The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
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"Worth every penny, and then some." on by clarinetJWD
Pros: excellent detail as well as bass, comfort vx rival products, virtually no microphonics
Cons: soundstage iffy compared to circumaural headphones, high end roll-off
Summary: The specifications for this product state that the frequency range for it begins at 40Hz. I used a tone generator, and discovered that it is actually ~27Hz, which explains the wonderful, tight bass. The high end begins to roll off at 16kHz, less than I would like, but higher than necessary.
Performance: The UM1 meets or exceeds my expectations in all categories; the isolation is great (using short Comply tips), allowing it's resonant, though not boomy, bass to be quite present. On IEMs with strong bass, the common problem is lack of clarity and range in the mids and highs. While these won't satisfy the ultimate detail-head, they do do a more than adequite job throughout. They also seem easy to power, requiring no external amp when used with the Apple iPod.
Comparison: I have tried the Shure E2c, Etymotic ER6i, and the Altec Lansing iM716 (which according to all accounts uses the same driver as the Etymotic ER4).
E2c vs UM1: No contest. The E2c to me had a lot of bass, but it was muddy bass. These are much cleaner, and don't sacrifice the detail of the mids and highs to achieve their excellent bass. Comfort is also exponentially better, as these are much smaller.
ER6i vs. UM1: Slightly closer, but not much. THe Etymotics certainly have a cleaner more detailed mid/high range, but have a severe deficiency in the lows. I'm not saying the UM1's are your hip-hop bass heavy phones, but they seem much flatter across all frequencies. Comfort is close, though microphonics are less in the UM1
iM716 vs. UM1: I love the HD/Bass selector for the 716, which takes the headphones from a sterile detailed sound to a more fun sound, but I still prefer the UM1. In this category, I'd go with the UM1 still. It's basically the difference of the Sennheiser vs Grado sound, one being warm and inviting, the other being more sterile with better resolution. One factor to consider is that the 716's are harder to power, and an external amp helps them significantly with portable devices.
Hopefully this was helpful... -
"Outstanding Value!" on by Transience
Pros: Excellent sound, noise isolation, and comfort
Cons: Nothing significant.
Summary: The UM1s were a purchase to replace my Sony MDR-EX71SL earbuds. I went to earphonesolutions.com and decided on the UM1s versus all competing brands (Shure, Etymotic, Ultimate Ears) from consistenly high praise. I paid ~$100 with 2-Day shipping.
The build quality of the UM1s is fantastic. This combied with the firm carrying case made me feel at ease.
For me, the small foam tips provide the best seal and comfort. It took a few tries to learn how to put them in, but now it's easy. Versus the Sonys and traditional cans, I forget that I'm wearing my UM1s. They fit flat in your ears, also, so they're less noticable than others.
Contrary to CNet, I've found the fit to be secure once properly inserted - but using the larger set did give me troubles. That was their only complaint and I certainly haven't experienced the problem.
The sound quality is neither muddy nor overly bright. I'm no audiophile, but most describe it as slightly warm - I say it's excellent. I don't find myself fatigued listening to the UM1s. The bass, while not exaggerated, is remarkably pronounced for such a small driver. Not only that, but the isolation and sensitivity is so substantial that I've learned to turn my music down. Often, I have my Ipod set at minimum volume - like listening to a home stereo in the evening. This put in perspective how loud the world is and now I listen to music from all sources at a lower volume.
I could not be happier with the UM1s. I'm a "bang for the buck" consumer and I don't hesitate to recommend them. -
"After LOADS of research I'm so happy with my choice!" on by drew77
Pros: sound quality, comfort, discrete size, no tangles with braided cord, decent carrying case
Cons: Though I found them to be great after about 2 wks, in retrospect it took me about a month how to fit them properly. Not really a con, but be aware that you may have to be patient before you're happy.
Summary: I agonize over purchasing decisions. Mostly because I'm frugal (cheap, really) and demanding. After about two months of research on the subject, I decided to take a leap of faith on these. The sound quality is fantastic and the comfort factor is priceless - much more of a benefit than I ever would have expected. In my opinion, you have to spend at least fifty more dollars to get a Shure product that compares, likewise Ultimate Ears Superfi:3 does not compare (as others suggest). I use these everywhere - gym, work, train, bed - and I am so satisfied with the sound and comfort in every situation. Buy with confidence, but be patient as they take a while to 'burn in' and for the user to get to grips with insertion.
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"Good for its money!" on by noname1209
Pros: Punchy bass, clarity of sound. Light and comfortable to wear.
Cons: Flat response! Lack of dynamism with regards to soundstage.
Summary: These just outdo the Shure e2c's. They are light and ergonomic to wear. The bass is fruity and rich, punchy and durable. The treble is a tad lacking; overall has a flat frequency response. But it makes up for this with its clarity of sound reproduction. Perhaps the best entry-level audiophile earphones. But for a little bit more, go for the Shure SE210 if you want that edge and boldness you want from your music.
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"get this instead of UM2 - UM1 is brilliant" on by TBL_HK
Pros: 1. excellent sound accuracy 2. excelletn comfort (better than UM2 due to smaller driver housing) 3. outstanding cable comfort for a 173 com tall adult 4. bass response good (responds well to EQ)
Cons: 1. hi freq. not extended or details enough (probaly tops out after 14kHz IMO) 2. sealing was a probelm for me - had to use the tri-flange modded to bi-flange for perfect seal
Summary: I bought both UM1 and UM2 during this Easter Holiday in 2006. I had the UM1 first and I liked it so much for its performance after its 10 hrs intial run-in, that I got the UM2 two days later.
The UM1 has what I thought was excelleent bass extension, which could still be boosted by EQing a bit. Pipe organs in Saint Saens Sym No. 3 (San Francisco SO/Edo De Waart/Philips) never sounded so accurate and non-boomy on the UM1, soundstage was natural for an IEM.
I once tried Shure E2 but that memory cable was too thick for a bespectacled listener, interfering with my spectacles' arms and caused discomfort. The UM1 felt good all the way.
If not for the limited high frequency range, these UM1s could easily beat out its own bog brother UM2.
NB. I did a simple output test on my computer, using Cool Edit Pro 2.0 to generate sinewave signals for observation on the phone's output. True, the UM1 tops out at 14400Hz, nothing at all at 15000Hz. The UM2 tops out around 16700 Hz. No amount of EQing could correct this. All the other phones I had tested passed the 18kHz point althogh my hearing could only be good probably around 17700Hz.
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