I don’t use IEM much and have Susvara and Focal utopia cans I use more. That said I have Campfire Audio Solaris IEM and they are amazing to me. Not totally nuetral but love them. Bright to some I guess. They are like 1500.00 or so I think so not cheap. The dongle included with the Meze is great too. They are like 40.00 for DD silver one.
The only other Meze IEM these days is the Advar, I think (others are no longer made IIRC). I think the Alba is an easier tuning to enjoy than the Advar, but the Advar is much stronger on technicalities.
Do not praise the company for throw-in dongle if you don't know exactly what's inside. Could be a cheapie based on Realtek ALC5686. Other companies give out dongles with their earphones. A decent Apple dongle was $9 last time I checked. That said, Alba looks interesting and worthwhile.
Finally got mine in. Sadly they are uncomfortable for my ears because of the bottom shape pushing on that area of my ear. I have no other IEMs that cause this kind of pressure pain. Messing with every eartip I have.
I just received the project M & navigator I purchased after you praised them, and the combo is absolute audio bliss. I hear stuff on albums I didn’t know were there and everything is so engaging! There’s so many more layers of instrumentation & complexity in Fear Inoculum than I realized for example.
I have not heared them, but sometimes you have hidden gems that are bargains, like the eversolo streamers, a bargain compared to way more expensive one’s. This could one of those to maybe not totl but for the money a bargain
This was a launch plan from Meze. They sent the IEMs out for review, but with no say over what any of us said (no payment and no influence). The reason it's all happened at once is that there was a review embargo so we all scheduled our reviews to go live as soon as the embargo lifted.
It's a fair drop. I'd describe these as balanced and slightly full in the bass (definitely not lacking) whereas I'd describe the OH10 as outright bassy
Good question about the MP145. They're somewhat similar in tuning, but with very different character because the bass from the Alba doesn't have that slightly muted character. There might be a few ways that the MP145 is better too so they're both excellent choices, but different.
Hello Lochlan, great review, I ordered mine right away, Shipping in September, I think. How would you compare these with the Ikko OH10 that you reviewed a while back. I ordered those as soon as I saw your video as well and they are my favorite pair of IEM's. Best.
The Alba is a more balanced tuning than the OH10 which can get a little treble happy and overly bassy sometimes (even though I love them). The Albas can't quite match the staging of the OH10, but I find them equally as enjoyable (maybe more). Hope you love them!
I don't have the Advars here to compare, but I find the Alba a better tuning even though the Advar will be stronger on resolution and detail (based on my memory of it)
Thank you, but I'm fine. Not sad at all - quite the opposite, in fact. Life is wonderful at the moment and I feel inspired, I'm enjoying what I do, my son and wife are wonderful. It's a great time.
I didn't. I can't recall if I had them at the same time, but either way, they're on vastly different performance levels and the Project M is way superior technically if you're happy with it's tuning (which is also excellent, but very different)
I think most people don’t want to fuss with EQ-ing. I have no problem with those who do that but then EQ-ing, to me, can seem counterproductive if you’re not careful.
Was thinking the same thing. I love my IE200s, well not the cable but the sound and comfort (many single DD iems are unnecessarily large, the IE200 are small, lightweight and comfortable). The Alba’s included DAC seems like a nice bonus.
@@PassionforSound This is true. Moondrop kato Letshuoer s12 Sennheiser ie600 Final a8000 Hifiman ef400 Cayin n8ii All great products. It dont need to be very espensiv to be really good. My n8ii was 400€ and my ef400 was 300€. I still find kato and s12 near to the perfection. S12 cost 45-70€ used This is sick!
How is it compared to oriveti od200, in india both are around 120usd from headphones zone. I am new to audio and doesnt have much information about it. I had tangzu waner sg but i didnt like it and it causes pain in my ear, would any of these have issue with my ear
@@PassionforSound are both comfortable? Can you provide me how to get an idea about highs,mids,lows and all other audio terms. I usually listen to melody and hanz zimmer music... thank you for your reply
I can't compare both of those IEMs from memory so recommend that you watch the two reviews. What I can say is that the Albas are generally very well balanced across lows, mids and highs.
you compared Alba with planar and hybrids, I was hoping to see comparison with single DD iems. S12 pro and MP145 are still a very good proposition around that price point.
@hishighnes5474 that's a very tough call. The Alba is smaller and more comfortable so I'd probably lean towards it for that reason, but the MP145 has a lovely character to its sound so both are great.
They're very different on both counts. The OH10 is very v-shaped and the Timeless is a little bit more v-shaped than the Alba, plus both throw larger soundstages. The Timeless is closer to the Alba's tuning and technically stronger, but also less comfortable.
I’m picking between meze alba/ letshuoer cadenza4/faudio hiby project ace Or should I just go for the dita project m lol So many IEMs , too little money 😂
I would go higher if you can and jump straight to Project M or Elysian Pilgrim. The Albas are wonderful, but you do get higher performance (objectively speaking) from the more expensive IEMs.
