REVIEW: WESTONE 3, the ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL IEM vs everything else - AKA W3 Appreciation Thread - Page 12

I have been trying to purchase them through Westone Online Store bur there is not an option to Add to Cart, what should I do? should I send first my ear impressions?

Also do you have international shipping for the tips? thanks a lot for your help.

Business partners | Variphone Benelux

Ahhhh, that helps with what I've been trying to figure out. I'll just bide my time and see what Westone have in the pipeline.

I'm getting kinda interested in the UM56 even though I haven't received my W3 yet. If I go to a local dealer in that list, then they are guaranteed to have the UM56 available? I pay for the impressions and for the cost of the UM56 and they will ship to Westone and Westone will ship it back when it's done? I'm just not too sure about the process. It seems like that's the process from HA's previous post

I just made an appointment with a local audiologist. It is a 15 min appt and the cost for the impressions and the earpieces is $150. They are on Westones list and they say they Guarantee the fit. I thought it was better doing that than getting someone to do the molds then sending to Westone.

My appt is next week. I have a feeling it will take a little longer because I think the UM56 are going to get real popular for awhile with the 3's out!

has somebody already tried the modifie triflanges aka biflanges with the W3, these tips where the one i liked the most with my UM1

Just received mine. Half an hour with it. The sound signature of these IEMs are truly interesting indeed.
Have to agree 100% with HeadphoneAddict's review. It's just spot on for a very nice joyride. The bass is just what I want on IEMs. The mids are not REALLY forward compared to the ER4S. Instrument separation is wonderfully done well. The amount of detail given by these headphones are sufficient to my taste. It's the only other IEM which can pick up certain details which only my ER4S can pick up. The instrument placement is interesting though.

On my ER4S the positioning is perfect like a live band performing.
Whereas the Westone 3's, the bassist's amp is located more forward. Ocassionally the the bassist's amp would be in a line with a vocalist's. But I blame the recording for that.

One thing I dislike about the Westone 3's. If the ER4S is like a sharp edge, the Westone 3's is like that same edge, sanded off to make it rounded. It's a good thing for badly recorded music as well as guitar solos. But it's a double edged sword. It makes acoustic guitars which are recorded well, sound like the guitarist changed their acoustic guitar to some cheap budget acoustic guitar. There's that certain resonance and crisp that acoustic guitars have and the Westone 3's just degrade those wonderful elements.

For everything else however, two words, natural and musical.

I'd use the Westone 3's for everything except acoustic music or anything with an acoustic guitar as the main instrument.

Perfect IEMs?
No.
Best universal universal IEMs?
Yes.
Note I said universal universal.
Which I mean by Best all-rounder universal IEMs.
The SE530s may be good for classical music but not for some music.
The UE Triple.fi 10s may be good for rock or some upbeat music but not for some music.
But the Westone 3's however, manages to pull it off for all genres. Good for every genre. Best? I don't know. I don't have other IEMs aside from my ER4S.

All I know is, the Westone 3's are truly worthy of being called universal IEMs.

But I'll keep my ER4S for acoustic music.



Cheers.

Time to TRY and enjoy Annie Lennox's "Into The West"

P.S. Using the standard comply tips. The longer one. I have deep ear canals.

I tried the other tips as well. Not much of an effect on the same acoustic songs. A tad bit crisper but just not there. I have an acoustic song my friend recorded a few years back and the ER4S is the only thing which actually reproduced, or closest to reproducing the same tone, crisp, everything to be exact as his acoustic guitar. Not even the PRO750 could reach that level of accuracy.

I have that album, AND I've heard him play it live from a couple of rows from the front.

Listen to, "Keith Don't Go", and that's exactly how his guitar sounds in real life!

I'm hearing very similar things, but I think you're exaggerating a little bit with your plastic guitar comment.

The ER4S have been my favorite IEMs for a while too and I have to concur that they offer more low-level details and clarity compared to the Westone 3, but they are totally outclassed by the W3 in terms of musicality. Also, I've always thought that the Etys can offer a very decent amount of bass when they are used in a silent environment, but as soon as you use them in a bus or a train, the bass disappears. On the other hand, there might be slightly too much bass in the Westone 3 to be called "neutral" when used in a silent environment, but I think they'll be perfect for crowded places with a lot of noise (will test that tomorrow).

Another thing to consider, and it's already been mentioned a couple of times in the thread, is that the tips influence the sound a lot. Triflanges sounded wrong to my ears, with recessed mids, boomy bass and rolled-off highs. The best tips I've tried for the sound so far are the clear silicone ones, but I don't like the comfort so I use the long thin Complys which provide a more bassy signature, but are very comfortable.

My question is.. Were you at the exact same concert as in that album?

Plastic-ish, no. Non-full solid body acoustic guitar. Yes. That's what I meant by budget acoustic guitar. Exaggerating? Nah. It's IMO and to my ears. And yeah. I can only use comply tips. I tried the other tips but they were just too uncomfortable to me.

It's a 15 minute appointment to do the impressions, but they still get sent to Westone- where they use the impressions taken by the audiologist to make the custom tips. You won't find any audiologists with an in-house Westone employee that does custom tips and monitors on the premesis, unfortunately. It takes about a week, coming from experience. Well worth the wait.