PRICE: $169 (PHP. 8,000.00)

PROS: 

• Very energetic and vocal forward sound
• Easy to drive
• Well-built (despite using a protruding 0.78 pin
• Clean but punchy bass with good extension
• Open and energetic midrange
• Sparkly, detailed and well-extended treble
• Great technical ability for the price

CONS:

• Prone to shout and fatigue over long listening sessions
• Lacks impact and slam
• Not the best fit
• Cable is thin and tangle prone
• Thin note weight
• A little edgy and grainy at times

WHO THIS SET IS FOR:

• People who want a very energetic sounding set
• People who like a lot of vocal energy
• People who want a technically capable bright neutral set
• People who monitor instruments and vocals in the upper midrange 

WHO THIS SET ISN’T FOR

• Shout and treble sensitive people
• People who want the most natural timbre
• People who want a lush and warm listening experience
• People who want a musical sounding set

RECOMMENDED GENRES:

• Jazz
• Folk
• Classical
• Instrumentals
• Vocal Pop

SHORT REVIEW:

While the tuning might seem unfitting for a monitor, the NM2+ is a set that is so focused that those looking for a set to monitor a very specific range will adore this kind of sound. But don’t let the naming fool you as this set is still quite a treat when analyzing the music you listen to. This energy might come across “too much” for some and is definitely not for those who want an all-rounded set, but it’s a set with a very specific use case and a very specific tuning that I know some people will enjoy. RECOMMENDED WITH CAVEATS!

FULL REVIEW

There’s a misconception towards what monitoring in-ears are supposed to be like in the audiophile community. Many people attribute a flat, reference-like tuning to be the only reliable kind of monitoring in-ears. However, having both experienced and talked to a couple of musicians, the requirements of a good monitoring in-ear isn’t quite cut and dry. Today, we’re going to be taking a close look at the NF Audio NM2+, an in-ear “monitor” from NF Audio and is one of their most beloved sets from the past years. Is it really a worthy monitor and does it excel at uses outside of monitoring?

DISCLAIMER: The NM2+ was sent by NF Audio in exchange for my honest thoughts. I was not paid or compensated in any way to say anything about the product.

A BLAST FROM THE PAST, PART 2

I previously reviewed the NF Audio NA2+, another NF Audio set that I found to be a very nostalgic and unique set in today’s market filled with formulaic sets. The NM2+ on paper seems to be very similar to the NA2+, but I’d argue that there are fundamental differences between the two sets. The NA2+ is part of their music series while the NM2+ is a part of their monitor or professional series. As a professional  What exactly are the differences? How does the NM2+ stand out on its own? Let’s start with the unboxing!

UNBOXING

The unboxing experience of the NM2+ is very satisfying and clean, which is to be expected from NF Audio. You can find a large glossy NM2+ and professional series on one side and an illustration of the NM2+ on the other which looks fantastic on the gray background. 

Removing the outer sleeve reveals a sandwich style box that, when opened, reveals the IEM itself sitting in a circular cardboard platform and the rest of the accessories neatly placed. 

Here is the full list of the accessories:

• NM2+ IEMs
• 6 pair of eartips
• Carrying pouch
• 2 Pin cable
• Paperwork

For something that came out around 3 years ago, I have to admit that NF Audio killed it in the accessories department. A plethora of eartips and a decent case was more than you could ask for back then. Of course, times have changed and this isn’t the best value accessory list that you can get, but the presentation is still top notch!

BUILD & FIT

Arguably the highlight of the second generation Nx2+ series of IEMs, the build quality and aesthetics of the NM2+ is beyond fantastic! 

First, the NM2+ uses their patented MC2L-10 II single dynamic driver with an integrated tuning circuit, tesla level dual magnetic circuit, a dual cavity design and a high polymer composite diaphragm. This is all housed in a 5-axis aluminum CNC machined shell with a protruding 0.78mm connector.

I want to first talk about that 0.78 connector. On one hand, it looks a lot like QDC which is worrying not only for me but for a lot of people. However, I will say that the quality of the connector is pretty high quality for something that resembles the kind of connector that I despise. Despite being 0.78 2-pin, C-Type cables are compatible with the NM2+. 

As for the build itself, it features a matte gray finish with smooth and rounded stylings that is reminiscent of the NA2+ but in a different color way. It’s stylish, it’s clean and it feels very premium. 

Unfortunately, fit is not as stellar as the aesthetics and build as I struggled to find the right tips for the NM2+. I eventually ended up with the TRI Clarion which offered the best seal and stability, but I know a lot of people will opt for something that tames the low end more. Unfortunately, most tips, including the ones that came in the package, just didn’t work out for me.

