SemperMalum

100+ Head-Fier
Hey There, Mr. Blue - We're so Pleased to be with You (Maestro Mini)
Pros: Thundering yet Controlled Bass
V-Shaped tuning done right
Subwoofer Feeling/Effect (similar to Scarlet Mini) makes this a fun set without taking anything away
Extremely Comfortable
Natural timbre and solid technicalities
Still a capable all-rounder while giving you visceral bass
Cons: Power hungry (not as power hungry as Maestro Mini's siblings but still needs power to open up the sound)
Not as smooth as similarly priced IEMs
Not exactly budget friendly
Occasionally sharp which is not ideal for the treble sensitive or high volume listening
TL;DR: Unapologetically V-Shaped sound with a subwoofer in your Ear

Overview/History

Hi all.

Another Fatfreq review being dropped as I was able to demo both the Maestro SE and the Maestro Mini as part of a tour. I've spent the past week only putting the Maestro Mini and the Maestro SE in my ears and putting them through the gamut.

If you aren't aware of what Fatfreq has brought to the IEM community, they're essentially the bass whisperers. Their Maestro series is their take on the V-shaped sound signature (and their most successful line up) to the point where they were backed up on orders.

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*Stock photo from Fatfreq's website*

Many of the bigger reviewers out there are absolutely enamored with their basshead yet quality line up and I think you can firmly place me right up there as a fan of their offerings.

Without further adieu, here's my full write up/impressions/review of the Maestro Mini.

Disclaimers: This unit was received as part of the Watercooler Tour as hosted by - I was not given any instructions to review or leave any impressions; this is purely just something I wanted to do with the opportunity given. Shoutout to Fatfreq as this is the second/third Fatfreq IEMs that I've been able to demo as part of separate tours and it speaks volumes to them standing behind their product that they're letting people try out their awesome IEMs.

Build Quality, Comfort and Accessories
Photo dump time!

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I just recently reviewed the Maestro SE so some pictures are being reused from that write up. The unit(s) came in a black pelican hard case.

There were some included tips that looked competent. I did try them for a moment (after wiping down) but I did most of my listening with my own tips line up. YMMV based on fit or whether you're willing to tip roll.

In a previous review, I had indicated that the Maestro SE are chonky bois but the Maestro Mini are small and very comfortable. Here's a size comparison compared another comfortable set (for me) the Xuan NV for size comparison sake. The Mini are even smaller then them. Which is borderline baffling how they did it.

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Tip Rolling
With how comfortable the Maestro Mini are to me, I was able to fully embrace tip rolling and getting the perfect combination down.

The Maestro Mini really do respond/work well with your line up of tips and they're one of the few sets where I can definitively tell a major difference between what the tips presented. Usually, it feels more subtle but the Maestro Mini are anything but subtle.

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Spinfit W1: Bass was still present/impactful but it felt like some subbass was lost (felt more midbass forward). Vocals/treble were presented exactly how they graph/squig where it can occasionally be sharp but not nearly as fatiguing as the Final Type E can be. While the Spinfit W1 were the winners for listening with the Maestro SE, I don't think they're my favorite here.
Final Type E - Clear/Red: Bass was impactful (more so than the Spinfit) and nothing on the bass side felt lost. The issue were kind of with the mids/highs - the Maestro Mini does adopt a more aggressive mids/highs approach and the Final Type E help elevate the treble usually. This makes the Final Type E perfect with the Scarlet Mini but they can get very sharp at times with the Maestro Mini. It's not to the point where I can't listen with them but the more treble sensitive would hate the Maestro Mini with the Final Type E Clear/Reds.
TangZu SanChai - Balanced: Bass on these tips were great; rumble and midbass was present. They did not sound as harsh/sharp as the Final Type E but they also felt a bit closer as soundstage and separation definitely took a hit. Treble was definitely smoother than even the W1. Probably the runner up for me though not the perfect combination for my tastes.
Dunu S&S: Combo achieved! Treble was smoothed out the most with the Dunu S&S, mids/vocals were still as natural sounding but bass (while not as midbass impactful as the SanChai) rumbled comfortably in my ears. With the treble tamed a bit, I was able to increase the volume comfortably (without fear of fatigue) that makes this combination perfect for moderate volume listening as well as higher volume listening.

