JAY's audio memes (and reviews/ranking too I guess)

IEMs / Other In-Ear Monitors (IEM)
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Hey guys! Happy Saturday. Let’s talk about the Yanyin HBB Mahina collab. So, these came out middle-ish last year, and they’re pretty nice. They’re what I would consider a “darker” set, but it’s not EJ07 level dark, just a little bit. They remind me more of a relaxed version of the XENNS UP, but anyways let’s just jump into it. And, shoutout to @MMag05 for sending these bad boys (and the Meteor), and @Sonofholhorse for the MEST MK2 previously!

Starting with the bass - it’s very well controlled but also has great note-weight and thump to bass guitar and drums. The low-end is tuned very similar to the Meteor and UP but just with less bass. Of course it’s not going to slam as hard or push as much air as the UP, but the texture and separation overall is of high quality. The bass also doesn’t bleed into the mids, and it’s a lot more relaxed and less warm as a result, but the drawback is that the bass texture and resolution is softer than the UP and Meteor, but the rumble on the Mahina is still deep and enjoyable. It’s definitely not a bass-set, but very well controlled and thumpy regardless and blends in nicely with the other frequencies.

Moving on, the midrange is forward leaning, well layered with nothing getting in the way of the other - and the vocals especially are very intimate. They’re very clean with natural note-weight, not thin, harsh, or fatiguing, and pop-out comfortably from the rest. But, I would’ve liked a little more gain at around 3K for more openness because although the vocals are up close and intimate they don’t feel fully extended, lacking that last bit of extension. The roll-off starting from 2K to around 9K also doesn’t help with this, and can make you feel like you’re missing micro-nuances of the song, but I understand some people are sensitive in those areas, so as the result of this decision to tame the uppermids the Mahina becomes an incredibly smooth, and comfortable listen that scales extremely well at higher volumes. It reminds me of the Galileo but with better bass and treble extension.

And speaking of the treble - it’s actually very nice. Now, it’s not going to be airy like the Variations or the Meteor, but it’s clear, at the perfect distance, and has the perfect amount of bite and decay without being too much at higher volumes. It gives songs like Strangest Thing and Model a nice sparkle without taking away from the focus which is the vocals and mid-range, and it doesn’t become too airy and thin either. The low-end and treble are perfectly balanced to allow the mid-range to prosper on busier songs like House in Nebraska and Flower Town. The only nit-picks are that the Mahina lacks some micro-nuances, and that vocals can be slightly more open, but aside from that it’s a very enchanting set, and the more I listen the more I fall for them.

Comparing it to some other sets around the same price, the Mahina is becoming one of my favourites along with the EJ07M. The 07M is cleaner with more open vocals and a deeper sub-bass, whereas the Mahina is more relaxing, intimate, and scales better. The OG Monarch on the other hand still has the best clarity and separation, but it can get thin and sharp at times. And Vocal wise I still prefer the RSV and DM to the Mahina which is less open and airy, but more forward. The RSV still feels the most complete, natural, and nuanced, and the DM has that airy special sparkle to them.

So, in conclusion - I think the Mahina’s are nicely balanced with a very beautiful midrange, and the only reason I half recommend them is because of its darker upper mids. Because they’re more gentle and comforting and less “mainstream tuned” I’d recommend demoing them first if you get the chance before you blind buy, and I also wouldn’t recommend using them at lower-mid volumes since their true potential is only revealed with scaling. Thanks for reading!

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It’s time for HBB to collaborate on TOTL hybrid/tribrid/DD. these settings may be good, but we are tired of them. We need something special to hold our attention :wink:.

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nice I had a similar impression of MEST MKII vs my Kinda Lava.

I realized how good EJ07m really is but MEST does everything a little better, i would also totally recommend it

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I heard from a trustful person who is in contact with Unique Melody that MEST MKIII is not going to happen anytime soon and not worth waiting for.
The pictures of the blue MKIII should have never been posted on Headfi and apparantly it was just a prototype with a wrong shell and nothing to be released anytime soon.

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That’s very interesting, they demoed it at CanJam for literally everyone to try - I didn’t get a chance personally because every time it would free up, the rep had a person who had asked prior to me. I feel like the MKII has not been out for very long, so it makes sense for them to wait for a little while with the MKIII.

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ah ok did not know that it was available for demoing at Canjam.
Yep, Mest MKII is way too young and I guess they want to keep selling a few more units

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I can also see a point in moving to the next set since Mk II’s price has dropped to inside $1000 on sale though. They could want to keep that model near the $1500 mark and the best way to do that is a new model

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Mest MK2 was recently sold at Musictek for $950. This price I think is closer to SQ :wink:.

