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Ultimate Ears UE 900 Discussion and Appreciation Thread - Page 117

post #1741 of 1951
3/16/13 at 10:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinyman392 View Post

 

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

Hmmm... sounds like they may be ripe for a return. There is a lot to like with them but I don't know that I can live with the deficiencies at this price point. I may grab some 535's but slap on a UE900 blue cable if I can find one.

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post #1742 of 1951
3/16/13 at 10:13pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakeride74 View Post

Hmmm... sounds like they may be ripe for a return. There is a lot to like with them but I don't know that I can live with the deficiencies at this price point. I may grab some 535's but slap on a UE900 blue cable if I can find one.

 

LOL, I understand what you're saying.  Do at least test the tape over the nozzle though :p  If need be, I'll send you a tiny bit of tape to do it.  Does Fed-Ex work for you? :p  LOL, JK.  

 

I see you like the UE cable ;)  Although a lot don't (some feel the memory wire is not stiff enough), I actually like it a lot too.  Now, the real problem would be finding a Shure SE535 that could match the blue cable :p  

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post #1743 of 1951
3/16/13 at 10:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinyman392 View Post

 

LOL, I understand what you're saying.  Do at least test the tape over the nozzle though :p  If need be, I'll send you a tiny bit of tape to do it.  Does Fed-Ex work for you? :p  LOL, JK.  

 

I see you like the UE cable ;)  Although a lot don't (some feel the memory wire is not stiff enough), I actually like it a lot too.  Now, the real problem would be finding a Shure SE535 that could match the blue cable :p  

The memory wire is less of an annoyance than the Shure rubber cable that grabs just about any fabric and sticks. I'll take the braided UE and Westone cables over that any day. If I can get the blue one somewhere (recommendations welcome!) I'll just mate it with some clear SE535's and all will be right in the world... (I will try the tape fist though).

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post #1744 of 1951
3/16/13 at 10:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakeride74 View Post

The memory wire is less of an annoyance than the Shure rubber cable that grabs just about any fabric and sticks. I'll take the braided UE and Westone cables over that any day. If I can get the blue one somewhere (recommendations welcome!) I'll just mate it with some clear SE535's and all will be right in the world... (I will try the tape fist though).

 

That actually would look pretty cool, some clear ones.  I was thinking black personally.  Or you can find a person to create a plastic blue and black mold of the housings to replace the SE535's with ;)  Or you can spray pain the cable black :p

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post #1745 of 1951
3/16/13 at 11:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinyman392 View Post

 

That actually would look pretty cool, some clear ones.  I was thinking black personally.  Or you can find a person to create a plastic blue and black mold of the housings to replace the SE535's with ;)  Or you can spray pain the cable black :p

I just read your impressions on the UE900 and W4's. Sounds about like what I heard, though I have yet to hear some W4. Last I heard was the pre-production W3. I like the Westone house sound though and sounds like the W4 might be a good alternative as well. I really liked my UE111's and would love to find a universal that hit the sweet spot as those did. The actually sounded more like my long lost Grad PS-1's than any other can I've owned. If I can't get happy happy happy with the 900's the 535 will be next and the W4 if those fail. Fingers crossed!

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post #1746 of 1951
3/16/13 at 11:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by wakeride74 View Post

I just read your impressions on the UE900 and W4's. Sounds about like what I heard, though I have yet to hear some W4. Last I heard was the pre-production W3. I like the Westone house sound though and sounds like the W4 might be a good alternative as well. I really liked my UE111's and would love to find a universal that hit the sweet spot as those did. The actually sounded more like my long lost Grad PS-1's than any other can I've owned. If I can't get happy happy happy with the 900's the 535 will be next and the W4 if those fail. Fingers crossed!

 

Good luck finding your IEM my friend, it's a tough road.  If all else fails, get a Phonak PFE232 (if you can get your hands on one :p).

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post #1747 of 1951
3/17/13 at 2:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by tinyman392 View Post

 

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 ;)  

Thats the same way I feel about them. It's still the best iem I heard thus far, but I still want to find something that has that emotion/intimacy in the vocals that you speak of. 

 

I just returned the 900's and I don't know what to get next, the things I like about the UE's are the PRaT factor, soundstage, treble extension and are smooth and non fatiguing (no harshness/distortion/sibilance at all). Any suggestions to what I'm looking for?


Edited by Love Music - 3/17/13 at 2:18am
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post #1748 of 1951
3/17/13 at 8:10am

Curious why recommendations for the Earsonics SM64 as an alternative don't pop up in this thread?  If I were still looking for an IEM in this range (which I was until I snagged a used pair of TG334s) it would be on my short list - UE900, W4, 4.ai., and SM64.  Not sure if I'm missing any others, but that are the ones I noted at the time.  Based on feedback I'd probably pull the trigger on the SM64.

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post #1749 of 1951
3/17/13 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bobeau View Post

Curious why recommendations for the Earsonics SM64 as an alternative don't pop up in this thread?  If I were still looking for an IEM in this range (which I was until I snagged a used pair of TG334s) it would be on my short list - UE900, W4, 4.ai., and SM64.  Not sure if I'm missing any others, but that are the ones I noted at the time.  Based on feedback I'd probably pull the trigger on the SM64.

They are still pretty new, takes some time to sort through the FOTM love and objective reviews. From what I have read it sounds like there is a fun factor that the SM3v2 had that is missing from the SM64 but with time their other strengths do grow on you. I will probabe try the Shure's next and W4 after that but knowing my tastes I'm sure I will enjoy the 535's. I do prefer the vocals to be presented in a more intimate fashion so long as the rest of the spectrum does not suffer significant losses. If I could find a clone of the UE11 in a universal I'd be pretty pleased.

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post #1750 of 1951
3/17/13 at 6:21pm

Descriptions of SM64 seem like a UE900 with more bass and improved midrange or closer to W4 midrange with NO lower-mid cloudiness.  That could very well make it the best sounding universal out there but $500??   Man, that is steep!

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post #1751 of 1951
3/17/13 at 6:35pm
I have the Sony Xperia t. ,,, the James bond phone lol but I also find that it sounds better then my iPhone 4s. The 4s seems to be able to play music louder. But I find that the Sony just sounds like it has more detail. Like you think.. It must be the different dacs in the two phones. And I always wanted to try the 920.
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post #1752 of 1951
3/18/13 at 6:18pm
My android based Shure cable arrived today and works like a charm with my Nokia 920. Like the UE900 iPhone cable this cable does change up the signature making the IEM a bit darker and not as airy but the benefits of the MIC and button will likely keep me from going back to straight cable.
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post #1753 of 1951
3/19/13 at 7:21am

hello,

 

I have a concern with buying a Ue 900. I have a westone 4r , does Ue 900 have the same bass quantity as much as westone 4 has?

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post #1754 of 1951
3/19/13 at 7:52am

They both extend equally as deep but W4 has more bass weight due to the bump in the lower mids.

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post #1755 of 1951
3/19/13 at 8:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spyro View Post

They both extend equally as deep but W4 has more bass weight due to the bump in the lower mids.

Thank you for replying.

 

So I think that I can satisfy with UE.. Do you know its performance with ipod touch or hm 601?

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