Arguably their best: Meze Alba REVIEW!

[@SuperReview]

What's the best-fitting IEM you've tried? Join the community and share your thoughts 👉 social.squig.link/

[@adilsonnogueira6468]

Final Audio A5000 and Sennheiser IE series

[@JohnClarkW]

The Mangird Tea and Tea2 almost feel like they were customs, so that is tough to beat. I still think my favorite for fit is probably either those, or the Tripowin Mele and Olina. I really like the Aful Explorer too.

[@boneyrigatoni5805]

Meze Rai Penta and Meze Rai Solo

[@eszee]

Nothing beats Moondrop SSR for me

[@noxalbus]

I've never just watched the fit and comfort part for so long...... comfort is just such an underrated metric for iems

[@miscwork-qb7pd]

If even treble liking mark finds the alba a bit sharp, then there's definitely a problem

[@MaLaLiberty]

Meze went hard on marketing for that one. It looks like everyone is reviewing it. Even people that don’t usually do iems.

[@Silence-and-Violence]

Yeah, I'm worried about how obvious the marketing scheme is. I'll be waiting at least 6 months for the dust to settle to see what normal, unpaid people think after the hype is gone.

[@smolbo1]

@@Silence-and-Violencei saw a random munich high end clip and noticed how beautiful it was and instantly started digging into it and back then there was very little known about it and now it's everywhere. i think it is so cheap compared to normal meze stuff because they expect to sell huge volume of this so is doing extremely large manufacturing batches which reduce costs significantly and banking on giving away a pair to any audio guy since it's so cheap to manufacture

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

​@@Silence-and-Violenceyeah, I actually never buy an IEM right around launch because I recognize I'm being overwhelmed by fomo. The stuff doesn't have software and it doesn't have batteries so there's really no reason to rush. This IEM will sound exactly the same in 5 years.

[@Empty12345]

I trust 'The Honest Audiophile's ears & his method of reviewing headphones is the most accurate. He gave Meze Albas a very good rating & I'm considering buying them. Oddly Super Review said Meze Albas sound colored/unnatural in some areas & doesn't have a solid sound stage nor imaging compared to Simgot EA1000, which is the opposite what 'The Honest Audiophile' thinks.. Different ears I suppose..

[@MaLaLiberty]

@@Empty12345to my knowledge they both have human ears 👂

[@nitraM321]

got them yesterday, i listened to them all night, i'm impressed, i can hear details that are usualy only revealed by the very best headphones, and i love the bass

[@lacsativ1]

As a Romanian, I have to say that Meze really didn't try too hard coming up with a name for this IEM lmao.

[@kij1493]

hello. I am a subscriber in Korea. I really like the design and fit, but unfortunately it's a 3 star. Please continue to give good reviews in the future. thank you

[@sidesaladaudio]

I love the fit of these, but yeah the one thing I wasn’t a big fan of is how the vocals have a slight unnatural sound or rough edge to them. Didn’t see many others talking about that, so it’s nice to see someone else mention it as well. Otherwise, it’s probably one of Meze’s best IEMs

[@SuperReview]

It's a solid set, but agree. One thing I feel about Alba that I should've mentioned is that it is an "immediately impressive" set. First listen is like dayam. It's more on the extended listening and comparisons where little extra edginess starts to push me toward other sets.

[@GadZookz]

Thanks Mr. Ryan! These look very conchable. Can’t wait to try them.

[@SuperReview]

Slips right in!

[@AverieS820]

Would this be an upgrade to the moondrop LAN? As that is my current comfort-IEM and graphs really similarly to the Alba.

[@SuperReview]

I don't really agree with the concept of "upgrade," they're just different. LAN tuning I prefer, Alba is more exciting. Personally I'd probably take the LAN.

[@maninironmask7925]

Will you be reviewing the Dita Project M?

[@santhosh5105]

The review and rating don't match

[@ernestm8884]

I currently use a Hidizs S9Pro with the Moondrop starfield IEMs, and the cabling is very similar and tangling is and issue. You do need to careful when cleaning IEM's

[@aceofspades6667]

This thing is hotter than Jessica Alba with the number of reviewers covering this in a 24 hour period. Still looks the ie600 have yet to find a set I want to upgrade to.

[@SuperReview]

I guess that's what happens when you send it out months in advance and lift the embargo.

[@angelOcrisu]

I think my connationals from Meze won't keep up with the demand after all this hype.

[@jtm71]

She's not hot any longer

[@ANiCKiN]

@@jtm71 Speak for yourself.

[@michaelcorcoran8768]

That's what an embargo does. Looks a lot smaller to me than the ie600.

[@ahraziqbal9]

is the detail retrieval better than Truthear Hexa?

[@SuperReview]

Not something I would say, no.

[@humanbass]

Fiio FD15 would be a good comparison, same price, fancy single DD.

[@juanblanco7898]

One more size option for the tips is such a welcome addition! Thank you for the review, a great pleasure to watch as usual.

