Westone UM2. Worth $300?

US$300 erm no.

lots of things beat them at that price, you give no indicators as to what you want

What are your listening preferences? Heavy bass? Smooth, lush midrange? What?

The W2 is a better sounding, more fun IEM due to its pure musicality.

worth $300? yes.

they make everything sound good (even bad mp3 rips).

they are neutral sounding which means they are perfect for musicians. 

they are well designed. not like UE universal phones that stick way out and don't fit many people and require reshelling (I have TF10s).

you can get lots of great tips.

you can get canal molds directly from westone.

they lay flat in your ear so you can wear them in bed.

the cable doesn't require immediate replacement.

Quote:

Originally Posted by illwafer 

worth $300? yes.

 

they make everything sound good (even bad mp3 rips).

they are neutral sounding which means they are perfect for musicians. 

they are well designed. not like UE universal phones that stick way out and don't fit many people and require reshelling (I have TF10s).

you can get lots of great tips.

you can get canal molds directly from westone.

they lay flat in your ear so you can wear them in bed.

the cable doesn't require immediate replacement.

erm no. for US$300 you can do far better

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 

erm no. for US$300 you can do far better

your 2nd useless post to the thread. congratulations.

Uh no. The UM2 is a stage monitor and does not work well with a lot of casual listening gear. That's why they made the W2. The UM2 can be lack cohesion with bloated bass, forward much thinner mids and subued treble. I had the SF5(non Pro) and UM2 at the same time and the cheap UE was slightly better. Why should the OP risk that their gear doesn't work with it when they can buy the W2 for $249. The W2 is still a bit better sounding than the UM2 at it's best anyway.

Too many people around here assuming their experience is what everyone else will hear. Don't think so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by illwafer 

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 

erm no. for US$300 you can do far better

your 2nd useless post to the thread. congratulations.

why thank you

For $300 or less you can get Shure SE530, UE Triple.fi, Ortofon e-Q5, Hifiman RE252 and RE262, Etymotic ER4s all of which will outperform the UM2 by a good margin in sound quality.

For $300 or less you can get most universals if you get on eBay or find a place that has some pretty good deals.

^ That's right. Or you can just buy used from the forum and you can get any universal that way with that budget.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 

US$300 erm no.

 

lots of things beat them at that price, you give no indicators as to what you want

I knew with 100% certainty that mark2410 would pop up in this thread and slag the UM2 off. It's as predictable as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening.

For what it's worth I think the UM2 are a very fine pair of earphones, excellent comfort and isolation with a smooth slightly bass-heavy presentation. It all depends on personal preference but they used to be considered a top tier IEM along with the Shure SE530 of UE TripleFi 10 a few years ago, though many new IEMs have come along and superceeded them in that time.

If it's possible for you to stretch the budget a little further the UM3x are well worth the extra money.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jant71 

Uh no. The UM2 is a stage monitor and does not work well with a lot of casual listening gear. That's why they made the W2. The UM2 can be lack cohesion with bloated bass, forward much thinner mids and subued treble. I had the SF5(non Pro) and UM2 at the same time and the cheap UE was slightly better. Why should the OP risk that their gear doesn't work with it when they can buy the W2 for $249. The W2 is still a bit better sounding than the UM2 at it's best anyway.

 

Too many people around here assuming their experience is what everyone else will hear. Don't think so.

Bloated bass?  Lack of cohesion?  I have to assume you prefer bass light IEM's from that statement because the UM2 is far from bloated bass.  I've owned plenty of bloated bass IEMs and do not like them.  Is the bass as tight as the TF10's?  Of course not.  The mids are forward but not thin IMO.  Since they are a stage monitor, they do indeed make you feel as if you are on stage with the band.  Whether this is better or worse is purely opinion and preference.  If you are someone who enjoys the Shure house sound, you will greatly enjoy the UM2.  Personally I think the forward mids sound great with guitar driven rock.  It really brings the attack of the rhythm guitar forward.  If you like heavier rock, it really absorbs you in the song, makes you feel part of the band.

This IEM works great with most sources I've tried it on.  I just don't understand the 'risk'.  If you don't like forward mids or an enclosed soundstage, you are not going to like them on any source and should stay far away.

All things considered, different ear canals will be affected different ways, so if you heard bloated bass and thin mids, then I'm sure you did but they certainly do not sound that way to me.

BTW, I should mention: I don't think anything is worth it's typical or average price point.  I'm a bargain shopper and am always looking for the best deal.

UM2 sounds very nice, just not worth $300. If you can find one for $200 or less, then it will be worth it.