Sound Impressions: The Bass
Myst has a w-shaped sound signature with an extra emphasis on lows. Let’s start talking about the lows. You’ll especially love Myst if you enjoy pleasant, quality bass. The low-ends make a significant presence in the music which is executed so cleanly. Well, I wanted to use the word blandly, but Myst’s bass isn’t bland at all. One of the aspects of this “cleanliness” has to do with the color of the bass. The color is deep and thick, yet it never feels damp, dark, or muddy. It still has that refreshing neutralness to it. This would satisfy a variety of listeners that differ with their preferred bass quantities.
The large and thick punch doesn’t get bombastic either. Myst has a leveled, very well-controlled bass dynamics spread out evenly and gently. I’d say the bass quantity is just about being v-shaped but not basshead. The bass quantity is plentiful yet also portrays the cleanliness that a bass-shy IEM would have. Now that’s the definition of a premium bass. Reverbs are tightly controlled while allowing smooth, generous airflow to the lows. Kick and retrieval are fast and accurate to the tone. Despite the fast bass response, Myst also dives quite deeply towards the ultra-lows.
Sound Impressions: Vocals
The thickness of the vocals is neutral-thick, highlighting more agility while having enough fullness. Mids stand out clearly and cleanly from the bass. If talking about clear vocals it’s common for mids to be pushed out towards the front while the bass stands behind, but Myst is not exactly that case. The vocals and bass seem fairly close in distance yet vocals are nearly completely free from being veiled. Although the vocals do step out a bit, the presentation is more about the vocals being on top of the bass, creating a vertical structure.
As for the nuance, the mids are crystal clear and crisp, providing a cool, airy tone to the vocals. Despite the cool tone, Myst maintains a fairly neutral tone that slightly tilts towards the “silvery” timbre for the upper mids, which serves more as a freshener. It doesn’t advance towards being metallic but instead keeps a good consistency in tone throughout the range. Sibilance is also controlled, ending off with a small edge but not spikey or unnatural. But still, this slight bump on the upper-mids might be worth noticing if you’re extra sensitive in the upper range. Nevertheless, most would be fine or even enjoy this upper-mid highlight because of the crispness it brings.
Sound Impressions: Highs, etc.
If you’ve thought of the typical “BA treble”, or treble performances generally found from this range, you’re guessing the wrong way. Trebles stand out vividly and have a tasteful, crispy texture that is hard to hate because it’s very natural. Upholding the airiness started from the upper-mids, Trebles sing richly. Most importantly, the treble resolution is far above the industry standard for this price range.
The trebles are incredibly refined and high in resolution. Myst produces fine-grained details and treble technicality that are just as seriously enjoyable to my flagship-fed ears. Highs have that “modern-organic” tone where the tone sounds classic and organic enough but also lively and fun. Myst manages to keep the trebles energetic and rich in detail as much as the rest of the ranges. The treble quantity is slightly less or similar to the vocals, yet it never really gets overpowering or fatiguing. The soundstage is massive and full for its tier, which would easily match up to those that are in the $1k range. The headroom is large, to say the least.
Compared to Metalure Wave (Review link)
Wave is Metalure’s first IEM priced at $599, slightly higher than Myst. Despite the price difference, deciding between Wave and Myst is more about sound signature than performance. Wave desires a strong V-shaped sound signature where low-end rumbles and slams are much stronger and thicker. The highs are slightly gentler in quantity and darker. The bass quantity is also noticeably elevated. The formation of the sound stage differs between these two, with Wave creating a grand, highly dynamic headroom whereas Myst is milder than that.
The ultra-low extension is unquestionably better on Wave. But as much as that differs, Myst is also superior to Wave in accuracy, vocal nuance, and treble resolution. If you’re a basshead, hip-hop/rock music addict, or enjoy strong bass slams, Wave would serve you better. Meanwhile, Myst would serve you better if you’re into pop genres, clean sound signature, or accuracy-focused sound. This is a hard choice for me too as I’d choose Wave for listening to hip-hop whereas I’d choose Myst for pop and vocals.
Classic Hybrid Done Nicely
While all sorts of multi-driver setups are striving in the IEM industry, Myst is one kick in the ass for an IEM with a classic 2BA+1DD to surpass them. Myst creates a consistent, accurate sound that doesn’t miss out on the demanding industry standards. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Myst surpassing the $1k range IEMs in overall performance. At least what’s for sure is that Myst outplays numbers of EST IEMs in treble performance all while using a BA driver and at the price of sub $500 range. Alongside, if you’re yet to experience the true power of using a dynamic driver for low-frequency and would like to surprise yourself, Myst should be the very earphone to put on your priority.
Verdicts
As it might have been apparent from my impressions, I’m quite happy with the Myst. It’s one of the finest budget gems I’ve found these days. Myst is an IEM that nailed both musicality and technical performance. Its musically powerful and well-controlled nature creates a premium-level sound and nuance that kicks far above its price tag. The sound profile, particularly the texture, reminds me of the one from Sennheiser. However, the catch is that the sound is a lot more tasteful and lively, greatly due to the upper-end technicality and crispness. If you’re struggling with IEMs sounding either bland or overdone, Myst will hit the sweetspot of keeping it rich while natural.
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