Unique Melody MEST Jet Black IEMs Review – Raven Of The Forgotten Song
Unique Melody MEST Jet Black is the $1999 USD high-end flagship IEMs with 10 drivers playing for each ear, Tourmaline Black Gaze design, Hybrid Bone Conduction system, All-New Bone Conduction Crossover technology, and a complex combination of Dynamic drivers, Balanced Armatures, Electrostatic driver, Composite Bone Conduction Drivers and Piezoelectric Bone Conduction drivers. Today we review the MESt Jet Black and also compare it with other flagship-class Earphones including Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 (1999 USD), Sennheiser IE900 (1499 USD), FIR Audio E12 Electron (1799 USD).
Introduction
Unique Melody made quite a few IEMS over the years, and we have reviewed the MEST MII and MEXT in the past, but MESt Jet Black is not just a color variation We even checked out the Unique Melody Maven Pro and Unique Melody had a number of different signatures in the past, but they are known for their quality, reliable IEMS, and are a favorite for audiophiles.
As an Amazon Influencer, I earn from qualifying purchases, and using the purchase links in my reviews helps me maintain this website and Youtube Channel. Huge thanks to Unique Melody for providing us with the sample for this review.
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/44MxpWH
Official Website – https://www.uniquemelody.org/products/mest-jet-black
Build Quality – Aesthetics
Unique Melody outdid themselves with the MESt Jet Black, this is an IEM that shows the world just what the company can pull in 2025, and with bone conduction at the core of the MEST series, we now have a Hybrid Bone Conduction system with a bone crossover technology, both first time to be used in an IEM. Unique Melody employs a composite balanced armature bone conduction diver, and piezoelectric bone conduction driver, integrating both in a hybrid bone conduction system. Through crossover technology, each frequency range is handled by a different driver, reducing distortion and enhancing the resolution and detail of the bone conduction.
To expand on how the drivers are purposed inside of the Mest Jet Black, composite balanced armature bone conduction drivers focus on the low and mid frequencies. Piezoelectric bone conduction drivers handle the high-frequency signals.
Bone Conduction is not the only tech used in the MESt Jet Black, and we have dynamic drivers, electrostatic divers playing along the BA and Piezoelectric drivers in the bone conduction systems. For the traditional part of the sound, we have one dynamic driver, 4 balance armatures, and 2 electrostatic drivers playing inside of the Unique Melody MESt Jet Black.
The default variant of the IEM comes with the UM Unique Melody Dreamy Custom IEM cable, which has a single-crystal copper, having undergone a year of natural annealing, and featuring a seven-fold pipe, with a PVC sleeving, and having a 24 AWG construction, with 4 conductors. A leather case is also inside the package, with Italian Cowhide colored in the Unique Melody Blue signature color.
For the geek in you to digest the tech data, with 10 drivers playing for each ear, Unique Melody Black Jade has an impedance of 12.6 OHMS, and a SPL or Sensitivity of 106 dB. This makes it easy to drive, but also sensitive to the source quality.
Subjective Usage
I love how Unique Melody improves everything about their IEMS with every new release, but one thing seems to have stayed constant – there is a bit of driver flex when inserting IEMS in your ears. This will never damage your IEMS, but it means that you have to be careful when inserting and taking out the IEMS of your ears.
Cable quality is incredible, and Unique Melody’s Dreamy Custom IEM cable can actually be purchased separately for $300 USD, not just a fair price, but a good price, considering today’s market. This cable for IEMS made by Unique Melody does not transmit handling noise or microphonic noise, and it is flexible, but also feels slightly longer than for example the cable of the Moritz Enzo thanks to its flexibility.
Jet Black has a medium-low passive noise isolation, around 15 dB to 20 dB, with a medium fit that feels secure once you insert them in your ears. Shells are ergonomic, and eartips are of an excellent quality. As with most IEMs that feature any kind of bone conduction drivers, using sticky eartips that make the fit more secure will improve bass impact and resolution.
Sound Quality
Pairings – To review the Unique Melody MEST Jet Black, I have paired it with a selection of sources, including Rose Technics RT-5000, Dethonray Clarinet, SMSL M20, Surfans F28 DAP, TempoTec March V, Cayin RU9, SMSL C200 PRO, JDS Labs Element IV, iBasso DX340, Lotoo PAW GT2, FiiO K17. It feels like MESt Jet Black is quite a bit harder to drive than the vast majority of IEMS, I need twice the power to drive it compared to Moritz Audio Enzo, which is currently the IEM I listen to the most, and with which I may draw some comparisons down the line.
Unique Melody made the Jet Black to be sensitive to source quality, inherent to their ultra revealing and detailed sound. They are also somewhat sensitive to source noise, and require a source with good loudness saturation as the large number of drivers and micro differences in impedance between the drivers mean that MEST Jet Black is rather sensitive to the whole source quality. MESt Jet Black prefers a medium or low gain from the source, for example with FiiO K17, they sound more controlled and cleaner with lower gain levels even after volume matching. This means that it is easier to overpower them than to underpower them.
