CaptainChet
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UM2 First Impressions. A very long review….
Well after my bad review of the UE Super.FI, I’m now on to the Westone UM2 IE monitors. So how do I find these……….so far? I would almost say GREAT except for a few caveats, some which are fixable. Read on.
Usual disclaimer. This is my impressions of the UM2 monitors after only seven hours with them. Your impressions will be different! My tastes are different from yours. I share this review with you to give you some idea of how I feel about the UM2's, but it’s certainly not the definitive word! It’s just one users thoughts! My impression will likely change over the next 30 days as well.
In case you missed my other review, (http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=125309 ) I’m using the cans driven by a Zen Micro and listening to only MP3 files with bit rates from 128k to 320K. Prior to these I had ETY 6i, ETY 4P and the UE Super.Fi Pro 5 monitors All are returned so I cannot do any short term A/B comparisons but my favorite of the bunch were the 4P’s and my impressions of the 4P’s were the same as many others; great detail but lacking bass. They also provided great isolation, good fit and were really good. I might purchase them back as my wife really liked them (what does she know)!
I’m using the same tracks to listen to the UM2 as I did for all the others. Again, mostly old stuff recorded prior to 1980 with some new stuff in the classical and country genre. One performer that merits special mention is Katherine Jenkins. If you have not heard of her, well she will make you like opera singers. Her second album is just terrific. Check her out on the web, do a Google search. Easy on the eyes as well as a great voice!
On to the UM2’s
THE UM2 MONITORS:
Let me start with the cans themselves. Really nicely made. Don’t think they are going to fall apart in a few days! A very solid looking design and construction. Others have described the packing and except for something new, it’s as described elsewhere! Mine arrived with a little printed yellow card that states (in part):
“A NEW LOOK, You may have noticed a change in the appearance of your UM2. In response to customer requests, the UM2 now feature a black cable …”
Well this new black cable looks very much like the ety cable! Braided, black and about the same gauge. Unfortunately this new cable also has most of the microphonics of the ety cable. This is not good improvement in my opinion!!
It’s also rather short from the cans to where the split to individual right/left happens. Almost too short for me! In addition, they did not include a shirt clip so you really have to figure a way to secure it. Now I’m sure they expect you to wear it over your ears and behind your head and that does help. However, the new cable is nicely made and will not yellow, that’s for sure.
Another disappointment was that there is no travel case included. The case they come in is super nice but nothing I wish to travel with. Way to big and bulky. Another item NOT included is a 1.4 inch adapter. Overall a rather poor set of additional goodies.
It did come with 4 each of the Comfy Tips in large and small. I also ordered some ety flanges to try with them as well as recommended by others.
HOW DO THEY FIT?
Well let’s get the bad new out in front.
My ear canals must be really different from others as I’m having the hardest time getting a good seal. If the stems were longer I think my specific problems would be easier to fix. The short stems coupled with the rather large cans prevents inserting them very far. In this area, the 4P's were great.
I’m rotating these things all over the place and sooner or later with the large comfy tips or a modified ety tip can I finally find an angle that seals well. It’s very frustrating to say least!! I’m getting better at it.
This is one of the fixable items (I think) as I always have the option of getting custom molds made. I’m considering it. Why? Because of the audio quality I hear when I do get a good seal.
I’m going to keep at it and perhaps I’ll find the magic way to put them in MY ears. I can tell also that I might be able to sleep with these, something I was not able to do with any of the previous cans I had. This is a good thing! Due to the sometimes funny angle the cord makes when I do finally get them sealed, it’s tough to put them behind my ears. Like I said I’m getting better at it but it’s still VERY DIFFICULT for me.
ISOLATION.
Not withstanding the above, when I do get a good seal, it’s a really good seal and the isolation is good! As good as the ety’s I would guess. The acid test is yet to come. I haven’t yet traveled on the plane with them but I will in a few days and I’ll append the results. My feeling however is that these are going to be just fine once I can finally get them seated properly. Ok enough of this!
OVERALL AND SPECIFI SOUND IMPRESSIONS:
How do I describe the sound and make any sense?
