Mysticraft HEX IEM Review - Liquid Soul

Enter the world's first HEXbrid IEM, using 6 different types of drivers and a whopping price of $9k. Mysticraft, the new company from master genius Lee of Elysian Audio, the HEX defies all concepts, creating something unique, undeniable and effortless. A technical marvel wrapped in a warm, inviting and grand presentation unlike anything you've ever heard.

Pros

- Huge, dense, rich and immersive sound

- Insane technicalities

- Amazing bass

- BCD mids are to die for

- Lee treble is ART, this time with weight and texture too!

- Amazingly cohesive

- Unique presentation

- 6 types of drivers: DD, BCD, BA, Planar, EST and Piezo

- Exceptionally balanced, fluid and uninhibited

- Hand carved Titanium faceplates

- Shells are light

- Easy to drive

- Scales well

- Good isolation despite 2 venting ports

Cons

- Insanely expensive

- Huge shells with thick nozzles

- Colored tuning (can be "fixed" with cable choice)

- Fairly bassy (positive for some)

- Diamonds on the faceplate is too much (for me)

- Stock cable is warm and bassy, not the best choice

- Long wait time and Lee's "empty promises"

Welcome my friends and fellow audio lovers to my review of the Mysticraft HEX! Few pieces of gear have garnered the press, attention, praise and/or scrutiny as the HEX since its launch. A price of $9k is surely scoff-worthy - the most expensive IEM (minus Fugaku's system price) that I know of at time of writing. It's also the most technically wild build, using six different types of drivers to achieve one of the most grandiose IEM experiences of all time. Is it really that good?

Yes, emphatically yes, and then some. HEX is ridiculously good. Given that Lee stuffed that monster shell with DD, BCD, BA, EST, Planar and even a Piezo, one might think this mess of tech jargon would give us an overhyped, incohesive driver war monstrosity, but not at all. Calling the HEX one of the most cohesive, balanced, natural and effortless IEMs of all time is no small statement, but it's the one I'm making here. It may be the most fun Summit IEM ever made.

The HEX comes with a caveat - it's pretty colored. Very warm, very midbassy, very lush, thick and dense. Price and wait time aside, this creates a partisan war of tastes, with extreme opinions abounding from all sides. Love and Hate, Lust and Envy. I found that with a transparent cable the HEX is a fire breathing monster striking a wonderful balance between weight and staging, detail and precision, and yes a nice healthy dose down under. HEX is super fun, and insanely engaging. It is at ease and effortless for anything in my exceptionally diverse library, and that's saying something. As a reference nut, I was blown away with how much I enjoy it. Not perfect, not for everyone for obvious reasons, but a statement piece like a sledgehammer to glass - the HEX is something amazing that moves the bar up a few notches and nukes our concepts of what an IEM can do in the process.

As a seasoned studio engineer my heart is held tightly by the Genelec near field sound. The Subtonic STORM is that sound, in a portable package, and paired with the right source and power - in my opinion - is the most perfect IEM of all time. Technically outrageous, perfectly balanced and sounds "right." Why do I mention this? My top spot has been held by STORM for some time now, with everything else placed firmly below, but the arrival of HEX clearly shouts for that pedestal's reconstruction. Make way, I am here! In terms of pure perfection the STORM is still King, but the HEX's stunning and profound presentation has brought me to my knees, defiantly securing its spot at the tippity top. The coloring and big midbass certainly gave pause - it's not a reference IEM in any sense of the word. But that's exactly what makes the HEX so special, and why including HEX in my top two is a huge deal for me. For an IEM to encroach on STORM's all out assault on my listening time, while being rather unorthodox for my tastes, is nothing short of astounding. The fact that it's so homogenous and cohesive, while stuffing everything and the kitchen sink in there, deserves our attention. It certainly grabbed mine by the horns and shook me vigorously.

I must mention the Brise Fugaku here. A statement piece of its own, coming in at a whopping $17k it's quite something. The sound is spectacular, the use case is not, for me. Being tethered to an amp at all times just doesn't vibe with me, regardless of abilities. I need something I can grab and go, STORM and HEX are blissful off a DAP in my back pocket. Taking in the park at sunset or escaping from a crowded airport's insufferable noise, my audio needs to come with me, move with me. Fugaku is exceptional, but it's more a system that you sit and stay to enjoy. More on that later.

I realize we’re talking about a $9k IEM, one that most will never get a chance to hear for themselves. This is luxury at its most sinful, and only the most obsessive care. This is a passion project, something I feel I must share, and therefore should be taken as such. I spent two months with HEX. It's been in four countries with me, three tours. After a year of STORM only, the more I listen to HEX, the more I love. The more I love, the more I grab it first.

DISCLAIMER AND TESTING DETAILS

- I bought HEX with my own money, full price. While Lee did express interest in my review, I did not receive any discount, priority, gifts or anything whatsoever in exchange. He was not involved in this review in any way.

- I review because I love doing so. No one pays me for reviews, ever. I review things that interest me, things I would buy for myself. If I recommend something, it's because I genuinely loved it, and I think you might too.

- I start out with a varied playlist of testing tracks to form my initial thoughts, then spend several weeks listening to whatever inspires me, as I normally would. I come back to the testing tracks before sitting down to write.

- To form an honest opinion I think it absolutely necessary to test with lots of different kinds of music. If you’re taking a reviewer’s word about a piece of gear, in my opinion, you must take into consideration how their musical tastes match or differ from your own.

- DAPs used: iBasso 320MAX with NPAudio EXN+ mod, Lotoo GT2, and Quloss MUB5.

