Ultimate Ears UE 900 Discussion and Appreciation Thread - Page 116

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

 

Vocals are more forward with the UE 900. The W4 should do better with vocs as it does the vocal range a little better. For female, the differences are small for the most part. Some lushness, which the 900s lack, can come into good use as well, the 4s do very well in that area as well. I feel the W4 is better with vocal range (height and depth). For jazz and rock, I'd go W4, for classical, the 900. Both can do them All pretty well though. 

Thanks. I think maybe I will try the W4's and then get the one I like more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweaver 

I only have the UE900 but listen to a ton of music like your mentioning and simply love how the UE900 handles the music. I do recommend trying the UE900 first if possible (I bought mine from a local Apple store because they have a 14 day return policy). I would have tried the W4 but buying online from the US would have been tricky for returns.

Thanks. Yeah in the same boat as you but still curious on the W4's

Quote:

Originally Posted by xaddictionx 


This is really a very close call. Both IEMs have pretty similar sound signature and excels in the genres that you mentioned. For the W4, it is more to a 'balanced' sound with slight mid bass boost. Vocals are slightly more forward than the UE900. Although being slightly forward, it is very well-positioned and vocals are extremely lush and sweet. For the UE900, it is more to a 'neutral' sound and is "flatter" than the W4. Everything is well-placed with no emphasis. That said, the bass on W4 is more punchy and extends deeper IMO. Clarity in the lower mid region UE900 will have an edge as I find the W4 slightly veiled in the lower mids.
However, comparing build quality wise, I would recommend the W4R anytime over the UE900.
Other than that, both IEMs are a close call and it is really up to your own personal preference to decide whichever suits your taste more. Do try out both IEMs first before making your decision as both are easily one of the top tier universal IEMs in the market currently.

Thanks for the comparisons. I do have the UE900 at the moment and I do like them. But I find vocals can be a bit distant sometimes on the UE's, but the prat factor, soundstage and treble extension are great on these. So i'm unsure if the W4's will suit my needs more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweaver 

If you have the UE900 already but are not sure take it back and try the W4. If I had not been 100% satisfied with the UE900 I would have returned it and tried the W4 myself.

Will do. Glad you like them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayaudio116 

Have you guys heard of a new technology called Dolby headphone. Dolby started puting this tech on a few device and my new phone that I got is one of them and I must say it made my ue 900 sound unreal I never heard customs but if I did I would imagine it will sound like this. This should be on every device

Ehmm.. your Nokia phone has a high output impedance so actually you alter the sound of multi-BA in-ears like the UE900. I haven't read any impressions on IEM + Dolby Headphone before, but I think the outcome might not be as great as long as you have the sound "in your head" anyway, which is especially the case with the UE900.

More importantly, music is in stereo. There is no surround recording. What Dolby Headphone does is simulate a room with echo and dampen sound from the back as it would hit the backside of your ear. But we are talking stereo and not surround so the feature is worth nothing with music. In the contrary, it ruins the idea of hifi.

Personally, I think it shouldn't be on any device unless you use your phone with fullsize headphones (or at least dynamic IEMs) instead of a TV to watch blockbusters.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultrazino 

 

Ehmm.. your Nokia phone has a high output impedance so actually you alter the sound of multi-BA in-ears like the UE900. I haven't read any impressions on IEM + Dolby Headphone before, but I think the outcome might not be as great as long as you have the sound "in your head" anyway, which is especially the case with the UE900.

 

More importantly, music is in stereo. There is no surround recording. What Dolby Headphone does is simulate a room with echo and dampen sound from the back as it would hit the backside of your ear. But we are talking stereo and not surround so the feature is worth nothing with music. In the contrary, it ruins the idea of hifi.

 

Personally, I think it shouldn't be on any device unless you use your phone with fullsize headphones (or at least dynamic IEMs) instead of a TV to watch blockbusters.

Actually, the UE 900 has been known to improve with resistance (adding a 100 ohm adapter proves positive).  Adding resistance, according to Inks, is basically the same as having the same load of output impedance :p (I remember him saying this at some point).  The W4 also seems to improve with this as well.  

@ your last statement, why do you say it's fine for only dynamic IEMs?  A BA can be tuned to have similar characteristics of a dynamic.  Look at the Heir Audio 3.Ai and Phonak PFE 232 for example.  I also hear the Triple-Fi 10 and W3 are also very similar to dynamics.  

