Unique Melody MEST mkII VS KZ Saga Balanced

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

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Unique Melody MEST mkII and KZ Saga Balanced use 1DD+4BA+2EST+1BC and 1x Dynamic (KZ "ultra wideband") driver setups respectively. Unique Melody MEST mkII costs $1,500 while KZ Saga Balanced costs $23. Unique Melody MEST mkII is $1,477 more expensive. Unique Melody MEST mkII holds a decisive 1.7-point edge in reviewer scores (8.1 vs 6.4). Unique Melody MEST mkII carries a user score of 7.5.

Insights

Metric Unique Melody MEST mkII KZ Saga Balanced
Bass 8.1 6.4
Mids 7.5 6.4
Treble 7.1 6.4
Details 8.2 6.4
Soundstage 8 6.4
Imaging 7.5 6.4
Dynamics 7 6.4
Tonality 7.5 8
Technicalities 8 7
Take these comparisons with a grain of salt—we don't have enough KZ Saga Balanced reviews saved yet to provide an unbiased result.

Unique Melody MEST mkII Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Fresh Reviews
Crin
Nymz Precogvision Tim Tuned
Yifang Jays Audio Audionotions Shuwa-T Head-Fi.org
Super* Review

Average Reviewer Score:

8.1

Very Positive

KZ Saga Balanced Aggregated Review Score

Average Reviewer Scores

Kois Archive Audio Amigo

Average Reviewer Score:

6.4

Mixed to Positive

Reviews Comparison

Unique Melody MEST mkII (more reviews)

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Super* Review

Super* Review 10* * score rescaled + normalized
check links for more info:

Super* Review original ranking

Super* Review Youtube Channel

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Price: $1,499

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Unique Melody MEST mkII 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 MEST mkII reviewed by Jays Audio

Jays Audio 8.5 Reviewer Score
S- Tuning
S Tech
YouTube video thumbnail
TOTL imaging chops/layering. Tons of micro-details. Great bass texture. Wide and 3D staging. Can be aggressive, and get fatiguing when cranked up/long-listening sessions.
Youtube Video Summary

UM MEST MKII delivers a distinctly sub-bass-oriented low end with excellent speed, separation, and texture. Mid-bass is punchy but avoids bloat, keeping the presentation clean and avoiding bleed. The unconventional decision to keep the 1–5 kHz region flatter and push energy into 5–15 kHz pays off: vocals stay open, natural, and clear—reminiscent of Variations but with a cleaner, leaner midrange and a more refined overall balance.

The stage is impressively wide and expansive—on the level of sets like Z1R and U12t—yet with notably better vocals. Treble is well-extended, slightly aggressive in a good way, and highly resolving, rendering micro-details with ease without tipping into artificial sharpness. As a result, technical ability—clarity, separation, and imaging—is top tier, making dense tracks feel effortless while still bringing energy and excitement to hip-hop and retaining emotional nuance for ballads.

In sum, MEST MKII stands out as a true all-rounder “endgame” that justifies its $1,500 tag more convincingly than most. Notable comparisons place it a step above sets like Meteor, Mahina, and Variations for the mix of enjoyment and technicalities, though value hunters may note EJ07M achieves roughly “90%” of the experience at a fraction of the price. The only caveat: treble can become too lively at very loud volumes (80 dB+), but at normal listening levels, MEST MKII remains a compelling benchmark for its category.

Jays Audio original ranking

Jays Audio Youtube Channel

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Audionotions

Audionotions 8.5 Reviewer Score
Very engaging. I usually prefer something more balanced and neutral, but this IEM has some special sauce. Very well-tuned from bass to treble - with a little bit of spice on top. Great tonality and amazing techs. Imaging is quite phenomenal, separation is great. Very detailed. If you have 700 to spend on IEMs, buy these on the used market and never look back. Warning - treble can be slightly hot. Also, timbre might sound just a tad artificial.

Audionotions original ranking

Website (Audionotions)

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Shuwa-T

Shuwa-T 8 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A+ Tech
Comment: Bassier Mest v1 with slight cutback in clarity. Even more impressive bass response

Shuwa-T original ranking

Shuwa-T Website

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

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Nymz

Nymz 7.6 Reviewer Score
A Tuning
A Tech
Great bass and sheer detail, at the cost of wonky treble and not so accurate imaging queues. I find it work the best with eletronic music or modern metal. Still a solid contender to this date at a very good price in the used market.

