[Punky]

Hey folks,

So I think I've got it narrowed down. I'm either going to get some Atrio M5/8 (I don't think there's a difference besides color...) or a pair of Super.fi5EBs. I love bass, but I want it to be controlled with clear highs and mids. Good isolation is a must, as I'm on the train constantly.

People have recommended the Westone UM2s to me, but I just can't justify spending $300 on any headphone short of pair of professional level supraural DJing headphones.

For a description of my tastes in headphones, I tried Etymotic ER6is and I loved the detail on the high end. With them, I heard a lot of stuff that I'd never heard in my music before, but the lack of bass just killed it for me. I also tried the Shure E210s and HATED them for the truly profound lack of bass. I have a pair of V-Moda Vibes right now, and I like the warmth and fullness of the sound but don't like the sloppiness of the bass - the bottom end of the frequencies feel a bit muddied together. I had a pair of V-Moda Bass Freqs, and I liked them, but they died way too fast on me, and now that I realize what I was missing in the high end with the Etys, I couldn't go back to them. I love my Sony MDR-7506 studio monitor headphones and would love to find something similar to them in an IEM.

I listen to punk, hardcore, screamo, house, trance, and hip-hop primarily. Thursday, Against Me!, Mos Def, Benny Benassi, Talib Kweli, Nine Inch Nails, etc. if that gives you a sense of what I'll be using these for.

Justin

 

[only500made]

over and over again, ill say this eventhough im about to sell my m8s.

M5/8s bass are superb. I you love bass, you wont regret your purchase.

I have the SFP5s and I love them over the M8s though coz of brightness and clarity.But dont get me wrong, for someone who loves a warm-dark sound, the atrios are absolutely a good choice.

my .02

 

[HiFlight]

The Atrios are a very well-balanced phone with extended bass that is tight and well-controled. Very nice all-around IEM!

 

[indigo]

I just received the SFP's with the Westone cables, and although I feel it's kinda big for me, the sound feels "fuller, richer" than my Shures E4Gs, and I actually prefer the sound signature of these SFPs.

I will get the Atrios M5's tomorrow, and will have a listen to see which suits me best.

 

[Megalomania]

The OP asked about the SF5 EBs, not SF5Ps (I own the SF5Ps, love em). If isolation is important, the EBs only have -16dBs of isolation, opposed to the -26 on the SF5Ps (view specs here). From what I've heard (this is not first hand experience, so take it with a grain of salt), the EBs bass is more about getting the massive downbeat that is ever so popular in popular music these days than about the detail.

 

[indigo]

Sorry, my bad. Was just excited about getting the super.fi pros today. Would still recommend them though.

 

[michaelbe3]

EB's for me I'm afraid! Fun and maybe less detailed as Megalomania said. But they are fun..never sure though which is the best preset eq to use!!

 

[flibottf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelbe3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif EB's for me I'm afraid! Fun and maybe less detailed as Megalomania said. But they are fun..never sure though which is the best preset eq to use!!

compared to most buds they are a lot more detailled... As much as the pro but more bass that does cover the rest of the spectrum a bit but it's still there...

 

[BassheadJazz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelbe3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif EB's for me I'm afraid! Fun and maybe less detailed as Megalomania said. But they are fun..

x2, and I would actually argue that they are in fact fairly detailed, but of course it's going to eventually depend on personal taste. All I can say is that my EB's have done well no matter what I threw at them and I've never regretted owning them.

 

[LaBreaHead]

What's the reason for the different isolation between the two super.fi's? Is the body of the EB bulkier?

 

[only500made]

Quote:

Is the body of the EB bulkier?

from amazon:
Quote:

super.fi 5 Pro EB For those who need a little more low-end response, the super.fi 5 Pro EBs deliver the same professional-grade sound, noise isolation, and superb form factor as other earphones in the super.fi line, but with an increased bass sensitivity for deep and driving beats. Precise audio filters and an encapsulated diaphragm subwoofer ensure that the bass stays tight and distortion-free, never muddy. The super.fi 5 series' dual-driver technology makes these earphones ideal for studio-grade acoustic performance while delivering an increased "thump" for those who like to really feel their music. Includes a metallic travel case.

 

[jinx20001]

the eb for me, ive had the super fi 5 pro and ive seen graphs showing that the eb has better distortion response and better frequency range, very impressive indeed so ill have to say EB and ill try digging those graphs out

 

[Punky]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jinx20001 /img/forum/go_quote.gif the eb for me, ive had the super fi 5 pro and ive seen graphs showing that the eb has better distortion response and better frequency range, very impressive indeed so ill have to say EB and ill try digging those graphs out

If you can find some reliable graphs that compare the EB to the Atrio, I'd really appreciate it.

Also, does the EB reproduce the same level clarity in the highs and mids as the Etymotic ER6i (which I saw in your collection). How do they compare to the Vibes?

 

[Megalomania]

I linked to the UE specs page that has a frequency response chart for the EBs, but I couldn't find one for the atrios

I'm not very familiar with the vibes either, so sorry again, but at least this bumps your thread

 

[Aevum]

forget the vibes, the vibes are WAY below the M5 and any of the super.fi 5 range,

the Atrio M5´s have a Global Dynamic driver, meaning it has 1 dynamic driver to reproduce the entire range,

the Super.fi 5 EB have a armature for mids and highs, while using a dynamic driver as a "woofer" to reproduce the lows, this makes the out side of the canalphone wider to accomodate the dynamic driver, a dynamic driver is a sauser shaped object, while a armature is a narrower cylinder,

the super.fi 5 pro has a dual armature, 1 for lows, and the other for mids and highs, now, from my understanding, this would lead to tu a situation where the bass is reproduced in the fallowing manner,

a Armature for bass would produce a more detailed but less powerfull base, going straight to the point insted of giving a large "boom" impact,

while a dynamic driver would reproduce a less detailed but more punchy and powerfull bass,

so depending on the type of music you want, you either prefer one or the other,