[dave_pass]

Hello, after much deliberation I pulled the trigger on the super.fi 5 EBs. They arrived yesterday and I'm burning them in now. Like most reviewers, I wasn't that impressed with them out of the box.

I should add that the size doesn't bother me at all. I find them extraordinarily comfortable and the angled nature of the tips gives them a snug fit in my ears. Yeah, they're bigger than most other models but imo not so big as to get negative marks for cosmetics.

I'm listening to them via a 4G iPod photo 30GB. I listed to mostly alt rock(Death Cab, Bright Eyes, Shins), so not the hard stuff. I went with the EBs because although I wouldn't call myself a basshead I like really feeling the bass, even in a rock song.

Getting to the point, it looks to me like the EBs use the same armature driver for the mids/highs that the 5 Pros use. So why not go for the model that cranks up the bass (especially at $50 less)? My question is, for non hip-hop, trance, etc, listeners, doesn't the EB 5 always make the most sense vs. the 5 Pro?

And, in people's experience how long before I can really make a call on these? 100 hrs of burn in? If the 5 Pros are significantly better suited for my kind of music and I'm not smitten with the EBs after burn in I may make the switch to the Pros and just eat the 15% re-stocking fee as a try before you buy tax.

Thanks!
Dave

 

[DougGreenberg]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave_pass Hello, after much deliberation I pulled the trigger on the super.fi 5 EBs. They arrived yesterday and I'm burning them in now. Like most reviewers, I wasn't that impressed with them out of the box. I should add that the size doesn't bother me at all. I find them extraordinarily comfortable and the angled nature of the tips gives them a snug fit in my ears. Yeah, they're bigger than most other models but imo not so big as to get negative marks for cosmetics. I'm listening to them via a 4G iPod photo 30GB. I listed to mostly alt rock(Death Cab, Bright Eyes, Shins), so not the hard stuff. I went with the EBs because although I wouldn't call myself a basshead I like really feeling the bass, even in a rock song. Getting to the point, it looks to me like the EBs use the same armature driver for the mids/highs that the 5 Pros use. So why not go for the model that cranks up the bass (especially at $50 less)? My question is, for non hip-hop, trance, etc, listeners, doesn't the EB 5 always make the most sense vs. the 5 Pro? And, in people's experience how long before I can really make a call on these? 100 hrs of burn in? If the 5 Pros are significantly better suited for my kind of music and I'm not smitten with the EBs after burn in I may make the switch to the Pros and just eat the 15% re-stocking fee as a try before you buy tax. Thanks! Dave

I always hate to see a question to the forum go unanswered, as though it's not a reasonable question, etc. My guess here is that there aren't many people who have used both earphones that Dave is asking about. And neither have I. But some point to think about:

First, you might consider using the EB's with a different device to see whether their performance still consistently disappoints you.
Second, in what way, exactly does the performance of the EB's disappoint? Too little bass? Too little treble? The performance of almost any earphone can seem different depending on the EQ of the source you're using. Can you try different EQ settings?
Third, unless your objection to the EB's so far is "too much bass relative to treble," your logic regarding your original choice is probably sound, i.e., that with the EB's you'll more likely "feel the bass" in the kinds of music you mention.
Finally: I don't want to get into the never-ending debate over "burn-in," but I would recommend that you continue to listen and to make small adjustments to the "seal" of the 'phones in your ears for at least several more days before you make up your mind once and for all.
Now maybe someone with actual experience with these IEM's will tell me I'm all wrong.

