nakedtoes
500+ Head-Fier
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2004
- Posts
- 627
- Likes
- 48
I received my Shure E5C, Yes i trade my UM2 for the E5C with jdimitri. There is great trust between us as this was also our first trade. Great that both of us like our new choices. Here are some photos:
The aluminum case
The IEM
The crossover
The driver
They have the same nozzle angle as UM2. Almost look identical. However the plastic use is different. Shure use a more Matt type of plastic while Westone use a more shinning type. I reckon the E5C’s build is better because I can see some white “stress or strain” marks at the joint part of the UM2 while there is none for E5C.
The memory cable
The memory cable extended about 7cm from both side of the drivers. This bugger took some times to get use too. I can bend them to suit my head to ear profile. Somehow I still find that wearing a UM2 is much easier and faster. This is because UM2 cables are thin but flexible. Don’t be mistaken that they would snap easily. The sleeves of the cable can take a fair amount of stress and build like a tank. Cable management thus UM2 is more user- friendly. The case that comes with the E5C is smaller then UM2.. hmm I miss Westone case.. How much are they selling now??
I finally realized one advantage of the memory cable. That are moments when you need to listen to incoming calls or when you need to talk to someone. You need to “hang” one of the drivers around your ear and risk the driver dropping from your ear…The E5C has no problem and the memory cable actually “hang” nicely on my ear.
Sound Quality (Shure E5C vs Westone UM2)
First of all, I have been glued to the E5C (with the same old trusty bi flange tips from my previous UM2) since I received them today. I was listening to the same MP3 tracks (about 30 of them of different genes such as classical, Jazz, POP, Trance, Rock, New age and Instruments (piano and drums) I listen every day with the UM2 thus i am very familiar with the tracks. While listening with my E5C I recorded down the different I heard immediately. Sometime I even rewind to the same part to confirm the different. Well mine first track is some male vocal jazz and I am very disappointed caused I missed the UM2 so much for its more pronounce mid, they are so sweet, more “in your face” kind of feeling. However they are nowhere near that of Grado RS-1. E5C has a more recessed mid and male vocal sound a little distance away. They sound quite good also but not that engaging as UM2. I have the same experience with the high as E5C has a rolled off high. This is very obvious when listening to female vocal.
While listening to a few bass heavy tracks like trance and drums, I concluded the UM2 has a more extended bass while E5C has a slightly tighter bass. E5C seems to have more punch, more energy from its low driver. This might be because of the different type of crossover use. Thus I actually hear slightly more bass details from the E5C. The bass details in the UM2 are somehow “cover” by the enormous bass and you need to listen carefully to spot them.
You must have hear users who heard both the E5C and UM2 saying that the E5C is a more musical phone and until I hear the E5C I finally understood the meaning, the E5C actually sound more refine and more lively then the UM2. The UM2 sound dull to me sometime, this is one of the reasons I decided to trade them off. Have you ever experience you got disengaged from the music at times while doing another task together?? I experience this with the UM2, I would listen to UM2 while surfing the net and somehow somewhere I got “disengage” from the music I listen to. Dun be mistaken not surfing some **** sites. But somehow they sound dull for most type of music except vocal which immediately got me glued to the music.
You must have heard UM2 has a very rich sound.. this is possible due to the more pronounce and engaging mid and better treble. However if the encoded bit rate for mp3 is low, the mid could sound harsh.