I would like the Alba if it didn't have rather shouty upper mids. For reference I also find S12 and Wu shouty. So many popular iems are shouty to me. That is partially due to harmon/ief iem target upper mids both being shouty. I outright prefer the Airpod Pros 2 sound over them because of the shoutyness
I agree that the trend to upper midrange emphasis is a problem in general, but I didn't have any issues with the Alba. We're all different with our hearing so I'm glad you've found a sound that suits you 🙂
GM☕️ I’ve been interested in this since I heard about it. And,yes I’ve also got the S12 and the WU … I’ll give the Alba some serious consideration . Now if Meze would just make a version of the Emp’s under $1k 😆
Pretty sure we are alone, now I'm retired I watch a lot of space videos. Wouldn't mind upgrading from my KZ ZSNs. Gave them a run today and they do shade my daily drivers, at least in the bass and treble, the SennyHD250BTs. However the choice available in IEMs is overwhelming. Much like the dating market, too many options is problematic.
Thanks for the quick review, Lachlan! The introduction had me pondering for a second if "first contact" had happened I love my Monarch MK3 so how does the Alba differ sonically?
The Alba is a smoother and warmer sound overall. It won't match the Monarch for technicalities - it's performing about right for a $150-200 IEM. It's just a lovely and enjoyable tuning.
Thanks for the review. I have only one question: It sounds like you highly recommend IEM, especially within its price range, but it's not on your "recommended IEM" list.
Great review as always, Passion! I’ve been digging Alba each and everytime I listen. Awesome IEM for a lot of newcomers, and anyone looking for a great sounding IEM across the board without breaking the bank!
I went ahead and ordered these as my first pair of iems, but I wonder if the dac dongle it comes with will be powerful enough to run headphones like dt1990 and hd6xx. I was also looking at the questyle m15i but its on the pricier side
I would expect it to do ok with those headphones as neither is hard to drive due to relatively high sensitivity. You're getting it anyway so try it and see before you buy anything else. Also, check out the Simgot DEW4X for a nice, affordable dongle: th-cam.com/video/fGNSDusIE2k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hlkNpZdWftrgYIJD
Very happy. Fwiw i also have Shure Kse1200 and the Se846 and the Akg is everybit as good. I am more into soundstage and imaging and the Akg is just wider. I also dig bass and with the bass filter the Akg probably wins. There is more to the story but this is about the Alba and aliens.
That's tough! I actually prefer the tuning of the Alba, but the sound quality/performance of the Project M is undeniable. I'd probably choose the Alba...
Lachlan, can you please please please review the Geshelli Labs Dayzee DAC? On paper it sounds like a great option to have it as the only dac driving multiple SS and tube amps. Some comparisons would be great too. Many thanks.
@@PassionforSound I didn’t except such a prompt response, as I thought you, like other popular YT reviewers are too busy to read and reply to the hundreds of messages you must receive. I appreciate you getting back so quickly. I am a fellow Melbournian and would love to someday meet you in-person to talk all things music. I really enjoy your videos and have been from your early days. Keep doing the great work that you do. Cheers mate!
I always try to reply (or acknowledge) as quickly as possible because I think the community is a very valuable and important part of the hobby. I'll be at the StereoNet HiFi show again this year and will try to arrange something so that we can all get together and chat. I have no idea how that might look or what might be possible, but it's already rolling around in my brain to solve. 🙂
They don't compete with the Project M on technicalities, but their tuning is more enjoyable to me. The Albas perform close to price from a technical perspective, I'd say - it's their tuning that's a standout.
Do these need to burn in or anything? I bought them and just got them today. The sibilance is off the charts. I have the eq at -5 from 1K thru 16K, and the sibilance is still cutting me in half. I can't believe how bad it is. I thought that maybe the dongle was messed up, so I tried a different dongle, and it's exactly the same.
That definitely doesn't sound right because they shouldn't need any burn-in to sound great and weren't in any way sibilant to my ears. Unless you have an extreme treble sensitivity (which you'd probably already know about), or the tips aren't sealing well, I'd say you've got an issue with your pair. Do you have some other tips to try or maybe just go up and down a size to see if the seal is poor on the ones you've started with?
@PassionforSound Foam tips did help, but they still have some of the sibilance. I'm new to this hobby, and I think I might be treble sensitive. Even my Arya Stealth has too much treble on a lot of songs. HD600 sounds perfect in treble. I'm using Geshelli Erish 3 Pro and J3 Pro. I never dreamed that I'd be treble sensitive. When I was a kid, I used to max the treble on everything. 😂
@PassionforSound also, I think maybe silver wires cause some of it. I got a new pure ofc headphone wire last night, and it seems to not be so harsh like the silver wires. I was buying the silver before because I assumed it was better.
