Ultimate Ears Triple Fi 10 Thread

[GigaFi]

When a pair of headphone is underpowered at a specific frequency, is it suppose to be more forward instead of more recessed?
 
Quote:

Just out of curiosity, what do you guys drive them with? Everyone is complaining about recessed mids but I really don't hear it.
Noticing from an impedance graph, the impedance peaks out in the mids at 64.5 ohms and bottoms out in the treble at 6.5 ohms. I know I had the problem of the mids feeling very...Well, headache-inducing foward on my Droid 2, but it doesn't show on an HP TouchPad.
 
Before you guys go off on me because it has so called (deactivated) "Beats Audio" that is rubbish, the DAC in the TouchPad is effectively a really beefed up version of the one found in the Samsung Galaxy S. Same chip series, but much more power.
 

 

 

[Inks]

More recessed, that's an impedance graph though not a FR graph. That graph says that as you add more impedance to the TF10 (which happens with a cable or your portable player) the bass and treble gets reduced, though mostly the treble. Iphone 4s add 1 ohm of impedance which pretty much leaves  it's sonic properties. But if I were to use something like a Hifiman 601 the bass and treble will get noticeably reduced (outside of the 601's natural treble roll-off). There does seem to be a sweespot that will help those recessed upper mids. 

 

[Chris_Himself]

The midrange isn't recessed in my opinion, dear god if the mids were recessed it'd sound like a muddy, loud mess.
 
The lows and highs are more pronounced, leaving the mids sort of flat, but they wouldn't go so far as to drop them below flat to make the bass even worse, thats why a lot of people who've spent a lot of time with other IEM's wouldn't consider the TF10's with recessed midrange.

 

[ProjectDenz]

Quote:

The midrange isn't recessed in my opinion, dear god if the mids were recessed it'd sound like a muddy, loud mess.
 
The lows and highs are more pronounced, leaving the mids sort of flat, but they wouldn't go so far as to drop them below flat to make the bass even worse, thats why a lot of people who've spent a lot of time with other IEM's wouldn't consider the TF10's with recessed midrange.

Exactly, it's all about perspective. Listen to the SE530/535's for a while then switch back to the TF10, the TF10's midrange will sound absolutely distant and behind the instruments.
 
People mistake distant midrange that is a lot less pronounced than the bass and treble as 'recessed'. Coming from neutral sounding headphones like the Beyerdynamic DT440 and the JH13 the TF10 does not sound 'recessed' at all.

 

[Inks]

I do agree that it's not that bad, many just perceive it as such. There are many IEMs that are hyped here that have less midrange detail and presence because of boomy bass. 

 

[Chris_Himself]

Quote:

I do agree that it's not that bad, many just perceive it as such. There are many IEMs that are hyped here that have less midrange detail and presence because of boomy bass. 

Klipsh S4i, Shure SE215, Hifiman RE0, and a few others that I forgot.
 
 

 

[Matter]

Well, I might have gotten too used to the mids on my SM3 that it sounds so natural to me and now all of a sudden I am listening to the TF10 and it sounds a little "unnatural" in a sense. Initially, it does sound like a muddy, loud musical mess though.
However, after a day of brain burn in, the TF10 now sounds significantly better. In fact, it began to sound alot better after putting them on again after a shower.
Funny how our brain works.

 

[Tordenskjold]

Quick question for the assembled fanclub here:
 
What would be a good (European) price for the TF10 pro today? I could get one for 145€ (191US$), and last I remembered something along 250€. That was years ago though, back then I dismissed them for being too expensive.   

 

[some1]

Quote:

Quick question for the assembled fanclub here:
 
What would be a good (European) price for the TF10 pro today? I could get one for 145€ (191US$), and last I remembered something along 250€. That was years ago though, back then I dismissed them for being too expensive.   

I think i saw them recently for €120 on amazon.
 

 

[Tordenskjold]

 
Quote:

I think i saw them recently for €120 on amazon.
 

Huh... thanks. This puts them on the same level as Westone 1, Phonak PFE 11X or Shure 215. I considered the Creative Aurvana 3 as well, but getting the famed TF10 for the same price...hardly any other decision to make. What caused this drastic drop in price?!   

 

[davidcotton]

Time, the triples are a relatively old iem now.

 

[hma101]

Quote:

Well, I might have gotten too used to the mids on my SM3 that it sounds so natural to me and now all of a sudden I am listening to the TF10 and it sounds a little "unnatural" in a sense. Initially, it does sound like a muddy, loud musical mess though.
However, after a day of brain burn in, the TF10 now sounds significantly better. In fact, it began to sound alot better after putting them on again after a shower.
Funny how our brain works.

Get the right aftermarket cable and the "muddiness" is eliminated. With Chrishimself's recable, they sound pretty good. While lacking the accuracy of the SM3, I still prefer them - the forward midrange of the SM3s makes for an unnatural soundstage. The tf10s are definitely gives a more pleasant and open sound. Even a $30 aftermarket cable is a vast improvement over the stock.

 

[hikergrl]

I tried the Fiio aftermarket cable with the TripleFis, and initially I really preferred them (the iems sounded a little less "metallic", more "honey-like", "smoother" with "richer-bass").  But after a while, I realized that I had lost some of the treble detail that I really enjoyed with the TripleFis.  So I switched back to the stock cables (which still sound a little "metallic", but have all the treble detail). 
 
The Fiio cables are pretty inexpensive, and I'm certain that other cables may sound much better.  But for me (despite the positive reviews) the Fiio cables ended up in a drawer!

 

[Mad Max]

You lost treble detail or certain frequencies weren't as emphasized as before, making it seem as though you lost detail but did not?
 
I'm going to build my own cable later.  Mogami 2929 cable looks right for the job.  =]

 

[hikergrl]

Hi Mad Max -
"...lost treble detail or certain frequencies weren't as emphasized as before.."
I'm not sure, the bass was fuller with the Fiio cables, and maybe that made the treble less prominent in comparison....but there were sounds like fiddle string buzzes and the noise of a player's fingers rubbing on metal-wound guitar strings as they changed finger position....these small sonic details disappeared with the Fiio cables.  But if you like rich, full bass the Fiio cables were an improvement.
That's great that you are going to make your own cables, I'm sure they'll sound awesome!