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It is often said on these forum threads that (high-end) customs destroy all (high-end) universal IEMs or that the difference is night and day, one blows the other out of the water, and so on - I happen to disagree with this view. Do your new UE Reference Monitors, in your view, destroy your W4s or other top-tier universals SQ-wise? Very nice photos, BTW!
Hahaha... yes, I get tired of those cliches as well. I'm a pretty easy guy to please. To me there is a difference between 'better' and 'different'. And even the best (whatever) has its weaknesses. Price independent, I do not think the RMs "blow away" the W4s. They
are better overall, but I listen to a w-i-d-e range of music and there are things that sound better on the TF10s than on the RMs. Again price independent, if I could only have one IEM, the RMs would be it (out of what I own or have heard). Are they worth double the W4s? I'm going to have to say for
most people probably not. I say this knowing that for some people that last 2% of sonic nirvana is worth almost any amount, and I respect that completely. Now if you only listen to a few specific genres, not having heard everything out there, I would venture to say that there probably is a universal IEM for around $300-400 that should satisfy your needs and spending more won't get you much better SQ. This is of course provided that they fit you and you are happy with their build quality, comfort, design, etc. I think it all depends on your needs. Is it possible to make something that sounds exactly like a UE RM (or JH13, 1964-Q...) in a universal? I think with currently technology it would be extremely hard given all of the variables and compromises one would have to address in building something universal.
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Tower of Power - Squib Cakes. Brilliant! Yeah, I'm an Oakland boy... that's right.
It's hard to sit still while listening to that- huh?
Just one of the many Sheffield albums that underscore the fact that "it's not the medium, stupid- it's the recording."
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The sound is very well balanced and crystal clear. It's slightly laid back and should be easy to listen to for hours without fatigue.
I get that impression too. In some recordings where there is almost a standing wave similar to that from a horn speaker in the midrange- that kind of beaming is greatly reduced. They seem to be able to deliver detail without being harsh. I wonder if that's a result of not having to play at higher levels in order to hear detail.
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For those of you who've received IEMs -- try playing the 'Virtual Barbershop' binaural recording. It's amazing. The imaging is holographic and it had me laughing out loud.
Thanks for this... fun stuff! Slightly OT, but one of my first experiences with the AKG K1000s was with a similar recording.
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I can feel a couple of irritation spots that may either disappear or become problems that require adjustment.
I had that in the first few hours. I think it's because I kept thinking about them in my ears and I would move my jaw or tilt my head constantly. I think once I got used to them, the irritations went away. I wonder though- do ear canals change during the course of the day or depending on certain physiological variables? You know how they say you should shop for shoes during certain times of the day, etc.
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There is a very slight residual hiss from the UERMs when they're plugged into my Isabellina HPA. This is the first time I've heard anything but a black background from the Isabellina. It's not a deal breaker, but it is a bit disappointing. I also have very little latitude with the volume control.
These things do seem pretty sensitive. At work I normally plug right into my MBP, and I got more than normal hiss as well as poor volume control resolution.
