Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studio Earphones (Black) Reviews

• Entry level price with top end sound!!!

  
  By A117NX0BZZ2W3O on 2006-08-24
  I am a hi-fi fan and enjoy listening to classical music through my Senn HD-600 headphones and Grado HP-1000 headphones and, in the day time, through my JBL 4311 studio monitor speakers which is backed up by my McIntosh stereo system. I own about a dozen other headphones which are considered by many to be among the best. I even own Ultimate Ears UE-10 custom in ear monitors (IEM's).
  
  I recently heard the super.fi 3 Studio at a local hi-fi meet. Coming from rather high end sources I wasn't expecting much from the super.fi 3 Studio since the source was only an iPod with lossless files. I doubted the super.fi 3 Studio could even come close to the Shure E3c. I couldn't be any further from the truth. Not only did the super.fi 3 Studio blow away the more expensive Shure E3c, it blew away many other in ear monitors which I heard that day. What is even more impressive is that the price is extremely affordable.
  
  If that isn't enough, this little IEM can handle sound like few others can. It sounds great with almost everything you can throw at it, classical, hip-hop, rock, pop, electronica, etc. The only area where I find this little IEM lacking is clarity and detail but that is only because I am used to the UE-10. However, keep in mind that the UE-10 is a $1,000.00 IEM.
  
  Given the price and considering the high quality sound output this thing has, it is a must have for anyone looking for a hi-fi alternative to their horrible sounding iBuds. Now add in the fantastic customer service that the folks over at Ultimate Ears are known for and you simply can't lose with this purchase. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
  
  If you are looking for more information, feel free to check out www.headfi.org.
  
  
  

• Ultimate Ears - The Ultimate Music Experience!

  
  By A1XF31HQFYJ1PQ on 2006-02-21
  My music just got better - thanks to the pair of Ultimate Ears earphones that I got as one of the Christmas gifts this year from my wife. These were not the first earbuds that I've tried with my portable mp3 player. Prior to getting Ultimate's, I've also owned/tried a pair of Shure's E2C, and Sony Fontopia 81LP. So, my review will not only be a review of Ultimate Ears super.fi 3 earphones, but more of a comparison between them and the other two brands. This way I think a lot more people will benefit from my review and hopefully will make an educated purchasing decision. So, here it goes...
  
  PROS:
  Sound Quality - Outstanding!!! Crisp and clear! It does take a bit of an adjustment to get the right fit, but once you do, you can hear details that you've never heard before when listening to the same music using different headphones. So, how does it compare to Shure's and Sony's? Much, much better. I thought Shure's were lacking a bit on bass. Sony's sound quality was surprisingly good. Not quite as good as Ultimate's, but still good. The reason I didn't like Sony's is because they were literally hurting my ears, but we'll get back to that later.
  
  Noise Isolation - "What?!" Yes, that's what I kept saying when I was wearing these headphones, and people were asking me something. It's blocking virtually all the noise around you. Perfect for when you want some piece and quiet. Driving in the car, studying at the library, whatever it is that you are doing, it's perfect for every occasion. Now, the Shure's and the Sony's - Shure's are probably just as good as Ultimate's. Sony's, however, are not even close. With Sony's on, I could hear surrounding noise just as well as without them.
  
  Extras - It comes with 3 different sizes of ear tips. Experiment with each and see which one fits the best, and you are ready to go. For those of us with extremely sensitive ears, these earphones also come with foam tips, which provide an even a better fit, noise isolation, and sound. In addition, there is a very cool looking leather carrying case, and a small antistatic cleaning brush. What does Shure and Sony have to offer? Pretty much the same thing, but Ultimate's product quality is much better. Shure's are pretty comfortable as well. Sony's, on the other hand, hurt like hell. The stupid over the ear hook is also very uncomfortable and takes a long time to get used to.
  
  CONS:
  Cord Length - This is one thing that I wish could be different. It is just a few inches shorter than I want it to be. When I'm in the car, or at home, I don't have any complaints. But when I'm at work, I usually plug those in directly to my desktop PC. And, unfortunately, it's not long enough! I have to be very close to it, which is fine when I'm actually typing something, but if I'm just sitting in my chair, relaxing, the cord length is barely making it.
  
  Price - They are certainly not the cheapest pair of earphones on the market. $100 is a lot of money for a lot of people, and if you want to save yourself a few bucks, I'd suggest you look some place else. Shure's, however, are in the same price range, so you're not going to win anything here. Sony's are a lot less expensive, although I can't really recommend them because of practically zero noise isolation, and, of course, for the fact that they were giving me a headache.
  
  Summary:
  Besides a few minor things, I think these headphones make a great choice. Once again, yes, they are expensive. But if you are serious about your music, and want to experience the Ultimate sound, they are very well worth the price. Recommended!
  
  
  

• Style not good with glasses.

  
  By A2ZV10HX9E7DKE on 2006-03-15
  I like the product. It is everything I expected. I research the reviews extensively. I was quite surprised at the noise generated by the over-the ear style as they rub on my glasses. I didn't see a note on this in any of the reviews and thought someone ought to bring up this point. If you wear glasses you will hear noise unless you are absolutely motionless.
  
