TL;DR: Unapologetically V-Shaped sound with a subwoofer in your Ear

Overview/History
Hi all.

Another Fatfreq review being dropped as I was able to demo both the Maestro SE and the Maestro Mini as part of a tour. I've spent the past week only putting the Maestro Mini and the Maestro SE in my ears and putting them through the gamut.

If you aren't aware of what Fatfreq has brought to the IEM community, they're essentially the bass whisperers. Their Maestro series is their take on the V-shaped sound signature (and their most successful line up) to the point where they were backed up on orders.


*Stock photo from Fatfreq's website*

Many of the bigger reviewers out there are absolutely enamored with their basshead yet quality line up and I think you can firmly place me right up there as a fan of their offerings.

Without further adieu, here's my full write up/impressions/review of the Maestro Mini.

Disclaimers: This unit was received as part of the Watercooler Tour as hosted by - I was not given any instructions to review or leave any impressions; this is purely just something I wanted to do with the opportunity given. Shoutout to Fatfreq as this is the second/third Fatfreq IEMs that I've been able to demo as part of separate tours and it speaks volumes to them standing behind their product that they're letting people try out their awesome IEMs.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!











I just recently reviewed the Maestro SE so some pictures are being reused from that write up. The unit(s) came in a black pelican hard case.

There were some included tips that looked competent. I did try them for a moment (after wiping down) but I did most of my listening with my own tips line up. YMMV based on fit or whether you're willing to tip roll.

In a previous review, I had indicated that the Maestro SE are chonky bois but the Maestro Mini are small and very comfortable. Here's a size comparison compared another comfortable set (for me) the Xuan NV for size comparison sake. The Mini are even smaller then them. Which is borderline baffling how they did it.



Tip Rolling
With how comfortable the Maestro Mini are to me, I was able to fully embrace tip rolling and getting the perfect combination down.

The Maestro Mini really do respond/work well with your line up of tips and they're one of the few sets where I can definitively tell a major difference between what the tips presented. Usually, it feels more subtle but the Maestro Mini are anything but subtle.



Spinfit W1: Bass was still present/impactful but it felt like some subbass was lost (felt more midbass forward). Vocals/treble were presented exactly how they graph/squig where it can occasionally be sharp but not nearly as fatiguing as the Final Type E can be. While the Spinfit W1 were the winners for listening with the Maestro SE, I don't think they're my favorite here.
Final Type E - Clear/Red: Bass was impactful (more so than the Spinfit) and nothing on the bass side felt lost. The issue were kind of with the mids/highs - the Maestro Mini does adopt a more aggressive mids/highs approach and the Final Type E help elevate the treble usually. This makes the Final Type E perfect with the Scarlet Mini but they can get very sharp at times with the Maestro Mini. It's not to the point where I can't listen with them but the more treble sensitive would hate the Maestro Mini with the Final Type E Clear/Reds.
TangZu SanChai - Balanced: Bass on these tips were great; rumble and midbass was present. They did not sound as harsh/sharp as the Final Type E but they also felt a bit closer as soundstage and separation definitely took a hit. Treble was definitely smoother than even the W1. Probably the runner up for me though not the perfect combination for my tastes.
Dunu S&S: Combo achieved! Treble was smoothed out the most with the Dunu S&S, mids/vocals were still as natural sounding but bass (while not as midbass impactful as the SanChai) rumbled comfortably in my ears. With the treble tamed a bit, I was able to increase the volume comfortably (without fear of fatigue) that makes this combination perfect for moderate volume listening as well as higher volume listening.



Cable
The Maestro Mini has two cable options; one is their stock black cable while they also have an upgraded blue cable which is modular. I -love- that blue cable but the stock black cable is extremely thin and I am not a fan of that one. Thankfully, I have a handful of other cables available to me (because I'm a cable addict now, apparently, thanks Xinhs and NiceHCK) and they work well with the Maestro Mini.





Sound
But how do they sound? Analytical and clinical.



These are bass cannons. They sound bassy and V-shaped but the elevation in mids/treble make this still a viable all-rounder that's extremely fun to listen to. You aren't going to get necessarily the same quality of bass that it's siblings offer (like the Maestro SE) or the same quantity of bass (Scarlet Mini) but you're getting an extremely fun presentation nonetheless that harkens back to the times where you could just sit back and -enjoy- your music. But, let's break it down further.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Fosi DS2
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> Fiio K11
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro

Lows/Bass: Bass quantity and quality are amazing with the Maestro Mini. The bass is detailed, subbass focused with satisfactory midbass impact/slam (not necessarily the same quality as it's siblings). This is easily a natural step up from prior heralded basshead sets (Legato, etc.) without breaking the bank and could easily be endgame (does that even exist in this hobby??) for people that don't want to go to the Summit-Fi territory levels.

The best thing about the Maestro Mini (and by extension the Scarlet Mini) is the size being on the smaller end which fits perfectly in your ear. This gives the IEM this an entire head shaking subwoofer effect. Both the Scarlet Mini and the Maestro Mini provide a level of head shaking that is addicting and unlike anything I've enjoyed in my ears. The difference in the two really comes down to how much more bass do you want (and are willing to sacrifice for) vs how much you'd miss the other aspects in your music.

You're able to enjoy this tasteful bass whether you go to moderate volume listening or higher volume listening.

Mids: Mids for the Maestro Mini are extremely natural with the timbre. While the upper mids are a bit elevated, it still remains very balanced sounding and there is zero bass bleed. I wouldn't consider them extremely smooth but the overall cohesiveness between the bass/mids feels like they're working together rather than against.

Both male/female vocals sound great. The only nitpick I would have really comes down to female vocals occasionally sounding sharp but it's essentially to compensate for the sheer amount of bass. With the right tips, they weren't a concern for me anymore.

Treble: Treble can sound extremely sharp at times but, otherwise, they sound elevated to compensate for the large amount of bass.

I think the best way to put it is that while the treble is elevated, I think the bass provides a good enough blanket that it almost buffers the highs. There were some fatiguing moments in certain tracks that tend to be very sparkly at the top end but having swapped to the Dunu S&S tips, they were reigned in a bit and it became significantly less harsh.

This is more of the tuning choice with the Maestro Mini, though, where it gives you both the bass but also doesn't shy away from the other frequencies.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:
I listened to a handful of my 'reference' songs but also my general library to figure out where the Maestro Mini excelled. I can comfortably say that the tuning choice in these make most of the music I listen to fun and engaging. Adding an Asterisk to songs where the Maestro Mini really shined.

Fleetwood Mac - Dreams*
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky*
Gorillaz - 19-2000 Soulchild Remix*
Boston - More Than a Feeling*
Justice - Genesis*
Deadmau5 - There Might be Coffee*
Camille - Le Festin*
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
Outkast - Hey Ya!

