[SOUNDinterpreter]

after 2 months of deciding on an iem, i finally bit the bullet and ordered the um2's off of earphonesolutions. i was so excited i paid a little more for 2 day shipping. after all of my research, i felt i had found the perfect iem for me. my first listening impressions were....whatever. i wasn't wowed with the sound...at all! they seemed kind of plain and had no real depth IMO. i even paired them to an amp i have, but nothing. so i bring them to work, and i listen to them on my breaks. it gave me no feeling. i was pretty disappointed. at the moment i am enjoying my fx66's more than the um2's. although they arent as detailed, they are way more comfortable which makes it better for portable-use and i actually get into the music listening to them. the um2's actually kinda hurt my ears a bit after using them. i fell asleep with them on at a low volume with my A828 (vol. 7/30) and woke up with sore ears and had to pop them. now every time i seem to use them, my ears kinda get that sore feeling. i used to own the super.fi 5 pro's and i dont remember them bothering my ears at all. maybe i have to get used to iem's again.

i really want to like these iem's, but i just cant seem to enjoy using them. so now i'm wondering if the se530's are better for me. i could upgrade through earphonesolutions and get them for $30 more or just return them and lose 15% on the restocking fee.

i listen to a wide range of music, but i listen to a LOT of radiohead. i critique headphones and iem's based on how radiohead (320kbps mp3) sounds using them. i own a pair of hd650's and i really like their sound signature. is there an iem out there that may sound similar to them? i also liked the super.fi 5 pro's, but i'm just not sure if i want to go the UE route because of their design for cosmetic reasons, not really comfort. what i want improved from the um2's are:

-improved depth (soundstage?)
-improved detail (eYe heart detail)
-improved highs
-something.....more fun!

pretty much i just want an iem for portable-use that are a little more fun than my fx66's and have a fuller, more detailed sound. i'm open to other iem's and recommendations.

 

[lewislink]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOUNDinterpreter /img/forum/go_quote.gif after 2 months of deciding on an iem, i finally bit the bullet and ordered the um2's off of earphonesolutions. i was so excited i paid a little more for 2 day shipping. after all of my research, i felt i had found the perfect iem for me. my first listening impressions were....whatever. i wasn't wowed with the sound...at all! they seemed kind of plain and had no real depth IMO. i even paired them to an amp i have, but nothing. so i bring them to work, and i listen to them on my breaks. it gave me no feeling. i was pretty disappointed. at the moment i am enjoying my fx66's more than the um2's. although they arent as detailed, they are way more comfortable which makes it better for portable-use and i actually get into the music listening to them. the um2's actually kinda hurt my ears a bit after using them. i fell asleep with them on at a low volume with my A828 (vol. 7/30) and woke up with sore ears and had to pop them. now every time i seem to use them, my ears kinda get that sore feeling. i used to own the super.fi 5 pro's and i dont remember them bothering my ears at all. maybe i have to get used to iem's again. i really want to like these iem's, but i just cant seem to enjoy using them. so now i'm wondering if the se530's are better for me. i could upgrade through earphonesolutions and get them for $30 more or just return them and lose 15% on the restocking fee. i listen to a wide range of music, but i listen to a LOT of radiohead. i critique headphones and iem's based on how radiohead (320kbps mp3) sounds using them. i own a pair of hd650's and i really like their sound signature. is there an iem out there that may sound similar to them? i also liked the super.fi 5 pro's, but i'm just not sure if i want to go the UE route because of their design for cosmetic reasons, not really comfort. what i want improved from the um2's are: -improved depth (soundstage?) -improved detail (eYe heart detail) -improved highs -something.....more fun! pretty much i just want an iem for portable-use that are a little more fun than my fx66's and have a fuller, more detailed sound. i'm open to other iem's and recommendations.

I don't know what canalphones you are coming from but if they are the FX66 then those are a rather bright canalphone. You'll have to give the UM2 plenty of time for your ears to adjust to their sound quality. However, if you don't like the sound of the UM2, you aren't likely going to like the sound of the SE530s either. They will be a bit more comfortable though. The SE530s are the most comfortable canalphones I know of. Nevertheless, the sound of the SE530s and the UM2 are very much similar. The UM2 go beyond the 530s in dynamics of sound. The mids being the most notable with their extension and robustness.

 

[ClieOS]

Since you have no problem of fit with SF5pro before, might I interest you in TF10? It seems to fit your description better than SE530.

 

[toughnut]

try to adjust your fitting or experiment with different tips. i have trouble getting a good fit with my UM2.

once it fit, it sound VERY good. but if bad, which happen most of the time, it will sound muffled, veiled, muddy, etc. extremely bad sounding if bad fit.

btw, i'm using comply from westone.

 

[digivate]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOUNDinterpreter /img/forum/go_quote.gif my first listening impressions were....whatever. i wasn't wowed with the sound...at all!

My UM2s arrived on Monday, and I had the exact opposite impression to you. I absolutely loved them from the minute I heard them. I also find them incredibly comfortable - I fell asleep wearing them the other night, and when I woke up I'd forgotten they were still in my ears. I think the UM2s have plenty of detail (I'm hearing new things in albums that I've been listening to reguarly for 20 years) and I don't miss an high-end ... they sound well balanced - it's earphones that are too bright that I can't stand listening to.

Anyway, I know well enough from reading this forum that different people have completely different reactions to the same earphones, so maybe the UM2s just aren't the right earphone for you - though if you've spent a couple of months looking into it I guess you would have had a rough idea what to expect.

Sounds like the Triple.Fis might be more up your street than the se530s. Depending on what you read, and where you read it, most reviewers seem to put the UM2s and the se530s up amongst the most comfortable universal IEMs available - they share a pretty similar design, so I doubt you'll find the se530's that much more comfortable if at all - but if you were happy with the Super.Fis the Triple.Fis should give you the same level of comfort with the extra detail and soundstage you're looking for.

 

[ClieOS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClieOS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Since you have no problem of fit with SF5pro before, might I interest you in TF10? It seems to fit your description better than SE530.

On second thought, I think SE530 might fit your requirement as well just not as much as TF10.

 

[TheMarchingMule]

Kind of on a tangent here, but I learned that if I have an initial bad first impression on something (headphone-related), then I know I will ever be happy with them. So best you return/sell them ASAP.

 

[pseudohippy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMarchingMule /img/forum/go_quote.gif Kind of on a tangent here, but I learned that if I have an initial bad first impression on something (headphone-related), then I know I will ever be happy with them. So best you return/sell them ASAP.

I had the exact oppisite reaction. I went from Sleek SA6 to SE530 and it took me at least a week to really enjoy the 530's. I was missing the brightness of the SA6 so much. I forced myself to go with the Sures for a week solid and now I favor them to the SA6 for most, but not all of my music.

 

[LTUCCI1924]

Funny how the jvc66 just seem to agree with us even though they dont sound as good as many other iem. They are just so very comfortable and musical to me at lease. I whent from the 66 to a much better sounding iem with way bigger soundstage and just much better sound. The jvc cost me 40.00 + tax but I returned them and bought them on line for 25.00 shipped and was thrilled with them till I got my now 20.00 soundmagic pl-
30. I paid 52.00 for my first and just ordered them for 20.00 shipped from a different web site. They swamp the 66 in all ways except comfort of course.