Ultimate Ears MetroFi 220 Review

One of Ultimate Ears' discontinued entry-level earphone.

Specs:

Driver: Dynamic

Frequency Response: 20Hz~20KHz

Impedance: 18Ω
Sensitivity: 103dB
Cord Length: 1.16m

Plug Type: Straight
 MSRP: $79.99 / $89.99 for the version with in-line microphone

Packaging / Accessories:  

Packaging is very simple - with the earphones visible through clear plastic. Included are 3 sets of silicone tips (S,M,L) and a hard carrying case. Packaging is minimal.

Build Quality / Appearance / Cable:  

Build Quality is average. The MetroFi 220 is made of plastic and has a chrome finish with coloured translucent caps to indicate left and right (red for right, black for left). I'm not very impressed with the cord- it is extremely microphonic, prone to memory and tangles very easily. It is also missing stress reliefs.

Comfort / Isolation: 

I find them to be quite comfortable with the stock medium tip. However, I mostly use them with ComplyFoam tips as it offers me more comfort and increases the isolation. The MetroFi 220s have little isolation due to the port in the back and also because of the shallow insertion; when I'm out and about, I can still hear noise from my surroundings and would need to increase the volume in order drown it out.

Sound:  

Dynamic and lots of bass. The lows are very powerful and smooth, but accuracy and detail suffers and can sound a tiny bit muddy. They will make your eardrums rumble if the song calls for it, but I never found them to be excessively boomy (note that I like my music to have some weight and analytical or neutral loving people may have a lower tolerance to bass). The bass extends quite low and has good decay. Mid-bass hump is there, but the bass still sounds quite natural despite not being of the best quality. Midrange is present and the treble is slightly rolled off and does not have that top end sparkle. Vocals can sound dry and dull sometimes. The soundstage is pretty big though with good separation and placement. The MetroFi 220 also sounds more airy and spacious than other bass heavy earphones.

Summary: 

The MetroFi 220 is a very fun earphone to listen to with its emphasized bass and decent mids and highs. Although no longer being manufactured, I feel like the MSRP of $79.99 was too high. They are a great pair of budget earphones but there are many others in the same price range that offers better quality and clarity in sound.