  Something to consider...
  
  

• Great sound, if you can bear to wear them

  
  By A2BB4DGBRVGKWW on 2005-12-30
  When I got these adjusted right, the sound quality was incredible. The sound is double what you get for the equally fractioned price of Sennheiser HD497 headphones, which themselves are an incredible deal.
  
  Unfortunately, I can't stand to wear them. They are in-canal earphones, which means the padded tip has to go inside the part of your ear where your mother and doctor always told you not to stick anything. I tried the smallest of the various sizes of pads that were included, and there is no way I would want to wear them for any length of time. I then tried the other sizes and types and the result was the same. Not matter which pads I used, I couldn't get the good sound without not wanting to wear them. And if they don't fit in tight enough, the sound quality is lost.
  
  If anyone is able to wear these comfortably, I don't doubt these earphones will get a 5-star review. But I sure can't. Unless 100 other people write a review and say I am nuts, don't buy these anywhere that you can't return them after trying them.
  
  

• Learn to read the manual and have realistic expectations.

  
  By A1WEOWXI14F6LX on 2006-12-13
  Previous reviewers complaining about the "stiff wire" and poor fit over the ears need to learn how to read a manual and exercise common sense. The wire contains a "memory wire" (think Gumby) that is moldable and stays in place. You bend it into the proper shape and it stays put, perfectly over the ear.
  
  I, myself wear glasses, and have issues with wires hanging over the ear that get caught in my glasses, and rub against it, making microphonic noises. The Super.fi 3 has a "memory wire" (along with all Ultimate Ears products, Metro.fi being the exception) that stays where it should be, and is one of the most comfortable earphones I've ever used.
  
  Also, as for the complaints of sound quality, have some realistic expectations. This is a sub $100 product. They fill their price point very well. Having a full sound, and not tinny, harsh sound many other ear buds have. They have a decent balance of sound. While not the most clear and detailed, you would have to spend hundreds of more dollars to get better sound. And I have spent far more on IEM's and Headphone than the Super.fi 3. The Super.fi 3 fits it's niche very nicely.
  
  As for problems with UE customer service, was your Super.fi 3 under warranty? I have had my UE products sent in and they either fixed it, but usually they outright replaced it with a very quick turn around. If you have problems, give them a call. They will take care of you.
  
  
• Good Value
  By A2N3SGWX4A3G24 on 2005-12-31
  The bass is lacking until you get a good fit. The best way is to use the foam tips, since they'll mold to your ear. Once you have a good seal they sound great. Very much worth the price.
  
  
• Ear Plugs with a speaker in them
  By A13YGNIOE3F5FI on 2006-10-28
  My much anticipated new Super.fi 3 headphones arrived today.
  
  After carefully reading the manual I inserted them in my ears, plugged in my mp3 player and checked them out.
  
  The very first impression I got was that I must have put them in wrong because the sound was REALLY mid-rangey with very little low end.
  
  I've been a musician for almost 30 years, and a lover of music all my life. I listen to all genres of music.
  
  I've auditioned these monitors with a lot of different music from solo piano, to vocal/guitar, to studio jazz/rock.
  
  My conclusion is that these earphones are:
  
  1. Definitely very good at blocking outside noise. They are basically ear plugs with a speaker in them.
  
  2. Definitely NOT flat in their frequency response. Low end is very weak, mid range is overly prominant. They sound weird and un-natural.
  
  3. They have a very unique sound which is overly mid-rangey. The effect is that vocals have a kind of hollow sound. The vocals almost sound like somebody put too much reverb or delay on them. Probably a matter of frequency response.
  
  4. Isolation is obviously very good because your head is in the way.
  
  5. They are very efficient so you don't need to crank the volume to hear the music over backround noise.
  
  6. They sound like regular $20 ear buds, just pushed farther into the ear to block extraneous sound and deliver the sound more deeply into the ear canal.
  
  I think I'll probably really like them on the subway because they REALLY block outside noise. Perhaps a little tweaking of the EQ will help.
  
  UPDATE:
  
  I've gotten used to these earphones and do infact really enjoy them on the subway due to the isolation/efficiency they have. EQ does help, but I can never seem to get a really natural sound using the EQ built into consumer devices I don't generally use it. I've ended up using the double-flanged silicon ear pieces which seem to work the best for me. They offer the most isoltation and seem to deliver the sound deeper into my ear canel which has improved the sound quality considerably. I'm still not sure they are worth what I paid for them. Perhaps the more expensive models deliver a more impressive performance. There are less expensive options out there which I believe probably sound as good.
  
  
• A little skeptical at first.......
  By A369SQ6E2IP3G5 on 2007-08-24
  .....but after wearing these for several days; I am blown away. I got these earphones to replace my shure e2's which I loved. I am the type of person to stick with something if I like it. I liked the way the shures sounded and how they felt in my ears. My only complaint was, that the wires never lasted and I ended up replacing them before a year was over. That got old and I decided to try something different.
  
