[Swimsonny]

Quote:

Nothing new. It's joker's review. I'm glad I have compared the UE900 for myself because my opinion is slightly different. But just slightly.

Agreed!

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

The review says the X10i is better than the UE900? 

 
From personal experience, I've tried the X10i before... it felt like I was sticking a toothpick into my ear.

 
I haven't personally used the X10 before, but try a larger tip?

 

[gsxart]

@ ultrazino I'm using an iPhone 5. It seems to completely take the lows away from the ue 900s. It's a bit frustrating.

 

[shotgunshane]

The iPhone 5 has an OI of approximately 3.3 and would have virtually no affect on the bass below 300 hz based on the impedance graph. Blockage of the pinhole bore is more likely a reason.

 

[Swimsonny]

Quote:

@ ultrazino I'm using an iPhone 5. It seems to completely take the lows away from the ue 900s. It's a bit frustrating.

maybe you need a better seal?

 

[Erh1117]

UE 900 vs. Grado GR10
 
I am a newbie, so please forgive the multiple posting of this question in different threads...
 
I am interested in any thoughts fellow members have on the UE 900 vs. Grado GR10.  Particularly, I am wondering about sound quality, and especially which is more realistic and less colored.  Preferences?

 

[Erh1117]

not sure last one posted.
 
UE 900 vs. Grado GR10
 
I am a newbie, so please forgive the multiple posting of this question in different threads...
 
I am interested in any thoughts fellow members have on the UE 900 vs. Grado GR10.  Particularly, I am wondering about sound quality, and especially which is more realistic and less colored.  Preferences?

 

[audionewbi]

Quote:

not sure last one posted.
 
UE 900 vs. Grado GR10
 
I am a newbie, so please forgive the multiple posting of this question in different threads...
 
I am interested in any thoughts fellow members have on the UE 900 vs. Grado GR10.  Particularly, I am wondering about sound quality, and especially which is more realistic and less colored.  Preferences?

Go with UE900, it is better in all aspect compared to GR10. GR8 is far better than GR10 IMO!

As far as realistic goes you need headphone to get the "realistic" speaker soundstage. No matter what no IEM can give you the same sound stage as the good headphones do. If you are really new try Ortofon EQ-5, it is a lot a great beginners IEM. 

 

[glac1er]

Quote:

Bass I think is the real separating point of the two IEMs. The UE900 instantly has a noticeable bigger bass impact and better extension, actually providing you with some rumble and nice texture, the 4.Ai does not really have any rumble but still has some nice sub-bass texture before it rolls off, before the UE900. Mid-bass is bigger and slower on the UE900 with a bigger boost than the 4.Ai has which is only a small one. The 4.Ai has amazing bass; it is fast, refined and just boosted enough to satisfy needs if your someone who does not think something more neutral like an Etymotic. The UE900 has too much mid-bass and it just does not have the details that the 4.Ai have or the speed.
 
Low mids are amazing on the 4.Ai, so clear with the smallest taint of warmth and amazing honesty. The UE900 is veiled from the mid-bass in this region and sound too warm and a bit blurred as well as lacking a bit in presence. It makes male vocals and low mid timbre just sound vacant and lifeless in comparison to the 4.Ai that runs away with the prize... 

 
The UE900 doesn't sound mid-bassy at all to my ears. In fact, it is IMO one of the few BA IEMs out there that gets the bass right. Many are too bass-light, though lighter bass does help with perceived clarity.
 
Still very interested in listening to the Heirs...

 

[Erh1117]

Thanks for your reply...
 