- Desktop chain: Matrix NT-1 Streamer > Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC > Zahl H1 or SAEQ Astraeus Amp. All Arctand cables: Celestine2 USB, Celestine RCA/Rubi2 RCA, Onyx Speaker Tap cable, Obsidian XL power.

- IEM Cables used: Stock, Nightjar Sovereign Symphony 4W, Blue Hour 4W, Vanguard, Nightcraft Vesper, Nocturne, Spectre 8, Astral Silver Reference.

- Comparisons: Subtonic STORM, Dita Ventura, Elysian DIO, Traillii Ti, CFA Clara, 64A 18t.

My ever evolving testing playlist is HERE

BUILD and unBoxing

The HEX unboxing is quite the experience. You giddily open the cardboard outer box to find a lovely wooden box inside, covered in a paper sash with the Mysticraft logo. The box itself has chamfered edges and near seamless hinges - this attention to detail and dramatic presentation is something special, and for $9K it darn well should be. It opens to reveal: the HEX IEMs, stock cable, a gorgeous iridescent sea-foam green/blue leather puck case, and tips in a clear plastic case. The puck case feels premium. I haven't used it as I travel with my Nightjar Sovereign leather cases, but it's a beautiful addition. One of the best unboxing experiences I have seen - simple, clean, top end. Well done Lee.

The HEX is crazy complicated inside. Lee crafted the shell out of ultra clear resin so you can see for yourself - quite the risk, putting it out for the world to peek and prod at, but it really paid off. It's all crammed in there, an impressive design feat unto itself. Some may scoff at a $9k IEM using resin shells, but it was smart. We get that up close and personal view to the madness of the internal layout - like a Ferrari engine - all that muscle getting your innards twisted up in excitement and desire. Resin keeps the weight down.

FIT and TIPS

The HEX metal nozzle is thick, which could pose a problem for some. Not everyone is going to get a good fit, or a comfortable one at that. I have smaller ears and really small canals - the HEX doesn't fit in deeply at all. But it fits perfectly in my outer canal, I get a great seal and it's plenty comfortable for hours at a time. It sits a bit outside my ear, but since it's light there's no problem. The unexpected bonus is no hot spots or issues with shell shape at all. Definitely worth it for that sound. If you can demo before buying, I'd strongly suggest it as spending this kind of money, and waiting months, only to sell because of fit would be a shame.

HEX and STORM are similar in size and shape. HEX has the fat nozzle with a mild upwards angle, while STORM's nozzle is shorter and thinner with a more acute angle. HEX is double vented - a big advantage over STORM's non-vented design. One vent is near the P-con connector, another on the front edge, resulting in a shockingly good amount of isolation. Not PNC levels, but the tradeoff is pressure-free all-day listening. I do get pressure buildup with STORM; HEX is a welcome, blissfully open and pressure-free experience.

With my small ears the BCD effect is lessened since I'm getting little contact with the shell, but I hear it plenty. Piezo uses air conduction over physical contact, I hear that very clearly. I'm using Eletech Baroque tips for the best comfort and sound, and also enjoy the Baroque Stage. The Baroque tends to be more relaxed and spacious with greater extension, while the Stage model pushes the mids forward and gives more energetic transients. Acoustune AET07 are very neutral - another great choice.

FACEPLATES AND CONNECTORS

All three of these summit flagships have metal faceplates. HEX and STORM are carved. STORM's shell is aluminum, HEX is resin, Fugaku is all Ti. STORM and Fugaku stay matte while HEX can be sometimes rather shiny depending on the light. One faceplate has puzzle pieces with three pieces off kilter painted gold, and the Mysticraft "M" in the center - I think this side is really cool. The other side has carved flowers with HEX written along the bottom edge in gold, which would have been plenty, but Lee stuck tiny actual diamonds inside the center of each flower. Really. I think this is silly, stupid even, and would have happily received a version without them. Offering a non-diamond faceplate for $1000 less would have been great. But Lee wanted a statement piece, and a statement piece he made. I can imagine how it must look while I'm out and about with these in my ears. Add in I'm using a giant Sovereign Symphony 4W cable, I would appear quite the target if I wasn't covered in tattoos and expertly trained in "Don't mess with me" face. I'm a teddy bear, don't worry!

While the industry standard tends to be 0.78mm 2-pin sockets, HEX uses Pentaconn connectors - something that makes cable swapping a pain if you don't own any P-con cables. For 2-pin collectors, Eletech's Versa or EA's CONX are great options, a tiny sonic degradation is a small price to pay for convenience and flexibility. P-con does have advantages: the cable can rotate inside the socket so wearing comfort is easier, and you don't have to worry about ear hooks or stiff cables pulling on the seal.

The stock cable looks great and matches the HEX perfectly, selling separately for over $1000. It's just too warm and bassy for an already warm and bassy IEM - a case of too much of a good thing. As soon as I put a more transparent cable on, HEX was instantly transformed. I’m not saying your new $9k toy needs an expensive cable, but something more transparent is yields great results. I’m using the Nightjar Sovereign Symphony 4W, which I love. The Nightcraft Vesper Shielding is also amazing, some might prefer its more energetic treble. Even the Astral Audio Silver Reference is a great choice at $700. The stock cable is as good a stock as any IEM out there, it's just not my tuning preference, and not doing the HEX any favors against its ardent critics.

