It’s been a while since I’ve covered a CVJ IEM and a LOT has happened since then. The Mermaid 2 is extra special since it’s a collaboration with R2E3 which created the original Mermaid. Let’s see how well CVJ handles reviving such a legendary IEM.
They did not skimp out on the unboxing, that’s for sure. Well, except for the fact that it doesn’t come with a carrying pouch. How can you charge $100 and not even include a simple pouch? I don’t know, and quite frankly, it doesn’t matter considering they included a variety of eartips ranging from silicone wide bores, narrow bores and the recent trend of liquid silicone eartips. Ironically, the best fitting one is the narrow bored eartips that look like the super cheap ones.
The first thing that stood out to me as I unboxed these were the IEMs. They are capital P Premium. It’s a full metal construction with a rather aggressive wing and a really nice looking faceplate. It’s a little hard to photograph due to how subtle the embossing is, but it’s a stunner in real life. It also fits really nice in my ear with probably one of the most snug fitting metal IEMs I’ve ever worn. The cable is also really good, probably one of the nicest stock modular cables I’ve seen. The material is a little worrying as it reminds me of the kind of cable that stiffens, but it’s nice as is.
Where I was left slightly divided with how it sounds. On first listen, the first thing that stood out was the treble. It was very revealing, detailed and prone to sibilance. But the way it forced details honestly sounded like the driver was already capable beforehand and they just jacked the treble even more. Knowing CVJ’s tuning philosophy, I’m not surprised. They love their treble sharp and snappy, and it has to do with the East Asian audio gear culture prefering a brighter tuning. The main benefit of the Mermaid 2 is that the rest of the frequency below the treble is really, really well tuned. The bass is lifted with just the right emphasis to bring warmth and body to instruments and impact in the mix and the mids is silky smooth with extra detail and sharpness thanks to the emphasized treble. If the treble wasn’t as emphasized, this is a set that western people would love. But if you’re a treble lover like me, this is a fantastic set and one that I was indecisive about whether it felt like it was too much detail or just the right amount for someone like me. But the bottomline is that treble lovers will love this thing.
FULL IMPRESSIONS COMING!
