[ian91]

Nice job, man.
I just came across this thread and I'm very intrigued by these IEMs.
As I mainly listen to electronic music (Drum & Bass, Dubstep, etc), I bought a 7hz Timeless (it's very good), but I'm thinking about trying something different.
Which of the two would you recommend?
Also, I don't have a problem with deep insertion fit as I tried almost all IEMs of the ER 2, 3 & 4 series.

My recommendation would be the U-556 (the black model). It's more naturally attenuated high-mid / treble shifts the balance to the lower frequencies and everything sounds a bit meatier. Make sure you have a healthy bit of power from your source to bring the most out the BA bass, if you don't it might sound limp. As for speed and technical prowess the U-556 does great with electronic, although I must admit I don't listen to dubstep or D&B.

 

[Guipnox]

My recommendation would be the U-556 (the black model). It's more naturally attenuated high-mid / treble shifts the balance to the lower frequencies and everything sounds a bit meatier. Make sure you have a healthy bit of power from your source to bring the most out the BA bass, if you don't it might sound limp. As for speed and technical prowess the U-556 does great with electronic, although I must admit I don't listen to dubstep or D&B.

Thanks, man.
I have Cayin RU6.
How is the synergy between them as you also have it?
I also plan to use it through a speaker amp with 40W @ 8 Ohms. So quite the juice lol
Gonna use a preamp though to not blow the IEMs. Hiss might be a problem.

 

[ian91]

Thanks, man.
I have Cayin RU6.
How is the synergy between them as you also have it?
I also plan to use it through a speaker amp with 40W @ 8 Ohms. So quite the juice lol
Gonna use a preamp though to not blow the IEMs. Hiss might be a problem.

RU6 both SE and balanced has enough juice, but balanced is preferred. I'm not sure I would call it optimal to my tastes. My favourite source is the Shanling M8 that has about 800mW out of the balanced port.

I'm not sure how the U-556 will tolerate the speaker amp, how do your Etys respond to it, is there any noise?

 

[Guipnox]

RU6 both SE and balanced has enough juice, but balanced is preferred. I'm not sure I would call it optimal to my tastes. My favourite source is the Shanling M8 that has about 800mW out of the balanced port.

I'm not sure how the U-556 will tolerate the speaker amp, how do your Etys respond to it, is there any noise?

Good to know. Thanks.

I don't have Etys anymore and I don't remember how it was with Timeless.
I'd just use the IEMs for isolation at my desk setup.
So I gotta check if my speaker amp can run it without hiss. Then I'm set, and could even sell the RU6.
For gym/extreme portable listening, I bought a AKG N400. It hasn't arrived here in Brazil yet.

 

[ian91]

Good to know. Thanks.

I don't have Etys anymore and I don't remember how it was with Timeless.
I'd just use the IEMs for isolation at my desk setup.
So I gotta check if my speaker amp can run it without hiss. Then I'm set, and could even sell the RU6.
For gym/extreme portable listening, I bought a AKG N400. It hasn't arrived here in Brazil yet.

I would imagine the speaker amp might be too much juice/too high a noise floor.

The RU6 will do reasonably well on high gain, balanced out. For that reason it's worth getting a balanced extruded 2pin cable if you don't have one already, or having spoken to another member here, I believe they may be able to offer a balanced cable in place of the SE cable if you ask.

 

[ian91]

Good to know. Thanks.

I don't have Etys anymore and I don't remember how it was with Timeless.
I'd just use the IEMs for isolation at my desk setup.
So I gotta check if my speaker amp can run it without hiss. Then I'm set, and could even sell the RU6.
For gym/extreme portable listening, I bought a AKG N400. It hasn't arrived here in Brazil yet.

I've been listening to Pendulum & Prodigy for a little while. I should probably add, on reflection, this wouldn't be my choice of tuning for bass heavy electronic music, but probably more electronic ambient and other more atomospheric / vocal driven genres. A single BA combined with this tuning prioritises detail over quantity and its incredibly snappy. I prefer more quantity, greater excusive force and the slower decay of a DD for D&B. Might work for you, might not! YMMV as always.

 

[Guipnox]

I've been listening to Pendulum & Prodigy for a little while. I should probably add, on reflection, this wouldn't be my choice of tuning for bass heavy electronic music, but probably more electronic ambient and other more atomospheric / vocal driven genres. A single BA combined with this tuning priorities detail over quantity and its incredibly snappy. I prefer more quantity, greater excusive force and the slower decay of a DD for D&B. Might work for you, might not! YMMV as always.

Thanks for your thoughts.
A DD driver for bass might be the way to go then.
I have an over-ear that covers detail/neutral signature/stage size.
I'm reading about the Softears Volume as an alternative.

