MUSEHIFI POWER: A Further Leap

Hello and welcome to my another IEM review blog. it's been a long time since I'm posted my last review article as I'm really busy for these past weeks and now I have a spare time to publish more IEM reviews coming from backlog items.

What I have here is a first product offering from a new audio company in China, Musehifi and they named their product, Musehifi Power. Musehifi Power is a single Planar Magnetic driver IEM that will be competing and aiming to some current competitors in the market with the same planar drivers set-up like from Letshouer, 7Hz and the first Chi-fi company implementing a planar driver on an IEM, Tin Hifi. 

To be honest, I've only tested 2 IEMs with planar drivers before and these are Audeze iSine 10 and Tinhifi P1, I remembered that I am that not particularly impressed on those planar magnetic IEMs before as they are really hard to drive that you really need a better source just to properly power them up and yet it only delivers a mediocre tonal quality. That's reason I'm really skeptic on those planar IEMs as it really kills the whole point of a versatile, portable hifi setup with these hard to drive IEMs.

A planar magnetic driver works a bit different compare to a more traditional dynamic driver as it is more complex. The principle of planar magnetic driver is to send an electrical signal and impulses to a very conductive element of which membranes and thin diaphragms are made of and they are sandwiched by a pair of strong magnets specifically a high quality neodymium, that it will have faster response rate due to the diagphragm reacted well on feeding electric signals coming for an audio source. But I digress and let's go back to the main point of this review.

Musehifi Power is indeed one of a very few special IEM with a uncommon driver set-up (for now), a 14.5mm planar magnetic with a thin diaphragm and it currently price at around US$200/£140 which I see it as very competitive with its given price value. The shells are indeed humongous and chunky but I didn't have fitting issues on them as they snugly fit into my average-size lugholes with acceptable weight which I don't find uncomfortable. Isolation is very commendable on this one as it seals well against external noise from the outside.

The shells are quite sturdy and it is made of high quality medical grade resin material that are  friendly to my skin as I didn't encounter any irritations even in a long listening session. Its faceplate are quite a looker as its design is somehow takes an inspiration from a swirly foam art in a cup of cappucino (I'm a coffee lover). It has a metal alloy frame that holds bother the resin base cavity and the faceplate.

Given to its price value, The Musehifi Power is packed in a medium-size black box. It's packaging is well-thought and loaded with accessories that you will only encounter on most midrange to Top-of-the-line products from other companies.

Here are the contents inside from the box:

• A pair of Musehifi Power IEMs

• A black braided clothed sleeved black cable in 3.5mm termination plug

• A four (4) sets of different types of ear tips in three (3) pairs.

• A good quality IEM faux leather case.

• An instruction manual.

As for driving requirement, It is a given thought that planar drivers are very demanding when it comes to amplification, they are indeed power hungry sets but on Musehifi Power it is really a quite surprising that it can be drive from my LG phones for at least 80% of volume level to be decent listenable level and but it scales well on better sources with more powerful amps like dedicated DAPs ( I have a new DAP, F.Audio XS04 just to drive these planar properly in high impedance/gain mode) and desktop DAC/Amps that its gives a more lush sounding with better dynamics.

As for its tonality, Musehifi Power has a distinct U-shape sound signature, with an elevated bass and treble and a neutral midrange. It is more approaching towards on being a tad warmer in general.

I will point out some characteristics that I've observed from each frequency response spectrum of Musehifi P1 for the past days during my listening and testing phase.

LOWS/BASS:

This is the most prominent frequency response  region of Musehifi Power, it has that sufficient punch, a peculiar dynamic sounding and precision. The subbass has a good depth and extension as it has a rumble that will be beneficial to some genres like modern pop, hip-hop and synth-pop that it gives a more impact and reverb to synthesizers and electronic drums.

