[roy_jones]

I've done some reading on the subject, and for whatever reason, it seems that there is a lot of debate about the relative benefits of amping the UM2. This is somewhat confusing to me, because I'll read someone mention that the E4c's respond dramatically to amping, but that the UM2's show little increase in SQ with the same amp and source?

What's the deal? Is there something I'm missing about the UM2, specifically? I realize that there is some debate about whether IEM's are worthwhile to amp, generally, but for whatever reason, UM2's are held up as an example of why they're NOT. Is it just me that's noticed this?

I'll read about the improvements that the ER4P/s gains when amped, and this seems to be a pretty common practice for that particular IEM, but why wouldn't the increase in sound quality that is often reported with the Ety's be seen similarly in the UM2? I know there is an impedence difference...is that the reason?

I'm getting a supermacro v3 without the feature switches, without the bass boost, so I'm looking to move from the E4's to the UM2, because the bass from the E4's is satisfying to me about 50% of the time, depending on the track and genre. What I am concerned with, is that the E4 might improve more with the amp than the UM2 would, and therefore make upgrading to the UM2 a bad call. Any thoughts?

 

[Jmmmmm]

Well hello roy_jones,

I think most of the uproar about amping the e4's has less to do with their sound responding to an amp, and more to do with people going from [bass-lean IEM + bass-deficient ipod] --> [bass-lean IEM + non-deficent line out on ipod]. I think the next biggest variable is who is making the statements, and what their experience level is with that iem.

Since the um2 doesn't lack bass, I think people don't focus on the bass problems of the ipod, and don't think much about it when amping them. If you notice, the IEMs that "benefit the most from amping" are those light on the low end. People don't say too much about amping the e5c's, either (maybe they do, but not from what I've seen). Surely there are other differences in the sound, but they're probably much more subtle, or at least less noticed by most people.

Maybe someone with the technological expertise could say why some IEMs respond more to amping than others. Maybe with headphones it has to do with impedence, sensitivity, and needing more power, but with IEMs I don't know where the difference could lie, especially since most of them use very similar drivers. Is there a big difference?

I think you are analyzing this too much

. Get the um2's, and if you don't like them, resell them. Adding an amp makes a subtle difference, changing headphones makes a large difference.

 

[solvexyz]

Just like jmmmmm mentioned. Most people choose to amp shure e4c because most of the portable source can not give it enough low end to make it shine.

Westone UM2 on the other hand is already bass heavy. Some said its bass can be on par with UE super.fi EB. Westone UM2 can still improve when amp'ed, but the difference is small compared to shure e4c, and the bass might be too much for some people when amp'ed.

Another reason, why it is good to amp Westone UM2 is because if the amp is good, Westone UM2 will not have the minor hissing problem. Yes, Westone UM2 has more hissing than e4c, and some people might not be able to stand that when go unamp'ed.

 

[roy_jones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jmmmmm Well hello roy_jones, I think most of the uproar about amping the e4's has less to do with their sound responding to an amp, and more to do with people going from [bass-lean IEM + bass-deficient ipod] --> [bass-lean IEM + non-deficent line out on ipod]. I think the next biggest variable is who is making the statements, and what their experience level is with that iem. Since the um2 doesn't lack bass, I think people don't focus on the bass problems of the ipod, and don't think much about it when amping them. If you notice, the IEMs that "benefit the most from amping" are those light on the low end. People don't say too much about amping the e5c's, either (maybe they do, but not from what I've seen). Surely there are other differences in the sound, but they're probably much more subtle, or at least less noticed by most people. Maybe someone with the technological expertise could say why some IEMs respond more to amping than others. Maybe with headphones it has to do with impedence, sensitivity, and needing more power, but with IEMs I don't know where the difference could lie, especially since most of them use very similar drivers. Is there a big difference? I think you are analyzing this too much . Get the um2's, and if you don't like them, resell them. Adding an amp makes a subtle difference, changing headphones makes a large difference.

Do you think I should just take the plunge on these at this point, Jmmmm? I've only been debating this for like, what, three months now?

I think your analysis with the E4/Ipod HP vs. E4/Line-out is probably bang on. When you think of changes in sonic signature that can strike you as most dramatic, I think that bass response has to be near the top of the list. Maybe the increase in that one easily definable dimension of SQ sort of generalizes in peoples minds such that they come away perceiving that the amp had a larger magnitude of effect in general. It makes good intuitive sense.

I figured that the Supermacro (without switches, mind you) might be a decent solution to pair with the UM2's because the lack of bass boost wouldn't really effect my usage, being that the UM2's are bass heavy anyways. I'll have the E4c's still, when I get the amp, so it will be interesting to see what my perceptions are once I've got both IEM's to contrast with one and other. I'd be curious to hear your perceptions after having gone from the portaphile to the Supermacro, being that I'm making a somewhat comparable jump.

