Hisenior - Mega5-EST 5-Drivers Hybrid IEM (Universal)

Late on the parade here - great review by the way. I have a set of these and love them. One of the dust filters came off so I contacted HiSenior by email and they sent a set four pairs free of charge and chucked in a bag of tip’s as well. Arrived in the uk from China in a week. Great customer service - I was impressed.

Mine have been straight up falling out here and there , hoping to find a solution

Mostly the left side but both def get loose, but when i watched initial reviews for this iem I knew it was an issue with them.

I will say I use these at work though and I move around a lot so that's probably what it is, I might look for another iem to use at work but not sure which one, I was thinking about looking at another hisenior iem maybe.

No, but I sent them back to hisenior and they are repairing them and putting new connectors on them, pretty sure they made complete new ones because the ones on mine were faulty. Haven't received them back yet though.

Hey man welcome. I think I can help! Most audiophiles come at this with a different view than what you posed, simply because we have different priorities. I'll also try to correct some of the things you wrote that are not true. You posted so many good questions and points, though. This is going to be a long response. >i just found it expensive enough Yes and no. Some high end stuff has crazy prices. Some of the super expensive stuff straight up sucks, too. But good IEMs can be had for under $50. >not even wireless Not the main priority of IEMs or headphones for audiophiles/musicians. We generally prefer a reliable connection that doesn't rely on a time limit (battery). We also want to squeeze every drop of audio quality, and wireless means bluetooth which means compressed data. (That's changing, though!) Wires are 100% reliable and gives 100% of the performance. More importantly, ANC IEMs (e.g. Apple Airpods Pro 2) tend to be much more expensive for the sound quality they provide. Going back to the last section, IEMs are not more expensive than their wireless counterparts. Wireless is convenient! You'll see many people here rocking ANC IEMs for our daily, and going home to our wired IEMs. I'm one of those many. >Headphone provide better sound noise isolation No, they don't. Ignoring ANC, IEMs tend to isolate the best. Some can isolate even better than actual earplugs. They isolate so well, musicians use them to isolate themselves on stage during LIVE performances, and those get super loud! >Headphone are more comfortable More of a preference thing. Generally speaking, headphones will rarely have a "bad fit" issue because they go around your ears. Any decent set of cans (hehe) is light enough to be mostly unnoticeable. IEMs can be very comfortable, and doesn't get in the way of anything. But, you'll run into more fitment issues on larger IEMs or IEMs with thicker nozzles. >Latency Yep, wired means close to 0ms latency, software and interface aside. Again, we're trying to squeeze every bit of performance. For music making, we want <10ms. For gaming/listening, hardly matters. Most people aren't dropping big money to buy IEMs for gaming. Honestly, how many of us is good enough to warrant that for gaming? lol **Okay! Now to your questions.** 1) Advantages and disadvantages. You'll have to understand the differences first, and it is one of preference. Normally we listen with our entire ear and head. Like the fleshy bits of our ear is a bit part of our listening. But with IEMs, we bypass the ears entirely and the sound goes right into our earholes. It creates a completely different experience than headphones/speakers. It's like the music is in our heads, and feels different than "listening". Advantages: - If you prefer the aforementioned sound, the IEM sound cannot be replicated by headphones, speakers, or earbuds (the ones that sit outside your ear canals). - Dollar for dollar, IEMs will provide more performance than headphones and definitely speakers. - Portability. Not even close compared to even headphones. And speakers lmao. ANC buds and IEMs win over wired anything in this category; you'll have to pay for it, though. - Isolation. It keeps the noise out passively, without ANC. I'd say for certain frequencies (e.g. human voice), a good passive isolation is superior to ANC. ANC just isn't very good for higher frequencies. And for most audiophiles, they'll pick open-back headphones, which provide basically negative isolation. Disadvantages: - Soundstage, or how it replicates space in audio recordings. Because you're bypassing the earflesh, space is not replicated correctly. If you love to "hear" the stage, headphones are much better than their IEM equals. Some IEMs are great with this, but a good headphone will still beat it easily. - Fit/comfort. Not every IEM is for everyone. Most are fine, but look up reviews/try them would be ideal. This is more of an issue with more expensive IEMs ($250+) that shoves a ton of audio components into the IEM form factor, and the shell/nozzle has to be enlargened. Famous examples: Sony IER-Z1R, ThieAudio Monarch Series, etc. You also got something that is touching your ear canals for potentially hours at a time. Some people can't stand it. Some people have no issues. Again, personal preference. 2) What is the best overall IEM (ignoring the price)? Oh boy. Ignoring price? Probably the Subtonic Storm. But it's $5K, has very few reviews, and the waitlist is closed. It's been reviewed well by reputable reviewers, but hype is a thing in this space. Time will tell, but that seems to be the one to have if you can swallow the price tag. Outside of that outlier, best overall IEMs will cause arguments in this hobby. People have differences in preference, but they can be summed up in a few categories: 1) neutral tuning, 2) mild-V/U tuning, 3) V/U tuning, 4) bassheads, 5) trebleheads. I'm condensing a few groups together for the sake of brevity (ironic), don't @ me. Let me know if you read this far and want me to provide examples for each. The best IEMs or headphones in the world don't attempt to do everything the best. They do one or two things exceptionally well. For most people? You don't have to spend anywhere near $1000. You want something neutral? Hisenior Mega5EST. You want something a little more exciting? Moondrop x Crinacle Dusk 2. You want to feel like your brain is on meth? DUNU Braindance. There are so many more great IEMs in this price bracket. There really is a great IEM for around $500-600 for every taste. Even just 5 years ago we did not have this level of luxury in choice. Anything beyond $500-600 really is diminishing returns. Not really worth it, and this is from someone who has many IEMs over $1K. 3) Are there any accessories/peripheral for IEMs (other than eartips)? Yes, but eartips make the most difference. Required: buy Q-tips, lens cleaners, small brush (like from an electric razor), and, if your wallet can stomach it, an IEM vacuum. Cleaning your IEM is important and not often talked about because frankly it's so boring. Debated: buying cables for sound quality. Buy a cable if you want an upgrade in comfort or cable noise (microphonics). If you don't like the sound of an IEM, return it. No cable is going to solve that for you. Also debated: DAC and AMP. Again, you don't have to spend a lot, or at all. If you have an Apple Dongle, it really is good enough. Especially for IEMs, power is almost never an issue unless you're deaf or you want to be deaf. However, if you want to get into the hobby of finding amp sounds, that's a different story, and outside the scope of this post. DACs should be colorless and we've basically perfected the technology. You're paying for features now. Which brings us to the point: you can buy portable bluetooth DAC/AMP combos for your wired IEMs! (Back to BT compression, a little sacrifice of sound quality and money for added portability.) Welcome to the hobby, hope this helped!