Soundstage wise, both IEM exhibit about the same soundstage quite close but there is still a very slight different. I feel I am seating at the front row using the UM2 and a few rows back listening to the E5C. I actually preferred the soundstage from the E5C which has a slightly better instruments separation while listening to classical. This is more apparently noticeable when I switch to my home setup (Marantz CD player > QED Silver Spiral > Headsave Classic (Dual OPA627)). I shall not go more into my home setup but I do notice the E5C benefits more with an amp then the UM2. Another thing that I am unsatisfied with the UM2 is the hiss issue. The hiss is quite unbearable for my portable setup while amping it would reduce the hiss but I find it kind of troublesome carrying a portable amp outdoor. I have also heard many E5C users complaining about the hiss issue too. However I can conclude that the hiss level of the E5C is actually much much lower then the UM2. I still can hear a slight hiss between the tracks but they are not that unbearable as with the UM2. I guess the higher resistance of the E5C helps although they are more sensitive then the UM2. With the higher sensitive E5C I can hear slightly noticeable more details then the UM2 too.
Conclusions:
Dun be mistaken that both brothers (they are from the same “mother”) sound too far apart. They sound very similar if you only hear them briefly. You will be able to spot the slight differences after you listen to them carefully. After all they use the same almost the drivers, same nozzle angle, almost the same plastic mould.. except the type of cable use, the type of passive crossovers used and the impediance differences. Shure E5C has a higher impedances then the Westone UM2. Each of them has their strong points and weak points. The UM2 has its beautiful mids and enormous quantity of bass which make them very suitable for jazz, pop, rock, dance, trance and drums. They are a god-send for male vocal and bass heavy music while the E5C in the other hand are more suitable for more types of music. They sound a little bit more refined and the bass is tight and just enough for my portables. I am very glad that I have made the right choice as I prefer the E5C over the UM2 but sometimes I miss the great mid of the UM2 while hearing vocal. I also preferred the bass of the E5C, this is what I reckon a better quality of bass. The arrival of the Shure E500 would probably cause the price of the E5C to drop further, and if the price different of the E5C and UM2 is just about $50, I would recommend the E5C anytime. You will get more accessories including triple flange tips, foam tips, soft sleeve tips and clear sleeve tips. You will also get a level attenuator and a nice matt finished aluminum case.
Until now, the Westone UM2 is still the best buy among the 2 “brothers” until times to come…they are simply irresistible.
As mine advices for all future buyers, it is best you listen to both IEM using the same tips, same source and TRUST YOR EARS only. Take in considerations like comfortable level also, your type of source and music before plugging the money.
The aluminum case
The IEM
The crossover
The driver
They have the same nozzle angle as UM2. Almost look identical. However the plastic use is different. Shure use a more Matt type of plastic while Westone use a more shinning type. I reckon the E5C’s build is better because I can see some white “stress or strain” marks at the joint part of the UM2 while there is none for E5C.
The memory cable
The memory cable extended about 7cm from both side of the drivers. This bugger took some times to get use too. I can bend them to suit my head to ear profile. Somehow I still find that wearing a UM2 is much easier and faster. This is because UM2 cables are thin but flexible. Don’t be mistaken that they would snap easily. The sleeves of the cable can take a fair amount of stress and build like a tank. Cable management thus UM2 is more user- friendly. The case that comes with the E5C is smaller then UM2.. hmm I miss Westone case.. How much are they selling now??
I finally realized one advantage of the memory cable. That are moments when you need to listen to incoming calls or when you need to talk to someone. You need to “hang” one of the drivers around your ear and risk the driver dropping from your ear…The E5C has no problem and the memory cable actually “hang” nicely on my ear.
Sound Quality (Shure E5C vs Westone UM2)
First of all, I have been glued to the E5C (with the same old trusty bi flange tips from my previous UM2) since I received them today. I was listening to the same MP3 tracks (about 30 of them of different genes such as classical, Jazz, POP, Trance, Rock, New age and Instruments (piano and drums) I listen every day with the UM2 thus i am very familiar with the tracks. While listening with my E5C I recorded down the different I heard immediately. Sometime I even rewind to the same part to confirm the different. Well mine first track is some male vocal jazz and I am very disappointed caused I missed the UM2 so much for its more pronounce mid, they are so sweet, more “in your face” kind of feeling. However they are nowhere near that of Grado RS-1. E5C has a more recessed mid and male vocal sound a little distance away. They sound quite good also but not that engaging as UM2. I have the same experience with the high as E5C has a rolled off high. This is very obvious when listening to female vocal.
