Ultimate Ears Triple.fi 10 Pro Earphones Gun Metal Blue with Roadie Case Review

Hi everyone. This is the story of how I came to own the magnificent UE Triple.fi 10 Pro headphones.

About a year and a half ago, I purchased a pair of Super.fi 5 Pro headphones from Guitar Center; I loved these headphones - They were comfortable and gave me great sound on all types of music. My only complaint about the Super.fi was their build quality - I had to RMA the super.fis after about 6 months and then a year later, I had to call UE back for a second RMA number. When speaking to UE about my 2nd RMA, I mentioned to them that I really wanted to "upgrade" to the triple.fi's, but the rep told me that this was not possible. A few days later, I called UE back and spoke to the rep again and mentioned that I was not too excited about having my headphones replaced with the same model that had already failed on me twice within a year. She said that the triple.fi were not yet available, but that she could "hold onto" my super.fi's until they became available...at which time, she would call me back and I could pay the price difference between the super.fi's and the triple.fi's. I then asked when the triple.fis would be available and she said sometime in March. I grumbled a little and asked how this was possible considering that the triple.fi's were showing as "in stock" on amazon. She said that the amazon lot were the only ones left and offered to credit my card once she received my RMA shipment so that I could go ahead and order the triple.fi's from amazon. I was thrilled...I order the trips from amazon on Monday and opted for 2 day shipping. The package arrived on Wednesday as planned. I opened the package and to my shock and dismay, the Roadie case was empty...no headphones, no accesssories, no owners manual. Based on my previous encounters with UE customer service, I was cool as a cucumber...I knew UE would fix this. So I didn't even worry about calling amazon customer support. Instead, I phoned up UE directly. Less than 20 hours later, the FedEx guy was knocking on my door with a package. I opened the package and there they were...the Triple.Fi 10 Pros....they were beautiful. UE also went ahead and had my name printed on the Roadie case which I thought was a nice touch. I listened to the phones for about an hour and then hooked them up for another 24 hours of "burn in".

I am not going to go on and on about how they sounded since I am not the best at stringing together all those fancy audiophile terms, but let me just say that I cannot imagine a pair of IEMs sounding any better. The bass on these things is not overpowering, but it goes LOW. I was amazed when listening to Bela Fleck's Flight of the Cosmic Hippo...I thought Vic's bass solo was going to pop my eardrums...seriously. The mids and treble are even better than the bass; these phones have it all. The phones sound great when run directly out of my 4th Generation B&W iPod, but they sound even better running through my ALO cryo micro dock and Ray Samuels Audio Tomahawk amplifier.

One thing that is weird is that the black tips that came with the triple.fi's don't seem to seal as well as the grey ones that I had on my super.fi's. It's a good thing I kept some of the grey tips. They don't match the color scheme of the rest of the phones, but hey...I can't argue with what seals better.

The thing I don't get is why there is a perception that the triple.fi's are so hard to find. If amazon is showing them as "in stock", why aren't more people ordering them? Granted, my amazon experience was not ideal, but at the end of the day (next day actually), I had the triple.fi's in hand and they are amazing.

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Product Description:
If you love music and want to hear every nuance and musical layer like a professional sound engineer, then you need the triple.fi 10 Pro earphones from Ultimate Ears. The triple.fi 10 Pro earphones offer the most detailed and sonically rich experience when listening to any style of music. The triple.fi 10 Pro is Ultimate Ears latest technological breakthrough making this our only 3 individual speaker professional earphone product. 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 with six single flange silicone (2 small, 2 medium,2 large), 2 dual flange silicone and 2 standard foam ear tips that maximize your comfort and increase noise isolation from the sounds around you.The triple.fi 10 Pro's come with a 46" cable, cable adjustor, gold plated 1/8" input plug, metallic travel case, 1/4" adaptor jack, sound level attenuator, cleaning tool, user guide, and 2 year warranty.For a limited time only you can get the 10 Pro's in a limited edition metal roadie case.Now your head is a world class recording studio. But don't take our word for it -- hear the difference!