I listened to the song on both the Volume S and the Mega5est. On the Volume S, it sounded detailed, I could tell the direction of each instrument, much more so than with the Mega5est. I was blown away within the first few seconds. The drums had more punch, and even at higher volumes, the track stayed clear and engaging without any listening fatigue. In comparison, the Mega5est felt more congested and less enjoyable. Out of curiosity, what IEMs are you using? We might have some overlap, and I’d l compare it if I’ve own the same ones.

They're not the best sounding IEMs for this song, in my opinion. I’d say it actually sounded better on the **Tanchjim Origin** and **Dunu Da Vinci,** the bass was cleaner, and the notes had better clarity. Everything felt better. on the other hand on **Mega5est**, it sounded even nicer than on the Da Vinci or Origin, with the low end having more **oomph** and impact.

For gaming Tanchjim kara ,i have dunu Davinci, mega5est , origin , dusk , kinera skuld , and many more. best staging and immersive feeling for gaming is tanchjim kara. But If i want to listen music and play games i would chose Mega5est.

I have used Sennheiser IE 300, Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk, Phoenix Call, Chu 2, Tanchjim Origin, Tanchjim kara, Dunu Da Vinci, Mega5est, Simgot EA500, Kinera Skuld, Tin T2, Tanchjim One.and softears volume s on the way soon.

better in all regards but I dont see a point in purchasing unless you want to sell ur set

Though I believe they just recently said that they are reverting back to the original tuning as default. But you can also request the revised tuning if you want.

