Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5Pro or Etymotic ER•4P

[Audiophilehi]

Hi all,


I am looking for headphones strickly for use with my 60G IPOD video. I currently have the Senn 650 for home use with a Singlepower MPX3 12sn7 amp. I also have the Senn px100 that I use for the IPOD currently. I'm looking to upgrade from the px100.

Thanks
Paul

 

[ZackT]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiophilehi Hi all, I am looking for headphones strickly for use with my 60G IPOD video. I currently have the Senn 650 for home use with a Singlepower MPX3 12sn7 amp. I also have the Senn px100 that I use for the IPOD currently. I'm looking to upgrade from the px100. Thanks Paul

They're very different IEM's. What kind of sound are you after? Ety do detail well and Super Fi's are deeper in the bass dept.

 

[Audiophilehi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZackT They're very different IEM's. What kind of sound are you after? Ety do detail well and Super Fi's are deeper in the bass dept.

I listen to mostly Rock music and love the deep

base but I am also interested in detail.

I am also adding another headphone to the list the Westone UM2.

 

[Todd R]

I just did this test (for the second time)
I definitely prefer the ETY ER4P to the Super Fi.

Even though there can be less bass, the clarity and detail of the ETY phones do it for me.
The SuperFi is a nice product, but to me they sound muddy and dull even if they have more (but less clear) bass.

The higher end Shure phones might be a good compromise. They seem to fall between the ETY & SuperFi sound. They don't match the ETY for clarity, but they are a lot better than the Super's.
TR

 

[etherealbeats]

I'd just like to add to that and say that the Ety's are by no means lacking in the bass department though. Good insertion will bring excellent results, I get plenty of bass with my 60GB iPod and my ER-4P's.

 

[bangraman]

The problem with the SuperFi seems to be a larger degree of potential variation with the fit due to the large bore of the sound tube.


If I contort them in my ears so I get a good fit, the muddiness of the bass is not an issue. However keeping the fit is a slight problem for me, and I imagine it is a problem for some others too. Provided they're fitted properly though, they are nicely balanced in sound for an IEM, and the drivers are actually quite honest in terms of revealing their strengths and limitations (unlike the Etymotic approach of blinding you with a jacked-up treble) while remaining pleasant throughout.


If they fit I would recommend the Super.Fi's over the Etys for all-purpose listening. But of course you're going to have to be the judge of whether it fits, so you might as well try it out for yourself from somewhere which lets you try. If they don't, well it's the 4P's or my recommendation, the E4c's.

 

[etherealbeats]

You will have to try all of them out first, please don't go buying based on everyones recommendations, we all have different preferences.

 

[Audiophilehi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by etherealbeats You will have to try all of them out first, please don't go buying based on everyones recommendations, we all have different preferences.

I do agree with the above statement. I'm looking for some recommendations and then try to find a dealer in NYC where I can try before I buy.

I guess the challenge will be where do I find a dealer in NYC that has a display of IEM's to try.

Paul

 

[lostbobby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Audiophilehi I do agree with the above statement. I'm looking for some recommendations and then try to find a dealer in NYC where I can try before I buy. I guess the challenge will be where do I find a dealer in NYC that has a display of IEM's to try. Paul

I don't think i've ever seen a dealer anywhere that properly demos IEMs, kinda like demo'g toothbrushes, or anything else you stick in your body. Etronics on lower east side seems to have a "upto 15% restocking fee" (website's not real clear) and street prices on Shure and Ety in stock. Also decent merchant rating on froogle

 

[imhao]

ya, I am also curious where I can find super.fi 5 pro with good price in NYC? Please tell me if you knew it.

 

[Roasty]

the answer for "i thought ety's have no bass?" is "you need a hornet"

seriously, the ER4P (or S for that matter now that i'm using the P-S converter) has more than sufficient bass when paired with the hornet. and the best thing about it is that the bass still remains nice and tight, with nice texture and a generous amount of slam. add that to the clear highs, and we have a winner

 

[humzebra]

I'd go for the ER4P based on fit. You can always bass them up with your setup!

 

[fureshi]

i also had issues with fitment on the ue5p. my ears always felt like they were pressurized after i inserted the iems, similar to how your ears feel when the air pressure on an airplane changes. no amount of pulling or twisting was able to alleviate this problem. after 30 minutes of use, it would eventually give me a headache. in addition to that, the muddy sound was not my cup of tea. i prefer the er4p (with S adapter) although i'd take the e4 over both of them.

 

[Jasper994]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman The problem with the SuperFi seems to be a larger degree of potential variation with the fit due to the large bore of the sound tube. If I contort them in my ears so I get a good fit, the muddiness of the bass is not an issue. However keeping the fit is a slight problem for me, and I imagine it is a problem for some others too. Provided they're fitted properly though, they are nicely balanced in sound for an IEM, and the drivers are actually quite honest in terms of revealing their strengths and limitations (unlike the Etymotic approach of blinding you with a jacked-up treble) while remaining pleasant throughout. If they fit I would recommend the Super.Fi's over the Etys for all-purpose listening. But of course you're going to have to be the judge of whether it fits, so you might as well try it out for yourself from somewhere which lets you try. If they don't, well it's the 4P's or my recommendation, the E4c's.

I agree with Bangraman. If you're deciding between the two, I'd say the Super.Fi is the better choice overall. The E4 would be my choice of the three as well.

BTW, Bangraman, have you tried the Shure E2 grey soft flex sleeves on the Super.Fi? It may improve your fit.

 

[Usagi]

I'm having more fun with my Super.fi 5 pro then I did with my Etymotic 4p. I perceived more bass, bottom-end attack, and head stage with the 5 pro that wooed me over the alternative.

In addition, the Etymotics also need to be inserted pretty deep, almost too deep for my comfort. They feel as if the tip is at a hairs width away from your ear drum. If someone hit or bumped into your head then perforation could occur. This is not likely, but plausible. The 5 pro is not capable of going this deep, nor is it needed to accomplish desired bass levels.

By the way, the so-called “mud” everyone is talking about highly depends on the chosen music recording someone is listening to. When I first purchased my 5 pro, everything was great for a week or so until I ventured off the reservation by listening to Kanye West’s Touch the Sky. There was just too much going on. Maybe it was just poorly mixed. I don’t know, but it sounded like garbage!