UE super.fi 5 Pro Users....please read

[gplonchak]

I like my music loud. Not loud to cause hearing loss, just loud enough where the music is full and rich. My question is can these things handle being at 40% to 50% without "blowing" an internal component to cause a "rattling" sound like some other headphones?

[gplonchak]

While I'm on the topic, does anyone feel it is necessary to have any amp with these just for quality sake? (not for volume) I ripped all my stuff in lossless and feel these sound really good by themselves. Does anyone try and raise the volume in the info window within iTunes? That could only help, right? (or does it dissort it even more)

[feh1325]

its always better to reduce than boost frequencies, it distorts music
on that note, leave your eq off
don't worry about blowing out your iems and they don't need an amp

but its good you reimported all your music to lossless

[Signal to Noise]

I like my music loud. Not loud to cause hearing loss, just loud enough where the music is full and rich. My question is can these things handle being at 40% to 50% without "blowing" an internal component to cause a "rattling" sound like some other headphones?

I listen to my 5 Pro's at about 30 to 40% and I find that's pretty full and rich for me. I've never cranked the volume up to 100% but I do know they can get quite loud, but still handle nicely, at 50 to 75%.

[NJO]

What do you mean by 40% to 50%? - if you mean that you have your iPod set at 40 to 50% of its full gain then really I don't think your going to have a problem blowing anything or loosening things up so much that the internals begin rattling. I own a set of Pro 5s and never had any problem in that regard.

Whether or not the outer casing does or doesn't self destruct, as mine did and as many others have discovered much to our annoyance, is maybe a more applicable question because... frankly simply from a construction design point of view... UE really ought to go back to the drawing board and design the outer cases so that they don't crack open after a few months of use. Mine fell apart twice - second time around I used high quality industrial thin film heat shrink to correct UE's poor design.

[gplonchak]

Thanks for your input guys. I feel alot better. I think the 5 pros are built pretty well and was just curious. I rarely go over 50% of full volume. It obviously depends on a per-track basis.
I agree that an amp is not needed. These sound amazing on their own.

[danmonk]

I use mine at about 50% but only because thats as loud as they need to be. Above that they still sound fantastic, just a bit loud.

It looks like UE have sorted out the problem with the tendacy of the casing to crack. I returned mine recently after the developed a crack. The replacements are made of a different plastic with a slightly metalic sheen. The cable is also thicker now with a teflon coating

[Signal to Noise]

...It looks like UE have sorted out the problem with the tendacy of the casing to crack. I returned mine recently after the developed a crack. The replacements are made of a different plastic with a slightly metalic sheen. The cable is also thicker now with a teflon coating

Hey! That's exactly what happened to my set! I didn't know this was a common problem. I noticed a crack in my right earpiece but thought nothing of it. I take good care of my belongings so I don't know how it happened. I can't remember if it was already cracked when I took them out of the packaging (#@$%^&* blister packs!). Then about 3 weeks ago I was demonstrating the removeable cable feature to a friend who is also considering getting some Super 5's and the right piece completely fell apart!

The good thing is the customer support at UE has been exceptional. I contacted them about this and they replied with an RMA # and to just send them my phones. They recieved them yesterday so hopefully I'll be getting a replacement set in the next week or so.:)

I always thought the Super.fi cord was too thin. I like the cord on my Shure E3C's better but the sound from the Super.fi's is way better.

[SP_Unite_06]

I use mine around 25% indoors and don't have any experience using them outdoors.

[Sypher]

I've turned mine up to full volume, to use them as speakers (in a very quiet room). They still work fine.

[yinyang]

The good thing is the customer support at UE has been exceptional. I contacted them about this and they replied with an RMA # and to just send them my phones. They recieved them yesterday so hopefully I'll be getting a replacement set in the next week or so.:)

I always thought the Super.fi cord was too thin. I like the cord on my Shure E3C's better but the sound from the Super.fi's is way better.

Mine got replaced a few weeks ago, and the replacement ones (mine anyway!) have the clear cords (much thicker) and black casing, though it now has a metallic finish. Also the case no longer has the cable organiser inside, since UE deemed that it was contributing to cable issues.

there's a thread on head-fi.org here (http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/showthread.php?t=183463)

[rifleman]

A couple of days ago I got my replacements too, with the new model that fixes the cracking issue. Unless I'm mistaken, the new model seems to have better isolation than the old ones.

They're very dark grey, glossy with metallic texturing, but it's very subtle and hard to capture. Cables are clear and thicker, and retain their shape more, but seem to be easier with the ear loops. And they feel more solid (thicker shells?)

Photos below of them with my nano:

http://bb.cactii.net/images/uenew-1.jpg

http://bb.cactii.net/images/uenew-2.jpg

(the nano screen colour is some photo/light artifact)

Kudos to Jeanette at UE for the fantastic service! :D

[SP_Unite_06]

They look way better with the glossy finish than the matte finish that mine have. I got my pair a couple of months ago, when did they change the design?

[SP_Unite_06]

They look way better with the glossy finish than the matte finish that mine have. I got my pair a couple of months ago, when did they change the design?

p.s. Does anybody use the double flange covers besides me?

[yinyang]

They look way better with the glossy finish than the matte finish that mine have. I got my pair a couple of months ago, when did they change the design?

UE seemed to have a problem with many returns due to cracking housing, or in my case, the bass driver on the right side kind of died a bit, resulting in uneven output from both phones at higher levels and bad distortion.

they also took the opportunity to replace the cables with much thicker ones and the new metallic cases don't have the cable management insert.

i was very glad to get mine back :)

[Signal to Noise]

p.s. Does anybody use the double flange covers besides me?

I do. I find them comfier and better sound compared to the singles. I don't mind the foamies but having to buy new ones every so often deters me from using them.


Hopefully I'll be seeing my replacement super.fi's any day now.:)

[Doc Evils]

I have had my pro's since December and I recently inspected them and I do not see any cracks. Am I likey to get them? or was it just a faulty batch in last February?