  I agonized for hours online; reading many different reviews on various types of earphones and I finally decided on the Super.fi 3 by Ultimate Ears. What caught my interest was the fact that you can replace the wires with new ones for only $20 from the manufacturer. Since this has been my problem with the Shures I thought that was awesome.
  
  My biggest concern was the size of the buds themselves. They are larger and stick out of your ears, while the shures were pretty much hidden. Initially while trying them on, I had buyers remorse; because I thought, surely these won't work. But after getting them in (which wasn't hard) and securing the wire around my ear ( the wire is very stiff around your ears, so as to conform and stay in place; which worked quite well) I turned my Ipod on and was wowed. The sound isolation is superb, the earbuds stay surprisingly in place (I wear them while working out) and the sound is crystal clear.
  
  I read many complaints over the lack of bass on this particular model and the shures, honestly, I think they sound great. I listen to alot of hip hop and I have no issue with the songs lacking in bass. These are earphones not a home sound system. I really do not expect to have my insides vibrate while listening to earphones. My ex was an audiophile and he would pay $300 extra to get a 'better' pair of earphones. I would listen to both, and unless I am partially deaf, I could barely discern a difference. Surely not a $300 one.
  
  All in all, I think these are great earphones. They seem to have a good warranty system and their price is very affordable. If you are looking for quality sound and great noise isolation then look no further.
  
  
• Surprised
  By A13WXEV20ODBL3 on 2006-09-16
  I tried several earphones after I step on my original ipod ones .... very disappointing in a price range under $50. Here I thought for $70 I give these Super.fi3 a chance - and I was amazed. Just to get an impression: You could (should not) drive at 70 mph with an open driver window and listen to music at a low volume and it would feel like watching a movie with a soundtrack. Now again, that's what I experienced but I wouldn't do it again because these earphone are so good that you are unlikely to hear much of the world around you. I noticed also - not just because of the sound isolation - that I hear much more detail of the music I already knew. If I would break these I would replace them even for the regular price.
  
  Frank
  
  
• Just what I needed
  By AMM3O6Z5WD3UH on 2006-10-11
  I love these earphones! It is a little difficult to find the first fit... I kept switching tips for the first couple of days, but now that I have the correct fit, these things are great. The sound is wonderful and they allow me to keep the volume down on my ipod (with the ipod earphones, my volume was at the halfway mark most of the time, but with these earphones, the volume is hardly showing on the meter). The earphones do provide some sound isolation; if you are looking for something that completely blocks out noise, these probably aren't for you. However, I wanted something that could drown out most noise; now I can walk down the street and hear my music even if a bus or truck is rumbling by, and I can actually hear my music while on a bus. They also do a nice job of blocking out other people in the cubes--I can tell that people are talking but it's completely in the background now.
  
  
• an acquired taste
  By A2OI2MV02S58I8 on 2007-12-01
  My basic requirement for headphones or speakers is that they sound fabulous when my playback device equalization is set flat. I listen mostly to classical music, and I don't believe in juicing up my music with artificial sweeteners. I'm a purist. I want to hear recordings the way they were made. My Cowon IAudio7 player sounds superb with flat equalization through my Grado SR80 headphones, and I was hoping that the UE3 earphones would deliver similarly. Unfortunately, they didn't. The bass just wasn't there. I had to fiddle with the equalization (which the IAudio7 has in spades) to get the sound I wanted.
  
  That said, I have come to love these little cans. I try to forget that my controls aren't precisely flatlined and just enjoy the music. Here are some of the many good points about these earphones:
  
  1. Once I achieved the tonal equalization I wanted, I began to appreciate the clarity of the sound. These phones don't deliver conspicuous, hot sound. They are subtle and natural. They had to grow on me. Give them a week before you return them in disappointment.
  
  2. They have a thick, stiff cord that doesn't get tangled so easily as other earphones. The cord seems pretty durable and less noisy brushing against the clothes than many others. Also, the V cord meets at the middle under the chin with a slide adjuster. I don't care for side cords. Additionally, the stiff cord doesn't flop around a lot when I'm on the treadmill. I usually run it under my shirt.
  
  3. Inserting the earphones properly takes a little practice--the manual explains a "rock and roll" method to twist them into your ear canals. Once you select the appropriately sized pad from the enclosed selection and twist them in correctly, you will hear natural, tonally balanced sound (except for some bass deficit) and an effective soundstage. The snug fit blocks most outside sound, so you won't have to turn up the volume to dangerous levels to compete with the outside world. They sound great on the noisy city bus. I haven't tried them on a plane yet.
  
  4. The stiff cords loop over the ears, increasing stability. I work out with these earphones all the time. They don't pop out. Occasionally, I get a pocket of sweat between my earpad and eardrum so that everything sounds a bit underwater. I don't know if there is any remedy for that, other than to stop sweating.
  