It’s smooth with great detail! They have a nice “creamy” (new word for a review ) musical presentation and yet having a great amount of detail. The soundstage is there as well yet not so distant that you loose something. One thing I have noticed is that I’m reducing the playing volume as the day get older. That’s interesting to me.. In any event, in my other review I borrowed from the diamond industry the words, cut, color, and clarity. The UM2’s have it all – in spades! A nice balance between each. I really find them musically pleasing and yet there is the detail I like.
Speaking of volume, the Zen Micro can drive these to the brink of hurting. I can play them a much lower volume than any other IEM I have tried. For example (using the Zen’s volume scale) the 4P and 6i were around 20 (out of 25), the Super.Fi Pro were at 16-17 and these are at 12-14! If I run them up to 18 (or so), you are definitely in the first row of a very loud concert! Fun, but I can do that for long! But OH MY, what a sound! I also think this is good as the small amp in the Zen is not working as hard and it’s probably closer the best performance of the Zen. (could be wrong but sounds good)
SO, in other words, I like the UM2’s…………. a whole lot!!!
BASS: The bass response is terrific (you must have a really good seal for this) Outstanding would also be a good word as well. Here is the base I was looking for WITHOUT the price of loss of treble. Very engrossing without being boomy at all. Very powerful at higher volume levels yet clean and crisp. You hear bass notes, not thuds and with some punch!! I can actually listen to these without any EQ but if anything, a slight reduction in the low end helps. Depending upon the music, this can go either way. The modified ety tips give the clearest bass, the comfy tips are a bit stronger and maybe just a little (very little) bit boomier. You get bass and still keep the rest. I can’t say enough about the bass aspects of these UM2’s. Remember, I’m no bass head either.
MIDRANGE: No doubt these are smoother than the ety’s The sound is warmer, but not terribly so. Nothing gets lost here, it’s just…well… creamier.
I’m trying not to use specific cuts from specific albums to reference so I’ll just say that the vocals are excellent. I’m even hearing nuances that I missed before with the ety’s, such as the baritone aspects of a specific singers voice.
HIGHS: Well, I’m not sure at age 55 where my high range stops, but I hear everything that I know it there from listening to the 4P’s. Perhaps it not as ‘sharp’ as the ety’s were, but it not missing either. I read about recessed highs (to me that mean they sound further away) and on some tracks this might be the case. I would say they might be ever so slightly lower in volume on some songs. The Zen Micro EQ setting of acoustic or classical will bring the highs right up to sounding like the ety’s! On some recordings that have guitar harmonics, I can hear them quite well. Sibilance is very low, almost non existent to me. Triangles sound so good. Cymbals sound like cymbals and have a nice clear sustain. The highs are there, and that’s what counts! At higher sound pressure levels the highs hang in there and do not seem to distort.
FINAL FIRST IMPRESSION THOUGHTS
Some other things to note here (no pun intended). In another review, it was mentioned that UM2 are susceptible to showing bad recordings off at their worst. Well, being that a chunk of my library is MP3’s from the 60’s, ripped as best as the original will allow, I can say that the UM2 will show all the flaws but still make the track listenable. A bad recording is a bad recording!
For me, I enjoy some of these tunes no matter how lousy the recording. With the ety’s, it was painful to listen to. With the UM2’s, they are just bad recordings but enjoyable as I’m discovering things in these bad recording I never heard before. Considering I’ve listened to some these songs for over 40 years (ie: The Lion Sleep Tonight), that’s a pleasant surprise! Make any sense??
OK, so it sounds like I like these cans. I do! I have some reservations about the fit (that’s my personal problem….genetics I guess) but with some practice I think I can overcome this. And I sure wish they came with a carrying case like the ety 4P did.
During the next 30 days I’ll decided if I’m keeping these and getting custom molds (probability of 90%) or getting a pair of 2X Sensaphonics (probably decreasing now that I’ve a pair of UM2’s). I might just get custom molds and keep these! SO, in other words, I like UM2’s a whole lot!!!
(comments appreciated)
CaptChet.
Please remember, this is my opinion and is totally my own! I’m not a professional writer, musician, or reviewer. I’m an airline pilot for whatever that’s worth.
