Ultimate Ears triple.fi 10 Pro

If you're looking to upgrade your portable audio universe and find yourself wondering "hmm, should I get better headphones or an amp first?" we say blow your initial chunk of change on great headphones; the amp can always come later. So here's a top-shelf recommendation for free-roaming listeners lusting after audiophile sound from their portable player: the three-driver Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi ear canal headphones. The Triple.Fi are designed to compete side-by-side with all the avant-garde multiple driver earphones taking over the mobile audio world. These in-ear earphones present amazing detail resolution throughout the entire musical spectrum with a well-extended upper treble range that fares superbly versus the competition. The Triple.Fi's overall sound signature is certainly different versus the similar 3-driver Shure SE530 with UE taking a slightly drier, more articulate approach versus the Shure's edge in bass richness and authority in the bottom-end. These sonic distinctions are certainly nuanced and the choice will likely boil down to a highly subjective, personal listening preference for most audiophiles.

The fit ergonomics of the Triple.Fi also remain distinct from the Shure design. The driver housing on the UE is somewhat more rounded and slightly less slim-profile than the SE530 so folks who don't happen to own the right ear canals may perhaps experience a few more fit issues with the Triple.Fi's.

The triple-microdriver balanced armature Ultimate Ears Triple-Fi earphones utilize the same concept as room speakers with separate tweeter, midrange, and woofer elements providing truly articulate, well-balanced sound from just about any portable audio source. Their highly efficient low impedance rating allows for use from iPods, Mp3 players, and laptops without requiring any dedicated headphone amp along for the ride. The Triple.Fi come stock with 5 pairs of variously sized eartip sleeves including one set of squishy grey foam tips plus four sets of soft flex-silicon tips. Also provided in the UE accessories/fit kit are a 25-inch extension cable, a nozzle cleaning tool, an in-line dB attenuator, a full-size 1/4" plug adapter, and a schwingy hard-sided aluminum travel/storage case. A limited two-year manufacturer's warranty is provided by Ultimate Ears.