New and Improved Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 v2.0 - Huge Sound in a Tiny Package. - Page 9

Probably not required, just something to spend a little more money on. Just enjoy the Sleeks, as they also perform very well without an amp/cable. I got the amp for $8.50 (via ebay, but I believe that cheap deal is out of stock, but they can be had for $15 too) and the cable wasn't too much to spend. It is sort of a hassle carrying around all the stuff, though, so when I go out to walk the dog, for example, I just use either the Sleeks or the SF5s without the other stuff.

If you can find the FiiO for $8.50, not much of a downside. I also can use the Dowin cable with the im716s and the MiniboxE+ so it's got other uses for me.

Anyway, back to the SF5s. I like them, but not as much as the SA6s. Need to get the thread back on track.

Looks like a cheaper-to-produce, smaller, less-complex IEM than SFpro5. Was SFpro5 on hand for direct A-B comparison? I ask b/c when powered by a suitable DAP, such as my Meizu M6SL, SFpro5's strengths include terrific midbass punch and dynamics and detailed treble/midrange, which are reported to be not great with the new "replacement". I don't care much about IEM soundstage.

Well, I pulled the trigger and ordered a pair of the new 5s from Amazon. It came out to 151.92, including shipping. I have the Super.fi 5pros and I wanted to se if the difference between the two is really that noticeable. If it isn't, I'll just return the super.fi 5s to Amazon.
If it really is a significant upgrade in sound (as perceived by MY ears), I better start contributing more to reach the 50 post mark and put up the pros for sale.

I'm seriously consdering going for these as an upgrade from my E2Cs. But based on what I'm reading here it seems like people are divided between the Sleek SA6 and the Super.Fi 5 (and in some cases the old Super.Fi 5 Pro). Can some awesome person do a head to head of these and tell me what exactly the differences are (or is it just a matter of personal preference?)

Earlier in the thread there are direct comparisons between the Sleeks and the SF5s, with different points of view. You need to read back for that info, so no one has to repeat it. Personal preference certainly plays a role, but there are differences listed by people, including me. It's always a good idea to read all the relevant posts. Just saves everyone time.

Hey,

I read through the whole thread and I still have a couple of questions. First up, you've done a lot of your comparisons with an Amp and an S-Cable. I'm not much of an audiophile and I'm most likely going to just plug the phones in directly to my H-120 or maybe get the Fiio Amp. So considering this, which ones would you say were better?

also, a major factor for my decision between the SA6, the UE SF5 is how comfortable it is for long durations while also blocking out noise because I make frequent long haul flights and I need something that will serve me well for that purpose. So which one is better in this case?

The reason why I'm finding this decision hard is because both seem to have similar sound quality and factors like removable cables don't affect me much. One thing that does count is which one has more punch to it, because I do listen to a reasonable amount of rock and dance tunes (to go with a lot of classical)

P.S. I like the "Headphoneus Supremus" title.....lol

Well, as I noted, I prefer the SA6s, for several reasons. To your points:

You do not NEED an amp or S cable with the Sleeks. Nor with the UEs.

The isolation is better with the Sleeks (use the Shure olives or the provided flanges).

As for punch, I also favor the Sleeks.

I only kept the UEs because I do like their comfort with Comply T400 foamies (they are really canal phones, not IEMs) and they are a good backup/change of pace. But on balance, if you are going to get just one, I say get the Sleeks.

Now, if you are a person who loses things, and tends to be not always careful with stuff, I would get the SF5s, because the SA6s do have component parts that can be lost if you mess around with them.

Finally, the Sleeks have a two-year warranty (UEs only one), and being able to replace a cable for $12.50 sure beats replacing an IEM that costs $150+ (so even if you don't care about wireless, your cable could eventually go south).

Plus, to me, the SA6s just sound better.

Why not Klipsch Image X5? They should have the best punch from these IEMs, good fit and comfort, no component parts...

Thanks for that quick reply. I'm still deciding between both right now, and I am looking to just get one. Just one more question, is the reason why you prefer the sound on the SA6 because of the option of being able to adjust and treble to suit your liking or does it sound better even if these settings were left unchanged out of the box? If it sounds better even without changing these then I'll get an SA6 right away and then fine tune it over time as needed (plus losing stuff is not an issue with me). I just want to make my decision and get one by this weekend before my next 15 hour plane ride on saturday.

Thanks a lot for the help.

man it's so tempting to jump the gun again and get the UE super fi 5(v2) or Sleek Audio sa6 but I just got my UE super fi 5 pros last year and I think I'm just getting antsy for a good PMP to come out so I'm looking to purchase "other goodies" while I wait.. but I really don't need them... but.. who said anything about need? I just want!

Dang, maybe I'll 2 years when Sleek Audio comes out with an even better dual armature drive IEM with better tips (don't like dual flange)

I'm assuming that reply was to my post earlier. Well, I'm sticking to a $200 budget and the SA6 is right on the limit and I'm not planning to go any higher. The X5 does seem like a good set and I would consider if it weren't for the price.

They are priced 199,99$ at soundearphones.com

Oh wow....i was looking at it on amazon.....I think i'll save myself some extra confusion and just rule it out because I'm not too enticed by the way it looks.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

P.S. I would like to apologize to people here for kind of taking this thread a little off topic.

But that's part of the fun of head-fi!

Question about the Comply tips that come with the SF5s- about how long do Comply tips usually last you guys? Can you wash them like the Shure black olives? Also, how isolating are these things- could I mow the lawn with SF5s instead of earplugs?