[PiccoloNamek]

But unlike the case with audio equipment, wine tasters pass double blind tests with extremely good repeatability.

 

[jlbrach]

ive had just about every in ear headphone and to me the um2's are not just the easiest to wear but the most "live" sounding of all of them...no need to turn the volume all the way up,they are easy to drive and to my ears very detailed..a bargain on a relative basis

 

[DougGreenberg]

Each of us has his or her own perceptions and opinions. I have owned the UM-2, the ER-4's (both P and S versions), the Super fi Pros, and the E500s.
I would rank the E500s first in sound quality, with the UM-2's dead last. I think the extra money spent on the E500s was well worthwhile for me.

Just my own two cents' worth

 

[jdimitri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sidewinder It amazes me that people actually believe that an IEM is gonna sound better when it's amped, let alone EQ'ing or try 'high grade'-cables. The benefit you get when using an amp with the UM2 is 0 to 1%. The ER4S benefits from an amp because of its high impedance, and even so, after adding some extra power, the actual benefit in SQ is less than 10-15%.

Cmon man, that's not true.. all grados are 32ohms, does that mean it doesn't make much difference whether it's amped or not?
And isn't 10-15% VERY significant??
Btw, i think the mids are quite forward, IMO these have similar sound signature as a SR225 w/ flats

And as far as i've tried, tips do make a difference.. The better the seal (eg foamies) give more bass and the deeper into the ear it is (triflanges) will give more treble/less bass
I personally liked the clear shure ones best, the soft grey ones made it a bit sibilant, triflanges uncomfortable and sounds similar and foamies are expensive

While using at home, i'd have to agree that the bass is a TAD overpowering, but when i'm out, it kind of balances out because a bit of the outside noise that gets in

So yeah, i'm pretty happy with them, amped or not

 

[Romanee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli Apart from the slightly overpowering bass (which is easily controlled using Rockbox' EQ) I have no sound-related gripes about these IEMs. They suffer of the infamous "IEM syndrome" of a compressed soundstage, but that's found in all IEMs. You will never get the "airy" sound of an open, full-sized can.

Nicely thought-out and written review.

I haven't heard the UM2, but I own the Westone ES2 custom IEMs. (My very narrow ear canals make it impossible for me to hear universal IEMs -- until I can afford to have Westone use my ear mold to make adaptors for the various IEMs I'd like to hear (and perhaps buy?) - but that's a costly proposition at over $100 per adapter!)

My comments here aren't a side-track to the ES2, or any criticism of your review, but rather a clarification of a couple of points you mentioned.

You may be surprised to hear my impression that the ES2 does not suffer from the "IEM syndrome" of a compressed soundstage, and with good recordings creates the impression/illusion of soundstage extending "beyond the ears" as you'll hear in good full-sized phones, if not as big or dimensional.

They're not as open or "airy" as the best full-size cans, but they are very good.

They provide very satisfying but not bloated or "bloomy" bass, and the bass is pretty well-controlled/defined. The frequency spectrum, with synergistic ancillary components, seems contiguous and well-integrated.

They are quite reactive/revealing of components. So far, I've gotten the most satisfying sound with the "M" Hornet (no hiss), and in different ways with the Portaphile PV2^2-LT1210 Maxxed (slight hiss at start, which fades in about 10-15 seconds -- but background is not quite as quiet as the "M" Hornet. Both give well-defined bass and wide soundstage, with the Hornet providing more bass energy, punch and impact and more immediate sense of sound space dimension, while the Portaphile has more complex detail/texture/articulation, more "air" and ambience retrieval, though less punch).

 

[nakedtoes]

UM2's clarity same as ER4?? my opinion after comparing both is Ety is far far away...

 

[vo328]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nakedtoes UM2's clarity same as ER4?? my opinion after comparing both is Ety is far far away...

Meaning the UM2's are lacking in clarity compared to the ER4? Or, other way around?

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by vo328 Meaning the UM2's are lacking in clarity compared to the ER4? Or, other way around?

Probably meaning that the ER4 has a lot more detail. This is a generally agreed upon. I hate lack of detail and I guess the UM2's might not be for me.

What I don't understand is the price difference between the UM2 and the E5c. They're so similar in design that they should probably have the same sound signature and comparable pricing. Am I correct? Is the E5c really better than the UM2?

Naked Toes, which do you prefer: ER4S or E5c? How are they different in your opinion (clarity, detail, bass, midrange, etc..).

 

[milkpowder]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Duke_Of_Eli Note that the dual-driver UM2s are composed of 1 tweeter and 1 subwoofer. The E500s consist of 1 tweeter and 1 subwoofer, so you won't get better midrange or high-end response neciassarily, just better bass control. If you ask me the whole three-driver IEM is kind of a hoax.

Minor correction? E500 has 1 "tweeter" and 2 "woofers"? What hoax?

 

[FreeBlues]

I lived with the UM2 for 6 months or so. Recently I got the E500s and have used them for about a week. I'll admit the E500s are slightly better all around - tighter bass, better clarity, a bit faster - but I agree that they are not worth the extra $200. They are not as comfortable as the UM2's.

Great review. I've not dealt with Shure's customer service so I have no comment, but also add that Westone's service and support are the best I've ever encountered. Great folks.

 

[Blitzula]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreeBlues I lived with the UM2 for 6 months or so. Recently I got the E500s and have used them for about a week. I'll admit the E500s are slightly better all around - tighter bass, better clarity, a bit faster...

Do you find the E500 or UM2 more fun?

 

[nakedtoes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder Probably meaning that the ER4 has a lot more detail. This is a generally agreed upon. I hate lack of detail and I guess the UM2's might not be for me. What I don't understand is the price difference between the UM2 and the E5c. They're so similar in design that they should probably have the same sound signature and comparable pricing. Am I correct? Is the E5c really better than the UM2? Naked Toes, which do you prefer: ER4S or E5c? How are they different in your opinion (clarity, detail, bass, midrange, etc..).

Clarity and details the Er4S wins far ahead... Bass and mid range the E5C are much better...

I owned the UM2 before E5C.. i did a comparision sometime back.. perhaps you can search for it...

 

[jdimitri]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nakedtoes Clarity and details the Er4S wins far ahead... Bass and mid range the E5C are much better... I owned the UM2 before E5C.. i did a comparision sometime back.. perhaps you can search for it...

And he owned the UM2 that i now have, traded with my e5c

BTW, we both liked our decision, i found the UM2 more comfortable and the sound suits me better while he liked the sound of the E5c better
I guess it's all down to personal preferences

 

[The_Duke_Of_Eli]

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder Minor correction? E500 has 1 "tweeter" and 2 "woofers"? What hoax?

I swore I typed 1 tweeter and 2 subs, that's what I meant at least. The hoax is that with the extra subwoofer, there isn't going to be a market difference in definition in the mid and high ranges compared to the one and one of the Um2s. I didn't like the E5cs. Too harsh. I stand by my UM2s, but I'm curious how the UE5cs compare to the UM2s.

 

[FreeBlues]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitzula Do you find the E500 or UM2 more fun?

UM2. I'm finding the E500 can be bit fatiguing after a while, that high end can get pretty grainy.