Earsonics sm3 V2 - Page 29

Ah, i see. It was a matter of semantics. You are looking for what I call "energy" and of course dynamic range. I will personally recommend the FX700 or EX1000s. If you want to ease your way in, the FX500 and EX600s are close to each of them for a fraction of the price. The UM3X doesn't resemble the Shure flagships all that much despite having the same heritage. Westone pretty much takes a much different approach than Shure. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by alphaman 

 

You noted the UM3x as a possible IEM I may be after. I think Westones are too Shure-like (they share the same engineering heritage IIRC). 

 

Not my experience. While I couldn't ultimately 'get along' with the SE530 and even less with the SE535, I preferred the W3, the UM3X even more, and found the W4 even better. I personally would take both Shure & all 3 Westone IEMs over the SM3.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inks 

The UM3X doesn't resemble the Shure flagships all that much despite having the same heritage. Westone pretty much takes a much different approach than Shure. 

I agree.

@alphaman how is the isolation on the IE8 while biking ? I keep reading that it isn't good overall.. That was one of the reasons I decided to go with the SM3v2, and the fact that I can use shure foam, which I really like. FX700 looks interesting as well, but again, isolation issues ? 

I am going to give the SM3v2 a listen tonight.. I've prepared a diverse music selection for the occasion :) 

IE8 isolation is poor.  That's the main reason I went for the Sm3 and I don't regret it.  I enjoy the sm3 a lot more than I do the IE8.  The IE8 kept falling out of my ears at the weight room and when I went jogging.  Sm3 stays with everything.  I zone out with these babies when working out and that's how its suppose to be.  I don't want to be paying attention to every little detail.  If I did I'd do that while sitting and analyzing at home.  I'd drop the weight on myself if I paid attention to analyzing the music while lifting.  

Quote:

Originally Posted by go0gle 

@alphaman how is the isolation on the IE8 while biking ? I keep reading that it isn't good overall.. That was one of the reasons I decided to go with the SM3v2, and the fact that I can use shure foam, which I really like. FX700 looks interesting as well, but again, isolation issues ? 

 

I am going to give the SM3v2 a listen tonight.. I've prepared a diverse music selection for the occasion :) 

Great Pls share. That too is the only reason why I haven't tried the IE8. Iso is important (too bad, it seems that I would like it)

... to be cont....

WRT comfort using small stock (Comply-made?) supplied foam tips....

EM3v2  > IE8 > SE530

I was almost totally unaware I had them in.

... to be cont....

Quote:

Originally Posted by go0gle 

@alphaman how is the isolation on the IE8 while biking ? I keep reading that it isn't good overall.. That was one of the reasons I decided to go with the SM3v2, and the fact that I can use shure foam, which I really like. FX700 looks interesting as well, but again, isolation issues ? 

 

I am going to give the SM3v2 a listen tonight.. I've prepared a diverse music selection for the occasion :) 

IE8 and biking ... depends on tip. I just got some of the new round Comply foams. They are better than any IE8 stock. But they are so $$, and they don't last long, getting gummed up w/ear-crud even tho' I religiously Q-tip scrape-clean my ears (outer an part-way inner canal) daily! I've recommended the extra double-flange white tips supplied w/the R8 'free' IEMs you get with T51 DAP purchase (from House of DAP). They look very similar to Sensorcom while silicone double-flanges. These are better than any IE8 stocks, and almost isolate as well as the new round Comply's. Very quick/easy to use -- plug-n-play for sure -- and one pair lasts and lasts (they better -- only have one pair!)

BTW: The specs info on Sensorcom's site sucks. I've tried contacting then several X, but they don't return emails. For IE8's 5.5mm nozzle dia., you need a tip with a tube ID that will fit that. The IE8 nozzle length is about "medium". The R8 extra tips look like double-flage version of the Sensorcom triples pictured below (with the larger tube diameter, of course. I think the ones below are for SM3s and W4s, SE535s, etc) ...

Back to the SM3v2 ...

Been thinking about how to best describe my opinions within the limited context of written language -- a challenge: evolutionarily, we've been hearing a lot longer than talking/writing. 

A matter of trust: as nice as some of the aspects of the SM3's SQs are -- smooth+rich midrange, micro-dynamics -- I don't trust its depictions as honest to actual (well, recorded and replayed to the best of our modern technical ability, anyway!) acoustic events. I've noted its similarities to horn speakers, single-end triode (tube) electronics, and non-oversampling DACs. Nice timbre, and bloom. A holographic sound. But boring and phony in many important ways.  

Ergo ... I'll probably sell mine -- sometime -- and get EX1000s or FX700s. It's been a school of hard and $$ knocks. But it has been an interesting education for sure. 

^^^^ Thank you for all the information.. i will keep it in mind of I decide to get the ie8 later.

@Hawaiiancerveza  the IE8 was falling out ? Well that would irritate me quite a bit.. thanks for sharing

So.. I've been listening to the SM3v2 for almost 3 hours straight now... and I can't stop. They are amazing.. I was really worried about the bass a bit, but it is there, and it is very., very well balanced, deep, and there is plenty of it.. exactly what I wanted :) I will right more tomorrow.. 

Someone wanted to see a picture of how they look in ear: 

Which tips are you using my friend?

shure olive for now.. i haven't even tried the tips that came in package yet 

Hi all,

Long time lurker, first time poster here! .

Just wanted to put up my 2 cents on the SM3s, if that's ok. I suppose i should preface this saying that this is all based on my own ears and there practically no scientific data to back it up. i'm still new to headphilia so i will stay away from terms I've no proper understanding of.

