Unique Melody MEST VS Moondrop Illustrious
IEM Comparison: Expert & Community Scores Side-by-Side
Unique Melody MEST and Moondrop Illustrious use 1DD+4BA+2EST+1BC and 1DD driver setups respectively. Unique Melody MEST costs $1,000 while Moondrop Illustrious costs $899. Unique Melody MEST is $101 more expensive. Unique Melody MEST holds a decisive 1.4-point edge in reviewer scores (7.7 vs 6.3). Unique Melody MEST has significantly better bass with a 2.7-point edge, Unique Melody MEST has significantly better mids with a 2.2-point edge, Unique Melody MEST has better treble with a 0.8-point edge, Unique Melody MEST has significantly better dynamics with a 1.5-point edge, Unique Melody MEST has significantly better soundstage with a 1-point edge, Unique Melody MEST has significantly better details with a 3.3-point edge and Unique Melody MEST has significantly better imaging with a 3.8-point edge.
Insights
| Metric | Unique Melody MEST | Moondrop Illustrious |
|---|---|---|
| Bass | 7.7 | 5 |
| Mids | 7.7 | 5.5 |
| Treble | 6.8 | 6 |
| Details | 8.3 | 5 |
| Soundstage | 8 | 7 |
| Imaging | 8.8 | 5 |
| Dynamics | 6 | 4.5 |
| Tonality | 7.3 | 6.1 |
| Technicalities | 8.2 | 6.8 |
Unique Melody MEST Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Moondrop Illustrious Aggregated Review Score
Average Reviewer Scores
Unique Melody MEST Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD+4BA+2EST+1BC
Tuning Type: Warm V
Brand: Unique Melody Top Unique Melody IEMs
Price (Msrp): $1,000
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Moondrop Illustrious Details
Driver Configuration: 1DD
Tuning Type: Moondrop
Brand: Moondrop Top Moondrop IEMs
Price (Msrp): $899
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Unique Melody MEST User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
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Moondrop Illustrious User Review Score
Average User Scores
Average User Score: n/a
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Unique Melody MEST Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
6.9Gaming Grade
B+Moondrop Illustrious Gaming Score
Gaming Score & Grade
- The gaming score is prioritizing technical capabilities of the IEM (Separation, Layering, Soundstage) and good value.
Gaming Score
5.6Gaming Grade
B-Unique Melody MEST Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
A-- Pleasing tonal balance with good technical control. Minor quirks present but not distracting. Demonstrates decent genre versatility.
Average Technical Grade
A+- Very competent with articulate presentation. Well-defined layers and precise imaging. Soundstage is immersive and handles dynamics well.
Moondrop Illustrious Scorings
Average Technical & Tuning Grades
Average Tunign Grade
B- Generally enjoyable tonal character with some noticeable unevenness. Maintains listenability while showing room for refinement in frequency balance.
Average Technical Grade
B+- Satisfactory technical performance. Handles basic detail retrieval adequately in most tracks. Maintains reasonable cohesion in simpler arrangements.
Unique Melody MEST Reviews
9*
* score normalized
check links for more info:Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
8.5
Reviewer Score
A MEST MK2 with slightly more uppermid/bass. More v-shaped. Even more AGGRESSIVE than MK2. Also gets fatiguing when cranked up/long-listening sesisons. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
7.9
Reviewer Score
Comment: Neutral yet fun due to subbass hump. Impressive clarity, holographic soundstage
7.2
Reviewer Score
Engaging imaging with some minor coherency issues. Precogvision Youtube Channel
7
Reviewer Score
Impressive staging and details Aggressive signature Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
6.5
Reviewer Score
A smooth, relaxing listen (in custom form) backed up with good technicalities. Crin Youtube Channel
Moondrop Illustrious Reviews
7.5
Reviewer Score
Basically the Softears Twilight with less sub-bass extension, alot more neutral and monitor like, and very pricy since Twilight goes on sale for $700 with a more musical playback. This is just neutral. Jays Audio Youtube Channel
Thieaudio Valhalla lands as an “endgame” all-rounder with standout resolution, micro-detail, and imaging. Layering and separation are locked in, with vocals that aren’t scooped—mids stay present and natural. Sub-bass hits rumblier than the U12t and the treble avoids that sudden, sharp peak, making the overall presentation smoother yet still airy. Versus the Cadenza 12, Valhalla is less treble-heavy, a touch bassier, and not as bright-leaning; the Cadenza 12 may edge it on micro-detail by only a few percentage points, so it’s a straight tuning preference: go Cadenza 12 for leaner/brighter sparkle, go Valhalla for the better-balanced bassy all-rounder.
On value, this isn’t twice the performance of a Monarch Mk II/Mk III—think ~10% better with clear diminishing returns. For the “chase the very best” crowd, it’s absolutely worth a listen; for most, Monarchs/LTD/Crimson are already more than enough for a so-called endgame. Final call: Top Tier for tuning and sound refinement—not a value pick, but a legit endgame-grade set.
7.5
Reviewer Score
Nice single DD, not a benchmark, but very nice. Jaytiss Youtube Channel
Gizaudio Axel
2025-07-31
6
Reviewer Score
Open-back IEM with a mellow sound. Good for long listening but not for those seeking strong bass or high resolution. Warm, full-bodied mids with natural timbre and safe treble. Light bass with low sub-bass, lacking treble air and sparkle, and underwhelming detail.Gizaudio Axel original ranking
Gizaudio Axel Youtube Channel
6*
* score normalized
Sounds like an open-back IEM. It delivers on open design. Something to consider if you are looking for that.Super* Review original ranking
Super* Review Youtube Channel
4.3
Reviewer Score
Sounds like it has metallic timbre. Percussino compression around 5kHz due to lack of treble extension and generally bad tuning. Precogvision Youtube Channel
Unique Melody MEST User Reviews
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