The 7th Anniversary had an original tuning that reviewers liked, but then it underwent a stealth revision that increased the treble. The revised tuning version looked exactly the same and carried the same name, hence why it ended up drawing controversy. Hisenior themselves said they would be reverting back to the original 7th Anniversary tuning as default once people got mad, and I believe a YouTube reviewer had shared the information and that’s where I read it. So the only way to know for sure which tuning you’re getting is to buy it directly from Hisenior. As for versions prior to the 7th Anniversary edition, I can’t comment because I wasn’t following the news on it back then.

As someone who has used all three, I'd say Pilgrim by a mile. A5000 sounds very wide and impressive, but uses a weird and unnatural tuning to achieve the effect. I care much more about tonality and technicalities rather than soundstage. Mega5EST is impressive in its natural timbre and sound, but sounds too boring and very untechnical in my opinion. Still, worth picking up if a natural sound is your top priority. Pilgrim is my favourite IEM at the moment and, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic and over-hyped, I'm selling my u12t because I Simply prefer the Pilgrim. Bass sounds deep and natural but not bloated, mids sound crystal clear, highs are slightly forward while not being unbearable, and the tonality is very balanced unlike Variations or A5000. Fit may or may not be an issue though, the nozzle is big and too short. As for the oracle mk3 everyone is suggesting, I found that to be too spicy up top and to be rather unnatural in the timbre. (I love baroque, choral, and organ music especially)

I have the xenns tea pro paired to my btr15 via 4.4 and it’s a killer set up.. the tea pros are 350$ on amazon and linsoul.com.. they are warm and thick with no sibilance.. they are an amazing all around set, balanced with a bit of emphasis on the bass.. all metal shell build, great case, good selection of tips and an interchangeable termination cable with 3.5 and 4.4 included… I also own the Penon fan 3 which is also around 350$.. it’s bone conduction is pretty unique.. the Moondrop Duck is also one to mention at the 350$ mark also.. it comes with a dsp cable that has 5 different peq’s settings plus a 3.5mm cable.. I’ve never heard it but very popular… and then at the 500$ price there’s the hisenior mega5est.. a very neutral tuned iem.. my vote would be the tea pros.. but there’s a couple great recommendations you can start researching reviews on to get a better take on each one.. good luck and welcome back..!

The Hisenior Mega5EST is better, it has much better vocals and a stronger, better mid bass slam. The only thing I can say is good about the Punch is its treble. It has a lot of sub bass with NO thumping Bass , no proper rumble or hard Hitting mid bass and that’s it. If you asked me which one I’d recommend, I’d say neither. Honestly both are overpriced crap. A good single dynamic driver can outperform both in bass and vocals.

this is very accurate and informative review. I just got these and am very happy with them. I have the Divinus Velvet tips also, and they are a perfect match for these sublimely great IEMs.

The Hype 4's and the MEGA5-EST, in my limited experience I feel are the best "Mid-Fi" IEMs this year. Mid as in amazing! Not cheap, but not $1k-$2k TOTL endgame either. Many people would likely be pleased with the Hype4 as an endgame IEM, it is that good! And my MEGA5-EST's even are better I feel. 

The MEGA5-EST.. are the best IEMs I have heard. I feel like they are worth every penny. The guy wanted a budget recommend of $400.00-$500.00, I learned a lot while buying a small collection of six IEMs this year. I would never buy anything with less sound quality than Hype 4's or MEGA5- BEST! 

The Highsenior MEGA5EST s. Started with the ZERO Reds and the AFUL Magicone as my entry drug. After getting hooked on IEMs I decided to skip the next 3 priceranges and risked going all in. Never looked back. They are awesome!

Listening to them now w/ the 'stock' WhiteWhale cable - I don't think it's really an issue with the cable design; but a combination of the reviewer here's cable (Maybe his pins are slightly longer?) and the bud not having a recessed a recessed slot. My WhiteWhale sits flush (can't see the pins) on each earpiece - though it does work it's way out a little bit every once in a while if the buds get packed up/moved all over. I've never let it get as bad as OPs photo, but the reviews have me just pressing them in every once in a while and it's not noticeable. I will say it is the nicest feeling IEM cable I've ever really owned. My only valid comparison is probably my old stock se846 (though it's been a fair minute)

I bought my mega5est from them too Pritam sir conducts the demo session … he is so willing to help and try to figure out whats best !!

