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Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Sound Isolating Earphones
Introduction
   I recently got the chance to review Etymotic's benchmark-setting ER-4P in-ear monitors, a set of phones that have been well respected by enthusiasts everywhere for the last fifteen or so years. Ultimate Ears is a relative newcomer to the universal fit IEM world, and the super.fi 5's are, price-wise, a pretty direct competitor. The super.fi 5 Pros are the best-of-the-best headphones in Ultimate Ears' super.fi range. You're getting into pretty serious territory when your headphones start sporting two drivers per ear, and barring Apple's still unreleased set, it's nigh impossible to find a set that retail below 200 dollars. A couple of months ago, I couldn't have told you this kind of headphone existed, or why. But, in my newly enlightened state, I'll try to tell you a bit about the super.fi 5 pros with some authority. First Impressions I've seen two different packaging schemes for the super.fi 5 pros over the course of this review, the older packaging for the original unit Ultimate Ears sent to me and the newer one for a replacement unit... but more on that later. I'll note the differences so you can know what to expect when ordering them as of the time of this publication. The first package was a loathed blister pack with the headphones displayed front-and-center. Upon opening the plastic death-trap without incident, I removed all of the fun bits from inside. There's a set of the 5 pros (natch) accompanied by a set each of large, medium, small, dual-flange, and old-style (read: purely cylindrical, non-tapered) gray foam tips. You also get an attenuator for connecting your headphones to an airline audio jack or the ilk and a 3.5 mm to 1/4 inch adapter. The new packaging is exactly like that of the super.fi 4s, and I still love the flashy design - they are both proudly sitting on my desk as I write. As far as differences in contents go, the newer package lacks the dual flange tips from the first generation, but makes up for this omission with two sets of Comply foam tips. These foams are tapered towards the end, which makes insertion much easier, and they are super comfortable. And they sound awesome. Comply tips are popular in the audiophile accessory market, and now I know why. I'll talk more about that a little later, though. You can store all of the goods in the included aluminum case; it's a bit classier - if also bulkier - than the translucent plastic case included with the super.fi 4s. It also holds more stuff, actually devouring every tip, adapter, and the headphones themselves. I was a big fan of this extra space, because I change my mind about what tips I want to use on an hourly basis, and frankly, I'm OCD about keeping the headphones clean. I like to have all my tools available, and this case makes that pretty easy. You can order the same one from the Ultimate Ears website for about fifteen bucks. Hardware Impressions Where the super.fi 4s were simple and modern chic, the 5 pros are more substantial and flashy-industrial in the looks department. The pair I received for review was "Metallic Black," with a pretty sharp sparkly finish on each earpiece body. While the Ultimate Ears website shows a clear cable, these now come with a black cable, from the first gen iPhone-friendly 3.5 mm input jack all the way to the earpiece attachment point. Although they looked identical, the cable from the second pair I used was noticeably more pliable and less subject to remembering the shape of being curled up in the case. When I said they looked more substantial than their younger sibling, I wasn't kidding. The 5 pros are about twice the size of the 4s, largely because they house two drivers per earpiece. The earpiece cylinder is a huge improvement over the 4s - I never had a problem losing tips in my ear canals like I did (and still do) with the former pair. The last inch and a half of each side of the cable is made of something called "memory cable." This allows you to insert the headphones and wrap the cable behind your ears securely. I love this stuff. Where other headphones might tend to move around when you are active, these stay put. If only my Shures had this kind of cable, I might not have retired them so quickly. It's also nice to know that, since the cables are fully detachable and user replaceable, you don't face tears and weeks of waiting if your cable gives up on you. The first pair that Ultimate Ears sent to me worked great for about two weeks, and then disaster struck. When gingerly attempting to remove the cabling from each earpiece, the plug on the left side pulled free. In the wrong place. I guess the glue (or whatever was holding this piece in place) came free, and I was left with a great set of monophonic headphones. A second pair made it out to me in a few days in the new packaging, and I've seen no problems so far. The cables removed easily this time, with no issue whatsoever. Apparently, UE is great with servicing warranties, and these phones carry a year of coverage. That's kinda short if you ask me, especially looking at the 2 years you get with the super.fi 4s (update: apparently, the warranties on all universal fit UE monitors have been reduced to one year - bummer) and the Etymotics, but every customer service testimonial I've read has been glowing, so that makes me feel a little bit better. Like I said earlier, the Comply tips became my favorite of the included fit options after extensive audition. I liked the dual flange set from the first pair, and you can still order these from the UE website. People with larger than average ear canals will have trouble with the foams since they are a little small, but that should only worry a select few. My canals are on the large side of normal and the Comply tips fit perfectly.
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Add Comment
2 User Comments 1 - Posted by
Jon Tseng
on March 13, 2009 - 5:37 am I think the pictures are all Super.fi 4s - which is a bit confusing as the 4s have a great robust metal casing wheres the 5s don't.
2 - Posted by
Kurtis
on March 13, 2009 - 11:45 am Jon: Thanks for noticing that... it looks like I didn't take photos of the Super.Fi 5 Pros for some reason... not sure why we put the Super.Fi 4 photos in there, but I will fix it. :)
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