Apologies in advance for a long post, but I'm Not sure what you mean by the UE 900 is "better in all aspect" than the GR10.  The reviews for both are superlative.  For example:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[size=small][size=small]UE 900's[/size][/size]
 
[size=small]ZDNet blown away[/size]
 
[size=small]gdgt 8.3 critic summary (8.8 sound)[/size]
 
[size=small]Gadget Review 4/5 could use more thump in lows; But smooth midrange and crisp highs[/size]
 
[size=small]Wired 9/10 nearly flawless; The clarity? I was totally floored[/size]
 
[size=small]Android Police[/size]
[size=small]The Sound:[/size][size=small] Oh. My. God. ...[/size]
 
[size=small]PC Mag 4/5[/size]
[size=small]the bass certainly gets a boost, [but] the overall low-end response is not nearly as intense here; The lows here are more subtly lifted, which allows instrumental and classical pieces to retain a natural sound. The lower register strings never sound overly boosted, but they do benefit from a nice bit of extra resonance, as does the lower percussion. In the mid-high and high frequency ranges, the upper register strings, brass, and wooden percussion are allowed to shine beautifully—things are articulate, never harsh, and the overall level provides a nice balance with the slightly boosted lows. [/size]
 
[size=small]Head-Fi 4.5/5 (5/5 sound/comfort/isolation)[/size]
[size=small]The sound in these are amazing; can clearly hear the improvement over the old TF10 compared to these; great sound and the design is a lot better then the Triple 10; Feels very good to wear, fits my ears perfect, the absolut opposite to what the 10 did.[/size]
 
[size=small]Headfonia[/size]
[size=small]definitely improved on the tuning of the Triple.Fi 10 while retaining the forward and fast-paced sound: fuller bass and mids, smoother treble, warmer, all without losing that PRaT that people love the TF10 for. The bass is its strongest point: full bodied and weighty, it remains quick and agile to take on the pace of fast rock and electronic music. You get absolutely no boomyness with the balanced-armature driver, only fast punchy impactful and deep beats over and over again. Transients, like the majority of balanced-armature drivers, are more than enough to handle any recording[/size]
 
[size=small]The signature is forward and engaging like the Triple.Fi 10 with a little less treble. The treble is bright enough to be lively yet safe from sibilance tendencies. Sound stage is just average, but I don’t see that as a weak point as any bigger sound stage and you’re bound to lose that energy and the forward sound. Despite being a quad driver, there is very little driver phase coherence issues: better than the TF10 on this; the best mainstream music oriented IEM on the market at the moment.[/size]
 
[size=small]Comaprison to TF10 (various Head-Fi members)[/size]
[size=small]the ue900 extends far lower into the sub bass region, is less muddy and opens up the stereo field to a significant degree....the lower mids are slightly enhanced which gives the warmth and fullness yet those frequencies are supplied in a fair ratio with other mids and highs so as to not mask their presence..the highs on the ue900, to me, are spectacular and better than any iem I have ever heard.[/size]

 
[size=small]In comparison to triple fi 10, the ue900 is more generous in the low mids which give rise to an extra warmth, but also it has further high frequency and low frequency extension....clearly the highs from 5k up are more present and add air and instrument clarity and depth. This is not a low frequency mondo boosted device, but the extension seems almost flat down to below anything I can hear which gives a visceral and physical component to the sound and experience.[/size]
 
[size=small]UE 900 has a better balance from top to bottom.  The TF10 is warmer, but the bass quantity between the two isn’t too far off while the TF10 has a bit more treble that is more sparkly/peaky.  What’s not to like with the UE 900 vs. the TF10 as it is cleaner, clearer, more realistic and convincing while presenting more detail and fitting better.  Definitely a step up, and if you want the TF10 V shaped sound you can just EQ the mids down a bit![/size]
 
[size=small]sounded like a TF10 with better clarity and detail; Compared to the TF10 the highs and lows are toned down a bit but the midrange is up and front. The soundstage is not wide as the TF10 but is more 3D so to speak and a bit of a warm sound signature[/size]
 
[size=small]the TF10 has a mid-bass hump which the UE900 did not have but rather noticed more sub-bass.[/size]
[size=small]my most favourite universal IEM ever; pretty good with rock songs... definitely has smoother sounding, no matter what recording; Midrange is what make the UE900 very special, it sound forward, aggresive, and I can't notice any "dryness"; totally sibilance free; In bass area, better technicalities as they have better extension, deep goes down and more linear sounding, though the impact is still below the TF10.[/size]
 
[size=small]Head-Fi  (lJokerl)[/size]
[size=small]Isolation (4/5); Microphonics (5/5); Comfort (4/5); Sound (9.2/10)[/size]
 