Bro … starting on highest level 😂😂…. Mega5est next … it a fucking beast

The problem is mest mk2 is available in india from sell … and definitely not available for demo … from last time I checked … I do demo iems before buying though the store owner dont have all the units for demo … to my knowledge what I demoed were penon turbo , aful explorer , aful cantor , penon voltage , origin mk2 ( thieaudio ) , origin and 64audio solo …. Honestly speaking I couldn’t tell any significant difference between my mega5est ( eartips spinfit cp100+ ) and the thieaudio …. I think penon voltage has bone conductor … and I could not differentiate something different than hybird iems … the good thing about the person who is as conducting demo was he would only tell price and the name of iem after I demoed it … so I would not have any bias becuase of name and brand …. The only iem that immediately stood out to me was 64audio solo …. And it was not only me … I prefer soundstage , imaging and layering … my friend prefer bass and other person who was with us liked rock and jass… we all there came to conclusion that 64audio solo stood out immediately…. Then after demo I got to know that its a planer iem… and it has average soundstage … but I can definitely tell that.. its had way above soundstage than thieaudio and penon iems which I checked … though I did not get chance to demo thieaudio monarchs …. If solo is considered “average “ soundstage “ then I am really curious what people are listening to 😅

I personally dont think so … because I have demoed the iems …. I can definitely say that my mega5est and 900 dollars and even 1k iems did not have significant difference… though I am not sure of price point 64audio solo stood out to me … regardless of price point

Oh I did that … I could tell that my mega5est and 900 dollars iems even 1k dollars iems did not have significant difference… though only thing stood out to me was 64audio solo …. Though he did not show me other 64audio product and mest and monarchs … though I am done with penon iems and thieaudio hype series and origin series…. They just aren’t significant better…..

Mega5est bass+ sounded a lot better to me than the OG, the 64audio U4S is pretty great as well.

I was in the same boat, and never clicked for me. I think they are overrated, very narrow and lacking dynamic. Artti T10 although different response were way better. Anyway I do prefer the Mega5EST I got after 😝

Yes and no (mostly no) To preface this, I'm an audio engineer with significant recording studio experience. No gold records or anything, but I have worked with artists who have gold and platinum records before. Anything I say is coming from a recording/mixing professional standpoint, not necessarily an end-user or consumer standpoint: IEMs *can* be more detailed, just like headphones *can* be. What you hear through them doesn't become more detailed just because an IEM is an IEM. It's about driver selection, construction, and tuning. You buy a $20 IEM, you get a $20 product. (Tangzu Wan'er) Mostly, these sound better than some JLabs garbage at Target/Wal-Mart (due to tuning) but they aren't ever going to outperform a set of over-ears with a half-decent pedigree (ATH-M40x and the like) When we get into the $500 range (like the Mega5EST) then you can really start to see the benefits of the tuning and driver selection but also the benefits of simple physics. BeyerDynamics can put out the same kind of treble extension that the Mega5EST can, but the M5E doesn't have to work as hard doing it. Those ultra-high frequencies die off in open air very quickly. Not so much when forced through a mostly sealed tube (your ear canal) That's a lot of your "detail". One thing I have never heard a dynamic driver IEM do (but have heard it slightly with some BA units) is get the sound of the bow moving across the strings of a double bass or cello right. Those little "skips" you can hear as the bow kinda barely jumps along the string surface. I can only get *that* kind of detail out of properly powered over ears with great drivers. Detail isn't all treble extension. You will never hear a snare sound more like a snare than through Neumann NDH-30s. They just punch and are alive. Tuning will also play a HUGE part by attempting to make up for the what the outer structure of your ear does to sound before hitting your eardrum. I dislike these meta tuned IEMs, mostly, because they sound incredibly unnatural to me. Bassy, recessed mids, too much treble in weird ranges. My HRTF and these tunings usually *do not* get along. You might LOVE them, though. Headphones aren't perfect, but we all can get closer to agreeing on how a pair of headphones sound between us than we can IEMs due to at least having our entire ear involved in hearing them. Plus... I would NEVER mix or monitor tracking sessions with a pair of IEMs. Doesn't matter how well it matches my HRTF or how "neutral" they're touted to be (Ziigaat Cincotres and their marketing it as "studio reference tuning" was a flat-out *lie* ) I know what sound really sounds like having recorded strings, guitars, drums, woodwinds, etc...

