Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB (black)
Manufacturer: Logitech Part number: IF-P5ESB0003-02
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- Bass addicts with a desire to maintain an articulate high end in their music will enjoy the quality Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB in-ear set, while purists who prefer flat EQ should steer clear.
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Where to buy
| store | customer rating | inventory | tax & shipping | price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| eBay |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/01/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB (black) price range: $140.00
- Reviewed by: Tim Gideon
- Edited by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on: 02/01/2006
The good: The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB features an excellent design, as well as a booming low end that doesn't completely wipe out the high frequencies.
The bad: The cable for the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB is on the short side, and the bass response is too heavy for folk, jazz, and classical music.
The bottom line: Bass addicts with a desire to maintain an articulate high end in their music will enjoy the quality Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB in-ear set, while purists who prefer flat EQ should steer clear.
The Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB is a beautifully designed set, so we'll start with our only complaint: Like many of the Ultimate Ear models out there, the cable is very short (46 inches), so unless you are very close to your sound source, expect to have your movement hindered. This annoyance aside, the company caters to stereophiles--which is why a bass-heavy model comes as a bit of a surprise--so the internal design for its sets is always impressive. In this case, we have a dedicated 13.5mm woofer (hey, when it's sitting right next to your eardrum, 13.5mm is big) and a crisp tweeter to match. Once you insert the earpieces and twist them upward, they fit snuggly--the different-size rubber earpiece covers will ensure this--and eliminate a good portion of outside noise.
Aside from the heavy bass boost, there really isn't much to speak about in the way of features here, but the 'buds do include a nice array of accessories. In addition to the aforementioned rubber ear fittings, which come in three sizes, you get an earplug-style piece and a compressible foam one. We found the foam to be the most comfortable. Plus, Ultimate Ears throws in a hard, metallic case; a black leather case; a 1/4-inch headphone-jack adapter; a volume attenuator; and a very handy earbud-cleaner pick.
In our tests, performance was stellar from a bass lover's perspective. When we pumped some electronic music or rap into the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EBs, they certainly rose to the challenge: Fischerspooner's "Emerge" was a low-end tour de force, and the results were similar when we played M.I.A.'s Arular. The high-end frequencies are certainly overshadowed by the lows, but they are still quite articulate, albeit much lower in the overall mix.
Audio purists may be unnerved to see a company so squarely based in the audiophile realm to deliver a pair of headphones specifically designed to distort the EQ balance and provide booming bass. But Ultimate Ears still makes its non-EB line for the audiophile, and its new expansion into the low-end market is the most successful attempt at the most clear-sounding heavy-bass earphone set we've come across. Thunderous without completely sacrificing the high-end clarity, the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB is a good purchase for the discriminating bass addict.
User reviews
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Do Not Hesitate On Purchasing These Headphones
by djstein on December 3, 2005
Pros: Superb sound, awesome bass, noise cancellation
Cons: I haven't found any
Summary: These headphones are nothing short of spectacular. I listen to two types of music. Electronic and underground hip hop. I am a music enthusiast so I did not mind spending ...
Summary: These headphones are nothing short of spectacular. I listen to two types of music. Electronic and underground hip hop. I am a music enthusiast so I did not mind spending any amount of money necessary to be able to listen to my music in the best possible way. I use my ipod everyday at work, gym, biking and running so good heaphones are a necessity. I decided on this particular model because of the advertised ability to produce a deep bass sound, which is lacking in most in ear models. Once my headphones arrived I was very excited to try them out. They come with several ear tip sizes so I began with the ones already on the headphones and excitedly placed them in my ears. I turned on my ipod and put on a mixed Drum & Bass album. The sound was amazing. The bass is as good if not better than a pair of over the ear technic headphones I have that cost $150. The bass is not distorted at all. The sound is so loud I can barely turn the volume past half way. For those of you that use the headphones that come with the ipod you know that you have to turn the volume up really loud and it still sucks. I decided to play around with the other sizes of the ear tips to see if it made a difference. For some reason I did not think the largest size would fit my ears but it wasn't until I put these in that I realized the full potential of the headphones. Once a complete seal was made in the ear the sound was pure perfection. When I walk down the street to the gym I hear absolutely nothing going on outside in the real world. All I hear is clear, crisp, music with deep bass sounds. If you listen to electronic music or hip hop these are the headphones for you. My only recommendation is that you experiment with all the ear tip sizes before deciding which one is the best one. You will know when you find it because it almost like putting in ear plugs. Every so often I will adjust the ear phones in my ears to put them back in the optimal place in the ear. This happen sometimes in the gym when jerking around. Also, don't pay full price for these. I found them online for $140. They were the black ones, which I actually like better than the white. A little less obvious when you wear them. Enjoy!