[size=small]doesn’t stray too far away from the TF10 sound; a more balanced and refined take on the signature.[/size]
 
[size=small]bass is deep, punchy, and articulate; tighter and more natural than TF10 and the sound is not as colored.[/size]
 
[size=small]on the warm side; midrange has a mild downward slope. Lower mids are more prominent vs TF10, resulting in much less obvious v-shape. Vocals are less recessed and the midrange sounds fuller and richer; Upper mids are de-emphasized, however, resulting inslight veiling, esp w/ female vocals [/size]
 
[size=small]Treble response... is quite inoffensive; top end is smoother vs TF10 with less sparkle, continuing the move from the more v-shaped, more colored sound; The greater treble emphasis makes the TF10 sound a bit more energetic ... but the smoother treble of the UE900 does a better job of avoiding harshness and sibilance. The UE900 also sounds more natural. [/size]
 
[size=small]Presentation...retains...the width...but more forward mids give its sound a less distant, more three-dimensional feel. Soundstage depth is good. Instrument separation and imaging are good, providing an immersive listening experience.[/size]
 
[size=small]Pros: Comfortable fit; nearly no cable noise; punchy bass; more balanced sound than Triple.Fi 10[/size]
 
[size=small]Cons: Upper midrange can appear a bit veiled[/size]
 
And the GR10's:
 

[size=small]Gadgeteer[/size]
[size=small]Amazing sound; Very comfortable; Easy to insert and remove [/size]
 
[size=small]Trusted Reviews[/size]
[size=small]reproduction that is forceful, but not forced; particularly good punch to the low-end; exceptional-sounding; they'll happily go toe to toe with triple-driver earphones; huge soundstage for an IEM. The depth that the GR10s produce is nothing short of brilliant; downright fun to listen to; they deliver... a sense of energy, make music sound [/size][size=small]alive[/size][size=small] in a way we can't remember any other earphones managing.[/size]
 
[size=small]Enjoy the Music[/size]
[size=small]The first thing I noticed … was the quality of their bass response, which was mighty impressive; transparency and their honest, yet deep reaching low-end frequency response; the GR10 was able to set off the part of my brain (and the part of my ear canal) that responds to low-end thunder. [/size]
[size=small]the midrange is the most noteworthy ... patently lifelike rendering... transparent … able to separate these instruments and voices when they were contained within a complex mix. [/size]
[size=small]The treble, too, was well served . The treble was well integrated into the rest of the sound of the GR10, never drawing undue attention to itself, but at the same time demonstrating its ability to render any instrument that contained significant amounts of treble energy as very lifelike. The natural sibilance of both male and female vocals, cymbals, and other treble sounds whether natural or synthetic never became spitty or otherwise unnatural (or annoying) because of this. [/size]
[size=small]Headroom[/size]
[size=small]loved what we heard: an extended, intensely detailed top-end response underpinned by wonderfully punchy bass; the bass response is engagingly warm and cleanly textural, but without a trace of bloat or 'one-note' boom. The musical clarity and timbral definition of the GR10 should also please classical and symphonic aficionados given its airy soundstage depth that allows instruments to 'float' correctly in the room space image. The consistent tonal balance and elegant rhythmic pace sounds ideal[/size]
 
[size=small]WhatHiFi[/size]
[size=small]5 star; as transparent and musically engaging as in-ears get; They deliver lots of insight with breathtaking agility without ever seeming clinical. It’s a fine balance that very few rivals can match.[/size]
 
[size=small]GoodCans[/size]
[size=small]Smooth, natural, full sound. Nothing over emphasized, yet just enough detail. Perhaps "balanced" is the word I'm looking for? Kind of the Goldilocks affect. Not too much. Not too little. But just right! [/size]
 
[size=small]Nicola[/size]
[size=small]Sound brilliant – very natural, open and detailed. Really impressive; Only three sets of earphones have ever given me ‘shivers’ –made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, made my toes tingle. And these, are one of those three.[/size]
 
