um1 or ms1?

[wickedweasel 0]

Hi guys,

 

this is my first post. on recommendations from this forum, i bought the sony mdr888, love its sound, and would like to get another pair of ear/headphones just for the heck of it. after some research, i narrowed my choices down to westone um1 and alessandro ms1. which one do you guys suggest? or wat other ear/headphones do u think i should consider?

 

i dun really care abt the design or whether its IEM or not cos i usually listen to my cds only at home. only condition is tt it has to sound better than mdr888. my only complaints abt 888 r tt they could be more detailed and clearer, have bigger soundstage and have deeper bass. My budget-wise....BEST is below $200.

 

btw i have ex71 as well n i think they r really terrible. i would rather stick ricolas in my ears. so pls dun suggest anything similar! : )

 

thank you guys in advance for your help!

 

[palestofwhite 0]

To me, my UM1 is not very detailed and sounds abit muffled. If it's for home use i'd have gotten the MS1 instead.

[wil 0]

If its home use, i wouldnt suggest the UM1.

 

Get the MS1 instead.

[Zephyron 0]

Do give the Goldring DR150 a go

 

They've got excellent price-performance ratio!

[scanfiend 0]

To me, my UM1 is not very detailed and sounds abit muffled. If it's for home use i'd have gotten the MS1 instead.

 

Some folks in Headfi.org reported that the UM1 really improved with amping. Do you have an amp to try this on?

 

[palestofwhite 0]

I have tried it once but it's still lacking something. I prefer the ety's sound sig over the UM's. Chances are i'll get the UM1 replaced with something better from shure or ety.

[Kippei 0]

In all sense a full size MS-1 is really the way to go here ...

[scanfiend 0]

I have tried it once but it's still lacking something. I prefer the ety's sound sig over the UM's. Chances are i'll get the UM1 replaced with something better from shure or ety.

 

Go with your ears then I tried the ETY.....while the sound was very detailed, it just did not engage me musically. It sounded very clinical.

[theory_87 0]

To me, my UM1 is not very detailed and sounds abit muffled. If it's for home use i'd have gotten the MS1 instead.

 

Some folks in Headfi.org reported that the UM1 really improved with amping. Do you have an amp to try this on?

it do improve... but still very lacking to me... i'm using a iM716 and i can safety assume it details is 65% of im716... both test are done on my h10 wif LDM+

[redalf 0]

only condition is tt it has to sound better than mdr888. my only complaints abt 888 r tt they could be more detailed and clearer, have bigger soundstage and have deeper bass.

 

U can get all these in MS1, not UM1... go to Jaben and try out both, u'll know what you'll like... you may also wan to consider SR80...

I'm pretty sure no one will choose UM1 over MS1, unless they really wan IEM... or they simply don like grado/alessandro...

Edited July 28, 2006 by redalf

[palestofwhite 0]

The MS1 sounds really good when i tried them at Jaben. It can even be driven by my ipod nano without any problems. I don't know why people think it's ugly, but i personally think it's quite a well designed headphone. I really like how it looks. If i were to get cans, i'd have gotten the MS2 or pro. If budget allows.

[wickedweasel 0]

Thanks alot guys. Really appreciate the advice.

 

Just realised this topic might be more suited to the home audio section....anyway i've one more question. I read in afbug's hardwarezone r/v tt ms1's built is a bit filmsy. i wonder if long- time users of ms1 in this forum have the same opinion.

 

thanks for any comments.

[afbug 0]

Bro, my MS1 review is not completed yet. You spy on my secret page 2 ah? I got no problems with it but it feelings a little flimsy to me. And the cables will get all twisty in time to come. My MS1's cables are secured with just a cable tie as a blocker. Plroblem is, the cable tie slips! One hard tug might break the connection. lol.

[Cocobean 0]

Hi there, Welcome to Sghead!!!,

 

 

I would suggest u to try the MS-1 at jaben if you are using it in your house.

The UM1 is more for outdoor use as all other iems so my recommendation to u:

Ms-1! Also all Grado headphone's have gd quality so I would not worry abt whether its easy

to break or not.

 

let your ears be the judge. U can drop by Jaben to audition it yourself and Uncle

Wilson there's gonna give u a good price.

[palestofwhite 0]

Wickedweasel... there was a time i did consider the built of the earphones before buying. My first IEMs were between the UM1 and the ER6i. I personally prefered the sounds of the ER6i but ended up with the UM1 in the end due to it's better pricing and quality built. Now i'm living in regret. Earphones are ultimately meant for the ears afterall. If you'd buy something lasting than you're to enjoy, it's as good as prolonging your misery. I'd rather have earphones or cans that doesn't last but still give me the short period of enjoyment and good memories. I'm pretty much decieving myself to like the UM1 for what it is. I can't. I should have bought the Etymotics and applied more care to them. The same should go for you too if you do consider the MS1. Buy what's good for the ears and take care of them.