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Oh UERM. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

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Anaxilus:
Ultimate Ears - In-Ear Reference Monitor (aka - UERM, IERM)

There has been much debate about the merits of Custom IEMs.  This has often included the question of performance between universal and 'full' custom versions of the same phone.  The price performance of customs versus universals.  Also the ability to DIY your custom either through reshelling or tuning similar components via crossovers and filters.  This review will address a few of those comparisons using a number of metrics.  Stay tuned!!

Teaser pics:

My long in the tooth UERM, bought second hand and fit to someone else's ears; modded to fit mine and similar size ears with universal tips.  This was a very early unit.



My new full custom UERM set.  New Designer Edition featuring artwork from Leon Nguyen.  http://pro.ultimateears.com/en-us/earphones/galleries/designer-editions
Pictures don't do the layering and dimensionality justice.





Official UE Reference Monitor Universal Demo.



DIY Modified TF10 by Rin Choi.  Designed to best emulate the UERM's signature and performance on the cheap.



Coming soon!

Anaxilus:
Impressions and comparisons

UERM demo
Sounds pretty much the same as my conversion.  Maybe fractionally cleaner and precise due to being newer. Wider SS though, more air, more room for trailing decays and articulation of notes.  Much more coherent and relaxed presentation.  Less treble zing than my universal conversion.

UERM universal conversion
Less precise than the demo, could be more worn from use which is what I feel I'm hearing.  SS is a tad narrower.  Tonal balance is mostly the same.  A bit more treble zing.  I really think the sonic difference is due to age and early production than anything else.

UERM custom
Slightly less clarity and imaging precision than my universal conversion or the demo.  Sound bores are not a straight shot, could be something that matters in direct comparison.  Will have to return to UE to have it rechecked and/or corrected.  Stay tuned...

TF10 Rin modded
Less sensitive than the UERMs.  Needs more gain even on my UHA6Smk2 high gain.  Sounds much better than the normal TF10, more balanced.  Not quite as clear though, a slight hint of warmth but good detail.  Bass feels more linear than normal TF10 but doesn’t have the impact of the TF10s.  Imaging is a bit hazier.  Bass guitar on Hotel California has harder time resolving itself, tone is off.  Tonally more relaxed in a way I think some would find more appealing than the UERM.  A bit Westonish.  It is also a bit bass light, this track is mastered bass heavy. A very solid effort with respect to tonal balance.  However, overall less refined and articulate in resolving nuances and detailed transients.  At times, there’s a bit of an uneven sort of resonance or decay which lends to the inarticulate sensation.  While there is less treble zing and bass boom which is better for those wanting a more relaxed fatigue free listen, sibilance on Glen Frey’s vocals are more pronounced.  I do think there is an upper mid grain that is over accentuated or just sounds harsher due to lack of resolution.  This came to be more prevalent on cymbals w/ some Scorpions tracks.  All said and done, I have to commend the overall effort, sounds less refined than the TF10 I sold, but more balanced and neutral.  I think the more natural sweetness of the TF10's timbre is lost though as well.

Post TF10 listen using UERM demos-overall signature is much smoother and refined.  All the notes sound more complete and fuller.  The sonic impression is more akin to comparing WAV files to MP3s.  Imaging and SS is much more precise and clarity is better.  Sibilance on cymbals and vocals are much more natural too.  There are also more macro and micro dynamics being reproduced.  Compared to the TF10 experiment, the UERM just makes everything sound more real and ‘there’ but showing more of what is actually on the recording.  IT’s just extracting more information and laying it out for the listener.  This is no small feat by the way, I almost bought the JH13FP but ultimately felt the UERM was still more resolving and balanced despite other strengths the JH13FP had like imaging and clarity.  This really speaks to UE's tuning and inherent design superiority with the UERM.

Hawaiiancerveza:
Looking forward to this. 

zerodeefex:
Would make out with the designer edition ones.

burnspbesq:
I got the standard black finish and logos.  If I had it to do over again, I would have gotten clear with no logos.  Like putting A4 badges on an RS4.

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