Mest Fortune is the spiritual successor of the rather famous line of Mest IEMs from Unique Melody. Following in the footsteps of Mest Indigo and Mest 3 (1DD, 4BA, 4EST, 1 BCD), Mest Fortune has 1DD, 4BA, 2EST, 3BCD in an attempt to take the MEST legacy further.
Specifications:
Total Drivers 10
Crossover 6-Way Crossover
Impedance 10Ω
Sensitivity 107dB@1kHz
Frequency Range 20Hz-35KHz
Connector 0.78mm 2-pin Socket
Driver Configuration
1 Dynamic Driver (Bass) + 2 BA Drivers (Midrange)+ 2 BA Drivers (Treble) + 2 EST Drivers (Ultra-High Frequency)| 3 Hybrid Bone Conduction Drivers (Low / Mid / High).
Some more info from Unique Melody
MEST Fortune adopts a sophisticated 10-driver hybrid configuration:
-1 Dynamic Driver (DD) for low frequencies, delivering a solid foundation and fast transient response
-4 Balanced Armature (BA) drivers covering low-mid to upper-mid frequencies, ensuring density, clarity, and resolution
-2 Electrostatic (EST) drivers dedicated to ultra-high frequencies, providing low distortion and excellent treble extension
-3 UM Hybrid Bone Conduction drivers serving as auxiliary drivers, enhancing bass perception and spatial dimensionality through vibration.
Not straying too far from Mest 3 design, which makes me happy, Fortune has the same resin shell and the same overall design, with a golden rim surrounding the faceplate and a composite-like shell material. The vented shells are gorgeous looking.
The unboxing experience is nice, but not breath-taking. Again, in line with other IEMs of the Mest series. I like the carrying case, a little bit larger than Pentara’s.
L to R: Pentara, Maven 2; bottom: Mest Fortune
Impeccable build quality is a given with UM. I have had the pleasure of reviewing Mest 3, Maven 2, Stardust, Mest Jet Black, Asahi, so I have a pretty good idea what to expect from them. Let’s just say they did not disappoint.
The shape is largely the same as Mest 3. They are comfortable, with the sole caveat being that it is difficult to me to obtain a deep tight fit. I have to resort to a more shallow fit, just like with Mest 3. Presumably, this means that some of the BCD goodness is lost on me. It’s a UM, so obviously there is some driver flex. Luckily is limited only to the insertion moment, subsequent movements do not trigger further crinckling. Unless you alter the seal.
The cable is very similar to the one Mest Jet Black came with, a departure from the Mest 3, but more in line with the new UM design’s language (the same hardware was present on Maven 2), while the beautiful Asahi kept the Mest 3 (and Mason series) cable hardware design. I wish they could have matched the color of the cable with the IEM, like they did with Mest 3. Even though more ergonomical than the Mest 3 cable, it seems a bit like a letdown, especially since there is a red cable shipped with the red version of Fortune.
The Mason Asahi cable for comparison
Even Mest 3 had the same hardware
The cable itself is soft and free of microphonics, and the sound quality seems to be good. I love it when IEMs come with cables that are actually usable.
The power requirement of the Mest Fortune is not huge, any decent modern DAP or dongle is more than enough to power these beauties. Like many other UMs before, they scale beautifully with more power, the stage blooming and adding a touch of control to the bass, while the treble is more energetic.
Preferred sources: Audma Brioso in normal gain (big, balanced sound), no stage adjustments. Astell&Kern SP3000 with DAR on, Nipo A100 (adds a touch of extra bite to treble and more sub bass omph), MUB5 (more body in lower mids and more present texture in mid bass).
Other sources tested: Nipo N2, LP W4, AP 80 Pro Max.
Tips
Tangzu allowed me a deeper fit, bringing more immersiveness at the expense of some sub bass. Good trade-off. Eletech Baroque and Baroque stage worked wonderfully, bringing the bass up a little, but also letting the treble mostly unaffected. CP145 trades a bit of treble for bass, but for me it also removes some spice from the upper mids. To be used in moderation.
Honorary mention to Hidizs Sea Anemone tips. Balanced and comfortable, shaving off some mid treble, but leaving air intact.