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Cable
The Maestro Mini has two cable options; one is their stock black cable while they also have an upgraded blue cable which is modular. I -love- that blue cable but the stock black cable is extremely thin and I am not a fan of that one. Thankfully, I have a handful of other cables available to me (because I'm a cable addict now, apparently, thanks Xinhs and NiceHCK) and they work well with the Maestro Mini.

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Sound
But how do they sound? Analytical and clinical.

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These are bass cannons. They sound bassy and V-shaped but the elevation in mids/treble make this still a viable all-rounder that's extremely fun to listen to. You aren't going to get necessarily the same quality of bass that it's siblings offer (like the Maestro SE) or the same quantity of bass (Scarlet Mini) but you're getting an extremely fun presentation nonetheless that harkens back to the times where you could just sit back and -enjoy- your music. But, let's break it down further.

Gear Tested On: Primarily streamed music via either dedicated Streamer, Laptop or Phone
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Abigail Pro
Phone chain: Pixel 8 Pro -> Fosi DS2
Streamed Music Chain Workstation: Laptop -> Fiio K11
Streamed Music chain: WiiM Mini -> JDS Labs Atom DAC+ -> JDS Labs OL Switcher -> Geshelli Labs Archel 3 Pro


Lows/Bass: Bass quantity and quality are amazing with the Maestro Mini. The bass is detailed, subbass focused with satisfactory midbass impact/slam (not necessarily the same quality as it's siblings). This is easily a natural step up from prior heralded basshead sets (Legato, etc.) without breaking the bank and could easily be endgame (does that even exist in this hobby??) for people that don't want to go to the Summit-Fi territory levels.

The best thing about the Maestro Mini (and by extension the Scarlet Mini) is the size being on the smaller end which fits perfectly in your ear. This gives the IEM this an entire head shaking subwoofer effect. Both the Scarlet Mini and the Maestro Mini provide a level of head shaking that is addicting and unlike anything I've enjoyed in my ears. The difference in the two really comes down to how much more bass do you want (and are willing to sacrifice for) vs how much you'd miss the other aspects in your music.

You're able to enjoy this tasteful bass whether you go to moderate volume listening or higher volume listening.

Mids: Mids for the Maestro Mini are extremely natural with the timbre. While the upper mids are a bit elevated, it still remains very balanced sounding and there is zero bass bleed. I wouldn't consider them extremely smooth but the overall cohesiveness between the bass/mids feels like they're working together rather than against.

Both male/female vocals sound great. The only nitpick I would have really comes down to female vocals occasionally sounding sharp but it's essentially to compensate for the sheer amount of bass. With the right tips, they weren't a concern for me anymore.

Treble: Treble can sound extremely sharp at times but, otherwise, they sound elevated to compensate for the large amount of bass.

I think the best way to put it is that while the treble is elevated, I think the bass provides a good enough blanket that it almost buffers the highs. There were some fatiguing moments in certain tracks that tend to be very sparkly at the top end but having swapped to the Dunu S&S tips, they were reigned in a bit and it became significantly less harsh.

This is more of the tuning choice with the Maestro Mini, though, where it gives you both the bass but also doesn't shy away from the other frequencies.

Specific songs listened to and other Etc.:
I listened to a handful of my 'reference' songs but also my general library to figure out where the Maestro Mini excelled. I can comfortably say that the tuning choice in these make most of the music I listen to fun and engaging. Adding an Asterisk to songs where the Maestro Mini really shined.

Fleetwood Mac - Dreams*
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
ELO - Mr. Blue Sky*
Gorillaz - 19-2000 Soulchild Remix*
Boston - More Than a Feeling*
Justice - Genesis*
Deadmau5 - There Might be Coffee*
Camille - Le Festin*
Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
AC/DC - Thunderstruck
Outkast - Hey Ya!

Here's one track that stands out because it's got a fun rumble of bass but female vocals are extremely high and there's a LOT of stereo separation and sparkle on treble: Dog Days are Over - Florence + the Machine.

This is an example of a song that is borderline unbearable on the Final Type E Clear/Red tips, OK on the Spinfit W1, OK on the SanChai Balanced but great on the Dunu S&S where I didn't feel like I needed to skip the track.

