Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 Extended Bass Noise Isolating Earphones (Black)

by Ultimate Ears

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 7 x 2.4 inches ; 0.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0009Q4PIS
• Item model number: IF-P5ESB0008-02
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 2, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

For over 12 years, Ultimate Ears has been designing custom ear monitor products for your favorite professional musicians for use on stage and in the studio. Musicians put their hearts, their souls, their breakups, their memories and their passions into every song and they count on Ultimate Ears products to get the most out of their music. Now Ultimate Ears has taken the same technology found in its custom personal monitors and developed a line of personal earphones for music fans, so that you too can hear music the way it is meant to be heard.

Ultimate Sounds for Any Lifestyle

	metro.fi 2 If you are a fashion-conscious, active commuter who wants to get better sound from your MP3 player or iPod than you’re getting with your player’s stock headphones, the metro.fi 2 was made for you. It gives you a full spectrum of sound in a stylish in-ear design that incorporates a universal fit kit to maximize your comfort and minimize the noise around you. The passive noise-isolating design blocks out 16 dB of ambient noise, while the titanium-coated speaker and proprietary audio filters deliver a full, "punchy" sound. The metro.fi 2 series is perfect for those looking for an entry-level step up from their portable audio player's stock headphones.
	super.fi 3 The super.fi 3 Studio earphones give you studio-quality sound in a unique in-ear design that incorporates pro-style ear loops to keep your earphones in place and a universal fit kit. They seal your ear canal like the metro.fi 2, but block even more noise because the internal speaker is different. The super.fi 3 studio incorporates a proprietary balanced armature driver--the same technology found in hearing aids. Instead of pushing air to generate sound waves like your home speakers, a balanced armature is a coil that vibrates like a guitar sting. This driver gives you distortion-free, full-range audio clarity while the in-ear design provides up to 26dB of noise isolation for clearer sonic detail. The super.fi 3 series is a great introduction to true audiophile headphones for those who are looking to get more out of their portable player.
	super.fi 4 The super.fi 4 uses the same speaker technology and sound signature that is used in other Ultimate Ears professional monitors. The noise isolating design reduces ambient interference and enhances quality of sound. The custom tuned balanced armature/speaker is enclosed in a durable, lightweight aluminum housing. The super.fi 4 features two wearing styles, cable down for casual listening and over-the-ear while exercising. Accessories include a pocket-ready hard carrying case, comfortable silicone fit tips with small, medium, large and dual flange fitting options, and an airline attenuator for hearing protection when using an unstable sound source.
	super.fi 5 The super.fi 5 uses the same speaker and sound signature used in other Ultimate Ears professional monitors. It offers a detailed, sonically rich experience that is perfect for all types of musical genres. The super.fi 5 utilizes a precision crafted top-fire armature to produce a remarkably full soundstage. The metallic silver body with UE logo is stylish, low profile and ideal for a person on the go. The earphones are color coded for easy left and right identification. Cables can be worn down for casual listening or over the ear for active lifestyles. Accessories include three sizes of soft silicone ear tips, two sets of Comply foam ear tips, a cleaning tool, and a pocket ready pebble-shaped case.
	super.fi 5 EB For those who need a little more low-end response, the super.fi 5 EBs deliver the same professional-grade sound, noise isolation, and superb form factor as other earphones in the super.fi line--but with an increased bass sensitivity for deep and driving beats. Precise audio filters and an encapsulated diaphragm subwoofer ensure that the bass stays tight and distortion-free, never muddy. The super.fi 5 series' dual-driver technology makes these earphones ideal for studio-grade acoustic performance while delivering an increased "thump" for those who like to really feel their music. These earphones also include a metallic travel case.
	super.fi 5 Pro The super.fi 5 Pros are the closest you can get to the same professional-grade stage monitors custom-made by Ultimate Ears for stars like Madonna, Metallica, and Linkin Park. Experience superior full-range sound, thanks to audio filters that shape the sound for maximum detail and passive crossovers that direct music to two different drivers for precise audio reproduction. This design incorporates one 13.5mm diaphragm for clear, non-muddy lows, and one precision balanced armature for detailed mids and highs. These earphones also include a metallic travel case.
	triple.fi 10 Pro If the super.fi 5 series feels like being a musician in the studio, the limited edition triple.fi 10 series is like being a professional sound engineer. If you want to hear every possible nuance and musical layer, then you need triple.fi 10 Pro earphones. These earphones offer one of the most sonically rich experiences humanly possible when listening to any style of music--when a guitarist slides their fingers along the strings or when a singer exhales, you will hear every detail. The triple.fi 10 Pro series is Ultimate Ears' latest technological breakthrough and the only professional earphone product with three separate drivers--one for accurate bass, one for the critical vocal midrange, and one for crystal-clear highs. These earphones also incorporate all the best features that Ultimate Ears universal products have to offer, including pro-style ear loops that secure your earphones in place and a universal fit kit--plus a distinctive metallic blue finish that truly separates you from the pack. The triple.fi 10 Pro’s also come with a metallic protective travel case, sound attenuator and ¼" adaptor jack. Now your head is a world class recording studio. But don’t take our word for it--hear the difference for yourself.