LEE's INTRODUCTION

Lee started Elysian Audio Labs a while back, lauded as a genius working out of his shed, making magic for those lucky enough to know about it. With the Annihilator and X, a big statement was made to the portable audio crowd. Lee's signature weightless treble is now world famous, and for what it does, untouched to this day. Later on Lee partnered with Effect Audio for lower priced IEMs met with great praise. Ultimately the partnership spelled the end of Lee's involvement with Elysian as his final flagship DIO was mired in launch problems, and in the wake of all this rubble, Mysticraft emerged. HEX's launch was before DIO officially came out - surely not the industry's most shining example of working together. And so Elysian presumably belongs to EA (they even have a new Annihilator 2026 coming), and Lee is once again free to create masterworks in his shed, unfettered.

I first met Lee at CanJam London 2025 and had a blast with him. We had an instant connection, chatted about gear and life - he said he liked my reviews and photo work, I said the same about his amazing designs. He's also a shutterbug, and we talked camera gear fervently. It was funny to finally meet the man behind the curtain - such an unassuming and sweet guy. Being late to the Elysian party myself, the stories I heard about Lee's infamous wait times and unfulfilled promises freaked me out as I was forking over $9000 for an IEM that hadn't come out yet. Lee is famous for his "next week" promises that go hilariously unfulfilled - there's even a GIF for it. After meeting him it was obvious he was gifted 10 helpings of magic and skill, and 1 (or less) of logistics. Classic artist syndrome - these kinds of genius people should be left to create while someone else runs the business.

HEX DESIGN

What is the HEX? The world's first HEXbrid IEM, using six different types of drivers, which is bonkers. Tri-brids are all the rage nowadays, but six? We're talking DD, BA, EST, BCD, Planar and Piezo. While having many drivers in no way guarantees better sound - it's all about implementation - Lee has deployed all six with extraordinary skill. It's a total of 13 drivers, and they all do something different. The fact that all these different techs don't step on each other's toes is amazing, but the final product is so much more than the sum of its parts. You're not hearing 6 different sounds, but one unified sound that envelops, cascades, thumps and rumbles, whispers sweetly and thunders your face off while never breaking a sweat. Effortless, breathtaking, and so much fun.

From the Mysticraft website:

"The World's First Hex-brid IEM. Explore the groundbreaking HEX, designed as the world's first hex-brid In-Ear Monitor (IEM), featuring a sophisticated blend of six different driver types delivering unparalleled audio precision and depth."

Driver Configuration:

- 1 x 9.2mm Mystic LSR Dynamic Driver: powerful bass and rich soundscapes

- 2 x Sonion BCD Drivers: enhanced warmth and smooth mids

- 5 x Balanced Armature Drivers: precise and clear sound reproduction across mid and high frequencies

- 2 x Planar Magnetic Drivers: spacious and natural soundstage

- 2 x EST Drivers: extended treble clarity and airiness

- 1 x Piezoelectric Driver: subtle nuances and textured acoustics

The 9.2mm Mystic LSR Dynamic Driver handles bass, and what bass it is. Five balanced armature drivers share the mid duties, aided by two Sonion bone conduction drivers for physicality and percussive immersion. Once you've heard a good BCD implementation - Lee’s subtle and musical over others’ brutal and excessive - it's hard to go back. They add a sense of realism and spatial awareness that's amazing. BCD bypasses the ear drum and goes straight to the bone, bringing drums, guitar strums, clicks, pops and other percussive aspects to the forefront with more personality, power, attack and weight. Mysticraft is far from the first to use BCD, but HEX is one of the most graceful implementations I've heard.

Two Electrostatic drivers handle ultra-high end frequencies, a fairly normal setup for a Summit IEM. Two Planar Magnetic drivers add spacious staging - again, subtle and remarkably sweet. Finally a single Piezoelectric driver gives subtle spatial cues and adds weight and physicality to the treble, enhancing detail in the upper registers, similar in purpose to the BCD. This is the HEX treble secret sauce: not the wispy ethereal treble of Anni and Dio, but a detailed, textured and weighty treble that sounds just so good, and REAL.

The piezo and planars' tuned highs are perhaps my favorite part of the HEX. Treble in real life - from big speakers or acoustic instruments - has body, weight and detail, not just smooth, shining airy stuff. The Piezo brings that out. The planar adds the air. Wisps, lips licked and smacked, cymbal crashes and their decay, tiny sprinkles of golden sparkle - they all have BODY and TEXTURE. Working in tandem these two driver systems offer a sense of realism and detail that isn't possible otherwise.

SOUND

How does the HEX sound? Massive. Thunderous. Lush and velvety. Bass-tastic and bombastic. Rich. Dense. Effortless and detailed at the same time - a unique paradoxical effect that is a contradiction in terms. A full, dense, lush and warm IEM that is also summit level detailed and extremely spacious. Sacrificing zero technicalities or abilities while maintaining an ultra level of fun and bass-heavy fortitude. This is The Shape of Sound to Come.

I'd call HEX a W-shaped presentation, very balanced, with a nice dose of extra low end that sits more in the mid bass region over sub. Mids sit right up front, nicely balanced with the rest of the spectrum - not forward, not recessed. Treble is beautiful and extended, remaining somewhat polite and unobtrusive. Nothing out of place. HEX is the only IEM I've heard with no attention-grabbing or annoying frequencies jutting out - no peaks or sharpness to speak of, no dips either. The only qualm one could have is the extra bass and warmth, but that's purely subjective. HEX is super resolving, not dark in any way. Plenty of power and punch, effortless and easy going at the same time.

While you can peer microscopically into minute details, the star of the show is the big picture - the sum of all parts. An ultra cohesive wash of audible goodness that covers you in a blanket of blissful sound and textures. The HEX can be a relaxing sauna, a raging chili pepper, gentle waves or a crushing inferno - it's not limited. Drums are especially epic. Rock is phenomenal, amazing for vocals and acoustic music too, where the space and micro details from the planar and piezo are jaw dropping. Jazz is like being in a dark and smokey club. Metal and progressive music is like a freight train. And yes, electronic music is totally mind-blowing.