\> Why would I put any stock into what DMS says if I have my own 2 ears? I can’t test as many products as an actual audio reviewer. It would be akin to the fact that I’ve seen paintings before, but I would trust an art history major to be able to more accurately identify what’s happening and provide historical context and insights on paintings. Audio gear reviewers are not useful, unless you understand their tastes and preferences, and understand how theirs line up with your own. The Headphone Show reviewers often do not agree on whether X is better than Y. You have to understanding their tastes and where they come from in their praise or criticism, to make sense of what the thing will sound like to you, and whether you might like it. I find DMS tends to like gear that does what studio monitors do, both in his tastes and in how he uses headphones. Listener is very treble sensitive. Resolve has a large head (as I've seen in person at CanJam), and talks a lot about clamping force. :-) A lot of other IEM reviewers online consistently favor V shaped tuning, which makes sense when you realize they mostly listen to K-Pop. Then it makes sense why they often praise IEMs for how they present female vocals and do loads of bass (electronic music production). I use studio monitors daily, and like what they do. So I put stock in DMS's opinions, because I think I get how his tastes and preferences line up with mine. I am not surprised DMS likes the Mega5est -- the same IEMs Crinacle described as "plain water" in his video on them. What makes no sense to me in DMS's review, though, is that he says he listened to Mega5east side by side with the $5K+ Subtonic Storm and claims, "I think the Mega5est is a much better version of the Subtonic Storm for a very small faction of the price." The Mega5est have been called the "baby Storm" for their similarity in tuning. I've heard the Storm, and cannot understand anyone saying the Mega5est is better in any way -- it's not even close -- except price.

so, for me i have reached 500+ region and mainly use mega5est, so what direct upgrade from it at below kilobuck?

i want to keep the sound profile but wanted more micro detail retrieval and usually sit for a long time Also, want more punch and slam without veil all frequency

Try to find a used mega5est and call it a day. Could be had for 350 on used market. Been through maybe 10+ IEMS ranging from 300-2k and imo it’s the best all-rounder that’s 500-1k, possibly even higher. Might not be the most ‘fun’ IEM but it sounds good while playin back many genres well.

Depending on what your looking for: Mega5Est: Probably the best all rounder/everyday carry, very refined sound overall, can be a little unexciting for some genres. Hype 4: A more exciting version of Mega5Est (more bass, more air region) at the cost of some of that sense of refinement Moondrop Variation: Bang for buck technicalities wise. Harmon like tuning, can be slightly harsh for more energetic genres. “cleanest sounding”

Where did you get your Prestige reshelled? I have to say I really do like Thieaudio's shells, at least the shape of them. The only universal IEM that comes close to them for me in fit is the Mega5est. I think you're right that they could be better made, though. I have seen (and owned) too many thieaudio iems with a seam starting to form at some part of the faceplate. Unique Melody shells do feel and look amazingly well-built and smooth. Absolutely agree CIEMs are the way to go if you want the best listening experience. The issue is that I have to consider earwax and always clean them after use unlike a universal.

They are definitely better value for the money but there is just a lot they can't do or excel at in comparison. That said.....I like my Mega5est more than my Arya Organic. The tuning is so 100% on point for me, more than any other piece of audio equipment I have tried (and i tried loads of stuff). The technical aspects like "details" or "imaging" and all those vague terms are almost on par but it will never sound as open and spacious as the Arya since thats just not possible with an IEM becaus eof the way both are build.

Just get a neutral tuned IEM in the $300-$600 range, softears volume s blows APP2 out of the water imo. Maybe pilgrim or mega5est

Depends on what you like. If you want a neutral iem with wonderful tonality that sounds natural go for the Hisenior. The bass boost version is a **negligible** amount of bass. The kiwi Ears will be bassier and maybe more fun.