[@audio_tron]

Definitely want to demo these and man are they tempting me with this pearl white look. Based on your Alba take, I’d probably still want to aim for the sweet midrange of the Advar. Advar had Z1R caliber vocals, which shocked me. Best fitting IEM ever for me is probably a tie between B2 and Advar.

[@kult4206]

LOOKS AWFULLY SIMILAR to Moondrop LAN

[@SuperReview]

IMO it sounds noticeably brighter than LAN.

[@morristaub3194]

I'm wondering if these would be an upgrade from the truthear hexa i've been using for a while now. Pretty happy with them. I see these alba iem's are twice the price. Totally different build. But is it possible to say anything about their sound? Better? Just different? I currently use the hexa with spinfit large tips. Also via computer directly plugged in sometimes. A macbook pro M3 max. Sometimes via an ifi zen dac v2. I also use boom 2 to equalize 'em a bit. I'm getting plenty bass out of the hexa's when i want even though i've read everywhere they are totally neutral, not great for bass. Just beginning to get interested in a second iem and wonder what spending 175 euros with shipping will bring me. Thanks for any advice. Oh, and Mark, thanks for all your great reviews. I've listened to a bunch of 'em.

[@bencherian]

Can you compare it with Artti T10 please even though both are different drivers ?

[@عبدالرحمن-د1ث]

I dont get why do people praise cables as “thick/heavy” i prefer exactly the opposite lol. I want my cables to be pretty thin without being fragile and as light as possible.

[@SlavJerry]

because the weight gives the feel of quality, with that said it's a preference

[@2aalu]

if the cable is thin and not fragile then the cable will be stiff and hard which most of people does not prefer

[@Bovineicide]

I generally associate thin cables with being super microphonic which will make it ewaste to me lol

[@rem792]

Exactly, I like thin light, strong cables, Linsoul had some nice gold ones, very thin and light, bought a couple about 6 years ago and they still work. All the heavy, thick cables I have just stay in a box collecting dust.

[@magik97]

Yep, same. I don't like thick cables at all.

[@R.C.Bullar]

That graph is terrible. Not how they actually graph. 📈

[@RenePolster]

I have mine now since 3 Days and yes they are so confi!!!!!!!! And the Sound is really Good for its price. I would say its my Daily Driver for now.

[@FoolsVerse]

This vs the supermix 4?

[@terrypope1483]

I have the Advar and Alba is on the way. My only complaint with the Advar is it's MMCX and the weight of the metal causes it to swivel out. Other than that, perfect IEM. Really looking forward to a 2 Pin Meze IEM.

[@DraganPenev]

Do you know if it is possible to use Meze MMCX 4.4 balanced cable in Meze Alba?

[@Luisdg0YT]

How do these stand against the AKG 5005?

[@R.C.Bullar]

Best looking IEM rn!

[@Gilliboy82]

How does it compare to the Tanchjim origin?

[@SuperReview]

I prefer the Origin, which has more precise imaging, more midrange focus, and no fatigue.

[@DraganPenev]

Is it possible to use Meze MMCX silver 4.4 mm balanced cable instead of default 3.5 cable?

[@SuperReview]

These IEMs use 2-pin connectors, so no.

[@jymylin2605]

I'm almost order one for myself after watching lots of other reviews. The size and looks really deceive me well. After your review of three stars rating, I guess I've to try first at a local store. Since fit and comfort is critically important for me, I might get one. Your honest review is really priceless. Thank you.

[@StarBuccaneers168]

Thanks Mark, great affordable set from Meze. if this IEM came with a picture of Jessica, it could easily be a 4 star.

[@AugustoRallo]

wondering if people would be that skeptical if moondrop had reviews popping up in many channels at once.. food for thought.

[@SuperReview]

What is the skepticism? They sent a bunch of review units to reviewers months ago with an embargo that lifted this week.

[@AugustoRallo]

@@SuperReview I'm not skeptical at all, huge fan of your work. I saw a few skeptics in the comments, sincerely it makes no sense to me. It's almost a "reverse xenophobia"? lol

[@coderintrovert]

How does it compare to Supermix 4?

[@FoolsVerse]

I just bought the supermix 4 and waiting for the ship but I saw this and feel like this may be better due to its open back design (I prefer open back headphones but I’m surprised they made iem open back.) but it could be depending on the genre aswell. I hear that supermix 4 is a good all rounder but this might be better for more airy music that may lose out on base.

[@gersongomez1876]

@@FoolsVersethese are not open back iems

[@residentzero]

Yeah I don't think that exists, the closest might be a flat earbud like VE Monk which by nature of not going inside the ear produce a somewhat open sound (and leak sound)

[@FoolsVerse]

@@gersongomez1876 could’ve fooled me with the big hole in the back of them.

