Product Review
 

Ear Phones for MP3 Players - Bench Tested: Shure E2c, Shure E2g, Shure E3c, Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio

Part IV

June, 2007

John E. Johnson, Jr.

 

Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio

 

Specifications:

 

● Transducer Type: Balanced
   Armature

● Sensitivity: 115 dB/mW

● Impedance: 13 Ohms

● Weight: 15 Grams

● MSRP: $99 USA

 

    Ultimate Ears

Introduction

Back in March of this year, we reviewed a number of ear phones that could be used with MP3 players. The results were surprising in that the most expensive did not necessarily test out the best.

We continue our series of ear phone tests here, with the Shure E2c, E2g, E3c, and Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio.

Fourth on the list is the Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio (the E2c review is in Part I of this review set, the E2g review is in Part II, and the E3c is in Part III), which has an MSRP of $99.

The UE 3 Studios use balanced armature drivers, which are considered to have low mass.

The Sound

The 3 Studios had plenty of output at the same volume setting that I used for the other phones. Their higher sensitivity is responsible for that.

They sounded relatively clean, but not as clean as the Shure E2c and E2g.

Even though they are curved, they fit fairly well, probably because they are very light weight.

On the Bench

The frequency response, without EQ, is the best of the four phones tested in this review. The peaks that tend to show up at 2 kHz and above are not nearly so high as with the other phones.

Unfortunately, IMD was rather high, definitely more than with the Shure E2c and E2g.

On the other hand, THD+N at 20 Hz was reasonably low.

At 1 kHz, THD+N was 0.62%.

At 10 kHz, THD+N was quite low.

Conclusions

I gave the UE 3 Studios a 7 for fit, and a 7 for sound. They are the same price as the Shure E2c and E2g, but the Shures edge these particular Ultimate Ears phones out on sound quality. However, without EQ, the UE 3 Studios sounded the most natural, because the peaks above 2 kHz are not as high as with the other phones.

 

- John E. Johnson, Jr. -

© Copyright 2007 Secrets of Home Theater & High Fidelity

Go to Table of Contents for this Issue.

Go to Home Page.

 

About Secrets

Register

Terms and Conditions of Use

 

PAGEFEEDBACK
Our Vault pages may have some display quirks. Let us know if we need to take a look at this page or fix a bug.
SUBMIT FEEDBACK
Connect with us
  • Instagram
  • Google+
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
Secrets "Cave"
Facebook
Close