[RadiatedAnt]

Hello all, my quest for better sound suiting my tastes in music has brought me to the super.fi 5 EB's I have never heard them but just ordered a pair yesterday. I'm switching from a pair of Grado sr-80s and am wondering if this was a good decision after all. I mainly listen to trip-hop, experimental and progressive. The main reason why I have a problem with my grados is the lack of bass and pronounced highs. This even after using a mini3 amp. I would love to hear from anyone who's ever tried both.

Edit: oops I just realized I put eats instead of ears, Ha!

 

[jTF2]

I must say that the EB's get bad press around these parts. I dunno why because I own a pair and absolutely love them. Some minor problems I have with them have more to do with functionality than SQ such as..

- these IEMS stick out of the ears wayy too much... I suppose they would look kinda ridiculous to non audiophiles
- Cable gets oxidized (turns green from a silver hue) pretty easily. Mine took only 3 months. I've had it for a 1.5 yrs and I have yet to notice any degradation. Plus side is that the cable is replaceable!
- Bass isn't thumpy or powerful but its definetly better than most other IEMs.

 

[aBc.CaN]

Hi RadiatedAnt,

I thought I might chime in just to let you know of an alternative in the same price range. Just in case you decide to cancel or aren't happy with them.

I didn't find the bass that amazing from memory. Bassy, but nothing special. But the bass on the FS1's blew me away the first time I heard them. Hence my recommendation for the Atrio.

 

[mrdeadfolx]

if I ever open a restaurant, I'm going to name it Ultimate Eats.

 

[Scott549]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrdeadfolx /img/forum/go_quote.gif if I ever open a restaurant, I'm going to name it Ultimate Eats.

You can serve Super Rye bread and Super Pie and Triple Pie for dessert. The customers won't get the joke, but you'll get great personal satisfaction out of it.

 

[trickywombat]

The UE SF5EB are great for trip-hop and electronic music (especially when comparing it unamped with a Grado SR60). The bass is quite addictive.

Purists don' like the SF5EB sound, but for certain types of music, I can't think of a more fun IEM (haven't tried the Atrio).

I found that the SF5EB does benefit from burn-in. Over time, the bass is muddy, then clears up some, gets a little muddy before clearing up again. After an estimated 50 hours or so, the sound improves. Amping also helps to tighten up the bass.

You may or may not believe that cables make a difference, but after several months, the SF5EB started sounding a little veiled. A dealer at an electronic store used an aniti-static gun on the cable (the kind used on vinyl records), and it helped.

 

[michaelbe3]

I still like my EB and headroom total airhead amp. I have not heard the artrio's either and feel I should in the future, but am still addictive to the bass of the UE 5eb's.

 

[nobb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by michaelbe3 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I still like my EB and headroom total airhead amp. I have not heard the artrio's either and feel I should in the future, but am still addictive to the bass of the UE 5eb's.

Just wondering what you think about amping the EBs? Notice any significant difference in sound?

 

[trickywombat]

If the amp is too warm or boomy, the 5EB will have a rather exaggerated and even overwhelming bass. I find it works best with something neutral like an iQube, which results in a more controlled, tighter bass and cleaner sound. Surprisingly, for bass-heavy music (hip hop, dance, electronic), the 5EB works quite nicely with the FiiO amp (which boosts bass).

Otherwise, the utility of the 5EB as a bass monster is not diminished without an amp.

 

[direcow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nobb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Just wondering what you think about amping the EBs? Notice any significant difference in sound?

I enjoyed the EB with a headsix, with seemed to balance it out without sacrificing the bass...