  Here are some negatives:
  
  1. The earpads are devilishly difficult to fit over the earphones. I was afraid I would rip them. The instructions say to twist them on gently. Gentleness didn't work for me. I had to struggle with them for quite awhile. In fact, I got to the point where I called the company to arrange sending them back. It was late at night, the phone support was off duty, so I struggled some more and finally got them on. The good news is that they're unlikely to come off in the ears, so hopefully you won't have to excavate earpads out of your ear canals with tweezers like I have had to do with my Sonys. I settled for the medium sized pads. I was afraid to remove them and try any other sizes. They fit snugly in my ears. Once you get this part worked out--suffer a little for your music--you will enjoy the results.
  
  2. The bass. I'm not a hip hop listener, so I don't need to set off car alarms with my bass, but when I listen to an orchestra, I like to hear some chesty growl in the bass viols and cellos and a good visceral thump from the bass drum. I twiddled and eventually found my sound, but I think more low end should be the default.
  
  Summary: A great sounding though bass shy pair of earphones that effectively block outside noise, making it possible to listen to music at comfortable, safe levels. Set up is a bother, but following that hurdle, and once you have mastered effective insertion techniques and perhaps run up the bass controls a little, you should enjoy accurate, balanced and comfortable listening through a sturdily designed and cool looking device.
  
  Warning: Set the volume low the first time you listen through these earphones. They have plenty of natural gain and don't require a high setting. Depending on what you have listened through up till now, if you don't lower your volume setting, you may blast your eardrums the first time you use these. The manual includes this same warning. Pay attention to it.
  
  
  
  
• Nice In-Ears
  By A106AIEAMLOVK3 on 2006-12-14
  As I am working in a big office, I was searching for earphones to block out outside noice. The UEs quickly got my attention, but I was not sure whether to buy the Studio.Fi 3 or 5.
  
  I finally decided to get the 3s.
  
  They arrived today and go together just perfect with my iAudio U3 mp3 player. As the U3 allows for an incredible bass boost, I don't have any issues with the bass response. One point of critique that I could put forward is that the Ues are too loud - even on the lowest setting, I can hear the lyrics of even silent recordings.
  
  The soundquality certainly is very good, I could hardly expect more for 70 bucks.
  
  The fit is very well, although I am wearing glasses. One thing that I noted is that I feel every movement rather than actually hearing it. My head feels completely shut off and I can hear my jaws now for example.
  
  I am a pretty experienced listener who invests some money into his stereo-equipment. I believe that this product (in combination with the U3) should satisfy about every customer who uses it properly.
  
  Hope this is helpful to you out there - I was not quite sure with all the negative reviews, but I feel that this product is certainly worth its price!
  
  
  
• Wonderful Sound Experiance
  By A2JAY1A0EDGNRF on 2006-02-27
  I just bought these phones a couple days ago. I already own Shure E2c's and honestly i don't see much of a difference between the two. I use the foam sleeves so comfort is not an issue. I haven't tried really any of the flex sleeves for the UE's besides the dual flange and i like those but at times they feel like they slip a bit so i like the foam better.
  
  I am not sure if the UE's have a "burn in" period like the Shure's do. But listening to them right out of the package i have to say they sound very good. I bought these so I can keep my shure's at home instead of winding them up all the time and possibly damaging the wires. with the UE's the wire is replaceable so i find that really really wonderful!!!I'd hate to have to buy a whole new pair once the warrenty is over if something happens to the wires like on normal phones where the wires are not replaceable. the Phones themselves are under warrenty for 2 years which is wonderful!! i love those 2 year warrentys.
  
  Another plus over the shure's are no need for wax guards, that added to more money i am shelling out even though my ears are very clean and i honestly don't get any gunk on the wax guards at all.
  I just wish i could find sponge sleeves cheaper than on the website. (but one good thing is i tried the Shure's foam sleeves on the UE's and it's a little tight but they will work on the UE phones)
  
  
• unimpressed
  By A2XPT82Z18NEHO on 2006-11-06
  I would not recommend these earphones. The cable is not flexible enough near where it connects to the earphone itself, meaning that it is forced to absorb all of the tension that builds up from everyday, active use. After about 2 weeks of moderate usage the + and - wires within right the cable snapped, even though the black plastic covering them was fine. Ultimate Ears apparently foresaw this because they made it possible to replace the cable, however they charge $20 for them plus around $13 for shipping! on top of that the sound is simply unimpressive and flat. i'd recommend the Sony MDR-EX51LP earphones. they give a much more balanced sound and can be had for around $20 these days.
  
  
• Perfection is not for everyone
  By ARCWRQN1XRJZS on 2008-02-13
  Listening to these earphones is like listening to music underwater. It's a different listening experience. You can still hear some of the ambient noise, but it is greatly reduced. If you want to listen to these while out in public, you'll have to be extra aware of your other senses in order to tell if someone is trying to approach you or if a car is about to pass in front of you while crossing the street.
  
