Unique Melody MEST - Hybrid IEM - Official Thread

Just received them, build quality seems nice except there are noticeable dust specks inside the acrylic shells? It looks like in btw the carbon fibre and the acrylic coating itself. Does your unit have this? That’s quite disappointing for a $1,000+ range IEM…



Damn, mine don’t have dust specks in them… but they are finger print magnets. Also some of the carbon fiber looks off when it settled but that can’t be helped.

You should reach out to them and see what they say about it…

besides cosmetics how are you liking them?

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The silicon tips doesn’t fit me well, the M size is a bit big while the S is too small, I need an in between lol.
I never liked foam tips since they tend to dull/bloat/warm the overall sound from my usual experience. But had to try them in the end and they are much more comfortable.

I have to say, the foam tips does give the MEST the needed warmth in the overall signature (especially the mids and highs). I like them with the MEST more than the silicon tips. It refines and smoothen a bit of the mids and highs. For those who are having issues with the drums, I think the foam helps too an extent (unless they are already using them and still find issues).

Overall, I do agree with your earlier assessment, more holographic/bigger stage than the U12t and also more detailed. I actually find the MEST more enjoyable than the U12t which I find a bit too warm and darker than the MEST.

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I really like my Spiral Dots with the MEST… but I also have odd fit issues, I ordered some “hotness” tips based on a special discord chat that one of our members runs :wink: he also likes ants…

the tips are the Azla Sedna somethings… I got a couple of different sizes =)

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Spiral Dots do a “Medium Small” - i.e. between their Small and Medium tips.

Going over my set with a loupe, I see no dust.

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Happy to have a drummer opinion here! I am not a professional drummer by any mean, but I have started to learn it and it’s probably the instrument I enjoy the most overall! I can definitely agree that the U12t reproduces drum sounds really well though, it might be why it’s my favorite!

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Does anyone here have tried before other of the Unique Melody IEM? Just curious about the the “spiderman” looking ones? Like Maven or Mirage?

Thanks, will order some Spiral Dots and Azla Sedna as well. Maybe the Symbios as well. Would need extra tips now that my custom A12t and M5 will be converted to Universals due to fit issues :pensive:

Do the Spirals gives anything to the MEST sound signature compared to the foam/stock silicons? With the stock silicons I can see why some would say the upper registry is a bit thin, but with the foams I think they sound great.

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Ughhh i’m the unlucky one i guess with dusts in his unit :slightly_frowning_face:
Thanks, do you use Spiral Dots for the MEST too?

I asked Andrew and he mentioned the MEST uses 0.78mm pins for their cables. I would assume most 2-pin cables would work with the MEST then?

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That’s amazing news for cable rollers like myself.

No.

I have a complete set of the Spiral Dots, among others, but I don’t use them on the MEST.

I’ve been using either the stock medium silicone tips or, as of now, Spin Fits.

I don’t like them with foam tips.

Within reason.

The QDC C-Pin style connector, which is what they’re actually using, will give more support and strain relief vs. the conventional 2-pin 0.78mm connectors.

I’ve also heard that Unique Melody have reversed polarity, so if that’s the case you’d want to stick to cables that don’t have pre-formed/memory-wire ends.

I’ll have to test the polarity when I get a chance (tomorrow sometime I expect).

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I own a set of Unique Melody ME1 planar ciems and they’re very cool looking - like a miniature Audeze. Unfortunately, like all planar iems, they require some heavy EQ work to sound correct.

@Torq They probably are reversed polarity, so c-pin style would be best. That said, I have not heard any sonic issues using other 2-pin cables with UM or qdc IEMs before, but i tend to stick with the c-pin style because it is one of the better connector types out there.

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Looking forward to your findings. I have the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 which uses recessed 0.75mm 2 pin cables which I assumed the MEST uses too (as QDC uses those). If Andrew said it used 0.78mm they really should advertise it.

Also, I can stick a 0.78mm 2 pin cable into the 0.75mm UE TF10 but it won’t go in all the way, sticks out awkwardly but, the sound is perfect. I wouldn’t want to break an expensive cable or worse, the IEM, while playing with good cables I have, but it would be great to have the reassurance that I have some cables in hand in case the stock cable dies on me. :slight_smile:

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In regards to the polarity, this was what Andrew sent me.

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did you get a red and blue pair? what am I looking at right now!! but, but, that wasn’t an option that I recall!!

The front-pin is -, rear pin is +.

Which is the same as for my 64 Audio (tia Fourté stock - which I don’t use) cable, and the MEE Audio cable (from the set with the adapters, that I buy just for the adapters), but the opposite of my ALO Audio cables.

So I’m not sure if that’s really “reversed”, or if so then 64 Audio would be considered reversed as well. You’d have a better idea of which is the more common configuration there than I would.

Not that it should make a real difference, as you say, as long as both channels have the same polarity … which is an issue I’ve run into sometimes with inexpensive-but-fancy IEM cables from Amazon (across multiple “brands”).

The sockets on the MEST are NOT recessed, they protrude from the shell (see @Levanter’s picture, above). It is the connector on the cable that is recessed, much more heavily than recessed sockets on 2-pin IEMs typically are.

You’ll still be able to plug your 2-pin cables into the MEST, they’ll just be sat on top of the socket protrusions. You lose some strain relief/support, which might be more of a issue because the sockets themselves have less material around them than those that are embedded and supported entirely within the main shell of the IEM.

The qdc IEMS I’ve had my hands on have protruding sockets, with the recessed cable connector, just like the MEST. Which is not the same as what was on the Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10 as I recall.

I personally wouldn’t do that, having seen it result in both 0.75mm cables being used afterwards not making proper/reliable contact and, in two cases, cracking the socket. But that one is up to you!

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Haha that’s not mine, could be Andrew’s demo set I think.

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Does that mean the MEST are using the standard 2-pin connectors? Andrew said you could use the standard 2-pin ones.

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They’re using QDC C-Pin Connectors.

You can plug normal 2-pin plugs into them, but you don’t get the extra strain relief/support, and the connection will sit 3 to 4mm taller/longer.

Out of four cables I tested, three were the same polarity as the MEST, one wasn’t.

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Got it this afternoon.

Listening for 1 hour-ish. Just received today. Impression in two sentences: A correct version of the EE Valkyrie. Extremely resolving, great contrast without killing the midrange.

Initial impression: WTH! These suck! No low end. (I think my ear canals are weird).
After putting in AZLA Sedna Earfit Tips: Ahh, now you’re talking. This is awesome! Complete game changer for me as in the tips changed everything.

Will post a detailed review soon. Mine are the blue/black version.

One question though: How can I store the IEMs in the box without taking the cable off? I’m very bad at organizing stuff and don’t want to take the cables off every time.



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