random person
05-13-2004, 12:03 PM
I just posted this detailed review of the UE5c on head-fi.org but I am resubmitting it here because every Ipod owner should know about these new canalphones! (I figured that would save you the hassle of clicking back and forth to head-fi to read the post.)
I received my UE5cs yesterday and have dropped everything to listen to music since then., I have to say that these beauties are simply astonishing -- they are tuned specifically for Ipods and similar portable equipment and drive the Ipod with complete authority without an amp. While I am sure that the UE10 is even better (three drivers vs two) I feel there is no compromise in buying the UE5c for portable use -- I frankly can't imagine better sound than the Ipod/UE5c combination.
First, this company is a delight to do business with. Attention to quality is evident from the moment you contact the company until the moment the phones arrive. I was quoted a seven-day turnaround time and indeed that was exactly true. While that week was among the longest in my life (there is nothing more excruciating than waiting around for a custom order!) I feel that it was a short time for a custom product.
The "Heavy Metal Flight Case" they are shipped in is gorgeous -- a conversation piece! Inside is a padded small slipcase for using the phones on a more portable basis, packaged with a cleaning tool and some instrucitons. The 'phones themselves are hard shell with a user-removeable braided cord. You can order the phones in any color you like -- they'll even match a swatch for you. I ordered the translucent Royal Blue (no hearing aid look for me!) They look like jewels in the ear and would never be mistaken for anything other than cool earphones. They can also be ordered in solid colors, including Ipod white, and the cords are available in clar, beige, black, etc. in two lengths -- 46 inches and 60 inches. Coming from the 60 inch Shure E3 I appreciate being able to downsize to 46 inches -- I was constantly sitting on the cord and yanking my head back as a result!
As for fit well it is hard to describe the sensation of placing these improbable-looking devices into your ears. Once you get the orientation right they just slide right in there -- just like they were made for you!! And while the UE5c is made entirely of hard cryllic for purposes of durability, I found them as comfortable as bedroom slippers for the ear. To be sure, you do know they are in there, but they are amazingly comfortable and indeed I have been wearing them for hours with no discomfort. They are a profound relief from the Shure foamies, which while nicely isolating definitely itch after a time and make you feel all stuffed up. These do not do that. The isolation is superb and the fit is quite tight. UE has you get your ear impressions with your mouth wide open -- as a result they are really tight even if you yawn. Indeed while I imagine they could be tighter still I find that prospect somewhat alarming as it takes some doing to remove them! I imagine that process will improve as I get more used to doing it.
The cord is designed to wrap around your ear and run down your back. There is a very short length of memory wire (maybe an inch or less) to aid in fitting them "just so" around your ears. The cord is thin but sturdy and there are no microphonics from it -- zero! I had some issues with microphonics from the memory wire as it rubbed against the temple of my glasses but after fiddling with it and adjusting it those sounds disappeared.
Now for the sound -- astonishingly good. The UE5c has exceptional detail and remarkable imaging for a canalphone -- better than many loudspeakers. There is a wonderful high end and the bass -- well the bass is superb: it throbs from the back of your neck yet manages to be tight, accurate, amazingly clear and never buzzy, muddy or boomy. But boy you feel it -- bass hounds will absolutely love these phones, no doubt about it!
For my listening I indulged in a wide variety of music. I am tough to please as I am a fan of all sorts of things, from classical to dance/trance to jazz to pop to rock to hiphop. One could argue that no one set of phones could do justice to all these genres -- but really the UE5c is a revelation across the board.
