Shure se425 or Ultimate Ears TripleFi 10??
Dec 26, 2011 at 7:16 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 8
zac92

zac92

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Hi guys,
 
Any advice would be much appreciated...

I'll be listening to mainly indie/alternative (Arcade Fire, Sigur Ros, Kings of Leon etc), and am looking for headphones with really warm bass which will pick out elements in my music which I haven't been able to hear on lesser headphones (I previously had Klipsch S4s).
 
I've heard that the UEs are warmer, bring the different instruments together better, and are technically more capable.
 
However, I've heard that the Shures are more detailed and have a better 'sound stage,' which I think is to do with the 'surround sound' nature of the music...how well the layers are separated, and whereabouts the sounds are coming from....? 
 
So: are the UEs going to be muddy, overly-simplify the music and lack detail....are the Shures going to be cold, analytical and lacking bass?
 
Any advice from personal experience would be much appreciated, thanks!

Zac 
 
Dec 26, 2011 at 7:48 PM Post #2 of 8
Dec 26, 2011 at 8:53 PM Post #3 of 8
Thanks very much for the heads up! Very useful if I decide to go for the UEs (and luckily the price still applies today -27th here in the UK).
 
However, if price were not a factor, on impulse would you go Shure or UE? 
 
Thanks,

Zac
 
Dec 26, 2011 at 9:01 PM Post #4 of 8
I use Shure 345s, a step down from the ones you mentioned.  While they have only one driver I suspect they have a similar sound up the model line.  The midrange is fantastic, comfort is good, and isolation is without issue.  The bass is there, but not prominent by any measure.    I wouldn't call them warm, but they should meet your second criteria of finding new details in your music.  I love mine for travel.  
 
Dec 27, 2011 at 1:41 AM Post #5 of 8
oooh i have both. the se425's never get used. i enjoy the tf10's far more, the se425's sound boring to me. comfort wise i find both to be equal, 
 
you said your worried about the e425's being cold, analytical and lacking base, in my opinion that is an accurate portrayal.
 
your worries about tf10's, "muddy, overly-simplify the music and lack detail". i would say that it is none of those. its got awesome base and awesome detail. 
 
so personally its no competition for me between the two. not to mention the tf10's have awesome sales once or twice a year. good luck and im sure you will enjoy whichever you pick as they are both very good universals. 
 
Dec 27, 2011 at 4:01 AM Post #6 of 8
If price were not a factor, I would go for the Shure SE425, but the idiot within me would go for the SE535 instead
tongue.gif

 
On the other hand, the Audio-Technica CK100 is, peer reviewed by members of this forum and critics on other websites, agreed to be one the best triple-driver IEM's out there in terms of quality/sq/price, but it is difficult to obtain, never mind expensive.
 
My impression? I own the UE Super.Fi 5 Pro, now discontinued. It was a step down from the Triple.Fi 10 Pro (I think the UE 700vi is the current step down), but since I listen to lots of electronica, trip-hop, and rock/metal/alternative, these were AMAZING! I also love listening to classical music, but my Etymotic ER-6i's and my AKG K 701 cover those fields well. Jazz was a toss-up between the Super.Fi 5 Pro and the Ety's/AKG/my speakers (JohnBlue AudioArt JB3).
Before 2009, I always wanted the Triple.Fi 10 Pro's, but could never afford it (headphones, in general, were easier to choose from; the last few years have seen magnitude changes to the headphone world, so choices are far harder). However, near the end of 2009, I lost one of the earphones for my Super.Fi 5 Pro, which left me devastated, and I have only used my Ety ER-6i's for portable music since. THIS WILL CHANGE SOON!!!! I can't wait for my UE Triple.Fi 10 Pro's, but I am patient...*swoons*.
 
Go for the UE Triple.Fi 10 Pro's, or if not, then the Shure SE425's. YMMV for either, so ask those who have listened to these IEM's.
 
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