Nymz original ranking

Nymz Website

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

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Precogvision

Precogvision 7.1 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
A- Tech
A warmer, more coherent MEST with setbacks in resolution and imaging.

Precogvision original ranking

Precogvision Youtube Channel
Bass: A- Mids: A+ Treble: B Dynamics: A- Details: A+ Imaging: A-

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Tim Tuned

Tim Tuned 7 Reviewer Score
A- Tuning
A+ Tech
Great balance, none offensive tuning with little to fault

Tim Tuned original ranking

Tim Tuned Youtube Channel
Bass: A+ Mids: A+ Treble: A+

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Crin

Crin 6.5 Reviewer Score
B+ Tuning
A- Tech
Pretty much the same as the Mk1, though with extra sub-bass presence.

Crin original ranking

Crin Youtube Channel

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Fresh Reviews

Fresh Reviews 5.5* * The score of this reviewer influences only the Gaming Score
One of my favorite for music

Fresh Reviews original ranking

Fresh Reviews Youtube Channel

Unique Melody MEST mkII reviewed by Head-Fi.org

Head-Fi.org 8.9 * score rescaled + normalized
13 community members have rated the Unique Melody MEST MKII at an average of 4.7/5 on Head-Fi. Overall sentiment: Exceptional.

URL to full Review

Head-Fi.org original ranking

KZ Saga Balanced (more reviews)

KZ Saga Balanced reviewed by Kois Archive

Kois Archive 6.8 Reviewer Score
A+ Tuning
A- Tech
Rating: B+ | Value: ⭐⭐⭐ | Comfort: 8 good well rounder. banger for the price filter could cause imbalance

Kois Archive original ranking

Kois Archive Youtube Channel

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Price: $14

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KZ Saga Balanced reviewed by Audio Amigo

Audio Amigo 6 * score rescaled + normalized
KZs more mature next gen V-shaped tuning in a great all-metal shell. Fun all-rounder type of sound. Super premium feeling shells let down by KZs typical awful stock cable and woeful acessories package. Try to get it for less than $18

Audio Amigo original ranking

Audio Amigo Youtube Channel
YouTube video thumbnail

Buy Unique Melody MEST mkII on HiFiGO

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Price: $1,499

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Unique Melody MEST mkII User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score:

Based on 1 user reviews

7.5

Strongly Favorable

KZ Saga Balanced User Review Score

Average User Scores

Average User Score: n/a

Based on 0 user reviews

No user reviews yet. Be the first one who writes a review!

Unique Melody MEST mkII Gaming Score

Gaming Score & Grade

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

Gaming Score

6.8

Gaming Grade

B+

KZ Saga Balanced 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-

Unique Melody MEST mkII Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A
  • Expect an inviting tonal blend that adapts well to genres while staying largely composed. It strikes a nice blend of warmth and clarity.

Average Technical Grade

A+
  • Overall technical control is strong, presenting instruments with clarity and sensible staging. Textures are portrayed with satisfying clarity.
Bass A+
You hear powerful yet disciplined low-end slam that extends effortlessly. It marries sub-bass depth with great texture.
Mids A
Expect lifelike vocals and instruments with impressive nuance and realism. You can easily follow harmonies and backups.
Treble A-
It provides outstanding treble finesse, balancing brightness and control gracefully. It's engaging yet remarkably controlled.
Dynamics A-
Expect excellent punch and micro-detail that render rhythmic shifts effortlessly. It keeps up with complex rhythmic swings.
Soundstage A+
Exceptional soundstage with holographic imaging that lets instruments float naturally around you. It paints a holographic bubble around you.
Details A+
No subtlety is too small; the presentation exposes it all with composure. Complex tracks remain crystal clear.
Imaging A
Spatial cues respond immediately, reflecting every movement in the mix. Spatial cues respond instantly to the mix.
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

KZ Saga Balanced Scorings

Average Technical & Tuning Grades

Average Tunign Grade

A+
  • The tonal balance is polished and expressive, highlighting emotion without sacrificing accuracy. It keeps emotional weight without sacrificing accuracy.

Average Technical Grade

A-
  • It manages detail and layering well enough, even if the stage feels only moderately sized. You get a clear sense of left and right, if not depth.
Gaming A-
Good fundamental spatial awareness for most gaming scenarios. Handles basic positioning well but may lack nuance in complex situations.

Unique Melody MEST mkII User Reviews

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W wpzdm
7.5

Not for my taste

Pros
Good tech, epic imaging
Cons
Too cold and a bit metalic

KZ Saga Balanced User Reviews

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