WESTONE 3 IMPRESSIONS AND APPRECIATION THREAD - Page 34

Welcome, just don't catch the upgradetitis bug.

Thank you everyone for the welcomes.

@tstarn: I am currently using UE Triple.fi 10 Pros with a Sansa Fuze 8gb, and Sansa Clip 4gb. Occasionally I use my Koss KSC-75 and Vmoda Bass Freqs.
I had originally been looking around these forums for reviews of a good pair of IEMs for the gym that were moderately priced (I don't want to be sweaty and highly mobile with my UE Triple.fi 10s), but it turns out... I ended up getting the Westone 3s, which, I have no doubt in my mind would never be taken to the gym with me. So, my search for a sub $80 pair of good sounding phones that stays in my ears very well (and have little microphonics) continues. *clears throat* "1.5 month old UE Triple.fi 10s w/ unused Comply tips for sale!"

Selling and buying ensues.

x2, welcome and the upgradetitis bug can be quite costly. I dont even have that bad of upgradetitis but my wallet still feels the hurt.

I think I've already been infected

Whoa. You may still prefer the UEs over the W3s. And obviously, you are hardly a rookie in the headphone $$$ derby. As for those inexpensive IEMs for the gym, maybe the Denon C351s, with Comply t400 tips.

Silly question to ask after I have already purchased the Westone 3: Does it have a detachable cable?

I'll look into the DenonC351s. How do they compare to UE Super.fi 3s?

You think?
You ARE already infected!

No detachable cable.

Latest Comparison Installment

After going several rounds back and forth with the TF10s and the W3s, I’d have to say both are great phones. They have a certain similarity of sound signature also, but the W3s are slightly cleaner sounding, kind of like if you took the TF 10s and with some kind of magic sound cleanser stripped away a very fine layer of sonic film from the entire presentation. This is not dramatic, but you can certainly hear it. In addition, the bass on the TF10, while quite good, is not as deep, clean, detailed, or impactful as the W3. One of the songs I have been using for this comparison is Patricia Barber’s version of “Norwegian Wood” by the Beatles. Besides excellent recording quality and female vocals, there is a lot of stand-up bass, piano, drums and some bells in the background. While the TF10 renders the bass fiddle well, the W3 is just cleaner and more impactful, including the sound of the fingers plucking the strings, which you do get some of with the TF 10, just more resolution and impact comes with the W3. The vocals are competent with the TF10, although the placement is ever so slightly recessed compared to the main body of the music. The W3 places the vocals slightly forward of the instruments on this cut, which is, in my opinion, where it belongs. It is not way out front just a bit and pleasantly so. The W3 has a very smooth musicality to its presentation, you hear no grain in the voice, it flows very well. With the TF 10 there is a very slight hint of grain and a sense that something is resisting the flow of the music very slightly. Again, this is a subtle effect, but depending on one’s sensitivity to such things, noticeable.

The biggest difference I found between the W3 and TF 10 was in listening to classical music. I used the Cleveland Symphony’s recording of the Dvorak 8th Symphony, conducted by Christophe von Dohnanyi for this test. Listening to large string elements with complex textures of woodwinds in the mix, the W3 is phenomenal at rendering the weight of the orchestra with clarity and definition. I do not think I have heard anything like this done so well. You get the low rumble that a real orchestra creates in the hall, but the string definition is all there, not smudged or approximated, and the woodwinds and flutes are all there very clearly heard, but integrated into the sound as they should be. The 4th movement of this work starts with a big trumpet introduction and this is clear and biting while retaining a certain sweetness in the sound, like it sounds live. This section of the music can sound more biting and acerbic on lesser phones. I am extremely impressed with the W3s performance with classical music. The same holds true for piano music. The W3s ability to pick up bass energy just gives a reality to the piano that the TF 10 does not duplicate. In fact, as I have been listening to the W 3 off and on all day, I have gotten used to hearing this lower bass weight underpinning the music and now I hear the lack of it with other phones quite glaringly, when I wouldn’t have recognized it before to the same degree.

To test the higher registers I listened to a Judy Collins tune called, “All the Pretty Horses” which has bells and triangles and such. Here the TF 10 showed a lot of strength, with clarity and definition in the higher realms. The W3 was also quite good, but the higher sounds of the bells and triangles didn’t sound quite as defined, but more “in the mix” of the music. Whether they should stand out like the TF 10 allows or be slightly less emphasized like the W3 presents, I do not know. The highs on the W3 are very clear and very smooth, with a kind of golden color to them (if that can describe a sound) while some of these sounds with the TF 10 may be ever so slightly more extended and defined. Others may perceive this differently, I do not see it as a major difference. Also, I dod no mention soundstage. Generally the TF10 has a slightly larger and deeper soundstage, I’d say about 5% larger all around, not so much, but perceivable. BTW, if there are any lovers of classical violin out there, the W3s sound fantastic on violin music because of their smoothness and lack of grain and easy flowing sound they allow. So, those are my attempts to compare the TF10 and the W3. Coming later the Shure E 500s and Sleek SA 6s.

Vorlon1-
Thanks for the post. It was the most telling for me of anything I've read so far. I think I'm going to like them.

Vorlon, that's basically a reassurance of what i have read for comparison between W3 and triples.

Both quite similar with difference balance shifting. W3 is better towards low mid while triples favour mid high.
W3 more extended in low, triples extended in high.

How about the fitting? Same as UM2? Fyi, i have weird case with UM2. Triples fit better on me than the so call most comfortable iem, UM2! UM2 has to many surface contact with my ears and hard to get a good seal.

I really would like to give W3 a try.

cn11 - I think you will like them very much.

toughnut - The 3s seem to fit better than the UM 2, they feel lighter and maybe a little smaller, or perhaps more ergonomic, but they go on easily.

Thanks rob, for the useful comments. I'm still curious to hear your call about cymbals, especially compared to the ESW9 (if my pair is like yours, lower treble and cymbals region was recessed).

Tony, my ESW 9 is actually pretty emphasized in the treble, unlike others of them I've heard, so I doubt if it will be much of a valid comparison in that way. The comments I made in the post about the TF10 and W3 pretty much apply to cymbals too in the section discussing the Judy Collins song high sounds. I will listen to the ESW9 later on and let you know if I hear any differences.

I made it a point to stay away from the Westne 3 and Image X10 for most of the day, and then put in the Image X10 for a listen and it they sounded really good. So good it made me wonder if I was crazy about liking the W3 so much.

Then I switched to the W3 and the sound opened up to a huge space and the bass and weight of the instruments struck me in full, and everything sounded so much fuller and more real. And I knew I wasn't crazy anymore, and I didn't wake up from this dream because it is real this time!