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What goober said - I thought that the crazy sales happening surrounding the MKII was the ship sailing over the horizon, simply UM trying to sell off the remaining units to make room for the MKIII. Whether the design will stay the same will remain to be seen, tbh. Me personally, I think the MKIII looks tacky as hell. But that’s just my opinion. Some people hate Carbon fiber on things that don’t have an engine, and I get that as well.

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Hey, what’s UP guys? It’s beryllium time :sunglasses: So, I heard so much great things about this set, and ya, it does not disappoint, and ima just say it - I like this more than the Meteor. Yup. Let’s just jump into it.

The BASS on the UP is top tier - better than almost everything else I heard so far, and only slightly behind the Z1R. The Beryllium DD in this thing is doing some work. The texture is so clean and well-separated, allowing you to hear every single bass note but also not overly warm affecting the vocals. The attack is very fast and decays without getting in the way of anything. Yes, there is masking of clarity - there’s just no way around that, and yes, it’s not as clean and open as the OG Monarch or the Variations, BUT the impact, the slam, and the physical feeling of the air is so well articulated and authoritative that it just makes me forget about the whole Harman/DF talk. The rumble is very deep and extends into your chest on songs like Playing God, Maad City, and pretty much any Hiphop and low-end tracks sound absolutely amazing on the UP. Comparing it to the Meteor, their separation is pretty similar, but the attack on the UP feels harder and cleaner. This is probably because of the Beryllium DD plus the treble difference, making the UP more weighted vs the airy feel from the treble on the Meteor, but both are still very meaty.

The surprising part is that Vocals aren’t recessed or too distant either. They’re more forward and easier to pick out compared to the Meteor, and you can still hear the vocal texture, although of course the UP is not going to be as clean and open as the Monarch/Variations, but it sounds a lot more natural, less thin and light, with more weight and forwardness. But, there is some masking in the lower-mids, still, it’s less warm and the bass decays faster than the Meteor, and gets less in the way - while having a harder attack. And similarly to the Meteors, I wouldn’t recommend this for busier and mid-centric tracks, or for those who are looking for a more neutral set since the UP is still a warm IEM, but just not as warm.

Treble wise - it’s there. More than the Galileo and EJ07, but less, and not airy like the Variations and Meteor. You’re still getting a vast majority of the treble range, but just lacking the last bit of extension and some upper mids details from 5K to 8K. Not a “detail” beast, but this isn’t an issue to me since that extra air would take some focus away from the bass and affect your perception of the note-weight and impact, and because the UP is a bass-centric IEM - I would prefer to have the focus on the low-end instead.

Now, even though the quality of the bass is phenomenal - it’s not a blast your brain out type of basshead set - like the Meteor it probably needs another 6dbs or more of bass to do that. So, for those who want that, maybe the Maestro Mini is better, but also maybe yes, because I EQd more bass on the UP and oh my god was I having the time of my life. Scaling is great, no issues with vocals or treble at higher volumes, it’s not as smooth as the Meteors dynamically, and stage wise the UP isn’t cramped or super-wide or deep - I would say it’s slightly above average, which actually helps to bring the bass closer. And imaging is great, sharp, not floaty just like other expensive IEMs.

So as a bass set, the UP gets my rec 100% - it’s probably one of the best until the Z1R, but as an all rounder? Again, like the Meteor, probably not. Although the UP is a bit more well-rounded, neither are neutral or harman IEMs; the Meteor is a bass set with amazing treble, ok uppermids and vocals, and the UP is a bass set with good vocals and ok treble/uppermids. So, decide based on what you prioritise - personally I was jamming the hell out, but ya, thanks for reading!

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Well done!!!
I have nothing to say :wink:.
I have nothing to ask :grinning:.

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These will forever be the set that makes me bummed that I have smaller ears… Variations were too large for me, so I probably would have no chance with these.

Interesting that you say the Meteor has better treble. They are quite a bit smaller too, if I’m not mistaken :thinking:

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Well if the size of the Meteor means they might fit me, it would matter to me :smiling_face_with_tear:

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Ohh sorry I miss read. Gotcha :+1:

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Hey guys! We’re talking about the P1 Max today - or Pandas, and I gotta admit, I love them. They probably have my favourite treble until the Meteor and Variations, and they’re just sooo smooth and relaxing. It’s like I’m being cuddled in a warm blanket by the fireplace, or napping under the warm sun. But ya, let’s just jump into it.