  Not everyone will appreciate the quality of these earphones. Not everyone has a trained ear like an audio engineer or an audiophile. These are meant to give you "Studio Monitor" quality sound reproduction. Studio Monitors are meant to give you a true reproduction of the sound -high fidelity- which is very flat. Many music producers and engineers listen to studio monitors while working in the studio.
  I had forgotten how so many speaker systems have the bass levels turned up very high. I had also forgotten how the quality of a speaker system seems to be judged not by the fidelity of the sound but by how much bass it can deliver.
  These earphones will deliver plenty of bass when the music has it, but won't embelish it.
  
  If you want earphones which give you a very honest delivery of the sound, while blocking out most ambient room noise like air conditioning units, chatter or traffic noise, then these are for you.
  
  If you want earphones with lots of loud, subwoofery bass, then these may not be for you.
  
  
• great highs, very weak lows
  By A3KDEXAFX24CZO on 2005-12-04
  I tried these out with my Ipod (new Video Ipod), and found that the highs are great. Very bright and crisp. The sound isolation is incredible- almost dangerous. Unfortunitly, the lows are very weak, and the mid range could also use more punch. I tested these againt my cheap Sony MDR-NC5s, and also my normal Polk speackers (which are great). Both sounded better in the low range, with much better bass responce and clarity. I cant recommend these, and am now looking to get something else.
  
  By the way, I breifly listened to the super.fi 5s, and was not impressed by them. I they sounded flat to me in the low range as well (but I sure hope they are better becouse of the price).
  
  
• Sweet sounding plugs!
  By A2GHCE789ER2N8 on 2006-09-01
  First off, these puppies sound good! However, there are things anyone intending to buy these earphones should know:
  
  The sound is loud and crisp but definetely mid-trebley, as with most in-ear headphones. The low end is there, but for full effect, it takes to position the earphones just so in your ear canal at the right volume. Since they tend to slide out of the ear canal as one moves, this sweet spot is not very wide. That said, however, I recognize the difficlulty of delivering earth shaking bass in a device this small. Most bass-rich systems utilize either massive speakers/ woofers or chambered enclosures (or both) to deliver. Since the size of this type of headphones doesn't permit for either big speakers or special chambers, maybe the thing to do is to use the human cranium as the resonating chamber! I am yet to find any in ear headphones that really deliver bass to die for. Such is the difficulty to get big bass in so compact a package. Maybe the 5 and 7 series are better in this regard (for the price they better be). So if you really need earth shaking bass in your playback, look into buying those pricey phones. The lack of such bass is the only reason
  i didn't give it five stars.
  
  Also, the lack of colored LEFT (blue or white) & RIGHT (red) tags on the earphones make it tricky to put on for the first time. I didn't realize I had them reversed until the pain got so unbearable I just had to check. So be careful.
  
  Riding while using them can be dangerous, since the sound isolation is so great one can barely hear jets thundering overhead.
  
  Bang for the buck, ( I paid $69.99 on amazon), I really recommend these headphones to all but big bass aficionados.
  
  
• I'm very happy with these earphones
  By A2YOSGV8YE3NJ8 on 2007-03-12
  I've been using these earphones with my IPOD for about 6 months now and I'm very happy with them. I bought them to replace the crappy bud earphones that come with the IPOD. As a disclaimer, I'm not a big time audiophile and I haven't used any of the bud earphones in this price range ro up (but I haven't had a need to as I'm happy with these).
  
  Sound quality, to my non-audiophile ear, is very good to excellent. Definately vastly superior to the cheapo headphones that come with the ipod (if you're using those or similar earphones, it's definately worth the money to upgrade to these or, to a similarly priced competing product, in my opinion).
  
  The fit is very good and for me was very quick and easy. These earphones come with 4 or 5 different earpieces (it says the number in the item description), and it only took me about 5 minutes to choose the correct earpieces. If you try these headphones and aren't happy with the sound, it's probably because you're using the wrong ear piece so make sure you are before writing these off.
  
  The sound dampening/blocking ability is also very good. These aren't "noise cancelling" in the same sense as say, bose noise cancelling headphones, but the ear pieces fit your ear similar to an earplug and do a good job blocking out ambient noise when listening to music. This feature is very much appreciated when you're on an airplane - for one thing I've found when I'm on a plane, listening to an audiobook with my ipod and my utlimate ears is vastly superior to trying to read a book as it almost completely blocks out the screaming kid sitting behind you (it unfortunately doesn't block out his constantly kicking the back of your seat). Unlike true noise cancelling headphones though (like bose), these are nice and compact and can simply be wrapped around my ipod and fit into my pocket.
  
  If there is one drawback to these, it's that i'm probably damaging my ears by using them - but that's true with any headphones if you like listening to loud music. If anything, noise blocking headphones like these are probably better than regular ear buds in this regard as you don't have to turn the music up that extra notch to block out ambient noise.
  
  If you're not a hard-core audiophile and are looking for a low- to mid-priced set of bud style earphones, I would highly recommend the ultimate ears super.fi 3 studio earphones.
  
