Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors

[Frederik S]

The flagship custom in-ear solution by Ultimate Ears gets put to the test against the best customs around. The Personal Reference Monitors target audiophiles who want a go at tuning their own custom in-ears. Almost everything is customizable, from the sound signature to the bundle.

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[Nordic]

Interesting review. Certainly a unique product.

 

[Fourstaff]

Interesting review. Certainly a unique product.

Its not unique. Maybe the 5 armature part is, but this is quite a bog standard product in the music industry.

 

[Frederik S]

Its not unique. Maybe the 5 armature part is, but this is quite a bog standard product in the music industry.

It has a fully customizable sound signature as well. Only two other products I know have something that is similar JH-3A and maybe the new UM DSP box as well.

The PRMs are the only ones with it inside the earphones.

 

[Fourstaff]

It has a fully customizable sound signature as well.

Well once you have decided on your preferred sound signature, you are effectively stuck on that, yes?

 

[digibucc]

Well once you have decided on your preferred sound signature, you are effectively stuck on that, yes?

well yeah, but alot of people listen to one type of music a lot, for them it would make sense. It's not me and i'm not a fan of in-ears, but I like the idea.

 

[Freedom4556]

I thought for a minute TPU had started reviewing hearing aids.

 

[remixedcat]

I really want these and they sounded like they would be awesome but at 2K USD...? ..

I need customs becuase my cat ears.

 

[de.das.dude]

first time seeing something like this. first time reading an audio related review.

awesome.

 

[WhiteLotus]

I really want these and they sounded like they would be awesome but at 2K USD...? ..

I need customs becuase my cat ears.

You don't need customs. You want customs.

 

[Castiel]

These are not worth the price tag on them. I have used better for less than half the price.

 

[RoostieJDio]

These are not worth the price tag on them. I have used better for less than half the price.

Care to share the make and model of this cheaper and better alternative? I'm looking at some customs to replace my Grado GR10s.

 

[zenlaserman]

Care to share the make and model of this cheaper and better alternative? I'm looking at some customs to replace my Grado GR10s.

So you're soliciting an opinion from someone who offered their unsolicited opinion on a device that can only be covered by subjective opinion?

Heh, funny how that works on the interweb. It's my experience that experience of vicarious means is not necessarily experience at all.

It's my opinion that his opinion smells like ultracrepidarian troll sauce.

/I've never dropped more than $400 on an Ultimate Ears product

 

[average_joe]

Care to share the make and model of this cheaper and better alternative? I'm looking at some customs to replace my Grado GR10s.

I have also reviewed the UE PRM as well as plenty of other custom IEMs. You can see the summary of my reviews here, with links to the full reviews. My reviews are very thorough and include head-to-head comparisons. I also have a table you can sort and filter here.

Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[remixedcat]

Excellent guides joe!

 

[redeye]

really?

for about 20 percent of the price of this IEM, the shure 535 will get you 80% of the extreme quality of these IEM's... (i own the shure 535's)

the in ear Equalizer is a gimmick, and an expensive one at that...

yes the shure's are about 500, but the 20/80 sounds better than 25/80... j/k

 

[Fourstaff]

for about 20 percent of the price of this IEM, the shure 535 will get you 80% of the extreme quality of these IEM's... (i own the shure 535's)

This is for people who want the extra 20% performance over shure 535's. I mean, iBuds is 50% the quality of 535's and costs 1% of 535, why don't you use those instead?

 

[OneCool]

I thought for a minute TPU had started reviewing hearing aids.

this

 

[remixedcat]

Care to share the make and model of this cheaper and better alternative? I'm looking at some customs to replace my Grado GR10s.