 

[ReD sKyE]

I too just bought the EB's and am a bit dissapointed myself. It seems like something is missing, and I can't quite put a finger on it (granted, this is with no burn in). I'm starting to get the feeling that the bass extension on these is horrible, and the "bass" that you hear is just mid-bass bloat, with a sharp drop off in the true-bass regions. They also seem to have a rather weak midrange and not much treble extension. Compared to my DT-770s (not really a fair comparison), the EB's get smashed in just about every area. Even my E2s feel more lively. The other thing that I've come to notice is that the EB's are VERY source dependent. Low quality MP3s sound horrible through them, while some higher-bitrate MP3s sound really damn good. The sad part is that I am a hardcore basshead and really, really want to love these. At the moment, I just can't seem to do that. For the songs that work they sound good, but for everything else they seem lacking. Dave, do these match your impressions at all? I'm thinking of trying either the Westone UM2's or Shure e5's next. Another option is the e4's with a Supermicro amp (with bass boost). I think I'm going to stay away from the Pro's.

Also, I think you meant it the other way around: for non hip hop, trance listeners the 5 pro's should always be recommended. Although I have not heard them, judging by the performance of the EB's, I would totally recommend the Pro's for your musical preferences. I listen to a lot of techno, hip-hop, and metal, so that's why I decided to go with the EB's. Hopefully they'll grow on me.

 

[BRBJackson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave_pass ... it looks to me like the EBs use the same armature driver for the mids/highs that the 5 Pros use. So why not go for the model that cranks up the bass (especially at $50 less)? My question is, for non hip-hop, trance, etc, listeners, doesn't the EB 5 always make the most sense vs. the 5 Pro?

I own a pair of 5 Pro's, and currently have a well broken-in set of EB's. Yes, they do use the same basic balanced armature driver, but I believe it's voiced differently in each. My opinion of the EB's mid and treble presentation is that it is not only very source dependant, but even varies from song to song. Sometimes the mids and highs seem just a tad 'off', and other times it's as though they are non-existent. The 5 Pro has great bass energy without killing the rest of the sonic range.

 

[ReD sKyE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRBJackson I own a pair of 5 Pro's, and currently have a well broken-in set of EB's. Yes, they do use the same basic balanced armature driver, but I believe it's voiced differently in each. My opinion of the EB's mid and treble presentation is that it is not only very source dependant, but even varies from song to song. Sometimes the mids and highs seem just a tad 'off', and other times it's as though they are non-existent. The 5 Pro has great bass energy without killing the rest of the sonic range.

How's the mid-range on the Pro's compared to the EB's? The EB's just don't seem to have any mid-range what-so-ever.

Thanks.

 

[noorudeenshakur]

I find the eb's sound good with bass heavy music like hip hop and reggae. For that type of music, you cant beat the sound.For every other type of music, they dissapoint me.

They are dark and not very musical. The highs are not there and the ones that are can seem harsh depending on the music. The bass while massive is not the best. It's fat and kinda sloppy. I like neat and punchy.

These are just like when I dropped 2 12" subs in my car and kept factory speakers. Yeah I made a lot of noise and rumbled the concrete, but the quality of the sound sucked. I had to upgrade my entire system in my car because Im a freak for sound. If you're the type of person who just loves loud rumble, and quality comes second then the EB's wont dissapoint you.

The Eb's also limit the types of music you can enjoy. I have never heard the pro's but I would reccomend people go for the pros over the EB's. This is based solely on my research and other members opinions.

I own a pair of UM2's as well and I can tell you they are fantastic, especially with Shure yellow foamies on the ends. The bass is huge, neat tight and they perform so well on the mids and highs. Honestly I cant see how anyone would be dissapointed with them. Its simply amazing the sound of of such a small headphone. Simply amazing. They blow the EB's out of the water.

Take a look at them too if you are going to go for the pro's. They isolate better from what I have read, are more comfortable and are also better looking in my opinion than the super fi pro's

Good luck

 

[max-9]

I love my 5EBs . I use them with a cowon 5XL and a Nano and a psp and an archos av420 and so on ect ect.
The best mate for these earphones is the x5. The x5s graphic equalizer allows me to boost mids and highs to balance with the bass. The nanos presets are worthless and I use no eq with the 5 EBs nano combo. It seems to me your source is important with these and any buds ive tried . I dont have the pros nor have I tried them (I would like to) .
Burn in.....in my limited novice opinion is not a reality , your ear just gets adjusted.
Seal is important , I use the medium silicon adapters.
If you get the pros let me know what you think.

