Ultimate Ears - Ultimate Service

[bhw]

I just have to expound on the incredible support and service that Jerry Harvey and the rest of the Ultimate Ears personnel provided in tuning my UE5c's. The originally shipped set had the following problems although they were very comfortable:
1. Sound seemed dull to me.
2. Inadequate isolation.

It turned out that I have a bit of a hearing loss in the left ear that contributed to the dull sound. Jerry removed a sound filter around the 2Khz area and the sound jumped in clarity and presence.

I have very narrow ear canals and have never had a good fit from even audiologist created canal devices (I use such a device for listening to heart tones in my occupation). Jerry accepted my canal phones back several times with never even the slightest complaint and with me living on the East Coast, was still able to turn the work around in just a few days and get me modified phones to trial. He let me keep them for several weeks each time and then would make slight modifications based on my experience with the updated model. Now I have great UE5c phones with a great fit and am delighted with the sound replication from my Ipod.

This company and it's management are beyond belief for there wonderful service and the quality of their product. This is a completely unsolicited evaluation. I'm more than satisfied with Ultimate Ears.

 

[random person]

Hi bhw --

Thanks for chiming in about Ultimate Ears. I think your experience jives with that of the rest of us -- this company goes out of its way to please its clients. In one of my emails to Mindy Harvey I told her that they represent the ultimate in client service and responsiveness. I really find them to be a remarkably client-focussed company -- they will do just about anything to make you happy. They are courteous, helpful, incredibly fast, and thoroughly accomodating.

Also glad to find another happy UE5c customer out there -- you can become a member of TEAM-UE5c! Welcome!

 

[wolfen68]

Another hard to fit "narrow ear canal person"....we should start a club!

I was in the same boat and UE has worked hard to help out.

Jerry removed a filter? Are you referring to the infamous "notch filter"? To have that your UE's must be greater than 3 months old.

Random....I really wonder what you would think of yours with the filter removed....

 

[random person]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 Random....I really wonder what you would think of yours with the filter removed....

Yes I wonder about that too. But I worry that the midrange would then sound too forward for my ears -- that was a problem that I experienced with the Shure E3, where the midrange was so forward that I found listening to things like Jazz somwhat harsh and fatiguing unless I lowered the volume way way down. I like the balance in the ones I've got -- no harshness, everything seems in the right place, not muffled to my ears. Then again -- who knows? Maybe I don't have the filter anyway! I did find the MacWorld review interesting in that they referred to a "slightly recessed" midrange in the UE5c -- makes me think their unit was one with the filter still in place, like mine. But they liked it just the same, so go figure.

 

[Welly Wu]

This is why the company continues to succeed in the competitive IEM market. Testimonies like these only prove that Ultimate Ears is the premier company in the business.

 

[dmt1]

I second that (or third or whatever number we're up to) on their customer service--you're spending a lot of money on these, and I think they are extremely conscientous in making sure you get what your after, and most importantly, they don't view it as a sale and done--they'll keep working with you after the sale until you're perfectly happy. Really a great group of people over there.

RP: the Macobserver UE5C's should have had the Notch Filter in place, using the timing of the review as a reference--they did the review well before UE made removing the notch filter standard. If you get a chance to listen to a pair of ety 4P's some time, post your impressions--I'd love to see what you think (I'll bet you'd hate them). I wish there is some way you could hear the UE10's though--these are the best balanced phones I've heard, hands down (I wonder if you can get the UE10's with a notch filter...I wouldn't want it, but someone else might). I like the mids a bit forward however (although the mids on these are nowhere near as far forward as the ety's); but with the bass extension on these, and lack of harshness in the highs compared to the ety's, these are mind numbing to me how good they sound--especially with jazz. I get goosebumps listening to small combination (3 or 4 intstrument) ensembles. I was listening to a Jelly Roll Morton song from the 20's the other day, and there was a bass drum note on there that made me sit straight up--I'd never heard it before, and it was one of the coolest sounding things. And this is from a less than perfect 80 year old recording!

 

[random person]

Hi dmt1 --

IMO there are very few things in this life that are as wonderful as vintage jazz recordings! I really like the small ensembles (for classical too -- chamber music is my favorite.) I like the feeling of being there with jazz that you get with canalphones or really fine speakers -- being able to place the musicians on stage, that incredibly intimate feeling of being immersed in the sound. And it is some of the best music that has ever been created -- cerebral and complex and emotional and visceral, all at the same time.

As for UE10 -- yes maybe if I drop my UE5cs one too many (additional) times and find myself needing to replace them well then I might consider moving up a notch (heh!). They seem rather remarkably durable to me so it's not likely to happen anyway. However, I'm afraid I'd miss the bass of the UE5c (that's why the kind people at UE steered me in the UE5c direction) and yes I am worried about forward mids. Maybe I'll try to demo some Etys soon just by way of comparison. But, truth be known, I love the UE5cs anyway so I'm not likely to switch anytime soon!

(edited for typos!)

 

[wolfen68]

Quote:

Originally Posted by random person And it is some of the best music that has ever been created -- cerebral and complex and emotional and visceral, all at the same time.

Oh, you're talking about vintage jazz....I thought you were referring to Weird Al Yankovic

 

[random person]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfen68 Oh, you're talking about vintage jazz....I thought you were referring to Weird Al Yankovic

Well yes Weird Al too!

 

[null]

Well, I've personally never dealt with Ultimate Ears, but I'd expect great service if I was to pay $800 for some canalphones.

 

[bLue_oNioN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by null Well, I've personally never dealt with Ultimate Ears, but I'd expect great service if I was to pay $800 for some canalphones.

LOL so true...

 

[bthall]

LOVE!!! my UE-5c's.

Have had some fit problems which Jerry has handled professionally, friendly, and fast.

My ears hear:

The highs and mids of the Ety 4's.
The lows of the Shure 5c's.
Not to mention some notes in my music I've just never realized were there before!

What a treat!

BarryT

 

[bhw]

>>Jerry removed a filter? Are you referring to the infamous "notch filter"? To have that your UE's must be greater than 3 months old. <<

Yes, greater than 3 months old, but Jerry never raised the issue of time since purchase. He just did what seemed necessary to make them right, and he did a great job on fit and sound spectrum.