Here's one track that stands out because it's got a fun rumble of bass but female vocals are extremely high and there's a LOT of stereo separation and sparkle on treble: Dog Days are Over - Florence + the Machine.

This is an example of a song that is borderline unbearable on the Final Type E Clear/Red tips, OK on the Spinfit W1, OK on the SanChai Balanced but great on the Dunu S&S where I didn't feel like I needed to skip the track.

I think the soundstage is wider than the Scarlet but not nearly as complete as the Maestro SE. The Maestro Mini is well above average on details/dynamics as I was able to pick out things in some of my music that only the Dusk or the Moondrop S8 presented better. Layering/separation isn't the greatest but they're not going to disappoint you if you use this set as a bassy all-rounder. But, by picking up the Maestro Mini, you're essentially saying that you want a basshead set that will do every genre well.

These will not provide the same vocal/separation/layering/soundstage as, say, the Crinacle x Dusk but I don't think you'd care while you're nodding your head in sheer fun/enjoyment of your music.



Comparisons:
Comparisons will be hard but I think it's worth comparing to another similar basshead IEM and it's older siblings.

Legato: I'm primarily comparing the Maestro Mini to the Legato because the Legato were my previous basshead set that I loved. The Maestro Mini are clear step up from the Legato both in terms of bass quality, quantity and impact. You're also getting a more complete package of sound for the mids/treble that the Legato was missing.

In turn, you're not getting as smooth of a set as the Legato. I think the Maestro Mini is definitely worth the step up to.

Scarlet Mini: I think where the Scarlet Mini takes a seat back for all the other frequencies of the spectrum to embrace the full bass experience, the Maestro Mini has no lack of midrange presence or upper extension.

The Scarlet Mini will sound more inoffensive and definitely has more subbass rumble but I don't think it can provide the same basshead all-rounder feeling that the Maestro Mini is capable of. I am personally going to go with the Maestro Mini in this case but only because I was able to demo them to know exactly what I'm getting myself into.

Maestro SE: The Maestro SE is the better overall IEM but I don't think they're nearly as comfortable nor as fun. I would go with the Maestro Mini for a fraction of the cost. But, if I was looking at a Summit-Fi quality IEM that provided details galore while having some of the best detailed bass out there, the Maestro SE would not disappoint at all (if you can get them to fit).

Other Things to be aware of:
Fatfreq has typically been very responsive but there have been reports of people's shipments being delayed for months. That being said, it does appear that things are coming out in a more timely manner so it's likely that they've finally shrunken their backlog and things are more normalized for them. YMMV, though, so be aware that it could be 3+ weeks or it could be months. If you don't want to wait, there are other retailers like MusicTeck that you can purchase from instead.

These also retail for $475 so you are paying premium for this set. I don't think I can recommend them sight unseen but, if you're not treble sensitive, I think I'd lean towards being more OK with that referral. But I'd feel better about recommending this set as a fun 2nd IEM set that could even be your most expensive in your line up based on their ability to be used as an all-rounder unlike the Scarlet Mini which is more of a niche listen.

The Maestro Mini, like it's siblings, love power. I would not recommend this set if you don't have the ability to drive them. I don't think they're nearly as power hungry as the Scarlet nor the Maestro but they scale well to their power, their source (and even the tips) so you should really help them live up to their full potential.

The Masetro Mini also work really well with certain sources. Any warmer sources will further tame the treble extension on the Maestro Mini and likely be additionally pleasing to the ear. The Fosi DS2 (and Fosi in general from what I've heard) tend to be very warm-neutral leaning and tend to provide some treble relief. The Maestro Mini really performed well with this set up.

I did run the Mini with the K11 (which tends to still keep the sound signature as close to true neutral as possible) and this was a situation where keeping it with the Dunu S&S made the most sense while I could play around a little bit more on other tips with the Fosi DS2.

The Archel 3 Pro ran these extremely well and I could actually use the tone control here to dial back the treble a small smide so that I could use some of my other tips to greater effect.

Conclusion:
Overall, I'm a huge fan of the Maestro Mini. While I was initially concerned about how sharp the graphs/squig reflect that they are (and impressions that people have provided comparing the Maestro Mini and the Scarlet which is extremely inoffensive with it's treble extension), my concerns were squashed when I was finally able to put them in my ears.

Don't get me wrong. They can get up there. They likely won't be for everyone especially people who are treble sensitive. They worked extremely well for me but I could see how some people would struggle with them or would need to either EQ, run Dunu S&S or another set of tips, or run only in lower volumes. But, in my use case, I think the Maestro Mini is an excellent addition.

I think the Maestro Mini is a step up from a 'niche' IEM but it is still going to be a bit more pricey than some may be willing to spend. If you are willing to spend on it, though, I think the best thing that the Maestro Mini does is remind you that it's totally OK to just sit back, relax and have fun with your music.

You don't have to sit broodingly in a dark room and using the brightness of an IEM to shine some light in your earholes.



Let Fatfreq show you the way.



Thanks for reading!

TL;DR: Bass Cannon yet still an All-Rounder - with some caveats

Overview/History
Hi all.

I'm back with some more Fatfreq reviews. I'll be dropping this along with my review of the Maestro Mini as I've been given the opportunity to demo both. I'm going to recall as much of my Scarlet Mini review as possible but I'll give you a quick spoiler alert; even though I've scored the Maestro SE a bit lower than the others, the Maestro SE is still by far the, objectively, best Fatfreq I've ever heard.

That being said, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's do a quick recap!

Fatfreq is a company out of Singapore that has been making waves as having some of the best basshead IEMs out on the market. The Maestro SE is on the more expensive side at $1,980 USD (at this time) and is a Tribrid with a DD, BA and EST driver set up. The only other one above the Maestro SE is the Grand Maestro (which I have not had a chance to hear yet - winkwinknudgenudge - can't blame me for trying) but so far I've been able to try out the Scarlet Mini and the Maestro Mini for extended durations.

Onto the disclaimer!

Disclaimers: This unit was received as part of the Watercooler Tour as hosted by @Rockwell75 - I was not given any instructions to review or leave any impressions; this is purely just something I wanted to do with the opportunity given. Shoutout to Fatfreq as this is the second/third Fatfreq IEMs that I've been able to demo as part of separate tours and it speaks volumes to them standing behind their product that they're letting people try out their awesome IEMs.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!

So, since the Maestro SE came in with the Maestro Mini, photos kind of overlap a little bit. They both came in a black case with a standard cable and the upgraded silver/blue cable which is gorgeous.

The Maestro Mini is extremely small while the Maestro SE is a massive chonky boi. How chonky? I believe they're some of the biggest I've ever tried in my ear (that's... what she said?)