**Introduction** I attended an audio show and had the chance to listen to over 30 IEMs. Rather than going too deep on every single one, I wanted to highlight the 3 IEMs that truly impressed me and share some rapid-fire thoughts on the rest. Do note that these are my subjective impressions, and the rapid-fire takes might not convey everything. **64 Audio U12t** 64 Audio was the brand I had looked forward to the most at the show. And U12t was easily the best IEM I heard there. The first thing that caught my attention was its imaging and soundstaging, it was one of the few IEMs that gave me a true sense of holographic staging. I really liked the treble tuning, it was extended, crisp, and avoided being sibilant. The midrange was on the warmer, lusher side, with upper mids slightly recessed for my taste. I hadn’t expected the bass to sound this good coming from BAs. It was detailed, hit hard, but decayed a tad faster than typical DDs. **Softears Enigma** At first, I thought it was just another ridiculously overpriced IEM that would sound mediocre. But I was wrong, the bass quality was pretty good, better than U12t. I didn’t feel anything special about the mids, they were neither shouty nor recessed. I sensed a dip around 5-6 kHz, as I am quite sensitive to peaks there. This made vocals much smoother to listen to, but there was a lack of excitement, so vocals weren’t the strong suit of this IEM. But it was the treble that hooked me and made me want to keep listening. The treble had an 'ethereal' quality. It felt lighter, extended, refined, and more importantly, exciting. Because of this, I just kept listening and ended up staying longer than I had planned, it was that good. **64 Audio U4s** This is basically a 'baby U12t', with a dynamic driver for the bass, giving it a proper bass thump. It had all the qualities I mentioned in U12t, but the overall technical prowess was slightly lower. I am still confused whether I preferred U12t’s faster bass response or U4s meatier bass response, nevertheless it was good. The midrange had similar qualities to what I described in U12t impressions. But the treble performance was a slight downgrade compared to U12t, it was on the splashier side with touch less refinement. **Top Performers in:** **Bass** * 64 Audio Volur * Sennheiser IE 900 **Mid-range** * 64 Audio U12t/U4s * Mega5EST **Treble** * Softears Enigma * 64 Audio U12t **Rapid-fire impressions** **64 Audio Fourte** * Emphasized bass * Recessed vocals * Non-offensive treble * No wow factor * Overpriced **64 Audio Trio** * Recessed mids, but not as much as Fourte * Non-offensive treble * Third best 64 Audio IEM for me **64 Audio U18t** * Treble presentation didn’t work for me * Not as good as U12t **64 Audio Volur** * Best bass I’ve ever heard in an IEM * Treble is quite peaky **64 Audio Nio** * Darkest among the 64 Audio lineup I’ve tried * Not my preferred sound signature **64 Audio Solo** * Best planar IEM I heard at the show * Bass quality wasn’t the best compared to others * Technical performance not up to the price **ThieAudio Monarch MK3** * Chonky shell, but still comfortable to wear * Emphasized yet controlled bass * Treble was slightly peaky * No wow factor **Sony IER Z1R** * Uncomfortable to wear, lacks proper seal * Because of that, bass suffered, I had to hold it with my hands to get the best seal * Bass quality is great (not the best I’ve heard, can’t say much due to poor fit) **Sennheiser IE 900** * Vocals sounded stuffy, weird, and recessed * One of the best bass I heard at the show after 64 Audio Volur * Lacking in detail and imaging for the price **Sennheiser IE 600** * Better tonality than IE 900, especially in the upper mids * Again, not the best in technical performance **Mega5EST** * Most normal-sounding IEM I heard at the show * Quite bassy for this type of mid-range * Not the best in subjective qualities **Dunu Da Vinci** * Similar impression to Mega5EST * This type of sound signature doesn’t work well with such a bass boost **Letshuoer Cadenza 12** * Fairly neutral with a bass boost * Lacks the wow factor * Treble was slightly on the harsher side **Elysian Pilgrim** * Non-offensive sound signature * Treble is a bit forward and spicy * Lacks excitement **Softears RSV** * Bass quality was good * Vocals sounded strained * Nothing special about the treble **Softears Volume S** * Non-offensive, but somewhat shouty on some songs * Slightly peaky treble (in some songs) **Softears Studio 4** * Sounded okay (but in a good way) * Nothing particularly special **FATfreq Maestro Mini** * Driver flex * Too much bass (works well with engaging songs) * Treble not refined **FATfreq Scarlet Mini** * Driver flex * Even more bass (too much on top of the already excessive bass of Maestro Mini) **FATfreq Grand Maestro** * Didn’t felt as bassy as compared to others * Faced similar fit issues like the IER Z1R **Campfire Audio Andromeda Emerald Sea** * Warm sounding with non-offensive treble * Didn’t felt anything special about the rest **Campfire Audio Trifecta** * Very weird sounding (that’s what I wrote in the notes:) * Overpriced for what it is * But looks stunning though **Campfire Audio Astrolith** * Too much treble * Again, overpriced **Campfire Audio Solaris Stellar Horizon** * Best sounding Campfire Audio IEM in my opinion * Bass quality was good * Mids sounded recessed * Energetic treble response