For a cut like Al Dimeola's "Mediterranean Sundance" the clarity of these phones is simply amazing. You can hear the rapid-fire plucking of every string, with each string coming out of each earpiece on an alternating basis. On classical cuts the kettle drum sounds feel like they are emanating from one of your temporal lobes -- vibrating after a soft mallet has been used. The achingly high notes of Paganinni's Violin Concerto No. 1 are chrystal clear but never harsh. The reverberation of Keith Jarrett's piano notes hang in the air long after his fingers leave each key. The cough in the audience for a Pincas Zuckerman Beethovan sonata makes you feel like you are sitting in the concert hall. Madonna's "American LIfe" electronic effects just blow you away. Nelly's "Hot in Here!" will get you on your feet! And the bass beat for Armin van Burren or Paul Van Dyke or Ibiza or any trance artist -- it's enough to get your heart and blood pumping to the beat. Simply amazing. There is no harshnss, no fatique in listening to any type of music I could find. And everything sounds new and delightful. It's like hearing your collection all over again.
As for the match with the Ipod well I can't imagine anything better. It drives the Ipod with complete authority. You can blow your head off at 50% of the Ipod's volume capacity and really can run it routinely at 30 - 40% and have mind-blowing powerful sound. There is no hissing or annoying artifacts. Almost all of my music is 162 AAC and only a fraction of it is recorded at higher quality but I had no complaints about sonic quality, nor did I feel annoyingly reminded that I was not listening to CD quality sound.
I had gone back and forth between the UE10 and the UE5c. I wanted the best but didn't want to feel I had gone overboard for my own needs -- exclusively Ipod listening, no amp, getting myself through gym workouts, that sort of thing. I am not a musician, will never hook these up to my Krell at home and would always want to listen to my B&W Silver Signature 30 speakers if I'm in the same room with them. So, I went with the UE5c because they are the first phones of their kind specifically designed with the Ipod in mind as a source device. I can assure you that to my at least mind there is no compromise involved in making this choice. The UE5c is amazing, and at $550 feels like an appropriate indulgence for audiophiles who want to get the most out of their Ipod investment. It is money well-spent and I can't imagine ever wanting anything to replace them.
The only traumatic thing is that all you can do is talk about them to others because you cannot share them! And it is a leap of faith because you can't try them before you buy them. All I can say is I feel certain you won't be disappointed. If you have an audiophile's ear you will find them amazing. And if you want bass to rock your world these are your canalphones!
My apologies for the long post.
I received my UE5cs yesterday and have dropped everything to listen to music since then., I have to say that these beauties are simply astonishing -- they are tuned specifically for Ipods and similar portable equipment and drive the Ipod with complete authority without an amp. While I am sure that the UE10 is even better (three drivers vs two) I feel there is no compromise in buying the UE5c for portable use -- I frankly can't imagine better sound than the Ipod/UE5c combination.
First, this company is a delight to do business with. Attention to quality is evident from the moment you contact the company until the moment the phones arrive. I was quoted a seven-day turnaround time and indeed that was exactly true. While that week was among the longest in my life (there is nothing more excruciating than waiting around for a custom order!) I feel that it was a short time for a custom product.
The "Heavy Metal Flight Case" they are shipped in is gorgeous -- a conversation piece! Inside is a padded small slipcase for using the phones on a more portable basis, packaged with a cleaning tool and some instrucitons. The 'phones themselves are hard shell with a user-removeable braided cord. You can order the phones in any color you like -- they'll even match a swatch for you. I ordered the translucent Royal Blue (no hearing aid look for me!) They look like jewels in the ear and would never be mistaken for anything other than cool earphones. They can also be ordered in solid colors, including Ipod white, and the cords are available in clar, beige, black, etc. in two lengths -- 46 inches and 60 inches. Coming from the 60 inch Shure E3 I appreciate being able to downsize to 46 inches -- I was constantly sitting on the cord and yanking my head back as a result!
