[NeObliviscaris]

Consult the booklet and ensure u are getting the right fit. Maybe consider the flip flop mod, where u switch the drivers:

Left Driver: connected to RIGHT(RED Dot) cable and goes in right ear

etc

 

[robinclp]

yea superfi.3 definitely lacks the wow factor when you listen to them... I wasn't impressed by the sound either considering they were my first pair of expensive iems

I prefer the e4cs more or you could try the superfi.5 if you have the money

 

[dranoel4190]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death-Toaster /img/forum/go_quote.gif So why the crap don't they sound better? The mids sound pretty good, but the highs and lows are barely there. Am I doing something wrong or is this just how it is?

i would highly suggest you get the super.fi 5pro. i had the sf3 too and to me they sounded tooo flat.
just like you, i felt that the bass and treble need improvement. they are good for specific types of music but not for my playlist.

 

[Cartmaizm]

Yeah I find myself in a similar situation as the OP but I bought the Shure SE310's instead. I also have a Zune 80 with the premium earphones and to be honest, I cant tell much of a difference between them at all. I just dont see the justification in the price for something I cant even tell the difference in.

I used to use some stock earbuds that came with a mp3 diskman some years ago and when I compared them, the stock ones win by far. The warm crisp feeling of those buds were just so amazing and the Shure's just sound so flat and crap compared to them.

I'm looking at selling the Shures and upgrading to the Ultimate Ear 5 pro or whatever they are called but I am really scared that I wont be able to tell a difference from that as well

I dont know whats wrong?!?!

 

[Drexel98]

In my experience, the Shures do require more 'burn in' than the UE's, especially the higher end units. I have the SE530's and the UE Triple.fi's. The Triples sounded much better right out of the box, whereas the Shures took probably about 100 hours before they really started warming up.

I would recommend you move up to the 5Pro's if you can, there is a dramatic difference between the 3 and the 5Pro, a little less so with the EB version, unless you really need the additional thump and less clarity.

Someone earlier also mentioned seal and I cannot emphasize enough how important that is with IEM's. Unless you get a great seal the bass extension will be basically non-existent, even with the best IEM's. You may want to play around with the various tips that come with the UE's until you find a good balance of sound and comfort. You may also want to try the Comply tips if the stock tips aren't working for you.

My $.02

 

[intoflatlines]

To the OP - If you honestly think that the stock Zune buds sound better than the SF3 you are probably not getting a seal. There should be a feeling of suction or something when you are taking them out and some air pressure when you put them in. They should also isolate from outside noise a decent amount.


But yes, the SF5 Pro are a huge step up from the SF3. If you can't get a seal with the SF3 then you won't get a seal with the SF5 and they won't sound good.

 

[synaesthetic]

I didn't think balanced armature drivers changed with burn-in the same way dynamic drivers do.

 

[Death-Toaster]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cartmaizm /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm looking at selling the Shures and upgrading to the Ultimate Ear 5 pro or whatever they are called but I am really scared that I wont be able to tell a difference from that as well

That is my fear as well. I already paid $70 for something that doesn't sound as good as what I already have, I'm a bit scared of paying an extra $100+ on something that may only be marginally better than what I already have.


How do I know if I'm getting a good seal? The smallest ear tips are the only ones that will fit in my ear, though they do seem to fit. I put them in the way they say in the instructions and I cant hear crap going on outside. It sounds like I can hear my whole head in my ears, and an ear tip was once left behind do to the suction. I'm still new to IEMs, but It seems I've got them in right.

 

[intoflatlines]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death-Toaster /img/forum/go_quote.gif How do I know if I'm getting a good seal? The smallest ear tips are the only ones that will fit in my ear, though they do seem to fit. I put them in the way they say in the instructions and I cant hear crap going on outside. It sounds like I can hear my whole head in my ears, and an ear tip was once left behind do to the suction. I'm still new to IEMs, but It seems I've got them in right.

That sounds like it's in right.. I don't know what the problem could be. Either you got a messed up pair or you simply prefer the other sound to the SF3 sound. I find the SF3 a little light on bass but overall I think it's a great IEM for the price and should easily sound better than the stock buds..

Maybe you have some EQ or sound enhancement setting on?

 

[Death-Toaster]

No, there isn't any EQ settings on the 80GB Zune.

I'm not an audiophile by any means, so it can be difficult to describe what I'm hearing, or many times, to know what it is I'm hearing.

What it sounds like to me is that the Super.Fi 3's sound better, more "true", but the Zune headphones have way more bass and treble making them sound crisper.

The Super.Fi 3's don't sound bad, but after listening to them for awhile, then popping in the Zune headphones and hearing so much more of the music, it gets frustrating.

 

[dranoel4190]

preference in music is a big factor.

honestly i like my cx300 waay better than the sf3

 

[synaesthetic]

I have a similar issue, as I'm wanting to upgrade my ER-6i to ER-4P but at the same time I'm also looking hard at the super.fi 5 Pro.

If the triple.fi weren't so expensive I'd just say eff it and buy those. =D

 

[Xcalibur255]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Death-Toaster /img/forum/go_quote.gif No, there isn't any EQ settings on the 80GB Zune. I'm not an audiophile by any means, so it can be difficult to describe what I'm hearing, or many times, to know what it is I'm hearing. What it sounds like to me is that the Super.Fi 3's sound better, more "true", but the Zune headphones have way more bass and treble making them sound crisper. The Super.Fi 3's don't sound bad, but after listening to them for awhile, then popping in the Zune headphones and hearing so much more of the music, it gets frustrating.

If you're getting a proper seal, I think personal preference might be your biggest issue. I've listened to both the SuperFi 3 and the premium Zune buds (owning a Zune 80 myself) and the two sound very different. The SF3 is a balanced phone with somewhat rolled off bass and treble lending somewhat laid back sound, but they offer great separation and clarity for their price. The Zune buds, on the other hand, have very heavily over-hyped bass. Just way too much, and the lower treble is spiked too to make up for the driver's inability to really reach into the highs well. I find they have a very nasal and stuffy sound with boxed in vocals and little instrument separation. Pairing them with a headphone amp took some of the slop out of their "subwoofer in your ears" bass but did little to improve their muddy sound. The SF3 is basically just in a higher class, but I suspect you like the heavily overboosted bass response of the Zune buds are having a hard time adapting to the SF3 sound. Give them an honest chance and listen to them off and on for a few weeks. Your listening tastes should begin to adapt. If they don't then you just need to find a phone that is bass heavy and less neutral to match your preferences.

 

[synaesthetic]

When I went from Shure to Etymotic IEMs I had the same problem. =D I was very unimpressed by the Ety's "weak bass" but then I slowly got away from E5c overpowering bass, and I ended up using the cheaper and lesser-quality ER-6i far more than my E5. Eventually the E5c sat on my desk collecting dust for so long I sold them.

 

[intoflatlines]

OP - try CX300 maybe.