[size=small]Transparent and engaging; excellent sound quality.; pretty balanced overall; mid-range is so natural, so lifelike, that it’s easy to forget you’re on a crowded train; they simply open the sound to allow you to experience each and every intricacy; overall sound signature is very ‘textured’ –and allows each and every intricate note to be heard clearly and precisely; the detail is superb, really impressive. [/size]
[size=small]the bass is not muddy, obnoxious and booming but it’s crisp, precise, tight and accurate. Just right [/size]
[size=small]the one factor these handle best of all is DYNAMICS. The difference between even piano and pianissimo, or at the other end of the spectrum forte and fortissimo, is exceptionally noticeable. [/size]
[size=small]Cable-noise – transmit a lot of noise if brushed against anything...could easily be avoided with a cable-clip![/size]
 
[size=small]Head-Fi (Spyro)[/size]
[size=small]Pretty remarkable IEM; incredibly detailed, transparent, balanced and natural sounding; a different animal; has this airiness where the harmonics just float throughout your head; very pleasureable;almost intoxicating; wouldn't necessarily say it has a huge soundstage, airy space around all the instruments creates plenty of "room"; the most naturally sounding detailed IEM I have ever heard; amazingly transparent.  The GR10 is almost a reminder of what music should sound like;  It sounds as good as any other $400 IEM I have heard; the most naturally balanced among any IEM out there; for those that are seeking harmonic perfection, loads of detail but balanced and natural...there may not be another IEM out there that does it as well; a really great IEM. The clarity is amazing with no harshness whatsoever.   Great speed and resolution as well.   Hard to believe it is a single driver[/size]
 
[size=small]Head-Fi (Austin Morrow)[/size]
[size=small]it may be one of the best IEM’s that I have ever listened to; one of the best sonic signatures ever produced; very neutral; it absolutely excels at almost anything you throw at it; the soundstage is very airy and open, but isn’t as massive as some of the other dynamic IEM’s; The GR10’s make up in instrumental separation for what they lack in width and depth. Vocals are center stage, while everything is else is positioned slightly behind and flares to the left and the right to almost mimic a dynamic soundstage.[/size]

[size=small]Down low, the GR10’s are anything but a bass monster; but they have deep extension, good rumble, and pretty full midbass punch, without becoming overpowering or coloring up any part of the spectrum in the slightest; There does seem to be a slight emphasis on the midrange however. While the treble and the bass are slightly behind the scene, the mids seem to take on a much forward presence than the other two regions. The harmonics are absolutely to die for. A super sweet midrange, extremely clear and pronounced vocals, with micro detail oozing all over the face, and not the pseudo treble micro detail either; one of the most favorable treble presences that I have ever come across. Very high extension, with a slight roll of at the top to cut down on shrillness. Also, the treble seems to be on the smooth side. [/size]
 
[size=small]Amazon[/size]
[size=small]5 star[/size]
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
So, in what way are the UE's better?  Not arguing, just asking
 
Also, for a lot of reasons, I prefer an iem, so the headphones are not for me.
 
What should I listen for with each iem?  Please be specific.
 
 
 

 

[munrodevil]

Quote:

You are free to claim that you are free of bias. Do beware, however, I still feel you have one in this case. Well wait and see.

 
Are you far off getting and reviewing the heir 4a.i tinyman?  Will be very interesting to hear your thoughts.

 

[Spyro]

ERH1117:  Without trying to oversimplify my educated guess is...
 
Soundstage would definitely go the the quad driver UE900
 
Bass would also go to the UE900.
 
Midrange would go to the GR10
 
Treble is still the question mark.  Not sure which is superior.  Even if it is a draw the UE900 seems a little farther advanced overall.

 

[tinyman392]

Quote:

 
Are you far off getting and reviewing the heir 4a.i tinyman?  Will be very interesting to hear your thoughts.

 
See...  This is the thing, unfortunately...
 

Spoiler: Warning%3A%20Spoiler!

You'll have to wait 'til after the holidays see any impressions...
 

 

 

 

[Peculier]

Very excited for your impressions and comparisons of those 2 IEMs tinyman!

 

[Ultimate Mango]

See...  This is the thing, unfortunately...

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

You'll have to wait 'til after the holidays see any impressions...





 

The real question is "which holiday?"
Hopefully just a week or so rather than months...