I think the soundstage is wider than the Scarlet but not nearly as complete as the Maestro SE. The Maestro Mini is well above average on details/dynamics as I was able to pick out things in some of my music that only the Dusk or the Moondrop S8 presented better. Layering/separation isn't the greatest but they're not going to disappoint you if you use this set as a bassy all-rounder. But, by picking up the Maestro Mini, you're essentially saying that you want a basshead set that will do every genre well.

These will not provide the same vocal/separation/layering/soundstage as, say, the Crinacle x Dusk but I don't think you'd care while you're nodding your head in sheer fun/enjoyment of your music.

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Comparisons:
Comparisons will be hard but I think it's worth comparing to another similar basshead IEM and it's older siblings.

Legato: I'm primarily comparing the Maestro Mini to the Legato because the Legato were my previous basshead set that I loved. The Maestro Mini are clear step up from the Legato both in terms of bass quality, quantity and impact. You're also getting a more complete package of sound for the mids/treble that the Legato was missing.

In turn, you're not getting as smooth of a set as the Legato. I think the Maestro Mini is definitely worth the step up to.

Scarlet Mini: I think where the Scarlet Mini takes a seat back for all the other frequencies of the spectrum to embrace the full bass experience, the Maestro Mini has no lack of midrange presence or upper extension.

The Scarlet Mini will sound more inoffensive and definitely has more subbass rumble but I don't think it can provide the same basshead all-rounder feeling that the Maestro Mini is capable of. I am personally going to go with the Maestro Mini in this case but only because I was able to demo them to know exactly what I'm getting myself into.

Maestro SE: The Maestro SE is the better overall IEM but I don't think they're nearly as comfortable nor as fun. I would go with the Maestro Mini for a fraction of the cost. But, if I was looking at a Summit-Fi quality IEM that provided details galore while having some of the best detailed bass out there, the Maestro SE would not disappoint at all (if you can get them to fit).

Other Things to be aware of:
Fatfreq has typically been very responsive but there have been reports of people's shipments being delayed for months. That being said, it does appear that things are coming out in a more timely manner so it's likely that they've finally shrunken their backlog and things are more normalized for them. YMMV, though, so be aware that it could be 3+ weeks or it could be months. If you don't want to wait, there are other retailers like MusicTeck that you can purchase from instead.

These also retail for $475 so you are paying premium for this set. I don't think I can recommend them sight unseen but, if you're not treble sensitive, I think I'd lean towards being more OK with that referral. But I'd feel better about recommending this set as a fun 2nd IEM set that could even be your most expensive in your line up based on their ability to be used as an all-rounder unlike the Scarlet Mini which is more of a niche listen.

The Maestro Mini, like it's siblings, love power. I would not recommend this set if you don't have the ability to drive them. I don't think they're nearly as power hungry as the Scarlet nor the Maestro but they scale well to their power, their source (and even the tips) so you should really help them live up to their full potential.

The Masetro Mini also work really well with certain sources. Any warmer sources will further tame the treble extension on the Maestro Mini and likely be additionally pleasing to the ear. The Fosi DS2 (and Fosi in general from what I've heard) tend to be very warm-neutral leaning and tend to provide some treble relief. The Maestro Mini really performed well with this set up.

I did run the Mini with the K11 (which tends to still keep the sound signature as close to true neutral as possible) and this was a situation where keeping it with the Dunu S&S made the most sense while I could play around a little bit more on other tips with the Fosi DS2.

The Archel 3 Pro ran these extremely well and I could actually use the tone control here to dial back the treble a small smide so that I could use some of my other tips to greater effect.

Conclusion:
Overall, I'm a huge fan of the Maestro Mini. While I was initially concerned about how sharp the graphs/squig reflect that they are (and impressions that people have provided comparing the Maestro Mini and the Scarlet which is extremely inoffensive with it's treble extension), my concerns were squashed when I was finally able to put them in my ears.

Don't get me wrong. They can get up there. They likely won't be for everyone especially people who are treble sensitive. They worked extremely well for me but I could see how some people would struggle with them or would need to either EQ, run Dunu S&S or another set of tips, or run only in lower volumes. But, in my use case, I think the Maestro Mini is an excellent addition.

I think the Maestro Mini is a step up from a 'niche' IEM but it is still going to be a bit more pricey than some may be willing to spend. If you are willing to spend on it, though, I think the best thing that the Maestro Mini does is remind you that it's totally OK to just sit back, relax and have fun with your music.

