bass and drums couldn’t have hurt. But, all things said and done; what I like about the Mega5EST prima facie is the way vocals sit right in the middle of the track, and the instruments revolve around it (metaphorically). Tonality could be said as balanced by some, but I wouldn’t put it across that way. It’s got a strong warm presence with some perceived sparkle on the other end, but I will elaborate on it more as I progress through. This track becomes significantly more enjoyable when the bass really becomes the highlight of the show through the breakdown, and I could finally gauge the note by note aggression and the drums merely supplement the bass, as it should on this track.

MIDS

Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth

The bass is once again a subtle problem in this track where it shouldn’t have been, as right at the intro it comes in with an excess of aggression; and as the rest of the elements follow suit, I seriously lament with how flat I perceived the otherwise crisp, sharp, aggressive snares that this track where with some IEMs I would have been able to gauge the timbre, but the Mega5EST definitely was making me work hard on being able to gauge it.

Once I am settled in the track, I could sense a faint thinness in Josh Homme’s vocals, as the guitars were adequately being rationed along with the cymbals, which surprisingly are having a fantastic perception in their placement, right alongside the vocals and once again, not being too forward nor being too laid back. But through the verses, the bass really takes off into obscurity as I felt every other instrument otherwise which puts a blemish.

Tool: Lateralus

The otherwise overpowering bass finally finds itself having some relevance as it walks the aisle right alongside the rumbling floor toms as it sets the stage up for everything else to fall into place. But once the intro ends, and the guitars further try to mould this beautiful vase of a track, the bass once again feels a bit too on the nose, although the same energy reflected by the floor toms is giving the track a much needed power; because both the vocals and the guitars are now coming off thin. Through the breakdown, the Mega5EST does a shabby job with how the final rudiments on the drums end as I sensed a blur on its execution, the granular finesse needed to recognize every hit was simply not there, and cymbals were having a momentary loss in texture. Some ears may enjoy the excess of the thump and punch, but I was really not feeling it with the Mega5EST.

HIGHS

Patricia Barber: Icarus

Here; the Mega5EST impresses me a lot: I specifically use this track to not sense sibilance, as sibilance is an element already preserved in the recording and this track demonstrates it very audibly, I use this track to see the restraint or the succumbing into showing that sibilance, and I would say that the Mega5EST does an impressive job in showing restraint- the way Patricia Barber enunciated her Cs and Ss was not excessively sibilant, but I wouldn’t outright write it off as this IEM being smooth. Timbre finally shows up through the percussion and the pianos to be slightly on the drier side than what I am used to, and falls slightly shy of me calling it accurate. Tonality potently is on the warmer side than being balanced, and specially observed through the pianos.

Dave Brubeck: Take Five

The Mega5EST seems to have done a good job with the cymbals that establish their presence right from the intro but there’s an inherent problem with their note weight, and the same extends to the horns where there’s detail to pick through the little nuances but it’s just that even they sound faintly thin. The bass tends to stumble with its recognition in this track, the one track where all the elements are distinctly, audibly clear from one another but fixes itself right itself when the horns end and the drum solo is about to start. This track is also unique because the stereo characteristic is unmistakably itself and the channels separate the moment the drum solo kicks in, and the IEM picks up the detail; snare hits are crisp, the resonance of the toms needed a little more resonance to be even more pronounced but still decent; the kicks have a potent hit and the way the decay comes off in its hits is satisfying. The bass and the pianos hold their respective ground, but that isolation of the bass from the drums once again gets obscure once the horns kick in.

COMPARISONS

Xenns Mangird Top Pro

The Xenns Top Pro absolutely blows the Mega5EST out of the water in almost everything it does. While the Mega5EST suffers from an excessive mid-bass thump that tends to overshadow other elements and tucks instruments into a blanket, the Top Pro delivers a freakishly controlled sub-bass that accentuates the track without seeping through. Where the Mega5EST struggles with isolation on technically elaborate tracks, the Top Pro fires back with a magnificent, wide stage and some of the best imaging capabilities out there. Even in the highs, where the Mega5EST shows a competent restraint against sibilance but feels faintly thin and dry, the Top Pro handles climaxes with more detail but can come off fatiguing and sibilant. The only areas where the Mega5EST even puts up a fight are in offering minutely smoother highs on rare occasions and perhaps slightly finer imaging, but it’s essentially a seamless victory for the Top Pro.

Elysian Pilgrim

The Elysian Pilgrim takes an entirely different route compared to the heavy-handed, groveling bass approach of the Mega5EST. Where the Mega5EST over-indulges in mid-bass thump, in its light I really enjoyed how well and composed the Pilgrim felt. The Pilgrim effortlessly outclasses the Mega5EST in the midrange, trading the latter's fuzzy isolation for a wide stage, fabulous imaging, and juggles the act of balancing vocals beautifully (comparatively). However, the Mega5EST maintains an upper hand in treble smoothness; while the Mega5EST handles sibilance with impressive restraint, the Pilgrim suffers from a subtly audible grain and can feel like it runs out of air on high-pitched vocals, making it sound leaner in moments where the Mega5EST remains composed.

