New Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 Pro Review

[trose49]

Turn the "jazz" eq setting on the IPOD voila!!!! Perfect sound from pro's

There is nothing "muddy" about these phones. At least you are the very first person to post so!

Try q-tips!

 

[Jmmmmm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman Using my iPod, I don't much like the UE Super.Fi 5 Pro. In the plane on my trip last week the isolation was great but out of the plane I strongly prefer the sound of my Koss KSC-35. The sound is closed in and muddy. I am disappointed how poor it sounds for a headphone of this price. I am listening to the Shure E4c right now and it sounds pretty good. Detail is much better and the sound is more coherent. Cymbal splashes and drum hits are more realistic. I'm not sure I dig the whole canal phone thing but I feel that the Shures are better transducers than the UEs.

i prefer the e4c to the 5pro's.

 

[helipilotrichy]

I was soo lucky to have JB take me to the tour
thanks JB! also thanks UE!

the superfi 5 pro is the first headphone ive experienced..thats cost over 10 bucks. (big jump eh ..even bigger?..i was contemplating the UE10's!...which will have to wait till im unsatisfied by superfi5pro..which wont be anytime soon!) isolation is the best part, you can hear a lot of detail.

when i was there i tried Jay-z's - Lucifer (tons of bass) on the 5 pro and EB
the pro couldnt handle it..(distortion)
the EB handled it easily...and added a bit more!
however, anything else like rock, pop, classical, is much better reproduced with the 5's
when i tried coldplays new speed of sound
the pro was great
EB was a bit muddy
the UE 10s were great! had nice high end detail

also i think there has to more treble for the pros...(<--- coming from a person whose had stock earbuds) with the ipod im fine with the flat setting although a bit of treble would be nice (im also a battery saver). without the treble, listeing to the ipod, you feel a bit distanced from them music, as compared to with EQ setting of rock or jazz. On my computer..using winamp..i put on the EQ preset of "rock" which increases both treble and bass and lowers the mids, and as a result everything becomes so much more detailed.

as for comfort, i think they should have one smaller size silicon tip (my left ear's a bit small) i still feel it in the ears but i can handle long term use.

everything else is great, every song feels like its in my head. worth 250? cant really say because i havent tried sony's or ety's. if i were to price i would put the 5pros around 200. EBs around 170

but they were definately worth the trip to UE..whom have great hospitality!

 

[jagger333]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm i prefer the e4c to the 5pro's.

strongly agreed...i dunno why there's so much excitement over superfis all of a sudden...the bottom line is other than the bass...there's not much that to say about this pair of headphone...not that its bad in everything else...but the superfis doesnt stand out in any other aspect compared to its competitors...mids in my opinion is bloated..highs are rolled off...it feels like the superfis are using its mids to sing its highs....but what bugs me is that the superfis are capable of handling highest of the highs...but there's just a spectrum of frequency of highs that seems to be missing for some reason...

i prefer the e4cs over the 5pros ....even with the lack of bass and the ooomph factor superfis has to offer... but those factor are due to the dual driver of the superfis...

i strongly believe that E5, or maybe even the UM2, would outperform superfis in many aspects...if one were to do a dual driver comparison....i'm gettin my shure E5 in a couple day..i'll be able to compare it...

 

[crazyfrenchman27]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canman Using my iPod, I don't much like the UE Super.Fi 5 Pro. In the plane on my trip last week the isolation was great but out of the plane I strongly prefer the sound of my Koss KSC-35. The sound is closed in and muddy. I am disappointed how poor it sounds for a headphone of this price. I am listening to the Shure E4c right now and it sounds pretty good. Detail is much better and the sound is more coherent. Cymbal splashes and drum hits are more realistic. I'm not sure I dig the whole canal phone thing but I feel that the Shures are better transducers than the UEs.

I find them to be muddy, too, even with Treble Boost EQ.

-Matt

 

[ZackT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyfrenchman27 I find them to be muddy, too, even with Treble Boost EQ. -Matt

Now I'm confused! If you "crazyfrenchman" the guy who's been listening to them for hours raving about the good bass now says they're "Muddy" what's a guy to think?

I've ordered the Shure 4's but have been having regrets and even considered buying the SuperFi Pro5's too. Hard to get a hold of down here though.

Perhaps I should be content with my 4's (although I'm intregued by the deep bass).

If the Super.Fi's didn't exist would you guys with the Shure 4c's say that the 4's have rich full deep bass?

Is it just in comparison with the Super.fi's that they're not bassy enough?

Help!

 

[trose49]

you guys need to go to the nearest hearing center! Get those things checked

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Help!

I cant even tell if they are talking about the super.fi 5 pros or the EB's

ZACK TRUST ME SUPER.FI 5 pro = NO MUD! NONE NILL NOT NEVER

 

[jagger333]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 you guys need to go to the nearest hearing center! Get those things checked

i think since we can hear the detailed highs of the E4 and the rolled off high of the superfis, its sufficient to say our hearing is indeed ok

on the other hand...superfis have significant bass...and since one start to lose hearing on the high frequencies (not the low end) maybe you should get your hearing checked...

