Glad you're back, I really missed the 3 of you! Great comeback post BTW.
Still not so sure about buying AMP3 though - ooops, wrong forum

Thanks for the nice words. And now that I tried the Klipsch gels on the UM3X with the Amp3, I can't believe what I am hearing. Apart from very low level hiss, sounds fantastic paired with the UM3X - a match made in heaven for me.

Welcome back.. I was wondering where you went since it said 'Banned' under your name.

Also, besides the bass, what do you think the biggest difference between the W3 and UM3X? I was pretty set on the W3.. but might look into the UM3X. I'm just wondering if it'd sound too similar to the RE0 since they're both known to be very neutral.

btw the um3 and re0 are not similar

that's good to hear.. can you comment on how they differ? and you mean um3x right? or is there a um3

just replyed in the um3 thread the bass is the biggest diff will add to it there just now as its a more appropriate place to answer that q

Don't own the RE0 but I do have a pre-production pair of the RE3, which is the HiFiMAN top of the line IEM. To me, the RE3 has a nice, pleasing mid and upper end, but as is the case with the RE lineup, bass is just not enough for me un-EQ'd, and I am not basshead. The two phones are very different, but I would not call the UM3X dark, but powerful, yes. Depends on your sources, I suppose. Mark and I don't share a single player, I don't think. And to me, the UM3X are not at all dark, just right in fact. But different strokes.

As for the comparison with the RE3, if you have a good, strong EQ option, like Clear Bass on the Sony players, then you can get the RE3s to sound awesome. The mids are a little forward, so I knock them back a tick or two on the EQ as well. Then, excellent sound. But without that, to me, the RE3s just sound very thin (on the Zune, for example, which has no EQ, or the Sony/Fuze set to normal).

Now, as for the the W3 and the UM3X, as I said, I would love to have both. But I was one of those folks who could not use a short tip with the W3 because of the horrible sibilance. So I had to use the modded tri-flange or large Comply and EQ the highs (which the larger tips seem to veil). Again, not a match with my Zune, which is my mega-track player right now.

I did like the warm wow sound sig of the W3s, and will miss it. But the combo of comfort (with the Klipsch gels right now) and the fairly neutral sound sig (across the three major areas) is a much more favorable sound to me, moreso than any other IEM I've owned, and I've owned a lot.

Hope that helps.

It came down to getting the UM56 for the W3s and hoping they would be perfect, or sellnig them and trying the UM3X to meet my needs. The latter strategy worked. Though I may buy the UM56s too, at a later date, based on some of the feedback from those who added them to the UM3X mix.

I tried both as well, I learned for the the W3 over the UM3X. While I do like the articulated highs, I found the neutral UM3X went too far in the opposite direction. What they'll need to do is come up with the W3.1 - with a signature that falls between their best phones. I'll take the um3x shell though! One advantage I have, though, is that I don't hesitate to use the EQ. The Sansa Clip is serving me very well in this area.

Here is the custom EQ I use to give me an impression of what the W3.1 might sound like (using W3s): As you can see, the treble is suppressed
█ ▄ ▆ █ ▂

▂ ▂ ▂ ▂ ▂ (Flat EQ W3 - good for most tracks I listen to - will be getting UM56 soon~)

This does make me thnk about Shure's strategy when they release the response to the competition. Assuming all of the tips are interchangeble, I'd definitely be paying close attention to them.

Anyway, welcome back

Thanks for the welcome. And I understand, but again, I could not use the W3 with any short tips or nasty harshness was guaranteed, and the extended tips (tri-flange and large comply) veiled the treble, so I had to EQ. But, my Zune has no EQ, so I could not enjoy the W3s with it. Anyway, I hear you about an in-between IEM from Westone, but the UM3X are growing on me. UM56 is definitely in the cards. I also used the EQ with my Clip, Fuze and Sony players and the W3. I would love to have them both, but happy with my decision, since I find the highs on the 3X to be fine, though not the same as the W3, of course.

Welcome back.

Hope the Jersey shore had a very memorable moment

Well, went with a bunch of hs football buddies, and when we turned on the tube in the motel, there was Woodstock! We had tickets for what we thought was a Jimi Hendrix concert, and decided to blow it off for the beach. What a bunch of dopes.

I did make it to Watkins Glen (the Dead, the Band and the Allmans) a few years later, which was actually larger than Woodstock, but nowhere near the same.