I do agree with the rest of your statements though.  There really is no need to use software to adjust the sound to artificially create sound stage.  This is the same way, however, a headphone will physically create sound stage itself (by altering different frequency outputs to make some things more distant than others; soundstage is rarely put into the actual recording).  The only reason why I would go ahead and use this software is for what you said, movies and television.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dweaver 


The 920's Dolby function added warmth to the UE900 which maybe something you have been finding missing and may not be how your PC's software is configured when it digitally alters the music your listening to. The one thing about this kind of software is they all approach the result slightly differently as compared to using the exact same algorithms and tricks to achieve the sound they are aiming for.

If they are using the same exact algorithms to achieve an output, the differences between them (assuming good backward stability) will be close enough to each other to call the digitally outputted track the "same" (again, assuming algorithms are backward stable).  Backward stable algorithms are a must in any type of industry, even the ones that aren't backward stable rarely will show differences this large.  

That said, the main differences you'll hear, assuming the same algorithm is used, is going to be produced by the machine itself.  That is, the DAC/AMP used to create a coloration of sound.  

Picked up a pair of these from the Apple store tonight to give them a go. I find them to be a bit lackluster, there is something missing in the upper mids. Female vocals sound flat and lack emotion. Can't put my finger on it but something is off. They do handle percussion very well with proper attack and decay but overall they seem to be a jack of many genre's master of none. The packaging is fantastic and I really like the design. Very comfortable but I'd like a double flange or some other option for more variety in seal. 

Question: Does anyone know if the cables these came with are interchangeable with the Shure SE535?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 

Picked up a pair of these from the Apple store tonight to give them a go. I find them to be a bit lackluster, there is something missing in the upper mids. Female vocals sound flat and lack emotion. Can't put my finger on it but something is off. They do handle percussion very well with proper attack and decay but overall they seem to be a jack of many genre's master of none. The packaging is fantastic and I really like the design. Very comfortable but I'd like a double flange or some other option for more variety in seal. 

 

Question: Does anyone know if the cables these came with are interchangeable with the Shure SE535?

They are interchangeable with the SE535 cables (use the same sockets).  I would keep breaking them in, or put a tiny piece of tape over the pinhole bore (it's the hole in the nozzle that's a pinhole).  I'll make them closer to neutral.  If you don't tape, your ear secretions will eventually fill up the bore (unless you keep your ears squeaky clean).  I agree that vocals, in general, lack emotion (the warmth/lushness, but females are still better rendered than male since the headphones still have that resonance peak that allow you to hear the upper octaves).  

If that above mod makes the female vocals *worse* in your opinion, then I would ward you away from the UE 900.  An IEM like the 4.Ai may be better suited towards your preferences ;)  

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

 

They are interchangeable with the SE535 cables (use the same sockets).  I would keep breaking them in, or put a tiny piece of tape over the pinhole bore (it's the hole in the nozzle that's a pinhole).  I'll make them closer to neutral.  If you don't tape, your ear secretions will eventually fill up the bore (unless you keep your ears squeaky clean).  I agree that vocals, in general, lack emotion (the warmth/lushness, but females are still better rendered than male since the headphones still have that resonance peak that allow you to hear the upper octaves).  

Thanks for the speedy response. I noticed that small hole near the bore and thought that was a pretty poor design choice but I'll try covering them and see how it sounds. The last pair of UE's I heard/owned were my custom UE11's and they were amazing. These aren't bad but I'd probably place them slightly behind the SM3v2 simply because of the poor rendering of vocals. On the flip side they have the SM's beat in PRaT so maybe it's a wash depending on what your ears are drawn towards.

edit - Can you buy the blue iPhone cable separate anywhere?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wakeride74 

Thanks for the speedy response. I noticed that small hole near the bore and thought that was a pretty poor design choice but I'll try covering them and see how it sounds. The last pair of UE's I heard/owned were my custom UE11's and they were amazing. These aren't bad but I'd probably place them slightly behind the SM3v2 simply because of the poor rendering of vocals. On the flip side they have the SM's beat in PRaT so maybe it's a wash depending on what your ears are drawn towards.

Unfortunately, the UE 900 never really do completely fix the problem they have with vocals.  They don't get to the highest areas they should (but still amply get up enough), and they definitely lack in intimacy and warmth, emotion as you stated, which sets them back a bit (if there was one thing to change on the UE 900, it's this IMO) :(  

Quick warning about blocking the pinhole bore, it will make the UE 900 much more dry and sterile.  Seeing your past IEMs (SM3 is the only one I've read up on, haven't listened to either), it may not be the direction you want to go.  I think Rin described it as being able to match the linearity of the ER4 (with 100 ohm adapter).  If that's not the direction you want to go, you may not want to plug that hole up :p