Yep, sounds like you're treble sensitive if the HD600 suits your tastes. You're 100% right that silver cables will sound brighter than pure copper. Definitely steer clear of most silver plated copper cables too. 🙂
I'm not sure if you're suggesting that this is biased or if you just liked the video. Hopefully you just enjoyed it, but for clarity this was an unbiased review with no influence from Meze and I just happened to love the IEMs, but also recognise and pointed out in the video that they're not the best IEM from a technical perspective and perform roughly to price.
I'd check out the Ananda Nano from HiFiMan (th-cam.com/video/Vdb08WVmO88/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ToL7Vj9lIyuTDiNt) or the Sivga Luan (th-cam.com/video/rS9dHO96fdo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Mv_Fg1e0SMtD8ETt)
@@PassionforSound By the way, I’m looking for an in ear. I like so much the sound clear and hear the details. I had a kz zs 10 but a lot of things append in these years to me and unfortunately I lost them. I like so much my Hifiman sundara with planar magnetic driver. Now i would like have something similare by the side in ear. But I’m very open to be not stuck with planar magnetic drivers so also other solutions are welcomed like balanced or dynamic, or hybrid, have one or more drivers built in etc. I have done a little selections of possibilities but i never tried something different of my before kz lost talking about IEM (and AirPods Pro first generation but we are talking about a completely other world. Maybe… 🙈). I like details so it doesn’t matter if are not too much bass range, or too much boosted and I can learn how to equalize (I’m not able to do it yet ahah), cause I read that some planar are too in much high range and you need to get up bass by EQ corrections. For example I play trombone in conservatory and i really would like hear the third part of trombone, clearly of the 5th of Beethoven (by the way anyone knows a good record about that? Cause I know details depend by many many thinks and also by the record and mastering). I would like to hear clear the bass strings of “my favorite things” of the John Coltrane version. (I use to listen many many kind of music and like pop, indie, rock, electronic, modern, old, jazz, rap (ahah) and if i have to try hard about my favorite musician are Pino Daniele (funk, blues, pop Italian songwriter) and Stevie Wonder. And Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (try as in the last supper, the album Banco del mutuo soccorso (look for the money box cover, io sono nato libero. (The list is below) Moondrop STELLARIS KZ AS24 Hidizs MP145 KZ PR1 KZ x HBB PR2 Letshouer s15 Letshouer z12 Letshouer kind lava NiceHCK f1pro Kz castor bass Kiwi orchestra Moondrop Kato Thieaudio Oracle The very expansive Danu Davinci (but have to balance the expanse too) (What differences are there between these last two?) So what are your suggestions? (Again, very open not only of the tecnologies or model of my list. Those were just what jumped on my eyes). Jumped on my attention the moondrop variations and, i know it’s very expensive. About this , do you think this worth? I mean, does that price affect the quality that much to justify the best your sound experience ever? I was seeing about z 12, what do you think? And now this one, the Alba, of this video. Some are expansive but I can consider the expanse if you say that’s the best for that with no story. I need one of IEM cause I’m doing a sort of project i would to propose to my friend and family called something headphone experience cause about music i would show them there is a world . So I’ll get there in different situations of headphones kind of listening and with different kind of headphones (open, closed, cheap, old new and IEM) with a multiple switch at the same time. Let them to close the eyes and go. So I need a representative of IEM
There's more here than I can properly answer because I haven't heard all of the models you've listed. What I'd probably recommend is checking my list of recommended IEMs in the description and checking some reviews of those models to see which will suit your tastes the most.
Any advice for people who have trouble with their ears? Every time over the years I tried inserting these types of headphones in my ears, it always lead to earwax discharge and extreme discomfort. I stopped buying these types about 10 years ago. I’m so jealous. These seem awesome. Great review.
I agree that things have improved a lot in recent years. The Albas should be very comfortable for most people and then it's just a matter of choosing the right tips and experimenting a little with fit. I hope you find a comfortable solution if you try again.
99% of this review was without the dongle so I only referred to their sound briefly with the dongle to clarify how well it performed. Everything else in the video is discussing their sound from any device (tested across a range of sources)
Alba had me at Jessica. In seriousness I have been keen to hear your thoughts on this since the rumblings began about it. Could be a nice option for the monthly commute and save me lugging another DAC or DAP
If they are that good , we should be comparing with 300.00 iem not same price because it's a easy win . So come on passion I want to know if there better than higher price iem then I will be interested in buying . Review makes it look really good but let's use a higher compared iems
What makes these so good isn't their technical performance, it's the tuning, build quality, included dongle and comfort. Higher level IEMs will absolutely beat them which is why I didn't compare them with higher models - that's not what they're about.
I don’t use IEM much and have Susvara and Focal utopia cans I use more. That said I have Campfire Audio Solaris IEM and they are amazing to me. Not totally nuetral but love them. Bright to some I guess. They are like 1500.00 or so I think so not cheap. The dongle included with the Meze is great too. They are like 40.00 for DD silver one.
Thanks for the review! I love Meze stuff, just ordered a set!