Starting with the low-end, well, it has Planar bass so it’s not going to have that physical feeling of a DD, but it’s still punchy and the extra mid-bass gives the Panda their signature warm feel. There is some sub-bass, but I wish it was more audible or better textured. The Pandas also aren’t the cleanest separation wise and other Planars like the Timeless, S12, and HeyDay have better clarity, but they’re separation is still competitive to other $100 IEMs like the Olina and EA500. The bass also doesn’t feel the sharpest when it comes to the attack and speed, making it feel softer when you compare it to the EA500’s authoritative mid-bass - and although warm it’s not thick and meaty. Now, all this may sound bad on its own, but the Pandas turn into a different beast when you add on the airy treble and laid back vocals.

But let’s talk about the mids first. There’s definitely masking in the lower-mids and the warmness does bleed into the rest of the mid-range. Again, it’s not as clean as the HeyDay, nor is the bass impactful as the EA500. The vocals on the other hand are laid back, and less forward compared to the EA500 and Galileo, but around the same distance as the Olina - so not recessed nor forward. But, the added mid-bass does affect the vocals and make them less open and clear compared to the Quarks DSP, and with the decreased uppermids the Pandas do lack the last bit of extension and micro-nuance in the Vocals. Now, the warm tonality is very obvious on the Panda, and normally this would be not so great since it affects clarity and midrange timbre, but the sparkly and airy treble really changes the game, and combined together gives Panda its own unique colour and listening experience.

The treble is forward leaning, but never in your face or fatiguing, giving energy to balance out the warmness of the low-end, and it’s also incredibly smooth, but still maintaining the micro-nuances and air. The Pandas remind me of the sun glistening over the waters on a warm day, or a beautiful orange sunset, and this combination of warmthness and sparkle creates this nostalgic, cozy, and comforting listen like you’re in a state of daydream. It’s similar to the Meteor except the bass on the Panda is less in your face and more laid back like the rest of its signature, and I highly recommend listening to it at higher volumes.

At $100 and even right before the Variations/Meteor, the Pandas probably have my favourite treble - smooth and effortless. But if you do want more note sharpness then the Dioko or OG Olina is the better pick (although I wouldn’t recommend). Low-end wise the best is still the EA500 with its slamming bass and heavy note-weight, and if we’re talking pure mid-range and vocals then the Galileo is my favourite there.

Now, there are sets like the Hexa and Quarks DSP that have better clarity and separation, and more “correct” sounding - but they sound a bit boring and thin and don’t bring out the same emotions and enjoyment as the Pandas. So, although the Panda’s aren’t an all-rounder set, they do still work very well with most genres and perform even on busier tracks like Strangest Thing, Model, and Flower Town - but maybe aside from ballads since the warmness does get a bit much in Natalia’s voice on Pasan Los Dias.

So, although it’s not “objectively” the best planar (Clarity/resolution goes to HeyDay), the Panda is still my favourite since it’s so different from other sets I’ve heard, and really melts you in the music. Thanks for reading!

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Also what’s everyone’s favourite Planar? I know what @MMag05 is :joy:

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I like the P1Max, but I think I like the Talos more. I should A/B them one day.

S12 pro and timeless left me completely cold. They didn’t trigger anything in me.

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Not heard the new ones but Timeless if driven well :zap:is a baby Z1R… Niche? then og P1 on a hybrid tube source with even more :zap::zap: that does some amazing shiz :+1:

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And no one will take her from me or they’ll be some gun slinging!!!

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S12 OG with pure cooper cable.

Letshuoer worked magic on my EJ07M. It has a lovely fast mid-bass, controlled, punchy, with a very good amount of textured sub-bass, velvety and tireless mids, close and clean vocals, amazing bite on the guitars, very wide soundstage with good depth, separation it is very good, powerful and textured drums, treble extension is done professionally, without excessive shine, but present in a good amount and not tiring and one more thing - Letshuoer have done very well with timbre and coherence, they sound 95% like DD, the images…oh God!!! :boom: I wonder how the Cadenza will be, given that these IEMs make such a sound. Just amazing! And it’s not a honeymoon, I have enough IEMs to evaluate this one. If you have the chance get a KL resin with FR more bass!
At this price, the Cadenza remains in my dreams for now :wink:.
I want to thank Letshuoer for the wonderful musical experience :hugs:.

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