Sound
They have an addiction combination of mid bass, gritty mids and energetic treble. Upon hearing them, my first impression was mini-Pentara.
Bass
Much to my delight, this is not set drowned in bass. The bass is somehow reminiscent of Pentara’s, with a fast decay, but good extension. The sub bass seems to have a bit less presence than Pentara’s, but there is some rumble when called upon. Just don’t expect it to move the walls like Asahi. The bass is nimble, even super fast double bass drumming remaining a clear machine gun sound and not turning into pillowy mashed potatoes. Not hyperfast like Pentara’s, but one of the fastest nonetheless. The bass resides somewhere at the periphery of the stage field, leaving plenty of rooms for the instruments and voices to manifest themselves. My only complaint is minor, namely a bit of a stepped passage from sub bass to mid bass and further to mids. I would have liked a more fluid passage.
The mid bass could have been a tad more pronounced for a 100% match with my taste, but it’s already very good.
Mids
This is the part where Fortune could have done better, in my point of view. While Fortune seems more technically capable than previous Mest IEMs, with vastly enhanced clarity, it does sound a little bit mechanical. Maybe missing a touch of warmth, maybe that slightly stepped passage between the mids and the surrounding regions of the spectre, but something makes them sound a little bit cold and impersonal to me. Granted, after them, Maven 2 sounds a bit muddy, but this doesn’t affect me at all. Ironically, it is this “correctness” that puts me off a little.
I also find the mids to be in need of a little bit of thickness, voices like Michael Jackson’s seemingly missing a touch of body. The lower mids are a bit too shy for me, while the upper mids need more body. What I find interesting is that despite this, they have very good grit, death metal having just enough grunt in the lower register.
Treble
Is certainly THE highlight of Fortune for me. First of all, it is very detailed. Not only are the cymbals coherently placed at the top of the stage, but there is a good vertical distance between hi-hat and the rides and all. Then, the cymbals have a good texture, none of the plasticky or super smooth cymbals you hear on so many EST-containing sets. No, Fortune has very good thickness, going in the direction of Storm. This comes with a slight lazyness in decay, making very fast cymbals smear a little (fuse into a continuous fssss sound) The attack is great, is just the decay that sometimes is not fast enough. You can hear this especially on albums like Death’s “Spiritual healing”. Other than that, I find the mid treble quite elevated, a possible hot spot for some.
Despite this little nags, the treble remains of very good quality, and it is the ticket to making any listening session with Fortune an unforgettable experience.
On some occasions, the treble is too present, too forward, not unpleasant, but distracting the attention from the grand picture, such as, for example, when listening to Sade’s “Smooth operator”. However, the same treble turns Dirty Diana into a cymbal-driven masterpiece. I have resorted to changing tips between albums in order to always have the sound that I want (an advantage of burning album after album; this would not be possible with playlists).
Comparisons
Vs Maven 2
The balance sub bass to mid bass is reversed by comparison, while there is a deeper extension on Fortune, Maven 2 has a more muscular mid bass, but it has less sub bass extension.
Turning to mids, Maven 2 sound to me to have a bit more meat on the bone, with a better passage from bass to lower mids and a bit more body to voices.
In terms of treble, there is little Maven 2 does that Fortune cannot do better. First of all, Fortune is more airy, which is exactly what I would have liked from Maven 2. But it is not just air, the definition is better, the amount of details is seemingly higher, and the attack has more edge. Where Maven 2 shines for me, is the thickness of those cymbals, shorter decay and a more spread sound of cymbals. A different balance between air and body, let’s say. Taken in isolation, though, Fortune’s treble is better.
While a hair more sibilant than Fortune, Maven 2 also passes the 2Pac “All eyez on me” test, an album that is borderline insupportable on some IEMs, that’s how bright it is produced. Maven 2’s darker tuning is perfectly suited for this song/album.
Vs Mest Jet Black
Like its sober black coat, MJB is a perfect gentleman. It has well behaved bass, natural sounding mids and very accurate treble.