  
• You'll be lucky to get that perfect fit...
  By A3LHP4B4PL1KJ1 on 2008-01-14
  I bought these earphones off of Amazon after it was recommended to me by a friend, and after reading most of the reviews posted here. The packaging was nice enough, as was the case. Unfortunately, whenever I'd wear them, one of two things would happen:
  
  1. The earbuds would not fit in properly, and my music would sound terrible.
  2. The earbuds fit in properly, but the comfort level was very, very bad. Most people seem to touch on the fact that these earphones are not very comfortable. However, comfort is a huge deal to me. I experimented with both the medium and the small buds (I have small ears). The medium ones would deliver a slightly better sound because they formed a better vacuum, but the pressure on my ear was too much to take. The smaller ones fit in better, but delivered a much worse sound quality.
  
  I finally decided to return these when, even after deciding I'd bear through some pain, I realized that even with a perfect fit, the music I listen to (hard rock/metal, a lot of Metallica) sounded WORSE than my regular, street style Sony headphones, which are a few years old and probably cost 30 bucks. I looked on the Ultimate site, and found out that these specific headphones were best for JAZZ MUSIC and PODCASTS. There was not enough bass, and the drums sounded too distant on most of the music I listen to.
  
  The noise reduction was very nice, and worked great, especially when there was music playing.
  
  These earphones are pretty powerful - I had my creative zen player on a 7 or 8 volume setting, as opposed to the 15 I need for my old pair. Unfortunately, this comes at a disadvantage, too. If I had them plugged into my laptop, it picked up way too much static, especially when there wasn't music playing.
  
  If you have the perfect ear size to fit one of the sizes it comes with, or are willing to pay extra money to have it fitted, then maybe these are worth a shot. If not, you are probably going to have to sacrifice either comfort or sound quality by wearing these. And again, be weary if you listen to rock or metal music, because the few times that I got that perfect fit, the music did not sound very good.
  
  
• Mid/Bass/Treble Just Riiigggghhhhttttt
  By A25065IG7GQIHZ on 2006-03-04
  This is simple. The sound is balanced. If you want booming bass ... go someplace else that puts out artificial sound. This is where the bass should be ... not overpowering everything else.
  
  
• Money Well Spent
  By A2IU80BX71GRUY on 2006-03-07
  I used a $40 pair of Sony Fontopia earbuds with my 3G iPod. After two years, the headphones sound tinny, the music is muddy and the wires are held together by the grace of electrical tape. The comfort and sound isolation of the Sony ear phones prompted me to upgrade to another set of in ear phones.
  
  I read every headphone review I could find and narrowed it down to Ultimate Ears? super.fi 3 Studios and the equivalent Shure phones. A review on Headroom.com convinced me to try the UE's. It was money well spent. I've had the phones for two weeks now and loved the way my music sounded so much that I upgraded to a 60GB Video iPod so I would have more music at my disposal.
  
  My ears are happy and so am I.
  
  
• Attention: Classical Music Listeners
  By A365WSBYOCEEPL on 2006-03-30
  I read all the reviews I could find before buying my first set of IEMs (Ultimate Ears Super.fi 3 Studios). Since I have never used any other IEMs, I don't have any basis for comparison. Several of the reviews mentioned a slight constant noise like falling rain in the distance. I prefer classical music, so the noise is quite noticeable during the quiet passages. Those who listen to modern popular music (with fewer quiet moments) will probably be less distracted by the noise. I am hoping that, with time, I will tend to not notice the noise. I have only been using my IEMs for two days.
  
  The sound quality and comfort are fine. I am using the smallest single flange silicone ear tips. I agree with the others, that the cable should be a little longer, about one foot.
  
  
• Physically hurt my ears!
  By A1CHD6RPTRQPJM on 2006-12-21
  I purchased the headphones from my local Radio Shack store. Tried them out on my iPOD 30 GIG. My ears are still sore from trying to find a set of ear covers,(3 sets included with the Super.fi3s) I never really did get a fit. I did get them to actually seal my ears, but I had to sit perfectly still on the soffa. These would never work for any sports application.
  
  After trying several different types of music,(Rock, Jazz, Video sound tracks and techno), it became very apparent that there was practiclly no low end. I coud increase the low end slightly if I jammed them in my ears to the point of pain.
  
  These babies are not for everyone. I've seen some impressive reviews on this unit, but for my ears they simply were a poor fit, not to mention acoustics. I have tried a set of Sennheisers, that don't jam into my ears and they both sound great and the fit is not an issue.
  
  
• Disappointing
  By A2J8HANXPNCVZB on 2006-12-31
  I purchased these because they were highly rated for the price point. I'm not sure why they are rated so high. They sound like listening to an old transistor radio. The mid ranges were poor. The base was extremely poor and fuzzy. Perhaps I got a bad unit???
  
  I purchased Sony MDR-EX71SLA for a lot less and it has very good sound quality (although some ergononic issues I'm not crazy about).
  
  
• Was worried about the "over the ear"
  By A1WEKMY0DCADYM on 2007-03-01
  I wont add anything about the sound, they sound fine to me.
  