Getting the Ultimate Fit from Your Ultimate Ears Just ordered yourself some Ultimate Ears or already own a pair? Click the image to the right to see a short tutorial on how to insert your Ultimate Ears to achieve the best seal for your ear-canal. (The tutorial will open in a new window.)

Product Description

Professional ear monitor products, Super.fi 5 EB earphones. Premiere earphone technology for the best experience from your iPod or other personal audio device. Imagine professional quality sound out of earphones designed for your lifestyle. The compact, lightweight design and metallic storage case allow the earphones to go where you go. The flexible ear loops comfortably secure the earphones in place and the fit kit enables maximum noise isolation from the world around you. Best of all, the combined armature and diaphragm driver technology delivers Hip Hop, Rap, Metal, Techno and other bass rich music with the low end output you expect - without distortion. So if you want full spectrum audio performance but also enjoy heavy, driving bass beats, plug into a Super.fi 5 EB, your ears will love you for it!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars For extreme bassheads, February 28, 2006

By 

Douglas A. Greenberg (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 Extended Bass Noise Isolating Earphones (Black) (Electronics)

This is the Ultimate Ears Super fi model especially designed for "bassheads," featuring a disproportionately large bass driver complemented by a more conventional driver for the middle and high frequencies. I don't think UE would ever claim that what results is a balanced sound signature. Yes, the mids and highs are present and the quality is clean and reasonably detailed, but these frequencies are definitely recessed and with some kinds of music this can result in an unnatural kind of reproduction.

On the bright side, however, the bass reproduction is marvelous. Not only is the quantity/extent of the bass frequencies as powerful as any headphones or earphones I've ever used, the quality is excellent. The bass is tight and pleasant, neither boomy nor thumpy. This overbalance toward bass frequencies renders the UE 5 EB's ideal for use when listening to music in which the bass is presented "front and center," including techno bass (aka "car audio bass"), drum n' bass, and many types of rap/hip-hop. For music in which the basslines are prominent but comprise part of a more balanced presentation overall, opinions will vary. With rock music, for example, the strong bass is certainly a plus, but I have found that sometimes the bass overpowers the middle frequencies too strongly, and some detail is lost.

It should be noted that this bass-dominated sound signature renders the EB's a good choice for people who own iPods and feel that their music player is weak on bass. Without any EQ adjustment, the iPod suddenly is transformed into a player where the bass is PRESENT.

In terms of build, the EB's superficially seem well-constructed and designed. I have heard complaints, however, that the thinness of the wires and earpieces render them vulnerable to breakage. Be careful out there! Thoughtfully, EB has includes a variety of ear tips with these IEM's (including foam, flanged, and plain) so that users with different sized ear canals can get a good fit. The EB's don't extend deeply into the ear canal, which is a mixed blessing. On the one hand, this means that if you get a good fit of the earpiece into the entrance to the ear canal, comfort is good and isolation decent. However, if the fit is not quite right both comfort and isolation will prove frustrating. Making the right choice of ear tip is absolutely essential when using the EB's.

Oh, and some people think that the EB's look kind of strange when worn. Larger than the higher-priced Super fi 5 Pro model, the EB's stick out a bit. Your call as to whether this is a problem.

Like all of the UE IEM's in this series, the EB's are packaged with a nice set of accessories, including a 1/4" adapter plug, a sound attenuator, a soft travel case, an earwax loop, and a silvery metal storage case which includes a winder that helps head off what is always a problem with IEM's, cord tangling.