But, for real, this is a size comparison to the Maestro Mini which are Kato sized to me.

There were also included tips which I gauged against my normal line up but I felt better about using my own.

Tip Rolling
So, here's my very first issue that I have to focus some time on.

Remember how I said the Maestro SE are chonky? Yeah, I had to spend a lot of time tip rolling. Just when I thought a set was going to be fine, there was some discomfort and/or pain and/or the tip being stuck in my ear.

I went through with a handful of my tips and it took a while but I can only recommend one set (and potentially the entire line up if they all feel similar/are the same). So which was the winner for my ear?

Final Type E Clear Red - This was not it, fam. These were WAY uncomfortable. The seal was there but the fit/size of the nozzle were extremely uncomfortable to me. Which is surprising because the Scarlet Mini + Final Type E Clear Red were a match made in heaven. This was not the case. I couldn't keep it in my ear for more than 10-15 minutes before it became too much.
Dunu S&S - This is my go to set for when I'm working with chonky bois. Unfortunately, the S&S came dislodged in my ear and I could never get a good fit.
TangZu Sanchai - Balanced - Similar experience to the Clear Red. They were uncomfortable in my ear and it felt like too much pressure was there.
Spinfit W1 - Winner, winner, chicken dinner. While the Spinfit W1 does take away/eases the bass down a bit, they're not like a Moondrop Spring Tip level (I could never get a good seal and the seal that I have, bass was definitely blunted to me) but the mids/highs are natural and not elevated. And, best of all, these tips are comfortable for me! That doesn't mean that the IEM is completely comfortable in my ear. They're still there, they're still large in my ear and I don't think I can sit at my desk and listen to them for hours on end but at least I don't feel like someone has shoved a thousand cotton swabs into my ear hole.

This was probably the biggest issue that I had with the Maestro SE. Fit and finding the right tips. If this is something you struggle with, it's a LOT of money to demo sight unseen or trying them out so I would really have to argue against blind buying them.

Cable
The upgraded cable is nice, though. So there's that. The standard is not good but I do enjoy the modular design from the upgraded cable. I could not hear much of a difference between the cable and my own set up of cables.

Sound
But how do they sound? Bass. /endwordvommit


Did I make that joke already? Absolutely. But is it still relevant? Yes. But, at the same time, it's not just bass you're getting. While bass is definitely the main calling card, there is a level of 'Audiophile' elevations that I think make this an unforgettable package. Let's break it down.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain #2: Pixel 8 Pro -> Fosi Audio DS2
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> Fiio K11 (single ended and balanced used)
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro

Lows/Bass: Compared to the two sibling IEMs that I've had a chance to listen to, the Maestro SE has probably the best controlled/tightness/detailed bass. There is a level of fidelity in the bass that differeniates the Maestro SE from every other set I've ever heard.

Not only do you get an extremely deep subbass but the midbass is very punchy. It doesn't have the same impact/subwoofer effect that the Scarlet nor the Maestro Mini, IMO, but the amount of control in this set are on a definitively different level.

Even with how good the bass is, though, the best part is that there is no bleed that I was able to detect. Fatfreq are bass whisperers.

I'm constantly amazed by how much satisfying bass there is but it doesn't sound like I'm being dragged through 'mud'.

Mids: Amazingly, the mids for the Maestro SE are extremely detailed and present. There's a level of refinement in the mids that make vocals sound natural; they are a bit more on the forward side and I never feel like I have to increase the volume to hear the mid range clearly. Everything comes off very neutral.

Even with how bassy the Maestro SE can be (with some tracks hitting harder than others), there is zero bleed and both male/vemale vocals sound extremely correct. You can enjoy some extra bass in these but never feel like you're losing any of the other frequencies.

Highs/Treble: The tuning on the highs are extremely smooth. Everything on the high end is very pleasant to listen to with no offensive peaks or elevation. While you may think that this would make the Maestro SE sound compressed or lacking, I think the quality of the drivers help in this regard.

There is no sibilance, there is a proper amount of airy presentation, and there is extremely competent resolution that will satisfy bassheads that are looking for that next level. While it's not going to give you everything on the high end, it'll sound good enough to satisfy while you're enjoying the fun sound signature and bumping your head along to your music.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:
A lot of my focus on listening was around a wide range of music to try and emphasize their ability to handle all genres. Here's some highlights with asterisks on where I felt the Maestro SE excelled.

ELO - Mr. Blue Sky*
Gorillaz - 19-2000 Soulchild Mix
Deadmau5 - There Might be Coffee*
ACDC - Thunderstruck*
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams*
Oasis - Don't Look Back in Anger
Cage the Elephant - Trouble
Florence and the Machine - Dog Days are Over*
Camille - Le Festin*
The Shins - New Slang
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Dani California

Soundstage is not the widest but it won't make you feel like it's lacking. Layering and Separation is extremely good and likely due to the amount of drivers in their design.

Everything is generously pleasing to listen to if you're able to listen to them for extended period of times.

Comparisons: This is a hard one to do because this is one of the more higher end IEMs I've ever used/tried so I can only compare it a bit to the Fatfreq line up for a fair shake (as these rightfully dump over the Legato).

Scarlet Mini: The Scarlet Mini is bassier but does not have near the same fidelity of bass nor the mids/vocals/highs/techanlicities of the Maestro SE. This is to be expected. The Scarlet Mini are infinetly more comfortable though and I think a hedonistic basshead's dream. If you want an all-rounder (with some caveats), the Maestro SE is better.

Maestro Mini: IMHO, the Maestro Mini is funner than the Maestro SE. For 1/4 of the price, you get more aggressive upper mids/highs but funner listen with a better fit. There is a true subwoofer effect in the Maestro Mini while it does not feel deficient in the mids/highs and, in fact, elevates them to a fun listen. I can wear/listen to the Maestro Mini for hours while I feel the pressure from the size/fit on the Maestro SE within 30 minutes/1 hour. YMMV. The Maestro Mini, though, with the aggressive highs can possibly be fatiguing for some. This was not an issue for me, personally.

That being said, the Maestro SE is better in details, resolution, soundstage, and overall refinement in all aspects of the frequency. The Maestro SE could be your TOTL/summit-Fi basshead set while the Maestro Mini is a fun 2nd/3rd/4th set.

Other Things to be aware of:
More caveats. You need to be able to provide them power; they did -not- sound that great on any dongle dacs (Abigail Pro) and I needed to run them on balanced with the Fosi DS2 for them to give me the characteristics I was used to.


Which makes sense. You're likely not going to be purchasing a near $2k IEM while running off of an Apple dongle dac - you're likely going to have the gear in order to power these to warrant spending so much money. When they were run through the K11 and the Archel 3 Pro, they were powered sufficiently (not on low gain for K11, needed to go to M/H gain) and nothing felt lacking at all.