  I never had an over the ear and was worried they would not be comfortable, and besides, they look strange.
  
  They take a bit of getting used to, but I love them now (about 2 months, 1-2 hours a day). I work in a lab, and need the wires out of the way of my stuff; the behind the ear helps the wire stay closer to my body and not dangle in front, especialy in front of my face and neck/upper chest area. (Lower, the wire is tucked behind my lab-coat leading down to the Zen on my belt.)
  
  I feel much more secure than with my older regular earbuds.
  
  
• new to in-ears? read this
  By A17VY4YR1UOW3K on 2008-03-11
  There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding in-ear headphones just within these reviews alone -- hopefully this will clarify a point or two for a first-time buyer.
  
  First: the UE Super.fi 3 earphones are NOT noise-cancelling headphones. Noise-cancellation involves some sort of "masking" white noise, or phase cancellation, in order to reduce external noise. What in-ear headphones/monitors do is (hopefully) provide a strong seal INSIDE the ear-canal, blocking out external noise in the process. (The Super.fi 3s provide about -26db isolation, creating a quieter environment, thus enabling the user to listen at lower volumes.)
  
  Second: a lot of reviews seem to not grasp the concept of in-ears in general, complaining about lack of bass and that they're uncomfortable. True, various makes of in-ear headphones might not fit everyone, but they ARE meant to be inserted INTO the ear-canal. This is, in fact, how in-ears produce bass -- the bone-conduction of the ear-canal itself becomes part of the sound reproduction. If you're not looking for a pair of "in-canal" phones, these in fact WON'T produce much bass for you.
  
  That said, a few notes on the UE Super-fi 3s themselves:
  
  ROLLED-OFF HIGHS: the Super.fi 3s are Ultimate Ears' entry-level phones, and as such, I wasn't expecting too much "sparkle" -- I mostly just wanted something to make my train commute quieter so I could hear my music again. These phones DEFINITELY have that "warm" sound you hear people talking about, for better or worse -- the high-end reproduction is rolled off significantly. That might have something to do with the "balanced armature" drivers, though, which are unusual even for the rest of UE's products -- it makes for a MUCH more "transparent" listening experience than I'm accustomed to. (Crisp highs might be present when listening to super-high-tech glossy production -- electronic tracks, for example -- whereas tracks that have just "normal" amounts of high-end sparkle -- say, the Beatles -- don't have the same sizzle you'd expect from regular phones.)
  
  SOMEWHAT LARGE DRIVERS: I have slightly narrower-than-average ear canals, but most in-ear drivers (Shures, Westones) fit me decently. The Super.fi 3s have a ever-so-slightly bigger driver opening than usual (again, because of the balanced armature drivers?), so even with the smallest ear-tips, the UEs are just barely small enough to provide the needed seal, at least on my right ear. For most people, probably not a problem, but if you know you have narrow ear canals, you might want to choose a UE set with smaller drivers.
  
  STRANGE MATERIAL ON CABLES?
  UE's Super.fi cables seem to be made from a different rubber or plastic (or whatever) than standard portable headphone cables -- I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing, actually. It's a glossier, less rubbery material than I'm used to -- perhaps this has something to do with the "memory tubing" around the ear area (which I LOVE, by the way -- it really does a fantastic job of keeping the weight of the cables away from the drivers themselves, so they don't want to fall out of your ear so easily), and the material necessary to produce it. But it does conduct an awful lot of noise, so for those not running the cables behind your head (I generally tuck the cable into a jacket, keeping it from bouncing around), it might create a fair amount of noise brushing up against a lapel, or something of that nature.
  
  Other than that, I would have to say these are fantastic -- for under $100, these are a complete bargain. The quality is a drastic improvement from any non-in-ear set, and you'd be hard pressed to find a pair of in-ears of this quality for anywhere near the price.
  
  
• Excellent sound for under $100!
  By AP41VWB3GXQER on 2006-06-12
  I acquired a pair of these earphones a few weeks ago, and wasn't too terribly impressed at first by the low bass response and slightly tinny sound, which only improved a little as I broke them in.
  
  However, I finally tried switching ear tips (it comes with several sizes), and oh boy! what a difference!
  
  Those complaining about low bass are probably having trouble getting a good fit with these earbuds. The thing about In-Ear Monitors like these is that it is absolutely imperative that the listener attain a perfect seal in the ear canal. I found that my problem was that the tips I had been using were not big enough, which resulted in a lack of a good seal and, therefore, not enough bass response. If you are really having trouble getting these things to fit right, you can try the foam eartips, though I do not recommend them as they are intended to be disposable and yet are rather costly to replace.
  
  Once you get a good fit, however, the sound is quite lovely. The bass is clear without being too much, the midrange is very nice (find a good quality opera recording that you've been listening to with those crappy iPod earbuds and be amazed!) and the highs are clear and smooth. In short, the sound is flowery and rich. The volume out of my iPod (3rd generation 15GB....I know, I'm old-school) is actually better than what I get with the original iPod earbuds, especially since the Ultimate Ears do such a great job of blocking out noise. I think one would be extremely hard-pressed to find a better earbud at this price. Go for it!
  
