Quote:
The "new" name is a bit underwhelming IMO.
And so much for falling under the "Super.Fi" naming moniker.
But the name doesn't mean squat. It's all about how it sounds.
-Ed |
If it's underwhelming, I'm thinking it's probably so because the rules forced 99% of the entries to stick with the super.fi prefix. I think looser regulations would have brought in more creative entries - but then, it seems like UE was thinking of conservatively marketable names to begin with anyway so the results may not have differed.
Regarding sound - I'm not too overwhelmed with the UE10 Pro sound anyway so if the UE10 Pros are anything for these universals to be modeled after sonically, I am not all that excited about the new triple.fi's. (I was shockingly disappointed with the UE10s first, now I lowered my expectations and have learned to live with them since they cost so much... I have made several posts during the past year detailing my observations and feelings towards my UE10 Pros) I feel that the UE10 Pros are not a hi-fi product - the sound is way too smeared and bloated at conservative listening levels to be so (doesn't get that much better at higher levels but it sounds a bit better.)
Here's an interesting thought - it would be very interesting for UE to come up with something really suitable for the name "super.fi" - something tailored for hi-fi enthusiasts like us here on Head-Fi rather than on-stage musicians or those looking for lots of bass. Something with a clean, unsmeared sound (ER-4 series are the cleanest I've heard) with a frequency response similar to other hi-fi cans (perhaps emphasis on mids?). Not sure if this is possible with current IEM technology (multiple drivers required for full frequency response, but this necessitates use of tiny crossovers that smear the sound) but it would be VERY cool and probably VERY popular among hi-fi enthusiasts (or wannabes like me) if marketed correctly.
But then, there are plenty of very respectable people here who think that the UE10 Pros are the best sounding things on Earth. I think there's plenty of room for improvement, given the seemingly inferior ER-4's superiority in many sonic aspects. (Debatable, of course, as with anything so don't flame me.)
Anyway. To be perfectly honest I can't help but to feel a bit awkward about someone getting two pairs of UE10 Pros for free. I was actually thinking how other people would feel about me if I won this pair when I already had previously purchased one - and it wasn't the most comfortable thought given that having a second pair identical IEMs isn't exactly practical or necessary for most people (musicians would be different since they would need backups.)
I would have been very happy about the outcome if:
1. The winner was someone who does not or has never had UE10 Pros before. (Not by an enforced rule, i.e. "current owners or previous winners cannot apply," but by pure innocent chance, of course.)
2. The winning entry followed the originally strongly implied prefix requirement.
I apologize to Vincent (and others) for this post - I have nothing personal against him and I really do congratulate him for the spectacular run of two free UE10 Pros and I hope that he enjoys his new pair
. I just feel that UE could have conducted this whole event a little better. The results unfortunately have left a bitter aftertaste in my mouth.