I've read that the SR-71 is a better pairing with the E5's...so I'm guessing by analogy they might be an even better match than the supermacro to the UM2's. I can say that I don't sense a big difference when using an amp with the E4c's, but it is there...and I think I'm aware of it on an unconscious level than consciously.

I think the real solution to this, is that I've got to get a pair of HF-1's so that I'll have the proper baseline of what a good amp SHOULD do for a set of cans- so that my decision can be more scientifically based.

 

[Emon]

UM2s are 27 ohms and 119 dB/mW...I seriously doubt an amp will make much of a difference unless your source is very, very weak. Unless of course you use an amp that colors the signal (read: most amps, because they are designed poorly).

 

[Alexhifi]

I do not hear hiss from my iPod and I no longer amp my UM2s. They sound just fine out of the headphone jack. The only reason I would want to continue amping them is for finer volume control. The lowest volume the iPod puts out is sometimes too high for me.

-Alex

 

[spinali]

There's another important reason why you'd want to amp the UM2: it can help "tame" the bass. With the proper amp (and the PA2V2 won't do the job, since it has a diffuse bass), the UM2 has brilliant, clear highs and a tight bass, and approaches the sound of a top-notch headphone.

I'll be posting some tips on my Guide using the new SM3V6 in a few weeks.

 

[Kenny12]

i've got a um2 and i think they dont need an amp at all.

if you do get an amp, it needs to have a very very quiet noise floor. Even with a 100ohm adaptor i could still hear noise from my diy amp that i couldn't hear with my ms-pros

 

[Sugano-san]

Quote:

Originally Posted by spinali There's another important reason why you'd want to amp the UM2: it can help "tame" the bass. With the proper amp [...], the UM2 has brilliant, clear highs and a tight bass, and approaches the sound of a top-notch headphone.

I completely agree with this description. The UM2's DO sound better with a good amp (in my case the SM-3 v3). But is it indispensable? In my view it isn't.

I recently hooked mine up to a Sony PCDP and had a lot of fun listening to its headphone out. The resulting volume is more than enough, so you don't need to amp the UM2's to achieve adequate volume.

But if you really really want them to SOUND their best, try a Supermacro with the feature switches. This amp gives you a switchable gain, and there should be no audible hiss when the gain is set to "low".

It also gives you Xin's crossfeed, which is not bad at all with IEM's. You probably won't need the bass boost, but you may want to try the impedance switch (I preferred the UM2's without it though).

 

[animalsrush]

I use AE-1 amp with UM2 and karma. The diffrence is very subtle but it is still there. Somehow i can't listen to UM2 unamped now ( even though UM2 and Karma are a potent combination). If you are looking for a instant wow effect amp won't cut it ( depends on the source though). However it will add a depth over a period of time which lacks in an unamped source.

 

[xand1x]

I use the UM2 with an Ipod 60GB 4G + Sik Ram Din + PA2v2. I can personally say the amp does wonders for the UM2 and my source, almost like night and day. However, i do think this may be due to the nature of the Ipod's headphone out; generally known to be of subpar quality and bass roll can be apparant at times. The only thing I can say to you is my pa2v2 makes the UM2 sound great, so the supermacro 3 you have coming and only build upon what i've experienenced. I doubt you'll have much to complain about when your pair the 2 up. Post impressions when you receive the amp too

 

[xand1x]

Also i'd like to add that I use Shure E5 Triflanges modded into biflanges. This mod does wonders for me, give it a try if you ever decide to go with the UM2!

 

[Alexhifi]

Just wanted to post that if I let the underside of the jack touch the metal on the ipod, I do get a pretty bad buzzing noise. I never had this problem because the iSkin that I have on it prevents it from touching. And there is a very minor hiss, but only when no music is playing. In other words, recorded silence seems silent to me.

-Alex

 

[arielext]

I own the ES2's which are quite like the UM2 (more mids and treble make the ES2 more natural sounding) and I use an amp (porta corda III) with my M3, those 3 make me fly in heaven while sitting in the train

Using a other amp (airhead) didn't do it, with the airhead the ES2 and UM2 just hiss to much.
Unamped I don't like the M3/ES2 combo that much, since the M3 full potential isn't reached at sound volume 10 out of 40.

 

[tyrion]

I've had the E5's for a long time and have never heard the UM2's (I have been told that they are similar). I've gone back and forth on whether to use an amp for portable use with my ipod. While I feel that the E5's straight out of the ipod is sounds great, the addition of the sr-71 takes it to another level. Everything that is sounds good straight out of the ipod, sounds better when amped, imo.