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Westone UM3X Appreciation Thread - Page 11

post #151 of 4093
5/2/09 at 1:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by soozieq View Post
I'm hoping they'll land in the UK by Wednesday or Thursday.

If not, I'm going to start strip-searching every member of Parcelforce
Looking forward to your impressions on sibilance issues...been always been my gripe with the um2 and w3..
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post #152 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:07pm
Thread Starter 
Hehe, yeah I guess so. In the end with IEMS there are just so many variables. Some exist with full sized, some don't.

Ear canal size/shape
DAP
tips
insertion depth
sensitivity to certain frequencies
listening volume
etc.

and then there's always experience with other sounds - like if someone has heard the ER4P/S or TF.10 other highs may not seem sparkly in comparison. I admit my experience is rather limited compared to some
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post #153 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavio T View Post
For UM2 lovers, UM3X is a no brainer in my opinion.
But I'm a W3 lover and an UM2 non-lover - so where does that leave me?
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post #154 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by qusp View Post
why not ES3X? you'll have them sooner and FWIR they are at least as good, for considerably less money. thats the direction i'm going. UE11 never really appealed to me.
Not to vear too far off course in the thread, but I am also going for waiting to get the UE11s. I tend to like the characteristics and strong highs are a big thing for me for whatever reason.

It's more money and not really "better" than the ES3X from what I can tell, but after reading many impressions, it's about taste and I think that's the ticket for me. Wish I could have that midrange everyone describes though in the Westones.
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post #155 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by sennmann View Post
hey guys i am not sure if i should buy the um3x. an argument speaking against to buy is that i already have the w3. but what i am still looking for is the In-Ear made for hearing rock music like older songs of rise against, strike anywhere, thursday, and kinda that stuff. so i miss a bit the forwarded mids at the w3, but i like the highs, maybe a bit less basspresence would be better! Also the W3 sounds a bit muffled and dumb. is the Um3x more brilliant? would you say that the um3x is suitable for me; what do you think? also the w3 is kind of tireing with the time maybe because of the strong bass and the extended highs?
iam curios to hear what you tell!
thanks for your answers
maybe i should replace muffled and dumb with the words too warm for me...
but what would you guys say too the other questions?
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post #156 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:50pm
These are definitely keepers for me. They give me the best compromise offering good clarity, transparency and tight punchy but not overwhelming bass. The vocals are still very smooth and clean at the same time.
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post #157 of 4093
5/2/09 at 2:52pm
I have a different experience with the IE8... I wouldn't put it as fun...PFE is comparatively more fun... IE8 has a very wide mid-range and very strong bass... which makes the sound lil fall back... more like Senn HD650~ofcourse, not as transparent as HD650...



Quote:
Originally Posted by Zalithian View Post
Ok, how's this:

...
In terms of fun I would rate my IEMS as follows:

1. IE8's
2. UM3X
3. NE-7M
4. PFE
5. CX400's (I don't enjoy them much)
6. Shure SE210's

In terms of soundstage:

1. UM3X
2. IE8 (very close second)
3. PFE's
4. NE-7M
5. CX400/SE210

In terms of clarity/detail:

1. UM3X
2. IE8/PFE (greys)
4. NE-7M's
5. CX400's/SE210's

In terms of bass quantity:

1. IE8
2. CX400
3. UM3X
4. NE-7M
5. PFE (black)
6. SE210

Bass quality:

1. UM3X
2. PFE
3. IE8
4. NE-7M
5. CX400
6. SE210

Comfort:

1. UM3X/PFE's/CX400's
4. IE8's
5. SE210's
6. NE-7M's


Overall it's a close battle between the UM3X and IE8's depending on what the person wants. I consider the IE8's more fun sounding despite being laid back. I'm not a huge fan of in your face. There is definitely more bass on the IE8's although I'd say the UM3X has a similar punch albeit slightly less and still retains much more bass than the PFE's, depending on tips. The UM3X offers a great soundstage with better detail and clarity and sound less warm than the IE8's.

Due to me not having my IE8's at the moment the comparison between them and the UM3X's is partially from memory but I feel it should be fairly accurate still.
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post #158 of 4093
5/2/09 at 3:07pm
Where to buy?
are they all € 300+ ?
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post #159 of 4093
5/2/09 at 3:16pm
Quality and quantity are two different things

When I listened to the IE8, there was plenty of quantity of bass, but I can't say I particularly cared for it - and it was on the lowest setting (urgh, I hate that the IE8 has bass settings)

I think "fun" is too loose a term. For me for example, when I buy a new headphone and hear how it presents details (across the spectrum, not just in the highs),... if it passes the test then I have a smile on my face and that means I will keep listening to it
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flavio T View Post
x2

I already have my favorite and this will always be personal. Much more than the full-size headphones because of (mis)matching nozzle + earpiece shape and size with your outer and inner ear anatomy.

Oh yes, and the many different eartip choices...

For those UM2 previous or current owners it's a much easier description of the UM3X: same exact casing, same sound signature, more detail than UM2 with slightly more extended highs than the UM2 but less than the W3. It's a more pure product in comparison to the W3, which is more tweaked and optimized for playback but in the end, your ears will always have to be the judge. As soozieq stated, everyone will have their own unique "hearing curve" that will match this or that better. For UM2 lovers, UM3X is a no brainer in my opinion.