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 ZACK TRUST ME SUPER.FI 5 pro = NO MUD! NONE NILL NOT NEVER

but i do find that either this is your first high end headphone or you are in someway related to UE from all the comments i've read of you...and in ipodlounge...since you don't seem to comment on flaws only raves....as it almost seem to sound like an advertisement...

also i'm not sayin E4s are perfect...they are by no means...but almost perfect on the high end and bein very balanced....but do lack bass....that's why i just bought E5 which are shipping as we speak

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jagger333 i think since we can hear the detailed highs of the E4 and the rolled off high of the superfis, its sufficient to say our hearing is indeed ok

I keep repeating myself. BUT..... Im not saying they are perfect. nothing is and technology will only get better. I used the "jazz" setting to boost the highs and it works great with no distortion at all. Very shimmery!!!!

If you talk to UE the curve on the output does not show any roll off of the highs at all. Most people including myself loose a bit of detail because it is covered by the amazing low's. The high's are there and they can be brought out to compensite for the lows.

The resaon everyone is raving about the detail in the E4's is because it's easy to hear all that detail with such little Thump!

The super.fi's THUMP and some people will like that and some wont. But the highs are NOT rolled off. They are there!

AND NO IM NOT A UE EMPLOYEE!!! My first set of canals the e3c's and I raved about these as well but I cant ever imagine listening to them now beacuse they just souund thin in comparison. The super.fi's are FUN and when is the last time you can say that about a earphone!

 

[TMC]

I think it is always a lot more informative if you relate your experiences with a certain headphone to another whenever you say things like "the treble is rolled off" or "the bass is too strong" etc. I mean if someone would for example say the Super.fi pros have simliar treble when compared to E3c, then for me who own the E3c I would know that I should expect some treble roll-off since that's what I hear with E3c. With all the different preferences out there, when someone says they think a headphone sound neutral it really tells me nothing at all unless I know a lot about that certain person's sonical preferences.

trose49: I think you haven't said a single negative thing about the super.fi pros and for me as a reader I would have to assume you think they are perfect. And comments like the super.fi pros being the best in-ear monitors out there at any price does enforce that impression. But if you think there are some weaknesses with the super.fi pros, maybe you should bring that up also if you're trying to make a fair review.

 

[trose49]

Quote:

trose49: I think you haven't said a single negative thing about the super.fi pros and for me as a reader I would have to assume you think they are perfect. And comments like the super.fi pros being the best in-ear monitors out there at any price does enforce that impression. But if you think there are some weaknesses with the super.fi pros, maybe you should bring that up also if you're trying to make a fair review.

OK here they are: (negatives)

1: Not clear when taking them out of the package which ears they go in!
2:The Phones are marked L & R but [size=xx-small]very very [/size] small and it took 3 days to find out i had them in the wrong ears!
3:Foams that came in the package had one that was coming off the plastic mount. (Called UE they are replacing)!
4:Highs seemed less than my e3's at first but they do go even higher than the e3'cs ( I used to listen to my e3's on the Jazz eq to boost the treble so in comparing I turned the jazz eq on for the UE's and wow!)
5ackage was hard to open without destroying it to pieces.

You mentioined roll off and comparing to th e3c's. It depends how you listened to you e3c's. If you didnt eq at all and I cant blame you because the e3 does not work well with the Ipod EQ.

I used "JAZZ" on my e3's which gave me the highs and a little more bass but it would distort when there was heavy bass. The super.fi's do not do this you can use any of the eq settings on the ipod and hear subtle changes and will find one you like i sure!

 

[Ozric]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trose49 Turn the "jazz" eq setting on the IPOD voila!!!! Perfect sound from pro's There is nothing "muddy" about these phones. At least you are the very first person to post so! Try q-tips!

Dude, your fanboyism is getting to be a little grating, and I'm sure many here agree. Everyone does not hear what you do, and to expect them to agree with your statements is silly. You know what they say about opinions...

I'm glad Canman and Jmmmmm voiced their honest opinions, because there are many people sitting on the fence right now about making a canalphone decision, and these sort of unbiased statements make it easier. I for one had preordered the E4s way back, and am awaiting their arrival.

 

[aluren]

trose, i think you have ALOT of patience. you've been taking way too much criticism for what is supposed to be your opinion that its not even funny. i honestly have to say that your review was flawed. but some people need to understand that your review is not a professional article due to be published and read by everyone. and you by no means claimed that you are a professional musician or audiophile. and so what if his opinion persuaded some newbies to get the 5pro's?? its not his fault for their demise. they should have read all of the opinions and reviews available before making an informed decision. i, for one, am not gonna get the 5 pro after reading just trose's review. but i'm definitely interested in an upgrade (currently using the E3c's). so just be appreciative of trose for offering his opinions. cuz without opinions, there would be no need for forums. and to those of you that over-assumes things, i am not his brother, best friend, classmate, best man, etc... so this is just my opinion after reading all the posts on this thread.

 

[trose49]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozric preordered the E4s way back, and am awaiting their arrival.

And this explains your view of my review!

I just posted any negatives that I found. see above!

No need to get all crazy!