M3 Customs Midil Op Amp

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written by: Ferdie A.; addt'l notes by: Edwin M.





Introduction


I was truly honored when Marlon Mercado of M3 Customs requested that I provide a review about their new up-and-coming Op Amp, the “Midil.” Given that I only had 6 days to immerse my ears, analyze, and write about the results rather than my usual 3 to 4-week burn-in period, I hope that the outcome will be satisfactory.


Disclosure

This review was only made possible via the assistance of several individuals from the Walnut and Zishan Enthusiasts Facebook group, as well as M3 Customs. This is a re-written review of the original article posted at the same Facebook group. Insights and additional notes from JAM Audio Reviews co-founder, Edwin M., were added.

I did not receive any form of payment from Zishan, Heavenly Sounds, and M3 Customs in exchange for this review. The M3 Midil Op Amp was sent to me by Marlon Mercado of M3 Customs for the purpose of writing this review only, and has been paid in full. The Zishan Z1 DAP and Heavenly Sounds Cadenza V1 have been fully paid for and are currently owned by me.


About me

Musically, I prefer listening to mostly classic rock, blues and instrumental jazz fusion music. From time to time, I also listen to alternative rock, progressive metal, and meticulously chosen pop songs.


Reviewing the Basics

  • Packaging/Accessories

n/a

  • Tech Specs

n/a

  • Sonic Review

    • Gear Used - Zishan Z1 (stock caps) with the M3 Midil solder-mounted on a standard Through-Hole Dip Socket; Heavenly Sounds Cadenza V1 (stock) with donut-hole foamies
    • Track Used - Plini - Every Piece Matters; FLAC 16-bit 44.1kHz 
    • Track Highlights - This track is my go-to song for resetting my ears, for the initial round of analysis whenever I wanted to review any audiophile-related product, or just for casual listening. The whole track itself is a highlight since it shows the dynamic character of any skillfully-written and proficiently-mixed instrumental rock fusion song. It’s chock-full of properly-composed emotional guitar lines that’s backed up with appropriately-timed rhythmic fillers from the rest of the other instruments.
    • Highs - Compared to the Philips Thailand NE5532N, the Midil has a thicker, clearer, and more transparent treble. There was a bit of a roll off whenever I heard the crash cymbals being struck. It was also a bit laid back. Fortunately, sibilance was not apparent throughout the track’s playback.
    • Mids - This is pretty balanced with just a slight bump in the mid-section. This gives the Midil enough push to bring forward a sufficient amount of emotion from the song’s primary guitar lines. The mids is smooth, detailed and transparent. It is detailed and articulate enough for me to hear plenty of information from the short arpeggio runs, as well as the 3rd and 4th layers of the track.
    • Lows - Decay is fast; making those muted guitar lines and percussion parts sound punchy. It has a really good grip with enough control over the whole low-end range for a dynamic presentation. It has the capacity to extend when required, but I found that it has a tendency to sound just a little bit heavy during the chorus section of the song. The quantity is a bit more compact, heard and felt compared to the NE5532’s softer low end.
    • Soundstage & Instrument Separation - Staging for the Midil is just a tad narrower than that of the Burr Brown OPA627AU. The instruments are also well-spaced with enough air in between. Basically, there are existing and consistently discernible layers making imaging quite clear.
    • Other Observations - I’ve been listening to this since I received it, and I found that it’s more tonally balanced than it is mid-centric. The slight mid hump was thick and clear, but it wasn’t adequate enough for me to describe it as “forward midrange.” Texture is easily rendered as well. The gain is definitely more plentiful compared to the NE5532N when used at the same volume level.

Overall Musicality

With enough midrange to send the song’s message across and cut through the mix, the Midil did a great job of making sure each vibrato, harmonics, and other sonically-pleasant artifacts are heard and felt.


Overall Imaging 

I found no issues imagining everything that was happening on the track, nor did I find any missing instrument. Actually, I even found more activity in the track compared to the NE5532N. It was with the Midil that I heard the bass notes found on 1:46 of the track were not being picked or flicked - it sounded like it was being slapped. How’s that for detail? 


Summary and Recommendations

The M3 Midil is a delightfully thorough op amp. Given the balanced output this brings out, I’d recommend it as an all-rounder due to its sufficient end-to-end range. It satisfies, and I’m happy with that.





Additional Notes from Edwin M.


 Edwin M’s Setup:
  • Main Listening setup: Aune M2s -(line out)--> Zishan Z1 + M3 Midil --> IEM
The sound of the Aune M2s can be described as organic, lush, and relaxed. It is a great DAP within limits. Play a jazz trio and you'll be rewarded. Put on a big band playing fusion and you can kiss critical listening goodbye. This is the reason I've been searching for a good amp for my IEMs.

 With the Zishan Z1 + M3 Midil combo as an amp, I get better placement of instruments in my headspace. I can also hear texture in my favorite instruments consistently (voice, trumpets, guitars, baritone sax).

 I have reached my end game for my IEM stack using this setup.
Other Setups:
  • ifi Nano BL --> Little Bear B4 + M3 Midil --> Cans
I don't like this setup. The instruments are too crowded in my headspace even with an open-back headphone. I still use the M3 Max Cherry on my Little Bear B4.

  • Zishan Z1 + M3 Midil --> IEMs
The M3 Midil trumps both the Dibil and Max Cherry, but I don't listen much using this setup.

  • ifi Nano BL --> Zishan Z1 + M3 Midil --> IEMs
Compared to the standalone Nano, this setup gives me a little less body and a wider headspace. I don't know which one is better, which is definitely a great problem to have!

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