This fit issue might cause for issues as the NM2+ is advertised as a professional IEM which means the ideal use case is for studio and stage monitoring and poor fitting is not something you want to experience while doing professional work. However, it still depends on each person’s ear anatomy and the overall shape is quite stable with the right eartips. 

Another issue I have with is the cable. While it is a very lightweight and good quality cable, I find it to feel a little stiff, memory prone and tangle prone. It’s a perfectly usable cable with a high quality interface, including the very effective chin-cinch. But unfortunately, I’m not that big of a fan of these kinds of braided cables anymore. 

SOUND

Sound Signature

The NM2+ features a bright neutral sound signature. The bass is linear but well extended, the mids are clean and open with a lot of upper midrange emphasis and a well-extended, detailed and crisp treble. Due to its single DD nature, the timbre of the NM2+ remains very consistent, albeit on the analytical side. This is a far cry from the “meta” tuning of today and is very unique in today’s landscape of Harman-tuned in-ears.

Drivability

This is the major differentiator between the NA2+ and NM2+. The NA2+ was surprisingly difficult to drive and requires close to planar in-ear levels of power from your source. The NM2+ is the exact opposite and is ridiculously easy to drive. I realized this as I was using my HiBy W3 II and found a situation where I couldn’t find the perfect volume as ticking it down was too soft and ticking it up was too loud. This isn’t an issue with my other sources and instead forces me to go down in volume more than I usually do. This means using a lower powered source is ideal for the NM2+ to get the right volume, but it also means that it doesn’t scale as well as the NA2+. The benefit of this is that the sound is consistent through sources compared to the NA2+ where certain sources will make the NA2+ sound better or worse. 

Volume

Due to its neutral bright nature, low to medium is the ideal listening level for the NM2+. Cranking the volume too high brings up the upper midrange way too much and might cause fatigue, especially for those sensitive to shout and upper midrange energy. The nice thing about the NM2+ is that the details are maintained even in low listening volumes and  make the overall sound very clean and detailed. 

Bass

The bass response of the NM2+ is very clean, tight and linear but with great low end extension. It’s the kind of bass that perfectly fits neutral bright sets as compared to Harman tuned sets, the NM2+ maintains a very consistent level of bass from subbass to midbass which extends to the lower mids. It’s definitely not a basshead set as it lacks low end impact, but the punchiness and texture impressed me with how well-done and well-defined bass notes were. 

Tracks like Wake Up by SOS or Hey Barbara by IV of Spades perfectly compliments the linear bass response of the NM2+ with the midbass emphasized mixing of the tracks. Bass details are very well-defined from the start while providing superb extension and rumble whenever it calls for it. It doesn’t boost it unnecessarily which ensures that the midrange remains uncolored but well-defined. 

Mids

Those that enjoy a neutral bright sound signature would absolutely adore the midrange of the NM2+. It’s clean, it’s open and VERY detailed. It’s definitely biased towards the upper midrange, but the lower mids have superb note definition that I can completely forgive the somewhat thin note weight. That being said, this is definitely not a set for those who want a linear midrange as the lower mids lack note weight and engagement and makes instruments sound a little thin. It doesn’t sound distant whatsoever, but it’s definitely not as focused as the upper midrange. Speaking of, the upper mids of the NM2+ is very forward, energetic and detailed. This is definitely not like the pinna shy sets of today as the energy here is so focused and crisp that it brings all your attention to the upper mids. Shout lovers will have a field day while shout sensitives will cower in fear with the NM2+. As you might guess, I had a field day with this set as the energy is unlike anything I’ve heard in recent times. 

My usual vocal test tracks of Samara Joy and Laufey played perfectly with the NM2+, more so than any set I’ve heard and reviewed recently. The upper midrange energy paired with the lower mids to bass give their contralto vocals the perfect amount of energy and note weight. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for male vocals as they’re on the thinner side. They’re still well-defined, but they lack the body to make the vocals sound satisfying. Instruments tell a similar story with bassier instruments lacking the note weight but maintains good note definition. The perfect example of this is the song Blue by Amateurish as the track sounds a little thin in the low end but very well-defined and detailed all throughout. If you wanna dissect tracks without care for musicality, the NM2+ absolutely perfect.

Treble

The treble of the NM2+ follows the energy from the upper midrange by keeping a superb level of detail and crispness that will make a treble head cry. I will say that it’s a generous amount of treble that doesn’t get distractingly sparkly and perfectly complements the upper midrange energy. One of the issues that I have with a lot of these older bright neutral sets is the over emphasis in the air region that makes it distracting and fatiguing over long listening sessions in exchange for a very crisp and airy presentation. Thankfully, this is not present in the NM2+ and maintains a good level of extension. Brighter learning tracks will sound even brighter with the NM2+ which makes it perfect for darker-mixed tracks. This also means poorly mixed tracks will be severely emphasized and will not sound good at all which makes it a true analytical monster. 