It's colored, and for some metal and heavier music it can be a touch thick, but that's where the magic is. I hear every nuance, every buzzsaw guitar and fiery double kick drum attack. It's not muddy or congested - it's just juicy and rich. Even the craziest metal gives me goosebumps. Going back to any other IEM feels thin and two dimensional.

As I mentioned earlier, the stock cable configuration is not an ideal pairing. It's just too warm, too bassy. With a more neutral or transparent cable, HEX truly can conquer all. It goes from a very impressive warm and inviting IEM with amazing tech, to a full blown thunderstick capable of massive, majestic portrayal of any musical style and genre. It's a staggering difference. Like night and day. In this way, the HEX sits perfectly next to the STORM - trading blows, competing neck and neck.

Fugaku is also a warm IEM with a big enveloping sound. It's hard to compare Fugaku with anything else - it's a closed system, you can't do A/A testing, or even A/B. I spent two harrowing weeks with it, I lost more sleep over this thing than any piece of gear ever. The sound is insanely good, the bass is unbelievable, but the fit, weird cable hang, need of amp, and closed system dissuaded me. Factor in the price - which is absolutely preposterous, almost double the price of HEX, whose hang tag is similar to the sticker price of a great used car - I passed. In many ways the HEX satisfies my needs for that sound. I am not saying HEX is the same as Fugaku. But for me, it's much more useable, goes everywhere with me, and sounds amazing out of my phone, DAP, or desktop rig - something Fugaku can't do.

BASS

HEX has epic bass. It's big and juicy, like a simmering steak or a double bacon cheeseburger - extra order of kimchi mayo, and a beer. Oozing with girthy thunder and texture, it is phenomenal bass of the highest order. It can be super clean and clear with acoustic upright bass, or deep cellos and rumbling timpani. Punchy as anything, super quick. Rock and EDM might be its speciality, but it would be grossly unfair to pigeon hole the HEX for bass music. Pop on Djrum, Floating Points, Om Unit, Yoshi Horikawa, Emancipator, Flying Lotus, Tame Impala or Alessandro Cortini. Electronic bass is enveloping and so satisfying. Cortini's NATI INFINITI is wild. Floating Points is like a nightclub, you can feel it in your chest and guts. Equally at home is D'Angelo, Talking Heads, Snarky Puppy, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zeppelin, Night Verses and Victor Wooten. Anything with Pino Palladino or Jimmy Johnson.

HEX bass is textured - oodles and oodles of texture. And despite its healthy quantity, it doesn't get in the way. You have this ultra solid foundation, but it's a platform to rest on, not reaching up into the mids or averting your ears away from the precious other frequencies. With a neutral cable the bass quantity becomes more controlled and lessened, but the quality never ceases to amaze.

It growls and snarls at you, or politely blooms into a lush garden of bassy goodness. Shockingly tight and fast for a DD - an IEM with such a present bass range being this punchy and controlled is way impressive. Double kick drums are ruthless and pounding. Tool's Justin Chancellor has this dirty fuzz driven tone, legend status, and I've never heard it better than with HEX. The texture and grit seems so real, it makes all other IEMs sound overly smoothed out. Check out Vicarious' Jambi, it'll blow your mind. Reference bass? No. But it's not a cannon that mops the floor either. Tight, controlled, big and juicy.

MIDS

In previous Lee creations like X, DIO and Annihilator, the mids took a backseat to bass and treble. HEX mids are totally different - ever so equally presented and perfected. They are full and rich, large and dense, with great weight to the notes. Somewhat velvety, but not smoothed out - more liquid than smooth. Expertly detailed, with fast transients that are also effortless.

The bone conduction plays games with you. Some aspects feel like they're touching your face, screaming in your ear, while others fade into the background with effervescent sparseness. The sense of depth is really something. While STORM has extremely detailed mids that appear at equal size and presence before you, HEX can have multitudes of different timbres and weights in the mids, all appearing independently and uniquely. You can have a gritty guitar right up front, wailing synth off to the right, screaming organ on your left, big bass below - all keeping their individuality. And still, far off in front of you there's this tiny minuscule detail that pops out clear as a bell. A vocal harmony that would otherwise be buried in another set, and there it is, surrounded by insanely complex sounds. This is HEX.

I'm a guitarist so guitars need to sound right. While not as razor clear as STORM, HEX mids are more silky while remaining similarly resolving. For perfectly correct guitars STORM wins, and I prefer it for Robben Ford, Intervals, Plini, Michael Landau, Dire Straits, Eric Johnson, Hendrix, David Gilmour et al. HEX’s fatter lower mids beef up the grunt and grind, Mark Lettieri’s Baritone filled “Deep” albums have a much more muscular tone. For Tool I prefer HEX - Adam Jones' ultra dry tone can get a touch flat, and HEX's more liquid tonality gives it more body and richness, that fervent grunt I crave. Same for Katatonia, Leprous, Tesseract or any ultra polished heavy music - the HEX infuses some needed soul in there.

HEX vocals are sublime - more sultry, without losing out on detail, space or texture. Undoubtedly the BCD's aid. Not sharpened, but clear and present. Kandace Springs is the sexiest sounding modern jazz vocalist for me, and she shines on HEX. Agnes Obel, London Grammar, RY X are unbelievable, the sense of space and fine detail is surreal. Dominique Fils Aimé’s stripped down texture-full vocals and subtle harmonies are stunning, that finger snap like a bullet ripping through paper brought out in tremendous clarity while keeping her voice sultry. Big male vocals like Gregory Porter, Finnegan Tui, or D'Angelo sound wonderful and lifelike, nothing chesty or overly full.

