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Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones (Black) | 
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| Brand: Ultimate
Category: CE
List Price: $249.99
Buy New: $189.99
You Save: $60.00 (24%)
New (19) from $179.95
Avg. Customer Rating:  233 reviews
Color: Black
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Fragile: No
Batteries Included: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 7 x 2.4
MPN: 5 Pro Black
Model: 5 Pro Black
UPC: 811965010191
EAN: 0850613001587
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Features:
| • | Dual Drivers for wide frequency response (20 to 16,000 HZ) and efficient performance | | • | Professional Quality Sound | | • | Noise Isolating Design attenuates outside noise by an amazing 26db | | • | Comfortable and Secure Ear Loops | | • | Includes Universal Fit kit and a protective metallic travel case to store earphones |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Imagine professional quality sound out of earphones designed for your on-the-go lifestyle. The compact, lightweight design and metallic travel case allow the earphones to go where you go. The flexible ear loops secure the earphones in place and the universal fit kit enables maximum comfort and noise isolation from the world around you. Best of all, the dual driver in-ear technology allow you to experience music as it is meant to be heard. Professional Construction - Small form factor, lightweight durable design made for active lifestyles Fashion conscious styling - Intuitive, stylish design. Available in white and black finishes Noise Isolating Design - In-ear fit and customizable ear tips maximize noise isolation from the environment for the ultimate listening experience Flexible ear loops&Low friction cable - Flexible ear loops secure earphones in place and route cable behind ears offering maximum comfort and eliminating tangled cables Metallic Travel Case - Metallic crush proof case protects earphones while on the go Input Sensitivity - 119dB/mW Impedance - 21 Ohms Input connector - 1/8-inch (3.5mm) Gold plated Frequency Response - 20 to 16,000 Hz Noise isolation - 26 dB Cable Length - 46 inches Weight With Cable Assembly - 0.6 ounces
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| Customer Reviews: Read 228 more reviews...
 These are some of the best earphones on the market. July 14, 2005
92 out of 97 found this review helpful
I am a professional, classically trained musician and I have had these earphones for two weeks. I listen to mainly classical music, and have quite a collection of jazz and pop from various eras to which I listen as well. These earphones are wonderful. I did extensive research and returned several pairs of earphones (including Shure) before deciding on these.
These are canalphones, so you MUST have a good seal or you will not get proper sound. This means you have to choose the right fitting rubber inserts before they will work properly. The previous reviewer must have not fitted them properly because the sound is phenomenal when these are plugged in!
These phones have dual drivers for highs and lows. There is a lot of chatter on the internet about a weak high-end to these UE's, but I do not find that to be the case at all. The high-end is clear and defined. The strong low end, which is superb, may give many a scewed reference since most canalphones do not have good low ends, but the bass does not overpower the upper registers. Contrary to popular belief on the web, classical music sounds best when there is enough bass along with the highs. Just go to a live classical concert and listen for yourself! There is plenty of bass to go around! These phones are perfect for classical or for any type of music.
The other advantage to these phones is that you can change the wire and plugs yourself if they break or if you want a different cord of a different color. The earphones come with two nice cases, one all metal and the other in leather and the the accessorries all fit neatly together in the metal case.
Another nice feature is that there is little to no sound leakage. This means if you sleep with a significant-other, you won't disturb him or her at all. You should be careful when using them, because you won't hear much of anything other than the music.
The only downside is that these earphones will show you just how bad MP3 compression is on your player. I did a comparison with my CD player and discovered that even at 320 kbps, some of my MP3 files sound "distorted" compared to the CD. I did not notice this with my previous earphones.
If you're looking for great canalphones at a great price, then look no farther. I got mine at the Guitar Center and the sales person knocked $50 off the price, they are also the clear version. You can't go wrong with UE's proprietary monitor technology.
Your iPod needs these earphones February 27, 2006
68 out of 72 found this review helpful
The UE Super fi 5 Pros have been designed to provide clear, balanced sound in a highly portable and comfortable product. As of this moment I think they represent a kind of "best buy" for iPod owners seeking to upgrade from the stock white earbuds supplied with their music players.
A key to optimal enjoyment of these IEM's is selection of the appropriate ear tip from the several provided, including a compressible foam version and several types and sizes of rubber tips. Once a proper in-ear seal is achieved (yes, moistening the rubber tips is helpful), the resultant sound quality is excellent. Since the Super fi Pros don't require deep insertion into the ear canal, wearers can avoid the potential discomfort associated with some other high-quality IEM's.
The over-the-ear design of the earpiece wires ensures that these UE's will fit securely even during exercise. The cord, however, is very thin and appears delicate. These UE cords are also more prone to tangling than any I have ever encountered. It's a good thing that the supplied metal storage case includes a winder.
