Select comparisons
Forté Ears Macbeth ($3,999, reviewed here). Right off the bat, you can tell these two are siblings from the same audio family. Mefisto and Macbeth arrive in nearly identical packaging and share that unmistakable Forté Ears DNA, even though there’s a noticeable price gap between them (more on that later!).
Physically speaking, they’re practically twins – both sport those chunky yet surprisingly smooth shells that Riccardo seems to love. They fit pretty well for most people, though if you’ve got sensitive ears like mine, you might find them a bit much. And as for the sculpted faceplates, I’ve said my piece on that already (cough Mefisto looks nicer cough).
Where things get really interesting is how these two take completely different approaches to making music sound good.
Mefisto goes for that smooth, U-shaped sound that’s like a comfy armchair for your ears – balanced and easy to live with for hours on end. Macbeth, on the other hand, cranks up the energy with a W-shaped curve that pushes vocals and instruments right up front, creating a bigger, more dramatic soundstage that really grabs your attention.
The biggest sonic difference for me is how they handle the low end. Mefisto’s dual dynamic drivers don’t just play bass, they make you feel it. Fire up Massive Attack’s Angel with Mefisto and you’ll get that chest-thumping sub-bass rumble while everything else stays crystal clear. It’s like having a mini subwoofer that knows exactly when to show up to the party.
Macbeth’s balanced armature bass driver is more of a team player. It’s so good you might forget it’s not a dynamic driver, but it focuses on fitting perfectly into the mix rather than making your ribcage vibrate. Clean and controlled, but without that physical punch.
But don’t take my word for it, here’s Riccardo on his approach to Mefisto’s bass:
After releasing Macbeth, some people felt that while its bass was refined and high in quality, it was perhaps too polite, lacking the punch or exaggeration needed for rock, EDM, or cinematic soundtracks. So I decided to create something specifically for those genres; thus, Mefisto was born.
This fundamental difference in approach carries through to how they handle the midrange as well, where Macbeth’s bone conduction drivers come into play. Riccardo had this to say about why he decided not to use bone conductors for Mefisto:
I decided not to use bone conduction in Mefisto because I wanted a more impactful and immersive bass and lower midrange. For that purpose, bone conduction wasn’t necessary. While some brands use bone conduction drivers to enhance bass, I don’t take that approach. As with Macbeth, I used it only in the midrange. It brings a unique warmth and refinement to vocals and instruments, and creates an almost illusion-like sensation of the sound lingering in the air. It also contributes to a very particular kind of soundstage. If you compare Macbeth and Mefisto closely, you’ll notice the difference.
Sonically, Mefisto keeps things lean and transparent in the midrange, a crystal-clear window into your music. Complex songs get room to breathe, and you can pick out every little detail without the bass muddying things up. Macbeth is more intense, more exaggerated. Male vocals in particular come across as rich and full-bodied. The trade-off? Sometimes female vocals can get a bit shouty with certain tracks if you’re sensitive to that sort of thing.
Moving up to the treble, the two continue their different philosophies. Mefisto keeps everything smooth and seamless. The treble blends naturally with the midrange like ingredients in a well-mixed cocktail, crisp and detailed without ever becoming tiring.
Macbeth adds some sparkle to the mix. It makes cymbals shimmer and bells ring with extra life. Diana Krall’s The Look of Love becomes a masterclass in space and atmosphere; you can practically feel the brush strokes on the cymbals and hear the piano’s overtones floating around her voice. Sometimes though, this extra energy can make rough recordings sound a bit choppy.
From a technical standpoint, both of these are standouts, just through different approaches. Macbeth’s bone conduction drivers create an expanded sense of space, where sounds seem to float both inside and outside your head at the same time. Mefisto matches that spaciousness through pure engineering skill, creating the same width and depth without the fancy bone conduction tech. The imaging sits a bit more centered, but it’s equally impressive in its own right.
So who should pick what? Go with Mefisto if you want the Swiss Army knife of IEMs, something that sounds great with everything, won’t tire you out during marathon listening sessions, and plays nice with less-than-perfect recordings. It’s the easy-going friend who gets along with everyone.
Choose Macbeth if you love it when your music feels alive and in-your-face, especially if you’re into acoustic instruments, jazz, classical, or male vocalists. It’s the charismatic performer who demands attention. Just make sure your music library can handle its particular brand of enthusiasm.
Rather than declaring a winner, these two represent different philosophies done equally well. They’re both excellent at what they do, but just happen to do different things.
Which brings me back to something that’s been bugging me: Macbeth costs more, which technically makes it the flagship, but now that Mefisto exists and does so much so well, I’m honestly not sure that price difference between them makes sense. Take that as you will.
FIR Audio Radon 6 ($3,299, reviewed here). Both Mefisto and Rn6 take thoughtful approaches to creating well-balanced sound, but they get there in different ways. Mefisto opts for a refined U-shaped tune with gentle bass and treble boosts, while Rn6 goes for a more even-handed W-shaped approach that gives bass, mids, and treble roughly equal billing.
The respective low-end tuning of each IEM tells an interesting story: Mefisto’s dual dynamic drivers keep things controlled and musical – the bass hits with authority when needed but never overstays its welcome or muddles up the midrange. It’s the kind of bass that serves the song rather than stealing the show. Rn6’s Kinetic Bass driver, on the other hand, brings more visceral impact to the table. Those electronic kicks in Aes Dana’s Inks dig incredibly deep, creating bass that feels like it’s coming from within your ears, with beautiful texture that ripples across the soundstage like waves in Lana Del Rey’s A&W.