Unlike most IEMs with great clarity and resolution, I don't hear that awful upper mid bump that's usually employed. Enhancing clarity with pinna gain has always rubbed me the wrong way - it doesn't sound natural, just sharper. I don't hear this on the HEX at all. The BCDs add a level of detail and clarity that it's simply not needed. Lee’s tuning prowess. Pure resolution, all natural.

TREBLE

In a surprise for everyone, Lee's famous weightless ethereal treble does not make an expected return. Anni 2023 and the fabulous DIO have tremendous world class treble - exceptionally extended, unequivocally vast and refined. But they don't sound real to me. Treble in real life has body, weight and detail, not only smooth and shining airy stuff. Enter the HEX, with its full-bodied AND extended treble. Not quite as tall as DIO - few things are - but so natural and real sounding I'll take it any day.

If you're a big sparkle fan this is not the IEM for you. It has some, but it's not hot and crazy - which is a great thing to my ears. Silky but not sweet, extended and airy but not otherworldly. It has grain, texture and treble detail unlike any other IEM I have heard. The piezo is doing magic, grabbing edges and minute details, bringing them to the front of your attention without making them harsh, sharp or crispy. This is ART.

Take Jordan Rakei's Clouds - one of my favorite tests for air and detail in the top end. The intro is riddled with spatial cues and wisps up top. With HEX I hear every single minute detail, and while there are IEMs that make this sharper or taller, none can touch the way HEX's detail and liquid-driven top end portrays this. Not only do these wisps sound clear as day, they have weight and percussive qualities. Astounding.

The HEX can be a touch quieter in the top range, purely in terms of volume presence. It's not rolled off or smoothed out, but it takes a slight backseat. Interestingly a simple cable swap will unearth more treble abilities - putting on my Nightcraft Vesper I immediately hear a much higher ceiling, more clarity and brightness, and more airy extension. HEX treble and sparkle are indeed there; you can tune their quantity to your liking.

SYNERGY PAIRINGS

The higher you go up the ladder, the more sensitive synergy becomes. When I review I do a ton of testing on every source I have, with many cables, over many days and moods, on every genre and style, at all hours of the day and night.

DAPS

DX320 MAX - HEX sounds spectacular here, big and vast. The NPAudio mod enhances staging and clarity while removing the metallic lower treble this DAP is often judged on. HEX can be overly sensitive - on Gain III or IV the attenuator steps tend to be too far apart for precise volume control. Bass is a touch more pillowy, but the otherworldly sensation is amazing.

Lotoo GT2 - More forward, more intimate and thunderous, with more sub bass and top end extension. Noticeably smaller width wise, but gives more texture and grip in the bass. I really enjoy it with HEX and prefer it sometimes depending on mood and genre. GT2's volume control makes getting perfect volume easy. For London Grammar the MAX has tremendous advantage, way bigger and more spacious. But put on Floating Points and GT2 can be more engaging, bass is punchier and tighter, with its leaner clearer treble pushing things further up top.

Quloss MUB5 - A very big desktop style presentation not unlike MAX, but the R2R sound is more analog, wet, with bigger bass attack. More bass than either DAP, but sinfully good with a healthy dose of sub bass rumble and its proceeding decay. Treble is a touch more energetic with a slight uptick around 8-9kHz, which for HEX can be a good thing. Staggeringly powerful - I first plugged in HEX on high gain at volume 15 of 120, a seemingly good place to start, and nearly blew my ears out. Backing down to 6, things were so clear, refined and endlessly analog I was smitten. Plug in a USB-DC12v cable and power output goes from 1500mV to 2500mV - staging becomes larger, more details, far more air and space between notes.

Using only a DAP, HEX is bigger, more grand and fluid than STORM. Its low sensitivity means it can sing to full potential from lower powered sources, a big plus compared to STORM which infamously needs a power plant to shine. Fugaku is sensitive to source, and since that’s the only aspect you can change other than the IC, plays a big role. Since you don’t have to worry about power, you can tune the sound to your liking.

DESKTOP

I built a massive and insanely expensive desktop system for STORM, and it scales like nothing else in the portable world. When I plugged HEX in for the first time I was elated - it really does scale. H1+HEX is a fire breathing monster. The bass is tighter, mids dryer and less lush, with more treble energy and extension. Nearly silent, and tremendously musical. HEX bass becomes a wild animal on H1, more defined with better control and ultra fast precision. It reigns in the warmth and color.

The SAEQ Astraeus is much bigger, wider, thicker, more forward and vast sounding - less punchy and dry, more liquid. There's something so special about HEX and Astraeus. More like speakers than an IEM, with a sub placed right in front of you. Drums are unimaginably huge and thunderous, staging is absolutely immense. If you like the liquid emotive qualities of HEX, pair it with the SS4 cable powered off the speaker taps of Astraeus - truly beyond.

I would never build a desktop system for HEX, as it sounds fantastic out of basically anything. But the upgrade from DAP to desktop is immense and not to be disregarded. HEX's main selling point is that I can leave the desktop, grab a DAP or dongle, and go with stellar performance, where STORM feels smaller without the big toys. Endless Ceiling or Big Sound Anywhere - a toss up only you can decide.

CABLES

I'm well aware many people don't believe in cables. I won't press you to believe what I believe - just skip this section if that's you. I’m an avid cable believer, and no lack of science or proof can alter my confirmed experience over the last two decades. Cables can unlock potential in IEMs hidden or overshadowed, often the final piece of the puzzle. I have previously said a cable can't save an IEM, but the HEX has changed my view somewhat. The largest change in tuning from a cable swap I have ever experienced. Like night and day.