Jazz artists like Samara Joy and Norah Jones sound extra crisp and detailed on the NM2+ and emphasizes the wonderful mixing that their tracks have. I especially love the NM2+ on the track “Can’t Get Out of This Mood” by Samara Joy as the crispness in the treble is often very linear and the NM2+ gives it the much needed sparkle and energy that matches Samara’s Lush vocals. The opposite is true, however, for tracks like Swallow by CASIOPEA which is an older track with a more emphasized treble mixing that is admittedly a little sibilant at times. I wouldn’t say it’s poor mixing, more so than it is just the older style of Japanese mixing that stays true even today. 

Technicalities

One of the things that aged amazingly on the Nx2+ series of IEMs is technicalities. The driver they used still exhibits a very clean level of separation and layering while maintaining a very accurate sense of imaging and tall staging. Stage width is unfortunately a little narrow due to the upper midrange energy and lack of bass, but the height is fantastic as you can get a rather tall sense of imaging on the track. Dynamics and resolution is also very well-done and still quite competent even today. I will admit that it is not the cleanest or most refined sounding set that you can find today, but it still keeps up pretty well. 

COMPARISONS

vs NF Audio NA2+

I’ve been comparing the NA2+ with the NM2+ quite a bit in the review so far, but I’d like to go in depth in this section. This is due to the very similar FR graphs that lead many people to think that they’re the same IEM in a different shell. However, the way that the NM2+ does the bright neutral sound signature is an “edgier” and more defined way compared to the NA2+’s smoother and more open sound. This doesn’t mean the NM2+ is inferior to the NA2+, but the NM2+ is made for lower powered devices and presents sound in a more emphasized way that fits its “professional” label. Obviously it’s not something that can only be used for professional use as listeners who want a more energetic and easier to drive set that fits a more portable use case. 

vs Moondrop SSR

The SSR came out in a similar period to the NM2+ and many claimed that the NM2+ is the upgrade to the SSR. 4 years later, I whole heartedly agree that the NM2+ is the perfect upgrade to the SSR as it improves basically everything that the SSR does well. Unlike the SSR, the NM2+ is still being produced which is great for those who are still looking for that SSR tuning that Moondrop abandoned. Both sets have a bright neutral tuning with a linear bass, a lot of upper midrange energy and superb detail and technicalities at the cost of tonality. The NM2+ is more refined, more technical and cleaner overall. 

vs Simgot EA1000

Compared to the current bright single DD goat, the EA1000 shows the evolution of “single DD” IEMs in the last few years. The level of refinement of the EA1000 compared to the NM2+ is quite distinct with the EA1000 providing better details, technicalities and dynamics while remaining clean and fatigue free. Obviously, the NM2+ is the edgier set between the two and offers more energy compared to the EA1000, but the EA1000 has better tonality while staying detailed and technical. 

vs Simgot EA500LM

Compared to the EA1000’s little brother, the LM is another set that showcases the level of refinement that single DD IEMs have had in the last few years. In the EA500LM’s case, it was able to reach a similar level of detail and improved upon the cleanliness of the overall sound. The difference is that the NM2+ is still the more technically capable set as the separation and stage height is still better on the older set which goes to show how well the NM2+ aged. 

CONCLUSION

One of the things I realized about the NM2+ as I spent a couple of weeks with it is the growth that single DD IEMs have had in the last few years and how the tuning philosophy has changed over the years. Despite this, the tuning of the NM2+ is still relevant for those looking for a very energetic, upper midrange focused kind of sound. This is not only applicable for music listening but also monitoring specific instruments. 

A misconception that people have is that monitoring headphones always have to just be flat and neutral. But after talking to a couple of musician friends, specific tuning like the NM2+ aids in emphasizing specific instruments and vocals that the artist might want emphasized. 

Between the NM2+ and NA2+, the NM2+ is also clearly more fitting for monitoring purposes due to the easier to drive nature of the NM2+ making it perfect for lower powered sources that might be used on stage or in a studio. 

These are factors that do make a set applicable for “professional use”, but the NM2+ is still fundamentally a music device. And when you sell a device to the public, you have to know that people will buy it expecting to listen to it in a musical sense and not always monitoring. Thankfully, the NM2+ has enough musical chops to make it sound good with music, but only a very specific kind of music that likes a lot of upper misd and doesn’t mind not having a lot of bass. And if you like this energetic, bright neutral sound then the NM2+ is a unique set that you is really hard to find in 2024. 
Thank you for reading my full review on the NF Audio NM2+. If you would like to order one, consider using the non-affiliated link below: https://hifigo.com/products/nf-audio-nm2