While listening to a few bass heavy tracks like trance and drums, I concluded the UM2 has a more extended bass while E5C has a slightly tighter bass. E5C seems to have more punch, more energy from its low driver. This might be because of the different type of crossover use. Thus I actually hear slightly more bass details from the E5C. The bass details in the UM2 are somehow “cover” by the enormous bass and you need to listen carefully to spot them.
You must have hear users who heard both the E5C and UM2 saying that the E5C is a more musical phone and until I hear the E5C I finally understood the meaning, the E5C actually sound more refine and more lively then the UM2. The UM2 sound dull to me sometime, this is one of the reasons I decided to trade them off. Have you ever experience you got disengaged from the music at times while doing another task together?? I experience this with the UM2, I would listen to UM2 while surfing the net and somehow somewhere I got “disengage” from the music I listen to. Dun be mistaken not surfing some **** sites. But somehow they sound dull for most type of music except vocal which immediately got me glued to the music.
You must have heard UM2 has a very rich sound.. this is possible due to the more pronounce and engaging mid and better treble. However if the encoded bit rate for mp3 is low, the mid could sound harsh.
Soundstage wise, both IEM exhibit about the same soundstage quite close but there is still a very slight different. I feel I am seating at the front row using the UM2 and a few rows back listening to the E5C. I actually preferred the soundstage from the E5C which has a slightly better instruments separation while listening to classical. This is more apparently noticeable when I switch to my home setup (Marantz CD player > QED Silver Spiral > Headsave Classic (Dual OPA627)). I shall not go more into my home setup but I do notice the E5C benefits more with an amp then the UM2. Another thing that I am unsatisfied with the UM2 is the hiss issue. The hiss is quite unbearable for my portable setup while amping it would reduce the hiss but I find it kind of troublesome carrying a portable amp outdoor. I have also heard many E5C users complaining about the hiss issue too. However I can conclude that the hiss level of the E5C is actually much much lower then the UM2. I still can hear a slight hiss between the tracks but they are not that unbearable as with the UM2. I guess the higher resistance of the E5C helps although they are more sensitive then the UM2. With the higher sensitive E5C I can hear slightly noticeable more details then the UM2 too.
Conclusions:
Dun be mistaken that both brothers (they are from the same “mother”) sound too far apart. They sound very similar if you only hear them briefly. You will be able to spot the slight differences after you listen to them carefully. After all they use the same almost the drivers, same nozzle angle, almost the same plastic mould.. except the type of cable use, the type of passive crossovers used and the impediance differences. Shure E5C has a higher impedances then the Westone UM2. Each of them has their strong points and weak points. The UM2 has its beautiful mids and enormous quantity of bass which make them very suitable for jazz, pop, rock, dance, trance and drums. They are a god-send for male vocal and bass heavy music while the E5C in the other hand are more suitable for more types of music. They sound a little bit more refined and the bass is tight and just enough for my portables. I am very glad that I have made the right choice as I prefer the E5C over the UM2 but sometimes I miss the great mid of the UM2 while hearing vocal. I also preferred the bass of the E5C, this is what I reckon a better quality of bass. The arrival of the Shure E500 would probably cause the price of the E5C to drop further, and if the price different of the E5C and UM2 is just about $50, I would recommend the E5C anytime. You will get more accessories including triple flange tips, foam tips, soft sleeve tips and clear sleeve tips. You will also get a level attenuator and a nice matt finished aluminum case.
Until now, the Westone UM2 is still the best buy among the 2 “brothers” until times to come…they are simply irresistible.
As mine advices for all future buyers, it is best you listen to both IEM using the same tips, same source and TRUST YOR EARS only. Take in considerations like comfortable level also, your type of source and music before plugging the money.