Starting with the bass, MJB presents the same peculiarity as Fortune, a slight subwoofer-like effect. The bass follows in general the same guiding lines as Fortune’s. It’s fast, precise, and it has almost the same sub/mid bass balance as Fortune. It is, however, a more rounded and drier bass, which makes it sound a bit smoother. I find the Fortune bass to be a bit more relaxed, while the MJB is tighter. We are talking about tiny differences, make no mistake.
A touch more articulation for MJB, while Fortune sounds a hair more detailed in bass. Despite the graph showing otherwise, MJB sounds a bit more bassy, with a more pronounced subwoofer effect, meaning that once below a certain frequency, there is a slight bump in volume. This works wonderful for electronic music, some rap and, much to my surprise, for some classic-sounding rock, namely Celelalte Cuvinte, a Romanian band I like a lot (try Allaturka Allafranca or 3in1 if you’re curious). With MJB, the bass drum sounds massive and incredibly real. Chest-hitting real. Fortune is not far off, but it has a tad less impact.
In terms of mids, the same trend continues, MJB is more full-bodied, voices just a bit forward, but the differences are really small. Both sound clear, with Fortune having a small edge over the MJB.
Where things get more interesting is the treble. Fortune is pure energy compared to MJB’s more serious and contained approach. While technically MJB remains a more apt metal specialist with its faster decay, I’d take Fortune’s energetic treble over it any day. As long as the music is not blazing fast, Fortune offers a more energetic and more fun presentation.
Music
Within Temptation with Anneke van Giersbergen – Somewhere
What do you get when you combine two of the best feminine voices in metal?! A song guaranteed to give you goosebumps every time. Even when listening to it for twenty times, for the purpose of a review. There is the slightest thinness in the upper treble, failing to give that extra sparkle required to elevate this performance. While a very good performance, I have the nagging feeling there is something holding Anneke’s voice back, a lack of warmth maybe. Perfect control of sibilance.
Maven 2 sounds smaller, the cymbals in the beginning sound a lot less precise than Fortune. Despite a bit of sibilance in Sharon’s voice, Anneke sounds sublime, more organic, a bit warmer and more emotional. The voices are a bit more central on this smaller stage, and the lack of sub bass extension draws less attention. There is no doubt that Fortune sounds cleaner, clearer, brighter, but for me, Maven 2 has a more romantic sound. The thing is, this is a live performance, so it is not meant to sound perfect and from my point of view, Maven 2 sounds just right, while Fortune is too precise, too perfect.
MJB sounds a bit darker than Fortune, and this has a two-fold influence on the rest of the spectrum. First, the bass sounds more present, not overwhelming, but more distracting. Secondly, the lowered treble lifts the upper mids and the voices a little bit, restoring their natural thickness. All in all, a more pleasant listen than Fortune.
Recap: Fortune is the brightest, airiest, most clear, but with a very slight thinness.
Just for a reality check: Pentara sounds larger, with perfect timbre and the voices closer than either of the others UM IEMs. The large stage helps a lot. The percussion is more bombastic, but relatively remote from the voice, so it is not distracting. Anneke’s voice has its natural shine restored.
Turning to a specialist, S40 v2 is the undisputed master here, both voices have more substance, a texture that I have not heard with the other contenders. In particular during the passages with vocal harmonies, there is a richness of tones, which combined with the central, close-by placement of the voices, make the S40 the best for this song.
Cradle to the grave
From the 2nd blow of that bass, I feel it all the way to my chest, from the 4th, it descends to my heels, and I could swear the floor is shaking. Impressive performance, that I can only attribute to the presence of those BCDs, as Maven 2 is not really capable of that, despite having plenty of bass.
MJB has the most powerful bass here, it’s like the chair under me is trembling, from the very first blow of that massive sub bass. The stage is a little bit smaller than Fortune’s and it doesn’t reach the same level of clarity when the piano kicks in.
Maven 2 feels seriously out of its league here. The bass does not have the same low reach, but the timbre overall is very pleasant. If this is your favourite music, though, one of the other two might be a better option.
Eminem – Houdini
This is as close to perfect as it gets. The bass is ample, rumble enthusiasts have nothing to scoff about, the mid bass is textured like any Mest should, the words are clearer than ever, and all while maintaining a very controlled sound, precise and authoritative. Since this song has a fast tempo, the quick decay bass works very well here. Quick start/stop, good dosage of cymbals, I cannot find any faults.
