Introduction

MUSE HiFi is yet another new brand coming out of China that no one had heard of, until recently. When I was first contacted about the company, there was no online presence to find—no website or social media pages, nothing outside of a few products listed on Shenzhen-based retailers such as HiFiGo where searching for "MUSE HiFi" will lead you to all of three product pages, so things were not off to a great start when it comes to marketing a new brand and its products. Yet, something was clearly going on, with the subject of today's review being frequently discussed in the Chinese market. Apparently my feedback was taken seriously too, as now there is not only a website but also plenty of social media presence! The brand is actively trying to get the word out by prompting distributors to send products out for reviews, so here we are, taking a look at the new MUSE HiFi Power set of in-ear monitors.


As the title of this review suggests, the MUSE HiFi Power uses planar magnetic drivers and joins an increasing club of IEMs using a single, full-range planar magnetic driver in the 14.x mm size range. There were many planar IEMs before, including the Audeze Euclid we saw, but really this hype train of more budget-friendly and well-tuned planar IEMs started with the 7Hz Timeless and then LETSHUOER joined the party with its S12. I'd need more than the fingers on my hands to count the releases since then, including others from 7Hz and a few from IEM specialists MOONDROP and DUNU incoming, so it can be quite hard to make a name for yourself in this exploding market that has gone from offerings at $220 to under $100 recently. Will the MUSE HiFi Power provide its mettle? Thanks to HiFiGo for providing a review sample to TechPowerUp, as we aim to find out today.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

I have here two separate samples of the MUSE HiFi Power, with the first arriving closer to launch when the brand had a simpler, all-black packaging. The newer retail packaging, which coincided also with the brand putting in resources towards an online presence, is seen above, and is far more colorful with the MUSE HiFi logo and product name on the front along with a render of the IEMs from one side to show the planar magnetic driver inside. On the rear we see marketing features listed in multiple languages, along with contact info for the company itself. A look from the side confirms the use of an external sleeve over an internal box that can be slid out from the bottom akin to some IKKO and XENNS IEMs we've seen in the past.


The inner box is exactly how the outer sleeve was before, so imagine reading that cheesy marketing line twice and trying hard to not cringe. This is a hard cardboard box with a magnetic clasp on the bottom, opening up to reveal the contents inside beginning with a wax paper wrap and then a thick foam sheet hosting the IEMs in individual compartments. The case is alongside, and all three items have small gaps cut in the foam to allow your fingers to easily pull them out.


The carry/storage case that comes with the MUSE HiFi Power is one I have seen used many times before in different colors and branding, and it's a safe choice for the price range these IEMs belong to. This is a hard case with some give, adopting a pouch style form factor, with the design looking posher than it is in practice. Stitching is done well and the pouch opens up to reveal enough room for the IEMs with the stock cable. We also get a cleaning tool, in the form of a brush/wire combo unit, and then we see the other accessories are found beneath this top layer, including a brief guide on how to use the MUSE HiFi Power if you are new to the IEM market.


MUSE HiFi provides two plastic packs that contain four types of silicone ear tips in sizes S/M/L each, these differ primarily in the opening size of the inner bore that can affect the presentation and soundstage slightly, in addition to overall tip length and flange stiffness. I appreciated the different color choices adopted here, but more useful would have been a clear indication of which tips are intended to do what. The product page mentions one set is bass-optimized, another is balanced, the third for vocals, and the fourth for soundstage. But good luck determining which is which!