You don't have to sit broodingly in a dark room and using the brightness of an IEM to shine some light in your earholes.

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Let Fatfreq show you the way.

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Thanks for reading!

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grumpy213

100+ Head-Fier
I'm afraid I just blue myself
Pros: Surprisingly tonally balanced
Bass cannons
Small and comfy earpieces
Cons: Still not as detailed or resolving as its competitors by virtue of tuning
Weak treble

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Preamble​

Many thanks to @Damz87 for arranging the Australian tour of these and special thanks to @tfaduh for lending his personal unit for this review.

It’s not uncommon to see new entrants in the world of audio but it is less common to see on as prolific as FatFreq. In a short span of time, this Singaporean manufacturer has managed the capture the imagination of many an audiophile through their rather extreme tunings and their rather robust product line up consisting of musician targeted monitors and the Maestro line. Today’s review concerns the baby of the family in the form of the Maestro Mini, an IEM that FatFreq states was created with the purpose of bringing all the goals of the Maestro line at a competitive price point. And what does the Maestro line aim to bring to audiophiles? A “lifelike concert experience” with their Bass Cannon that attempts to create a deep subwoofer-like experience. But can their IEM deliver?

The Factual Stuff​

Utilising a single dynamic driver and 2 balanced armatures, the Maestro Mini is a hybrid IEM that is encased in a rather handsome blue resin housing. The retail MM comes in a FATBOX pelican-style case with foam to protect your precious new IEMs as well as a dessicant to wick away moisture. A 4-wire silver-plated copper cable comes as stock with an option of a upgrade silver cable. Otherwise, the MM also comes with an assortment of silicone tips and cleaning brushes.

This review concerns the personal unit of @tfaduh which is an earlier production model and is without its stock cable.

The Opinion Stuff​

Sound​

Bass​


TL;DR: The MM offers a well-balanced and detailed bass performance with a significant boost, providing deep sub-bass and fast response without being overbearing, distinguishing itself in its price category.
The MM’s purported strong suit is its bass region with a very healthy amount of boost applied to the low-end to separate itself from other options in the price category. This is not a situation of pure low-end grunt at the cost of speed or detail however, the MM manages to balance both rather well. Whilst there is a healthy amount of bass in terms of quantity, the MM manages to be rather tonally balanced overall and doesn’t reach the same boot shaking quantity of bass as its younger cousin, the Scarlet Mini achieves.

Sub-bass extends deep and the physicality of certain songs is felt in a rather engaging manner, with songs such as “Tokyo Calling” by Atarashii Gakko striking with speed and weight in the low-end. The low-end grunt is not at the cost of detail as it remains distinctly textured and readily discernible. Speed was perhaps the most impressive element of the MM as bass notes hit with an immediacy that belies its strong level of boost in the region.

Overall, the bass regions of the MM actually do not really reflect the FR curve (at least in my books) as it remains rather tonally balanced with the rest of the FR curve and whilst strong, is not overbearing by any means.

Mids​


TL;DR: The MM offers a surprisingly balanced and enjoyable midrange, though with a slightly lean note weight and minor timbral issues, making it a good but not flawless performer in this aspect.
Perhaps the most surprising element of the MM was its rather strong performance in the midrange. Following the Scarlet Mini review, I expected the MM to be similarly overbearing in the low-end to the point of diminishing mid-range performance. However, vocals and instruments within this region maintain a level of balance and presence throughout my listening.

“Seven” by Jungkook contains a rather strong and present bassline throughout the song accompanied by a rather simply guitar chord and the male vocals of Jungkook. The MM maintains a tonal balance and imparts a level of weight to his voice that creates a very enjoyable listening experience that doesn’t feel incoherent nor incomprehensible.

“Walk With Me” by Cosmos Midnight is a floaty and ethereal production of electronica and the flighty vocals of Kučka sung in a higher register and the MM manages to combine its robust low-end with the necessary delicacy of the song as a whole in a manner that was extremely enjoyable.

Despite this surprisingly good mid-range performance, the MM is not perfect by any means as I have some slight issues regarding note weight and the timbre of the mid-range. Mids come off on the leaner side with some thinner note weight that is not entirely natural. The timbre of the mids have a slight plasticky twang to it that does not feel as effortless or as analogue as other IEMs. This is not to say that that the mids descends into the highly unnatural territory of more clinical and edgy IEMs in the market but this tonal characteristic is something that I noted in my listening.

