WESTONE 3 IMPRESSIONS AND APPRECIATION THREAD - Page 51

oh great, now the dollar is against me buying westone 3's, when will it end@!

Probably when our gas prices go back up. (I am loving, LOVING $1.47/Gallon)

Petrol is damn cheap, yet importing stuff is more expensive than ever.

Disaster!

MS Live cashback is down to 20%

Anticipating your impressions.

The only way to stop the insanity, is to bite the bullet and just buy them now.

(However, as we all know, that's just a temporary fix - only good until next year's 4-driver model is rolled out).

I just got a westone 3 as a birthday present...I might just sell it though.

Credit cards need paying.

Sell something else... How many kidneys do you have left?

How big are the shells of the W3 compared to iems like the SA6 or q-jays. Anyone have comparison pictures?

+1. I hear the same differences! Also, the isolation is really that good. It is that much better than any IEM I ever heard. The cable is also nice. I guess it will be my main IEM for a while.

My slogan for the Westone 3: They will leave you breathless!*

* Westone recommends you to breathe while listening to the 3s.

Mine arrived today, 5 days for international free shipping with no customs! However, I won't be able to pick up my new Ipod Touch 'til next week, so they will have to remain in their box 'til then...

LOL!! That's awesome.

They're much bigger than the q-Jays, but they're designed to fit into your ears in a totally different way.

Once they're in they don't stand out very much at all (certainly not like TF Pros) and they're REALLY comfortable.

They also sound a hell of a lot better than q-Jays.

That is too bad that there is nothing at hand that you can try them with. Did you know they come with a 1/8" to 1/4" adapter so you can plug them into a home audio receiver too?

Strapped on the W3's - and they rolled my socks down!!!

Kudos, congratulations, and thanks to Westone - they're simply wonderful! (and every other superlative I can think of).

The Westone 3's were DEFINITELY worth the 2 year wait, as well as the full retail price (and, even the cost of buying SE530's in the interim - which will promptly go up for sale, or be given away!)

Picked my "3's" up from Fedex an hour ago.
Slapped on some Shure Olive tips,
and plugged them into my 3G Nano / ALO Cryo Dock / Tomahawk rig.
Within 30 seconds, I was "gone".

Absolutely lost in the most immersive earphone (maybe even headphone) listening experience I've ever heard.

What an epiphany!

This is exactly why those of us who frequent Head-Fi do this stuff. (continually abuse our wallets in search of sonic perfection)
I just can't get over these things.

Listening to Bella Sonus as I write this (extremely well engineered album - which Ray Samuels references for deep sub bass along with detail in the rest of the audible passband).

So far, the only comparison that comes to mind is with my Definitive Technologies BP2000 speakers (bipolar line source + 15" 500 watt powered subwoofer in each). The 3's sound more like the Definitives, than anything else; and more than any other headphone I own (HD600, SR325i, ER4P, SE530, PK2). I swear; they sound just like I stuffed the Definitives into my ears. Only difference is the lack of chest thumping sub bass from the 1,000 watts of subwoofer power on the Definitives.

These little puppies sound more like high end speakers than ANY headphone I've ever listened to. Balanced, detailed, more PRAT than you can shake a a stick at; deep, tight, articulate & punchy bass, almost surreal mids, and sweet, sweet high frequencies.

They put you right there - in the 2nd row.

wrt high frequencies: I don't know how Westone managed to maintain the detail and air I'm hearing, without getting that "too sharp / analytical" quality to the sound that I hear with the Grados & Ety's.

The bass is simply the best I've ever heard in an IEM, by a factor of 2, at least.

What really surprised me is the superior, smooth, lush mids. They blow the SE530's away in mids too (and I thought that was the 530's strong suit). The 3's do male & female vocals like no other. And, electric guitars are simply visceral on the 3's!

Matter of fact, it almost seems trivial to attempt to discuss the Westone 3 sound in terms of the traditional low / mid / high frequency parameters common in these forums. There is something about the 3's that seem to "integrate" those otherwise distinct sections of the frequency curve into a single, unified, holistic experience.

Headstage is fantastic. Close your eyes, and you can easily position each instrument.

May have to "call in sick" today - because I don't know if I can uplug, anytime soon.

A few non-SQ comments:

- cable length perfect
- distance to the Y-junction perfect.
- no cable microphonics
- fit with the Shure Olives perfect
- even less obtrusive than the 530's
- 90 degree 1/8 inch mini jack fits iPhone with Griffen leather case

Don't know when, but I will do some serious A/B'ing and report.
(although, it seems superfluous at this point)

Per Headphone Addict's recommendation, I plan on getting fitted for the vinyl UM56 tips. However, at this point, I can't even begin to imagine how the 3's could sound ANY better.

Better end this post now.
Spent the last 10 minutes just staring off into space, shaking my head at the sound of this "disruptive" product.

The Westone 3's are un-freakin' believable!