Motivate Ears MSX+ Review: Luxurious Studio Room
So far, we’ve covered many audio products released by internationally renowned brands. As much as we’d like to spotlight gears you’ve been curious about, we’re also highly inspired to introduce new, undiscovered regional brands worth global attention and are expected to grow. Today, I’d like to introduce you to Motivate Ears – a custom in-ear brand established in Hong Kong. While Motivate Ears may be new to most who aren’t from the region, they aren’t newcomers to the industry at all. Motivate Ears has been serving the Hong Kong audiophiles and artists for years, crafting custom in-ears and UIEMs for 1000+ users, as well as collaborating with various local musicians and artists.
Among the variety of IEMs they offer, we’d like to review the ultimate flagship IEM of theirs, called the Motivate Ears MSX+, an 11-driver IEM consisting of 4EST+6BA+1DD and priced at $2,850. Before we jump into the review of MSX+, let’s first learn about Motivate Ears and their related info and services that are worth mentioning.
Who is Motivate Ears?
Designed and tuned by M.E. Studio, a Hong Kong audiophile and pro audio distributor providing tailored products and services, Motivate Ears (ME in short) offers a wide range of products, from budget-friendly $350 to $2,899 flagship UIEMs and CIEMs. The line-up consists of MS2, MS4, MS6, and MSX+. Below are the brief price info and specifications of the ME line-up (mentioned pricings are approximate and rounded up, and will differ depending on options).
- MS2: $349, 1BA+1DD
- MS3: $799, 2BA+1DD
- MS4: $999, 4BA
- MS6: $2099, 4BA+2DD
- MSX+: $2799, 4EST+6BA+1DD
To differentiate from the simple purchase-and-go practices, M.E. provides a truly tailored experience for its IEMs, starting with choosing the right model. Each MS model IEMs is prepared to serve different budget allowances and sonic merits. If you’re unsure which IEM to choose, they offer private consultations and help you choose depending on your usage, sonic needs, and sound preferences. As usual practices for CIEMs, M.E. offers a variety of design options. However, the advantage of M.E. products is that they do not charge extra even if you choose custom fit (CIEM), so the pricing remains the same as universal fit. All Motivate Ears IEMs come with a 4-braided, 2pin-3.5 mm stock cable.
Make it Extra Special! Full Metal CIEM Shells & Faceplates
Starting the Q3 of 2025, Motivate Ears announced a new special option where users could even upgrade the chassis material from resin to metal – either sterling silver or rose-gold copper. Sure, there are numerous IEMs made in metal, but here’s the twist – Motivate Ears supports these full metal IEMs to be custom molded, or CIEMs. Pure silver and pure copper options are each available for an additional 1,500HKD and 2,000HKD per side. There’s another optional choice where customers could order resin shell + pure silver faceplates (1,500HKD per side).
Earpieces: Eleven-Driver Design
Since the design of the earpieces is fully customizable, even to the materials, we’ll jump straight to the technical aspects and the rest. MSX+ is the flagship model from Motivate Ears, using a 1DD+6BA+4EST tribrid design. A 10mm dynamic driver covers the lows, 2BA for the low-mid, 4BA for the mids, and 4EST for highs and ultra highs.
On the side sits a tuning switch to allow two different sound modes – H or E Mode. The H Mode (High Definition Mode) provides a balanced, natural presentation that prioritizes maximum resolution and details. This mode is ideal for critical listening and for studio monitoring purposes. The E Mode (Energentic Mode) takes a more musical approach, providing a warmer, dynamic sound signature with stronger bass and fuller mids. This mode is ideal for immersive, enjoyable listening.
Next Page: Sound Impressions / How Does MSX+ Sound?