This unit was loaned to me from crinacle.

Sonically, Massdrop’s version does sound very similar to the original Zeus XIV. I’d say the XIV has very slightly better bass but they are almost identical otherwise.

The tonal balance of the Zeus leans towards some subbass roll off as well as mid-treble peak, and so I’d describe the signature as lightly bright with an airy tone overall. While I don’t find the Zeus to be thin sounding, its tonal balance is offputting. Vocals can sound VERY forward and coupled with the hollow, slightly shrill timbre, and so makes for a coloured and unnatural listen. The presentation is very forward sounding that it sometimes catches me off guard as to how close the music can be. It’s close, yet remains unfocused.

I’ve heard reports of the Zeus sounding harsh with its treble response to some users. but I personally don’t have this issue unless I turn up the volume. However, it does have a spike around the mid-treble. For example, cymbals sound like they lack the necessary intensity in their attack, for instance in Steve Vai’s Tender Surrender (Where The Wild Things Are). With the mid-treble spike (probably has to do with presence and resonance around 8kHz), cymbals sound uneven.

If I had to come up with only a word to describe the MD Zeus, it would be “boxy”; specifically, in how off-putting the timbre and tonal balance of the MD Zeus is. Timbrally, the Zeus’ transients feels like it lacks focus and precision in its notes, specifically in the dead centre of the notes themselves. For example, in the opening drums in Paramore’s Part II; in the parts where the drums should sound solid and tight, the Zeus portrays the drums to have some feeling of hollowness and emptiness. On a similar topic, subbass extension has room for much more improvement, for instance in Regina Spektor’s Fidelity (U.S Version) where the drums lacks extension, depth and body.

This timbre holds true with any instrument, be it trumpets or vocals. It leaves me feeling a little uneasy hearing that the lack of focus in the sound. Perhaps it has to do with the 3k dip that shows on its graph.