The balanced two-driver design produces good musical detail, decent but not spectacular treble, and excellent bass reproduction. Those seeking the very best in musical detail, however, should consider instead the Etymotic ER-4 in-ear models. On the other hand, the bass response of the UE's is far fuller than that of the Ety's. For any kind of music in which bass slam is essential, the UE's are an excellent choice.
The use of an auxilliary headphone amp tightens up the sound quality a bit, but these IEM's are so easy to drive that an amp is not necessary. This model, in fact, seems well-suited to produce high-volume output with any portable. I suspect, in fact, that the sonic signature of the Super fi 5 Pros was designed with Apple's bass-shy iPod models in mind. The output from my Nano seemed frustratingly thin and sometimes shrill when I used both the Apple earbuds and my pair of Etymotic ER-4P in-ear monitors. With the Super fi Pro's, however, the music is reproduced fully and richly, with plenty of bass. There is excellent synergy here.
Overall, these earphones produce clear, detailed sound in a tiny, highly portable package. The sound is not as "big" or full as can be achieved with top-quality full-sized headphones, but for on-the-go use, the Super fi 5 Pros will not disappoint. People who want "the very best" can spend a lot more money to get custom-fit in-ear monitors (such as Ultimate Ears' own UE-10 Pro model). Certainly when you shell out $1000 you should expect top-notch performance. But for one-fifth this price the Super fi 5 Pro model delivers amazingly good sound. Some people will still consider these earphones excessively expensive, but consider: this is a purchase that will pay dividends every time you turn on your music player.
Look NO Further. January 10, 2006
59 out of 62 found this review helpful
I recently received my Ultimate Ears super.fi Pro 5's, and I've got to add my voice to the resounding "praise" that is echoed again and again here and elsewhere. There are few products that I feel deserve my praise, and I'm a pretty picky guy with it comes to electronics. That said, I feel like I have to tell you that these are easily the best in-ear-monitors (IEMs) that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. Like others have said, they reveal hidden details in music you already own, and for me, they seem to "unleash" the true dynamic range of the music I love.
I listen to all types of music: from sacred to heavy metal/progressive rock, from ambient to pop (okay, well just a little "pop"), from classical to jazz ... you get the idea. I was a little concerned before I dropped my hard-earned money on these super.fi 5 Pro's that they might not live up to their lofty reputation. Well, I've got to tell you that these babies simply _blew_ my mind. Crisp highs (ZERO sibilance), strong mid-range (GREAT presence), and extremely well-defined and controlled bass (I'm a self-confessed bass-head and these are the bomb-diggity). I opted for 5 Pro's in lieu of the 5 EB's because it IS possible to have too much bass, and lose the music in the wash of low-end sound -- I prefer a more "audiophile" response, and can always EQ to my tastes.
Like the others have said, with any IEM (and the Pro 5's are no exception) a good seal in your ear is a must. The excellent variety of included "tips" will provide most owners with the perfect fit. I personally use the small silicone tips, and I have no troubles inserting or removing the headphones. In fact, for me, they're so comfortable that I hardly notice I'm wearing them after a short while. When the fit is proper, you will experience some of the best sound isolation (from external sources) and high fidelity that is possible. The other included accessories are really nice: the hard metal case, which has compartments for the 1/4" adapter, attenuator, and cleaning tool; and the soft leather case are all top-notch. The owners manual is very informative and written in plain English [but seriously dude, they're ear-buds, how difficult could they be to figure out?!?!?]. They are built very well and have a two-year warranty which I hope never to have to use. Remember those Sony MDR-EX71SL's you were all excited about, with the cord that split and frayed after a short while? Well, you won't find that cheap stuff here -- these have a user-replaceable cord -- go figure! It appears that Ultimate Ears may be worthy of their name.
Pair these with a great music player like Cowon's iAudio X5L (60GB of course), and you've got yourself a killer setup you can take just about anywhere that will allow you to slip away into your own personal space and enjoy your musical experiences in the way that the artists and engineers intended. [SAFETY MESSAGE: Just don't forget about your surroundings in the process!]
Yeah, I'm sure I'll still use my Sony MDR-EX71SL's from time to time (like maybe when I mow the lawn?). No, my MDR-7506's (with Beyerdynamic velour pads) aren't going anywhere any time soon, but for amazing fidelity, portability, and aesthetic reasons (i.e. in public), I'll be using my super.fi 5 Pro's quite a bit. And while it's probably a personal choice, I'm choosing to forget about Shure, Etymotic, and Westone.
Look no further my friend, and order these from Amazon.com today!!! I love 'em, and you probably will too.