And for mid bass, it has an ample texture to give a sufficient growl on a bass guitar that sounds earthy and a thuddingly but a bit soft sound of bass kicks. There are some instances a tad of bass bleed to some bass heavy tracks but it is still remain firm and controlled and nonetheless, it is at least affecting the midrange quality after all.

MIDRANGE:

As the mids are more on a linear side but it has an added tad of warmth into it that it gives a more tonal balance to other frequencies, it has a clarity, a good resolution and an energetic nature. Both vocals quality of both gender are benefited  on that sufficient texture as it is sounds natural and good clarity on it but female vocals shines a bit further as it is in onward position due to added energy and sonic  range due to that emphasis towards to the uppermids which will I explain later on the treble part of this review.

As for instruments it sounds organic with a tad of bright as it has a crisp and twanging sound on guitars either it is an acoustic, a lead or rhythm. a blaring sound of a brass trumpet, a rich and vivid sound of a piano and a shrilly and sharper snare strikes.

Overall, the mids performs well and its presentation is very decent and convincing of such a delivery from a performance of a planar driver.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

The treble part is where will I have some concerns the overall tonality of Musehifi Power. It has noticeable peak on the upper mids that it  give a piercing and shriek sound as I encounter it on some female vocal tracks and a miniscule amount of sibilance that is more prevalent to sibilant-laden tracks. To be honest its just a slight issue to me as I want a good treble quality but my concern on that too much emphasis on the upper mids are some treble sensitive individuals that are less tolerant on that certain frequency range that gives a discomfort and unpleasant listening experience.

Evidently, cymbals has a shimmer and sheen sound with decent airy extension and hi-hats has that prim and cursory crisp chick sound.

Despite that particular issue on the treble quality, I still consider it as a good one as I see a silver lining on it which is a more better resolution capability on both macro and micro-details and boosted upper mids and presence treble region gives off that kind of high fidelity vibe.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

To give you an idea of the overall proportion of its sound field and spatiality, It is significant on the height (tallness)and depth over width. It has an above average wideness, with good immersive depth and height reach in the whole spatial profile of Musehifi Power.

Other aspects on the technical side such as imaging, separation and layering are only performing decently but not an ideal preference that I really incline for as excellent and laudable as I already expect some possible shortcomings of a planar driver. Imaging is just a typical two-dimensional stereo panning, and it has only an ample perceive distance of spacing and gaps between singers and instruments and having a bit of difficulty to determined the placement and exact position of each element but at least its doesn't feel congested and boxy but not my ideal technical aspect as it is one of main prerequisites to have those in an IEM.

As for the coherency of the drivers, I will give it a high mark. Why? Because it is a planar driver, Planar drivers are known to have a very nimble and agile driver tech. It has quicker bass response and very cohesive performance that it has a lesser harmonic distortion….but at the expense of a sucking up more power from its source.

As for timbre quality, it is on a natural side but it has an added sheen and gleam tended to have a tad brighter tonal colour. And lastly for its resolution capability, it has good detail retrieval and sufficient information on sonic value and harmonics.

PEER COMPARISONS:

Audeze iSine 10

• Audeze iSine 10 is more of a V-shape sounding and a bit lean while Musehifi is more of U-shape and more balanced sounding.

• It demands more power just to drive it properly, Musehifi Power requires less power output that it can be driven by  a decent source but compare to dynamic drivers and balanced armature sets, it is more source dependent that needs better amplification.

• iSine's bass quality are tighter and less sustaining, Musehifi Power is more on quantitative side.

• iSines are a bit heavier and have some discomfort and keep adjusting its position to have a suitable fitting into my ears.

• iSines has a subpar resolution retrieval.

Tinhifi P1

• Harder to drive set than Musehifi Power

• Has a lesser technicalities aspect especially on imaging and soundstage, Tinhifi P1 performs it underwhelmingly and Musehifi Power is a bit better in a respect.

• Too much smoothness that harmonics and air are almost gone and details are lacking of infos to retrieve. 

• P1 has a tighter bass response compare to MuseHifi Power's more punchier bass.