Nightjar Sovereign Symphony 4W - $5500 (review)

Transparent, open and detailed. Slightly warm, very fluid. Notes are full and thick with more space between them, not congested despite the note weight. Staging is huge - coming from stock was like lifting a towel off your speakers. Bass is big and bouncy, not as punchy and taut as others but more enveloping and surround sound. Mids are unbelievably detailed. It's the largest presentation I found, with a very slight roll-off in the upper highs compared to brighter cables. Extremely resolving but always musical, a match made in heaven. There are better options for sparkle or taller staging, but the most magical HEX-on-steroids sound is the SS4.

Nightjar Blue Hour 4W - $2500

A light and thin cable, super comfortable. Sonically very clean - not clinical, just tight and clear, clean and fresh. A subtle boost to sub bass and upper treble does wonders for HEX, evening out the bass response so there's less midbass hump and more linearity. It opens up the top end extension without being bright - just open and clear. Not on the same technical and staging level as the SS4, but with HEX perhaps a better sonic match for those wanting to "clean it up." A fantastic pairing.

Nightcraft Vesper Shielding 8W - $1500 (REVIEW)

Less wide than SS4 but noticeably taller. More treble energy and zing, very smooth and natural top end. More extended, more sparkle. Mids are slightly warmer, slight lack of resolution compared to SS4. More engaging and intimate, more energy but less finesse. If you like your treble or find HEX a touch dark, no better cable pairing than Vesper. Best cable under $3k I've ever heard.

Astral Silver Reference - $700 (review)

A true colorless cable, adding nothing other than upped performance and control. Transparent, neutral and resolving though not on level of SS4 and Vesper. Energetic, punchy and controlled, with a slight upper mid emphasis. Bass is linear, which is great with HEX. For $700 you can't find better. This is a reviewer's dream cable - nice and light, sounds great and doesn't get in the way at all.

STAGING

HEX has an absolutely massive stage. Without a desktop power plant it's one of the largest I've ever heard. Eclipsed perhaps only by the Dita Ventura, but HEX's thickness and density is impossible to ignore while Ventura is much lighter on its feet. Fugaku is enormous, blurring the line between IEM and HP. STORM can be massive too, off desktop it’s the biggest I’ve ever heard, though when not ideally powered it's more intimate. Fundamentally the way those two image is very different.

STORM is like near field monitors - very wide L/R with sounds placed on either side cleanly and clearly. Vocals sit right in the middle, but the sound field is more wide for all aspects. Like a wide oval Venn Diagram, with the innermost sounds placed center, but most occupying the horizontally extended ovals off to the sides.

The HEX has more of an inner "nucleus" of sound, instruments' body occupying this middle section, with details, reverbs, decays, percussive qualities and space occurring outside the center. Imagine a big circle with all the instruments, vocals, drums and bass - and then outside this a much larger oval with all the space, decay, micro details and floating expressive air. HEX has loads of width, but I don't hear guitars panned as wide as STORM. This can make STORM sound bigger for some music, as all aspects are spaced further from each other. Yet HEX manages to stay immense, and in many ways sounds bigger in pure staging space.

If STORM is near field monitors, you can hear the two speakers sitting on the desk in front of you - forward, clear and present - then HEX is like switching to the big boys in the back of the room, or a great 2-channel system. The sound is more everywhere, enveloping you more, with bigger body, bigger bass and a larger space to live in. STORM is precise, HEX is fat and huge.

IEM COMPARISON

Tuning wise HEX is an enigma, capturing the best of several IEMs' finest aspects without the usual limitations. The Subtonic STORM and Brise Fugaku are the only IEMs to compete at this level for me, technically and emotionally. They sound different, going for different styles, but at the technical marvel level they trade blows. In a sea of new models, fancy literature and impressive spec sheets, these three stand alone.

If I was to choose one IEM forever it would be STORM. Once you've heard a STORM properly powered - especially with the SS8 cable - there is no going back. You can't un-hear it, game over. In many ways I feel the same about HEX. It's also Game Over. Fugaku still haunts my dreams, and as much as I enjoyed my time with it, it just doesn't fit my use case. Setting my alarm for early morning sessions as the sun comes up before my son jumps on my head - those were very special. But the price is stupid, and for a closed system it's not for me.

MUSIC TESTING

You may ask, how did I come to such fervent conclusions? By insane hours of listening, copious notes, endless A/B comparisons, more listening, cable rolling, source rolling, aided along by endless ambition and deep obsession to discover the innermost truth to these IEMs. I went back and forth between STORM and HEX so many times I cannot pretend to count. It was a blast!

Not only are these tracks what I love to listen to, they all help to show the best, and worst, in gear.

Andy Akiho - Pillar I

One of the first tracks I try - the opening drum hit and its fading decay are a quick 5-second way to know what an IEM can handle.

STORM is epic, drums have snap and drive. Great decay down to the lowest registers. Drum attack is clean and precise, can even be a touch intense, which I love.

HEX drums sound bigger, especially the kick. You lose a bit of sub-bass reach, but the decay is felt longer and the kick sounds more physical. The bells and marching snare in the middle section - the BCD makes these attacks pronounced yet full, very cool.

Snarky Puppy - Trinity + Shokufan

In my top three favs, Snarky Puppy is a testament to what jazz can be, with blazing live performances, varied instruments and genre defying composition.

STORM is extremely precise, musical and layered. I hear a perfect studio presentation. Puppy would be pleased to hear their music this way.