For those looking for more sparkle and brightness on the high end than the UM2 delivered, the W3. Fit and comfort wise, your ear, again, will need to answer that.
Ah but I have been spoiled by the HD600 and ESW9 and now have a different perceptions...

Only thing remaining now is that I love the supremely comfortable fit and cable I just want the SQ to go up two levels and then some more

Refinement in the high-end is good, but what of the boomy-bass and "milky" mids?
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post #160 of 4093
5/2/09 at 3:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by robm321 View Post
Not to vear too far off course in the thread, but I am also going for waiting to get the UE11s. I tend to like the characteristics and strong highs are a big thing for me for whatever reason.

It's more money and not really "better" than the ES3X from what I can tell, but after reading many impressions, it's about taste and I think that's the ticket for me. Wish I could have that midrange everyone describes though in the Westones.
hehe OK, fair enough, just the need for a 4th driver always confused me thas'all the Jerry Harvey ones sound interesting though.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sennman
maybe i should replace muffled and dumb with the words too warm for me...
but what would you guys say too the other questions?
ok, still sounds to me like there is something wrong with the fit or source, as even for those words to be present in your mind when talking about W3 is odd, they are very dynamic IMO and possibly even a little too dynamic so they can be a touch peaky. with proper tips (in my case custom) generally pretty balanced, with just a smidge too much midbass; such a tiny amount though. main reason for me too upgrade was to get an idea of ES3X and also to get a bit more forward mids than W3 provide. the soundstage is just icing and sweetens the deal further.

I suppose if there is one thing that has been well documented among W3 owners on here is how wildly the sound varies frolm person to person as they are sooo touchy when it comes to fit.
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post #161 of 4093
5/2/09 at 4:57pm
hey guys i am not sure if i should buy the um3x. an argument speaking against to buy is that i already have the w3. but what i am still looking for is the In-Ear made for hearing rock music like older songs of rise against, strike anywhere, thursday, and kinda that stuff. so i miss a bit the forwarded mids at the w3, but i like the highs, maybe a bit less basspresence would be better! Also the W3 sounds a bit muffled and dumb. is the Um3x more brilliant? would you say that the um3x is suitable for me; what do you think? also the w3 is kind of tireing with the time maybe because of the strong bass and the extended highs?
iam curios to hear what you tell!
thanks for your answers

Quote:
Originally Posted by sennmann View Post
maybe i should replace muffled and dumb with the words too warm for me...
but what would you guys say too the other questions?
is no one here who had the same experience that imade and is hoping for the same regarding the UM3x?
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post #162 of 4093
5/2/09 at 5:17pm
Sennmann - Three people responded to your question the first time you posted it. All of those responses are on this page... I'm not sure it's time yet to repost your question

I agree with qusp. The words you have used to describe the W3 e.g. "dumb" are odd. My suspicion is that there is something wrong with either your fit or your source.

Cheers!
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post #163 of 4093
5/2/09 at 5:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pdupiano View Post
after reading the first few pages and the last it seems like the um3x does the following against the w3's:

1)less bass but more accurate
2)better presentation of the mids
3) lowered the highs

and therefore......built the se530's

I could very well be wrong, but thats the conclusion i can draw from everyone's comments... but we'll see once i get a pair to try myself. I'm pretty curious now
UM3X has much more treble detail than SE530 and this was 80% of the complaints about SE530 (besides cables)
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post #164 of 4093
5/2/09 at 6:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by soozieq View Post
But I'm a W3 lover and an UM2 non-lover - so where does that leave me?
You may not be crazy about UM3X then. Flavio's post was good in how he compared it to UM2. I compared it to SE530 but those of you that have had both know that they are pretty similar (SE530 and UM2). As smooth as you SE530 lovers think SE530 is, you don't know what smooth is until you hear UM3X. I owned SE530 3 times for a total ownership period of about 2 years and I really like it but I honestly can't see how anyone would prefer it over UM3X at this point.

One thing I really like and notice about UM3X is that since it is so balanced neutral and smooth you really just focus on the music, and I suppose this is the true purpose of a monitor anyway. Great transparency too as far as seeing into the music.

I now totally understand Westone's marketing and timing of the release of W3 first and then UM3X. W3 is quite the departure from what UM2 was and marketed it as such as a playback IEM. It was a bold jump. UM3X comes back a little and builds up off of what UM2 was by tightening up the bass, expanding the treble and providing a larger soundstage.
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post #165 of 4093
5/2/09 at 8:09pm
I'm sorry but I cannot fathom a company's business model as:

We release what we know to be inferior....
Just so we can release a slightly better product so that everyone will go nuts over it...

But hell, i guess if it works for windows vista and then windows 7... you can't fault a company for going after the bill gates model of making money... by taking his customers putting them upside down, vacuuming their cash and hitting them with "sticks" called SP1, SP2 etc...

I would like to believe westone is more reputable than that. A good majority of what's been posted here is still suffering from FOTMishnesss. So please accept my apologies for not being as excited as others seem to be...although I will reluctantly buy a pair down the line after 3 months, which appears to be the amount of time it took for most people to Really tell us what they think about the w3's and as far as i know, since that little backlash, the W3's have fallen off the radar.

Well anyway, any technical frequency graphs/professional reviews on the um3x's would be nice.
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