Overall, the MM provides a rather excellent reproduction of the midrange with a slight edge to the upper mids but with an overall thinner body.

Treble​


TL;DR: The MM's treble is sufficient and balanced, offering a smooth and detailed listening experience without being overly sparkly or fatiguing, yet it doesn't stand out as a prominent feature compared to the rest of its sound profile.

I am far from a treble aficionado with it being the region that is least impactful to my overall listening experience but for want of a better reviewer, I would deem the treble on the MM as being wholly sufficient and for something as bass heavy as the MM, I would be inclined to believe that this is a victory for FatFreq.

The MM does not wow you with a sparkly and airy treble section but rather is sufficiently energetic and detailed in its reproduction with songs such as “Reckoner” by Radiohead, with its rather heavy use of percussion, providing you with well articulated and smooth treble performance. Unlike more aggressively tuned treble regions, the MM does not give you that hair-raising tingle and the slight jarring that one experiences with a cymbal crash but it remains sufficient for my listening experience.

Lower treble regions is sufficiently well controlled as higher register female vocals remain restrained enough to not elicit large amounts of fatigue over time. Upper treble and the airiness of the MM is similarly restrained as I do not feel that there is a huge amount of extension here to open up the overall FR.

Overall, I believe that the MM’s treble remains dramatic and prominent enough to create a fairly detailed and smooth listen that is not sibilant nor does it elicit fatigue but it is not a hugely prominent element of the MM. It remains balanced and rather good but does not do enough to standout from the rest of the MM.

Technicalities​

TL;DR: The MM offers adequate detail and good imaging despite its bass-heavy tuning, with a wide but somewhat flat soundstage, and manages to maintain clarity and separation across the frequency range without excelling in microdetail or staging depth.

The aforementioned tuning choices of the MM is not conducive to creating a hugely detailed sound signature as the rather underwhelming treble does not highlight the leading edge of certain notes, generate the requisite space between such notes and ultimately does not highly the microdetails. However, the MM is detailed enough in my books, remaining rather well resolving from a macro level, managing to provide a detailed enough listen throughout any region of the FR curve without muddying up the mids nor the treble through its zealous bass tuning.

Imaging is rather good despite the rather significant bass boost with each section of the FR curve still maintaining a sense of layering and separation throughout. Multi-layered songs and directional cues are rather easy to discern but are not extremely pin-pointed with songs such as “Fine” by Taeyeon maintaining a sense of layering but not providing the same directional definition as more standout IEMs in the class.

Staging is sufficiently wide but not exactly a ‘holographic’ out-of-head experience. It feels wide and slightly flat in terms of staging so not the best sense of stage depth. There is some depth imparted by the rather generous bass boost but the rest of the response curve creates a sense of vocals and percussion sitting behind the drums ever-so-slightly.

Overall​

With a strong lower-end, the MM manages to present a fun and unique tuning that maintains a semblance of tonal balance in that the mids are surprisingly good. With a slightly middling treble region, the MM is hardly the perfect balance of all regions of the FR curve but remains engaging and fun to listen to.

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Comparisons​

vs Scarlet Mini​

The red cousin of the MM is a successor of some sort occupying a price-bracket that represents a minor uplift from the MM’s and shares a similar footprint size wise.

The difference in sound is a rather dramatic one as I feel that the Scarlet dispenses with all subtlety in order to pursue bass. The lower-end is surprisingly more impactful, more punchy and more physical than the MM. The boost in the bass seemingly overwhelms the mid-range on the Scarlet as it is more recessed in the mix when compared to the MM. The treble region of the Scarlet is slightly more bright and sparkly when compared to the MM. This region is definitely more of a standout on the Scarlet when compared to the MM but may eek out some more sibilance out of female vocalist and more jarring percussion.

Technicality-wise, the tuning approach of the Scarlet seemingly reduces its technical proficiencies as the mid-bass into the lower-mids feel more smeared when compared to the MM and the mids as a whole feel recessed to the point of minimising macro-details in this region. The Scarlet requires a far more engaged and critical listen to discern such aspects whereas the MM feels more prevalent in its resolving capabilities comparatively speaking. The treble uplift in the Scarlet does seemingly create the sense of sparkle and air required to highlight micro-details but on the whole I feel like that the technical performance of either IEM is similar enough but less apparent on the Scarlet.