I hope you love them! I clearly think they're brilliant. 🙂
If just talking enjoyment and not technicalities, does the Alba even beat other Meze IEMs or is there a better one I should go for?
The only other Meze IEM these days is the Advar, I think (others are no longer made IIRC). I think the Alba is an easier tuning to enjoy than the Advar, but the Advar is much stronger on technicalities.
Do not praise the company for throw-in dongle if you don't know exactly what's inside. Could be a cheapie based on Realtek ALC5686. Other companies give out dongles with their earphones. A decent Apple dongle was $9 last time I checked. That said, Alba looks interesting and worthwhile.
If it sounds good and helps people new to the hobby to get better sound and more enjoyment, I don't care what it costs it what DAC is inside
Dunu Falcon ultra vs alba.
I haven't heard the Falcon Ultra. Sorry.
Way too many iems
There are definitely a lot to choose from these days
Finally got mine in. Sadly they are uncomfortable for my ears because of the bottom shape pushing on that area of my ear.
I have no other IEMs that cause this kind of pressure pain. Messing with every eartip I have.
vs ea500lm ? also a resolving single DD on the bright side but cheaper
Very different sound so I went another way. I haven't compared the EA500 LM directly to comment on them vs the Alba.
@@PassionforSound did you get paid by meze to review alba ?
No, definitely not. I will never accept payment for reviews.
I just received the project M & navigator I purchased after you praised them, and the combo is absolute audio bliss. I hear stuff on albums I didn’t know were there and everything is so engaging! There’s so many more layers of instrumentation & complexity in Fear Inoculum than I realized for example.
Yay! I'm so pleased for you and glad that my recommendation served you well. Happy listening!!
My alarm bells go off, so many reviewers at the same time are praicing these iems
I have not heared them, but sometimes you have hidden gems that are bargains, like the eversolo streamers, a bargain compared to way more expensive one’s. This could one of those to maybe not totl but for the money a bargain
@@Cestmoi50Kefine Delci are half the price. That is a bargain to me.
This was a launch plan from Meze. They sent the IEMs out for review, but with no say over what any of us said (no payment and no influence). The reason it's all happened at once is that there was a review embargo so we all scheduled our reviews to go live as soon as the embargo lifted.
@@PassionforSound ok, that sounds plausible, thanks.
How does this compare to ikko oh10? What are the sound differences? Thanks!
They're very different sounding IEMs. The OH10 is very v-shaped with big bass and bright treble. Both are excellent IEMs. They're just very different.
@@PassionforSound I like big bass but thought it was too sharp. If treble is less than oh10 how much less bass is it?
It's a fair drop. I'd describe these as balanced and slightly full in the bass (definitely not lacking) whereas I'd describe the OH10 as outright bassy
@@PassionforSound appreciate the reply thanks.
VS Hidizs MP145? At 150 us dlls gotta be a frontrunner contender! Great stuff Lachlan!
Check Dunu Falcon Ultra. On sale now for 186USD and very simiular graph.
Good question about the MP145. They're somewhat similar in tuning, but with very different character because the bass from the Alba doesn't have that slightly muted character. There might be a few ways that the MP145 is better too so they're both excellent choices, but different.
Mp145 are planars with better bass. I'd just assume mp145 are better. All we see rn are hype reviews for the next best thing. Also new Simgots.
No, MP145 are different, but not clearly better
This might be your best review yet!
I get my Alba this weekend.
Cheers.
I'm glad you liked the video and I'm sure you'll love the Albas!
very far from perfect.
Interesting. And I even like the color.
Thanks for hanging in there with your reviews, especially enjoy the framing of the review.
My pleasure and I'm glad you liked the approach. There'll be more of that framing/storytelling element from now on. 🙂
Hello Lochlan, great review, I ordered mine right away, Shipping in September, I think. How would you compare these with the Ikko OH10 that you reviewed a while back. I ordered those as soon as I saw your video as well and they are my favorite pair of IEM's. Best.
The Alba is a more balanced tuning than the OH10 which can get a little treble happy and overly bassy sometimes (even though I love them). The Albas can't quite match the staging of the OH10, but I find them equally as enjoyable (maybe more). Hope you love them!
@@PassionforSound Thanks, can't wait to get them. Best.
Curious how these compare to the advar , which is the older more expensive IEM
I don't have the Advars here to compare, but I find the Alba a better tuning even though the Advar will be stronger on resolution and detail (based on my memory of it)
It's gonna be strange to say this but ....
Somehow I felt that you have some sadness in your heart. Hope you find what you have lost.
Thank you, but I'm fine. Not sad at all - quite the opposite, in fact. Life is wonderful at the moment and I feel inspired, I'm enjoying what I do, my son and wife are wonderful. It's a great time.
Did you have the chance to compare it with Dita M project?
