[nikp]

Helloooo, I've been spending time with the Ultimate Ears 700 and the TripleFi 10 for a few weeks, and I am writing a mini comparison on these two brothers. For the record, I've owned all three brothers - UE600, UE700, TF10 but I have sold the UE600 quite a long time ago so I cannot make any clear judgements on it.
 
I have the TF10 and UE700 side by side as I'm writing this comparison.
 
Now here it goes!
 
Introduction (The boring part)
 

Pricing: The Triplefi 10 currently retails at AUD$499.95 while the UE700 is at AUD$249.95. Even on street prices, the UE700 is half the price of TF10!
 
Drivers: The UE700 has a pair of TWFK drivers and the Triplefi 10 got three BA drivers (two lows, one high).
 
Packaging and looks will not be discussed in this review. 

 
Isolation
 
First things first, an individual would buy an IEM over headphones due to isolation. The isolation on these two are very different! The UE 700 isolates very well and somebody next to you will not hear the music you're hearing. On the other hand, the Triplefi 10 leaks a bit of sound and does not isolate as well as its younger brother.
 
UE 700 - 9/10
TF 10   - 7/10
 
Comfort
 
Okay, here's the crucial part of any IEM. You would want to wear your IEM comfortably without having the urge to take them off. Having a greater comfort helps me enjoy my music more. Hands down, the UE700 is snuggly and the fit is just fantastic. If I am to compare the comfort level to the Westone and Shure, I very much prefer the UE700's comfort. Once they are in your ears, you don't feel it anymore. That's how comfortable they are. Back to the Triplefi 10! As you all know, they are not even a candidate of "The Most Comfortable IEM Evar". They stick out of your ears and fit is not for everyone. Luckily, I have a decent fit with them but I wouldn't call them snuggly. They're OK but that's just it.
 
UE700 - 9/10
TF 10 - 6/10
 
Sound Quality (Save the best for last)
 
I will try to be as brief as possible. Both IEMs are not amped. 

 
Treble: The treble on the TF10 is very good and adequate. Presence is there! The UE 700, I believe, has a better treble than the TF10. I do not encounter sibilance on the UE700 while I have a few times on the TF10.
 
Mids: I do not find the mids on the TF10 recessed! They are not at your face and it "sits on the fence". Mids are exposed but to a certain extent. On the UE700, mids are a bit more forward than the TF10. 
 
Bass: This is the part when they face off. The TripleFi 10 knocks the UE 700 off its feet. On the UE 700, bass IS there. Good punches and the bass is warm. On the contrary, the TF10 puts the bass qualities on a whole another level. Punch is rock solid and bass is "full".
 
Detail: The TripleFi 10 offers much more detail than the UE 700. The UE700 have excellent clarity but after listening to the TF10, clarity becomes just "okay" on the UE700.
 
Instrument separation: TripleFi 10 is the winner. Everything has its own place and every instrument has its own spotlight. The UE 700 sounds more coherent (Dual BA drivers tend to be more coherent than 3/+ drivers) than the TF10.
 
Sound Signature: What can I say? I can't stop bobbing my head when listening to the TF10. One word - FUN. The UE 700 for me is laid back and controlled. In other words, TF10 is a party guy and UE700 is the gentleman with a suit and tie. Don't brothers have their own personality?
 
Soundstage: And the winner is.. TF10. Soundstage is a whole lot deeper and wider on the TF10 than on the UE700. 3D imaging is evident on both IEMs and point of axis is easy to define.
 
Timbre: The TF10 once again dominates this area. 
 
 
Conclusion:
Treble: TF10 (9/10) UE700 (9.1/10)
 
Mids: TF10 (8/10) UE700 (8.5/10)
 
Bass: TF10 (9.5) UE700 (8/10)
 
Detail: TF10 (9.6) UE700 (8.9/10)
 
Inst. Separation: TF10 (9.3/10) UE 700 (8/10)
 
Sound Signature: TF10 (9/10) UE700 (9/10)
 
Soundstage: TF10 (9/10) UE700 (8.4/10)
 
Timbre: TF10 (9/10) UE700 (8.4/10)
 
Personal Thoughts and Qs
 
-Which IEM would I grab first? The UE700 because the snuggly fit just attracts my ears.
-SQ wise, which one is superior? The TripleFi 10 by a few knock outs. The mids and highs of the UE700 however are slightly better.
-If I were to make a "perfect" IEM, it would be the TF10 mashed up with the UE700 (mids, highs) and Shure se425 (MIDS!!). In theory, the TF10 would truly benefit from reshellings. Comfort would no longer be a factor and the mids would be better focused.
 
In conclusion, both IEMs provide excellent value and you can't go wrong on both. I am a bit worried about how long the UE 700 would survive. The 2 years warranty period should offer a peace of mind. Coming from the Westone 4, the TF10 still gives me a WOW factor. The UE700 has a superb sound quality and outstanding for its size (It's tiny!). 
 