It's unlikely that the EB's will prove satisfactory as your "everyday" earphone unless you listen solely to bass-dominant types of music. The truth is, however, that even for bass-heavy music the overall sound signature of the Super fi 5 Pros is likely to be more satisfactory for most users (I own both). But as a second pair specifically for use with bass-y music, the EB's are well-designed and definitely fun.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Extreme Bass!, November 23, 2005

By 

E. G. Castillo (Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 Extended Bass Noise Isolating Earphones (Black) (Electronics)

I received my pair of Ultimate Ears EB's yesterday and have been comparing them to my old headphones, the Etymotic 6i's. And since there are very few reviews out there that compare the two, I wanted to put in my two cents.

My first impressions right out of the box are that the learning curve for getting a good fit and great sound out of the EB's is extremely short. I put them on my ears and after a few seconds of adjustment got an amazing sound through my IPod. Compared to the Etymotic 6i's, the 6i's insert way into the ear, and getting a proper seal is extremely important to the way the headphones sound. The EB's don't require that kind of complete seal, so they are easier to use. The EB's, however, do not give nearly as great a seal to outside noise as the 6i's (do not believe the other review), so traffic and voices in a crowded coffee shop will leak through to your music experience. After hours of use, I actually found the 6i's to be more comfortable, but the EB's come with multiple earpieces of different sizes, so comfort is not a critical issue.

Now sound--the EB's will blow you away with the amount of bass they give out. I cannot describe how extreme the bass is with these headphones, especially compared to the Etymotics which have an extreme lack of bass. If you ask me if the bass is overexaggerated and unbalanced, I would have to say yes--you actually have to turn the volume way down in order to not destroy your ears, they are that powerful. But when it comes down to the detail of the sound--hearing echoes, acoustics, layers of sound, and different locations of sounds, I believe the EB's do just as good of a job if not slightly better than the 6i's.

The bass, although extreme never distorts the mids and highs of vocals, other instruments, and other sounds--it is amazing to hear the huge thump of bass beside the echoed vocals of Portishead or detailed raspiness of Nas. Also, listening to acoustic tracks and instrumental jazz I believe is extremely well done by the EB's. No detail is lost, and I actually believe the bass in those tracks are not overly unrealistic and add another layer to the experience. There is surprising a lot of bass in symphonic tracks and the drumbs of jazz tracks naturally--when heard in the jazz lounge or at the music hall themselves--that listening to them with very little bass does not do them justice. So I believe the EB's actually do a better job of reproducing acoustic and jazz tracks than the Etymotics, because the latter has such a low amount of bass that despite the 6i's great detail and sound separation a whole layer of music seems to be missing.

The negatives about the EB's is that, because of the huge amount of bass they carry and because they are overall louder than most headphones, one has to watch very very carefully in order not to damage one's hearing. This is actually a concern with these headphones. The comfort is not amazing, but neither is it a problem. The wires are also very thin, even for these style headphones, so the wires are even more tangle-prone than normal. Overall though, these headphones produce very detailed sounds, from high to extreme low, sounds are well separated and located. These headphones, in general, add the bass to the detail of the Etymotics, and with that added layer of lows may even add slightly more detail than the Etymotics. Music like rap and rock and other bass essential music will definitely benefit with these headphones. Buy them, but watch out for your hearing.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best ear buds on the market, March 8, 2006

By 

C. E. Potter "Audiophile Texan" (Richardson, TX USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ultimate Ears SuperFi 5 Extended Bass Noise Isolating Earphones (Black) (Electronics)

After a few weeks of research, I came across Ultimate Ears on Amazon.com. Not sure of what they were, I logged on the UE website and was impressed by the technology behind the Super.fi 5 EBs in addition the bands listed as those using the UE products. I came really close to buying the Shure E2c's, but was easily swayed not too (the Shure's only received 3 stars compared to UE's 5).

Once receiving our new earbuds in the mail, I tried them out immediately on my ipod. I listening to majority of the music that bass heavy. Very impressed.

The main reasons for purchasing the UE's was so my wife could keep the earbuds in her ears while running, two-they are noise cancelling, three-they were a definite upgrade from Apple's earbuds that come with the scroll ipod.

Don't buy from UEs website, you'll be ripped off. Get the black earbuds from Amazon. I bought them at $30 discount. If I could, I would buy them again so my wife and I had our own pairs.

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