Where these two really show their personalities is in the midrange. Rn6 takes a more neutral stance in the lower mids before gradually climbing to a well-judged peak in the upper midrange. This gives vocals exceptional purity – Lana Del Rey sounds like she’s performing just for you in the same room, while Mark Knopfler’s distinctive voice on Sultans of Swing sits perfectly balanced with his legendary guitar work.
Both IEMs clearly prioritise listening comfort in their treble regions, just through different routes. Mefisto keeps things polite without sacrificing sparkle or air – you get all the detail and energy without the fatigue that can come from extended sessions. Rn6 similarly avoids any harshness or sibilance, with Max Richter’s haunting strings in On The Nature of Daylight cutting through beautifully with just the right amount of bite, though some treble enthusiasts might find it a touch restrained.
From a technical standpoint, both deliver impressive performance in their own ways. Mefisto creates a generous, well-proportioned soundstage that feels natural and spacious, with excellent detail retrieval that never becomes overly analytical. Complex passages stay organized and clear without losing their musical flow. Rn6 offers wide, spacious staging too, though it doesn’t quite reach the same depths as some flagship competitors (or Mefisto for that matter). Still, imaging remains spot-on – Pink Floyd’s famous clock sequence in Time places every chime exactly where it should be.
What it comes down to is two different takes on what balanced sound should be. Mefisto appeals to listeners who want technical excellence wrapped in a fatigue-free package – it’s sophisticated and refined, perfect for those long listening sessions where you want to get lost in the music. Rn6 attracts those seeking natural, lifelike reproduction where everything just sounds right – it’s more about musical truth than dramatic effect.
Both succeed admirably at what they set out to do, offering different flavors of high-end audio excellence. Your choice between them likely comes down to whether you prefer Mefisto’s refined elegance or Rn6’s natural authenticity – either way, you’re getting a thoughtfully engineered piece of audio gear that puts the music first.
Campfire Audio Clara ($1,999, reviewed here). Precision meets emotion – that’s the story when you put Campfire Audio’s Clara (which I’ve called “the best-tuned IEM I’ve personally heard, for my preferences”) alongside Mefisto. Both deliver impressive results, just with different priorities in mind.
Right off the bat, there’s a clear winner in the comfort department. Clara’s semi-transparent blue shell with its angular metal faceplate looks great and feels even better – it’s noticeably smaller and way more comfortable for those marathon listening sessions. Mefisto’s silver faceplates are undeniably beautiful, but the larger shells can get uncomfortable after a while, which matters if you’re planning to get lost in your music for hours on end.
Sound-wise, both go for balanced presentations but take different roads to get there. Mefisto sticks with a refined U-shaped tune that keeps the midrange neutral while gently boosting the bass and treble ends. It’s designed to be fatigue-free and let the music speak for itself. Clara goes for more of a right-sloping W-shape, putting extra emphasis on the midrange to bring vocals and instruments right up close to you.
This difference really shows up when voices start singing. Clara has this way of making both male and female vocals feel incredibly intimate and engaging – it’s all about that emotional connection rather than clinical perfection. When you hear Norah Jones’ Come Away With Me through Clara, her breathy vocals become remarkably intimate and warm, like she’s having a personal conversation with you.
Mefisto takes a more neutral approach, letting vocals sit naturally in the mix while revealing tiny details you might have missed before.
Bass presentation is another key differentiator. Mefisto’s dual dynamic drivers work in perfect harmony to deliver bass that’s tight, controlled, and precise. Every note serves its purpose without hanging around too long, leaving plenty of room for the midrange to shine.
Clara’s bio-cellulose driver with its dual-magnet setup takes a warmer, more organic route. The bass hits a bit harder and lingers longer, creating this enveloping sound that literally vibrates against your ears like you’re at a live show. This really comes alive on tracks like Billie Eilish’s bad guy, where Clara’s sub-bass delivers that satisfying rumble and kick punch with real weight, creating an almost subwoofer-like experience in miniature, though it sounds less controlled on this track than Mefisto.
In the midrange, Mefisto’s leaner approach creates exceptional transparency that lets you hear microscopic details in both instruments and vocals. It’s perfect for discovering new elements in songs you thought you knew inside out. This becomes particularly clear on complex jazz arrangements like Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue, where Mefisto’s transparency lets each instrument’s subtle textures and positioning emerge with stunning clarity.
Clara prioritises emotional connection instead, giving you chestier male vocals, fuller instruments, and a more organic presentation that makes music feel emotionally immediate rather than clinically accurate.
Both handle treble thoughtfully but with different goals. Mefisto creates seamless integration between midrange and treble, giving you crystal-clear upper frequencies that blend naturally with everything else. This keeps things fatigue-free while maintaining excellent sparkle.
Clara’s treble works like a camera polarizer – it keeps all the sparkling highlights while removing any glare that might distract from the music. This makes Clara more forgiving with imperfect recordings and lets you listen louder and longer without getting tired.
Technically, both are impressive but serve different masters. Mefisto excels at resolution and detail retrieval, revealing microscopic elements while keeping everything musically coherent. Its imaging precision lets complex arrangements breathe naturally without getting congested. Clara’s technical approach serves its emotional mission – it has enough resolution to satisfy without becoming overly analytical, focusing on natural timbre and realistic presentation for maximum musical enjoyment.
What it comes down to is this: Mefisto appeals to listeners who want technical excellence wrapped in a fatigue-free package, perfect for critical listening across all kinds of music where accuracy and detail matter most. Clara targets music lovers who prefer emotional connection over clinical accuracy – its forgiving nature with imperfect recordings, combined with physically engaging bass and intimate vocals, makes it ideal for pure musical enjoyment.
Rather than competing head-to-head, these two represent complementary approaches: Mefisto for those who want to hear into their music with unprecedented clarity, and Clara for those who want to feel their music with genuine emotional impact.
Continue to tweaking Mefisto…