[@BrandonA]

I'm newer to Audiophiling; I currently have the Classic '99's (going on 3 years). I was looking at the SIMGOT SuperMix 4's or these. Are there any equivalent or better iem's (under $300), in regards to overall sound and warmth of the Classics? I'm going to use them for gaming and most music genre's (just not country).

[@potatoman7475]

3:30 😑... is the Apple dongle really that good?

[@SuperReview]

It's low impedance and has a neutral frequency response, only thing it's not great with is power output but that's not really a problem for IEMs.

[@TWidXugA1]

The visual channel imbalance in the graph bothers me a little, though pehaps not noticible in practice. Also, some reviewers describe it as warm and bassier than the kato, while others say its bass shy, making me wonder if QC is an issue. Thanks for the review in any case!

[@SuperReview]

Yeah the channel imbalance isn't noticeable, they offered to send a replacement but I said it wasn't necessary.

[@leonasj9633]

how alba compares vs 50eur EPZ Q5 ? very same?

[@Alexander_Sannikov]

Come on man! You didn't show the grill under the rubber sleeve. It's important long-term to see if it's serviceable/cleanable or not. Other than that, it looks interesting and the time has really come to replace my Fiio FH6's that I bought from your recommendation 3(?) years ago. Those served me really well and outlived ~5 cables.

[@SuperReview]

I've done like 400 reviews and never done that, are you surprised? WTF

[@Alexander_Sannikov]

@@SuperReview I'm surprised why you're not doing that yet!

[@garymalone547]

IEMs better than closed back cans? I must have missed the memo.

[@shuvadeeppaul2774]

This type of reviewing is what consumers need.

[@Ducbloke]

Rob Peter to pay Paul on fit verse function. I really like the look of fit in your ear. Nice and recessed. I’d have to hear these for myself before making a decision to buy them. There’s a lot of great stuff in this price range. The Supermix 4 comes to mind.

[@Kawartha65]

Wow…..not really raving like most reviewers on the Alba. I think I’ve watched a good 20 reviews by now and no one really called it “aggressive”…. mostly just hearing a lot of “warm neutral” comments …and that it’s an easy presentation to listen to. There does seem to be a total consensus on the great fit though. Also surprised you didn’t mention you like to sleep with them in …as they are so small. Nice 👍 job.

[@SuperReview]

Oh they good for sleeping for sure.

[@geraltnroach]

Maybe i missed the note, but how is alba compare to ea1000 and ie200 in term of detail and resolution?

[@Zolar_Czackl]

Mark. It's a Saturday and you want to relax and listen to music. You aren't reviewing anything. What IEM and device do you choose to listen to your music?

[@SuperReview]

Varies. This Saturday was IE 600 on Hiby R5II. Though it's always R5II.

[@MrBlackJava]

Looks to be close to the delci also

[@theonlyegg]

What’s the live wallpaper you’re using on your Mac? I dig.

[@SuperReview]

It's a custom animation I made based on the Squiglink logo. I did find a hack to make it my MacOS screensaver, but not sure how to make it available to others easily.

[@Bodirevolution]

Do you have any input on how this compares to the Ultimate Ears Universal single driver 150 iem?

[@SuperReview]

Nope.

[@jb678901]

Too many reviews...too much noise. I'll wait for the smoke to clear before pulling the trigger again. The winners will be left standing...everything else was just another PUMP & DUMP. Collabs galore...back scratching...access...marketing dollars...patience will be my strategy in navigating this mine field.

[@SuperReview]

I read this to the opening beat of Eminem's "Lose Yourself."

[@nikhilchandra3778]

@@SuperReview 😂

[@juanblanco7898]

Throughout FOMO and perpetual hype, he is alone the enlightened one.

[@JoelHernandez-tz3vk]

Meanwhile. I found like 2 written reviews of the ISN H60 and nothing else.

[@AliArghavan]

How would you compare Alba to Nova? Both at around 150$

[@Rorensuwl8]

I would say Nova+foam tips if your ears can handle it

[@CJ-usa]

Dita project M

[@GuvoProd]

BMTH BOX

[@erictracy1630]

Meze also had the Rai Penta

[@SuperReview]

Yeah I think there was a Solo as well, both seem discontinued.

[@kyotoryo6569]

Coincidence these graph almost identically to Tanchjim 4U?

[@SuperReview]

They don't sound almost identical FWIW.

[@juanblanco7898]

I wouldn't say that.

[@kenjikodai]

I want one

[@SuperReview]

🤗 I imagine this emote means "gimme gimme"

[@SlavJerry]

I would buy these just for aesthetic and build quality alone, which could be said with most if not all meze products

[@SuperReview]

They know what they're doing with industrial design!

[@RakshitNew]

Ive the original moondrop blessing. Would the meze alba be an upgrade? Thank you!

[@okay4105]

Truthear Gate's white cable will go very well with this iem.

[@SuperReview]

But will you miss that round-on-round transition?

[@okay4105]

@@SuperReview oh yes

[@squidwerd1981]

first!...woo-hoo!

[@theonlyegg]

Who still does this?