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My IEM Review (Shure E4/E5, UE Super.Fi 5 Pro/EB, Etymotic ER4s) - Page 7

post #91 of 125
2/24/06 at 9:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdark09
Has anyone ever tried the 5Pros and E4c while riding a bike, how is the isolation, and do you get any microphoics from the wind? Also, for listening to music and movies on a laptop does the 5Pros sound better than the E4c from both soruces or one better than the other?

I haven't tried riding a bike with them in, but I have walked around in very windy weather. The only thing you would want to do is secure the cord inside your shirt or jacket. You shouldn't have any trouble with microphonics. The 5 Pro cable in particular flaps around a lot in the wind, but like I said, if you secure it, it won't be a problem. They are also releasing a new thicker cable for the Super.Fi line in June.

Yeah, for movies, I prefer the 5 Pro.
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post #92 of 125
2/24/06 at 9:40pm
Dang this thread is back from the dead. Or at least back from a long vacation. I remember looking a this when the superfis had just come out!
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post #93 of 125
2/24/06 at 10:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by kenneth11zz
Thank you so much Jasper for your experience and detailed review of various IEM. Also, special thanks to Edwood and others who contributed to this thread.

Personally I have being going nuts as which one to buy because I have a similar requirements like Jasper do.

Now, I narrow down my choice to: Shure E4, Westone ES2, and UM2.

UM2 Full Review

2005.09 Digihead
ES2 Review By Digihead


Can someone share some lights on this? Technically, the only difference is ES2 and UM2 are dual drivers, that means both provides a wide soundstage and more detail. But how balance are they? Is the E4 have a good quickness to it for instrument separation?

Jasper, have you find a full-sized headphone meets your requirements? Of course the elite high-end such as HE90 and HE60 meets the requirements which is out the price range for most of us. For an affordable headphone, I'm think AKG-701 might the be one base on initial reviews that I read so far.

Any insight would really appreciated.

-Kenneth
Hey sorry, I didn't even notice this thread pop back up when you posted this (same to you vii_haven, but I think I already spoke to you in PM)...

Having multiple drivers does seem to help with soundstage to a certain degree, but I find the E4 more detailed than the SF5P and the E5. The E4 has excellent instrument separation and speed.

I have not found a full sized can that meets my requiremets. I have yet to find a really nice sealed full sized headphone that offers a better combination of sound quality, comfort, and isolation than IEMs offer. Many of the open high end cans can offer certain sound quality benefits like airyness and that sort of thing, but since ultimate performance is affected by ambient sound they don't really work for me. I think the UE-10, E500, and hopefully the new UE that's due out in June offer detail on par with many of the best open headphones I've heard. Where they lack in airyness and soundstage, they make up in intimacy and isolation. For me, listening to headphones is really about being in your own little world. I don't want to be distracted by every little sound in a room. I don't want to fight for volume with the ambient sounds of city life, or the fans that cool my room and my computer. IEMs bring me to a special place all my own; a place that full sized can's just can't get me to. Besides, when I want to listen to big airy sound with lots of soundstage and perfect imaging, I have speakers....
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post #94 of 125
2/24/06 at 10:44pm
I took the plunge and got a new L7 SLVR phone and TF card.. I ordered a set of Shure i4c-t and am using adapters to use them for both the phone and my computer for gaming (the mic makes it perfect for this). I wanted to say thanks for the great review and that it was a major factor in my final decision. After enjoying the i4's thoroughly I also ordered a black set of the UE SF5P, I can't wait to check them out. The greeting say goodbye to your wallet is on the "money"... I am definitely noticing the bad qualities of my mp3 collection now and have started the migration to FLAC..
Thank's and Happy Listenin'
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post #95 of 125
2/28/06 at 3:56pm
Well i got my SF5P and OMG i love these things. I cant hear anything outside of the music. I was a little worried about riding my bike with them due to the microphonics and what not but they are not bad at all. I hear a very little amount of wind. I can now listen to my music at a comfortable 8 on my Zen Micro as opposed to the unsafe 20 out of 25. I have not tried all the inserts but i like the fomies so far. The sound stage on these bad boys is unreal i love it. I am going to let them play music for 3 days constantly to burn them in. As far as the base goes i really like it the way it sounds, you get base but it is not overpowering and drowning out the music. I also watched a Sahara the movie on my laptop and the sound was awesome. I wish i could try the the SFEB's (more base) but i think it might be overpowering. Oh and i paid 209$ and that came with a 50$ rebate so they were only 159$ ( www.headphonesolutions.com ) which is well worth it in my opinion, especially when the Bose cost 300$, for a worse headset.