Updated
I have owned these headphones for close to a year now and I'm sad to report that the bendable plastic piece that goes around the ear has completely separated from the left bud and the sound no longer works in the right bud. This has all happened in the last 2 weeks. I'm contemplating buying another pair or switching brands. I'm hoping to hear back soon from Ultimate Ears to see if they will repace them.8 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Finally... Good sounding earbuds
by Track40 on June 18, 2006
Pros: Lots of Bass, replaceable cable, bullet-proof carrying case
Cons: Slightly larger than other earbuds
Summary: I have about 15 pairs of headphones in my collection... some cheap, some expensive. My Grado RS1's are at the top end, the crappy white ipod earbuds at the ...
Summary: I have about 15 pairs of headphones in my collection... some cheap, some expensive. My Grado RS1's are at the top end, the crappy white ipod earbuds at the bottom. When I got interested in really hearing my music, over the past several years, I used to really shy away from earbuds. Due to their micro-size, I found many earbuds were way to high on treble, and completely lacking in bass. Due to some lifestyle changes recently (a new baby), I really dont have the room to drag bigger sets with me when I hit the road. Thus, a few weeks ago, I decided to once again give ear buds a try.
I auditioned the Super.fi 5EB's, 5Pro's, and the Shure E5c's, and liked these the best. My music tastes vary from Electronica, to Trance, to Industrial, to Punk, to Alternative to Accoustic.
Once you hear the sound that comes out of these buds, you may wonder where they've been all your life. While the 5EBs tend to be a tick short on the Treble and Midrange, if you are using them with an iPod, and you need more Treble, you can flip through the various EQ settings, and tweak the Treb/Mid up a bit. When I compared these to the others mentioned above, I found that these were much MUCH warmer sounding than the rest... the treb/mids on the other buds were just too high... enough to give you a splitting headache after a little bit. Once you get a taste of the low-end/bass that these deliver, you will be in heaven.
Note: In order to reep all the extra bass that these buds offer, you really have to make sure that they are inserted into your ears properly. When I first tried them, I didn't think they sounded any better than all of the others I've auditioned over the years. But, once I really had them jammed in deep, the bass really, REALLY shines. In fact, if you are looking for a tick more treble, all you have to do is pull them out of your ears, just slightly, and you'll have it. Also, once you have them inserted deep, they really do block out the ambient noise around you... I could barely hear myself think with them in, and the music off. I think these would be great to commute with.
The bendable ear hangers I found were much better implemented on the Ultimate Ears headphones, than on the Shures. That, in combination with the fabulous sound, the user-replacable cables, and the compact, seemingly bulletproof carrying case make these headphones my iPod's new best friend. Even though they are a little larger than the Super.fi 5Pros, I still find them to be equally as comfortable to wear for several hours of listening.
If you have been hesitant to use earbuds because of the historically horrible tonal balance, give these babies a try. If i personally had to choose which end of the spectrum I'd rather have more of, I'd rather have a bit more bass, and a tick less treb/mid, than the other way around.5 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I use to work out on ipod. very good but still limited to what you can listen to
by XtechphileX on July 23, 2006
Pros: Crisp punchy bass for trance. good high end vocals
Cons: muddy mids, cant hear good tonal range theres low end and then theres high end.
Summary: Well apparently im a spoiled audiophile from playing so many instruments and using tube amps becuase these things were supposed to blow me away and I figured I would not ...
Summary: Well apparently im a spoiled audiophile from playing so many instruments and using tube amps becuase these things were supposed to blow me away and I figured I would not notice any setbacks of 'clarity issues' that some 'audiophiles' were complaining about (especially compared to the Shure E5c's). Very classy packaging I got both white and black to see which I prefered. Returned the white kept the black becuase they look better when your working out since their gooing to stick out of your ears alot anywyas.
audio quality:
I guess this is an obvious setback of having a dual driver instead of triple. Low end is excellent while listning to trance imported to itunes at 256 or greater bit rate and then to my ipod. However some of my rap/r&b tracks which were imported just as high were imposible to listen to because the bottom end notes were distorted and weak, as if they werent receiving enough power. I thought perhaps they werent and it was the ipod, however when switching back to the ATB trance album it was just fine. Hmm. Then when changing the mode and putting on Europes the Final Countdown (rocky theme) It lacked all of the rythem guitar which gives the song the attitude kind of like eye of the tiger. I gave up and just listened to trance rest of my workout.
I used the 1/4" adapter and plugged them into my mesa boogie tube amp and played around on my guitar. Bass and low end was solid on clean. When I turned it to distorted however, I realized the range that is left out, all the way to the high end when I tried doing some tapping solos or wailing with some really high notes. Wasnt there! Alot of mids were muted as well. Problem solved
Overall conclusion:
These earphones exceed the caliber of any of the earphones ranging from ipod stock- Shure E4c's. Perhaps even some believe E5c's (still dual driver).
