4 Driver Universal IEM

Aug 20, 2008 at 8:08 PM Post #2 of 26
If at all I'd put my money on Shure for two reasons:

1. The form factor of the SE530 is easily the best incorporation (size wise I mean. Don't want to start another UE Vs Shure discussion) of three drivers so I should think something the size of an SE110 could hold four pretty easily..

2. UE won't want to pull any potential customers away from the UE11.

You never know though. The first universal fit four driver IEM may be the Westone 4!
biggrin.gif
 
Aug 20, 2008 at 8:16 PM Post #3 of 26
I would also say that probably it would be Shure. UE is creaming the upper end market with its customs and Shure would definitely want an upgraded/ higher-end offering to counter that.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 1:55 AM Post #5 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by geekchic /img/forum/go_quote.gif
I would also say that probably it would be Shure. UE is creaming the upper end market with its customs and Shure would definitely want an upgraded/ higher-end offering to counter that.


Shure might not really care. They don't need it since they came out with olives and their IEM ergonomics are already great. Most people buy UE10/11 because TFPRO is perhaps the worst fitting IEM ever made.

Also, TFPRO = SE530 in SQ and TFPRO is 95% of what UE10 is. With UE, customs are for the fit factor more than sound IMHO.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 2:05 AM Post #6 of 26
Instead of getting into the hype of 'more equals better', I want to see IEM manufacturer actually do some real R&D and start making better single / dual-ways IEM featuring better transducer. Klipsch did it, Sleek Audio did it too, why not UE or Shure? They are, after all, in a better position as the current market leaders. If they do the right thing, I can foreseen their next generation IEM will have less transducers but better SQ than their currently top-end models.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 2:25 AM Post #7 of 26
UE will be the first with a 4 D commercial set. It will be marketed to the music industry types and the current ue10/11 will trickle down to the consumer sector in the form of a universal fit. The current Triple fis will be in the medium slot where the current Super fi Pro is. Reiterating, the current UE10/11 will merge into one new top rung universal fit displacing the Triple fi Pro as the top set. The 4D set will be the new top customs marketed to the entertainment industry.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 2:56 AM Post #8 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Instead of getting into the hype of 'more equals better', I want to see IEM manufacturer actually do some real R&D and start making better single / dual-ways IEM featuring better transducer. Klipsch did it, Sleek Audio did it too, why not UE or Shure? They are, after all, in a better position as the current market leaders. If they do the right thing, I can foreseen their next generation IEM will have less transducers but better SQ than their currently top-end models.


I am with you more than likesly I see sony jvc and future sonics going this route as well
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 3:03 AM Post #9 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by lewislink /img/forum/go_quote.gif
UE will be the first with a 4 D commercial set. It will be marketed to the music industry types and the current ue10/11 will trickle down to the consumer sector in the form of a universal fit. The current Triple fis will be in the medium slot where the current Super fi Pro is. Reiterating, the current UE10/11 will merge into one new top rung universal fit displacing the Triple fi Pro as the top set. The 4D set will be the new top customs marketed to the entertainment industry.


Are you saying that the current 4D in the UE11 will be put into a universal fit model and that UE will come out with a better 4D to put into a custom as their new flagship?

correct me if im wrong, but why would they want to create a new 4D when they could possibly go for more drivers for the customs in their "new top of the line" model.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 3:15 AM Post #10 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadneddz /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Are you saying that the current 4D in the UE11 will be put into a universal fit model and that UE will come out with a better 4D to put into a custom as their new flagship?

correct me if im wrong, but why would they want to create a new 4D when they could possibly go for more drivers for the customs in their "new top of the line" model.



I'm sorry about my use of abbreviations. I meant 4D = 4 drivers.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 6:23 AM Post #11 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by Spyro /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Shure might not really care. They don't need it since they came out with olives and their IEM ergonomics are already great. Most people buy UE10/11 because TFPRO is perhaps the worst fitting IEM ever made.

Also, TFPRO = SE530 in SQ and TFPRO is 95% of what UE10 is. With UE, customs are for the fit factor more than sound IMHO.



I should clarify - UE is able to utilise their equity to charge more for 4-driver phones/ customs. Shure also has a good name in the market and I'm sure they see an opportunity loss in not having more expensive/ higher-end models.

Shure is however not into customs. So to me, the logical next step for them would seem to be a universal fit 4-driver. Unless I'm mistaken, SE530 was the first universal 3-driver on the market. Wouldn't be surprised if they were the first with the 4 driver also.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 7:48 AM Post #12 of 26
I definitely agree with ClieOs on this one. At this point, the Etys 4s and 4p are still biting and gnawing on the heels of the se530's and Triple. Fi's. All on a single Driver. If it wasn't for their form factor, I'm quite certain the Etys would have a stronger reign on the market.

There's no problem with multiple drivers, its just there's a lot of untapped potential in it. I think everyone still wonders why the shure's have a rolled high end when they have a dedicated high end driver versus the Triple Fi's combo set. But if its simply a question on having more, I'd put my money on Etymotic (btw I'm a bad gambler).
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 9:02 AM Post #13 of 26
I would guess the whole purpose of mutliple vs single driver design is that certain companies felt it couldn't cover the entire treble to mids to bass spectrum well enough with just a single driver.

Whilst it can be said that single driver designs have been very good (er4s and sa6) they are close to maximum potential. It would be pointless to say if a single driver can do most of the spectrum so well why can't a driver in a mutliple driver design be improvised similarly. Because those drivers were built to be dedicated to a small part of the spectrum and mix in well with the over drivers in the overall package. The trick I'm guessing is to get them all to complement eachother nicely.

Just a thought
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 9:47 AM Post #14 of 26
Quote:

Originally Posted by xiaoipower /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Because those drivers were built to be dedicated to a small part of the spectrum and mix in well with the over drivers in the overall package.


I am not sure this is true. Most commercially available balanced armature transducers are either very limited in freq. resp. (mainly vocal range for use in hearing aid and special application) or more then often in full range (like those in IEM). The transducers used in multi-ways IEM are not limited in freq. resp. in spec, but actually by the cross-over circuit.

If you go to a BA transducer manufacturer website (like Knowles), you will find BA with either standard or ultra wide band freq. resp.. Unlike speaker world, dedicated tweeter or woofer are something that need to be specially ordered (w/ special price of course). It make much more sense to use standard transducer than control it with cross-over signal.
 
Aug 21, 2008 at 10:54 AM Post #15 of 26
The only Quad Driver IEM is the UE11, which of course is a custom. Funny thing, it was originally going to be a 5 Drivers. LOL. That would've been funny because it would've made my Etymotic April Fools joke a reality, sort of.

-Ed
 

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