Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS VS Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb

IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side

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Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS and Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb use 2DD+5BA+4EST+2BC and 12BA+1BC driver setups respectively. Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS costs $5,000 while Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb costs $6,199. Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb is $1,199 more expensive. Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb holds a clear 0.7-point edge in reviewer scores (8 vs 8.7). Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has significantly better bass with a 1-point edge, Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb has better mids with a 0.5-point edge, Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS has better dynamics with a 0.5-point edge and Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb has better details with a 0.5-point edge.

Insights

Metric Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb
Bass 9 8
Mids 8 8.5
Treble 8 8
Details 8.5 9
Imaging 8.5 8.5
Dynamics 8.5 8
Tonality 8.3 8.6
Technicalities 8.5 8.8
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS and Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Audionotions
Smirk Audio

Average Reviewer Score:

8

Strongly Favorable

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Yifang Smirk Audio
Web Search

Average Reviewer Score:

8.7

Excellent

Reviews Comparison

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS reviewed by Smirk Audio

Smirk Audio 8.4 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S- Tech
Excellent bass dynamics and texture. Cold timbre and driver flex. Otherwise excellent technicalities and solid tuning. Cons: Driver flex, cold timbre.

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

Bass: S Mids: A+ Treble: A+ Dynamics: S- Details: S- Imaging: S-

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb reviewed by Smirk Audio

Smirk Audio 8.4 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S- Tech
Highly resolving, technical, and balanced across the frequency spectrum. Is shouty/edgy in the upper mids/lower treble. Cons: Price, treble peak.

Smirk Audio original ranking

Smirk Audio Head-Fi Profile

Bass: A+ Mids: S- Treble: A+ Dynamics: A+ Details: S Imaging: S-

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS (more reviews)

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS reviewed by Audionotions

Audionotions 7.5 Reviewer Score
Very engaging IEM. Bass extends deep and hits hard and fast, mids are clear and lush with very good weight and tactility. Treble is clear without fatigue. It's a pretty warm IEM but has clarity that you don't usually find with this sort of tuning. Instrument separation is pretty standout. Very expensive. Timbre is a bot off and overall is little bit brittle sounding. Very large IEMs and very heavy. And they have driver flex, which is not what you'd expect from something that costs this much. Nonetheless, a very fun IEM if you don't care about how natural it sounds.

Audionotions original ranking

Website (Audionotions)

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb (more reviews)

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb reviewed by Yifang

Yifang 8.5 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
S Tech
check links for more info:

Yifang original ranking

Yifang Youtube Channel

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb reviewed by Web Search

uses AI-Search to turn user, reddit and head-fi reviews into clear, concise summaries.
Web Search 9.2 Reviewer Score
S Tuning
S Tech

The Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tombé delivers a neutrally balanced sound signature characterized by a smooth, analog-like tonality across lows and mids, paired with naturally resolving treble. Its bass presentation stands out with deep extension and textured rumble, leaning toward mid-bass emphasis for a fuller, warmer impact that defies typical BA limitations—thanks partly to the innovative BC-Turbo Micro Booster enhancing the FreqShift bone conduction driver. This results in cohesive bass-to-mids integration without bloat, while upper mids maintain clarity and vocal forwardness.

Technically, the IEM excels with an expansive soundstage that stretches proportionally in width, depth, and height, though layering and separation prioritize blend over surgical precision. Its imaging remains accurate, placing instruments and vocals holographically—a trait amplified by the included First Times Shielding Pro cable, which deepens background blackness and enhances spatial cues. Source pairing is critical: warmer DAPs like the Cayin N30LE (Classic Tube/Class A) elevate its organic texture, while leaner sources may skew treble energy.

Tonally, the Soleil Tombé shines with natural timbre and richness, particularly in acoustic genres like jazz or classical, where its textured bass and organic mids convey instruments authentically. However, its laidback decay and subdued treble air make it less suited for EDM or highly synthetic tracks demanding razor-sharp transient speed. While tip selection can fine-tune bass weight (Symbio W tips heighten detail retrieval), the IEM’s coherence and non-fatiguing profile cater to extended listening—despite its steep price.

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

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Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

6.9

Gaming Grade

B+

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

  • The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.

Gaming Score

7.3

Gaming Grade

A-

Astell&Kern x Empire Ears NOVUS Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • It delivers a coherent, natural timbre that remains captivating across genres. Acoustic instruments sound lifelike and textured.

Average Technical Grade

S-
  • The presentation is crisp and expansive, handling complex passages with impressive ease. Low-level details remain audible in quiet passages.
Bass S
The bass is breathtaking, pairing thunderous impact with absolute precision. Every rumble is rendered with realism.
Mids A+
The midrange sounds refined and revealing, balancing clarity with emotional weight. Timbre accuracy rivals studio monitors.
Treble A+
The treble performance feels luxurious, marrying air, control, and excitement. You can place every high-frequency element.
Dynamics S-
Dynamic range is superb, blending powerful impact with nuanced control. It captures both whisper and roar effortlessly.
Details S-
The tiniest inflections pop into view as if spotlit within the mix. Low-level details feel magnified yet natural.
Imaging S-
Exceptional imaging with holographic precision that creates a palpable sense of placement. It creates a near-holographic placement.
Gaming B+
Respectable environmental presentation favors atmosphere over precision. Detects obvious directional cues while conveying game world ambiance. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

S-
  • Tonal balance reaches a highly refined state, sounding seamless from lows to highs. Everything locks together with satisfying coherence.

Average Technical Grade

S-
  • This level balances openness and accuracy, showcasing excellent clarity across busy mixes. A great match for analytical listening sessions.
Bass A+
Expect a gripping low-end presence that marries clarity with visceral impact. Dynamic swings land with thrilling force.
Mids S-
You get reference-worthy mids that combine transparency, texture, and depth. It brings out emotional nuance beautifully.
Treble A+
The treble performance feels luxurious, marrying air, control, and excitement. You can place every high-frequency element.
Dynamics A+
The presentation feels expansive, letting micro and macro dynamics breathe. There's a sense of limitless headroom.
Details S
Nothing is lost; you hear the absolute truth of the source material. There's nothing left to the imagination.
Imaging S-
Movement flows gracefully, tracing arcs that are rendered with surgical accuracy. Movement effects are rendered with precision.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations. Bad value-to-cost for gaming purpose - not recommended

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Unique Melody Mason FS Soleil Tomb User Reviews

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