Well after my bad review of the UE Super.FI, I’m now on to the Westone UM2 IE monitors. So how do I find these……….so far? I would almost say GREAT except for a few caveats, some which are fixable. Read on.
Usual disclaimer. This is my impressions of the UM2 monitors after only seven hours with them. Your impressions will be different! My tastes are different from yours. I share this review with you to give you some idea of how I feel about the UM2's, but it’s certainly not the definitive word! It’s just one users thoughts! My impression will likely change over the next 30 days as well.
In case you missed my other review, (http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=125309 ) I’m using the cans driven by a Zen Micro and listening to only MP3 files with bit rates from 128k to 320K. Prior to these I had ETY 6i, ETY 4P and the UE Super.Fi Pro 5 monitors All are returned so I cannot do any short term A/B comparisons but my favorite of the bunch were the 4P’s and my impressions of the 4P’s were the same as many others; great detail but lacking bass. They also provided great isolation, good fit and were really good. I might purchase them back as my wife really liked them (what does she know)!
I’m using the same tracks to listen to the UM2 as I did for all the others. Again, mostly old stuff recorded prior to 1980 with some new stuff in the classical and country genre. One performer that merits special mention is Katherine Jenkins. If you have not heard of her, well she will make you like opera singers. Her second album is just terrific. Check her out on the web, do a Google search. Easy on the eyes as well as a great voice!
On to the UM2’s
THE UM2 MONITORS:
Let me start with the cans themselves. Really nicely made. Don’t think they are going to fall apart in a few days! A very solid looking design and construction. Others have described the packing and except for something new, it’s as described elsewhere! Mine arrived with a little printed yellow card that states (in part):
“A NEW LOOK, You may have noticed a change in the appearance of your UM2. In response to customer requests, the UM2 now feature a black cable …”
Well this new black cable looks very much like the ety cable! Braided, black and about the same gauge. Unfortunately this new cable also has most of the microphonics of the ety cable. This is not good improvement in my opinion!!
It’s also rather short from the cans to where the split to individual right/left happens. Almost too short for me! In addition, they did not include a shirt clip so you really have to figure a way to secure it. Now I’m sure they expect you to wear it over your ears and behind your head and that does help. However, the new cable is nicely made and will not yellow, that’s for sure.
Another disappointment was that there is no travel case included. The case they come in is super nice but nothing I wish to travel with. Way to big and bulky. Another item NOT included is a 1.4 inch adapter. Overall a rather poor set of additional goodies.
It did come with 4 each of the Comfy Tips in large and small. I also ordered some ety flanges to try with them as well as recommended by others.
HOW DO THEY FIT?
Well let’s get the bad new out in front.
My ear canals must be really different from others as I’m having the hardest time getting a good seal. If the stems were longer I think my specific problems would be easier to fix. The short stems coupled with the rather large cans prevents inserting them very far. In this area, the 4P's were great.
I’m rotating these things all over the place and sooner or later with the large comfy tips or a modified ety tip can I finally find an angle that seals well. It’s very frustrating to say least!! I’m getting better at it.
This is one of the fixable items (I think) as I always have the option of getting custom molds made. I’m considering it. Why? Because of the audio quality I hear when I do get a good seal.
I’m going to keep at it and perhaps I’ll find the magic way to put them in MY ears. I can tell also that I might be able to sleep with these, something I was not able to do with any of the previous cans I had. This is a good thing! Due to the sometimes funny angle the cord makes when I do finally get them sealed, it’s tough to put them behind my ears. Like I said I’m getting better at it but it’s still VERY DIFFICULT for me.
ISOLATION.
Not withstanding the above, when I do get a good seal, it’s a really good seal and the isolation is good! As good as the ety’s I would guess. The acid test is yet to come. I haven’t yet traveled on the plane with them but I will in a few days and I’ll append the results. My feeling however is that these are going to be just fine once I can finally get them seated properly. Ok enough of this!
OVERALL AND SPECIFI SOUND IMPRESSIONS:
How do I describe the sound and make any sense?
