CVJ MEI: Redeeming Charming Factor

"MEI is IEM, IEM is MEI"

Mei means "Charm, Gorgeous or Beauty" in Mandarin Chinese and it seems that CVJ chose this name wisely for its latest offering from their new line-up of product models. This is actually a refreshing product release from them as it is quite different compared to their previous product releases. I've actually done a lot of product reviews from CVJ before and now here it is

This is CVJ Mei, it is a hybrid driver IEM consisting of a single dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures. Its single dynamic driver has a dimension size of 10mm while it was supported by two full-range balanced armature drivers, one "CVJ-custom" BA and one from Knowles, probably a 35518 which is their entry-level. This set also has some tuning switches to change its sound profile which is quite an innovative approach of CVJ.

These drivers were implemented on a shell chassis consisting of composite materials like thermoplastic and light aluminium alloy. The switches that I've mentioned a while ago were placed at the side of the shell. Its uses a QDC-type 2-pin as its interlocking mechanism for its 4-core OFC SPC cable with 3.5mm termination plug.

The fitting of Mei is snugly inserted well into my lug holes without any issue at all as I can wear them for a long listening session due to its lightweight shells. It gives me a decent passive sound isolation as it was able to block some external noises from the outside.

The product packaging of CVJ Mei is actually decent on how the accessories were placed in a tidy manner. It has squared-shaped box with an illustration of the product on the front and some guides on switches, basic specification and company address at the back.

Here are some included included accessories inside the box:

■ a pair of CVJ Mei IEM

■ 4-core OFC SPC wired white-coloured cable with 3.5mm termination plug.

■ two (2) pairs of black-coloured ear tips of different standard sizes (small and large).

■ paperworks such as warranty card, quality control card and instruction manual.

■ a brown velvet cloth IEM pouch.

■ cleaning tool that also serves as tuning shaft.

CVJ Mei has an impedance rating of 22 ohms and a sensitivity of 120dB which makes them easier to drive even to multimedia devices with decent power output like smartphones, tablets and entry-level DAPs. LG phones can amplify these devices in normal gain mode with 30%-40% of its volume level to deliver enough loudness.

As for its tonality, with its tuning switches it has three distinct sound signatures, here are settings of its switches with its intended sound profile.

( 0 = off, * = on )

○ 0,0 (single DD mode) - dark, warm, bass emphasis sound.

◑ *,0 (1 DD + 1 Knowles BA) - a smooth U-shaped sound signature.

◐ 0,* (1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA) - a bright V-shaped sound signature.

● ** (1 DD + 2 BAs) - a brighter U-shaped sound signature.

Here are some of my observations of sound characteristics from each part of the frequency range spectrum.

LOWS/BASS:

The bass quality of CVJ is elevated, has a good tactility and quite punchy enough to give a decent sufficient rumble on its sub bass and a texture, note weight to give slam on the mid bass.

I discerningly hear those registers from low toned bass guitar and reverberations coming from synthesisers and drum machines. On mid bass, it gives a weighty and sombre sound on bass guitars, a good thudding and sonorous sound on its bass drum kicks. Then on bass-baritone, it has a decent deep with its guttural and dark tone.

This type of bass quantity might not be enough for adherent bass heads out there, but when an audio track demands to exhibit some low frequencies, it sufficiently delivers it.

MIDRANGE:

In all switch modes, it has varying recession in this particular frequency but I prefer the 1 DD + Knowles BA combination as it is the most natural, has an ample warmth and smoothness. While the other settings like 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BA gives a crispier, bright sound but a bit artificial sounding.

Vocals on both genders will benefit from its inherent warmth and smoothness on 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA, and more energetic and coruscate female vocals on 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs. Baritone's vocals have its lush, power and authority while countertenors have its lighter and agile sounds within its falsetto range. Tenors have its dazzling vocal qualities but switching the mode either 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA or 1 DD + 2 BAs combinations will give even more brassy and ringy sound. Meanwhile on female vocals, Contraltos have its huskiness and creamy sound, Mezzo-sopranos has its velvety sound and a more vivid nature on other switch modes with the exception of 1DD mode. And last but not the least, Sopranos especially the lyrical ones like Alison Krauss has its distinct silky and "buttery" pleasantly sweet nature but if you want more  an energetic , more captivating and euphonic nature on coloratura sopranos to have a shimmering and bell-like but expense of being a bit unnaturally and scratchy sounding, activate the 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA or 1 DD + 2 BA settings.

On instruments, strings like guitars have its midrangery and creamy-coloured sound on them on the 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA setting, but activating 1 DD + 2 BA or 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA will add more crisp. Same with violins has its lustrous sound and when activating the other setting modes, it will add up a more vibrant but a bit metallic sounding. Percussion like tom and snare drums have its shuffling, hard and dry sound on them. Piano tone has a vibrant and bright tone on it that makes it more harmonious to listen to. The intensity and brassy nature of brass instruments like trumpets and trombones have heroic and eruptive nature on them. On 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs, It gives a more reedy and lively sound on saxophones compared to more sombre and rounded sound on 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA while a bright and shrill sound on fifes and flutes.

HIGHS/TREBLE:

On 1 DD mode, it gives a dark, muted treble response as it doesn't have that detail and shimmer as it gives that sense of inadequate vibrancy of sound to be an even less engaging one. 1 DD + 1 Knowles gives a more smoother, cleaner upper mids to presence treble to have a less sibilance sound and not a hint of harshness that affects the overall sound quality. As for 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BAs, it gives even more emphasis on upper mids to presence treble to give a more glistening and crisper treble register but sibilance is even more present and there's a tad grating sound in them.

