This is the official thread for the Unique Melody 3DT
This thread is for discussion and reviews.
- Type: In Ear
- Amp needed: YES
Unique Melody Link(If there eventually is a dedicated thread for this IEM feel free to remove this note and merge it into the main thread)
Preamble:
As is my custom, I review IEMs set up the way I personally enjoy them. This includes using aftermarket tips/cables if necessary. This “best for me” may not be the “best for you” setup and on this set in particular there are multiple ways to set it up. I also don’t generally use very audiophile terms and my way of explaining things may not be for everyone, but for this review I am going to try a more “reviewer style review then usual”. If it is not for you feel free to seek other reviews.
Introduction:
Unique Melody 3DT “Terminator” (dumb name will be referred as 3DT only from now on), is probably as close as i have personally gotten to an “endgame” sound style for my library and quirks of what I enjoy. So please take everything I say with a pile of salt knowing that. This IEM also features a less then standard configuration for it’s drivers 3DD (2 7mm compound DDs connected to the 10mm CNT DD through an acoustic tube)
The outside is stabilized wood in resin.
Fit:
This IEM is a beast in size it is bigger then newer ThieAudio Tribrids (Oracle) or Moondrop IEMs based off of the Blessing 2 shell (Variations). Personally I don’t mind the fit at all due to the shape of the IEM it is quite comfortable for long periods of time but you need a proper fitting tip for it to be comfortable since the nozzle is quite wide and there is nowhere near as much support coming from the under wing as the previous mentioned tribrids have. This causes a lot of the admittedly lighter then expected weight to be supported by the tip. This IEM will not fit everyone.
Accessories:
I am going to kinda gloss over this section since Unique Melody seemed to do the same. The cable is god awful. I didn’t bother to measure it’s resistance, since even if it was the best measuring cable on the planet I would not use it. The case is not awful and comes with a removable divider if you want to place the IEMs in a very nice way, that I can not be bothered doing. The tips are great and very soft. There is a thread dedicated to them so I will just state that UM tips are worthy of being aftermarket tips on a lot of IEMs and if the 3DT fit differently for me they would be the tips I use, but they are a bit too soft for the way it fits for me.
Sound Impressions
(Cable Xinhs 2 core, tips Fiio Vocals [close to the SS of the UM tips, but more comfortable], sources varied)
Bass:
Would I call this a bass head IEM… I can answer this 2 ways. (No, but… or Yes, with a *.) If you want high quality bass with texture, weight, speed, natural timbre, and sub bass extension then yes this is amazing for all of that. If you want a large quantity of bass then no it is not that. The 3DT does something quite special in how it utilizes the dual compound DDs. The layering it does adds a warmth and thickness without sounding lethargic. There is a slight crossover in to the lower mids but it never comes across as bloat, instead it adds some nice fill to the lower mids I will get to later. The use of the acoustic tube might rob some IEMs of resonance and extension for greater control, attack, and force… but the use of that dual compound DD setup makes up for the choice adding back in the texture. The use of smaller DDs also lends itself to fast transients that allow it to keep up with some truly techinical and fast drum and bass guitar work without ever feeling like it is smearing or overriding. This excellent bass serves as a foundation for what could have been a far too ambitious tuning of the upper mids and treble, but is well balanced out by the weight the bass imparts to the overall sound signature.
Mids:
This might be my favorite part of the entire sound signature of the 3DT. Where the bass can be a bit heavy and maybe even a bit on the warm side the Mids are lush, vibrant, a bit forward and even a little bright (but never sibilant). That slight cross over from the Bass to the lower mids help them to have extra presence that the recessed FR graph would not lead you to assume. The timbre of instruments is natural and engaging and vocals are a joy to listen to. I would classify female vocals to be on a level at least equal to Moondrop’s house sound in how they are handled. Female vocals are a bit forward of male vocals but it is never by enough to cause a major issue and with quality in how they are presented it really is something you almost have to nitpick to care about. There is body in vocals when called for and breathyness never seems to be at a loss for detail. Ronnie Radke is a singer that can easily showcase the limits of what both a human and a transducer can accomplish, the 3DT never let me down from the ballads to the rough emotional screams.
Treble
I don’t exactly knoiw how to put this in the right words… but here is my try. The treble graph looks scary as all hell. Though like with the rest of the presentation the note weight comes through and tempers it while still retaining an air, a sparkle, a something that I would associate with being bright. The lower treble is elevated, quite a bit and if you are sensitive in that area maybe it is too hot for you, but the presentation never had it feel harsh or unnatural. I have seen people both claim lots of detail in the treble and not enough detail in the treble and much like the bass I can understand that after listening to the 3DT. if detail is synonymous with sharpness for you then maybe it is lacking detail since the weight of the notes seem to round off that edge just a bit. If detail is picking out every sound if you wish to then there is a surprising amount here (for the price point it is quite impressive). Everything about this sound signature is more musical then analytical and that also might be adding to the conflicting opinions on the treble.
