Reasons why I'm considering the E500 over the TFP10... am I correct?

[milkpowder]

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Originally Posted by warpdriver Does the E500 compare to the ER6i in terms of treble airiness and extension? How about the E500 vs HD650?

I'm sorry I cannot really give you my most recent impressions because I currently have neither of those phones with me. However, my guess from previous listening experience is that the E500 will sound much more like the HD650 than the K701. The E500 has that darker sound. The surprising thing is, the E500 still has pretty sparkling highs. In no way are the E500 veiled: the sound is intimate and extremely in your face if the music allows. The E500 and HD650 both share extremely nice bass, with the HD650 having more control and greater extension. If I had to choose between the E500 and the HD650 for generally listening, I'd probably choose the HD650. The HD650 is slightly thinner sounding and less mushy in the mids. The HD650 also have better soundstaging and the sound appears to be coming from further away.

People who swap directly from ER6i to E500 may find the change in sound signature far too radical. They have COMPLETELY DIFFERENT sound signatures. However, depending on what music I'm listening to, I'd probably choose the E500 over the ER6i any day. Even though the E500 is pretty dark and warm-sounding, it is just so much more refined. The E500 will definitely have more detail and on bright tracks, the E500 may even have more sparkling highs. What I am absolutely sure of is that the E500 decay is MUCH longer than the ER6i, but surprisingly, the E500 still has significantly more detail. However, not as much as your ER4s... If you're content with your sound, I suggest you don't swap to the E500 and wait and see impressions of the TF10P. The E500 sound is not for everyone. Impressive as the E500 are, I'm also considering buying a pair of ER4P/S (for the second time)

 

[Trogdor]

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Originally Posted by milkpowder I'm sorry I cannot really give you my most recent impressions because I currently have neither of those phones with me. However, my guess from previous listening experience is that the E500 will sound much more like the HD650 than the K701. The E500 has that darker sound. The surprising thing is, the E500 still has pretty sparkling highs. In no way are the E500 veiled: the sound is intimate and extremely in your face if the music allows. The E500 and HD650 both share extremely nice bass, with the HD650 having more control and greater extension. If I had to choose between the E500 and the HD650 for generally listening, I'd probably choose the HD650. The HD650 is slightly thinner sounding and less mushy in the mids. The HD650 also have better soundstaging and the sound appears to be coming from further away.

I have to disagree and/or am just confused: If the E500's "are in your face" than that's more Grado than Senn. I didn't find the E500s dark at all and their treble extension was good but not great. They do lose some of the brightness you get with Grado (the Grado fatigue). The E500's to me were certainly not laid back and definitely had an in your face upfront signature to them.

I really feel E500's targeted the music crowd and not the sound recording crowd when they went to market. They were very musical with punchy impactful bass. The bass is something you notice immediately. No other IEM so far has the bass impact that the E500's have and I think that's the whole point. As the guy from Shure said at the Nationals, people love bass...I mean there is a reason why UE still makes an EB version of their Super.Fi line...it sells! So I would say the E500s are a tad bass heavy in terms of overall balance (but in a good way for most).

One thing I want to note is that I find it very hard to believe that folks think soundstage is going to be great with an IEM. There isn't a lot of air you are going to push and almost all IEMs do sound like the music is in your head. I've yet to year an IEM (and I've heard pretty much all of major ones) that can come close to a full headphone in terms of soundstage.

Detail, clarity, accuracy, yes. Soundstage and imaging, not on your life....

 

[solvexyz]

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Originally Posted by warpdriver The "brokerage" will be only $5.00, not $50 because EarphoneSolutions ships using USPS Mail. You will pay PST/GST too. So the actual price will be $475+$5+GST/PST Marcopolo will also charge you PST/GST correct?

Earphonesolutions when they ship, they just declare that as $19, and you will not be charged PST / GST, and the $5.00 duty is included in the shipping.

Marcopolo will not charge you PST/GST, but if you pay via paypal, you have to add 3%.

The thing with USPS is that there is only so much insurance they can add, I do not think they will cover $475. I know USPS express will cover that much. In other words, if you ship using USPS priority, it is as risky as if you ask them to declare as $475 as you ask them to declare $19 because the USPS simply will not cover that much. You will have to go to the express route to have it fully covered.

 

[milkpowder]

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Originally Posted by Trogdor I have to disagree and/or am just confused: If the E500's "are in your face" than that's more Grado than Senn. I didn't find the E500s dark at all and their treble extension was good but not great. They do lose some of the brightness you get with Grado (the Grado fatigue). The E500's to me were certainly not laid back and definitely had an in your face upfront signature to them.

I don't define laid back as having a dark sound. You can have a dark sound, yet also have an in-your-face sound as well. Take the HD555 for example, they have a pretty neutral sound, but are extremely laid back (ie sound appears to be coming from a far away source). Also, I was not doing comparisons with Grados (warpdriver requested a comparison between the E500, ER6i and the HD650). Although if I was doing an E500, Senn, Grado comparison, the E500 would be more like the Grados than the Senn, but the E500 is really a weird animal. E500 are dark compared to some other headphones, namely the K701, which I have next to me. They are also darker (or should I say muddy, but that's not the right word) than the HD650.