I didn't. I can't recall if I had them at the same time, but either way, they're on vastly different performance levels and the Project M is way superior technically if you're happy with it's tuning (which is also excellent, but very different)
But theres so much more to the sound then the tuning, which can always be eq'd
I think most people don’t want to fuss with EQ-ing. I have no problem with those who do that but then EQ-ing, to me, can seem counterproductive if you’re not careful.
mine finaly arrived today and i love them !
Yay! Congratulations!!
Liking this new shorter format!
I'm glad you're liking it!
Went ahead and snagged one. I charged it to your account 😅😅😅
Haha. Enjoy!
Hi! Thanks your contents! Next video can be comparison between IE 200 and Alba. They’re almost same price range.
Was thinking the same thing. I love my IE200s, well not the cable but the sound and comfort (many single DD iems are unnecessarily large, the IE200 are small, lightweight and comfortable). The Alba’s included DAC seems like a nice bonus.
Yes ie200 with spinfit w1 eart ips ear great
I don't have IE200s to compare, unfortunately, but if I get some that's a guaranteed comparison
@@PassionforSound if u get it, you can sleep with it.haha because its very light and comfort.
I was impatiently waiting for this video. Sold the EA500LM for this. The ALBA will soon be in my pocket.
The EA500LM is nice, but I'd reach for the Albas over them. Enjoy!
there is too much perfectly tuned iems nowadays
This is kind of true.
Translation: lots of good options for us consumers.
Perfect is very subjective (including me saying that the Albas are perfectly tuned), but we're definitely blessed with a lot of wonderful choices!
@@PassionforSound
This is true.
Moondrop kato
Letshuoer s12
Sennheiser ie600
Final a8000
Hifiman ef400
Cayin n8ii
All great products.
It dont need to be very espensiv to be really good. My n8ii was 400€ and my ef400 was 300€.
I still find kato and s12 near to the perfection. S12 cost 45-70€ used
This is sick!
@@humm6155I fear the treble
I have the advar which I love and my mom has gotten hooked on my IEM collection but always says I need my own. I think this is perfect for her!
That sounds like exactly what they're made for! ♥️
How is it compared to oriveti od200, in india both are around 120usd from headphones zone. I am new to audio and doesnt have much information about it. I had tangzu waner sg but i didnt like it and it causes pain in my ear, would any of these have issue with my ear
I prefer the Alba over the OD200, but both are very good.
@@PassionforSound are both comfortable? Can you provide me how to get an idea about highs,mids,lows and all other audio terms. I usually listen to melody and hanz zimmer music...
thank you for your reply
I'd say the Alba's are probably a little more comfortable, but both are good.
I don't understand your question about the lows, mids and highs.
@@PassionforSound like reviewers say low frequencies, middle frequencies, High frequencies.... And audiophile terms... How is both for melody songs...
I can't compare both of those IEMs from memory so recommend that you watch the two reviews. What I can say is that the Albas are generally very well balanced across lows, mids and highs.
Ordered them right away!
Congratulations! You'll love them
The design is so cool that epz q5 copy the design from meze, but never the sound quality's and drivers. Lol
you compared Alba with planar and hybrids, I was hoping to see comparison with single DD iems. S12 pro and MP145 are still a very good proposition around that price point.
I don't have a comparable (i.e. good enough) single DD at that price point. Sorry.
Which should choose between mp145 and Alba ?
@@hishighnes5474 Alba for fit and comfort, MP145 for everything else
@hishighnes5474 that's a very tough call. The Alba is smaller and more comfortable so I'd probably lean towards it for that reason, but the MP145 has a lovely character to its sound so both are great.
@@PassionforSound thank you
What is that intro, am I watching an alien documentary or something.
Finally.. a good sounding audiophile channel.. Also finally.. a meze i can afford 🤣🤣🤣
Care to compare with the Ikko OH10 or 7Hz Timeless?
They're very different on both counts. The OH10 is very v-shaped and the Timeless is a little bit more v-shaped than the Alba, plus both throw larger soundstages. The Timeless is closer to the Alba's tuning and technically stronger, but also less comfortable.
@@PassionforSound
Thank you, Lachlan!
ie900 is, mine would be jhaudio's ambient pro
Wow my two favorite reviewers dropping Alva reviews at the same time. Todays gonna be a good day 🙏
Whose the other?
Soundnews?
@@unclethathurts yes Sandu
Alba in romania is mean white.
Lumina is ligh.
I'm just going on what Meze and an online translation tool (probably Google) told me.
I’m picking between meze alba/ letshuoer cadenza4/faudio hiby project ace
Or should I just go for the dita project m lol
So many IEMs , too little money 😂
I would go higher if you can and jump straight to Project M or Elysian Pilgrim. The Albas are wonderful, but you do get higher performance (objectively speaking) from the more expensive IEMs.
I would like the Alba if it didn't have rather shouty upper mids. For reference I also find S12 and Wu shouty. So many popular iems are shouty to me. That is partially due to harmon/ief iem target upper mids both being shouty.