The song plays also to MJB’s strengths, fast, muscular bass, clear voice and well controlled treble. While not the most bassy IEM, MJB has all I need for this song.
Maven 2 puts a lot of emphasis on the mid bass, which is closer to my preference. There is less rumble than Fortune, and a slight veil on the vocals, which are more central than Fortune.
Melody Gardot – Who will comfort me
Detailed treble and open sounding presentation. Polished, while not overly smooth, as proven by the split sound of the trumpet. The percussion is passed through a clarifying glass, and the overall sound is reference with a touch of bass. I don’t think I’ve heard many UMs sound so close to reference and maintain the fun element in doing so.
As expected, MJB is following in the footsteps of Fortune with a panoramic presentation. The slightly darker tuning works just as good as Fortune’s.
Maven 2 has slightly more relaxed bass, and less of it, for that matter, a bit longer decay and not the same hyper clarity in the mids, but it has a familiar feeling, like a pair of worn shoes. The voice is a bit closer and more organic. Not as airy as Fortune, but not dark either. The best balance for me for this vocal centered track.
Slayer – Seasons in the abyss
I bet you were wondering when does the heavy stuff come into play. The masters of grit are here to put Fortune to the test. Very nice cymbals, especially during the chorus. The drum fills show good distance between the toms, as Mr. Lombardo is moving through the kit. Tom’s voice has that harsh melodicity, like the devil speaking to you, tempting, but foreboding. The guitar solos reach a bit of harshness/loudness. I feel the need for a bit more lower mids grunt, and some of the drums are too snappy.
Maven 2 sounds more relaxed, larger decays, more gritty in the lower end, and the snare is less snappy. The cymbals have more thickness, but in terms of definition they are not quite as detailed as Fortune’s. The splashes have that spreading sound I love so much in Storm. The voice sounds has perfect
Yoth Iria – The blind eye of Antichrist
Magnificent effort from the Greek metallers, founded by the bassist of another of my favourite bands, featuring a church-like chorus in the beginning, followed by the usual Rotting Christ mix of greek and grit (can we say G&G?!) highly melodic guitar solo, overlayed with that typical high droning guitar.
The drums-backed chorus at 02:45 sounds huge on Fortune, with very good balance between drums and voices, balance that is maintained further on, after the introduction of the remaining elements. The words are easy to understand. The large, cathedral like stage of Fortune make this song sound better than Maven 2.
Maven 2 has the most meaty mids of this trifecta of UMs. If the main voice is pushed forward, the chorus sounds a bit pushed back. Maven 2’s stage feels a little bit more intimate, especially in height. If pushed really hard, I’d still choose Fortune, for the stage.
And Oceans – Tears have no name
Fans of electronic music are not forgotten, here Fortune sounds massive, with very good instrument separation, the synths residing in a layer of their own. A very tactile rendition, with just a touch too much spice in the treble. Here MJB with it’s faster treble and a tad louder bass worked a little better.
Believe it or not, for this particular song, a mixture of metal and electronic, I prefer the bassy Mests over Maven 2.
Conclusion
To conclude, Mest Fortune is one of the best UM IEMs so far. It hits hard, with precision, but maintains a very fluid presentation, while mesmerizing with it’s treble. There are so many models that have good EST treble, when all I want is just good treble. Well, UM has done it. The Fortune has the air of ESTs, but the body of my good old IE900. This is no small achievement. The overall presentation is treading along the lines set by Mest 3, MJB and Maven 2. Closer to the Mest series than Maven 2 (in a logical way, I might add), Fortune is without a doubt the most accomplished of the series.
Who is it for: Everybody who’s not sensitive to treble. I am a bit of a treble head, so I find them just right. They play most genres well, taking a bit of penalty with high pitched female vocals. Other than that, be it movie soundtracks, house or prog rock, they do a wonderful job. The grand stage helps with classical too,
Who should stay away: bass heads might be better served elsewhere. The Fortune has enough bass for most people, but this is not a bassy set. MJB is more powerful in this regard.
So, do you like it then? 🤨