1 DD + 1 Knowles BA will give a more lustrous sound with enough sizzle on cymbals to give a modest air and glint on its  brilliance range of the treble region. Both 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BA gives a shimmer and even better sizzle on cymbals but at the cost of being too metallic and a bit harsher, though it gives a better definition in its air with sufficient sparkle on it.

SOUNDSTAGE, IMAGING AND OTHER TECHNICALITIES:

All in all, the sound/speaker stage of CVJ Mei is rather average to above average on width, a sufficient height reach and a good depth on distances between the front to the rear to give me that sense of immersive and decent head room.

Regarding imaging, it was presented in a two-dimensional, typical stereo panning presentation where I was able to locate the position of vocals and instrument within its spatial room. It has decent separation and layering as it has a good spacing of its elements with its specific frequency layering with the mix.

As for cohesiveness and coherency of its drivers, with its all modes of tuning switches, it seems that it has delivered a very homogeneous and better transient response of each specific driver whether its a dynamic driver or its dual balanced armatures.

Resolution capability-wise, both macro-dynamics and micro-details perform notably. It gives a solid and more prominent dynamics and better resolving capabilities on extracting  some nuances and details from its audio track data.

About its tonal colour, it has a more natural and somehow correct sounding one if I switch it to 1 DD + 1 Knowles BA setting. It gives a too warm and dark timbre on  a 1 DD tuning mode while on the remaining tuning settings adds a bit bright.

PEER COMPARISONS:

CVJ MIRROR

■ It has an all-metal alloy shell chassis and its internals consist of a single graphene dynamic driver and two (2) "custom" balanced armature drivers. The packaging of this product is rather barebones.

■ Its sound signature has this almost flat neutral tuning compared to the more coloured sound profiles of Mei. It has a tighter bass, a clean, linear midrange and a tad bright on the treble with some hints of sibilance.

■ Mirror has decent and capable technical performance. It has an above average sound/speaker stage width, a more concave stereo presentation on imaging and a sufficient separation of instruments and vocals  as well as  it has a good layering that was in stack in an orderly manner within its sonic canvas.

TRN MT1 MAX

■ This is the latest addition of TRN MT1 series, unlike the Mei in which the MT1 MAX has only a single type of driver which is a 10mm dynamic driver but it has a tuning switch to adjust its tuning. MT1 Max happens to be way more cheaper compare to the Mei.

■ Depending on the setting filters, MT1 Max has a distinct flavour of a U to V-shaped sound signature. It has a more boomy bass response that smudges across the midrange and a sharper and grating treble quality in the treble region in both balanced and treble mode.

■ It has less technical performance compared to Mei as it has an average sound/speaker stage dimensions. It has a typical 2-dimensional stereo presentation with decent separation on instruments and vocals. Resolution capability of this set it rather focus more on macro-dynamics than micro-detail retrieval.

Since the release of the last great CVJ product, The CVJ Mirror. It seems that their follow-up models' tuning quality of CVJ was going downward spiral but the release of CVJ Mei still shows the CVJ can still deliver such a good product.

A Knowles balanced armature driver as part of its arsenal, a working tuning switch that really changes its sound profile, The CVJ Mei is truly a compelling offer as it is currently the cheapest hybrid IEM with Knowles BA and tuning switches. With its more mature approach to its tuning, CVJ finally nailed it that CVJ Mei will surely have its charms to ears of audio enthusiasts.

CVJ Mei is now available, you can check them out on Shopee and CVJ official store in Aliexpress.

◆◆Shopee Link◆◆

◆◆Aliexpress Link◆◆

PROS:

△ Quite affordable especially for a device with hybrid drivers with working switches.

△ Tuning switches that really works as it really changes its sound profile based on your preferred tuning

△ Probably the cheapest IEM with Knowles BA with tuning switches.

△ Three (3) types of sound signatures to choose from.

△ Sufficiently punchy bass.

△ Clean, linear and transparent midrange (1 DD + Knowles BA setting).

△ Smooth, linear treble response (1 DD + Knowles BA setting).

△ Sibilance is well-controlled (1 DD + Knowles BA setting).

△ Decent technical capabilities.

△ Bright and crisp treble (1 DD + 2 BA and 1 DD + 1 CVJ custom BA).

CONS:

▽ Wishing for better stock cable (at least a thick 2-core one)

▽ Only one type of eartips to choose from.

▽ 1 DD mode has that wonky tuning that makes it redundant to have it on the tuning setting

▽ Instances of sibilance and harshness on 1 DD + 1 CVJ  custom BA and 1 DD + 2 BA mode.

SPECIFICATION:

MODEL: CVJ MEI
IMPEDANCE: 22Ω
SENSITIVITY: 120dB
FREQUENCY RESPONSE: 20Hz – 30KHz
CABLE LENGTH: 1.2M
PIN TYPE: QDC-TYPE 2-PIN CONNECTOR
PLUG TYPE: 3.5mm
DRIVER UNIT(S): (1) DYNAMIC DRIVER + (2) BALANCED ARMATURE DRIVERS


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 *'*
The Sisters of Mercy – Lucretia My Reflection**
Suzanne Vega – Luka **
Lauren Christy – Steep *
Ottoman Mehter - Hucum Marsi *
Diana Damrau - Mozart: Die Zauberflöte*



P.S.

I am not affiliated to CVJ 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 send my gratitude to CVJ LOVE for providing this review unit. I truly appreciate their generosity and trust towards me and other reviewers.