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Ultimate Ears 700 Noise Isolating Earphones Review

The Ultimate Ears 700 Noise Isolating Earphones are a good quality premium set of in-ear monitors.After several weeks of thoroughly testing these earphones and comparing them to the army of others that I own, my impressions have improved.These earphones have many of the best qualities that those seeking compact in-ear monitors (IEMs) are looking for.In each individual category, however, they are mostly bested by alternatives.You will have to review the entire range of features and decide if these provide the right blend of strong points to meet your needs.

WHO SHOULD BUY THESE EARPHONES?

These might be the right head-phones for you if you:
1.Are demanding about sound and really want better low-end sound reproduction than most compact IEMs.
2.Need good sound isolation and have normal to small ear canals
3.Need a compact set of earphones that can be inserted deeply for wearing under a helmet (such as during motorcycle riding)
4.Need a high quality cable without any memory and with minimal wire feedback (this pair's best feature)
5.Need a comfortable fit with good quality tips.

WHO SHOULD CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES?

You may benefit from considering the alternatives if you have one or more of the following needs.
1.Those who want the very best sound are probably still better off stepping up to the UE TripleFi 10 Pros, which have three unique drivers which result in the best low-end sound production out of any IEMs I have tested.Please note that those sell for much more than these. Similarly, the Shure SE530s have an amazing sound and superior comfort, though those units are not only twice as expensive they also have some build issues.Still, for those looking for the best sound possible in IEMs, those units deserve a look.
2.Those who need the best sound isolation should consider the Etymotic ER6is, ER-4Ps, HF2s or the HF5s depending on whether they prefer compact (ER6is, ER4Ps) or larger (HF2s, HF5s) body shapes.The flanged design of the ER tips are simply unmatched at sound isolation.The tips with the UE 700s are good , but can be easy to install improperly.If your tip size is slightly too small and you install too deep, you will lose isolation and hear a pop.The ER tips are just much better designed to help avoid that possible mistake.
3.Similarly, the ER6is are very compact and can also be used for motorcycle riding.Because of the improved isolation, there is less risk of having the seal pop while you're riding, which is a very uncomfortable situation to be in.The trade off is sound quality.The ER6is are a good compromise, and sound good.The UE 700s sound better, and fuller, even if they are not as efficient.Both units should be handled with care since the build quality is only moderately good.But considering the ER6is are half the price, it's a serious consideration for those willing to sacrifice a little bit of sound quality.The ER4Ps are closer in price, and honestly may sound slightly better then these.I will need more time comparing them before forming an opinion on that.
4.Those who don't want a compact IEM that buries itself into your ear canal should probably consider the UE Superfi 5 Pros.They also have the same dual-driver technology that produces very nice sound, but they have the longer body of the classic UE IEMs.I also somewhat prefer the tips of those, having owned the Ultimate Ears SuperFi 3s and some re-branded UE phones made by other manufacturers.They come with the option of a wider dual flanged tip that is good for those with wider ear canals.

THE FEATURES

The sound quality of these is very good.They are based on Ultimate Ear's signature dual-driver configuration with separate high and low drivers.The sound isn't quite as full as other higher end units, and the efficiency isn't as high.That means you have to turn up your volume a little more with these to get the same sound level you would with the Superfi 5Prosor the like.But the clarity is very good.In tests with uncompressed and low compression formats this set performed very well in the sound department.Sound quality was good even before break-in and improved slightly after.

Included with the earphones is a plastic case that is held closed by one side, while the other side is just a plastic hinge.I am definitely dreading the day that breaks.

There is also a sound attenuator that will help to protect your phones and your hearing if you have to hook up to an unstable sound source, such as on an airplane.However, they don't include the double pronged jack you need to plug in on most airplanes.There isn't sufficient room to keep the attenuator or the extra tips in the case so you will have tostore them elsewhere.

