REVIEW: WESTONE 3, the ULTIMATE UNIVERSAL IEM vs everything else - AKA W3 Appreciation Thread - Page 20

Try the small or medium Shure olives. The small/medium Complys no good? Or try the flange reduction process (trim off the first and/or second flange, and reduce the stem). The instructions for modding the tri-flange are with the paperwork.

I'd really, really like to use Shure's olive tips, if they sound good, with the Westone 3. I know the treble isn't as "there" as it is with other non-foam tips, but the comfort and ease of insertion is crazy good. Maybe using those tips will even bring the vocals to be a little more forward (I keep hearing about vocals sounding distant with the Westone 3 compared to something like the SE530. Interesting....).

but but, the shure olive tips have really small holes, the w3 has the same "stem" or throttle? tube? out from the casing? or you need to mod the olives?

No, the olives fit fine. Hole is not too small.

Isn't the stem on the Westone 3 shorter than the Shure? Not that it makes that much of a difference: Just a different design. Although it probably allows you to put the phone deeper in your ear so it's more flush.

Ok after reading all your comments, I have finally decided to pull the trigger.

Got mine today. Big props to mike at freq city.

Sound is instantly and obviously better than my SE530's. Will have more in depth stuff to say later if anyone is interested.

Of course we're interested! The more impressions there are the more people considering them will get a concrete idea of the sound they present. So, post it when you know what you're hearing.

How do I delete this post?

Me too but still waiting on the order to arrive; how long did it take to arrive?

cannot wait for my tf10 vs. westone 3 comparison when I get mine soon

Sorry to distract but i think TF10Pro sound signature changed since UE upgrade with new cable and now TF10Pro sound more like refind version of sf5pro(i really liked TF10Pro with orignal cable).

well I have not hear super fi's but I find my newish trips to not be that bright pretty balanced but that is imo with foam tips

I used express shipping so one day.

Ok, first let me start off with the weaknesses as perceived by an SE530 owner.

The Shure has the advantage in mids, I wouldn't call the Westone mids recessed, I would just say that the se530's are exaggerated (in a good way). This makes male vocals sound a bit more foward and pleasant in the Shures. The Shures also have a bigger and wider soundstage about them. However, I think this comes at the cost of accuracy and detail.

Now onto the good. Overrall the Westone 3 is the superior IEM. All the INSTRUMENTS sound better and more realistic in the W3. The bass is also better; more defined, pops harder, and quakes less compared to the SE530. There is higher accuracy in every other part of the sound spectrum as well; the highs are much better, I can hear the pick hitting the string whereas on the Shure I could only hear the string itself.

This extra accuracy does have some downsides though. I have experienced a bit of sibiliance for the first time in certain songs. Also, I find these much more fatiguing than the Shures. I chalk it up to the better highs.

The comfort is superior to the Shure's, which I had zero complaints with. It's not that the earpiece itself is nicer, but the lack of the Shure's thicker/heavier cable hanging from your ears makes them disappear on you. Speaking of the cable, this thing is awesome. It is soft, very bendable, thin, light, and seemingly durable. The thin and bendable qualities also make it so you don't have to worry about it ever cracking where it folds over your ear. While my Shure's did not have this problem, I could definitely see how it might occur given enough time.

Overrall, the only small downgrade from what I had is the mids, but it's a small price to pay for the better everything else.