I’ll probably revisit them again this afternoon. This morning, I revisited the Mega5EST Bass+ that also had inverted polarity and tried out some new eartips I received recently. Honestly, it's the best I’ve heard in any IEMs so far. Even so, both the Mega5EST and the Tea Pro go straight into the *not recommended* IEMs list for me. At those price ranges, this issue shouldn’t still exist, especially when even cheaper IEMs get the polarity right... It’s still left to see how the stores/brands respond to this particular issue, but based on my tests, I can confidently say it’s a manufacturing problem during the assembly process. I’m not sure if people care about this, but for me, it’s a big deal.

I think the Tea Pro offers a better price-to-quality ratio, especially since you can often find them on sale for around $300 USD. The sound is warm-neutral. The Mega5EST Bass+ is even warmer and "cozier." I personally like it more, but I’m not sure if the extra bass and warmth might make it a bit too niche for some people. Also, the Mega5EST really relies on tip rolling to get the best performance. Think of it this way: I prefer the Tea Pro with stock eartips over the Mega5EST Bass+ with stock eartips, but I prefer the Mega5EST Bass+ with my favorite eartips for that model over the Tea Pro with my favorite eartips (for that model too). Hope that makes sense!

as a ex mega5 owner - i would need to say the one highlight of that iem is its mid range and the excellent vocal tonality. Bass it pretty good but felt too tight. I trade it away a month ago, and is now waiting for my ciem to arrive. Sad to hear how your mega5 ended though..

>they cannot imitate how your ear shape affects the sound as it enters into your ear drums. Well, they sort of can. There is no singular IEM that can adjust to the shape of your ears, but if you find an IEM whose FR coincidentally matches your HRTF perfectly, it will sound better than any over-ear headphone ever could, really. If I remember correctly, that was DMS' point and the reason why he said he prefers the Mega5est more than pretty much everything else he owns. They happen to fit his HRTF precisely, which is why for him, subjectively, they're effectively "perfect", or at least very close to it. I haven't rewatched the review, but I seem to remember he explicitly mentions this in there.

+1 for Mega5EST bass+ edition for good value compared to kilobuck IEMs

mega5 imo

DaVinci. I also enjoy the Mega5EST a lot, but find it hard to justify the extra 250. Bought them blind, which was a mistake, but still like them enough not to sell them.

I'm sure not selling mine and it's my daily driver, but I hesitate to recommend someone to dish out more than 500 bucks on an IEM!

If you want neutral with a warm/lush tilt, then go with Sony IER M9, if you want brighter with a subbass presecnce, then go with Sennheiser IE600. The Mega5Est sits between those two in tonality.

Mega5est sounds... Meh. Very boring, recessed treble makes it seem to have less detail, but I know why a lot of people like it Oracle MK3 does not have nice vocals, sometimes can just sound weird and decay is also a little unnatural Zigaat, never heard it yet. I do love the I\O Sogno because it's a slight V shape slightly treble leaning so it sounds very lively as well, without compromising on vocal presence. It sounds better than their flagship loll