WESTONE 3 IMPRESSIONS AND APPRECIATION THREAD - Page 61

I, for one, only like to review things I enjoy - later if I find something better, I say so. For example, I never did a review review my Pimeta, E2c, Super.fi 5 Pro, Bose QC2 & QC1, Bose On Ear and Bose In Ear, Darth Beyer or Lambda Pro and other things because it wasn't worth my time. I did review the Freq Show and it wasn't pretty because I didn't like them and people didn't like what I had to say. So, typically I have better things to do before I die than post a bunch of negative reviews of items that I want to trash.

great mine are wit the 'courier service' somewhere in my city!

i bet they are gonna only deliver tomorrow

So, in other words, I'm only reviewing these headphones because I like to trash things? Come on. I have, many times, admitted to being a Westone fan. I own the UM2 and the ES2, and the latter is my standard for IEM sound quality. What exactly do I have to gain by trashing the W3 besides getting on the nerves of the very company that I'm so fond of? I'm just telling it how I hear it, which happens to be going against the FOTM here. Please stop trying to find some sort of sinister plot or mechanical fault to explain my views. And, if you read into what I'm actually saying, then you'll see that I'm not trashing the W3, I'm simply pointing out flaws that I hear.

It's OK to disagree This is what forums are for. Let's just leave it at that. I have a lot of respect for you and I don't want to get personal.

No, I was responding to MaloS post right above mine.

Ah, well, I stand corrected then

Not a problem - apparently I have gone off the bend on another forum due to some misunderstandings. I'll blame it on the economy.

I just didn't quote MaloS the first time, in case he wasn't referring to me, or then I'd be accused of blowing it again.

[OPENING] I would first like to thank ClieOS cause I am following in suite in his reviewing style.

[Important] This review is on subjective term. Your opinion, music, and what you hear may be different. This is just me telling you what my experiences are!.

Reviewing gear: iPod Classic 160gb, Steven Kelby made 22g Cryo Copper/Silver LOD, Headamp Pico.

Earphones: Westone 3, and Triple Fi 10 (soon)

Lossless ALAC Tracks: selections from Delta Goodrem, Linkin Park, Imogen Heap, Enya, System of a Down, 30 Seconds to Mars, Armin van Buuren, Mozart, Pink Floyd, Within Temptation, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin – I have tried to encompass a wide variety of music

Rating: From one star (★, lowest rating) to five stars (★★★★★, highest rating), including half a star (☆). Criteria include [Packaging / Build Quality / Accessories / Isolation / Microphonics / Comfort / Soundstage / Sound Quality / Value]

★★★★★-The best
★★★★---Really good
★★★-----Average
★★-------Just OK
★---------Not worth it


Westone 3 (2008)

Variation: UM3, W3
Transducer: 3-Way Balanced Armature
Spec: 30Ω (@1kHz) | 20Hz~ 18kHz | 107dB SPL |
Cord Style: Y-cord, ~50” (1.5m)
Mini Jack Style: Gold plated L style, heavy build.
Eartips Used: Shure Olives (small)
Packaging: ★★★★★ (very nice, small and neat, no psycho packaging to rip through)
Build Quality: ★★★★☆ (heavily build, nice plastic, seems strong, worried about ‘stem’)
Accessories: ★★★★☆ (everything you need is included, mediocre case)
Isolation: ★★★★☆ (this is subjective to the tip you use)
Microphonics: ★ ★★★★ (over-the-ear style, no microphonics)
Comfort: ★★★★★ (light cable, dependant on tips, Olives are very comfy, W3 sits nicely in ear)
Soundstage: ★★★★☆ (nice spacious)
Sound Quality: ★★★★★ (very musical, and enjoyable)
Value: ★★★★☆ (sound fantastic, but are v pricey)

Remark: After waiting for over a year, they finally were released. The Westone 3’s were worth the wait. Westone have always been the most comfortable earphone I have used, and the Westone 3 are now the most comfortable earphones I have used, alongside one of the most magical sounding. Delta Goodrem’s voice has never sounded so lush and silky soft (like velvet in my ears), I have never heard my favourite artist in such quality. I put on a Diana Krall (mp3) and was blown away, the plucking of the bass strings was impressive, and her voice hits some wonderful notes. It was evident from examining female vocals the lush highs and mids this earphone offers. Despite some fellow Head Fi’ers finding concerns with the mids, I am quite impressed by what the W3 produces.