And, again, you're going to need to tip roll in order to find the best fit because these are chonky and near double the size of the Maestro Mini (which is definitely mini, who'd have thought?)

Another note is that Fatfreq's shipping/turn around time is 3+ weeks out. I recently did a chat with Yeo from Fatfreq's website who has confirmed lead time is around that point. But, some users have been not receiving their units until more than a month who made previous purchases. Hopefully, they've caught up to their order queue and it's not more than a month out but it's worth noting that there may still be shipping delays.

Last things to note, you are paying a premium for these. They retail around $2k though you can likely find one on the used market around $1.2k as per most recent listings. Whether that's worth it to you really comes down to your preference and what you're looking for. This is a TOTL/top of the line basshead set that is still extremely competent in all other facets. If they can fit your ear comfortably, I don't know if you could do any wrong picking these up.

Conclusion:
The Maestro SE is an extremely special set and feels like the benchmark for an endgame basshead set. This has me curious about the next one up (the Grand Maestro) though I'm unsure if I would ever own a Maestro SE.

I think the price is a bit high for me when I likely wouldn't be able to spend all day listening to them. I don't think I can justify it with the fit issues I had, personally. YMMV, though, and while they're uncomfortable for me, that may not be the same experience you have.

I was originally tempted to give these a 3.5/5 but I don't think it's fair to the Maestro SE because they sound -very- good. I just don't think they're for me. But, it's hard to penalize them so much for fit/comfort issues that other people may not have. Power/price are listed as cons but driving is expected and likely not an issue if you can afford the price in the first place.

But, if you don't think you'd have the same fit issues and you can afford them/have the gear to drive them, you're getting a helluva bass cannon with a good side of audiophile being served to you on an extremely lovely blue plate.

Thanks for reading!

TL;DR: A warm/bassy fun yet still balanced addition to your library if you don't have one yet

Overview/History
Hi all.

Back again with more typed words with the Kefine Delci.

Everything that I had read and heard about this set was that it was an 'under $100 King' and everything about the signature seemed to fit what I typically enjoy for an all rounder.

Smooth sound with some extra elevated bass? Yes please. Inject that bass into my veins.

Disclaimers: No real disclaimers here. This was purchased with my own money as I was curious about the Kefine Delci after there was a lot of hype posted everywhere and it did seem like it fit with what I enjoy in IEMs.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accesories
Photo dump time!









The Kefine Delci comes a very competent cable and a bag full of nondescript tips.




While these are metal, they remain relatively lightweight and comfortable. They fit extremely easily into my ears and remind me a bit of my steel Moondrop Kato in size (though the Delci's nozzles are slightly bigger).

You aren't getting anything extremely pretty printed on a resin shell or anything but there's a certain characteristic with the industrial look they've nailed here.

Tip Rolling
Stock tips are not good, IMO. If you have an awesome experience out the box with them, that's awesome. I did not.



I had to go through my usual round up to find the best fit. With the size of the nozzles, I didn't actually find my best fit with them as my usual contenders but I -was- able to find the best fit without going full Singolo treasure hunting (took a lot of tips, lot of listening and trial & error and then realizing something didn't fit nearly as good, etc. etc.)



Stock tips: Not the best. Tried them for a moment, went through the bag. I couldn't get a great seal with any of them and they felt like a budget Divinus set.
Final Type E Clear Reds: While these sounded great, the fit was not perfect. These usually are my Go To so I was surprised with how they didn't seal properly for me.
Spinfit W1: These fit well but these tend to dull the bass by a small amount compared to the rest of my tips.
Dunu S&S: Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner. These fit extremely well with the nozzles, in my ears and gave me the bass I was expecting. They actually gave a bit more mid-bass sensation but this is likely due to the best seal.


*This cable is the NiceHCK Luna, not the stock cable. Just thought the Delci looked great with them along with the Dunu S&S.*

Cable
The cable is actually very nice and reminds me a lot of the cable that came on the Legato. They fit with the industrial type of look of the Kefine Delci. No complaints about the stock cable at all; I wish it was a bit softer but it doesn't feel cheap at all.



Sound
So, how do these sound? Warm, bassy, competent but intimate. It's definitely more of a V-shaped IEM (I would categorize it as more V vs U shaped simply because I feel the vocals/mids do take a bit of a backstage to the bass but it's not super drastic).

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Fosi Audio DS2
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> Fiio K11 (used both single ended and balanced in this case)
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro

Lows/Bass: This is the star of the show.

This set has very good impactful bass with more of the sub bass being elevated/emphasized. I think the quality of the bass is very good for a sub $100 IEM and is close to providing the same slam/quality of the Legato which is my "BASS"line.



That being said, there are certain really bass heavy tracks where it feels like the bass bleeds over a bit into the mids but it feels very controlled for the vast majority of my library.

Another quick point: these really opened up when you provide them power. Plugging them into the balanced side of the K11 (as an example), the bass tightened up a bit while giving a bit more impact with each note.

Mids: The mids are extremely smooth. They sound very natural, for the most part, though I will say that, again, sometimes the bass does (on certain tracks) bleed over into the mids by a small margin where it's nitpicking at best in this case.

Otherwise, vocals and all the mids sound very full and satisfactory. I think they handle male vocals way better than female vocals. There were a few tracks that female vocals came off a bit more husky to me but, again, this was nitpicking as a lot of other female vocal tracks sounded fine.

Treble: Another use of the word smooth. I think the treble comes off very detailed with decent layering.

Throughout several genres, there was nothing I found that would be offensive and I think this is tuned be extremely easy to listen to for hours on end.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:
I've listened to my library for a few days straight and can highlight some songs that I think that the Delci does well. Asterisks for ones that I think they really excelled in.

Black Keys - Lo/Hi, Gold on the Ceiling*
Florence & the Machine - Dog Days Are Over
ACDC - Thunderstruck
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
Camile - Le Festin
Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child of Mine*
Death Cab for Cutie - Everything's a Ceiling*
SEATBELTS - Gotta Knock a Little Higher
Earth, Wind and Fire - September
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds*

Technicalities on the Delci are good. Timbre is very good across the board; it sounds very natural and there was nothing I could pick out that did not sound correct. Layering/imaging is very adequate. While this may be a very safe, overall, IEM with it's tuning, I think it hits all it's intended marks extremely well which is being a very fun and musical set to enjoy your music more than analyze. But it does -not- skimp on the other aspects of sound. It's just not the emphasis, IMO.

I think my only ding I can place on these is that they sound extremely intimate/small soundstage when I'm running them single ended.

But, I think with a good amount of power to spare (running balanced or on a desktop set up), they can really open up a bit so it doesn't feel as claustrophobic. This tells me that they do take the extra power very well and scale accordingly.

