(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.