PMG Audio’s Apx (read Apex) line-up is a culmination of all of our experience in designing, tuning and building In-Ear Monitors. It is our answer to the question of an ultimate product if there are no constraints or limitations in design or technology and price is no object.
Apx is not a simple product – it is a story – a story about luxury, uniqueness, exclusiveness, it’s a story about the sound and immersive experience that comes with listening, finally, it’s a story about the process, passion and legacy. Every single detail of this IEM has been reimagined, refined, and perfected to embody our vision of a true flagship.
The Apx ME (Metal Edition) features a newly developed, fully CNC-machined titanium shell, paired with a custom-built 6N-OCC Silver cable and matching silver shielding.
Experience the balanced yet engaging sound, wrapped in one-of-the-kind product complemented by high quality materials – leather and metal
Apx ME creates its own world and puts you in the center of it. We put most of our attention to achieving correct tonality, level of engagement and emotions, creating a sound that is never boring and pulls you into its own universe.
Apx ME has been equipped with all custom-spec drivers, coupled with in-house developed and updated technologies which place this IEM once again at the forefront of the audio reproduction.
Unique rectangular Planar Speaker in combination with 10mm PEEK diaphragm Dynamic Driver now coupled with VCD delivers realistic bass response with a satisfying weight, texture and springiness. For ME we reimagined the Apx’s bass response to be more sub-bass focused with less overall mid-bass presence. This tuning approach makes the sound big but precise. 8 custom-designed Balanced Armatures support lower-midrange, midrange, upper-midrange, and high frequencies. For ME we redeveloped mid-range flat impedance BA drivers, which combined with changes in crossover created even more headroom – now your Apx is even easier to drive! The updated P.O.D.+ technology shapes the response of both Dynamic Driver and mid-range BAs – all at the same time.
The high frequency BA from SE has been replaced by additional upper-mid BA. The round Planar high frequency driver now produces a near flat response surpassing the extension of its predecessor.
Finally we spent a lot of time on the new internal layout of the speakers (3D), updated geometries of the nozzle (GSO) to create a bigger, more enveloping sound stage and precise image.
Apx ME is even more effortless, rich with details and full of engagement with the most refined sound signature we have developed yet. It embodies everything PMG Audio stands for – an ultimate product experience.
SPEC AND PACKAGING
This IEM took me a while to write about. I extremely enjoy the ME, enough that it finally dethroned the Jewel for my personal taste. The ME has a great W sound signature, everything is where it belongs without any one frequency becoming offensive. Just enough bass presence to make every genre sound great without getting too heavy handed. This is where the ME surprised me, amazing texture and you feel deep notes that you can barely hear. I’ve never heard notes on an IEM this deep into the frequency range, still not sure if I hear them or just feel them. Bass is well layered and better layered, textured than any IEM I’ve heard. If you’re a bass head this IEM has great extremely detailed bass with just the right amount, it’s not over the top and does not extend into the vocal range. When called for the bass can really feel and sound like a floor standing sub woofer is in your ear. While the bass in other sounds can sound soft and perfectly textured with extreme details and separation in bass like I haven’t heard before. Mids are well placed in the mix and extremely well detailed with a touch of warmth. They have great separation and clarity. With the bass presence the mids are not pushed back into the mix and not masked or overly warm. They are still fairly close to neutral, just enough warmth and weight to sound natural. Vocal range is clean, well detailed with just the right amount of weight, texture, tone. Male and female vocals are on equal plane which I find less common in today’s iems. The treble is where some people may split opinions. For myself it’s pretty close to perfect like the Jewel, it’s all there, very well detailed but everything is a touch softer and non offensive. Treble doesn’t sound harsh, sharp or thrown in your face but more naturally there. I understand for some genres like EDM some people like a more sharp in your face treble for myself that type of peaky treble is harsh for long listening. The ME is easy to enjoy for long periods fatigue free and plays well with good and bad recordings making everything sound very enjoyable. For my taste this was the Jewel and the ME now replaces it with better bass while keeping the rest of the frequency range I loved in the Jewel. The ME has a little deeper stage than the Jewel and similar in width, great size, not the largest I’ve heard but great for a W sound signature, most with larger sounding stages tend to come with recessed vocals. Details have plenty of space between notes. It’s so well tuned it sounds great at low volumes and high volumes, keeping good dynamics at low is a feat, everything is present and no fatigue. Big bonus is the ME comes with a great cable and doesn’t require an upgrade. The cable is extremely well matched to the ME. Lastly the build quality is quite lovely in person, light weight, small for the number of drivers and comfortable. The supplied accessories are excellent, from exterior case to tip case to travel tip case and travel suede case. Best APX to date. It really takes analog sound I enjoy to the next step.