HEX performs amazingly well with big and busy recordings, many different instruments. Guitars are a sea of texture, horns have crystal clear attention, keys are unique in their differing timbres accurate weight. While not as clean as STORM, I feel the instruments are more alive. Getting all this right, while being thick, is unbelievable.

Om Unit - Altitude & Ascension

Godlike bass, epic production, sinfully musical atmosphere. A good way to gauge how low and controlled a set's bass can be, with tremendous air and sparkly timbres floating in the upper registers.

STORM has a firm grip on the bass, linear between sub and upper, with especially wide mids. Treble is airy and spacious, slightly on the analytical end of clarity.

HEX bass is much bigger and more present, the extra midbass and growl dripping with texture. More physicality to the bass, your body moves to it. Mids feel equally defined if not more, with more weight. Top end is airy and spacious, STORM is wider but HEX is deeper.

Ghost Note - JB's Out! (Do it Baby)

The modern masters of classic funk, hugely percussive and dynamic. Mono Neon's bass is one of the best in the business.

STORM is very clean, drums tactile, horns well separated and clear. In crowded and busy passages STORM is clear and uncluttered.

HEX tends to lean in the analog way - drum kicks and bass more rounded and textured, sounding more vintage. Horns sound less razor clean, more organic. On the busiest passages it can feel overly thick, though not losing resolution.

Deftones - Digital Bath

One of the best drum beats of all time, a classic. 90s style pushed mastering, heavy scooped guitars.

STORM can get a little brisk here, and the upper registers get fatiguing for me. Stephen's guitar is bright, the snare sounds sharp, cymbal crashes tend to make me wince a bit.

HEX sounds epic, full, and no splashy stuff to take my attention away from the goodness of 90s heavy metal. Drum intro pounds and is very full. Treble is much smoother. A hands down win.

GoGo Penguin - Umbra

I love GGP, and this newer track is awesome - the bass is killer and growling, the faded piano attacks a great teller of staging.

STORM has great seething bass, with a deep rumble that pounds hard. Cymbal hits and distant piano pads are clear.

HEX handles the bass in a more rounded and analog way - more rich and textured. Hi Hats are slightly lost in the mix, but their attack is clear. Everything is more congealed, but compressed too.

Nightverses - Arrival & Karma Wheel

Positively ruthless for testing. Dark and deep, with loads of 8-string guitars and fiery drums.

STORM makes these pop, huge and resolving. Even in the bassiest and crunchiest moments it never loses hold.

With HEX I initially thought it was almost muddy, but it's also very clear, just not razor sharp. The bass sounds more tube-like with more growl, the fuzz is more prominent. The small reverbs and percussive upper harmonics on the clean guitars are more separated from the instruments - a wild sensation.

Storm wins for its cleaner portrayal, but bass crunch and drums are more fun on HEX.

Dominique Fils-Aimé - Birds

One of my favorite albums of all time.

STORM is superb. Vocals are pristine, backup vocals clear and panned out, finger snap sharp and clean. A shining example of just how sweet STORM mids can be.

HEX has more voluptuous vocals with a sheen of velvet. The finger snap is further accentuated by BCD and the piezo adds vivid spatial cues. Sublime. This shows how open and clean HEX can be on less busy tracks.

Frances Thirteen - Queen Mary

What I use to test a system's frequency isolation. Bass has to be tight and full while vocals remain sweet and lush - most IEMs fail this test.

STORM handles this with ease. Super tight, super controlled. Vocals sit nicely in the middle, panning clicking goes extreme far left and right. Very vivid. On the right gear the bass is kidney-rumbling.

HEX has a bit less sub-bass reach, but leans harder on quality and growl. The quality of bass is better, more DD-like. Vocals are super lush and extremely emotive, with reverbs cascading in an endlessly wide field. The panning clicking doesn't go as wide, or as sharp, but the edges are more physical due to HEX's BCD. Hand claps are more layered with more separation between layers.

Another toss up! I prefer the sub bass rumble of STORM, but HEX's growl. Both vocals are great, clicks are wider on STORM but more vivid on HEX.

RY X - Your Love

Ryan's falsetto vocals get my soul stirring. A testament to minimalism in recording.

STORM sounds huge, this is quite the experience with eyes closed. It's made me cry on more than one occasion.

HEX sounds huge too, cavernous. I can't imagine it better, just a different flavor. Vocals are insanely good, less ethereal and more voluptuous.

Becca Stevens - Both Still Here

The layered vocals and width ambience with Jacob Collier are my favorite to test on a new IEM. Lots of panning, loads of harmonies, lots of space.

STORM is clear and resolving, staying musical. A lot of extension and air. I especially like the clear separation of vocal harmonies.

HEX is warmer and richer. Great separation and clarity, but more syrupy over classically clean. The vocals blend together more instead of STORM's sharp divide. Kick drum has more body, mandolin picks are more emphasized.

Tame Impala - Oblivion

Kevin Parker can do it all. Production quality and uniqueness is a fav of mine.

STORM - properly amped - is massive and thunderous, with gorgeous vocals, loads of micro details and crisp transients. Picture perfect, sounds like the record.

HEX is bigger and thicker, the bass dominating more than STORM but never intruding. A prime example of HEX's ability to mix timbres and tonalities simultaneously - big bass, lo-fi pads, almost falsetto vocals, while remaining incredibly clear and detailed throughout. STORM sounds like Yamaha NS-10s compared to the behemoth bass of HEX. STORM sounds more like a CD; HEX is a tube amp driven HP in the way the bass rolls over you.

Tigran Hamasyan - The Curse

One of the finest modern pianists in modern times, and the Meshuggah of jazz.

