UM Universal MEXT


















I did buy the UM MEXT as a "Like New" item from Andy not long after getting the Shuoer EJ07M HBB Kinda Lava edition, as the price was just so tempting and I had my eyes on it for a long time now. My order also had the new Liquid Links Conti that I got as an upgrade cable to the EJ07M, but I now use it with the MEXT.
The MEXT is a very worthy IEM, mostly as for me it does retain very high SQ with awesome clarity and definition while having that physicality in the bass department thanks to the Bone Conduction driver implementation (and let me say that I am not claiming to be an audiophile, but just an audio enthusiast that gradually got dragged into this rabbit hole of a hobby ;) , so please take my technical comments with that in mind). With that being said, I did get a little issue with my like new item, as I was experiencing a slight channel imbalance, as well as difference in the tightness of the 2-pin connections (one too tight to my liking, and the other one too loose). I therefore contacted Andy that directly agreed to get me a replacement free of charge (shipping back my item was also covered). So top-notch customer service here, thank you to Andy for both his responsiveness and level of support. But that does stop here, while my item was getting shipped back, MusicTeck put the MEXT to a lower price brand new as part of a sale, and I thus contacted Andy to ask if it would be possible to receive a "New" version for my replacement as the price was now the same as what I paid for my "Like New", and he agreed to it! I am very happy to say that my new MEXT is now working perfectly, and I am enjoying it a lot through my Cayin N3Pro and also xDSD Gryphon, rediscovering some of my well-known music with even higher levels of enjoyment. So I want to say a BIG thank you again to Andy, as I am very grateful to him for doing his utmost to take care of his customers with a level of support that is just unmatched.
Listening with Leo's switch tuning 'ON', if I were to describe it in one sentence - very coherent, natural, musical tuning with top tier technicalities in the best possible way. If you are looking for a top tier all-rounder, look no further than the Pentara. With the amount of drivers and crossovers, it is impressive to achieve such technical details and tuning at a truly flagship level. Buy with confidence if this is what you look for
Pronounced and very high quality, tight, punchy, textured, controlled bass. Mids with enough warmth, emotion, note weight. Never thin or analyctical. Treble that provides clarity, detail, and air without sharpness and fatigue for me. Very deep and wide soundstage that expands like a sphere. Excellent resolution and imaging. No congestion. I do not have issues with anything in the frequency range that I can fault personally like I do with other IEMs. Everything just sounds right. Nothing sounds artificial or weird. Not recommended for bassheads seeking for more bass but rather for those that want neutral-warm leaning sound with pronounced and elevated bass.
UM's tuning switch '1' leans slightly less bass quantity, more clarity, and opens up the soundstage a little bit
Two different tunings that are noticeably different but useful from each other rather than being inferior. Easy to use the switches that compliment each other with tacticle sound
90% of the time I will prefer the switch on with Leo's tuning because it invokes a lot more emotion and dynamics with the elevated bass and warmth in the mids. Just my preference
Fairly easy to drive but scales with power or better DAC/AMP
Only major gripe I have is that the stock cable sucks tbh. Not ergonomic, heavy, stiff, minor microphonics, emits a minor sinewave hiss with my DAP as a USB DAC which I do not have with other cables. Recommend using a better cable up to user's choice
I notice that the treble does get a little spicy with poorly mastered songs with elevated treble though that is fairly rare
Lack of accessories and unboxing experience is not a big deal if you are ultimately chasing the sound anyway
As a self-proclaimed Astell fan and current owner of an SP3K, I hesitated quite a bit before upgrading to the SP4K, wondering if it was a halfway point (like an SP3.5K). I also wasn't particularly interested in an open-source Android system. Fortunately, I decided to take the plunge. The SP4K has turned out to be a complete surprise, to the point that it's the best DAP I've ever heard in terms of sound quality. A huge soundstage, bass with a texture I've never experienced before, and an astonishing level of detail. A total success.
These punch way above their price point. Very good bass for ba drivers that doesn’t make me miss dynamic drivers. Great technical performance, extended treble but not harsh. Love this set!