  
• Great for the price
  By A182BD42IBRAOG on 2007-01-24
  I have been using these earphones with my ipod Nano for about a month now and I am very pleased with them. Are they the greatest sounding earphones I auditioned? No, but they cost less than half the price of any that sounded noticeably better. I sincerely believe that they are the best earphones unless you are willing to spend $170 - $200, and I wasn't interested in spending that much for the sound improvement. A couple of things: 1) I wear glasses and I have not noticed any noise associated with this. The cable has a bendable end on it and you simply shape it so that it does not rub on your glasses. I do have a pair of Sony waterproof earphones that I wear when I run because I do not want the sound isolation then or the perspiration running in them. 2) The bass is not great, but better than most in this price range. 3) The treble is fine. Not quite as good as a more expensive set, but again, IMO, best in this price range. 4) They isolate the sound very well if you fit them properly. I am still using the ends that came on them and they fit great right out of the box. 5) Vocals are very clear. 6) Separation and imaging is very good.
  
  If you order these, you will not be disappointed as long as you are not expecting $200 sound out of these $70 earphones. If you are looking for outstanding, thumping bass, you will need to consider over-the-ear headphones.
  
  
• Good noise isolators, clear flat sound, nice design
  By A2Q35NFQCQWKUK on 2007-08-31
  My favorite headphone design, the original AIWA Swoops never caught on, so I've been going through a new set of phones every six months or so to find the best fit for me. I'm a music producer and spend a lot of travel time under the headphones listening to new artists and reviewing works in progress. I take public transportation and have been frustrated with the bleed through of people chatter, bus rumble and street noise. I've tried all the over and in-ear designs, but nothing works that well. Headphones with big cans are perfect for the studio, but too clunky on the go. The Super.fi 3 got a very nice review in the San Francisco Chronicle, so I did some research and Amazon had them for a good price.
  
  The bendable chords took several days to form the right shape around my ears. However, once I figured out the right configuration, the phones fit snug and hold well. The sound is flat and clear across the spectrum, but listeners who want head pounding bass may be disappointed. The cord is thick and durable. The left and right labels on the earpieces are small and hard to read, and considering the unorthodox design of the headphones, the L and R letters should be large and clear on each phone. As external noise isolators, the Super.fi 3 works very well. I'm happy to report my bus commutes have been more focused on clear music listening rather than passenger's cell phone conversations.
  
  
  
• Terrific For Running (On A Treadmill Only) & Blocking Out Noise
  By AVTN1AIVW2LVH on 2008-04-09
  Love these headphones! My ear shape won't tolerate any standard earbuds (like the standard iPod earbuds) - they fall right out of my ears unless I glue them in, so they're pretty much useless. I was looking for earbuds with the following properties:
  
  - able to block out external noise (ie while commuting on public transit)
  - unobtrusive to other people around me
  - don't fall out of my ears (specifically, while running)
  - available in white
  - under $100
  
  With some practice (these come with a manual that demonstrates exactly how to put them in your ears) and testing out of the various sizes (very important) you will find a perfect match. The sound isolation is phenomenal. So good, in fact, that IMO it's dangerous to wear them while running outdoors because it's like losing one of your senses. A few times I had my music too loud and almost got blindsided by a car. Now I only wear them while running at the gym.
  
  I conducted a few tests with these to make sure OTHER people couldn't hear my music in public, the way those obnoxious iPod earbud users' do, and I even surprised myself. My friend was standing about one foot away from me in a silent room and couldn't even hear my music with the volume at 2/3! Unfortunately I couldn't turn the volume up any louder than that because it was even too loud for me. Usually having the volume at 1/4 of the way is sufficiently loud, compared to when I wear stereo monitors and have to turn the volume up much higher.
  
  Also suitable for lengthy listening sessions - I wore these on an 8 hour plane ride and often all day at work without any soreness in my ear canal.
  
  The quality of the cord is also excellent - it's the perfect length (my complaint with other earbuds - ie the V-Moda Bass Phreak - is that the cord is wayyyy too long and I have to wrap it multiple times so it's not in the way) and very, very durable (unlike others - Sony Fontopia EX-71, I'm looking at you) and shows no signs of fraying or wear after daily use for a year!
  
  

• Philips HL150 Lightweight Stereo Headphones
• Shure SCL2 Sound Isolating Earphones with Single Dynamic Driver, Black
• Koss SPARKPLUG - Stereo In Ear Ear Plugs
• Logitech Noise-Canceling Headphones
• Skullcandy SC-SBB3.5 Smokin' Earbud Black

• Ultimate Ears Super.fi 5 Pro Earphones (Clear)
• Airline Adapter
• V-MODA Bass Freq Earbuds - Bling Bling Black
• Etymotic Research ER6i Isolator In-Ear Earphones (Black)
• Sennheiser CX300-B Earbuds (Black)