Fragrance comparison

Cuba Shadow vs MTV Sound Check

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 25 Oct 2026 131 ratings analysed

Cuba Shadow

Cuba Paris · 2018

4.04121 votes

Rank #14,600 CitrusFresh Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

55%scent match

Closely related

MTV Sound Check

MTV Perfumes

3.6010 votes

Rank #62,282 WoodyWarm Spicy

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2.

Cuba Shadow
Choose it for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring.
MTV Sound Check
Choose it for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Cuba Shadow2/5

MTV Sound Check2/5

Ratings & consensus: Cuba Shadow
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: MTV Sound Check
Sillage & projection: MTV Sound Check
Value for money: Tie
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Cuba Shadow

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Cuba ShadowCuba Paris

MTV Sound CheckMTV Perfumes

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.04/ 5 · 121 votes

Have 64%Had 17%Want 19%

3.60/ 5 · 10 votes

Have 32%Had 36%Want 32%

Category winnerCuba ShadowRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

27%Love

56%Like

10%Ok

7%Dislike

0%Hate

121 votes

20%Love

40%Like

20%Ok

20%Dislike

0%Hate

10 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity48

〰 Sillage40

♥ Love / hate76

⏱ Longevity49

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate65

Category winners

LongevityMTV Sound Check

SillageMTV Sound Check

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value92

Category winnerTieBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

fresh spicy91%

aromatic83%

woody74%

green65%

musky56%

woody100%

warm spicy92%

fresh spicy84%

amber77%

balsamic69%

powdery61%

Scent match55%Closely related · both fresh spicy and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

LemonMintPink PepperGrapefruit

Heart

GingerIso E SuperNutmegJasmine

Base

SandalwoodIncensePatchouliCedarMuskLabdanum

Top15-30 mins

SandalwoodNutmegPatchouliGingerLabdanum

Heart2-3 hrs

MintGrapefruitJasmine

Base4-6 hrs

IncenseCedarPink Pepper

InformationalShared notesMint, Pink Pepper, Grapefruit and Ginger. Durations are only published for MTV Sound Check, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter32

Day–

Night–

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter50

Day100

Night50

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men92

Unisex6

Women2

Men83

Unisex17

Women0

Casual 39%Work 32%Date 16%Party 13%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#14,600

PerfumerNot listed

Launched2018

Reviews11

Overall rank#62,282

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerCuba ShadowHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Cuba Shadow by Cuba Paris is a straightforward, wallet-friendly aromatic cologne built around energizing citrus, cool herbs, and crisp woods. It opens with an immediate burst of tart lemon, bitter grapefruit, and cool spearmint, accented by a pinch of crushed pink pepper. As the initial freshness settles on your skin,…

Reviews →

MTV Sound Check hits the skin with an upfront rush of sharp ginger, grated nutmeg, and dry Australian-style sandalwood. You get an immediate flash of perfumer alcohol during the first sixty seconds before the spices settle down. As the initial sharpness cools, a clean burst of grapefruit and cooling spearmint cuts thr…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Cuba Shadow or MTV Sound Check?

No clear winner: the 5 categories split 2–2. Cuba Shadow is rated 4.04/5 from 121 votes; MTV Sound Check is rated 3.60/5 from 10 votes. Choose Cuba Shadow for a citrus and fresh spicy character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in spring. Choose MTV Sound Check for a woody and warm spicy character. Wins on longevity and sillage & projection. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Cuba Shadow or MTV Sound Check?

They last about the same: MTV Sound Check 49/100, Cuba Shadow 48/100 for longevity in community votes.

Which projects more, Cuba Shadow or MTV Sound Check?

MTV Sound Check projects furthest (MTV Sound Check 52/100, Cuba Shadow 40/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Cuba Shadow and MTV Sound Check smell similar?

Closely related: a 55% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share fresh spicy and woody accords. Common notes include Mint, Pink Pepper, Grapefruit and Ginger.

Is Cuba Shadow or MTV Sound Check better for summer or winter?

MTV Sound Check suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Cuba Shadow and MTV Sound Check?

Cuba Shadow has top notes of Lemon, Mint, Pink Pepper and Grapefruit, heart notes of Ginger, Iso E Super, Nutmeg and Jasmine, a base of Sandalwood, Incense, Patchouli and Cedar. MTV Sound Check has top notes of Sandalwood, Nutmeg, Patchouli and Ginger, heart notes of Mint, Grapefruit and Jasmine, a base of Incense, Cedar and Pink Pepper.