Overall, I feel that the Scarlet is a specialist IEM that occupies a slot in the collection for short-term listens whereas the MM is a daily driver that is more versatile.

Value & Quality of Life​


Priced at 600 SGD the MM is one of the cheapest of the the FatFreq family and provides an entry point to the revered bass cannon. Compared to its competitors in its price range and even those above it, the MM provides a coloured yet still surprisingly tonally enjoyable experience. Unlike the Scarlet, it does not overwhelm the song entirely with its bass boost and whilst it loses out in terms of treble sparkle compared to its red cousin, the MM maintains a coherent and enjoyable mid-range that really accentuates its tonal balance overall compared to the unabashed specialist nature of the Scarlet.

The MM is a bit left of field choice in the price range but considering its significant bass boost, it delineates itself from the market of rather safe Harman tunings and instead opts for an accentuated low-end combined with a competent mid-range and relaxed treble region. In doing so, I believe that the MM is a bit of a dark-horse in the market and whilst you can look at FR curves and immediate dismiss the MM, I feel that it’s coloured tuning creates character and that the IEM is far more listenable on an ongoing basis than what the FR curve would have you believe.

The shells are lightweight and rather small. Getting them seated into my ear was rather fiddly given the accentuated curves of the resin moulding but once seated they remained in-ear happily for hours on end. I cannot speak to the accessory package from an anecdotal basis given my review unit is without these accessories and has an aftermarket cable on it but the inclusion of the FATBOX is a wonderful boon to the value proposition of the MM.

Quality control has become a rather sore point of FatFreq in recent times and combined with some experiences of customer service being slow, it would be remiss of me to not mention that FatFreq may not be the best should there be anything wrong with your MM.

Conclusion​

I was expecting a bassy fun fest for all of about 10 minutes before I got bored and switched back to something more manageable. What I got was a bassy fun fest that was surprisingly balanced and enjoyable for hours on end.

The MM, unlike the Scarlet is not an unabashed bass cannon but rather reigns things in a little bit to be a better daily driver. The bass boost is enjoyable, not for everyone but remains more liveable than the Scarlet’s overwhelming bass region.

Compared to other IEMs in its price bracket, the MM is unique with its tuning and is just plain fun. It is not effortlessly natural nor is it clinical in its presentation but instead blurs the line of what is a ‘listenable tuning’ for me and I can thoroughly recommend it.

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Silantr0
Silantr0
What a great review, glad you kept it simple and to the point unlike most reviewers who tend to go off tangent. One thing I notice for the Scarlets is that narrow bore tips tend to boost up the mid range and tighten the bass so it's less smeary. My concerns were the same as yours when I used the Tri Clarion tips that came with the Scarlets. Overall, hope to see more reviews from you in the future! 👍

antdroid

Headphoneus Supremus
Fun Bass IEM with good tuning
Pros: Great bass quantity, focused in subbass
Good balanced mids
Great fit
Cons: Has a slight peak in upper mids that can be bright at times
Average technical performance for its price
I've always deep down in my heart wanted to enjoy a big bassy headphone or IEM. The problem is, most of them are not very good. They are muddy, boomy, and very poor in resolution, and to balance it out, they make highs very bright, or even worse -- have no treble at all (i.e. L-shape). While there are some fun bassy sets like the Empire Ears Valkyrie and Legend X sets, they are quite pricey, and also can be a tad harsh in the highs.



Along comes Fat Freq. This is a Singaporean small boutique brand that makes a series of IEMs with big bass boosts, but with balanced mids and treble. I was enamored with the frequency response graphs I had seen from various measurement sites when I first heard about their Maestro series. They had huge bass boosts, but the mids/treble range fit right along what I like.

So, I dialed up Precogvision, and asked him to send me Fat Freq 'scheapest universal set, the Maestro Mini, since I knew he had recently reviewed it. After receiving the unit, I must say, it does exactly what I was expecting it would do. Hit bass hard.



IEM Design​

Since this was a loaner, as well as a pre-release unit, I did not have all the retail packaging and can't provide any details here. In addition, the nozzle of these units do not have a filter on them, and the driver and inner cavity of the Maestro Mini is exposed. Removing the filter may cause some sound changes.