Comparisons:
Since I've got a few in this price range, I think it would be worth comparing the Delci to my current line up.



Xuan NV: Considering how recently the Xuan NV came out and given the similar price range, this feels like a good starting point to compare.

I think the Xuan NV's midrange/vocals are done a bit better than the Delci. But, I think the Delci has more satisfying bass. I think both are otherwise very comparable to the sound signature and what they bring to the table so it's really a coin toss on what you're looking for.

Moondrop Kato: The Kato were my first higher end IEM and I've put a lot of time on them. So, how does one metal boi compare to another?

Delci are better to me, IMHO. The Kato have better mids/vocals and slightly better soundstage/technicalities/layering but, unless you're getting them second hand, they're also double the price. Conversely, the Delci has a more fun element to it with the warm bassy goodness but you're also getting an awesome package for the price that gets you very close. I got my Kato second hand and I would be hard pressed to spend the additional money for the incremental difference.

That it not a knock on the Kato, really, but more just how the market is now; there are a lot of more budget friendly IEMs that really perform well and compete with some of the IEM staples of the past.

Legato: Going to compare this to my current resident basshead IEM.

I love the Legato for it's unabashed basshead tuning. That being said, while the Legato gets a solid B for it's bass (to me anyways), the Delci does it well enough to be satisfying.

The Delci feel almost like if I was to take the Zero Red/Xuan NV tuning and mix it with the Legato lows.

Zero RED: Get the Delci. Way more comfortable, it's like having the 10 ohm adapter plugged in already from the start.

Other Things to be aware of:
The current price on these are listed higher but you can get them on 'sale' at $59.

I also want to reemphasize that I wasn't a fan of the stock tips but these absolutely rock out with the Dunu S&S both seal and sound wise to me.

Conclusion:
I think these are another awesome sub $100 set that would be very easy to hype up.

There's something to be said for a set that really provides a good amount of bass without taking away from any of the other aspects of the music and Kefine has done an excellent job with these.

Bon appetit, budget audiophiles. You've got another DELiCIous (I couldn't help it, I'm sorry, queue the drum roll) IEM served for the masses.



Thanks for reading!

TL;DR: Buttery smooth - a new easy to recommend IEM for starters (that can afford to drop the extra $)

Overview/History
Hi all. Welcome to another probably long winded review. Going to plaster the disclaimer early!

Disclaimers: This is my own personal unit. I've followed HBB on YT and other forums since I've gotten back into the audio game and I typically find that HBB's sound preference matches mine. That being said, this was purchased of my own accord; I did not receive any units and I'm reviewing this because I had an inkling (and it was 100% met) that this would be a great introduction point into IEMs like the Zero Red were when they first burst onto the scene.

Suffice to say, I really like this set so if you're already tired of reading, my summary is that "This be good, buy not be bad idea" and you should consider it if you're looking for a smooth ~$100 IEM.



The Xuan NV is a new collaboration between TangZu and HBB (aka Hawaii Bad Boy aka Bad Guy Good Audio). They are a 2 DD set with, according to linsoul's website, integrates 'ceramic and PU + LCP diaphragms to produce a rich, detailed sound profile' which may not mean a lot to everyone that's newer to the hobby but there you go. From prior videos and history, the Xuan NV was meant to come out around the same time as the QKZ x HBB Hades so you'd be getting a "blue pill or red pill" option at the same time. Obviously, considering the Xuan NV didn't start hitting the retailers until months after the Hades, this didn't line up according to plan. But, c'est la vie. Onto the photo dump!

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!





My goodness, they're freaking gorgeous. This is my second TangZu IEM that I've ever handled with the first being the Fudu Verse 1 which were super stealthy looking. That was a great unboxing/presentation/accessory filled release and I'm happy to point out that TangZu knocked it out of the park on this one too.

One underrated aspect to the Xuan NV is that while the nozzle feels larger, the overall size of the IEM isn't too much and they fit extremely well in my ears. YMMV.

You get a nice cable (very soft and I could see people thinking it feels flimsy but I find it very pliable/agreeable) and a small travel case.








You also get TangZu Sanchai Tips



They've included 2 different sets - Wide Bore would reduce base and open up vocals/treble while Balanced is... balanced.



You also get 3 different sizes so you can find the best fit.

Tip Rolling
Taking a moment to talk about tips, this is the first time that I really enjoyed the stock tips! They had a set of white tips that were already on there and I think they brought the character of the IEMs that TangZu/HBB wanted you to experience.

That being said, I did try out the TangZu Sanchai tips vs my own flight of tips as well. I typically rotate between the Final Audio Type E, the Dunu S&S and the SpinFit W1.



Stock Tips: Absolutely solid. I'm usually not a fan because they don't fit me perfectly but these sealed well and provided a similar experience to the Final Audio Type E.
TangZu Sanchai Tips - Wide Bore: Not a fan. Bass was gone while the mids/highs felt too inflated. Soundstage was great on these though. Maybe these aren't the best on the Xuan NV.
TangZu Sanchai Tips - Balanced: Balanced. I don't know how else to put them. They sound solid. My only issue was that they felt more intimate/closed compared to the stock tips or the others.
SpinFit W1: I think a bassier version of the Wide Bore tips but with more natural mid/highs. I still didn't prefer these tips on the Xuan NV.
Dunu S&S: Because the Xuan NV have chonkier nozzle, I was expecting my go to Chonky Nozzle dominators (the Dunu S&S) to be my preferred. They work extremely well on the Truthear Zero Reds. But, while they worked well in this set up, they were a runner up the Stock/Final tips.
Final Type E Clear/Reds: Not only does the colors work in this case, but they sound amazing together. Final Type E are usually my go to ear tips (preferred over Divinus). I will say, though, that while I think the overall sound presentation with the Type Es are my favorite, the white stock tips actually worked very well. I don't know why but they do.



Cable
The cable is very nice and soft. It does borderline feel almost flimsy but I think that works in certain situations especially if you're using these on the go. I do have some Xinhs cables (two different ones, Rainbow one is a bit stiffer vs the black/silver balanced one that I have) and Tripowin Zonie and I think the Xuan NV's cable is right up there for different reasons.





Sound
But, how do these sound? Overall, smooth. Don't be fooled by the Squig; the bass is there and it's not anemic at all. This would probably skew towards the 'warm neutral' sound signature (which is a total cop out summary). You can listen to anything with these and be satisfied. This is a good all rounder, IMO, and is easily my new benchmark for the price point.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Dongle
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> Fiio K11
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro.

