Erebus is a way-under-the-radar (in the West at least) TOTL IEM, with an overall performance paralleling or besting many other legends such as Traillii and more. Here are some of my impressions about this fantastic IEM, excerpted from my Head-Fi review of Erebus:
It has a premium build. The Erebus shell feels like a small piece of polished marble. The plate design is not super attractive, and I never would have chosen this on looks alone. Erebus has a more comfortable than any other IEM I have tried except Fei Wan. I could have Erebus in all day and barely notice.
Erebus has a relatively relaxed sound, but it has some verve, scales extremely well, works with just about any type of music, for any mood I brought to it.
It features a largely uncolored, very slightly warm, reference-ish sound (its bass strength and upper mids energy keep it from being what I imagine truly reference style to be).
At first it does not sound really special, rather just very good, but with more extended listening, the full scope of how impressive and top-shelf Erebus is becomes clear.
Erebus features a balanced W shaped sound. All parts of the FR are distinct and still coherent, unlike some other W shaped IEMs like Rn6 that to me sounded slightly less coherent.
Erebus’ sub bass has punch and snap, and is articulate and tactile.
There is a medium amount of mid bass that comes up to lower mids just enough to bring them a bit forward and add depth and a little warmth. No muddiness across the spectrum.
Erebus’ mids provide just the right amount for vocals and acoustic instruments to assert their space well and not be left behind, as can be the case with Loki in particular. Erebus’ mids are neutral-ish but still have excellent texture. To go beyond the set of four in these impressions, and going from memory, I find Erebus' mids not to be as warm and romantic as Trailli's. I find its mids however to be as detailed and similar-charactered as Mentor's.
The upper mids can be energetic at times, though not peaky and generally not fatiguing. This quality lends urgency to many vocals, which 90% of the time is welcome. Still, I would prefer it was dialed down. At points the danger zone is approached, but never fully entered into thankfully.
Erebus has fantastic treble, not dry but rather neutral to slightly sweet, loads of air with just the right sparkle, softened crispness, medium extension, zero sibilance, not at all fatiguing. Very close to Annihilator 23’s class-leading treble, I would say 95% of it, just lacking a very slight bit of the superior transient snap that Anni possesses.
Erebus provides a largely neutral sound, slightly warm with minimal color. It presents music how was intended perhaps (as overused an expression as that is).
Superb technicals, right up there with the very best as an entire presentation.
Excellent layering and separation of instruments, better than the other three, in spite of their excellence. Superior imaging as well.
Compares to other staging class leaders like Fei Wan, Traillii, and Mentor, which has massive 360 holographic staging, more than Erebus.
Dynamics are solid but Fei Wan is a dynamics monster, and Erebus isn't quite at that level. It is on par with Anni and Loki's dynamics performance.
Excellent detailed transients, particularly acoustic and brass instruments. Overall top-shelf resolution, as well as speed and dynamics.
Maybe the best part of Erebus’ performance is with vocal-focused music. Up and down vocal ranges, it scales so well, so many Wow moments. All across the vocal spectrum, I hear excellence of pacing, timbre, intonation, detail.
Best music genres for Erebus: All of them! (or at least all the genres I listen to). Jazz and bass vocal sound superb. Classic rock, modern rock, pop, dance pop: all excellent. I suspect classical would sound terrific, though I don’t listen to it. Live music sounds fantastic, spacious, holographic, dynamic.
Erebus is a bit of a slow burn as far as recognizing its amazing qualities. After a handful of listening sessions of "this is good but not great" and allowing Erebus to burn in, it became very evident what a special IEM this is. Erebus rewards patience, but not too much is required.
I can find only a few flaws for my preferences. One would be the plate design, not a big deal for me but still it is not attractive. The lack of recessed 2-pin connector ports is not great. It is expensive at $4700US retail. The other nitpick is the energy in the upper mids, which if they were slightly reduced would make this the IEM I could quit the hobby with. Even still, it very well could be if that sad day were ever to come.
Hopefully more people will get to hear Erebus. It is first-rate and should be in the conversation when we all debate which are the TOTL of TOTLs in the IEM world.
I normally only like open back headphones.. but today that has changed… one word about the Valhalla, super..
Personally, considering the driver configuration and the product's release timing, I had a preconceived notion that this product would be a replica of Canpur 752B, so I had no intention of purchasing this product. However, the evaluations of people who purchased and experienced this product made me think that my guess might be wrong. In conclusion, this product is the IEM that I currently use most frequently on a daily basis. As a bonus, you can get great design elements that other IEMs cannot match and a perfect fit. Thank you to Musicteck for opening the opportunity to purchase such a great product identical to this new one.
Set is absolutely gorgeous and it’s brighter tuning compliment very well already acquired Multiverse Mentor. Thanks to MusicTeck for handling both orders.
Highly recommended.
I am writing this feedback to express my absolute delight with the MASS-KOBO Model 475. After spending quality time with this amplifier, it has completely blown my expectations away and proven to be a phenomenal investment.
As an audiophile who deeply loves the organic, majestic, and rich sound of legendary analog reel-to-reel systems—specifically the iconic Telefunken M10 tube tape machine—I never imagined a battery-powered solid-state amp could evoke that same emotional response.
The Model 475 behaves less like a modern portable device and more like a high-end tube masterpiece. The pure Class A topology delivers a phenomenally holographic and spacious presentation. The midrange possesses that exact "fleshy," liquid, and soul-stirring warmth reminiscent of the classic Telefunken tube sound. It wraps around vocals and acoustic instruments like cello, violin, and piano with an effortless, lifelike weight, while the background remains pitch-black and dead silent. The current delivery and control over transducers are nothing short of masterful.
The MASS-KOBO Model 475 has genuinely elevated my portable listening experience to an elite level. For anyone seeking true desktop-grade fidelity on the go without sacrificing that magical, analog musicality, this amplifier is a masterpiece. 10/10!
So, I’m going to start this review with a fundamental disclaimer. I am 67 years young, and was privileged to live through the golden years of our hobby. Names like Saul Marantz, Avery Fisher, John Dahlquist, and James B. Lansing were not corporate abbreviations, they were the foundational cornerstones of hi-fi.
Over the years, I have worked in some of my locale’s last high-end brick and mortar stores.
That being said, I am not one to use flowery language that continually falls back on the false topics of “soundstage, imaging, width, depth, height, blah, blah, blah. Most of us listen to multi-track recordings that have none of the above listed attributes included in the recording, producing, or mastering processes.
Okay, so what about the Palavox? Simply put, the Palavox are complete game changers.
They’re incredibly comfortable. The included cable is supple and doesn’t tug on my ears. This transducer is as close to having a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10s strapped to the side of my head and ears as I’ve ever experienced!
By the way, Andrew and his staff at MusicTeck have made the lack of a physical store to visit almost meaningless. It is always such a pleasure to interact with him.
Very highly recommended!!!
