FATfreq - Maestro SE (Universal)

Having been through almost everything, nothing beats the Fatfreq Maestro SE or the Sony IER-Z1R for a well rounded bass experience. If you're looking for something more all around but can deliver truly excellent bass when called upon, my favourite IEM of all time... Campfire Astrolith.

OK First up, the really easy one, and it's a really big one - sub bass. A headphone cannot deliver sub bass like an IEM can. I own three of the big (and very good, rather than novelty type) IEMs known for their bass belivery - Fatfreq Maestro SE, which I have the CIEM version of (and thus delivers even more sub bass of due to the deep fit/isolation), the Sony IER-Z1R & thr best IEM of last year IMO, the Campfire Astrolith. There are plenty of others as well. I love my sub bass - and there are certain genres that really need it. I've tried several of the more popular bottom heavy headphones, and they just don't come close - Sony MDR-Z1R, Fostex (forgot the model number - big shiny red domes) & a couple of others. Unfortunately once you're used to how really good, sub heavy IEMs, headphones just don't come close. I do love headphones, but all of those got sold - most very quickly. --- The other big one is how hybrid driver designs work - I don't know if you're a fan, but Alessandro Cortini of NIN (Nine Inch Nails) & an artist of a very different kind in his own right is a huge fan of how hybrid IEMs work vs traditional headphones - and released a collaboration hybrid IEM with Campfire Audio; the Clara. The amazing thing with the better hybrids (done well - they need to be implement intelligently & tested thoroughly/tweaked before launch) is really how different driver types work together to create something very special. Of course you can do this with headphones, but it doesn't work in the same way as you need them to be packed together & given a small exit point to really work their magic - my personal favourite example of a hybrid design is the Thieaudio Prestige Ltd; I use these daily & I had them CIEM'd after ten months as I know I'll never sell them & CIEMs both sound better & are more comfortable. It feels like you're wearing nothing. They usd a combination of electrostatic drivers (which are incredible for high frequencies & the imaging/detail of those frequencies) balanced armatures which handle the mids & dynamic drivers which hand the bass. These are a beautifully balanced set which I have used for 8-12h very regularly & they still sound magical to me. It's not an aggressive sounding set - zero fatigue from long sessions & you cannot possibly have a similar audio experience with overheads. I absolutely adore overheads, too & I never thought IEMs could catch up - but they have - but it's a very different thing & they both have their place.

Massively so. I got rid of my Sony MDR-Z1R (+ 600 USD for some Focal Stellia 😎) as they were the only bottom heavy ones I liked... they couldn't compete with their IEM counterparts, the IER (or any good sub heavy IEM), but I still liked having an overhead that could deliver sub pretty well. Unfortunately, the pads wore out, Sony have discontinued them but still price them at $250 in Sony stores that do still have remaining stock & Dekoni (who have also discontinued them!) had stock left but they sounded absolutely awful vs the Sony pads. Yes the Fatfreq are much better as CIEMs & they are also ridiculously comfortable. I designed mine... https://preview.redd.it/unmawl3t5gke1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1055ded9a64fed9246c6372777edcf3e3a4d94f8

