Ultimate Ears UE 900 Discussion and Appreciation Thread - Page 63

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Originally Posted by Inks   Have you tried it with the resonator closed? That should help those "clogged mids"

Not yet. I'll try when I get a chance; haven't had the time.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiobot 

Can any of you compare the UE900 to the ATH-CKM/CKW1000, ATH-CK10 or DBA-02?

I don't have any of those models, but I do have a Brainwavz B2 I can compare to tonight or tomorrow morning...  Would that be fine?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomscy2000 

 

That's an amusing comparison. Three super-bright IEMs vs. a very controlled, non-offensive IEM. That's pretty much the comparison in a nutshell. You're going to get a lot of overt detail Audio-Technicas and the Fischer. The UE900 is a lot more subtle with that. It's not incredibly airy, nor is it going to be in-your-face with detail. However, I feel that the UE900 has excellent imaging, and that is its piece de resistance. My problem with the UE900 is that it has that signature "clogged mids" sound of Ultimate Ears. That's just a personal gripe. Others probably don't have much of an issue with it.

Excellent post!

Have not personally heard the UE900 but I understand the UE problematic "mids".  They have it with every IEM they have ever made except Super Fi 3.

And right, just like W4, the bass or treble is not going to slap you in the face simply because it is much more respectful and proper.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinyman392 

 

I don't have any of those models, but I do have a Brainwavz B2 I can compare to tonight or tomorrow morning...  Would that be fine?

yea that would be awesome. thanks a lot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiobot 

Will someone ever group the iem's into sound signature (controlled non offensive, bright, etc). I feel like this would help users search for the headphones which would suit their taste preferences. Like a listing of what is best for the kind of music they listen to. I would do it myself if you guys can breakdown what sound signature goes with what genre. or maybe that's available somewhere online? 

Might be a good idea! Have you ever tried looking at this Multi-Custom IEM Review of Average_Joe or threads like this? They did great job on analyze and compare each earphones.

These might be good sources for you if you want to do the grouping. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by sNapatz 

Might be a good idea! Have you ever tried looking at this Multi-Custom IEM Review of Average_Joe or threads like this? They did great job on analyze and compare each earphones.

 

These might be good sources for you if you want to do the grouping. 

Haha. I deleted the post because I thought it was a stupid request. Thanks. That listing you recommended seems complicated for a regular user to delve into. I like Jokers list since it is easier to read. I just need to know what music genres fall into "analytical" "neutral" and "dynamic." These seem to be the 3 main sound signatures. So under analytical - what music genres would best fit that sound. And then from there, list the headphones that correspond to the sound and it's price. I want to make it very user friendly so noobs like me can come to head fi, search their sound signature and see which iem's are suited for it.

There are some correlations, but really the difference in signature of your IEM should be based on how you like to hear your music, not what music you listen to. I mean, people who listen to rap and dance music tend to like bass, those who like music with lots of string instruments tend to like an emphasis in high mids and highs, a lot of electronic music sounds better with accentuated treble, male vocals sound fuller with some emphasis in lower mids...but really it comes down to how you like to listen to the music you listen to. For example a lot of people like a v or u shaped signature for EDM to accentuate the thump and flesh out all the details, but I prefer more mids to give it a fuller sound more like a live show.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audiobot 

Haha. I deleted the post because I thought it was a stupid request. Thanks. That listing you recommended seems complicated for a regular user to delve into. I like Jokers list since it is easier to read. I just need to know what music genres fall into "analytical" "neutral" and "dynamic." These seem to be the 3 main sound signatures. So under analytical - what music genres would best fit that sound. And then from there, list the headphones that correspond to the sound and it's price. I want to make it very user friendly so noobs like me can come to head fi, search their sound signature and see which iem's are suited for it.

Just played around with an UE900 again; I ended up EQing down 400-600 a few dB, and 1-2 kHz a few dB, in order to achieve better flatness across the midrange.

any comparison to the heirs yet? guess i have overlooked it. 

I added this to my original comparison's page as well so there is no need to update the OP ;)  With that said, the comparison to the B2 is below as requested.  Please note that I am one of the few that didn't find the B2 that bright (even in comparison to the 900) and even found a warmth to it.  It is opposite of basically everything you'll read though.  So take these words with a grain of salt!