I cant thank you guys enough for convincing me to buy a good pair of IEMs.

Brian
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post #96 of 125
3/1/06 at 2:00am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bdark09
I cant thank you guys enough for convincing me to buy a good pair of IEMs.

Brian
You're very welcome. I'm glad we could help.
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post #97 of 125
3/1/06 at 2:36am
jasper, I just wanted to say thanks for the review, you've helped me decide what I need...and don't need.
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post #98 of 125
3/1/06 at 7:55am
Jasper994, as others have said, thanks for the review.
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post #99 of 125
3/1/06 at 8:08am
For some reason, I don't find the ER4S as terrible as you guys find it. I'll leave it at that.
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post #100 of 125
4/18/06 at 3:48pm
This was really a major bashing of the Etys. Where is Team Ety at?
I do agree that the microphonics suck big time but I really like the sound of the etys. I thought more people did? Come out, team ety!

As soon as my €&/(/"#%€ ear infection is gone I will do a thorough comparison of the shure e4c and the ety4p.

The UE really did look vulgar... Thanks for a really good review!
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post #101 of 125
4/18/06 at 4:06pm
Team Ety too content to comment!
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post #102 of 125
4/18/06 at 4:11pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xoton
Team Ety too content to comment!
They are just hiding. When you are not looking thats when they whack you.
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post #103 of 125
4/18/06 at 4:20pm
Great review. A bit of ety bashing, I'm just suprised he found the er4s less clear then the E4s.
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post #104 of 125
4/18/06 at 4:20pm
The etys sound great, but for me they're just too uncomfortable to be practical. Listening to music is supposed to be enjoyable, and I just don't enjoy wearing the etys, even if I might enjoy listening to them.

As for the e4c and the super.fi 5 Pros, I'm glad I stuck with my super.fis. They're not the best sounding phones when hooked up to a great system with a good amp, but in my opinion, they are the best unamped out of a portable music player (whatever kind, take your pick). The e4c really needs an amp to sound good in my opinion, and that just isn't practical for most places I'd be using them in the first place. And I find the SF5P the most comfortable as well, although this is obviously subjective.

From a pure, 100% audio-oriented analysis, I'd say the Etys are the best with the e4c close behind. But once real world usage is factored in (the fact that I'm buying them for primarilly portable unamped use and would like them to be as comfortable as possible), the SF5P take the lead for me. I get the feeling that Shure and Etymotic designed their products for test equipment while UE designed theirs for real world use.

This is all, obviously, IMO. Other people feel differently... but hey, it's not their money I had to spend.

And a belated "great reviews Jasper!"
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post #105 of 125
4/18/06 at 4:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by svanerik
Come out, team ety!
We're out here. But Jasper994 was articulating a personal opinion in what I think was a perfectly responsible way. Though my opinion doesn't agree with his, I think he expressed his experiences and preferences in a factual way that doesn't amount to "bashing" in my book. So having said my piece earlier about revisiting insertion depth and quality of seal, I am entirely content to leave it be.

But if you'd like to hear a differing viewpoint, mine comes down to this: I own both, have a need for both in my life, and use both regularly. For on-the-go listening, I love the E4's lack of microphonics, its down-the-back cord design, and its durability. And I think the sound's not bad, though I look forward to upgrading. For audiophile listening where I have an amp available and I'm not moving around, I much, much prefer the ER-4S. Beautiful, beautiful sound, and to my ears anything but "uninvolving."

To someone who was choosing one or the other rather than both, I'd wind up recommending the E4 if practicality was paramount, and the ER4 if sound quality was paramount and a bit of fiddling to get that sound quality wasn't a problem. But, clearly, not everyone agrees.
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