STORM works well with complicated and rhythmically rich music, this track is very dynamically demanding. Ultra soft whispers to full blown thunder, staying clean and well layered throughout. The chorus is epic!

HEX brings the piano attacks more weight, and the lower registers brim with energy. The outermost shimmers and air feel further away with great depth and tactility. I am more swayed emotionally in the softer parts, and feel the need to lower the volume a few clicks during the fuzz laden parts.

Sleep Token - Emergence

Token is a guilty pleasure of mine. Production quality is off the charts, it's always a good listen on a high-end system.

STORM is unbelievable, massive. The heavier guitar parts can be a touch sharp, but drums are punchy, cymbals fast and clear - a perfect presentation.

HEX drums are far more physical, more polite edges to the guitars. Not as clinical, but sounds insane on these modern clean mixes. While I prefer the guitars' panning and spread on STORM, HEX drums are killer.

Jubu Smith - Jubu's Poem

When Charlie Hunter is your backing guitarist you're a legend. An amazing record I use to make sure guitars sound correct.

STORM is fun and rich, guitars are perfect, drums are clean and Hunter's bass lines are tight and punchy.

HEX has a bigger, richer bass. Drums are more physical and weighted, sounding bigger and vintage. Jubu's guitar is slightly scooped sounding, with great texture and soul but off compared to STORM's reference.

Periphery - Wildfire

A monster heavy track. One of the few metal bands whose sound isn't overly scooped and mastered to pieces.

STORM is the champ here - all the heavy guitars cleanly separated, guttural and finely detailed. Super busy, no problem.

HEX can get a touch thick here, and definition in that messy low end isn't at the same level. For super busy down-tuned guitars STORM is the better choice, but HEX drums are crazy physical in the heavy riffs.

When the track gets busy the win goes to STORM. On more open sections it’s a toss up, heavy riffs are epic on both. HEX is super fun and if you like a less revealing tonality perhaps you'd even prefer it.

TOOL - Vicarious

One of my favorite tracks of all time. TOOL is wicked and this one is a testament to their enduring relevance.

STORM is clear with a big stereo presentation. While drums are crushing, it can be a touch sterile - guitar tones are a bit dry, mastering on the modern compressed side. I prefer HEX for TOOL.

HEX gives the track way more body, more grit and grind in the bass, and the drums have a larger physical presence. Adam Jones' guitars are more wet and textured, the whole experience more emotive. Danny Carey and HEX is LOVE.

Djrum - Codex

One of the best electronic musicians of the last ten years.

STORM is unbelievably detailed, crushingly crisp and stunning. Bass is deep and penetrating, fast and tight.

HEX has a bigger and more enveloping bass, not as fast and bouncy but way bigger - like a freight train. STORM's edges are cleaner, but HEX's BCDs make a huge difference here; all the micro details, flying wisps and clicks pop out at you like nothing else. Surreal.

Lianna La Havas - Wonderful

What a voice, Lianna is a dream. One of the finest vocal performances I've ever heard.

I used to listen to this track with STORM on repeat with my eyes closed. The space and endless air in all directions is mesmerizing, her voice the definition of Angelic. Sparse, minimalistic, unbelievable.

When I got HEX I once again closed my eyes, hit repeat and fell in love all over again. More sultry vocals, larger and more out in front. The whole space is more circular and spacious, surreal.

Couldn't pick a favorite, they're both unbelievable. A track like this is why I keep coming back to portable audio.

For more of my testing tracks I invite you to check out my carefully curated playlist HERE

CONCLUSION

Man, this has been a labor of love. I have not since STORM been so rattled by an IEM - it has quite literally shaken my world. Defiantly smashing my concepts. Breaking all the rules. While many will scoff at its crazy price tag or less than understated good looks, the HEX is one of two summit level IEMs I feel are worth what they cost. It sounds like $9k, as idiotic a thing as that is to say. Yes, it’s big, flashy, warm, and the fit won’t work for everyone. The stock cable is limiting. The wait time and availability is disappointing. It’s a limited release, and most won’t get a chance to understand for themselves what I’ve been waxing lyrical about the last hundred pages or so.

In a world of ever increasing prices and explosive competition, when sky is the limit and you want the best, STORM, Fugaku and HEX stand alone. What they offer, how they portray your music, is untouchable. I got into portable audio to bring my 2-channel with me on tour, and in this way their price tags are at least somewhat warranted. I'm not saying $9k is OK for an IEM - the industry has lost its mind, nothing should cost this much. But if you demand the best, this is it. Full stop. If you're reading this all the way to the end it means you're a crazy audiophile. Like me! No one sane cares for things like this, but that's what makes it fun. The search, the hunt, the tweaking and modding as we attempt to squeeze every last drop of SQ out of our chain.

And when that's done, the feeling we get when we close our eyes and sit back, relishing in the sweet embrace of our music - that's what it's all about. Tech is tech, without musicality and tuning perfection it's just a shiny speaker in your ear.

Modern innovation has given us gems to work with, but few can use them to make something worthy of mastery and perfection. The HEX is such an IEM. It goes beyond, and for those who need this, feel this in their soul, yearn for it - this is the true Summit. Nothing else comes close, and that's saying something.

Thanks for reading!

I wish to thank my good friend Guy Lerner, a prolific writer and fantastic reviewer for his help on this epic. This review was twice as long - I couldn’t contain my excitement as I buzzed through page after page - he helped streamline my endless babbling into something readable. Thank you Guy, you’re the best! (You can read his amazing work here)

If you want a HEX you can order one from Elise Audio HERE

or DMZ Audio HERE