I outright prefer the Airpod Pros 2 sound over them because of the shoutyness
I agree that the trend to upper midrange emphasis is a problem in general, but I didn't have any issues with the Alba. We're all different with our hearing so I'm glad you've found a sound that suits you 🙂
GM☕️
I’ve been interested in this since I heard about it.
And,yes I’ve also got the S12 and the WU …
I’ll give the Alba some serious consideration .
Now if Meze would just make a version of the Emp’s under $1k 😆
That would be cool! Have you seen the new 105 headphone they premiered at Munich? I haven't tried them yet, but I'm excited to.
Pretty sure we are alone, now I'm retired I watch a lot of space videos.
Wouldn't mind upgrading from my KZ ZSNs. Gave them a run today and they do shade my daily drivers, at least in the bass and treble, the SennyHD250BTs.
However the choice available in IEMs is overwhelming. Much like the dating market, too many options is problematic.
That's very true about the overwhelming range of options. That's part of why I liked these so much - I think they're a very safe bet for most people.
Good review Sir. Well done.
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
Thanks for the quick review, Lachlan! The introduction had me pondering for a second if "first contact" had happened I love my Monarch MK3 so how does the Alba differ sonically?
The Alba is a smoother and warmer sound overall. It won't match the Monarch for technicalities - it's performing about right for a $150-200 IEM. It's just a lovely and enjoyable tuning.
Thanks for the review. I have only one question: It sounds like you highly recommend IEM, especially within its price range, but it's not on your "recommended IEM" list.
It will be. I just haven't had a chance to update the list yet. Thanks for the reminder!
Ive the original moondrop blessing. Would the meze alba be an upgrade? Thank you!
I haven't tried the OG Blessing, only Blessing 3. Sorry.
Which is more enjoyable Oriveti OH700VB or the Meze alba?
They're very different. Alba can be an easier and more relaxed listen, but OH700VB is super enjoyable too and technically superior.
Alba means the same in Italian language
Great review as always, Passion! I’ve been digging Alba each and everytime I listen. Awesome IEM for a lot of newcomers, and anyone looking for a great sounding IEM across the board without breaking the bank!
Thanks for sharing your impressions! I'm glad you liked the video.
I wish I could wear IEMs but unfortunately I've never had a pair that created a decent seal in my ears...
Do you have large or small ear canals?
Great Review. I am trying to order them. Sounds like a great throw in your bag IEM.
100% I hope you love them!
I went ahead and ordered these as my first pair of iems, but I wonder if the dac dongle it comes with will be powerful enough to run headphones like dt1990 and hd6xx. I was also looking at the questyle m15i but its on the pricier side
I believe the dongle that comes with them is an entry level dongle that definitely doesn't have more than 75mW of power.
I would expect it to do ok with those headphones as neither is hard to drive due to relatively high sensitivity. You're getting it anyway so try it and see before you buy anything else. Also, check out the Simgot DEW4X for a nice, affordable dongle: th-cam.com/video/fGNSDusIE2k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=hlkNpZdWftrgYIJD
I have a Meze headphone, which I love. I might try these Alba's.
They're very hard to not enjoy! 🙂
Re800s vs alba?
The Alba is a little more easy going and has much nicer build quality, but might not be as technically capable. I haven't compared them directly.
@@PassionforSound please. Help me figure out alba and re800s
@marqie589 sorry, but I don't have time at the moment to do bespoke comparisons.
I never wonder. The aliens all use Meze products.
😂
Bro is pulling views I guess the new approach is working
So far so good 🙂
Great TH-cam channel and I ve been waiting for this for gym
I'm so glad you like it!
Ok, these will be my first non-Bluetooth IEM. Thanks young lad. I'm going to pair this with a Periodic Rhodium and a Topping NX7. Should work.
Sounds like a great setup. Enjoy!
@@PassionforSound Agreed . I just ordered the ifi Kensei. I'm looking forward to hearing the difference between DACs young lad. Should be interesting.
Sadly the Akg N5005 are priced reduced from 999$ and are $10 more
That sounds like a happy thing 🙂 (although I haven't heard the N5005)
Very happy. Fwiw i also have Shure Kse1200 and the Se846 and the Akg is everybit as good. I am more into soundstage and imaging and the Akg is just wider. I also dig bass and with the bass filter the Akg probably wins. There is more to the story but this is about the Alba and aliens.
What kind of bag are u using to carry your equipment
That's a Mindshift camera bag and it's brilliant! Space for lenses, filters, IEMs, dongles/DAPs, batteries, cables and a laptop!
You should review the Kefine Delci
It's on the cards. Not sure when just yet...
Just Ordered !
Congratulations!
@@PassionforSound thank you sir!
Keeping aside price tags, sound wise which would be your pick? Meze Alba or Dita Project M?
That's tough! I actually prefer the tuning of the Alba, but the sound quality/performance of the Project M is undeniable. I'd probably choose the Alba...
thank you very much..
that's a lot helpful for someone who is looking to upgrade from Etymotic ER2XR iem..