There only $150 and honestly you GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR as with anything else.
want the best, get the Shure E500's. their $500 i know i know it deterred me away. But think about it, you dont want to have to 'upgrade' after already spending 200 after taxes and shipping and then realizing that perhaps you want to listen to ALL your albums in such clarity and precision with booming bass. Nevertheless, I am satisfied with my purchase and feel comfortable using these as workout headphones, they stay secure while boxing/working out and I didnt have to adjust them ONCE. Excellent fit and they look hot especially with the black nano.
Do your research so you dont have any regrets!2 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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These EB's will do the job and more,plus save you money.
by wisecrkr60 on April 6, 2007
Pros: Highs and mids are there,with a little extra bass punch to boot.
Cons: They are a little bulkier than most but not over the ear phones
Summary: I?ve had these headphones for a month now. One word: OUTSTANDING! You will not be disappointed at all. They do the job convincingly and then some.
I?d like ...Summary: I?ve had these headphones for a month now. One word: OUTSTANDING! You will not be disappointed at all. They do the job convincingly and then some.
I?d like to comment about the reviews on the EB?s and the PRO 5?s that the expert reviewers have given on these sets. Trust me I?m not knocking the pro?s but I have a little musical background and want to share some opinions here. All the reviewers give the PRO 5?s a better rating because of their FLAT response. In the audiophile world ?flat? sound has always been considered the best way to go in listening to music. Example: look at your ?highend?audio equipment, no bass or treble controls. So where am I going here, I bet if you removed the bass output on both the Pro 5?s and EB?s the mids and highs would sound identical,considering that both sets have the same frequency response and similar drivers.
All I am saying here is ,to those shopping around for IE phones,don?t let the reviewers scare you into thinking you are sacrificing sound by buying the EB?s.
Trust me,these things ARE NOT boomy. Boomy is the Bose IE Triports. Had a friend listen to the Bose and my EB?s,and he liked the boominess of the Triports better. He said the Bose had a lot more bass. They are trying to make up for lack of seal in the ear setup,but very little high end.
If you want a little extra punch in the low end and not sacrifice the mids and the high?s, then the EB?s are for you and you?ll save 40 bucks to boot.. IF want flat then the PRO 5?s will do the job and then some, with a little more sound isolation. Joe D.1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Best iPod ear plugs
by rlung2 on December 30, 2006
Pros: sound quality, updated thicker wires
Cons: price and the buds are big
Summary: Just got an ipod nano and I was very disappointed in the LACK OF BASS when playing my tunes with the supplied white earphones and some new JBL earplugs my ...
Summary: Just got an ipod nano and I was very disappointed in the LACK OF BASS when playing my tunes with the supplied white earphones and some new JBL earplugs my wife purchased. Read about the bass heavy Super.fi 5 EB and reluctantly bought them. The sound quality for roughly 90% of my songs is way better. Much more balanced, not too bass heavy either. Bottom Line: ==They make songs like they should sound==. You'll probably need to take your ipod off the Bass Booster setting though.
1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great Sounds Lousy Durability
by slvmart on July 11, 2009
Pros: Great sound based on both my wifes and sons feedback.
Cons: Poor durability and quality of construction.
Summary: Both my son and wife had the same problems with these earphones.. I would anticipate it from my son but my wife had the wire pull out of the connector ...
Summary: Both my son and wife had the same problems with these earphones.. I would anticipate it from my son but my wife had the wire pull out of the connector that plugs into the earbud, also. Of course, Ulimate Ears would replace the wire harness. Eventually, the connector on the earbud also pulled apart. Then you have to send the complete assembly back to Ultimate Ears and they repair/replace it. I had to send both sets of earphones back to Ultimate Ears twice. In the long run it's just not worth it and you have to have another set of earphones to use while they out being repaired/replaced. Would be great if only they were constructed as well as they sound.
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Best in-ear headphones.....
by helpmehelpu on April 27, 2009
Pros: I love the bass.....it makes the music come to life and the way they fit in my ear cancel all sound around me. I recently went on 6hr plane trip and it cut out all the babies and chatter around me and filled it with great loud music!
Cons: The style of how they fit in the ear take a little getting used to, but once you get it, its great.
Summary: I previously had the Bose In-ear headphones and the wire broke so I wanted something comparable and these blew the Bose away!!!! I wanted some headphones that I could work ...
Summary: I previously had the Bose In-ear headphones and the wire broke so I wanted something comparable and these blew the Bose away!!!! I wanted some headphones that I could work out with too that didnt always fall out with the sweat and these met that need as well.
Overall, like I said, the bass is amazing and the noise cancellation does great. I cant say enough about these. I love em. -
Durability/High Freq issues. Low end, volume nice.
by brl_25 on March 15, 2009
Pros: Very loud, los of bass (no shick here)
Cons: Cable pulled out of ear phone within 35 mins of unboxing. High end was drowned out by bass. Ear phones very heavy/large in ear, fall out when running.