 Great canalphones for the iPod! August 25, 2005
30 out of 31 found this review helpful
Depending on the music you listen to these canalphones might just be the ticket for the "high end". The crazy price of $250 is a bit much for these but if you are seeking the best tone - you get what ya pay for. Although I have seen these at $200 online.
Before getting these I used the Sony EX-71's. Known for their boomy muddy tone I became very use to them for the year. Finally I tried Shure E2C and was very unhappy with them. Returned them within 7 days. The problem with the E2C's was there was a lack of bass response even with a good seal. They also were hard to fit in the ear.
Next I tried the E4C and again found the bass to be poor. Good highs and mids but not so well in the bass dept. I tried to like them as I find the design awesome. The fit was very good as well. But the lacking bass turned me off so I returned them.
Finally after reading a lot about UE Super.fi 5 Pro I got them. I find these to be a lot better than the Shure E4c. Not only does it have very tight, punchy, present bass the mids bring out a lot of stuff in songs i never knew was there. The highs were ok. They sound kinda rolled off and no matter what I did on the iPods crappy EQ I couldn't get good highs and powerful lows at the same time. I use the "rock" setting and its a good medium. Also you do not have to crank up the volume with the UEs. As with the Sonys you had to crank it up because there is no MID frequency (hence the booming bass).
These are a keeper although I find the fit not as good as the E4c. But its all about tone and the UE win! Should note that the music I listen to is heavy metal/jazz/rock.
6/18/2008 UPDATE! Its been a while but I've been using these ever since. Some complaints: Original wires broke after a while so I had to purchase new wires. One earpiece broke and opened up and I had to glue it back together. Overall these phones still sound like they did out of the box. They held up ok. I'm still using them!
 Not versatile earphones at all, and only useful for limited styles of music. March 17, 2006
30 out of 36 found this review helpful
Depending how you insert these earphones and if you get the "magic seal" the sound will vary. But this review is based on the best results I could achieve, trying all the eartips supplied. As a comparison I use my Grado SR60 earphones disregarding the fact that they have a completely different shape because I will only compare the sound quality.
Super.fi 5 Pro earphones are capable of producing base that sounds like one of those gangster-rapper SUV's passing you buy. As I gradually increase Base on my equalizer the base gets stronger progressively without getting distorted. However, when I increase Treble in the same fashion, I can barely hear the difference from 0 to max setting. So the Highs are not nearly as good. I tested these earbuds on my stereo and mp3 player and here is my conclusion.
Sound overview:
Lows: 5/5
Mids: 4/5
Highs: 3/5
Noise reduction (due to their fit):
Super.fi 5 Pro have good noise reduction. You don't hear much outside noise and can listen to music at considerably lower levels achieving greater clarity. On Madonna's American Life when she sings in the beginning you can clearly hear the echo that I didn't hear there before on my Grado SR60 but then I listened to the song again on the Grado's and now that I was expecting the echo I heard it. Grado SR60 have an open design where you can hear outside noise almost as though you didn't have the headphones on at all. The louder you turn the volume on open-design headphones the more your music blocks outside noise *but* what happens is, because you have to turn the levels up, something as quiet as a subtle echo mentioned above is not as pronounced. That's the huge disadvantage of open headphones, and advantage of noise-reducing ones!
Design:
Very solid design. Here these Ultimate Ears guys did a great job. Although cable is thin and can break, it can be replaced by simply unplugging it from the earbud itself. Even though it's not too cheap of a replacement, it's better than throwing the earbuds away. The earphones stick out of your ears somewhat. I don't mind that, but some people might not like the idea. The cable goes over-the ear and at first I didn't know why, but it turns out it's to block the cable noise. I remembered that other earbuds I've tried, if the cable wasn't secured properly you would hear it banging against you as you walked - very distracting while listening to music. So here you don't have that.
Comfort: ?
This is of course highly subjective, but personally when I had best sound from these earphones they felt uncomfortable inside my ears. Could take getting used to though.
Bottomline:
I think these earphones are best for music that utilizes mostly lows like HipHop and Rap. Also some pop music like some 90's Madonna sounds pretty good. But I do Not recommended these earphones for classical music due to these earphones' poor highs performance. For example Vivaldi Cello Concerti sound quality is hugely impaired by these earbuds. They don't deliver a full sound you would expect to get when paying such price. They don't sound like from inside the bottle though, like some other cheaper in-ear buds I tried. Super.fi 5 Pro are Not versatile earphones at all, and only useful for limited styles of music.
I need something that will properly reproduce the music I listen, be it Classical, Jazz, Pop, Hip-Hop, or any other style I happen to be in the mood for! Grado SR60 do the job very well (beat these earbuds hands-down in sound quality) but they're not noise reducing at all so they're not very good for outside use, especially in the busy streets and trains. Be it as it may however, Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones sure aren't going to replace my SR60!
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