Lows/Bass: The low end for the Xuan NV is warm. I would not call it a bassy set (mainly because I do have a basshead set that is probably my reference point to bassy) but I think it's important to note that the Squigs available online make this set seem anemic when it's fuller than you'd think. I think the nature of the IEM (where it's not as sensitive and needs more power) help drive this home.

There isn't a lot of mid-bass because this isn't the intention with this set; this is supposed to be an opposite, in a way, to the Hades which is sub/mid-bass boosted for bassheads.

I would say that bass here is like a warm blanket on a cool evening; enough to make you feel comfortable without needing to grab anything else (like EQing, etc.) - could you grab more and further tune it? Yes, absolutely. But, that's not tuning choice in these. And, if you want to tune/EQ it to have the deeper sub-bass/mid-bass hit, there are a lot of options to provide those hits out the gate (Legato, Hades, QKZ x HBB, etc.).

Mids: The midrange is very full as expected based on the tuning/squig presentations. There is no deficiency when it comes to vocals (either male or female) and I think the smoothness of the mid-range accentuates the music you're listening to.

I would say that the mid-range is on par with a lot of it's competition and presented in a very musical manner that further makes this set a natural all-rounder.

Treble: Smooth and inoffensive. There isn't a lot of extension and energy but, again, that makes this set something you can listen to for hours and blends well with the bass/mids.

There isn't a lot to really say about the highs beyond that I think the tuning choice makes sense given what TangZu and HBB were trying to accomplish here and they found the best balance without making it boring.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:

I listened to a lot of my library but here's some key highlights. Without breaking down each track, I think the Xuan NV did great on a lot of tracks with some standing out (marked by an asterisk).

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child of Mine*
Death Cab for Cutie - Everything's a Ceiling*
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
Black Keys - Gold on the Ceiling*
Queen & David Bowie - Under Pressure
Jackie Wilson - Higher & Higher (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me)*
Coconut Records - It's Not You It's Me
SEATBELTS - Gotta Knock a Little Higher*
Earth, Wind and Fire - September
Camille - Le Festin*
Bob Marley & The Wailers - Three Little Birds*

I would say that my music taste is extremely eclectic and there wasn't a lack of anything found in my listening.

The Xuan NV sound extremely natural with it's timbre, there is no extra highlight of any one aspect of the sound balance but this isn't really meant to be a detail monster.

Soundstage is very adequate on the right source and gear. They scale very well with power so the better the equipment, the more you get out of them. Details are there and while not brought to the forefront, I don't think you're missing out on anything. Imaging/Layering is all extremely competent but not leading in it's price point.

Other Things to be aware of:
At this time, there's two things to be aware of. My order was delayed due to there being a lot of pre-orders so I was anticipating getting this sooner than I did. I'm not sure if the stock has finally caught up and there's an availability now but hopefully, if you're interested, you don't have any long delays.

The other thing is that some squigs have shown some channel imbalance; I don't have a measuring rig (as I don't want to be fully colored/influenced by utilizing one myself) but I will say that I did not notice any imbalance on my set. Just something to be aware of.

Another thing to note, these are very power hungry and I do find that I have to increase the power/volume more than the Kato to get to the similar volume. They also pair very well with good sources/equipment. As prior mentioned, the Abigail dongle does an adequate job with them but playing them on the Fiio K11 and my Archel 3 Pro really opened them up. They respond very well to power.

I also used balanced cables on these with the K11; it helped a bit with sound separation (and I do mean just a little bit but it could be a placebo effect) and meant I don't have to ramp up the volume but I didn't notice any fully audible change in sound.

Last thing to note is where this IEM falls in the current market place.

IMO, this is a Jack of all Trades type of IEM and while it won't lead in class in any particular one aspect of it's sound, I don't think you'd be able to find any negatives with it.

I've listened to the Zero RED (extensively as this was one of those IEMs that everyone recommended as a first/starter) and I own a Moondrop Kato. The Xuan NV feels right in between there like if you took the Zero RED, gave it a bit more tactile bass, gave it a bit more details/vocal warmth and then went in between the Kato and Zero RED size.

That being said, the Zero RED does exist and is comparable; you'd basically have to figure out do you want a similar sounding (albeit a little bit better) Zero RED in a more comfortable package? There would be no reason to sidegrade if you're already feeling fine about the Zero RED. Other IEMs in this price bracket (ones that I've tried include Fudu Verse 1, Kiwi Ears Melody, Singolo, Galileo) each bring something different to the field to warrant consideration vs the Zero RED whether it's better bass, better vocals, etc. so I would say that the Xuan NV not going to bring something definitively better than it's competition. The competition each have different drawbacks to me while there was none really found here. How much you're willing to spend on an all-rounder really depends on you.

But, honestly, that's a winning aspect to me where you get a very good/warm/balanced sound signature but in a much more comfortable shell so I would consider this right in my ballpark and what I was looking for to add to my collection.

Conclusion:
This is an absolutely smooth operator. Based on the balanced yet warm sound, the amount of accessories you get and the overall looks, TangZu and HBB went out of their way to provide an amazing package at a relatively affordable price.

This is pure conjecture but, in thinking about HBB's intent with the Xuan NV/Hades combo, it felt like HBB saw what Crinacle had done with his Truthear Zero/Zero RED and decided:



While the Zero/Zero RED are different, they still have aspects that are closely aligned to each other while HBB decided that he wanted a sibling set that was drastically different from each other. Each serves a different crowd. You have one for people that want that subwoofer in their ear rattling and another for the people that want a smooth/buttery sound that helps them relax with their music. But, at the end of the day, you're going to enjoy your music with either one so pick your 'Blue Pill' or 'Red Pill'.

I would go so far to say that I think the Xuan NV is such a compelling package that it would be my go-to set that I would shill if someone was interested in trying out IEMs in the first place (and could afford to save up more vs the Zero RED or other budget options). This would be a great set to show someone the evolution of how far IEMs have come, how much more capable they are vs some random wireless earbuds that are lossy and not tuned well and even allow them to further tune via tip rolling.

Consider me got by the Red Pill.

Thanks for reading!

TL;DR: Bring on the wubwub.

Overview
Hi all. Dipping my toes into reviewing IEMs because this has been a fun hobby and being given the opportunity to demo a product, it only feels right to spend some time to give impressions as a way to appreciate the product and give back a bit.

At this point in time, if you've ever been interested in a basshead oriented IEM and are looking for the TOTL, FatFreq has probably caught your interest. If they haven't...



FatFreq is a company out of Singapore. Their popularity has seemed to increase very recently with some of their releases either from word of mouth to various reviewers and influencers. They have several line ups but their Maestro series is what has people most excited (maybe it's time to check out their Signature series?)

https://fatfreq.com/

The Scarlet Mini is essentially a refresh of the Maestro Mini and was originally going to just be called the v2 (from my understanding and based on information found online... please correct me if I'm wrong and I'll be more than happy to edit this) before they decided to just name it the Scarlet Mini with a new look/color. I believe the Maestro Mini does have it's own dedicated v2/version update (with recessed 2-pin sockets, build-in mesh guard and slight tuning change for more natural bass timbre) but I digress.