Summary: I bought these n a saturday afternoon, went one one run with them and by the time i was back in the car the cable had detaced from the left ...
Summary: I bought these n a saturday afternoon, went one one run with them and by the time i was back in the car the cable had detaced from the left earphone. More bass than the Shure 210's (i had them and they got stolen), but high end not as nice. Sound isolation not great, ear phone tips seemed cheaply made (plastic like lower end buds)... over all good heaphone for 100$ not a penny more... if youre lucky enough to get a air that doesnt break. Other wise I'd get the Shure SE210s at the same price point.
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not only great bass but extremly fun to hear
by bmiami on October 17, 2008
Pros: bass is the best,mids and high are great
Cons: meds and highs could be a little clearer
Summary: im a fanatic for all kinds of music,im not a musician i am a listener and i want to be entertained by listening and to be able to feel ...
Summary: im a fanatic for all kinds of music,im not a musician i am a listener and i want to be entertained by listening and to be able to feel the music. owning over 3000 records and 3000 or more cds i wanted a headphone to be able to enjoy my collection. money is not a issue ill spend up to 600 dollars for a good headphone. more then that is crazy unless someone can prove to me its worth it cause it will make my music sound 200% better. i bought many earphones and all kinds. i bought the shure se530 which are awesome. everything is perfect and i have spent hrs each day listening to the shures. i bought westones and many others all costing over 100 dollars and up. then i bought ultimate ears 5 pro extended bass just to see and hear if theres really bass. the price was great well below the shure se 530. and wow what bass and what fun. a massage throughout my head. yes all electronic,heavy metal and rap sound perfect on the ultimate ears EB. alternative,spanish and rock music i do need to play with my cowons EQ (cowon D2 with 74 watts!!!). after adjusting my EQ these kinds of music do sounds great while the shures i didnt have to adjust anything unless i wanted to play around.after 2 months listening to my 2 fav headphones (shures se530 and UE pro5EB) now im mostly listening to the ultimate ears pro5 EB cause its fun its like unreal. being to natural or real is boring after awhile i want to leave real and add unreal to my ears. when i use the shures or any other earphone im now feeling im missing something. also ultimate ears pro5 EB fits great and easy to put on and off so are the shures. ill buy another UL pro5 EB one day for the hell of it.
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As Close to Perfection you'll get in Ear bud headsets
by McLieberman on June 15, 2008
Pros: Outstanding Sound! Very Very Surprised Just how Great!
Cons: not much... Cosmetics?
Summary: Okay I'm a Audiophile fanatic that has been the best recording studios around the country. I'm a rocker and guitarist and if there's on thing that I'...
Summary: Okay I'm a Audiophile fanatic that has been the best recording studios around the country. I'm a rocker and guitarist and if there's on thing that I'm OCD about, that's sound. Use the highest recording quality sources. I play many and these through my Creative ZEN 60GB W. SUPER Fi's WIN!
Try'em, Buy'em if you don't like'em... maybe defective or bad source. I've had my ears in plenty of headphones/sets/ear plug/buds. I think these blow away all the other that are more expensive.
Love 'em! No, I don't work for Ultimate either.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Logitech
- Part number: IF-P5ESB0003-02
- Description: From the makers of Ultimate Ears professional ear monitor products comes the super.fi 5 EB earphones. Join stars like U2, Green Day, Ashanti, Madonna, No Doubt, Beastie Boys, Eve and many others in using Ultimate Ears' premiere earphone technology and get the best experience from your iPod or other personal audio device. Imagine professional quality sound out of earphones designed for your "on-the-go" 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!
General
- Recommended Use The noise canceling feature blocks the din on buses and airplanes. Plus, they are portable for easy transport.
- Product Type Headphones
- Weight 0.7 oz
- Color Black
- Additional Features Gold-plated plug
Headphones
- Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
- Headphones Form Factor In-ear canalphone
- Headphones Technology Balanced armature
- Connectivity Technology Wired
- Sound Output Mode Stereo
- Response Bandwidth 20 - 16000 Hz
- Sensitivity 119 dB/mW
- Impedance 11 Ohm
- Headphones Ear Pads Included
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included 1 x Headphones cable - 4 ft
Power
- Power Device None
- Battery None
Product series
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Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB (black)
Manufacturer: Logitech
Specs: Headphones, In-ear canalphone, Black, 0.7 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug
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Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 EB (white)
Manufacturer: Logitech
Specs: Headphones, In-ear canalphone, White, 0.7 oz, Stereo, Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, Gold-plated plug
Manufacturer info
- Logitech
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Logitech products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.logitech.com/
- Address:
6505 Kaiser Dr., Fremont, CA 94555
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