Welly Wu 0 Report post Posted May 25, 2004 REVIEWER EQUIPMENT EXPERIENCE: I owned both the Grado RS-1 and Sennheiser HD600 flagship headphones; I also owned the Etymotic Research ER-4P/S and I use the Ultimate Ears UE-10 PRO earphones. For headphone amplifiers, I owned the HeadRoom Cosmic (with Reference Module), but I use a Ray Samuels Emmeline HR-2. I owned both the DiMarzio High Resolution and M-PATH, but I use the Cardas Neutral Reference interconnecting cables. My power conditioner is a Balanced Power Technologies BP.Jr. II Ultra and I use the Cardas Golden Reference and PS Audio xStream Plus power cords. For sources, I owned a Panasonic SL-CT570, Apple iPod, NAD C541i and Denon DVD 2900. My current source is a Pioneer Elite DV-59AVi. REVIEWER BIASES: I prefer my sound akin to a mug of Starbucks Italian Roast coffee: warm, full-bodied, dark, and boldly rich with hints of sweetness. MUSIC SELECTIONS: • Toby Keith Shock ‘N Ya’ll (HDCD) • Eagles Hotel California (HDCD) • Norah Jones Come Away with Me, Feels Like Home • Sade Lover’s Rock (HDCD) • The White Stripes Elephant • Linkin Park Meteora • Renee Fleming Bel Canto, By Request, Under the Stars • Andrea Bocelli Sogno, Sentimento, Cieli Di Toscana • Hans Zimmer Gladiator • Rachel Podger Antonio Vivaldi: La Stravaganza: 12 Violin Concertos • Anne-Sophie Mutter Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (DVD-Audio) • The Beach Boys Pet Sounds (DVD-Audio) • Fleetwood Mac Say You Will (DVD-Audio) • Sting Sacred Love (DVD-Audio) • Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (DVD-Audio) • Roxy Music Avalon (Hybrid SACD) • Diana Krall The Girl in the Other Room (Hybrid SACD) • Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Top Gun (Single Layer SACD) • Anne-Sophie Mutter Beethoven: Violin Concerto / Romances (Single Layer SACD) • Midori Debussy, Poulene, Saint-Saens (Single Layer SACD) • Nikolaus Harnoncourt Anton Bruckner: Symphony No.9 (Hybrid SACD) ETYMOTIC RESEARCH ER-4P/S: http://www.etymotic.com/ephp/er4.asp The Etymotic Research ER-4P/S is perhaps the best selling audiophile earphone on the market…period. It vaunts an impressive average sound isolation rating of 22db-32dB NRR. This is a versatile canal phone: the ER-4P is easy to drive (~ 25 ohms) and sounds warm while the ER-4S is harder to drive (~ 105 ohms) and sounds neutral. Designed for portable usage where high sound isolation is a necessity, newer versions feature thinly braided cables that reduce microphonics. Owners love them for their extremely clear, detailed, and resolved sound. Furthermore, imaging and separation of instruments are par excellence. For example, I can hear fingers squeaking up and down the neck of a guitar. As another example, I can hear whether a musician breathes through his nostrils or a slack jaw. Yet, owners acknowledge their paucities. They have criticized them for anemic bass and shrill treble. For example, I can hear bass notes but I do not feel the visceral slam. As another example, notes beyond the 12.5 KHz threshold sound piercing because of the limitations associated with the single bore / driver design (that leads to clipping). The soundstage is narrow and hemmed in. There are other quibbles. Owners must periodically replace the filters and ear tips to keep them clean. While the thinly braided cables reduce microphonics, they fail to eradicate them due to an inherent design flaw of the earphones. Lastly, the ER-4P/S is a single bore / driver design that is nearly a decade old. ULTIMATE EARS UE-10 PRO: http://www.ultimateears.com/UE-10_PRO.htm The Ultimate Ears UE-10 PRO incorporate the best features of the ER-4P/S, but UE takes it to the pinnacle level of performance. In other words, it retains the same level of extreme detail, resolution, clarity…and more. For example, each note embodies its own full-bodied shape: Renee Fleming, who has the voice of a seraph, sounds so convincingly real that I feel she sings only for me. As another example, the whole hemisphere of my brain becomes the soundstage: imaging, instrument separation, and multiple layers of sound take on a three-dimensional, holographic realism. Bass exudes full-bodied warmth: these are the Ultimate Earphones for bassheads! Midrange maintains clarity, extreme accuracy, and transparency. Trebles extend up far while still sounding silky smooth. Changes in dynamics or tempo occur at the speed of light. Other key features make the UE-10 PRO unrivaled in the in-ear monitor business: it provides an average a sound isolation rating of 26dB NRR that should be adequate for portable usage in even the noisiest environments. If done correctly, then the ear impressions provide the ultimate level of comfort for extended periods; I can even sleep with them in my ears. With the UE, there are no “hidden costs:†owners do not need to replace filters or ear tips. Its’ extremely low impedance (13.3 ohms) permits owners to use them with any source. While this obviates the necessity of a headphone amplifier, I still highly recommend using one! The thinly braided cord loops behind each ear and eliminates microphonics. Owners can detach/replace cords of different lengths/colors and choose from a variety of different colors (or color swirls) along with having their initials engraved on both earpieces. Lastly, owners get a Heavy Metal CaseTM to safeguard their costly investment. Speaking of price, it costs $900 USD for the hard acrylic or “full soft†material, up to $50 USD for the audiologist fees, and an additional $50 USD for the full-soft material along with shipping and handling fees. Please note owners cannot resell them because UE cannot remanufacture an existing set of ear impressions for another person. CONCLUSIONS: If you can afford them, then I recommend the Ultimate Ears UE-10 PRO over the Etymotic Research ER-4P/S unhesitatingly: there is no comparison…period. I daresay that the UE-10 PRO will work well with any audio system. Once you hear the UE-10 PRO play your favorite song, I guarantee you will believe every penny paid was totally worth it. UE sets the benchmark for customer service – they lavish you with the “rock star treatment.†If you want the best in IEM design and technology, then the UE-10 PRO is the ultimate solution. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mackie 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2004 Thanks for the effort. A good read. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Blues 0 Report post Posted May 27, 2004 4x the price of the er-4 .. an excellent review! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