Technicals
Due to the presentation and note weight the sound stage can vary between slightly above average to slightly below average in size. Heavier and more busy songs are less spacious, but the imaging and layering is phenomenal and it never feels crowded. On tracks with less going on the sound stage opens up and can feel quite spacious, but the forwardness of the vocals can still impart an intimacy that sometimes can be lost in larger sound stages. So basically the technicals are library dependent, but good enough that it has not ever become an issue with my varied listening habits.
Conclusion
Is this a perfect IEM… no. Does it match my listening preferences better then any other IEM to date, yes. Is it for you… who knows. All I can say is that @Resolution was right again in a recommendation to me.
9 Likes
Thanks to @Xkairos_hxc for turning me on to the 3DT. Without him, I would have missed this absolute gem.
7 Likes
I figured someone else could add pictures, though to be fair due to how they are made they all look a little different. (Different wood patterns).
1 Like
Honestly not to my personal tastes, but honestly I don’t care about the looks with how they sound.
Yours have a lot more resin on the faceplate then mine do. Most of my stabilized wood is on the faceplate.
1 Like
Pics please! 
I think there are 3 versions of 3DT from what I have seen: Blue, green and blue resin/wood.
Green is China exclusive (limited edition), while blue is available at some sites and the most common blue resin/wood is for international.
4 Likes
The green is pretty. Honestly they are all pretty. I just personally like fairly muted colors and designs. Black, some metallic colors, some darker solid colors, etc are my personal preference when wearing an IEM. Though it is nice to have a few pretty ones for the collection to look nice when I eventually get a display case.
3 Likes
I heard that the blue version was for Japan?
I’m not sure, I only saw blue version on Hifigo and Taobao: https://detail.tmall.com/item.htm?spm=a220m.1000858.1000725.2.57a7bdb1vR4ns7&id=628546007016&skuId=4701858053088&user_id=2072923149&cat_id=2&is_b=1&rn=61aae49b7559af7584b0885b73c38b82
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Thanks @TkSilver for this review.
Could you provide examples of music genre that the 3DT handles well and some that it struggles at?
I’m tempted but it’s always difficult to know if it will hit right for my library.
Hotel California MTV Unplugged Version & Mozart: violin concerto no.4 in d major kv218 - allegro - 2L - Tidal mqa
Tried with Gustard X16 dac, Zen Can - all spread smile for me on the entire song with detail presentation and grand space, no upper mid sting
It is not really bad with any particular genre, but it might not be the sound you want with some.
There is a very sharp rise and rather high over all gain in the 1k-5k region. HBB brings this up in his review as his issue with the set and as an example he uses
Starting around 2:40 when Merry Clayton comes in and starts singing as a trouble area for him. There is a lot more energy in this area then some other IEMs and it can be a valid criticism for the presentation I happen to like the stronger gain in the region and it is a song I enjoy on this set.
If you want an example of the closing of the sound stage in busier sections of a track then
Starting around 2:08 as more and more gets layered on the sound stage gets smaller but the excellent layering and separation capabilities of the IEM keep everything from sounding congested.
I happen to like the tuning in general but some stand out tracks I really like
The force of the underlying thump is great and never feels like it is overriding the rest of the mix that you can get with some IEMs that just have Quantity over Quality
The bass guitar and the electric guitar sound amazing and the extra gain brings something special to the very special voice of Susan Vega in this track. This was a favorite on the Moondrop Variations and it has been elevated just that little bit extra on the 3DT for me.
Does it do Metal? Yes, yes it does
The speed in this track can bring a lot of sets to their knees… this is not my favorite track of theirs (I like Soul Decay more), but it is a great test track for just how fast an IEM can handle things.
The vocals from Tarja and Marco are just incredible
I can’t help too much with country since I don’t listen to enough of it but for folk music
I love the natural timbre of the acoustic guitar and the vocals of Robert Earl Keen, they combine to create a powerful story.
If you are thinking about getting the 3DT the biggest issues to be aware of is that the IEM is huge. Like really really big, so it won’t fit everyone. Also the cable is awful so if you get it I highly recommend having a 2 pin cable available to use instead of the stock one. (I am guessing the blue and green non wood versions also have awful cables, but I only know for sure the wood and resin one does).
5 Likes
Better than FH7, I don’t believe. If you praise him so much, does he manage his price? And these huge shells! I read that the soundstage is not good.
Ok I will probably order them when you say they are better than FH7.
“better” is a bad word. Things are “different”. I prefer the UM 3DT vs the FH7 especially for the metal genre.
I don’t think anyone is pressuring you to buy anything either. What we have done in this thread is discuss the 3DT. I think @TkSilver has done a nice job of describing his experience with it and that he enjoys it a lot for his preferences.
8 Likes
I would be a very bad person to compare the FH7 to the 3DT. I stopped at the FH3 since there is something in the Knowles BA used (I will reserve judgement on Sonion or Sony since riku says they may be different for me) that causes me discomfort in the upper harmonics. So there are many metal tracks I just can not listen to at all on them. Honestly part of what I wanted to find was an IEM that could handle the bass as well as the bery driver in the FH3 without that discomfort.
1 Like