How do you compare with Ikko oh10?
There extremely different. OH10 is much more v-shaped with stronger bass and brighter treble. All depends on what people like.
Is this a good pair for your first iems?
100%! That's exactly what they're perfect for
Lachlan, can you please please please review the Geshelli Labs Dayzee DAC? On paper it sounds like a great option to have it as the only dac driving multiple SS and tube amps. Some comparisons would be great too. Many thanks.
I'm expecting one to come soon and have some REALLY exciting DAC content on the way... It will cover everything you've just asked about
@@PassionforSound I didn’t except such a prompt response, as I thought you, like other popular YT reviewers are too busy to read and reply to the hundreds of messages you must receive. I appreciate you getting back so quickly. I am a fellow Melbournian and would love to someday meet you in-person to talk all things music. I really enjoy your videos and have been from your early days. Keep doing the great work that you do. Cheers mate!
I always try to reply (or acknowledge) as quickly as possible because I think the community is a very valuable and important part of the hobby.
I'll be at the StereoNet HiFi show again this year and will try to arrange something so that we can all get together and chat. I have no idea how that might look or what might be possible, but it's already rolling around in my brain to solve. 🙂
Is the Alba dac compatible with other non Meze iem's? Cheers
Absolutely. It's just a regular USB-C to 3.5mm dongle. 🙂
@@PassionforSoundMany thanks Lachlan
The Meze Alba is very similar to the Dunu Falcon Ultra in terms of freqency graph, with a little more sub bass. What is your comparison of these?
I haven't heard the Falcon Ultra. Sorry.
@@PassionforSound it's a Dunu product. Pretty popular. Check out the graph on Squig, very similar to the Meze
@@PassionforSound Dunu Falcon Ultra. Quite a popular IEM. Very similar graph if you check Squiglink
❤
how do these compare to the Project M
They don't compete with the Project M on technicalities, but their tuning is more enjoyable to me. The Albas perform close to price from a technical perspective, I'd say - it's their tuning that's a standout.
Do these need to burn in or anything? I bought them and just got them today. The sibilance is off the charts. I have the eq at -5 from 1K thru 16K, and the sibilance is still cutting me in half. I can't believe how bad it is. I thought that maybe the dongle was messed up, so I tried a different dongle, and it's exactly the same.
That definitely doesn't sound right because they shouldn't need any burn-in to sound great and weren't in any way sibilant to my ears. Unless you have an extreme treble sensitivity (which you'd probably already know about), or the tips aren't sealing well, I'd say you've got an issue with your pair.
Do you have some other tips to try or maybe just go up and down a size to see if the seal is poor on the ones you've started with?
@PassionforSound
Foam tips did help, but they still have some of the sibilance. I'm new to this hobby, and I think I might be treble sensitive. Even my Arya Stealth has too much treble on a lot of songs. HD600 sounds perfect in treble. I'm using Geshelli Erish 3 Pro and J3 Pro. I never dreamed that I'd be treble sensitive. When I was a kid, I used to max the treble on everything. 😂
@PassionforSound also, I think maybe silver wires cause some of it. I got a new pure ofc headphone wire last night, and it seems to not be so harsh like the silver wires. I was buying the silver before because I assumed it was better.
Yep, sounds like you're treble sensitive if the HD600 suits your tastes. You're 100% right that silver cables will sound brighter than pure copper. Definitely steer clear of most silver plated copper cables too. 🙂
Top notch promotion!
I'm not sure if you're suggesting that this is biased or if you just liked the video. Hopefully you just enjoyed it, but for clarity this was an unbiased review with no influence from Meze and I just happened to love the IEMs, but also recognise and pointed out in the video that they're not the best IEM from a technical perspective and perform roughly to price.
Awesome review 💯👌🎶
Thank you! I'm glad you liked it!!
Boss do u have iem same quality like the headphones?
Such as quad drivers
What budget are you working with?
@@PassionforSound 500 USD I guess
I'd check out the Ananda Nano from HiFiMan (th-cam.com/video/Vdb08WVmO88/w-d-xo.htmlsi=ToL7Vj9lIyuTDiNt) or the Sivga Luan (th-cam.com/video/rS9dHO96fdo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Mv_Fg1e0SMtD8ETt)
I thinking you misunderstanding Romanians languages.
Alba means coloring white
Lumina means luminosity.
In Italian languages means sunrise, dawn, twilight
I based this on what Meze say in their literature and what it translated to online. As a non Romanian speaker, that was the best I could do.
Yes of course, no problem. I think Romanian could have the same root of Italian in this case. Nice video 🤗
@@PassionforSound
By the way,
I’m looking for an in ear.
I like so much the sound clear and hear the details.
I had a kz zs 10 but a lot of things append in these years to me and unfortunately I lost them.
I like so much my Hifiman sundara with planar magnetic driver.
