Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Review

I got my Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro earphones Wednesday (3 days ago). I had been thinking of upgrading from my Shure E2’s for a while. I just knew there was more to the sound, and I wanted to really be able to rock out properly and independently (when there are others around who might not appreciate teh thumpz). And oh man was I right. I’ll explain how I feel about these phones in various areas.

Fidelity

This is the real reason for my upgrade. Most earphones (my E2’s included) tend to deliver some amount of muddiness in their output, particularly in the higher ranges when the bass is overpowering. True audiophile gear should still show you the bright and crispy high end even when the bass is rolling all up in your face. This is done with the use of not one, but two speakers in each bud—one for the high end, and one for the low. In this way, they really are capable of some pretty amazing sound. I can notice a pretty remarkable all around improvement in sound quality: highs can be quite sharp and clean, while the bass has a roundness and warmth to it as I’ve never experienced in an in-ear monitor before.

Comfort & Fit

While most of what I read lead me to believe that there was little concern in this area, I must say that my experience has, so far, fallen a bit short of expectations. Where my Shure E2’s slid into my ears and made that seal nice and smoothly, the Super.fi’s seem to require a bit more wiggling around before the seal is made. Also, while many phones fit nicely right inside of the ear, these Super.fi’s stick out from the ear a bit as you can see from the picture. In terms of fit, though, I think I’m starting to get the hang of these phones, and my ears used to them. Once you get that seal, they can be even comfortable enough so you might forget they’re in your ears.

The wire (apart from being replaceable) features a flexible ear loop. That is, the first two inches or so of wire out of the earphones is pliable. This allows you form it the way you like, and expect that it will stay.

Finally, because of the way these phones seem to fit, I would not recommend them for people with smaller ears, anyone trying to work out or move around a lot, or anyone who likes to wear a winter hat over their earphones in class. (Good thing I’m about to graduate!)

Accessories

They bundle a universal fit kit that includes 3 pairs of regular rubber tips (small, medium, and large; I’ve taken a liking to the default medium size ones), 1 pair of double flange tips, and 1 pair of foam tips. Also in the package is a 1/4” adaptor, level attenuator (for noisy sources like airplane radio), an ear wax cleaning tool, a handy metal case, and an attractive manual. I should mention that they ditched the case insert that was in the past included because it would damage the cord. The case works great without it, though. Just coil them around 3 fingers before setting them in the case.

Conclusion

These are some mighty wicked earphones, I must say. The Ultimate Ears slogan is “how music is meant to be heard” and I can see why. With two drivers per bud, these phones can reproduce the entire spectrum with quite convincing reality. My entire music collection has been given a refreshed sound, and is once again interesting.

UE has just recently released the Triple.fi 10 Pro, a triple driver earphone, and it was this announcement that got me interested in UE’s products. They are selling some limited edition ones right now, but they’re not even officially on sale yet. At $400, the price difference just isn’t worth the fidelity right now. My Super.fi 5 Pro’s “retail” for $250, but can be had from Amazon.com for a mere $170, free shipping. It is a considerable amount to spend on earphones alone, but if you hunger for rich, full-spectrum fidelity, you might consider these.

A really great review of these earphones can be found at iLounge.

My gear: UE Super.fi 5 Pro’s with iAudio X5L

Saturday, December 2nd, 2006 Audio, Reviews

3 Comments to Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Review

Iâ€™m very found of the headphone design, my concern is the fervency response that is not that fight, only 16 kHz… I want some comments from some one that has them and tested. I want to purchase 1 pair for mixing; I want to know if the isolation is good for covering club noise at 5000W or more

Stefan on December 2nd, 2006

I can DJ with them fine — one earphone in with the volume way down.

Check out this (rather long) thread I just found… some good review material that compares the Super.fi 5Pros to comparable phones. The verdict is … there is no verdict! Decide for yourself.

That’s audiophile speak, though… For DJing, I’m sure they’ll be more than adequate :) As long as you’re comfy using IEMs to DJ. (No more crooked neck, etc.)