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Ultimate Ears In-Ear Reference Monitors Review - Page 2

post #16 of 277
9/21/11 at 11:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by average_joe View Post

LFF, just wondering what you current use as your "reference?"  



For headphones, mod'd Fostex T50RP's. If I didn't have the Fostex, then I would probably be using HE-500's.

 

IEM's I use to check the noise in the mid and upper frequencies or for careful spot checks. For that I use the UE-10 and the DBA-02. I wouldn't hesitate to use the UERM for that as well...

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post #17 of 277
9/22/11 at 12:22am

Awesome write-up,  average_joe!! This was exactly what I was hoping to read about the UERM. Excellent stuff as always and thanks for all the time and effort you put into these.

 

Now....if you'd only get the ES5 and JH13s.....biggrin.gif

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post #18 of 277
9/22/11 at 8:54pm
Thread Starter 

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by LFF View Post

For headphones, mod'd Fostex T50RP's. If I didn't have the Fostex, then I would probably be using HE-500's.

 

IEM's I use to check the noise in the mid and upper frequencies or for careful spot checks. For that I use the UE-10 and the DBA-02. I wouldn't hesitate to use the UERM for that as well...


The Fostex is that good in the bass region?  I haven't looked into it at all; if so that is great!  I wonder what you would think of the UERM in comparison with the UE-10...

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by Heret1c View Post

Awesome write-up,  average_joe!! This was exactly what I was hoping to read about the UERM. Excellent stuff as always and thanks for all the time and effort you put into these.

 

Now....if you'd only get the ES5 and JH13s.....biggrin.gif


Thanks...and I do want to hear both of those at some point, however my plate is pretty full at this point...

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post #19 of 277
9/22/11 at 8:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by average_joe View Post

 

Thanks...and I do want to hear both of those at some point, however my plate is pretty full at this point...


No worries, take your time. I gots nothing but time. LOL. Aint in no rush to get a custom.

 

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post #20 of 277
9/22/11 at 9:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Heret1c View Post


No worries, take your time. I gots nothing but time. LOL. Aint in no rush to get a custom.


Maybe we can make a swap as it seems like I don't have enough time ;)

 

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post #21 of 277
9/23/11 at 5:33am

As always, your reviews and comparisons are one of the best I have seen! 

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post #22 of 277
9/23/11 at 6:12am

Another great review, sigh... Your comments on the SE 5-way are making me sooo tempted.

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post #23 of 277
9/23/11 at 7:06am

Hey joe I just remembered that you say that the SE-5 Way will not fit everyone's ear. What exactly do you mean by this? 

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post #24 of 277
9/23/11 at 7:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rangerid View Post

Hey joe I just remembered that you say that the SE-5 Way will not fit everyone's ear. What exactly do you mean by this? 


It has to be a certain size to fit in all the drivers and 5 way crossover plus 5 sound bores though they are relatively small.

 

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post #25 of 277
9/23/11 at 10:23pm
Thread Starter 

Yep, the 5-way has a lot to fit in a shell.  I have large ears so it is no problem, luckily there is the UERM with a similar, very right sounding presentation of space.  I probably shouldn't have compared the two due to the price difference as if I compared the UERM with some of my $500 to $600 stuff it would also be a route in the UERMs favor.

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post #26 of 277
9/23/11 at 10:52pm

FANTASTIC review, comparison, and contribution, Joe.  Thanks!

 

I agree with so many of your impressions.

 

Especially: the impression that mid/upper mids are the emphasis and that they are really clear.  (I don't find the treble that harsh though.)

 

 

TREBLE:  The strangest thing for me is that I first thought they were rolled off in the very high mids and treble.

 

Pink Floyd's "Time" intro didn't sparkle at first.  Don't know what was going on but now it does not lack there at all for me.

 

Now it seems like they come <up to the edge> and deliver for me but without being "grating" or fatiguing.

 

(But, I do see where it could be a "cold dip" if coming from another signature.) 

 

MIDS:  Mid/Upper Mid lover's dream.  Not overly "creamy" or "thin".

 

BASS:  Each time that I think that I want more bass and I EQ it, I end up preferring it without.  

 

I really prefer "tuning" the sound and performance with the source/amp combo.

 

When I want a visceral bass impact with lots of air movement, I switch to big cans like HF2...

 

 

IN  GENERAL:  I don't find the UE RM fatiguing at all and still marvel at how nice the fit is and how nice they sound.

 

I especially love the UE RM with the iQube V2 as a transportable amp (nice bit of extra bass quantity) with great linearity throughout the range.

 

I also love the UE RM with mini^3 and Pico Slim but do find the Slim a little upper mid/treble-centric also, so I combine with Sony X for a very small system + warmer sound (even with no EQ or effects used).  The Sony X can seem a little lacking in resolution with Slim/RM, however (WAV files).

 

Sony X with Pico Slim footprint (might have to get a smaller LOD):

 

_DSC0249.jpg

 

When I get my mini^3 back (it may have a little more bass quantity), I'll compare it to the Slim again but the Slim (so far) seems like the "really portable amp for iems" if it pairs well with your gear/sound preferences.