Disclaimers: Shout out to @Sebastien Chiu - this product was received as part of the on-going Scarlet Mini Tour that he helped organize. I was given no instructions, not even told that I needed to do a review so these impressions are all of my own accord and desire to write about it.

Build Quality and Comfort
Photo dump time! The case and IEMs are absolutely gorgeous. They are some of the best looking IEMs I've seen and there are a LOT out there that look amazing. But, I'm sure I'll say the same thing to anything else that comes out.

They arrived in a padded hard case:











They came with their updated red cable and some tips/adapter. I didn't find the stock tips as comfortable for me (and I wasn't able to get the best seal with them) and, considering it looks like a size may not be on there, I only put them on for a moment before running my own tips.





I have a few sets of tips that I run that work for me. The nozzle on the Scarlet Mini isn't to the Zero Red levels but they're definitely not the smallest.

• Dunu S&S (which are great for larger nozzles) did not seal properly in my right ear. I use the L size for the Dunu S&S which usually seal with larger nozzles. It felt like a channel imbalance when I tried these tips on the Scarlet Mini so I moved on.
• SpinFit W1 (Size M) sealed properly but the right eartip got stuck in my ear when pulling out a few times. It felt a bit too tight of a seal.
• Final Type E Clear/Reds - I feel like Goldilocks but this was the ticket/fit that I was looking for. I used the size L for these and fit is perfect and comfortable.

With the proper eartips, these disappear. They fit wonderfully, the smaller IEM is comfortable (like Kato sized but with bigger sound than the Kato) and I could easily wear these 24/7 without any issues (beyond my wife probably being mad at me for not hearing her).

Sound
But, how do they sound? Bass. Thanks for reading. We're out.

For the sake of not repeating/reposting other people's squigs (as I'm too casual for this to get my own measurement rig), I won't post it but you can easily find measurements which all tell you one single thing:



Would a subwoofer gif have worked better? Probably.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer or Phone.

Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Dongle & Pixel 8 Pro - Qudelix-5k
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro. (Oh god, if I had used the tone control on the bass to bump it up, I think my head would have caved in)

Lows/Bass: This damn thing hits hard. For such a smaller form factor of an IEM, the sound is heavy. At times, it felt like the bass was borderline -too- much and on some tracks, it felt like my head was nodding along to the music but not because of the music. But because of the incredible sub bass.

Yes, this is a -bass cannon™-. There is absolutely no apologetics to what the intent of this IEM is. The IEM will shake your head on tracks that have a lot of bass and will still make your head feel like it's thumping on tracks that don't focus on bass. But, I mean... that's what we're here for, right? You wouldn't have been interested in a Scarlet Mini if you weren't looking to rock out or wubwub out.

The best thing about the bass is that the focus is more on the sub bass and the rumble there vs mid-bass which reduces any potential bleed over to the mid-range (not that there isn't still some bleed but you'd expect more from looking at a graph).

Really, the quality, details, texture, everything about the bass feels like it could be the end game for a lot of bassheads. But this would not be an IEM that you'd want to have as your only set unless you were strictly just a basshead who only listens to EDM, hip hop or similar music. This is more of a second/fun set you keep which makes it a very niche pick up.

Mids: Considering how bassy this set is, how do the mid-range/vocals sound? Great, actually. They're pushed up/closer to you as a result of the overall sound package but far from recessed or clouded over. In fact, the vocals sound extremely natural and even female vocals still shine well on them, IMO. Still, this is not something you'd want to keep as a vocal centric set and/or your only set ever even with how good the mids (despite the heavy bass). There is some bleed over from the bass but it's not entirely taking over the mid-range.
Treble: IMO, this is the frequency that's the most effected by the bass. While the treble is definitely not fatiguing, there is definitely a bit of a lack of resolution/air/detail on the top end. That being said, It's hard to fault the Scarlet Mini for this deficiency as the top end sounds -good enough- considering what you're getting with the sound signature. In fact, while the advertising is that this is a V-shaped set, I would argue that it's a left handed check mark since V would indicate you're getting more treble/air and I don't feel that's the case.



These are not your reference quality IEMs and they don't make any attempt to advertise that they are though so I can't fault them on this.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:
Soundstage is OK. Imaging, separation is all not the strong points here. I don't think the technicalities are leading at their price point but I feel they're adequate enough that you wouldn't need to try and EQ it in this package. It's hard to make additional points because they're all just OK but you're not getting this set for those purposes which is why I think these are a great -fun- set but likely not going to be the only set you ever touch/get. I would argue that there's enough IEMs out there that provide that sound signature where you get from 'good' to 'great' on everything while the Scarlet Mini is about being a -bad@ss- set on the bass and being 'good enough' on everything else.

I won't breakdown how each song sounds like on the Scarlet Mini but hopefully this gives you an idea of the music I enjoy/listen to and gives you some color to what I felt the Scarlet Mini exceled at presenting to me.

Gorillaz - 19-2000 Soulchild Mix
Deadmau5 - There Might be Coffee
ACDC - Thunderstruck
Fleetwood Mac - Dreams
Ludwig Göransson - the Mandalorian Theme
Lumineers - Leader of the Landslide
Guns N Roses - Sweet Child o' Mine
Holly Cole Trio - I Can See Clearly Now
L`arc-en-Ciel - Ready Steady Go
Black Keys - 10 Lovers, Gold on the Ceiling

On a lot of tracks, the Scarlet Minis were giving me what I wanted from the tracks in terms of the overall sound package but gave me the bass that makes listening to music -fun- and engaging.

I would say that these (or likely the Maestro Mini though I haven't had a chance to listen to them yet) would be the next step up for something like the 7hz Legato in terms of a higher price point basshead set. I -love- my Legato and I think these extend better on details/mids/technalities over the Legato while hitting harder.

Other Things to be aware of:
From my understanding, there is a huge backorder right now on these. Also, I don't think I would pick up the red cable as they feel a bit pricey for it (as others have said). Again, be careful on your eartips and don't hesitate to roll them to find the best fit. I used the Abigail dongle which worked out OK but I did have to push the power on them a bit to get the most out of them. Qudelix-5k worked fine and they performed well on the Archel 3 Pro that I use. They're great for high volume listening and lower/mid volume because of the signature and there's no distortion on either side whether you want to drown the world out or use them for lower volume/casual listening.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, bass.

The end.