It’s smooth with great detail! They have a nice “creamy” (new word for a review ) musical presentation and yet having a great amount of detail. The soundstage is there as well yet not so distant that you loose something. One thing I have noticed is that I’m reducing the playing volume as the day get older. That’s interesting to me.. In any event, in my other review I borrowed from the diamond industry the words, cut, color, and clarity. The UM2’s have it all – in spades! A nice balance between each. I really find them musically pleasing and yet there is the detail I like.
Speaking of volume, the Zen Micro can drive these to the brink of hurting. I can play them a much lower volume than any other IEM I have tried. For example (using the Zen’s volume scale) the 4P and 6i were around 20 (out of 25), the Super.Fi Pro were at 16-17 and these are at 12-14! If I run them up to 18 (or so), you are definitely in the first row of a very loud concert! Fun, but I can do that for long! But OH MY, what a sound! I also think this is good as the small amp in the Zen is not working as hard and it’s probably closer the best performance of the Zen. (could be wrong but sounds good)
SO, in other words, I like the UM2’s…………. a whole lot!!!
BASS: The bass response is terrific (you must have a really good seal for this) Outstanding would also be a good word as well. Here is the base I was looking for WITHOUT the price of loss of treble. Very engrossing without being boomy at all. Very powerful at higher volume levels yet clean and crisp. You hear bass notes, not thuds and with some punch!! I can actually listen to these without any EQ but if anything, a slight reduction in the low end helps. Depending upon the music, this can go either way. The modified ety tips give the clearest bass, the comfy tips are a bit stronger and maybe just a little (very little) bit boomier. You get bass and still keep the rest. I can’t say enough about the bass aspects of these UM2’s. Remember, I’m no bass head either.
MIDRANGE: No doubt these are smoother than the ety’s The sound is warmer, but not terribly so. Nothing gets lost here, it’s just…well… creamier.
I’m trying not to use specific cuts from specific albums to reference so I’ll just say that the vocals are excellent. I’m even hearing nuances that I missed before with the ety’s, such as the baritone aspects of a specific singers voice.
HIGHS: Well, I’m not sure at age 55 where my high range stops, but I hear everything that I know it there from listening to the 4P’s. Perhaps it not as ‘sharp’ as the ety’s were, but it not missing either. I read about recessed highs (to me that mean they sound further away) and on some tracks this might be the case. I would say they might be ever so slightly lower in volume on some songs. The Zen Micro EQ setting of acoustic or classical will bring the highs right up to sounding like the ety’s! On some recordings that have guitar harmonics, I can hear them quite well. Sibilance is very low, almost non existent to me. Triangles sound so good. Cymbals sound like cymbals and have a nice clear sustain. The highs are there, and that’s what counts! At higher sound pressure levels the highs hang in there and do not seem to distort.
FINAL FIRST IMPRESSION THOUGHTS
Some other things to note here (no pun intended). In another review, it was mentioned that UM2 are susceptible to showing bad recordings off at their worst. Well, being that a chunk of my library is MP3’s from the 60’s, ripped as best as the original will allow, I can say that the UM2 will show all the flaws but still make the track listenable. A bad recording is a bad recording!
For me, I enjoy some of these tunes no matter how lousy the recording. With the ety’s, it was painful to listen to. With the UM2’s, they are just bad recordings but enjoyable as I’m discovering things in these bad recording I never heard before. Considering I’ve listened to some these songs for over 40 years (ie: The Lion Sleep Tonight), that’s a pleasant surprise! Make any sense??
OK, so it sounds like I like these cans. I do! I have some reservations about the fit (that’s my personal problem….genetics I guess) but with some practice I think I can overcome this. And I sure wish they came with a carrying case like the ety 4P did.
During the next 30 days I’ll decided if I’m keeping these and getting custom molds (probability of 90%) or getting a pair of 2X Sensaphonics (probably decreasing now that I’ve a pair of UM2’s). I might just get custom molds and keep these! SO, in other words, I like UM2’s a whole lot!!!
(comments appreciated)
CaptChet.
Please remember, this is my opinion and is totally my own! I’m not a professional writer, musician, or reviewer. I’m an airline pilot for whatever that’s worth.