 

I think I will probably end up with RM/Slim/iPhone combo as primary...especially when I get the 5.

 

Here's with 3gs:

 

MySilverSM.jpg

 

This is what I am keeping my UE RM in for reducing moisture (I copied mkubota):

 

pelican.jpg

 

(That's a Pelican with a re-usable dessicant pack.)

 

Smallest case I can get them into (TF 10):

 

TF10case.jpg

 

OK.  Gotta get back to work...frown.gif

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post #27 of 277
9/23/11 at 11:20pm

@CEE TEE: you still liking your Sony X? I so regret selling mine. I'm looking into getting something portable again. It never ends.

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post #28 of 277
9/23/11 at 11:36pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by CEE TEE View Post

FANTASTIC review, comparison, and contribution, Joe.  Thanks!

 

I agree with so many of your impressions.

 

Especially: the impression that mid/upper mids are the emphasis and that they are really clear.  (I don't find the treble that harsh though.)

 

 

TREBLE:  The strangest thing for me is that I first thought they were rolled off in the very high mids and treble.

 

Pink Floyd's "Time" intro didn't sparkle at first.  Don't know what was going on but now it does not lack there at all for me.

 

Now it seems like they come <up to the edge> and deliver for me but without being "grating" or fatiguing.

 

(But, I do see where it could be a "cold dip" if coming from another signature.) 

 

MIDS:  Mid/Upper Mid lover's dream.  Not overly "creamy" or "thin".

 

BASS:  Each time that I think that I want more bass and I EQ it, I end up preferring it without.  

 

I really prefer "tuning" the sound and performance with the source/amp combo.

 

When I want a visceral bass impact with lots of air movement, I switch to big cans like HF2...

 

 

IN  GENERAL:  I don't find the UE RM fatiguing at all and still marvel at how nice the fit is and how nice they sound.

 

I especially love the UE RM with the iQube V2 as a transportable amp (nice bit of extra bass quantity) with great linearity throughout the range.

 

I also love the UE RM with mini^3 and Pico Slim but do find the Slim a little upper mid/treble-centric also, so I combine with Sony X for a very small system + warmer sound (even with no EQ or effects used).  The Sony X can seem a little lacking in resolution with Slim/RM, however (WAV files).

 

Sony X with Pico Slim footprint (might have to get a smaller LOD):

 

_DSC0249.jpg

 

When I get my mini^3 back (it may have a little more bass quantity), I'll compare it to the Slim again but the Slim (so far) seems like the "really portable amp for iems" if it pairs well with your gear/sound preferences.

 

I think I will probably end up with RM/Slim/iPhone combo as primary...especially when I get the 5.

 

Here's with 3gs:

 

MySilverSM.jpg

 

This is what I am keeping my UE RM in for reducing moisture (I copied mkubota):

 

pelican.jpg

 

(That's a Pelican with a re-usable dessicant pack.)

 

Smallest case I can get them into (TF 10):

 

TF10case.jpg

 

OK.  Gotta get back to work...frown.gif


Hi CEE TEE, very nice post, thank you for sharing!

 

While I had some issues with the treble, it was only in direct comparison with other similarly/higher priced custom IEMs.  I can grab the UERM and listen to it with no problem and some sources are worse than others.  If you are using the iQube V2, that amp seems to have a little less treble energy than what I typically use which is my Anedio D1 DAC.  I actually really like the iPod->uHA-120 also, but the iQube does have a little more bass weight.  

 

And your comment on the bass...when I don't compare (and haven't listened to anything else in a little bit of time ;)) the UERM bass seems plentiful and powerful!

 

As far as your comments about the treble initially, were you using a high output impedance source as they seem to darken the UERM?

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post #29 of 277
9/24/11 at 12:08am

^ CEE TEE lives with Grados. Nothing else can be treble harsh in comparison. biggrin.gif

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post #30 of 277
9/24/11 at 12:36am

Quote:

 

Originally Posted by average_joe View Post

As far as your comments about the treble initially, were you using a high output impedance source as they seem to darken the UERM?

 

Ah, great question!

 

In fact, I didn't have the mini^3 or Pico Slim when I first got the UE RM (and I didn't like the UE RM that much out of the iBasso D12 because it is dull/dark with the configuration I optimized for my Grado RS2i).

 

So, I was just using the UE RM out of iPhone 3gs or Sony X when I thought the treble was not extending...at first I thought I needed to boost the treble on both players at times and the bass on the Sony at other times (3gs has a horrible bass boost with older iOS).

 

Then AMB surprised me at a mini-meet with his demo mini^3 and now I have a mini^3 & Pico Slim after trying several other amps.  I can now get the treble and bass extension/quantity from the parts I have.

 

I also use the RM with my Benchmark and find them to have enough treble compared to what I initially heard (I'm doing a sanity check with Pink Floyd "Time" and DAC1 RM right now).

 

Since getting mini^3 and Pico Slim, I really don't want to use the UE RM without good amplification because they sound so good with it...

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