Overall Signature – The more I try to listen to the MEST Jet Black and describe them, the more I just find them to be perfectly balanced, to have everything in just the right amount, from a punchy and thumpy bass, to a colorful, rich and vivid midrange, to a crisp, brilliant treble. They just feel complete, an end-game pair of IEMs that will make everyone happy every single day. Bass reaches down to 20 Hz, but it is controlled, just the perfect amount to be called balanced, treble climbs up to 20 kHz, but has a nice spread of energy across the entire range, while MEST Jet Black has a vivid emphasis of both male and female voices, incredible instrument separation and layering, and details that can compete with the best flagships ever released on the market, even MAD24 from Ambient Acoustics. Most MEST IEMS from Unique Melody used to be far more V-Shaped, but Jet Black is the first one I can confidently call perfect, it is so well balanced and versatile, a true generalist, master of all.
Bass – There’s nothing quite like a full and deep bass, and Unique Melody MESt Jet Black has the fullest, thumpiest and deepest bass you will hear from a balanced all-rounder. This is a departure from the style of overly thick and warm bassy signatures that the other MEST IEMS usually presented. Jet Black is quite balanced, it has a thunderous low-end, can reach 20 Hz nicely with full impact, and bass has strength across the entire bass, with a slightly higher power from 20 Hz to 60 Hz than it has above, which makes the bass feel snappy, deep, and not the boomy, veiled style. Also, bass speed is incredibly fast and it is responsive without feeling dry, it is technically good.
Midrange – For a second, you wouldn’t believe that this is still part of the MEST series of IEMS, as from a V-Shaped signature for the whole series, Jet Black sounds rich, revealing, vocal for female voices, but deep and serious for male voices. The drivers used by the company have different characteristics, and you hear a serious, powerful voice for male voices, but a happy, emotional voice for female voices. One IEM that can render Rammstein and Mori Calliope equally well is super rare. There’s no bias in the voicing, both male and female voices, lower and upper midrange have the same level of emphasis.
Jet Black is actually one of the few IEMS out there that really has a rich and cohesive midrange. It can render a personal voicing, but does not constrict the staging in any way, instead allowing music to breathe.
Treble – with a brilliant, sharp treble, Jet Black almost feels V-Shaped, but treble is in balance relative to the bass and the midrange. It has extension up to 20 kHz, and the entire treble has a healthy energy, from 8 kHz all the way to 18 kHz, it keeps brilliance up and coloration fairly low, having a natural texture and low distortion. Jet Black allows every song to be its own, has a high transparency, and the cymbal sounds recorded by metallica have nothing to do with those in songs by Painted In Exile.
PRaT / Textures / Dynamic – Although Jet Black has multiple driver technologies and multiple drivers, the sound Unique Melody tuned for them is super cohesive, they have the same texture for all frequency ranges, it is a hard sounding, natural – impactful, fast and technical – revealing IEM. This makes most music transparent, crisp, and tight, impact is hard, and most music is very detailed. This being said, Jet Black has an incredible dynamic range, sound is always vivid and colorful, rich without sounding dry nor compressed. If you need a short version, it has natural texturing, not harsh, not brash, but not overly smooth either, it renders instruments as they sound in real life.
Loudness Saturation Gradient – You will enjoy Jet Black at all volumes, they sound controlled, and a trademark for a high-end flagship pair of IEMs, they are super consistent. The same quality, same resolution and same level of dynamics can be heard regardless whether you prefer the Jet Black quiet or loud. In fact, even more important, but Jet Black has the same frequency response, it does not turn hot when loud, does not turn smooth or bland when quiet, control is absolute and this is indicative of an extreme headroom, which would allow for space to EQ, but I don’t see anyone wanting to change the signature of the Jet Blacky.
Soundstage – Jet Black is extensive, expands both on the lateral plane, in depth and even height. It produces music that moves, with a strong layering and instrument separation. It can render the most complex songs, with outstanding precision and clarity. Lateral separation is extreme and so is the projection of music, you get a holographic, highly impressive sound that pushes the boundaries of instrument separation, a voice is playing right in front of you, with an entire well-defined orchestra behind, but you can still understand effects and violins, or synths if they are playing even further in the back.
