Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Dave
I would love to hear a comparison among the UE Super Fi Pros, the Shure E5s and the Westone UM2s. Anyone able to do that?
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Keep in mind that I've only briefly auditioned the UM2, I own the other two, as well as the E4.
I find that the SF5P lacks a bit of edge that is often very welcome in rock recordings. It also can be overly bass heavy if your source already has strong bass. In their defense, they can be very musical with the right material and source. I particularly like them with blues recordings as well as jazz. They are also very good for watching TV/movies and gaming.
The E5 has a bit of treble roll off, but I find that they sound good with everything I've thrown at them. It is only when comparing them directly to the E4 where I find the E5 to be lacking. Of course this will vary with source and material. On things like Marylin Manson, the E5 sounds a good deal better than the E4.
In my brief audition of the UM2, I felt like something was missing from the music the entire time I had them in. I did try them with several styles of music and just couldn't get into them. They sounded rather lifeless, and from what I recall, had sucked out mids.
The E4 IMO has the best balance of all of the IEMs I've tried. Where it seems to fall short is if you listen dominately to rap/hip hop. They are also a little picky when it comes to what they're plugged in to. Many people find them to sound very thin with an iPod. I found them to be rather thin when used with a Meridian 508. On the other hand, when I tried them with Headrooms Desktop DAC/Amp with the power supply, I found them to be very full with heavy bass (reminded me of the SF5P). The downside with that combo was that the highs seemed quite rolled off.
With my home rig (see sig), and with my portable (Creative Zen Xtra) they sound VERY good.