Muse Hifi Power – Review
While still fairly uncommon, Planar Magnetic In-Ear Monitors are starting to break into the market and become more prominent in the public conversation surrounding IEM Drivers. Muse Hifi’s new Power Planar Magnetic IEMs hope to create a more budget friendly option ($199) for those looking for that specific planar magnetic IEM sound character.
What’s in the Box
- Muse Hifi Power IEMs
- 2-Pin 3.5mm cable
- Carrying Case
- 12 Pairs of Ear tips
- User Manual
Look and Feel
One thing that stuck out to me about the Power is its size/weight ratio. These are large in-ears, some of the largest I’ve seen, yet they’re also some of the lightest. The 3-D printed housing is a semi-opaque bourbon with a copper-lined backplate resembling dunes in a desert. The bulky housing did end up causing discomfort the longer I wore them, but this was only a minor inconvenience.
Design
The Power features a flat diaphragm planar magnetic driver. The resonance chambers are especially designed to minimize distortion. Muse Hifi has gone to great lengths to ensure the Power doesn’t sacrifice clarity or impact. With the Myriad of ear tips, you can further customize your listening experience to suit your preference.
The Muse Hifi Power has a frequency response of 10 Hz – 40 kHz and an impedance of 32 Ohms.
Soundstage
The Power’s stereo field doesn’t overstate its depth, inhabiting a nice space between exaggerated and understated. While It doesn’t create an incredibly vivid 3D space, I still felt good separation and impressive width from these. The soundstage is subtle, but what it presents has some serious depth and nuance to it.
Lows
The Power’s lows are a fascinating balance between impact and subversion. Hits and subs were present and had the necessary punch, but also didn’t feel omnipresent. This is a very complicated balance to pull off, and I almost wished they had more presence at times, but not to sacrifice the Power’s precision.
Mids
The mids feel relatively flat and do a good job supporting and bringing out the best in the other ranges. I found that some lead instruments could have had more articulation, but what they slightly lose in bite and impact, they make up for in clarity and detail. I could hear so many parts of the mix that I was unable to perceive in other IEMs. Higher percussive elements like hats and shakers have so much texture to them, and the complex curve affects everything differently, and does some elements justice more than others.
Highs
The Highs add to the subtle clarity by only slightly accentuating textures. I never felt like I was listening to highs, I was instead listening to supporting textures that enriched the sonic palette. It had just enough sharpness to still bring out some weight when it needed, but not enough to distract or add harshness to the overall spectrum.
Overall
The Muse Hifi Power is something that doesn’t try to appeal to everybody, and that is what makes it great. While it wasn’t up to some of my preferences, the precision in its sound character and the ability to subtly blend makes it a great IEM for those who like a more relaxed listening experience. At $200, this IEM is a great addition to any audiophile’s collection.
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You can buy the Muse Hifi Power at Audio46
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