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Originally Posted by Trogdor I really feel E500's targeted the music crowd and not the sound recording crowd when they went to market. They were very musical with punchy impactful bass. The bass is something you notice immediately. No other IEM so far has the bass impact that the E500's have and I think that's the whole point. As the guy from Shure said at the Nationals, people love bass...I mean there is a reason why UE still makes an EB version of their Super.Fi line...it sells! So I would say the E500s are a tad bass heavy in terms of overall balance (but in a good way for most).

Completely agree. Musicality and punchy impactful bass are some of the strong points of the E500. Analytical listening is definitely not though...

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Originally Posted by Trogdor One thing I want to note is that I find it very hard to believe that folks think soundstage is going to be great with an IEM. There isn't a lot of air you are going to push and almost all IEMs do sound like the music is in your head. I've yet to year an IEM (and I've heard pretty much all of major ones) that can come close to a full headphone in terms of soundstage.

I never said that soundstage would be great with an IEM. In fact, I'll even say that I don't believe in a realistic soundstage in headphone listening in general. At least the calibre of headphones that I have tried has not allowed a real, vast, 3d soundstage to be reproduced accurately. I leave that to speakers.

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Originally Posted by Trogdor Detail, clarity, accuracy, yes. Soundstage and imaging, not on your life....

Exactly, though, there are phones with better detail, clarity and accuracy out there, but aren't as fun.

 

[Trogdor]

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Originally Posted by milkpowder I don't define laid back as having a dark sound. You can have a dark sound, yet also have an in-your-face sound as well.

Agreed, your right. I shouldn't mix those terms up.

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Take the HD555 for example, they have a pretty neutral sound, but are extremely laid back (ie sound appears to be coming from a far away source).

A la Senn...

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Also, I was not doing comparisons with Grados (warpdriver requested a comparison between the E500, ER6i and the HD650). Although if I was doing an E500, Senn, Grado comparison, the E500 would be more like the Grados than the Senn, but the E500 is really a weird animal. E500 are dark compared to some other headphones, namely the K701, which I have next to me. They are also darker (or should I say muddy, but that's not the right word) than the HD650.

Well the AKG 701's are very smooth and I'm in the camp that the E500's have more bass than the 701s (though for the record, I don't think the 701s do deep bass but YMMV). I'm not sure I would categorize the E500's as dark though due to their fuzzy, musical nature. I do agree with you 100% they are a beast unto themselves.

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Completely agree. Musicality and punchy impactful bass are some of the strong points of the E500. Analytical listening is definitely not though...

Which is why I didn't go out and grab them. I'm a detail freak so I sit here and wait for the TP10Ps hoping they truely are universal UE10Ps.

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I never said that soundstage would be great with an IEM. In fact, I'll even say that I don't believe in a realistic soundstage in headphone listening in general. At least the calibre of headphones that I have tried has not allowed a real, vast, 3d soundstage to be reproduced accurately. I leave that to speakers.

Good man. I wasn't directing the comment at you per say but just the general comments I've seen regrading IEMs on this Forum. If anyone is expecting Lincoln center with an IEM, they are for a rude awakening.

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Exactly, though, there are phones with better detail, clarity and accuracy out there, but aren't as fun.

My beloved Qualia's are susceptible to that critiscm or at least in that vain of thinking so I know what your talking about. The most fun/musical cans I've heard are typically from Grado. Ergo, my correlation between the E500's and their Grado-ish design paradigm.

Again, going back to the orginal post, I think the E500s may pan out to be a better choice given the music you listen too and the fact that you hinted to liking the warmer sound. The TF10Ps I suspect will be more analytical in nature due to their UE10P lineage...but again...I haven't heard the TF10Ps so this is complete speculation on my part.

 

[milkpowder]

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Originally Posted by Trogdor Which is why I didn't go out and grab them. I'm a detail freak so I sit here and wait for the TP10Ps hoping they truely are universal UE10Ps. Again, going back to the orginal post, I think the E500s may pan out to be a better choice given the music you listen too and the fact that you hinted to liking the warmer sound. The TF10Ps I suspect will be more analytical in nature due to their UE10P lineage...but again...I haven't heard the TF10Ps so this is complete speculation on my part.

I love detail too! I just did some K701 vs E500 detail comparison and the K701 has an immense resolving power that is way beyond the E500. I'll be willing to swap the E500s for TF10P+SR80/cash if they do indeed live up to their "universal UE10Pro"-claim. Comfort is also a factor, so I hope their size won't be problem...

 

[AdamP]

Thanks for the replies.

I think I have made the right decision in going with the E500s. Currently with the SuperFi.5 Pro's the bass had some impact but it didn't have a powerful attack or accurate decay. The other issue I had with them is that they had a recessed midrange where it sounded very muffled on some music. The high end extension also left something to be desired as well.

To me I think the E500 addresses all these issues... punchy powerful bass, clear midrange and better high end extension.

The only issue is with the cable not being detachable now but I figure Shure's support is good and I'm buying it from an authorized retailer.