[KevC]

Hey,

Darn. I thought I was never going to return. I'm extremely happy with my current setup.

ALAC->Fubar->Darkvoice->K501 for home sweet home listening.
Ogg->K81DJ for portable listening.

Though I'm not too vain, the k81dj is pretty darn bulky and embarrassing. I don't mind wearing them in the library but on the road it's a tad annoying with the size.

I've started going to the gym and on those really long boring cardio sessions, I want something to listen to. I'm definitely not wearing my AKGs while I sweat my face out.

I do have a pair of Panasonic HJE50s that I'm pretty happy with. Haven't really listened to them critically though. However, I lost one of the tips and the other tips don't fit me very well.

I'm looking at the Westone UM1. Lots of nice feedback here. I used to own Ety ER6 (not i). I got rid of them because they were very uncomfortable (my ears are quite small... only the smallest of the Panasonic tips fit) and they felt a little too raspy/dry.

I'm interested in the UM1 b/c I take the subway to class every day and isolation would be a plus, and they are said to be the most comfortable IEM.

Thoughts? I wonder if these would make my K81dj obsolete...

 

[JES]

I have very small ear canals and the UM1's work well for me. They stay in and are very comfortable. They definitely isolate very well.

I can't offer any comparison relative to the other phones you mentioned.

My only real regret with these is that I keep wondering if the UM2's are three times better at three times the price. I kinda' wish I would have just jumped right to the UM2's. But for the money, I believe the UM1's are well worth it.

 

[Meloncoly]

They're comfortable...very comfortable. Good sound isolation and the complys that they come with are great. My ears are considered small but they fit me just fine. The only thing people complain about is the bass...but I just EQ it and it's fine. If you have the money, jump to the UM3 or wait for the Westone 3s, if not, UM1 is a great investment.

 

[KevC]

I looked at the UM2, and they look amazing. But for 3x the price, I don't think I can afford that. I'm already scraping together pennies for the UM1.

Can somebody describe the sound signature of the UM1? Does it sound like a Grado or Senn? I love sparkly highs and high impact lows. I'm not a fan of the "smooth" Senn sound.

 

[emrecan]

IMO, UM1 doesn't have the sparkly highs. You need look hard to find for them. After ER6 it should sound distant at the highs. But for it's price you can't go any wrong. They decent isolation and with bi flange modded tips you are good the go.

 

[JeffS]

I have the er-6i, the UM1, and the UM2, and can give an honest comparison of each. I can't compare the sound signature of the the er-6i to the er-6, but I understand the comfort issue with the Etys.

The UM series from Westone is quite easily the most comfortable set if IEMs I've tried. The UM1s where a leap up in comfort from the Etys. I didn't feel that the sound signature was up to par with the Etys however. They had a very nice warmth and bass that I thought was more enjoyable than the analytical sound of the Etys.

The UM1s have a very musical sound, that is really fun. When used with an amp, I think they can really come to life. I used a Xin Mini-III with the 75ohm impedance turned on, which increased the detail. Unfortunately it caused the bass to go away, but that was easily corrected with the bass boost option. With that combination, I really fell in love with them.

Now, the bad news....

I picked up a pair of UM2s six months after getting the UM1s, and they were amazing. They sounded great straight out of the headphone port of my Karma. Amping them does improve the sound, like with many headphones, but the tweaks that were needed with the UM1s were no longer applicable. Just a bit more current to drive them, and wow.

The UM1s are a bit detail shy, and have a boomy bass. They are good for what they are, but they leave a bit to be desired in the long run. The UM2 go a long way to correct the shortcomings of the UM1. If it's in your budget, I would strongly suggest stepping up to the UM2. Without and amp, the UM2 have been fantastic.

The price difference is significant, but if you've got the option of going for the UM2, I would highly recommend it.

-Jeff

 

[Fang]

I agree, the westones UM series are the most comfortable and if you can afford it, go for the one you can afford, it may save you some money in future if you decide to upgrade. Though the UM1 may lack treble and some details, its quite hard to hear the differences when you are on the train or bus, IEMs do isolate quite a bit but it can't fully isolate the noises around you, but in a quiet environment, one would be able to hear the differences easily.

 

[norseman8485]

The extra bass of the um2 makes it seem too muddy to me, though the sound is a lot lusher. um1 has the same signature, with the distinct lack of treble that I sometimes find annoying. They are comfy, isolates very well, very well built but I didn't like them for gym as the thuds when I'm on the treadmill are very loud.

 

[KevC]

Hm. "Fun". Sounds like a KSC35/55/75 sound signature? That's good, because I wouldn't mind that. Analytical can stay home with my K501 =)