EarSonics SM3 Appreciation, Discussion, & Review Thread - Technically Best Universal? (see first... - Page 8  

wow KLS that sound like exactly um3x! they must sound alike from your description.with the um3x i feeL that westone thought about cymbals the last thing,it is very muted and left alone.also if sm3 is warmer than the ie8 then they are not much different than um3x.

i am now considering the ck100 again as i love the forward mids presentation and can enjoy it as much as the laid back presentation of the ie8.

Hey @midoo1900 so we are into the same thing again since CK10!

Yeah if you look into earlier post in this thread, people say that UM3x sounds close to SM3, but SM3 better them. All this information comes from the french forum, and thanks to @MayaTlab for translating them.

EDIT: CK100? Though I read that they have more bass than CK10, but be sure you gather more information before getting one. Or else it will end like your CK10

yep,i miss the transparency of ck10 and if ck100 has less treble then this would be perfect.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KLS 

 

 

I think this applies to SM3 too. I tried some EQ, and find that leveling up several dbs in around 2K makes cymbals more prominent, or upfront. However, by EQing, the house sound of EarSonics is gone. The EarSomics sound is something I like.

 

I have yet to hear UM3X, and I am not @average_joe nor @shigzeo, to my ears SM3 is a tad warmer than IE8, and mids is more forward compared to IE8.
 

EDIT: Based on stock tips.

I'm pretty sure custom earmolds would balance the sound of both the SM3 and UM3x nicely and give you back that nice treble sparkle. First, they're made out of acrylic, which is a much harder and denser material than foam and therefore likely to conduct higher frequencies better. Second, those two monitors were most likely designed with the custom tips in mind (and their frequency response adjusted accordingly).

This is why I don't think the Earsonics / UM3x sound signatures are very warm by nature, but more out of universal tips choice. My "prototype" SM2 (bought very early on, with a rough finish casing) came with other sillicone tips that make their sound more balanced and not lacking at all in the treble department. So to me the Earsonics "house sound" is brighter than what the stock foam tips might lead you to believe (still warm though !). I agree that my SM2 + foam tips require a bit of EQ (to my ears) to give them sufficient clarity.

This applies to the UM3x as well. In anyway, foam tips almost always reduce treble response, and headphones which might sound lacking in the trebles department might have simply been designed with custom tips in mind : after all, aren't the UM3x universal stage monitors ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by average_joe 

Yes, the SM3 is tip dependent.  I think the deeper insertion tips extend the space and make the SM3 more dynamic.  I can imagine that it will sound it's best with custom sleeves, and I will get some in the near future.  In the mean time, the tips I keep going back to are triple flange over olives (shigzeo, you want me to send you some?).  I ordered these to try with the SM3, and they should be here this week:

 

   

oooh where are those tips coming from?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 

 

oooh where are those tips coming from?

You can click on the pictures, they are linked to the website.

Click on the pictures, it takes you to their webpage. Nice touch that (with this new HF UI).

EDIT - beat me to it.

I look forward to hearing your impressions.

ta

They look like ear torture devices to me

man, I don't know. If the SM3s sound similar to UM3X in signature, I don't think they will be my cup of tea. I prefer a neutral treble response, not recessed. UM3X also lack clarity in my opinion and have a "plasticy" coloration to the sound.

Treble isn't recessed, it is just machined neutral. There is no V curve in the sound and no Ety attenuation mountain. A lot of iems have these  attenuation curves built in, but they might actually be built with recessed trebles. The SM3 is pretty damn flat and that means no recession, just no pleasure sparkle. Yes, I said pleasure sparkle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shigzeo 

Treble isn't recessed, it is just machined neutral. There is no V curve in the sound and no Ety attenuation mountain. A lot of iems have these  attenuation curves built in, but they might actually be built with recessed trebles. The SM3 is pretty damn flat and that means no recession, just no pleasure sparkle. Yes, I said pleasure sparkle.

What do you think of the treble on UM3X? I think it's a bit recessed.

what the heck are with those second set of tips..  also, why are W2s my avatar..

I've not heard the UM3x in about 4 months. I need to go back to the shoppe and listen. It is sure though that the SM3 is 'laid back' but I can promise you it isn't recessed. Think of it between ETY ER4 and Monster Turbine Pro Gold. I think that is a good place to put the SM3, though maybe not the best illustration.

Inbound Into Customs
Inbound International Arrival, May 06, 2010, 3:56 pm, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Origin Post is Preparing Shipment
Foreign International Dispatch, May 05, 2010, 5:31 pm, CHILLY_MAZARIN CENTRE COLIS EXPORT, FRANCE
Foreign Acceptance, May 04, 2010, 2:42 pm, FRANCE

*twidddling my thumbs*