john_jcb
This is a customized witticism.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2002
- Posts
- 5,684
- Likes
- 17
One of the few benefits of traveling around the country as I have been doing for the past couple of years is that once in a while I have an opportunity to visit audio stores and occasionally audio vendors facilities. This week I was lucky enough to visit Ultimate Ears in California and audition their consumer product line. I was greeted by Chuck Reynolds the Director of Sales and following a tour of their custom products facility I settled in to listen to the Super.fi products. I listened to songs that I am familiar with from Chuck's ipod. I was anxious to listen to the new triple.fi-10 but I am glad I started with the Super.fi-3 studio. BTW I have been traveling with the Etymotics ER-4S for a number of years which I use as a reference point.
The Super.fi-3 is a single driver unit and it is a real step up from any of the standard ear buds that come with any portable device. This would be a great entry unit for most users. The mid range was very clear and well defined. The highs and lows were there but they were not as dynamic as my Etys or their other products. As an entry into higher end listening these would be a great start.
Next I listened to the Super.fi-5 Pro (There is also a Super.fi-5 EB extended Bass that I did not listen to, perhaps another time). The Super.fi-5 Pro is a dual driver unit and a considerable step up in the listening experience. The sound is full and rich and there is a definite improvement on the response to the highs and lows. The perceived sound stage is also dramatically increased over what I heard with the -3's. As I was listening I thought to myself that I could be happy with these. Excellent isolation and great sound; what else could I ask for? Well my question was quickly answered when Chuck had me try the new Triple.fi-10 Pro.
The new Triple.fi-10 Pro adds another driver for a total of 3. It took only a moment for me to hear the differences from the -5 that I had just been listening to. My first impression from the first song on was that it seemed like they had taken the sound of the 5's and expanded it. The sound stage also seemed wider. In my opinion these are the best sounding earphones I have heard. They surpass my Etys in every category. The bass is full and the songs I listened to compared favorably to my amped Sennheiser 600's. In the short time I had to listen to these I was truly impressed. After hearing the Triple.fi-10 Pro's I changed my opinion a bit. I would be satisfied with the Super.fi-5's but having heard the new -10's there would be that gnawing desire to upgrade eating away at me. Here is a link to the Triple.fi-10 Pro:
http://www.ultimateears.com/superfi/...ueMetallic.htm
When I told my wife about my visit I heard her normal refrain: "So what is this going to cost" I told her I was just thinking and had not decided yet. I think though that the UE-10's may be in my future; maybe we will discuss it this weekend when I go home.
The Super.fi-3 is a single driver unit and it is a real step up from any of the standard ear buds that come with any portable device. This would be a great entry unit for most users. The mid range was very clear and well defined. The highs and lows were there but they were not as dynamic as my Etys or their other products. As an entry into higher end listening these would be a great start.
Next I listened to the Super.fi-5 Pro (There is also a Super.fi-5 EB extended Bass that I did not listen to, perhaps another time). The Super.fi-5 Pro is a dual driver unit and a considerable step up in the listening experience. The sound is full and rich and there is a definite improvement on the response to the highs and lows. The perceived sound stage is also dramatically increased over what I heard with the -3's. As I was listening I thought to myself that I could be happy with these. Excellent isolation and great sound; what else could I ask for? Well my question was quickly answered when Chuck had me try the new Triple.fi-10 Pro.
The new Triple.fi-10 Pro adds another driver for a total of 3. It took only a moment for me to hear the differences from the -5 that I had just been listening to. My first impression from the first song on was that it seemed like they had taken the sound of the 5's and expanded it. The sound stage also seemed wider. In my opinion these are the best sounding earphones I have heard. They surpass my Etys in every category. The bass is full and the songs I listened to compared favorably to my amped Sennheiser 600's. In the short time I had to listen to these I was truly impressed. After hearing the Triple.fi-10 Pro's I changed my opinion a bit. I would be satisfied with the Super.fi-5's but having heard the new -10's there would be that gnawing desire to upgrade eating away at me. Here is a link to the Triple.fi-10 Pro:
http://www.ultimateears.com/superfi/...ueMetallic.htm
When I told my wife about my visit I heard her normal refrain: "So what is this going to cost" I told her I was just thinking and had not decided yet. I think though that the UE-10's may be in my future; maybe we will discuss it this weekend when I go home.