The foam tips included with this set are better than other foam tips that come with my Etymotics.The silicone tips are made from good quality silicone.The problem with them, alluded to above, is that their rounded shape means they feel like the perfect size, but may break the seal if you push them at the wrong depth or angle.So those who normally use a medium tip will have to size up to the large, and push it in past the point of comfort.I have sensitive ears and it took me about two weeks to adjust to these.

The product picture and box suggests you should wrap these around your ears for active use, such as while running.Actually, you should do it for any use.By limiting the pulling of wearing these straight down, it limits the wire sound that all IEMs have to some degree.The cable is such good quality I didn't hear any wire-movement sounds when these were properly installed.

There is a red plastic on one side so you can tell left from right, another UE trait that is a very useful feature.The body of these is a light plastic, but with that always comes possible durability concerns.I will only be able to update my findings about durability after 6 months of extended use.Needless to say, I would not be using these for running as they suggest on the box.

CONCLUSION

These are great IEMs, and may be one of the better quality compact earphones out there.However, if you don't mind slightly larger units, there are other alternatives that may be better overall.I am still glad I got these.Some of the features are very good, and the quality is noticeable.Depending on your budget and your needs, you should review your alternatives.

Enjoy.

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Product Description:
Designed with a micro dual-armature layout to give you a cleaner, more precise audio reproduction. This is the closest you may get to the same professional-grade stage monitors used by 75% of the world's touring professional artists and sound engineers. With sound so clear and authentic, you'll think you were listening to your favorite artist performing live in your living room. Such a small device produces such a magnitude of sound, you'll wonder how we got all the parts in there.

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Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB Earphones (White) Review

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 ismarvelous. 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.

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Product Description:
For the last ten 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 of out of their music. If you have an ear for maximum bass and only the best earphones will do, then you need the super.fi 5 EB extended bass earphones.The super.fi 5 EB earphones offer the best possible experience when listening to Hip Hop, Rap, Metal, Techno or other bass rich music from your iPod. The super.fi 5 EB has the best quality in-ear, acoustic technology available making this our premiere dual speaker extended bass product.These earphones also incorporate all the best features that super.fi products have to offer including pro-style ear loops that secure your earphones in place and a universal fit kit with 6 single flange silicone(2 small, 2 medium, 2 large), 2 dual flange silicone and 2 standard foam ear tips that maximize your comfort and increase noise isolation from the sounds around you. The super.fi 5 EB's come with a 46" cable, cable adjuster, and gold plated 1/8" input plug and ship with a metallic protective travel case, sound level attenuator, cleaning tool, 1/4" adaptor jack, user guide and a 2 year warranty. So feel the bass with super.fi 5 EB!

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Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220vi Noise Isolating Earphones w/ Microphone Review

I do not usually take the time to write reviews, but this one truly deserves one.

I was looking for a good quality earphone with noise isolation and a microphone that I could use with my desktop, laptop and Blackberry. I had a hard time finding a device with all the features I was looking for, but this one accomplished 98% of the task, providing an outstanding sound quality and noise isolation at the same time. The only shortfall was the need to buy a Y adapter (one 3.5m female and two 3.5m male) to use in my desktop and laptop for internet meetings and chats.

The design is very good, the extra silicon tips provide the right level of comfort for the ear, the hard case is small and durable, and the microphone is excellent for meetings, chats, and phone calls. The multifunction button allows you to pause the music or video on your phone and answer a phone call. After another press of the button, it resumes your previous activity.

I use it all day at the office and feel very comfortable. Quality of sound for music, video and voice is excellent.

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Product Description:
More than just a pretty package-the MetroFi 220vi headset give you clarity, smooth range and a clean thump in a sleek design. The 220 keeps you in touch with the world around you while letting you hear your music clearly. The comfortable, compact design sits securely in your ears while you go about your day. Hear your music as it was meant to be heard, with clarity, smooth range and a clean thump. 75% of the top touring musicians use Ultimate Ears Custom Earphones, now you can experience the same quality of sound in an earphone created with you in mind. For people who take their music everywhere they go, the MetroFi products are designed to fit into a busy life. Ultimate Ears by Logitech. How music is meant to be heard.

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