• P1 stock eartips doesn't have  that good sealing and isolation that I really want. Included stock eartips on Musehifi Power are way superior.

As I'm an agnostic on the power efficiency  and performance of planar magnetic IEMs of the past. Given to the fast track development of newer type of magnetic planar drivers along with trying to minimizing the moving parts of it to make it more easier to produce  and more viable to the audio market. Those notions of mine might change as I see a potential of planar magnetics  are even going better and it will be more common in a coming months as I already see many companies are adapting it already

 

Musehifi Power is one of the few products that gives me an alternative thought and it  somehow amends my views on planars. Musehifi managed to surprisely me with a solid performance and price value of their introductory product. I find it very pleasant to listen to day after day and Musehifi Power will be my favourite planar magnetic set for now.

SPECIFICATION:

 

MODEL: MUSEHIFI POWER

IMPEDANCE: 32Ω

SENSITIVITY: 106dB

FREQUENCY RESPONSE:  10Hz – 40KHz

CABLE LENGTH: 1.25M

PIN TYPE: 2-PIN CONNECTOR

PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm

DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) 14.5MM PLANAR MAGNETIC DRIVER

PROS:

·        One of the planar IEMs out there that requires only substantial amount of power up this set (but still quite a feisty demanding one compare to DDs and BAs IEMs).

·        Good quality bass response for a planar, a punchy one indeed

·        A U-shape sound profile will be more beneficial to be versatile in most genre.

·        Has a decent technicalities for a planar IEM. Fast transients is a thing to most planar driver IEMs out there including this set.

·        Nicely done vocal presentation.

·        Inclusions of accessories are of high quality.

·         Still an affordable set for a planar driver IEM.

 

CONS:

·        As a planar magnetic, it still demands more power, media players such as smartphones and tablets with mediocre  and weak amp is absolutely not an ideal source for this set.

·        When you compare its technicalities to a more proven transducer driver set-up such as dynamic drivers and balanced armature IEMs, it is noticeably inadequate and lacklustre to compare it.

·        Peaky upper mids might be an issue to some treble sensitives out there.

·        Chunky shell (subjective).

Some Tracks Tested: ( * = 16-bit FLAC, ** = 24-bit FLAC, *'* = MQA, '*' = DSD, *'= .WAV)

 

Alison Krauss -When You Say Nothing At All *

Jade Wiedlin - Blue Kiss**

Led Zeppelin - When The Levee Breaks **

Mountain - Mississippi Queen *

Queen - Killer Queen **

Guns N' Roses - Patience *'*

Eric Clapton - Tears in Heaven '*'

Sergio Mendes- Never Gonna Let You Go '*'

Pearl Jam - Daughter **

Roselia - Hidamari Rhodonite *

Assassin - Fight (To Stop The Tyranny)*

Celtic Frost- Visual Aggression *

New Order - Blue Monday *

The Corrs- What Can I do (unplugged version) *

Jimi Hendrix Experience - Voodoo Child *

The Madness- Buggy Trousers *

Metallica - Motorbreath **

Mariah Carey- Always Be My Baby *

Destiny's Child - Say My Name *

Malice Mizer- Au Revoir *

Mozart - Lacrimosa *

New York Philharmonic Orchestra - Dvorak- Symphony 9 " From the New World." *

Eva Cassidy - Fields of Gold (Sting cover)*

Michael Jackson - Give In To Me *

Exciter - Violence and Force *

Diana Krall - Stop This World **

Debbie Gibson - Foolish Beat *'*

Lucretia my Reflection – The Sisters of Mercy **

Suzanne Vega – Luka **

 

P.S.

I am not affiliated to MUSEHIFI nor receive monetary incentives and financial gains as they provide me a review unit for an exchange of factual and sincere feedback from yours truly.

 

 Once again, I would like to thank to Mr. Steve Tong and Musehifi for providing this review unit, I truly appreciate on his generosity towards me and other reviewers.