 

[-rowan-]

Parameter	U-554 (Sonion 2354)	Yu9 4B (Knowles 29689)
Bass	More midbass warmth More 'felt' subbass Possibly slightly less bass texture	Flat-neutral Equivalent low-end extension Possibly more bass texture
Midrange	Better note weight*, cleaner, more natural fundamental harmonic detail	More uppermid/lower treble bite (?harshness)*
Treble	Similar extension and air	Possibly more fine detail in lower treble
Technicalities	Better layering & depth* Soundstage more spherical & taller* Better positional accuracy*	Slight wider stage (?) Shallower front-back dimension More resolving
Timbre	Slower attack and decay* More natural harmonic detail	Dry, more incisive notes, less natural harmonic detail
Tonality	See graph below	See graph below

*Asterix represents more noticable differences.

Tested on Shanling M8, high gain, SE out, same tips, attempted to volume match as best I could.
Test Artists(tracks) include: Lorn (Oxbow B), Hans Olav Gorset, Philidor: Suites for Flute and B.C. (Dixieme Suitte: ii. Rondeau).

Relative differences between models (difference is more subtle than the graph suggests). The graph must be read on all axes.



Primary characteristics (green arrows) of the U-554 are a bright and flat signature. Strong secondary characteristics (blue balloons) include forward highs and weak secondary characteristics (smaller blue balloons) include forward mids and a distant but reassuring warmth. The Yu9 4B in comparison to the U-554 sounds more critical to my ear at the expense of some organic character, the U-554 leans more toward detailed.

The U-556 (Sonion 2356; placed on the graph but without characteristics for the sake of clarity) presents itself more naturally with with similar primary and secondary characteristics of bright and flat but being less extreme, leaning more towards smooth and with a stronger secondary characteristic of forward mids and weak secondary characteristic of warmth. I would maintain that the U-556 represents the most natural tonal balance (with well treated room-like acoustic qualities) but loses some of the air, soundstage, excitement and sparkle I have been enjoying from the U-554.

Overall, the U-554 proves to have the more engaging presentation for my tastes with more spherical staging and deeper dimensions and a more natural embodied tonality compared to the Yu9 4B. The Yu9 4B is no slouch. I would say it possibly retreives more detail from tracks and manages electronic music well but sounds too dry and incisive for instruments for my taste. Stage is possibly wider but instrument separation and layering is weaker with most information pushed further out to the extremes of L-R. The Yu9 4B is more 'supernatural' while the U-554 offers a taste of the supernatural but doesn't lose as much of the emotional engagement in the process.

I hope this post helped anyone interested. I know we have a few members with sets on the way and I look forward to more discussion soon

Thanks for the detailed comparison! Still waiting for my 4B but this will be very useful in helping decide if I want to pursue the 554 after that.

 

[ian91]

Tonights setup:

Shanling M8 (LO mode, turbo gain) --> Little Dot 1+ (Voskhod 6J1P tubes & Burson V6 Vivid, low gain) --> U-554

Absolutely TOTL sound. For a single BA it hits with the body of a dynamic driver when I'm listening to drums. The clarity and spaciousness of both the 6J1P and Vivid opamp shine through and help to retain the excitement of the U-554 tuning.

 

[hazael]

I was looking into these models out of curiosity since I really like the er2se and was interested in copping one of their er4 clones (because of the interchangeable cable) and found their page with an article explaining the thought process behind U-556's tuning. http://www.yu9audio.cn/u-556/

Unfortunately, I'm not fluent in Mandarin so I had to rely mostly on the auto-translated function but it seems that compared to ER4's advertised accuracy, they are aiming more for the sound you would get by placing well-tuned speakers in a typical room instead of a carefully treated one. There's also no article on the U-554 though sadly.

Would love to see more feedback on these, especially from ety users as I'm worried the form factor could impede them from going as deep as the ety-styled sticks, which is very important for the ideal sound.

 

[ian91]

I was looking into these models out of curiosity since I really like the er2se and was interested in copping one of their er4 clones (because of the interchangeable cable) and found their page with an article explaining the thought process behind U-556's tuning. http://www.yu9audio.cn/u-556/

Unfortunately, I'm not fluent in Mandarin so I had to rely mostly on the auto-translated function but it seems that compared to ER4's advertised accuracy, they are aiming more for the sound you would get by placing well-tuned speakers in a typical room instead of a carefully treated one. There's also no article on the U-554 though sadly.

Would love to see more feedback on these, especially from ety users as I'm worried the form factor could impede them from going as deep as the ety-styled sticks, which is very important for the ideal sound.

