[hYdrociTy]

I get noise even with low gain settings, but it is only bothersome with silent moments..

 

[Jokieman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by osoucy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I highly doubt it's my source. I never had this problem with any other headphone using my G5 iPod (senn HD 595, bang A8, ety ER6i). Note that the ER6i have lower impedance than the super.fi...

Etymotics ER6i
# 1 kHz sensitivity: 108 dB SPL for 0.14-volt input
# Impedance: 16 ohms

Sennheiser HD595
# Nominal Impedance: 120ohms
# Max Spl: (1kHz, 1Vrms), 104dB

Ultimate Ears Super.Fi 5 Pro
# Input Sensitivity 119dB/mW
# Impedance 21 Ohms

Sennheiser CX300's
# Impedance: 16 ohms
# Sensitivity: 112 dB

I can't find sensitivity ratings for the Bang & Olufsen A8 Earphones, but my bet is they aren't as high as the Super.Fi's are.

It's the higher sensitivity/low impedance that is probably causing it. Which isn't to say the IEM's are at fault, it's just that most DAP's don't have the greatest signal to noise ratio to begin with, then you throw in a very sensitive IEM, and you get a bit of white noise. Take the Vibe's for example, they are rated at 95db sensitivity, and nobody has complained about any hissing or white noise when using them... I just threw the Senn's in for comparison because I'm listening to them right now and can hear a bit of background hiss on them.

Of course I could be totally off the mark, but in my experience the higher sensitivity and a relatively low impedance is going to cause some background hiss when using something like an iPod which doesn't have a great signal to noise ratio to begin with.

 

[IPodPJ]

No, he just might have a pair of defective IEMs, since he is insisting it's not the source. My Super.Fi 5 pros do no such thing and produce virtually no noise with the volume all the way down or up.

He should look at the thread I made last night (I think it is now on page 4) about how my Super.Fi 5 pro acts as a microphone when the iPod is only turned off and plugged in. That would just be more reason to suspect there is a faulty mechanism within his IEMs themselves.

 

[apnk]

All of the dual driver iem's that I have used (UM2, 5pro) have been hissy. Unless I used my Echo DJ sound card.

 

[raif]

hmm...

I am curious as to what manufacturing defect in an earphone would cause white noise and is fixed by an attenuator.

 

[osoucy]

I seriously don't know... it's weird.

And the sound quality is damm good when the attenuator is on. As good as I had expected from these cans. But without it, it amplify the sound waaayyyy too much.

At the lowest volume with the super.fi, it's like having my ER6i at 1/3 of the volume.
At 1/2 the volume with the super.fi, it's like I'm going to be deaf for the rest of my life.

With the attenuator on, it's still louder than my ER6i, but not by much.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raif /img/forum/go_quote.gif hmm... I am curious as to what manufacturing defect in an earphone would cause white noise and is fixed by an attenuator.

 

[IPodPJ]

Quote:

Originally Posted by osoucy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I seriously don't know... it's weird. And the sound quality is damm good when the attenuator is on. As good as I had expected from these cans. But without it, it amplify the sound waaayyyy too much. At the lowest volume with the super.fi, it's like having my ER6i at 1/3 of the volume. At 1/2 the volume with the super.fi, it's like I'm going to be deaf for the rest of my life. With the attenuator on, it's still louder than my ER6i, but not by much.

So then return them already!!!!!!! JEEEEEEBUSSS!!!!!

 

[yume]

SF5P is certainly a lot more sensitive than ER-6i. I had unbearable white noise when using the SF5P with the 2G shuffle, but with ER-6i, it becomes acceptable.

I think SF5P is about two to three times as loud as ER-6i. But so as the white noise too...

 

[epithetless]

Quote:

Originally Posted by IPodPJ /img/forum/go_quote.gif So then return them already!!!!!!! JEEEEEEBUSSS!!!!!

Seconded.

 

[beedee]

SF5Ps are the loudest, hottest (whatever adjective you want to use) IEM I've ever heard, but I like it. I only hear the hiss at louder volumes in between songs (silence). Call UE and explain your problem. They'll either offer an explanation, advice, or have you exchange them. In my experiences they (UE CS) have been very accommodating. Good Luck.

 

[kwang_p_28]

I received my UE super.fi 5 pro a few days ago and have been experiencing the same white noise problem. The white noise seem to go away when I connect through the attenuator. However, I think the noise is quite loud be cause I can stil hear it pretty clearly even when I connect the headphones to iPod. I really am not sure anymore whether this is normal or is it defective. Is there anyway to fix this too? Thank you

 

[mariowar]

Kwang, once again, no headphones or earphones produce sound, they are passive devices. The white noise that you are hearing comes form your source if it's a mp3 player/portable cd player or an amp.

The Superfi5pro are one of the most efficient (LOUDER) earphones out there. Unfortunately due to the poor and not efficient earphones out there the manufacturers came out with powerful amplifiers for their players and amps. Some of them have low Signal/Noise ratio (lower than 90DB), and some of them have a lot of gain when you start turning up the volume.....= HISS.

The included level attenuator his solve the hiss problem but I think that the earphones lose their signature as well. I mean they will not sound as punchy.....

The best sources and amps for the Superfi5pro are the ones with HIGH Signal to Noise ratio( above 90 DB) and the ones that have most of their gain at the end of the volume range.

I used to have the iriver FP 799.......hiss and the T10 ....LOTS of hiss. I have also tried an Ipod Video .....hiss as well.
I also have heard that the sony players produce hiss also with these earphones....
The iaudio G3 is pretty quiet. Actually I thought it was dead quiet!!! until.....
I bought a Samsung YP-Z5 ( 2 gigs.....4 gigs is available) at a very good price, about 130 bucks at Compusa and it is the best source I have ever tried with these earphones, it will blow you away. The blackness between the notes (silence = no hiss) and the clarity+bass is outstanding!!! . Additionally, with the latest firmware it provides 43 hours of playing with one charge, gapless capability and a CUSTOM 7 bands eq !!! you just can't beat this. Try it out, if you don't like it, just return it.

 

[kwang_p_28]

Than you very much.
I am happy that the headphones are not defective. These are my first expensive pari so I am scared that somehting might go wrong with it.

 

[kwang_p_28]

One more question.

I found out that most Creative players have high sound to noise ratio, >98dB. Would this mean that creative players won't make this white noise when used with these headphones? I used to have creative zen before switching to iPod, but at that time I could not afford these headphones.

If creative players will make these noise disappear then i'll switch back

.

 

[TVaudio]

I have a Creative Zen MicroPhoto that I use with my SF5P's, and I can hear the hard drive through them. If I listened to a lot of vocal or instrumental music it might bother me. But it is the sensitivty of these IEM's. Through my GoVibe 5 no noise, with the attenuator no noise, by themselves noise. This has been mentioned many times before.These IEM's let you hear what is actually there coming out of your source that other not as sensitive phones do not.The manufacturers of the players probably never intended anyone to actually use such sensitive phones to listen with. It would cost more money for them to use higher quality headphone outputs in those units. Thats why they don't.