The MM itself is a small-sized blue IEM with a very comfortable design that I found good and easy to wear. It features standard 2-pin connectors on both sides, and a FatFreq logo on the faces.




Sound Impressions​

After listening to a bunch of neutral monitors, or slightly bright gear with light or even bass boost, and then putting on the Maestro Mini, I was immediately engulfed in deep, rich and thick bass. It was startling at first. I knew I was expecting a big gain here, but it was surprising how much it was in some songs, yet how it did not come off as muddy or bloated. It was bass quantity done right.

That's because the FatFreq brand decided to bump a downsloping HUGE bass bump starting at subbass regions, making it act like a subwoofer, and not a mid-bass woofer, which can add a lot of kick and punch, but also bleed into the midrange. With this amount of bass increase, 20 decibels above the midrange, you really need to be careful how this tuning can affect the overall tonality.

The Maestro Mini, for the most part, does this quite well. So, normally I talk about the general sound, but it's taking me three paragraphs to get to the point. This is a big bass in-ear monitor that has surprisingly well balanced mids and smooth treble. There are sometimes hints of a some brightness in the upper-midrange, and that could possible be attributed to the filterless design of this prototype. In production models, there is a nozzle filter, and that may tame the brightness a tad.

How does the Maestro Mini do technically? It's alright. I would say it's average. There's nothing wrong with it. There's nothing special about it either, besides its not-so-secret weapon of big sub-bass, and in this regard, it does it very well. It's not the most detailed IEM at the $450 price range, and its not blobby either. It's just good, or good enough. The bass quality is a step or two below the Empire Ears dynamic driver IEMs like the Odin and Legend X, but its quite competitive with name-your-chifi product of the month, and likely beats it when you consider that the bass driver is pushed to its limits here.

The soundstage isn't huge -- its fairly average for an IEM, which means its small, but acceptable. Imaging is just okay, and depth is alright. I wouldn't be looking at the Maestro Mini as a technical wizard, as it is not. It plays much better as a fun, fun IEM that actually sounds quite pleasant and enjoyable.



Final Words​


So, if you are a big bass lover, but also want something that can actually work across genres well, this is a pretty good IEM, and its priced decently well for a possibly niche area where there isn't a lot of stuff that excels in pure bass quality.
Silantr0
Silantr0
The newer units of the Maestro Mini have an included filter in the nozzle now, fortunately.

Stu Paddasso

1000+ Head-Fier
Fatfreq Mini
Pros: Bass
Cons: Mids
Preamble
I'm not a professional reviewer just an audiophile who got in on the Fatfreq Tour. I listen to Classic Rock, Blues & Jazz. Sources are Shanling M8 & M7 and Lotoo Paw 6000.
I only use 4.4mm balanced cables so to make it even I did not use the supplied 3.5mm cable. I used 3 Norne Audio Cables 20.5 gauge copper, 21 gauge silver & 21 gauge Fusion. I found copper added bass but felt congested & slow. Silver was tighter & faster but a little dry, Fusion was just right solid bass, fast with a certain richness to the sound.
Bass
The star off the show!!! Deep dark and thunderous! You will be amazed at the amount of bass from such a small package. If you're a bass-head you will love Mini.
Mids
I find the mids to be slightly recessed and not too detailed. Vocals are just OK nothing special.
Treble
I like the treble. Nicely elevated with good detail and a little sparkle, no sibilance
Sound Stage
A little better than average. Good width & depth, not too high
Bias
Great bang for the buck. Bass-heads will love it. :two_hearts::two_hearts::two_hearts::two_hearts:
A & B
I A & B Mini against Empire Ears Legend
Bass
Mini is Deeper more full-bodied some times bombastic. Legend bass is tighter & faster. advantage Mini
Mids
Mini, Recessed not very detailed. Legend Mids are forward with good detail. advantage Legend
Treble
Mini, Nicely elevated with good detail & sparkle. Legend Good elevation sharp some sibilance. advantage Mini
Sound Stage
Mini depth. Legend height & width. advantage Legend
Size
The Mini is small and will fit all ears. Legend is quite large and may not fit into small ears. advantage Mini
Price
Mini
Conclusion
Mini is fun to listen to. Outstanding bass very musical and a great buy! Also small-sized and easy to fit in ears.
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