For the bassheads, I listened to Rammstein, and some techno and trance to experiemtn with the bass response, quality and quantity. I have to say, that the quality of the bass if astounding, however, I do find at times the W3 is somewhat lacking in bass. Unlike the Triple Fi 10 which (in my opinion) is quite a bassy earphone, the W3 is more quality over quantity, whereas TF10 is a bit more equal.

Overall Ranking: ★★★★☆ (the price and the silly case let's it down, also the fact that I needed to use Shure tips as well)

Nevertheless, I am quite happy with my purchase (for now). I will (near the end of next week) do a full-blown comparison of my earphones, but at the moment tied up writing a Valedictory Speech for my graduation. Until next time, keep enjoying your music.

While patiently waiting for my W3's to arrive on Wednesday, could anyone tell me if the Comply tips included the same kind/size/style/length as those that have been included with the Um2's?

You can check out the picture here:

http://images.imp3.net/article/2008/11/20/050103.jpg

well I guess we are just a couple of the lucky one hey HA?? i've continued to give my W3 a work out and I cant really find fault with them at this stage. i'm sure i'll come up with something, they aren't the perfect IEM; but nothing stands out to me. I do feel however that they are quite picky with source; and while the mids presentation is a little further back than my SE530; the much wider soundstage more than makes up for it; because there is more room for the instruments in that range to exist in. I dont know if that makes any sense to you guys, but thats how it seems to me. If the soundstage was narrow and congested, but with the same midrange then this could lead to apparent loss of detail, separation and clarity. i'm using them with a pretty top notch portable rig though. with the VCAPs in my dock now only just starting to come into their own at about 120hrs. it can only keep on improving. they definitely do present the music in a different way to the shures. with all live gigs (even small unplugged ones) sounding like they were played in a slightly ;larger venue or miked a little further back. In contrast the shures will bring you a touch too close to the stage and the vocals and lead instruments can sound a touch to present or with vocals sometimes sounding like they are miked too close bringing a slightly throaty quality to female vocals that isn't always appropriate.

No sibilance for me, unless it is definitely there in the original recording; if it is, then it does become pretty noticeable; not painful for me though.

re comfort:
I wear the cord behind my neck on my shures anyway so I have no issues with the Y-split whatsoever. I guess I can be thankful that I also have very easy to fit ear canals too. short comply, long comply, black foamies. all with good isolation and comfort. i've been alternating between those three though; i'm not a big fan of soft flex or silicone. wont do that until I get my sensephonics custom tips though. i've decided to go them rather than the UM56. I like how they have a deeper fit and dont seem to make the phones stand out as much. I also prefer the look of them (just a bonus)

the only not so good synergy that i've had so far has been with my all silver in silk BG dock and the pico, with no VCAP, but only with one teflon slick house recording by daft punk off 'discovery' 'Veridis Quo' sounds good but just a touch too slick for daft punk; which ideally has a slightly rasped edge to the silky smoothness. particularly on the rhodes and pads. anyway thats about as much detail as i'm wiling to go into after only one day of listening. I will be posting a more detailed review and comparison with all the gear in my sig as well as a mini^3 (high performance version) and some interconnects I havent bothered to add. (my sig is already reaching a length that should be trimmed or moved to a blog.

Aside from the STANDARD and SHORT, there is also a new ComplyTips called SLIM. They are as long as the STANDARD but have a narrower diameter (overall slimmer).

I love Daft Punk .

'oh yeah' so do I got all of their albulms and saw them this year in brisbane. it was SOOOOOOO wild. funny story that; you gotta love the robot gear.

Lol, yeah. That had to be awesome.

@moseboy

please share your experince when you get w3...im surious because you also love ur 530's