Yeah, the U-556 has a room-like acoustic sound, while the U-554 is more open with a brighter tonality. The U-554 has an air to its presentation with slightly less instrument body and vocals are more 'head voice' as opposed to 'chest voice'. It reminds me of a live performance. Ultimately, the U-556 sound is what I find closer to the truth in instrument replay while its sister is a detail monster without being harsh. On well recorded tracks it's a razor-sharp insight into the dimensions of the original recording.

Having tried their stick-style 4B I was reluctant to order the U-556 as the pictures that made the shape look more awkward. Thankfully, it turns out, the U-556 is more comfortable for me due to its softer contouring on the anterior aspect and I achieve a similar overall insertion depth, if not deeper, but without the pressure points I've experienced with the 4B. Obviously, with something as unqiue as ear shape everyone will have a different experience. As you say, it would be great to hear more opinions on these as it's currently just an echo chamber where I talk to myself. I know of several users that should have sets arriving over the course of the next month who might provide more insight.

 

[ian91]

Switching between two sets this weekend - GS Audio GD3C (2BA, 1DD) and the U-554 out of the RU6. The U-554 has the preferable tuning for my library. It's so incredibly smooth and balanced. Tonally and technically the U-554 wipes the floor with the hybrid, being much more detailed and organic despite being a single BA. Really can't wait for more people to get in on this gem.

 

[counterclockwise]

interesting find.
my go-to iem has been an er4sr for a few years now and its diffuse field tuning is just about perfect for me (anything vaguely harman approaching my ears unceremoniously gets its bass bulldozed). not a lot of competition in that field. seems like the u-554 shoots for the same target with different sonic characteristics otherwise (and a different driver). couldn't resist that at this price.

 

[ian91]

interesting find.
my go-to iem has been an er4sr for a few years now and its diffuse field tuning is just about perfect for me (anything vaguely harman approaching my ears unceremoniously gets its bass bulldozed). not a lot of competition in that field. seems like the u-554 shoots for the same target with different sonic characteristics otherwise (and a different driver). couldn't resist that at this price.

Both of these models are far from bass-light when seal and fit is correct with good extension with excellent texture and control but obviously without the impact / rumble of models that sit north of neutral. Going back to my other IEMs has proven difficult. Harman is way off the mark for my jazz & vocal library. It's only this tuning with such low distortion that can render bass strings how I like them.

I think you'll be suitably impressed with the accessories too. Run 'em balanced into the RU6 and you'll be set.

 

[-rowan-]

Yu9 ER4B first impressions

Listening to the Yu9 on its own, I could quite readily believe that I’m listening to an actual ER4B.

Disclaimer: Long-time Ety user here. I own or have owned everything else in the ER4 series, but don’t actually have an Ety ER4B. My “4B” comprises a spare ER4 modded with a custom cable containing the 4B circuit made to spec. Years later, it’s still my favourite Ety (yes, above the ER4SR and XR). So naturally I have for some time been intrigued by this little chifi company making their own version of it.

I had to A/B test the Yu9 with my Ety 4B to be sure of the differences between them. Yu9 is a hair brighter and more energetic. Ety is smoother and at the same time more resolving in terms of detail and texture. The Yu9 sounds a little harsher or rougher in the upper mids/lower treble. Sibilance is very well controlled in both.

I consider them both medium-impedance IEMs that need amping or a decently powerful source to sound their best. They can seem treble-heavy when not driven properly, but it just takes more power to push their bass and mids out - they are in fact very balanced across the spectrum.

Note: I had the Yu9 made with a 4.4 balanced plug (for an additional $10) but used a 3.5 adapter for the purpose of A/Bing with the Ety. Switching back to balanced, I can clearly hear better control and imaging compared to SE, so the option is worth considering if you’re thinking of getting this.

Of course you can also use it with your own balanced cables if you’re getting the detachable cable version. I am not a fan of QDC-style connectors in general but have to say their cable is one of the better (and most secure) implementations of it that I’ve seen.

I don’t usually bother talking about the rest of the package but there were a few things I hadn’t expected.

Spoiler: More ramblings

- The Yu9 came with a single pair of triple flange tips and it turned out they were soft and fit my ear canals perfectly comfortably. I‘m less familiar with the newer Ety tips but this is a total sea change from the old ones that were so hard and stiff that I ended up using Klipsch oval double flanges for all my Etys.

- Cable is excellent ergonomically - soft, supple, light, no memory of its own and not much by way of microphonics… but it has that awful chemical smell I’ve only smelled in cheapie KZ “upgrade“ cables. I’m airing it in the hope it will go away.

- I even like the utilitarian plastic case it came in. It’s much like the ones I use for organising my IEMs, only that the plastic is of noticeably better quality. I wouldn’t mind sourcing more of these.