Crinear Reference

The Crinear Reference serves as a surgical magnifying glass, standing in stark contrast to the thick, heavily colored presentation of the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST comes in with an excessively aggressive bass attack and lingering decay that ruins my perception of the bass quality, the Reference keeps the lows strictly at abeyance, delivering a seasoned featherweight's punch with precise decay that never overstays its welcome. The Reference also completely outclasses the Mega5EST in technicalities: where the latter struggles to isolate bass lines from drum rudiments, the former balances the tightrope of coherence and isolation like a maestro, rendering perfect snare and cymbal timbre. The Mega5EST has problems with its note weight, whereas the Reference offers incredible rationing, a lip-smacking shimmer, and pristine detail retrieval with near-zero sibilance.

Softears Studio 4

The Softears Studio 4 offers a much more refined and mature take on a warm, musical signature than the Mega5EST. While the Mega5EST throws too much aggression into the bass right out of the gate, the Studio 4 delivers a velvety, polite sub-bass that only unleashes its orchestral punch when the track strictly demands it. In the midrange, the Mega5EST manages vocals center-stage but falters with instrumental layering, whereas the Studio 4 delivers incredibly flavorful, full-bodied vocals backed by deadly precise imaging. The true magnum opus of the Studio 4 lies in its highs: crisp, soaring, and tonally magnificent, which makes the smooth but somewhat dry treble of the Mega5EST feel decidedly uninspired by comparison. While the Studio 4 can occasionally sound confusingly metallic on guitars, it remains a significantly more cohesive and emotionally engaging listen than the heavy-handed Mega5EST.

Sennheiser IE600

Now, the IE600 has its own share of problems- dangerously spicy treble as per one’s HRTF where to me it’s just borderline there, and middling levels of instrument separation; but I would still take it personally over the Mega5EST because the IE600 has a ridiculously great bass quality, and specifically the mid-bass where I am of the opinion that it is leagues better than what I felt on the Mega5EST while delivering near comparable levels of detail and imaging, and while coming in a much smaller footprint and being so much comfortable.

But, sennheiser really fumbled with the quality control issues on it which were widespread and doesn’t really inspire buyer confidence, which is where the Mega5EST comes in with a better proposition, as I feel tip rolling and EQing can fix most of its issues.

CONCLUDING NOTES

The Hisenior Mega5EST is hard for me to fully get behind, despite the cult status it has amassed over time. As I pondered in the beginning whether it has aged into wine or milk, I lean slightly towards the latter. On one hand, I appreciate the generous accessories, the fantastic fit, and the restraint it shows against sibilance, providing a relaxed, warm listen. But on the other hand, the excessively grovelling mid-bass thump, the fuzzy instrumental isolation, and the sheer lack of note weight in the upper frequencies leave me feeling hung out to dry.

When IEMs like the Xenns Top Pro exist and do almost everything better (although now I feel that the Top Pro has aged slightly worse and I need to update my review on it), or the Sennheiser IE600 offers a masterclass in bass quality, the Mega5EST feels like a heavily colored set that struggles to maintain its ground technically. And the hunches that it needs, despite being tuned to the newer JM-1 target while other IEMs tuned to the same target are offering better value for money, I think the Mega5EST simply has lost the plot in the current retail landscape.

Will I buy the Mega5EST at retail ? Absolutely not.
Will I buy the Mega5EST used ? Only if it can be found for US$250 or under (Approximately 25,000 INR or under).

SOURCES USED

Primarily used with the Shanling M9 Plus DAP stacked with the xDuoo XD05 Pro running RoHM DAC chips, SMSL Raw MDA-1 desktop DAC amp.

EARTIPS USED (RANKED IN ORDER OF PERFORMANCE)

• Acoustune AET08: Least amount of perceived bloat, adds to stage width, amplifies textures on the cymbals and vocals, maximum retention of vocal note weight, gives the widest perceived sound stage.
• Divinus Velvet standard/narrow bore: everything that the above does, but to a lesser degree, still beats the next eartip.
• KBear Coffee: flattens the mid-bass considerably, which hampers vocal note weight, eliminates whatever little sibilance is observed, retains perceived stage width.
• Tangzu Sancai Balanced: shrinks the stage, tightens up the midrange while not reducing the perceived bloat, presents upper mids with a concerning dip, vocal textures lost.

TRACKS

• Rush: Limelight, Spirit of the Radio
• Daft Punk: Get Lucky, Instant Crush
• The Police: Message in a Bottle
• Alf Linder: Cantique de Noël, Cantate Domino
• Tipper: Mariscos, Cloaked
• Dave Brubeck: Time Out
• Tool: Pneuma, Schism
• Queens of the Stone Age: First It Giveth
• Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Wish You Were Here, Time
• Tame Impala: The Less I Know the Better
• Animals as Leaders: The Woven Web
• Rage Against the Machine: Bombtrack, Bullet in the Head
• Avicii: Levels
• Periphery: Marigold
• TesseracT: Juno
• Kanye West: Stronger, Flashing Lights, Devil in a New Dress
• Altın Gün: Goca Dünya
• Timbaland: Give It to Me
• Adele: Easy On Me (Live), When We Were Young
• Celine Dion: All By Myself
• Pavarotti: Nessun Dorma
• Mdou Moctar: Tarhatazed
• Cigarettes After Sex: Cry
• Meshuggah: Bleed
• A. R. Rahman: Tere Bina
• Alice in Chains: Down in a Hole and Nutshell (Live)
• Allen Stone: Give You Blue
• Florence + the Machine: Never Let Me Go
• The Smashing Pumpkins: Luna