Now i would like have something similare by the side in ear.
But I’m very open to be not stuck with planar magnetic drivers so also other solutions are welcomed like balanced or dynamic, or hybrid, have one or more drivers built in etc.
I have done a little selections of possibilities but i never tried something different of my before kz lost talking about IEM (and AirPods Pro first generation but we are talking about a completely other world. Maybe… 🙈).
I like details so it doesn’t matter if are not too much bass range, or too much boosted and I can learn how to equalize (I’m not able to do it yet ahah), cause I read that some planar are too in much high range and you need to get up bass by EQ corrections.
For example I play trombone in conservatory and i really would like hear the third part of trombone, clearly of the 5th of Beethoven (by the way anyone knows a good record about that? Cause I know details depend by many many thinks and also by the record and mastering).
I would like to hear clear the bass strings of “my favorite things” of the John Coltrane version. (I use to listen many many kind of music and like pop, indie, rock, electronic, modern, old, jazz, rap (ahah) and if i have to try hard about my favorite musician are Pino Daniele (funk, blues, pop Italian songwriter) and Stevie Wonder. And Banco del Mutuo Soccorso (try as in the last supper, the album Banco del mutuo soccorso (look for the money box cover, io sono nato libero.
(The list is below)
Moondrop STELLARIS
KZ AS24
Hidizs MP145
KZ PR1
KZ x HBB PR2
Letshouer s15
Letshouer z12
Letshouer kind lava
NiceHCK f1pro
Kz castor bass
Kiwi orchestra
Moondrop Kato
Thieaudio Oracle
The very expansive Danu Davinci (but have to balance the expanse too)
(What differences are there between these last two?)
So what are your suggestions?
(Again, very open not only of the tecnologies or model of my list. Those were just what jumped on my eyes).
Jumped on my attention the moondrop variations and, i know it’s very expensive. About this , do you think this worth? I mean, does that price affect the quality that much to justify the best your sound experience ever?
I was seeing about z 12, what do you think?
And now this one, the Alba, of this video.
Some are expansive but I can consider the expanse if you say that’s the best for that with no story.
I need one of IEM cause I’m doing a sort of project i would to propose to my friend and family called something headphone experience cause about music i would show them there is a world . So I’ll get there in different situations of headphones kind of listening and with different kind of headphones (open, closed, cheap, old new and IEM) with a multiple switch at the same time. Let them to close the eyes and go.
So I need a representative of IEM
There's more here than I can properly answer because I haven't heard all of the models you've listed. What I'd probably recommend is checking my list of recommended IEMs in the description and checking some reviews of those models to see which will suit your tastes the most.
Better than the Oriveti od200?
In some ways. The OD200 is technically stronger, but the tonality of the Alba is better IMO
@@PassionforSound thanks. Love the content.
Any advice for people who have trouble with their ears? Every time over the years I tried inserting these types of headphones in my ears, it always lead to earwax discharge and extreme discomfort. I stopped buying these types about 10 years ago. I’m so jealous. These seem awesome. Great review.
When was last time you tried?
@@paulosilva8200 Maybe 2013ish?
@@denislemieux7294 ha ham all iem is this days are very comfy. Go for it. I have 80 sets
I agree that things have improved a lot in recent years. The Albas should be very comfortable for most people and then it's just a matter of choosing the right tips and experimenting a little with fit.
I hope you find a comfortable solution if you try again.
@@PassionforSound 👍🏻 I think I’m going to make the purchase.
Sorry I'm confused. How do they sound without the dongle like into a music player
99% of this review was without the dongle so I only referred to their sound briefly with the dongle to clarify how well it performed. Everything else in the video is discussing their sound from any device (tested across a range of sources)
Alba had me at Jessica.
In seriousness I have been keen to hear your thoughts on this since the rumblings began about it. Could be a nice option for the monthly commute and save me lugging another DAC or DAP
Definitely a great option for a low fuss, low cost, wonderfully tuned IEM.
Untill now none has overcomes my worlds best iem.Odin,strom,fatfreqGrand n so on all get ass kicked n This??..Peace!
If they are that good , we should be comparing with 300.00 iem not same price because it's a easy win . So come on passion I want to know if there better than higher price iem then I will be interested in buying . Review makes it look really good but let's use a higher compared iems
Check the graph with Dunu Falcon Ultra.
What makes these so good isn't their technical performance, it's the tuning, build quality, included dongle and comfort. Higher level IEMs will absolutely beat them which is why I didn't compare them with higher models - that's not what they're about.
not worth the asking price
that cable is ridicolous and same the case.
Saw the same comment from this account nsr500 on different vids on Alba. They're Akoustyx LLC and they make IEMs too. Not cool.
@yogiwp_ wow. That's very uncool.
If you haven't tried the Simgot EW200, you need to. $40 USD
I still haven't tried that one
@@PassionforSound Do it. Not necessarily to review, but for yourself.