Set myself the task of having - within reason - the best line up of IEMs possible (and the best way to drive them). Fortunately I'm in a position where I can borrow loaners of pretty much anything and I tried a LOT. I only kept one IEM from last year & that was the Thieaudio Prestige Ltd - I reshelled those into a CIEM (varnished wood faceplate/clear shell) as I absolutely adore them (369 days of near daily use & counting) & nothing else does quite what they do. They're my all day listens & the comfort of them being a CIEM & that little bass boost due to a better seal 👌 One of my biggest priorities for the artillery refresh was durability. The Prestige Ltd cost me $1300 & as much as I loved the sound... Thieaudio's shells are absolute crap, when compared with the likes of Campfire or even Unique Melody who make really excellent resin (?) shells as per the Mest MKII. The other CIEM is the black & white ska pattern Maestro SE 'MK 1.5' (significantly revised internals apparently). They're kind of a bonus as FF really messed me around with a pair of Maestro SE uni's & I thought I was going to get a refund... they offered me a full custom & I'm glad I took it as they are firm favourites... but I certainly wouldn't pay $3000 for them. I produce & DJ drum n bass & these are my favourites for simple production stuff & digital 'crate digging' as well as familiarising myself with new tracks I'm going to play out... and just enjoying dnb or any bass heavy music. Those blue/green abalone shell with the gold trim are the QDC Emperor. Personally I adore them. I loved the detail & treble of the QDC Anole VX, but hated the all BA bass. Their new flagship, the Emperor (which retail at $3000, but I got ex demo for $2200) has 15 drivers per side including DD's for sub & EST's for the highs. I think these were greatly overlooked by western reviewers (because QDC don't seem to send review pairs out & do very well in China anyway) & at a quick listen they can come across as 'dark'. I can understand that, and it's typically not something I love - but I think these just sound rich & full bodied... I already loved the good parts of the Anole VX & these just seemed to take what was good with those & improve it enormously. The sound incredible with very full sounding music such as heavy electronic stuff (Justice) & heavier rock (Nirvana). They're so different from anything else & that suits me just fine - I do have to boost the bass quite significantly with the DSP on my Mojo 2 to get them to my liking - and they're certainly capable of it. You need to take your time with these to really appreciate them. Top right are the Final A8000. I'd naively decided I wasn't interested in single DD IEMs as I really didn't like Sennheisers IE600/900 or the Softears Twlight very much (def preferred the Softears over the Senns massively, but just not for me)... these single beryillium driver beauties proved me so very wrong. Unbelievable imaging. Unparalleled clarity. Some people feel the treble is too much - but that's just how drums etc really sound. These are usually $2000, but I got them for about half of that & I'd absolutely recommend them at this sort of price point. They look so sexy, too. My IEM of the year was a big surprise. Never been a fan of Campfire or planar IEM's & these are both. The bass is incredible, the second planar for the treble really works wonders, yet the mids still sound clear & forward - they sound like nothing else & have to be heard to be believed. Great all rounder, too. Lastly - the Sony IER-Z1R - I love bass & I tried so many high end pairs known for their bottom end... I'd read so many comments about how uncomfortable these are. Not for me or anyone I know who actually has or has owned a pair. They look like they should be uncomfortable, but they're not in the slightest & IMO they beat more modern IEMs known for their bass such as the Fir XE6 & the 64 Audio Volour (my biggest disappointment. Really didn't like anything about them beyond build quality & how pretty they are!). These can go to toe to tie with the Fatfreq Maestro SE as a superb very v shaped basshead set... these are the only two somewhat similar pairs I own & quite honestly I think the Sony's are a MUCH better deal given the build quality (these will last forever!). A classic for a reason. A couple of lessons I learned this year - I will never buy a DAP again (until they become very small, very fast & less than $1000 - and even then I'll just use it as a music transport)... I owned a few of the so called TOTL DAPS... A&K SP3000, Shanling M9/M9+, Sony Wm1zm2 etc & none of them were a patch on the Chord Mojo 2 in terms of sound quality, which I put way above everything else. The Mojo 2 is absolute witchcraft, and yes, I have a Poly, and yes - it is a horrible finickety device & I was lucky to get one for exactly $238 second hand & I wouldn't have paid more than $250. Lastly - if you're going to spend big bucks on IEMs, get some custom tips made. Tip rolling - forget it. Customs are the business.

Thanks. It took a lot of work - I'm far from rich! But it makes me very happy as I'm rarely without a set in my ears or a pair of headphones on my head & I worked in music for 25 years. I really got into personal audio a couple of years ago when I stopped drinking etc - I realised I missed the music on excellent soundsystems more than I did anything else... I think my booze etc money more than covered it. The SE is a nice bonus, but it's similar for my needs to the Sony IER-Z1R which is a much better deal IMO. Prestige Ltd have taken up 50% of my listening time over the last year plus now, and when I have had at any one time 12-15 pairs of excellent IEMs/headphones, I think that speaks for itself.

As a fellow basshead, I would say forget the Scarlett Mini's - they're a bit of a novelty - a one trick pony, but it's a very good trick. Unfortunately the bass is absolutely overwhelming and they are extremely fatiguing. They're a good step more balanced than the Maestro Mini, but still....unless they're a set as part of a collection rather than be a daily long use pair, I think you'll struggle. I upgraded from them to the Maestro SE which are currently getting CIEM'd. Even those are fatiguing but a lot more balanced. My shout would be to go for the Thieaudio Hype 4 - no, the out of the box tuning isn't basshead, but those two big fat DD's are capable of so much more than that OOTB tuning. When I was listening to drum n bass, I'd push the bass up using the DSP on my Mojo 2 - you could do something similar with a software EQ, but in any case they absolutely have the capability to hit genuine basshead levels - it's a really nice, smooth deep, warm bass which gives you that club soundsystem type feel. I'd absolutely suggest you spend the cash you save on getting some custom tips done. Once you have the impressions done, you can use that 3D image file for many years to get more tips done, and that's usually the most expensive part (impressions & first set of tips). You should really shop around for a place that you can get the impressions done - I've heard that some places (ear doctors) you can have it done for less than $50. Once done you can shop around for somewhere that produces tips - or you can message me in around one month as I'm currently starting a project to make them & we should be operational by then. We are based in Asia, but we'd only need the file & could do you a deal on a bunch which we could ship to you. Even with express shipping (I buy in bulk due to anktjt project wbere I'm shipping dozens of items to the US every week, this would work out a lot less per pair than getting them done in the west. The tips make a HUGE difference in terms of getting a perfect seal & keeping all that delicious bass in. I'll never use regular tips again. Pictured - my favourite current basshead pair, the CA Astrolith with some prototypes of our tips. It's around 30% more bass & a better sound overall. Often asked question - do the tips make the IEMs stick out more? No, absolutely not. 90% of this is going into your ear canal (these fit my ear canals only). https://preview.redd.it/gpsosp8y1hxd1.jpeg?width=2992&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=48def0baa8b1c4e6bcfd20a642aa0377b8711f02

