[Zephyron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by genesis Thank you Zephyron for your excellent description. You have basically answered all my questions, even the ones that I have not asked or forgotten to ask. I don't plan on using an amp so can you tell me whether the e4c will sound fine out of a creative muvo tx? my e2c sounds pretty good out of it. So will i have the same experience with the e4c?

The E4 sounds okay out of my Creative Muvo TX FM 256MB though, just that if the backlight turns on, a high pitched digital fuzz can be heard. I'm using Firmware ver 1.19.01 on it I think.

The same goes for the E2, UM2, SF5Pro, SF3 Studio, ER6i, my re-wired Koss SportaPro and my DR150 anyway, so I guess this is a Muvo hardware related problem.

 

[Zephyron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PiccoloNamek My E4Cs have always sounded just fine out of of my fifth generation iPod. In my experience, they did not improve noticably with amplification.

Hmm, I guess it may differ from amps + interconnects and impedance tweaks used.

From the differents amps I've tried with the E4G (PINT w/ AD8397 config @ 4.8V, CMOY2 @ 9V [not sure of op-amp], Xin SM v3 and Xenos REP), each had different effects on the E4, but the Xin SM had the biggest one without an impedance tweak , followed by the PINT, no noticeably difference with the CMOY2 and Xenos REP, but with a high impedance tweak (~167 Ohms I think), the E4 started flying with the PINT and Xenos (I did not try with the Xin SM and the CMOY2 at the time since they weren't available to me).

 

[The Monkey]

I find that the E4 improves a lot with an amp from the variety of sources I have tried.

 

[JLai]

I'm curious...

How does the e4c compare with the e3c in terms of bass? The reason why I sold them in the first place was because they had no bass at all. So disappointing.

The 5 Pro's are more musical vs the e3c's I had were more clear. I did like the fitment of the Shure's alot more than how the 5 Pro's feel.

Maybe I should just get the E500 and call it a day.

 

[Flavio T]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nsjong The Super.fi 5 Pros are better soundwise than the E4c's. But take fit into consideration. The E4c's isolate more and do not stick out. Then there is the flip-side mod with the 5 pros. Also, take into consideration about the UE's removable cable. It can easily be replaced unlike the Shure's.

I second that.

 

[GreatDane]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Monkey I find that the E4 improves a lot with an amp from the variety of sources I have tried.

Same here, and especially if the player has a line out vs. using the headphone out>amp. Of course it depends on the amp too.

 

[J-Pak]

This was my exact upgrade path. E2c my first IEM. Thought the sound was ok, then bought the E4c for 3x more. Wasn't all that impressed. And I'm now looking into the UE Triple-Fi since the Shure house sound is a bit too colored for my tastes.

 

[genesis]

No offence to Flavio but I think your taste and mine are quite different.

I presently own the westone um1 and I bought those over the shure e3c and shure e4c because I saw them rated above those 2 at the earphone solutions site. But I just can't get over the veiled sound and lack of clarity on these phones.

Also I think from what zephyron has described, the super.fi pro sounds closer to the um1, although I do admit it must sound much better.

I like the shure sound better cos I have tried the shure e2c and like it better than the um1 cos of the upfront presentation.

Also I hear lot of praise for the um2 but since I did not like the um1, I am guessing there is a good chance that i won't like the um2 either. I'm willing to stretch to um2 but only if it is in accordance with what I want. Will the um2 sound muffled, veiled and laid back? As I have mentioned I do like the upfront presentation much better.

When I used the shure e2c, it used to be difficult to do anything else as it makes you sit up and listen to the music which I like. But the um1 does not have that engaging ability and that's what I am looking for. So that is a must for me.

So let me know your opinions.

 

[Zephyron]

Actually, the UM2 is a completely different beast as compared to the UM1 IMO.

Behind all that mid-bass hump it has, its got a good bass extension. The midrange quality is almost as good as the E4 but is more laid back. The highs are pretty much similar if not slightly more rolled off as compared to the E4.
I've got several reasons to like the UM2 the few weeks I lived with them, powering them directly out of a portable, but what I didn't like about them was the huge mid-bass hump (on par in quantity with a Creative EP630/Sennheiser CX300 IME) which made me go

when I have yet to get adjusted to them.

It took some time for me to appreciate the UM2 sound, because upon first impression, I found them to be muddy (which isn't the case BTW).

 

[genesis]

So Zephyron are you saying that overall the sound of the um2 would be better than the shure e4c?

I am asking you cos I have no of trying out these as I am staying in India and I have to ask someone to get it for me.

 

[genesis]

still waiting for the answer......

 

[Zephyron]

It would depend I guess. Its not wrong to say that the UM2 has an upfront presentation, but its more towards the bass presentation that's upfront as opposed to the midrange.

IMO, clarity wise, I prefer the E4 as opposed to the UM2 because of 2 things:
-Unlike the UM2, the E4's bass isn't exxageratingly overtuned. More often than not, the UM2 has more mid-bass than I asked for.
-I think this is related to the UM2's bass department as well, but the UM2 isn't as fast as the E4, and hence to me, it isn't as engaging.

In terms of overall sound 'quality', I find that the UM2 and the E4 are neck to neck with one another, they just have a different presentation, that's all, and I think you'd know which one I like

 

[ed_bollix]

EQ the E2's and let them hang between some real nice cans, like I did, and you will be happy. (see picture)