As for fit well it is hard to describe the sensation of placing these improbable-looking devices into your ears. Once you get the orientation right they just slide right in there -- just like they were made for you!! And while the UE5c is made entirely of hard cryllic for purposes of durability, I found them as comfortable as bedroom slippers for the ear. To be sure, you do know they are in there, but they are amazingly comfortable and indeed I have been wearing them for hours with no discomfort. They are a profound relief from the Shure foamies, which while nicely isolating definitely itch after a time and make you feel all stuffed up. These do not do that. The isolation is superb and the fit is quite tight. UE has you get your ear impressions with your mouth wide open -- as a result they are really tight even if you yawn. Indeed while I imagine they could be tighter still I find that prospect somewhat alarming as it takes some doing to remove them! I imagine that process will improve as I get more used to doing it.
The cord is designed to wrap around your ear and run down your back. There is a very short length of memory wire (maybe an inch or less) to aid in fitting them "just so" around your ears. The cord is thin but sturdy and there are no microphonics from it -- zero! I had some issues with microphonics from the memory wire as it rubbed against the temple of my glasses but after fiddling with it and adjusting it those sounds disappeared.
Now for the sound -- astonishingly good. The UE5c has exceptional detail and remarkable imaging for a canalphone -- better than many loudspeakers. There is a wonderful high end and the bass -- well the bass is superb: it throbs from the back of your neck yet manages to be tight, accurate, amazingly clear and never buzzy, muddy or boomy. But boy you feel it -- bass hounds will absolutely love these phones, no doubt about it!
For my listening I indulged in a wide variety of music. I am tough to please as I am a fan of all sorts of things, from classical to dance/trance to jazz to pop to rock to hiphop. One could argue that no one set of phones could do justice to all these genres -- but really the UE5c is a revelation across the board.
For a cut like Al Dimeola's "Mediterranean Sundance" the clarity of these phones is simply amazing. You can hear the rapid-fire plucking of every string, with each string coming out of each earpiece on an alternating basis. On classical cuts the kettle drum sounds feel like they are emanating from one of your temporal lobes -- vibrating after a soft mallet has been used. The achingly high notes of Paganinni's Violin Concerto No. 1 are chrystal clear but never harsh. The reverberation of Keith Jarrett's piano notes hang in the air long after his fingers leave each key. The cough in the audience for a Pincas Zuckerman Beethovan sonata makes you feel like you are sitting in the concert hall. Madonna's "American LIfe" electronic effects just blow you away. Nelly's "Hot in Here!" will get you on your feet! And the bass beat for Armin van Burren or Paul Van Dyke or Ibiza or any trance artist -- it's enough to get your heart and blood pumping to the beat. Simply amazing. There is no harshnss, no fatique in listening to any type of music I could find. And everything sounds new and delightful. It's like hearing your collection all over again.
As for the match with the Ipod well I can't imagine anything better. It drives the Ipod with complete authority. You can blow your head off at 50% of the Ipod's volume capacity and really can run it routinely at 30 - 40% and have mind-blowing powerful sound. There is no hissing or annoying artifacts. Almost all of my music is 162 AAC and only a fraction of it is recorded at higher quality but I had no complaints about sonic quality, nor did I feel annoyingly reminded that I was not listening to CD quality sound.
I had gone back and forth between the UE10 and the UE5c. I wanted the best but didn't want to feel I had gone overboard for my own needs -- exclusively Ipod listening, no amp, getting myself through gym workouts, that sort of thing. I am not a musician, will never hook these up to my Krell at home and would always want to listen to my B&W Silver Signature 30 speakers if I'm in the same room with them. So, I went with the UE5c because they are the first phones of their kind specifically designed with the Ipod in mind as a source device. I can assure you that to my at least mind there is no compromise involved in making this choice. The UE5c is amazing, and at $550 feels like an appropriate indulgence for audiophiles who want to get the most out of their Ipod investment. It is money well-spent and I can't imagine ever wanting anything to replace them.
The only traumatic thing is that all you can do is talk about them to others because you cannot share them! And it is a leap of faith because you can't try them before you buy them. All I can say is I feel certain you won't be disappointed. If you have an audiophile's ear you will find them amazing. And if you want bass to rock your world these are your canalphones!
My apologies for the long post.