The original FATfreq Grand Maestro was a unique Flagship IEM. It boasted tuning switches, a tuning adjustment module system called NOAH, and a hard-hitting tuning. With only 350 units available worldwide, Grand Maestro Anniversary Edition (GMA) updates the design and tuning of the original for a totally new experience. Is this the definitive version of the classic IEM, or something new entirely?
Build and Design
If you ever had the pleasure of opening up the original Grand Maestro case, you’ll know that it was quite the experience: the box, the case, and the rest of the pack-ins are all exquisite. Grand Maestro Anniversary continues the trend with a beautiful wood jewelry box, a metal case, and a nice selection of eartips, along with a great cable, and the three sets of NOAH modules. The included “Grand Origin” cable uses a mix of copper, silver, gold, and palladium that looks and sounds incredible. The construction and design is top tier, even when measured against other recent flagship IEMs.
The IEMs themselves have a shell made from titanium, coated in diamond-like carbon, while the faceplate is gold-plated copper. The shell is fairly big and flat, and the design makes the tips a make or break element of the fit – with very little in the way of curves on the shell, GMA is less forgiving than some of its more ergonomic counterparts. Inside you get 13 drivers with a tribrid design:
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1 Dynamic Driver
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8 Balanced Armatures
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4 ESTs
GMA also features a tuning switch that provides a vocal boost, and the option to swap out NOAH modules, which offer changes to tuning and ventilation. With the total package and customization options available, does GMA let you dial in true sonic excellence?
Sound
Grand Maestro Anniversary has an exciting sound that leans towards a V or W shaped signature, offering tasteful emphasis in the bass – that descends down into a more exuberant subbass – balanced mids, and plenty of top-end air. The vocal switch pushes the tuning more towards a V shaped tuning, while the NOAH modules determine just exactly how much emphasis you feel in the bass and treble.
GMA provides a small emphasis in the midbass that reaches down into a thunderous subbass presentation. This one gets pretty close to the sort of low end bone conduction can deliver, but doesn’t quite hit the physical rumble in the deepest lows. The Black “Power” module adds a bit of extra midbass kick, while the Blue “Control” module pulls out some of the midbass for a cleaner, but less punchy sound, while the Superstage module seems to be somewhat of a “both/and” which maintains solid bass while also provide some of the Control module’s airiness.
In the midrange, GMA offers a clear, natural delivery, with excellent layering and timbre. GMA’s low end tuning avoids bloat and muddiness but maintains a good bit of warmth. The vocal switch moves the vocals more forward in the mix while also adding some stronger clarity and separation. I found that I liked where the vocals were with the switch off, but preferred the vocal switch for instrumental music, where it helped add some focus to lead instruments.
The treble has nice extension and air – even with the Power module. The Control module really helps focus the sense of resolution and speed at the top, and prevents the bass from overshadowing it, while the Superstage module gives you the same sort of air, but not quite as much separation from the bass.
In the end, my preferred combo for most music was the Superstage module, with the vocal switch off, though I did like the black module for tracks where I was more concerned about the bass impact than the soundstage or imaging. Power plus the vocal switch gives you a fun combo of hard bass and in your face vocals, while the vocal switch with Superstage just seemed a little fatiguing, and the combo of Control and the vocal switch on was a bit too bright for my taste.
The tips aren’t just super important to the fit here, they also have a slightly larger than typical impact on the sound. I tried the included tips, which were great for soundstage, but not overall tonality, and also tried SpinFit W1 and Eletech Baroque, but I found the cheaper NiceHCK tips to be the best combo of fit and sound to my ears.
GMA doesn’t need a ton of power to get volume, but there’s a clear difference between when the IEMs are getting clean, powerful amplification with lots of headroom of a portable DAC, and when it’s pushing a lesser headphone jack to its limit. My favorite pairings were the iBasso DC-Elite and Cayin RU9. DC-Elite having the edge in detail, and RU9 offering that extra warmth in the midrange that added a lushness to GMA’s natural presentation.
On Bob Dylan’s “Rainy Day Woman” the opening horns have a nice bite to them, while the piano is clear and articulate – so articulate you can almost catch a couple small mistakes and rhythm adjustments. Dylan’s vocals are clear, detailed, and placed nicely in the mix. GMA gives the bass a nice impact and texture, with fantastic layering between the upright bass, tuba, and kick drum, while also providing a natural feeling to all the instruments across the spectrum. The vocal placement gets you up close and personal, and I could almost feel the room: sitting on a barstool in an old-timey, with the piano on my right, a few feet away from Dylan with the rest of the instruments surrounding me.
GMA perfectly captures the energy of “Goodbye, Sunshine” by Coheed and Cambria, building anticipation with the dynamics of the band, while GMA’s delivers the band’s signature layered vocals in a way that makes singer Claudio Sanchez’s diminutive vocals sound huge. When the band gets big, GMA has both the broad dynamics and soundstage width to get absolutely massive. The texture and layering of each instrument is spot on as well, with guitars that bite and growl, fast impact on the drums, and clear presentation of fast moving basslines. With the Power or Superstage modules, GMA is an absolute machine for rock and metal.
The quiet, folk stylings of Glen Hansard will pull you right in with GMA. The simple, beautifully layered instrumentation and melody sounds perfectly natural and lifelike, and if you put on a track like “Sleeping,” GMA’s imaging will pull you from wherever you’re sitting right now into a secluded studio with Hansard, his guitar, a piano, and a violin that are so close and so real, you swear you could touch the guitar. At the climax of the song, when the bass enters, it’s thick and weighty without overpowering the rest of the mix or feeling at all unnatural.
Comparison: Volk Audio ETOILE
At first glance, the Volk Audio ETOILE and Grand Maestro Anniversary look like very similar designs: they’re both high-driver count flagship IEMs with no bone conduction, gold faceplates, and luxurious packages, and both feature somewhat of a W-shaped tuning. But do they have more in common underneath the basics?
In terms of the build and design, both IEMs have a great look and feel with an excellent cable. ETOILE is a little easier to fit in your ear, and I was more consistently able to get a good seal with ETOILE, but GMA feels a little more impressive in your hand. In terms of the rest of the package, it’s pretty much a toss up. GMA’s package is a little more impressive looking, but I found ETOILE’s to be a little more practical.
In terms of sound, they’re two very different animals. Probably the closest you can get is with GMA’s Control module, but it will still offer more of a clear W-shaped tuning rather than the more reserved, reference like tuning of ETOILE. The midrange is really where ETOILE is so unique, and its full, rich, detailed presentation is hard to match. On the other hand, ETOILE can’t match the fun and excitement of GMA. The imaging is one aspect where I would give GMA a clear win though. Even though it doesn’t have quite the weight of ETOILE, the combination of size, separation, and placement in GMA’s imaging is really just on another level.
Final Thoughts
Grand Maestro Anniversary is an incredible IEM that is truly the definitive version of the Grand Maestro. And it’s not just a better version of the original Grand Maestro: its combination of build, design, packaging, engaging sound, performance, and the customization options make GMA one of the best flagship IEMs on the market right now.