 

[BRBJackson]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReD sKyE How's the mid-range on the Pro's compared to the EB's? The EB's just don't seem to have any mid-range what-so-ever. Thanks.

Much better. The Pro's have a more rounded presentation (though somewhat shy on highs), and are not as source material dependant as the EB's. The Pro's, with the iPod's EQ set to 'treble boost' is my favorite universal IEM so far. Just for reference, I've tried E3c's, E4's, E5c's, ER4S's, & ER4P's.

 

[dave_pass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReD sKyE They also seem to have a rather weak midrange and not much treble extension. ...The other thing that I've come to notice is that the EB's are VERY source dependent. ...For the songs that work they sound good, but for everything else they seem lacking. Dave, do these match your impressions at all?

Yes, my impressions are very similar. I like the idea of the EBs but they just don't seem to live up to their billing. But, after a couple of days of listening I have to admit they are growing on me a bit. The biggest adjustment I made (thanks Doug) was to rotate the earpiece backwards to improve the seal. These are uniquely shaped and I still find them very comfortable. I've tried ER4Ps and they felt like 2 little bullets in my ears, no thanks.

When I improved the seal on the EBs the bass definitely became more prominent and I was able to get a better feel for the mids/highs. Maybe the burn in is making a difference also.

But the other descriptions of their performance in this thread are apt. Not very crisp, clean, not very musical. There are indeed moments when they shine, but for overall listening experience for my type of music I'm not sold yet.

I'm thinking the Pros are worth a shot. And if I really want to see what my wallet looks like completely empty I'll go for UM2 (thanks noorudeenshakur).

thanks for the thoughts.
Dave

 

[dave_pass]

Quote:

Originally Posted by noorudeenshakur I own a pair of UM2's as well and I can tell you they are fantastic, especially with Shure yellow foamies on the ends. The bass is huge, neat tight and they perform so well on the mids and highs.

noorudeenshakur, this is a novice question but I'm a bit put off by the thought of the foam earbuds on the UM2's. I like the fit of the EB's with the soft plastic rounded tip, it just seems less like it would feel less like a full on plug to me.

Do the UM2's support any non-foam ear buds? In your opinion, is there a real difference in the feel of the super.fi plastic buds vs. the UM2 foam buds?

 

[tucker71]

It's official.
I seriously need to get my hearing checked.

I simply can't believe that there are people out there who need actually BOOST the treble when they use the EB's! People are using TREBLE BOOST and VOCAL BOOST presets??
That would completely fry my ears. Waaay too much sizzle for me.

It seems that I have the most treble-sensitive ears on Earth. The thought of using any treble boost with the EB's would actually hurt my fillings!

Is there an actual "medical" condition that would cause somebody (myself) to be so sensitive to treble freqs?

 

[Guarneri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave_pass Do the UM2's support any non-foam ear buds?

Yes the UM2's support pretty much all the shure tips, although most people report that the foams sound ,feel, and isolate the best on the UM2s.

 

[chrisfromalbany]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BRBJackson Much better. The Pro's have a more rounded presentation (though somewhat shy on highs), and are not as source material dependant as the EB's. The Pro's, with the iPod's EQ set to 'treble boost' is my favorite universal IEM so far. Just for reference, I've tried E3c's, E4's, E5c's, ER4S's, & ER4P's.

I think Jackson and myself are going neck and neck.

e2s, er4ps, e5s. Um2s, UE pros 5, EBs, er6i, and of course UE-10s.

Just to note. Jackson you should get the 5th Ipod. UE-10 will go up a noticible level.

 

[ReD sKyE]

So now it comes down to the age old question: e4, super.fi pro, or um2?

God I hate this site.

 

[chrisfromalbany]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReD sKyE So now it comes down to the age old question: e4, super.fi pro, or um2? God I hate this site.

are you using an amp or not. make the question simplier

for you I am guessing the e4s..