I couldn't give a shit what anyone else likes. I went through dozens (60+)of pairs to get through to six I love last year. IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R I have Xenns Tea Pro OTW as my out & about IEM as I live in Thailand & it's very humid. Anything I wear outside will absolutely get damaged & those are all 1600-3000. I wish the 'diminishing returns begin at $300' line was real. It isn't. Not even close - but it's good that you can get genuinely excellent IEMs sub $500. I'd also say that if you are goin high tier, you're better off buying one pair & a Chord Mojo 2 before you buy another pair. A lot of people love to rubbish the difference dac/amps make, but this thing is better than any truly portable device (it makes a HUGE difference - the Prestige Ltd /Mojo 2 combo is incredible & I have put a lot of people onto this. Include $4000 DAPs, of which I've owned most of the big ones). It's also the best for home use than any desktop amp/dac, including the $9000 Sony DMP-Z1 dac/amp/player, which I bought for overheads & will do me for life. I absolutely adore all of these. I owned the Prestige Ltd for 10 months before I reshelled/CIEM'd it because I know I'll never sell it - plus one thing these all have in common is that BUILD QUALITY is fantastic. Many great sounding IEMs are not & spending money like this on IEMs, I expect them to last me for many years. This is something a lot of reviewers overlook. My favourites are the Prestige Ltd & the Campfire Astrolith. I'm probably the only person I've ever heard who loves the Final A8000 as the highs are very abrasive for most ears. I used to play the drums - these IEMs are the most natural sounding & that's how drums sound. I've worked in music for 30 years & am myself through being a hobbyist producer a 'one hit wonder'. I've also tuned some of the best nightclub/music venue systems in the world. Music paid for these.

I've CIEM'd my PL's so I won't be selling them. I didn't like the Monarch 2 or 3 at all... that's what I went to the store thinking I'd buy... I'd never even heard of the PL's & was walking out when the manager came out of the back with the PL's that has arrived about an hour before I arrived & said 'try these' blew me away. Still my favourites after 14 months & my other six pairs are all things I bought after. The Astrolith are a very close #2/maybe even a joint #1. The Tea Pro are my going out pair & I haven't opened them yet. Only really interested in hearing the Glacier & the Fir RN6. How is the build on the Glacier? Does the metal scratch easily? I have to treat my A8000 very carefully as they apparently scratch very easily - they look like jewelry & I want them to stay that way. Fortunately the case they come with is the best/most practical IEM case I've ever seen/used. IEMS - QDC Emperor/CA Astrolith/Fatfreq Maestro SE CIEM/Thieaudio Prestige Ltd CIEM/Final A8000/Sony IER-Z1R/Xenns Tea Pro

Thats true the maestro is quite perfectly balanced, its pretty bassy but you dont miss out anything. and Z1Rs reputation speaks for itself!

when it comes to sub-bass, IEMs just have a natural advantage. That deep seal really helps to hit those low frequencies with authority. The Maestro SE CIEM must be an absolute sub-bass monster with that extra isolation! And yeah, for genres that thrive on deep, physical bass, there’s nothing quite like a well-tuned IEM that can dig deep without bleeding into the mids. Solid lineup you’ve got there!

I had Anni OG's the bass is a joke & I don't get the fuss otherwise. The best bass heavy (quality - none of the Scarlet/Maestro mini novelty nonsense) Fatfreq are definitely the Gand Maestro. They are the Maestro SE... CIEM process works wonders. I was offered to trade my pre-CIEM'd Maestro SE for Grand Maestro & borrowed them for a week. Even with the most bass heavy plug in the bass isn't a patch on Maestro SE. I've owned the Fir XE6 (heavier bass than RN6 - same price). They definitely didn't deliver close to the Maestro SE. I sold them quickly because although I liked them (for reasons beyond not having THE BIGGEST BASS!) - the metal part dug into my ear & after a few hours listening my ear was fucking sore for a few days. I've heard the Canpur are great. Would love to try. Sony IER-Z1R are still absolute classics & I use mine frequently. Quantity/quality of bass isn't (with custom tips) far off - maybe equal to - the Maestro SE. Much cheaper & will last you forever as they are absolute tanks... not the best for out & about though - but no comfort issues for me with either regular or custom tips...

Personally, I believe FATFreq is the best for bassheads, but that depends on if you are willing to stretch your budget. Anyway, I think in your budget you can check out the Moondrop KXXS or the TRN V90. Hope you find the best one for you :)

FatFreq nails it with that full, rich bass without overpowering everything else. The Scarlet Mini might be just what you’re after for big sound across all genres!