Comparisons
Unique Melody MESt Jet Black vs FIR Audio E12 Electron (1999 USD vs 1799 USD) – Starting with the fit, I prefer the feeling of the MEST Jet Black which feels closed-back, isolates a bit more and provides a more secure seal, compared to e12 which feels open, kinda loose fitting compared to Jet Black. Both IEMs are built nicely, come with a high-quality transport case, and both IEMS have a high-end cable included in the package. E12 is a bit smaller than Jet Black which allows it to fit a bit better with smaller ears, but the shape and design of both is super ergonomic. It is a tie here, both are great, and the fact that I feel Jet Black adhering to my ears a bit better helps me with the perceived comfort. Sonically, e12 electron has a heavier, deeper, punchier bass, while Jet Black is far more balanced, has a more present voice, a more brilliant treble, higher resolution and much better revealing abilities. If you are looking for a little bit of everything and the kind of IEM that would make every listener happy, Jet Black is your guy, while e12 electron is perfect if you want to explore your basshead kink and hear a deeper, more lush sound.
Unique Melody MESt Jet Black vs Sennheiser Ie900 (1999 USD vs 1499 USD) – Physically, Ie900 is much smaller, but the default cable quality is very poor compared to Jet Black which has a much better cable quality, more ergonomic cables. In fact, I like everything about the sound of Ie900, but always disliked the somewhat shallow, poor fit, while the medium, more secure fit of the Jet Black feels natural inside my ears, it is a high-end IEM in both fit and feel. MEst Jet Black is a clear winner for comfort, build quality and overall design, but sonically IE900 is more of a U-Shaped sounding pair of IEMS, bright treble, splashy, and deep, thunderous, thick bass. Unique Melody made their Jet Black much more balanced, with a cleaner overall sound, better resolution, richer midrange, more present voicing, but also a faster, more thumpy bass with a stronger kick, and with a more brilliant and more crisp treble. Between those two, Jet Black feels like a full scale upgrade from IE900.
Unique Melody MESt Jet Black vs Letshuoer Cadenza 12 2025 (1999 USD vs 1999 USD) – This is a hard comparison to make, because Cadenza 12 2025 is my daily gym driver together with FiiO UTWS5 2025, but there are many key differences, including the driver flex which is present on the blacky, but not present on the cadenza, which makes cadenza a better iem for gym. This being said, cadenza 12 has metallic shells that scratch more easily, and also they have a deeper, more secure fit, with a better passive noise isolation, which helps at the gym. In comparison, jet blacky has a bit of driver flex when adjusting them, but has a more relaxed fit, that feels better for longer periods of wear, and they also have a slightly weaker passive noise isolation. Sonically, Jet Black is a bit more colorful, more rich in the midrange, slightly less bright in the treble, more relaxed, and with a more thumpy bass, more kick and punch down low, although both IEMS are fairly similar. I would say that the biggest difference is not even in the resolution but in how each renders textures and PRaT, JEt Black is more natural, while Cadenza more splashy. This means that treble and upper midrange has a longer, more relaxed decay on the Cadenza, while Jet Black has the kind of backdrop and decay that is more dry and tighter.
Value and Conclusion
Unique Melody MEST Jet Black has the value and price performance ratio rarely seen in flagship, I find it one of my favorite IEMS, and for the price you receive a really impressive pair of earphones, with outstanding dynamics, a highly impactful sound, and exceptional resolution. Jet Black also comes with a nice package, and for the variant I am reviewing, a high-end cable is in order too, this package needs no upgrades and you can enjoy them even with the default eartips.
Award – It has been a while since I last added a pair of IEMS to the Audiophile-Heaven Hall Of fame, and Unique Melody MESt Jet Black deserves it all, and it replaces all of the other MESt IEMS in our Hall Of Fame, it offers a far more natural midrange, and more impactful, more detailed sound. MEST Jet Black is the perfect flagship pair of earphones to get today if you love music and want both bass, but also resolution, a rich midrange and a pleasing overall tuning.
At the end of the day, Unique Melody made a pair of high-end flagships for everyone, and Unique Melody MEST Jet Black is outstanding, vocal but bassy, balanced but brilliant in the treble, it is so perfectly balanced that I think it would satisfy every single listener, it has a bit of everything in just the right amounts to make music perfect.
PROs
- Outstanding balance between frequency ranges
- Superb comfort
- Excellent cable options, including the option to buy with no cable
- Deep impact
- Rich vocals
- Brilliant treble
- Hard transport case included in the package
- Excellent price performance ratio for a pair of high-end IEMs
- Perfectly adequate for all music listeners, all taste types, basic perfection
Cons
- Driver flex present when inserting them
- Sensitive to source quality
Product Link
Amazon – https://amzn.to/44MxpWH
Official Website – https://www.uniquemelody.org/products/mest-jet-black
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Full Playlist used for this review
We listened to more songs than those named in this playlist, but those are excellent for identifying a sonic signature. I recommend trying most of the songs from this playlist, especially if you’re searching for new music! The playlists are different for Spotify, Tidal and Youtube, and based on the songs I enjoy and are available on each!
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_cjBXGmwSHSdGcwuc_bKbBDGHL4QvYBu
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5J3oloz8Riy9LxEGenOjQ0?si=979ba4f082414be7
https://tidal.com/browse/playlist/330fd544-8e5b-4839-bd35-676b2edbb3d5
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