I know these aren't knew anymore and the only people interested are those who already own them but just putting it out there that my ue900 have been going strong as a daily driver since circa 2015 (maybe earlier). The cables did give way after a couple of years where they started to short out on one side but with replacement cables they keep going on. The paint is receding around the edges of the faceplate but I have only noticed this in 2020.
on a personal note I found that while the tips they came with fit, i found the isolation and fit improved with tips that narrowed and went beyond the sound bore. Also felt more secure that ear wax wasn't going to get trapped and clog the sound tube or bass vent. I think these tips were from the Vsonic GR07. The UE900 are also the best fit iem for longer usage. The westone W series fits snug like a glove and very comfy but it does nestle in the ear so you can feel them (I have sensitive ears). The UE900 with its funnel shape is secured with the tip where the body doesnt touch or rest in the outer ear.
I bought a secondhand pair UE900S later which had more substantial paint chipping on the faceplate so I took it off for a brushed metal look following a post n this thread from years ago.
I have always enjoyed the sound and found them to be quite neutral. I havent had an exhaustive experience with iems but as a comparison I found the shure se215 bass too thick and overall too dark, these became the gym phones. i enjoyed the Phonak PFE112 for its physical comfort and clean sound but I did enjoy the extra bass and softened highs with the upgrade to the UE900. I found the Vsonic GR07 was similar in presentation and note thickness with less sub-bass and a bit too forwars/sibilant in the upper regions for me .
I felt the UE900's clear tonality helped the midrange shine where you can really hear vocalists breath and emotion. A lot of people have commented that they are veiled mids but I did not find this to be so. only once when A-Bing with my Westone W60 did I notice this and it may have just been that particular song. I liken the overall sound to listening behind the soundproof glass in a recording studio.
last couple comparisions:
UE900s - i found a slight difference in signature here. potentially just a variation through production which wouldnt suprise me given the QC issues. I definitely find an increase in the lower highs/upper mids on the UE900S. The rest of the spectrum seems identical. I think i prefer the original without the peak which at higher volumes is ever so slightly fatiguing.
Westone W30 and W60 - on first impression with the W30 i found the extra Bass impact was fun but a bit reserved about the thicker sound which i think is the frequency response between the lower mids/upper bass. this is subjective and depending on how you want to hear your music. A bit of brain burn in and I could appreciate this sound and how it brings out some weight in vocals and instruments particularly with less busy tracks. the big killer which made it difficult to retire the UE900 was the W30's small soundstage/holographic(ness) which was very much in your head. Again, sometimes this creates a more intimate experience but I largely prefer the much larger soundstage of the UE900. some songs (i'm looking at you 80's music) have an echo effect which can be exacerbated by a larger soundstage. I found the W60 similar tonally to the W30 with a slightly tighter bass, some clarity throughout and maybe a boost in the mids/upper mids while still being fatigue free. The W60 has that holographicness/soundstage over the W30 which I found was missing and without having critical ears just sound better with presenting a similar signature. Now my 2 main drivers are UE900s and W60. The UE900s i find works better at lower volumes (when working from home) with its neutral tuning and the W60 better at higher volumes with its less fatiguing signature and stronger bass to groove to (great on public transport). The bass on the W60 makes it feel slightly more dynamic and when driven at moderate volume, open up and still provides all the detail within the music. For reference, 3/5's volume through a Samsung galaxy S8 is rocking it out loudly for me.
Unfortunately, I think there is no perfect frequency response and some tracks sound better with different IEM's. I also don't think certain frequency responses work better for different genres because sometimes i prefer a more neutral and clear sound whilst on another given day I prefer a more organic, and impactful sound with the same song. Similarly, some will recommend bassy IEMs for hip-hop or rock and bright IEMs for Jazz. The music was recorded as intended and if there was a universal tuning for different genres it would be done at the producing stage.
Anyway, my ramblings are over. And rock on for those who didn't get stung with a bad pair.
especially with the zx2 and a trrs silver cable...