An overall rating compared to IEMs I own (or have owned):
 
TF10 (9.1/10) [.1 for a WOW factor]
W4 (9/10)
UE700 (8.5/10)
ADDIEM (7.5/10)
UE600 (7.8/10)
 
 
I hope this mini comparison gives you a better picture! Have a great day and God bless! 

 
note: This review is purely subjective and one thing you have to know about me is that I have perfect pitch and my musical hearing experience is different to the majority of people. 
 
 

 

[sulkoudai]

thanks for the review

 

[nikp]

Quote:

thanks for the review

My pleasure.
 

 

[rangerid]

Very nice review nikp.
 
I agree with most of what you said about the TF10s, though I found its soundstage lacking depth and sounding thin at times. But overall, definitely one of the best IEMs on the market and its a shame people are bypassing it due to fit issues and its age on the market. 

 

[nikp]

Quote:

Very nice review nikp.
 
I agree with most of what you said about the TF10s, though I found its soundstage lacking depth and sounding thin at times. But overall, definitely one of the best IEMs on the market and its a shame people are bypassing it due to fit issues and its age on the market. 

Thanks! I too find its soundstage lacking but compared to the UE700, they are bigger and goes deeper.
 

 

[KimChee]

Interesting that you rate the TF10 over the W4.  I've never heard the W4 so I can't say.

 

[sulkoudai]

Quote:

Interesting that you rate the TF10 over the W4.  I've never heard the W4 so I can't say.

its personal preference, the W4 might be better than the TF10s technically but they don't quite have the same signature

 

[nikp]

Quote:

Interesting that you rate the TF10 over the W4.  I've never heard the W4 so I can't say.

I liked TF10's fun signature so I gave it a .1 over the W4.
 
From what I can remember, the W4 is very flat and no one particular frequency stands out. The TF10 has better treble, bass and clarity. It's very strange that I should be wowed by a less expensive IEM but that's the reality of it. I think they're both great IEMs and one will not be disappointed with the W4 or TF10 (if the person had a decent fit with it) in terms of sound quality.
 
This is my WOW (-> is wowed, = is meh) storyline
iBuds = Metrofi 170 -> UE600 ->-> Westone 4 = Shure se425 ->-> TripleFi = ADDIEM ->->-> Beyer DT880 = IE7 -> UE700
 
 

 

[KimChee]

No, I totally understand the TF10 is my fav universal too.  I liked it so much I got it reshelled lol.

 

[passion-audio]

COMPARING UE TRIPLEFI. 10 AND UE 700 NOISE ISOLATION
after listening to Logitech ultra ear triplefi. 10 and Logitech ultra ear 700
the UE triplefi has a better resolution and a tougher bass, meanwhile the ultra ear 700 deliver a better medium and high pitch
since the triple is earphone is larger than the 700's it is obvious that the bass if better than the 700 but in the opposite the it's difficult to produce a small earphone
that can present the music this good

for me personally i would pick UE 700


UE triplefi 10:
•good bass
•clear voice

clarity/resolution  8/10
treble              8/10
mid                 10/10
bass                7/10
size/portability    8/10
comfort             6/10
design              9/10
price               7/10


UE 700:
•clear voice (better than the triplefi 10)
•small/portable
•reasonable price

clarity/resolution 7/10
treble              9/10
mid                 9/10
bass                5/10
size/portability    10/10
comfort             7/10
design              8/10
price               9/10


 

 

[alexm23]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts?
 
How do you think the UE700 and TripleFi10 compare to the UE600 (which I noticed you also own) in terms of clarity/resolution and bass?

 

[Il Mostro]

Nice job with your comparo -- good read.

 

[nikp]

Quote:

Nice job with your comparo -- good read.

Cheers!
 


Quote:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts?
 
How do you think the UE700 and TripleFi10 compare to the UE600 (which I noticed you also own) in terms of clarity/resolution and bass?

Hmm.. I have sold the UE600 quite a while ago but I'll do my best to remember it. Imo, both UE700 and TF10 trumps over the UE600 in terms of clarity and resolution. On bass, I hardly remember what UE600's bass was like but the TF10 absolutely has much more and better bass than both 600/700. It was the microphonics on the UE600 (worn over the ear) that bothered me a lot. The UE700 is also a lot more comfortable than the UE600 and Tf10.
 
I'm a big fan of the UE700 actually. It's very well rounded in terms of comfort, sound quality, isolation and price. Not to mention how tiny they are!
 

 

[dziendobry]

Well done sir.  I would love to know what music you used for your review, seems you are a fan of classical?

 

[nikp]

Quote:

Well done sir.  I would love to know what music you used for your review, seems you are a fan of classical?

Thanks! Yes, I love classical! But I listen to other genres too: jazz, acoustics, pop, rock, country and bits of r&b and rap.
 
Here's some of the songs I use when reviewing:
Eva Cassidy - Autumn Leaves
Diana Krall - Count your blessings instead of sheep
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Joshua Bell - Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata"
Holst's Jupiter
Kempff, Menuhin - Violin Sonata in A Major, Op. 47 "Kreutzer" Mvt 1 (beethoven)
2cellos - Welcome to the jungle
Sarah Chang - Paganini's Cantabile
Bennett - Cold Cold Heart
Black Eyed Peas - Just can't get enough
Run Kid Run - Daylight