Macworld | iPod Product Guide: Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pro

Ultimate Ears super.fi 5 Pro

Basic Information

Price as Reviewed:	$250
Company:	Ultimate Ears
Rating:

Review

From the Playlist book:

In-ear-canal headphones--also known as canalphones--are all the rage among iPod owners, and for good reason: When you stick these earplug-like headphones down into your ear canals, the noise of the outside world is blissfully blocked--you get better noise isolation than even the best noise-canceling headphones can provide. At the same time, the sound quality produced by these miniature marvels is nothing short of amazing. You'll hear things in your music that you never even knew were there. This combination of isolation and sound quality has made canalphones the accessory of choice for many a frequent flyer and urban commuter. (Although, for obvious reasons, we don't recommend wearing them while walking down a dark alley, alone, at night.)

Ultimate Ears, long known for high-end, custom-fit canalphones, has recently entered this crowded market with two standout models: the inexpensive ($100) super.fi 3 Studio and the higher-end super.fi 5 Pro. Designed to compete with simlarly-priced models from Etymotic and Shure, the 5 Pro do just that.--Dan Frakes