[mike1127]

I'm using the Super Fi 5 Pro with the ASL MG HEAD tube amp. I tried it with and without the attenuator supplied with the IEM. Without, it was noisy and seemed to lack dynamics.

(The 5 Pro has a 21 ohm impedance. I noticed it's noisy without the attenuator on my IPod and also on my Total Bithead.)

Anyway, wrt the tube amp, I'm guessing 21 ohms is a bit hard to drive. With the attenuator I assume the impendance goes up (???) The sound lost some sparkle, but gained actual dynamics and control.

Anyone have a comment on the sound with/without the attenuator? Is your 5 Pro noisy straight into most amps?

(I shouldn't say the "5 Pro is noisy" since it is the amp generating the noise, and the 5 Pro is just very sensitive to it. If you are wearing the IEM and plug it in, or unplug it, while wearing it, you can hear the noise start and stop.)

Mike

P.S. Another comment on the 5 Pro: I have smaller ear canals and the 5 Pro is really too large.. however, I discovered that with the double flange tip, I don't really have to insert it at all (just the slighest bit) and I still get a good enough seal for a balanced sound and good bass. The rubber they make those tips out of is grippy stuff!

 

[smeerkaas]

I'm very curious about this too

 

[CMasten]

I run the UE 5pros off my 5g IPOD, I find it to be very clean output. This is with no EQ added. I do find there to be a bit of hiss in the higher frequencies when I add the Treble boost, but I dont use that too often. I actually dont have any reason to add an amp to my setup, I have been very happy with the combination.

 

[granodemostasa]

I run my UE 5 pro without an it, but only because i lost the attenuator. it is rather noisy...and pics up alot of his from some normallly quiet amps.

 

[YngwieJMalmsteen]

I'm having the same problem. I normally use them out of an ipod photo, which has crazy amounts of hiss without the attenuator. But I've also tried them with my coda amp, the hornet (on low gain), a couple pcdps, a couple receivers, a gameboy, radios, etc. Everything has hiss. I'd be interested to hear what people are using them with that doesn't have hiss. I pmed mike from UE and he seemed to think I might have a faulty pair, but since I've heard other people have this problem I didn't think that was it.

Anyway, I think they just set the impedance too low. It would be nice if they could come out with a replacement cable that would up that a little. Using the attenuator all the time is lame. It just doesn't "feel" right, IEMs should be a "minimalist" setup.

They sound pretty good with the attenuator though; I like em better than etys.

 

[mike1127]

Quote:

Originally Posted by YngwieJMalmsteen They sound pretty good with the attenuator though; I like em better than etys.

yeah, I'm REALLY impressed with the sound. Very musical, in the sense that I keep discovering new and wonderful things about what the musicians were doing.

Mike

 

[mike1127]

Two questions for folks about the UE 5Pro:

1. Are all the eartips safe to wash in alcohol? (Or does either the rubber or the foam dissolve?)

2. has anyone made their own attenuator? The supplied one attenuates too much and takes some of the sparkle out of the highs. i would think a smaller value resistor might do the trick. Anyone tried it?

Mike

 

[mike1127]

I'm very eager to know if anybody has an idea about making a better attentuator for the UE 5Pro that doesn't attentuate as much, and better preserves the highs.

I don't know the impedance vs. frequency for this IEM, but it's probably not flat which makes a series resistor not a good attenuator. Perhaps putting a 10 ohm resister in parallel which knocks flatter the combined impedance, then a 30 ohm resister in series with that?

Do any experienced crossover/speaker designers out there have an idea?

Mike

 

[YngwieJMalmsteen]

I can't imagine alcohol would dissolve them, but it might dry out the rubber a bit. I just take my tips off and wash them with hand soap and water.

Yeah, I really wish there was a cheap option that was smaller and less attenuation than the stock one, even better still would be a cable that attenuates a little from UE... I would probably pay $50 or so if it existed.