750USD and custom
http://www.mcssl.com/store/futuresonics/mg5pro-ear-monitors-brand-personal-monitors-clear

 

[redeye]

This is for people who want the extra 20% performance over shure 535's. I mean, iBuds is 50% the quality of 535's and costs 1% of 535, why don't you use those instead?

you have not listened to the 535's have you... in any case...
more like iBuds is 1% of the 535's for 1% of 535's price... if you are using iBuds to refer to the stock old Apple ipod earbuds then 10%...of the 535's sound.

my hearing is somewhat bad so ironically i need better IEM's than a teenager needs, because a teenager "fills" in the "Gaps" of the bad headphone sound...

when listening to shure 535's i have never thought to myself this song does not sound like i remember it sounding... they are great because they have a Reassuring sound(no pun intended)... the bass may not be what you want it to should be, but it is accurate.


lets see, the shure 535's are IMO perfect for the iPod touch, they allow you to determine that the iTunes store music is not so bad, a little bit of the soul of the music is lost, but when listen ing on a bus, moot point... yet, i do prefer listening to the cd's lossless version of the artists i like... (i love comparing itunes store to the CD to the 256k aac version created in itunes.)
i have Settled on the itunes store version of the artist's i like because i believe it sounds better than the 256k aac version created myself from the cd.

yes, the cd sounds better...but how much better is up to debate... there are times when i prefer the "Straightahead" soundstage the iTunes store "mastered for ipod" brings... other times i prefer the bit more precise sound of the CD.


the new stock iPod headphones included with the 5th gen iPod touch are actually not so bad, (not much outside sound Isolation) i have them (received the 5th gen iPod for christmas)
and if i may be so bold to say, that the new stock iPod touch headphones are 20% of the 535's sound...

if you need more info on other headphones, my favourite store, info source with frequency response graphics etc is www.headphone.com...

for more info on the shure 535, http://www.headphone.com/headphones/shure-se535.php

 

[Fourstaff]

you have not listened to the 535's have you... in any case...
more like iBuds is 1% of the 535's for 1% of 535's price... if you are using iBuds to refer to the stock old Apple ipod earbuds then 10%...of the 535's sound.

Yes I have listened to the 535, I think they pretty decent. Currently using (relatively) budget friendly UE TripleFi 10. The need for better sound devices is largely dependent on individuals (and the sound source), your judgement for one set of earphones in terms of price/perf cannot really translate to everyone. Also, I can hear the shortcomings of my iPod Classic (hard drive version) when I use the TF10, you might want to use something which is not an iDevice to bring out the best of your Shure 535.

Yes I do really think iBuds are 50% of TF10, maybe because I am really tolerant to poor sound sources. However the 50% difference between both means that TF10 will get my recommendation any time.

 

[m1dg3t]

Nice review, but $2k for a pair of IEMs? Thats just nuckin futs! :shadedshu

Altruism, engage! ~13% of the globe is hungry, ~25k people die everyday as a result of this. And people actually buy these things? Sad.

 

[redeye]

Yes I have listened to the 535, I think they pretty decent. Currently using (relatively) budget friendly UE TripleFi 10. The need for better sound devices is largely dependent on individuals (and the sound source), your judgement for one set of earphones in terms of price/perf cannot really translate to everyone. Also, I can hear the shortcomings of my iPod Classic (hard drive version) when I use the TF10, you might want to use something which is not an iDevice to bring out the best of your Shure 535.

Yes I do really think iBuds are 50% of TF10, maybe because I am really tolerant to poor sound sources. However the 50% difference between both means that TF10 will get my recommendation any time.

i

well the iBuds aren't so bad, but i dislike the fact the traffic noise is louder (or seems to be) with the iBuds in.

i agree... but the triplefi 10 is 444 on amazon or 222 on ebay thus it is approx in the same ballpark as the shures. (now i see why you are saying that they are 50% of the cost... but that price is not retail and the shures are only available at retail pricing)

yes, i do wish i had a headphone amp, and digital out so that the d/a in the ipod is bypassed, but i have to make due with just an ipod touch i am lucky I had enough money, and was able to get the shure 535 cheap locally (lamusic, mississauga)...