But in all serious'ness, I think these are great for bassheads. While I -cannot- fault you if these end up being your endgame/only IEMs if you're a degenerate bass lover, that's likely not going to be for everyone. I think these would make a great 2nd/3rd option like having an all-star on your team who helps round out your line up when you need to drop the boom. Is the price worth it, though, for having it be a 2nd/3rd option? Price would be in the eye of the beholder and your choice.

Using my comparison of the Legato here... If the 7hz Legato were like the valedictorian of their Bassy Bass High class, the Scarlet Mini holds the doctorate and just published a Wubwub thesis that should be reviewed by anyone who wants to subscribe to that sound signature.

Thanks for reading!

TL;DR: Excellent neutral planar headphones that are worth some consideration

Overview
First time leaving a review but been a long-time member with a very, very recent resurgence back into this lovely (wallet draining hobby).

Having picked up and demo’d a variety of headphones (from the big players like Sennheiser to the small boutiques like JM Audio), I figured I’d leave my impressions of a set that I don’t think has as much traction as one would expect (likely for a variety of reasons including timing around the holidays).

My primary comparison will be against the Dan Clark Aeon Closed X that I have (which isn’t necessarily as fair of a comparison considering the open back vs closed back design) but I think I’ve had enough time with my Aeons to have a good enough detailed breakdown.

Disclaimers: I did actually meet Jeffrey (of SJY Audio) at SoCal CanJam and demo’d both the Umi and the Horizon there. These Umi headphones were purchased with a promo code as well but was on my own dime so impressions are all my own. Meeting him and purchasing these with a promo code have not colored my thoughts on them but figured I’d just mention it because I’m really not trying to shill here.

Build Quality and Comfort
Unboxing it, it was just the headphones and the cable. Ignore the messy background.



Build quality for these are great. The grill, the headband and the adjustment slider all feel extremely solid. I absolutely adore how they look but I’m also a sucker for borderline industrial looks (like the Sony Z1R will always hold a place in my heart for looks. Same with you old set of JM Opus X Summits) so YMMV.

The standard cable are usually dual 3.5mm to XLR but I got in touch with Jeffrey and he sent me dual 3.5mm to 3.5mm (I have my own 1/4" adapters). The cable feels good too; almost a bit loose and flimsy feeling but they untangle and stay straight well even if the ear cups swivel a lot.

The headphones are EXTREMELY light. You know that Ned Flanders meme? Those are these. They don’t feel like you have anything on and are probably one of the most comfortable sets considering how large the drivers are.

That brings me to probably my only concern with these. Because of how light they are, despite how solid the build is, they feel borderline flimsy because of how much they can swivel around. Once they’re on your head, it’s amazing but if you’re handling them loosely, they kind of can spin around and get caught up. This is probably my only nitpick.

Ultimately, I think the comfort is right there with the Dan Clark line up like the Aeons where they disappear once they’re on your head and would never hurt your neck if you listened to music all day with them. Nitpick aside, I think it’s by design to keep them this light for long listening periods.

Sound:
But, how do they sound? Like planars. Thanks for reading, good night everybody.





But, seriously, I really enjoyed listening to them when I had a chance to try them out at SoCal CanJam (along with the Horizon flagships) so I was very curious about using them for a longer time especially at my own set up. Here’s the Umi graph that SJY has previously posted.



Gear: These were used to listen to a handful of vinyls off and through a streamer.

Vinyl chain: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon Evo -> Pro-Ject Phono Box S2 -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro.

Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro.

Lows: In this case, the bass is solid but not the star. Based on the sheer size of the driver (96mm), they’re very capable of providing the bass where the track calls for it. But, if the track doesn’t call for it, it’s not going to be the star of the show.

This isn’t too far off from my other experience with mid-priced planars such as the Aeons Closed X. I’ve also listened to the Hifiman 400se, Hifiman Sundara and the Audeze MM-100 and they show similar characteristics where a track that really wants to emphasize the bass will have the impact/slam but otherwise it follows it’s neutral tuning.

The bass, though, is extremely detailed, and the Umi really take well to EQ. With tone control in the Archel 3 Pro and put at 2:00, it maintains that high level of detail but really does bring the bass to a satisfying level.

Mids: While the soundstage isn’t as wide as you’d expect, the music is extremely open. The vocals tend to be presented up front but they’re very lush/rich especially on good recordings. As I’ve reiterated, the detail, clarity and precision are the stars of the show overall and that extends very well to the mids.

I think the female vocals tend to be the strongest point (Fleetwood Mac – Dreams as an example) but the male vocals are no slouch either. I actually tend to prefer the vocals on the Umi vs the Aeons Closed X. The Closed X tend to present vocals further away while the Umi pulls them in a bit but give them a wide open’ness to them. I’m not the best at describing the mids/highs, admittedly, but I’m very satisfied with the mids on these.

Treble: The sound is extremely airy but, even though it doesn’t follow the curve on the upper treble, there is no fatigue. My understanding is that the Umi are supposed to be on the brighter side than the graph but there’s never any sibilance. It’s just smooth, clean, detailed (gosh I feel like I’m repeating words a lot) and, compared to the Aeon Closed X, feels like the energy is very well controlled.

Even when I’m EQing with the extra bass, it never feels like anything gets lost.

Etc.: While the soundstage isn’t as large as you’d expect from their open-back design, the sound is still extremely open and the Imaging and separation are superb. They’re extremely on point on these marks which are where these excel compared to the rest of the competition. They’re just so detailed and there are, at times, where it feels like it’s just feeding you the music as it’s recorded or intended to be heard. While that may sound like it would be dull or lifeless, they’ve got some character to them while maintaining that reference level.

Dynamics are only OK but it’s expected with my experience with some other planars like the Dan Clarks. I can get more dynamics out of these, though, vs the Aeon Closed X especially on some very busy tracks. They may not provide the same level of dynamics as others I’ve tried but they’re good enough to not be as distracting.

I think they perform well above their price range and you’d need to get into like the Arya levels to find headphones that do a lot of these other aspects as well.

Other Things to be aware of:
These are harder to drive than my Dan Clark. With the Aeons, I’m around, on high gain on my Archel 3 Pro, 11:30 to 12:00 while I need to be around 2:00 to 3:00 with the Umi. You’re going to need some power. I’m curious if I had an xlr or balanced amp if this would be alleviated but I’m not able to test it this way.

I haven’t tried the Umi yet with my Woo Audio Tube Mini (I’ll update once I have) but I suspect that I’d probably need to up the volume a bit to drive the Umi as well.

Conclusion:
Overall, I really enjoy the Umi. I think they do everything extremely well for a neutral tuned set (and you can basically see that the graph is exactly what you get with these).

While they may not have the most cavernous soundstage like you’d hope/expect with their design, they’re likely going to be one of the most comfortable headphones you could put on and enjoy literally everything about them.