Ultimate Ears UE 900 vs Brainwavz B2

The signature differences between these two IEMs is rather small actually.  Please note that I have been one to hear the B2 as a non-analytical headphone (so take this with a slight grain of salt).  The signatures are actually otherwise, more closely related overall.  The B2s offering more mid-bass (less sub-bass) and slightly higher top end.  The midrange has small differences, but are very similar nonetheless. 

• Bass
  
  The UE 900 and the B2 have very similar bass quantity overall.  The B2 has an undeniable mid-bass focus on it.  The result is that the bass in general is a lot tighter, but also a lot faster, but the texturing takes a slight back seat in comparison to the UE 900.  While the B2’s impacts offer a larger bolder body to them, the UE 900 does better with the sub-bass presence while still being able to offer that amply sized body.  The differences, however, still remain slightest at best as the quantity of bass is actually very similar between the two IEMs.  The quality of the 900s does top the B2 due to sub-bass presence.
  
  Bass: UE 900
   

• Mids
  
  The midrange presentation of the two headphones is very similar as well, believe it or not.  Detail retrieval for both is just about on par with each other.  The B2s actually have a warmer midrange in comparison to the UE 900s (despite being the brighter headphone).  The instrumental clarity is performed wonderfully on both, even though the UE 900 shows this a little more.  The vocals take a slight flip flop.  While the 900s offer a sweeter voice, the B2 compliments with a slightly lusher one.  Overall, I feel that both do the vocal dynamic about equally, the B2 taking a slight edge though.  Overall though, the 900s take it by a centimeter.
  
  Mids: UE 900
   

• Highs
  
  The B2s are prone to sibilance, that is first and for most.  The treble is aggressive and fast.  The 900s aren’t really relaxed, being able to almost match the energy of the 900 in most instances.  There are others where the 900s won’t match, and for good reason.  That said, the upper highs are really where both of these IEMs shine.  There is a nice splash, and separation associated with each of these.  The B2s show better presence in the high end than the 900s, while being able to show a slightly greater extension as well (but the 900s aren’t too far behind).  If it wasn’t for the sibilance, the B2s could have taken this round, but since they didn’t, it's a draw really (B2 lower mids take a nice edge on the UE 900's).
  
  Highs: Draw

The B2s take the 900s for a big run for their money.  They remain one of the greatest bang for the buck IEMs out there offering quality that nearly matches up with the UE 900s.  Despite the fact that the 900s stack up higher than the B2s (mainly in the bass), the B2s are no slouch.  I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend either one under the right conditions.

Has anyone here listened to both the UE 900's and the Heir Audio 4.ai? 

I really can't figure out which one I want more. I like bass, but I'm not a basshead. 

Secondly, I've been listening to all my systems with no equalizer, and whatever seems to be the "neutral" setting, but I'm not sure if this is the warm neutral of the 4.ai...

I wish I could demo both of them :P I don't want to throw down $400 without at least trying both. :/ 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winter Charm 

Has anyone here listened to both the UE 900's and the Heir Audio 4.ai? 

 

I really can't figure out which one I want more. I like bass, but I'm not a basshead. 

Secondly, I've been listening to all my systems with no equalizer, and whatever seems to be the "neutral" setting, but I'm not sure if this is the warm neutral of the 4.ai...

 

I wish I could demo both of them :P I don't want to throw down $400 without at least trying both. :/ 

I have just heard both and I would go with the 900. I heard a weird echo to the 4Ai. Can't explain it but only had a 20 minute listen. I wouldn't risk it, personally. The bass is very nice on the 900. It's a better fitting TF10 (with better mids). A "fuller" sound.

That echo is maybe your perception of the poor crossover implementation of the 4ai.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inks 

That echo is maybe your perception of the poor crossover implementation of the 4ai.

Ugh, that's unfortunate if indeed the problem. It was bad enough that I quickly lost interest in picking up a 3Ai for EDM.

I'd curious to know where you guys would rank the UE 900 among the other iems you have heard, and why. Also if someone has heard both the  UE 900 and the Hifiman RE-262 I would like to get your impressions on how they stack up against one another.