MEST MkII have landed!
They showed up on Wednesday, actually, and I’ve spent the last couple of days desperately trying to figure out which version to choose for the customs I’m in the process of ordering.
The OG MEST caught my ear due to absolutely breathtaking staging and imaging. There was always some wonkiness with the sound, but it was more of a flavor than a flaw. It was the OG that convinced me I needed custom MEST.
The MkII has a redesigned (more ergonomic) shell, and a dual-sided bone conductor that now engages across the full frequency range instead of the mids-to-upper-mids of the OG bone conductor. The tuning has been adjusted somewhat–one thing that concerned me was UM’s statement that MkII has more bass and sub-bass. Well, it’s true. MEST MkII are absolute bass monsters–and that’s not a bad thing! They also dialed back the treble.
The result is something that reminds me of 6xx tuning with Fostex levels of bass and similarly magical staging to the original. At first I missed the laser-fine treble detail of the OG MEST, but over the past couple days the MkII has really grown on me. It does seem like a more refined and mature tuning overall, despite being further from my own (usual) preferences. Nevertheless, it works. I am fine with way too much bass, lol.
The thing is, MkII bass is extremely well controlled–it’s not muddy and doesn’t overwhelm tracks, even when I can feel the sub-bass punching me in the spine. When a track calls for powerful bass, MEST delivers what feels like a wearable subwooofer. But when bass is just another element that’s meant to anchor a track with a little weight, MkII will step aside and let the rest of the track shine. Bass still ranges from grippy lows with every ripple both audible and tactile to the fluffiest of soft, deep lows. It’s a cliche test track, but “Why So Serious?” feels more like a theater experience than just listening to a song. The sub bass is absolutely nuts, while finer details are fully isolated and accessible.
Mids also have a lot more body to them, and I think that’s what’s winning me over to MkII more than anything else. Coupled with the bass, music is more powerful and alive. Meanwhile, the tamed highs are reminiscent of the smoothing effect of good tubes. There is still detail, and high treble is absolutely still there–it just isn’t piercing. Some higher frequency elements sit back in the track more than they do on OG MEST, but the net effect seems more even keeled.
Overall, MEST MkII is an intriguing new take on the original. Crucially, the imaging is still spectacular on MkII. Both versions are spellbinding listens. Each probably speaks to different preferences. I’m still undecided which version to choose for my customs–I started out pretty firmly in the OG camp, but the more time I’ve spent with MkII, the more it’s winning me over.