To me the SM3s represent the sound signature I didn't realize I've been longing for all this while. I always felt something was missing with my other IEMs before the SM3 but could never quite put my finger on. And to me its the perfect IEM for the music I listen to. Tool, Opeth, Mudvayne, King Crimson, Dredg, Pink Floyd all never sounded better to me than on the SM3s. I've auditioned the SE535s, W3s, W4s and UM3Xs extensively at Jaben before i finally settled on the SM3. All the units had at least 50hrs on them so burn-in (crossover, cables) should have settled in, if you believe in that sort of thing. Also, i used only silicon tips and not Complys. I don't know why but i just DO NOT like Complys. Feels like they steal something from an IEM's signature.

Easily eliminated were the 535s and W3s. The Shures for some reason never sounded good to me and despite having forced myself to give all the above IEMs equal auditioning time, I still couldnt get 'into' the Shure sound. This even applies with their SRH840 cans. Go figure. The W3s while nice reminded me too much of my TF10s and while its fun, it just wasnt what I was looking for. The 3 which were battling for my hard earned cash were the UM3Xs, W4s and SM3s. Out of the plethora of tips Westone provides, i still preferred the stock double flanges that come with the SM3s. Am I weird? Anyways, i used this same tip for all 3 when auditioning.

To me, the SM3s were warm, yes but also detailed and balanced. The bass was tight and controlled and went deep enough for me. The mids were lush and 'creamy' as some have said but detailed at the same time. I never found it lacking.It does seem forward, but coming from recessed mids of the TF10, I couldnt tell if it really was forward vs the rest of the spectrum or just in comparison to what I'd been used to. And while the treble extends pretty high, it did sound a little 'veiled' in comparison to the UM3X and W4. But it was not lacking for details. I do admit I just needed to listen a wee bit harder for details than I did with the UM3X.

Soundstage-wise, the SM3 was excellent. Good depth and width, altho like someone said earlier, not as wide as the W4. I think I saw somewhere on head-fi someone had posted a illustration of where the SM3's soundstage places you in relation to the music / band. Cant remember if it was an SM3 thread or something else. Anyways, that illustration showed where other IEMs (IE8 was one of them) place you away from the band / music, in the audience, whereas the SM3 pretty much puts you on stage with them. i guess that sorta explains the smaller width and the forward mids? Doesn't matter, cuz thats how I like it apparently. I found i preferred this presentation as opposed to be being in various rows of the audience.

I'm not too sure what speed or dynamic range is but I found it handled the music i threw at it (especially some FLACs of a live TOOL show, taken straight of the soundboard) just as well if not better than the UM3X and W4. Again, i think its soundstage and presentation had a part to play in me liking it more. That's not to say the UM3X and W4 weren't great themselves. I could only afford to get one of them and the SM3 was the one which won me over ultimately. The UM3X, I 've had a little more time with as my colleague has one and I've auditioned it quite a number of times before doing so again at Jaben. In fact, i was pretty sure i'd be coming out with it but the Sm3 bowled me over, really. The UM3X's highs don't extend as high as the SM3 but they didn't seem veiled either. Maybe the Sm3's highs seemed that way cuz its balanced across the spectrum? I dunno. I'm spitballing here. As for the W4, they were really nice and while they're a totally different beast from the W3, they weren't too alien compared to the UM3X and SM3. In fact, IMO the W4 sounded like a refined, improved version of the UM3X. The W4 might be next on my list of acquisitions..not so much the UM3X. But by the time I can save up for the the W4, there might be something else new in the IEM world...X-jays, perhaps? Oh what have i gotten myself into?? LOL.

I'm just trying out modded Monster tri-flanges (w/olives or comply p-series cores) with the SM3 and already the veil seems to have lifted off the highs somewhat. Will need more time with it to determine if I prefer this over the stock double flanges. Oh, and how does the new stock double flanges (with the wider bore) sound? Can anyone advise? I would have tried Sensorcom bi-flanges but they dont ship here and I cant be arsed to jump thru hoops to get it somehow.

BTW, I have the SM3 v1s and I like its look better than the v2s. Just like how I think the UM3x looks better than the w4. Something bout its uilitarian, stripped down looks really gets me. I know the v1's build quality isn't the best but it aint all that bad either (my CK10's are by far the best in that respect). And I baby my IEMs anyhow so I dont foresee any problems.

Wow, that was a really long first post / 2 cents. Sorry...hope i didnt bore anyone!

Nice impressions and agree with much of them.  The new earsonics biflanges are really nice with the larger sound bore.  Treble doesn't sound so recessed and bass response is good.  Plus they are really comfortable, as I normally don't like bi or tri flanges and best of all, no modification.  They work best for me on the SM3's.  Personally I like the W4 better.  It places me in the front row audience rather than on stage like the SM3; and I think it offers more detail and clarity throughout.  Anyway the SM3 is a nice addition.  Congrats.

I listened trough 2 pretty heavy EDM albums, and I am impressed... my old music, is..well new again :) On a side note, the sm3v2 are my first hi end phones, so I don't have a good base to compare them against, I've only had Shure E3C, and the RE0 for the last year. Also, like Heret1c, I am new to all of this, so I can only go by what my ears hear and try my best to describe it. 

Sasha - Airdrawndagger  I've listened to this album over 50 times, and I've never enjoyed it as much as I did last night.. @ Boilerroom (track 7) the bass on the SM3v2 just blew me away.. tight, deep, controlled.. amazing. At the same time, I could hear everything else.. the bass doesn't take away anything from the other layers, which is really important for edm, at least for me

Nick Warren's Balance 018  This just came out, completely different sound compered to Airdrawndagger.  The RE0 never managed to handle this one very well.. I actually had to use an amp for them to get anything out of the album. The sm3 sounds way, wayy better. The separation b/w highs and lows is amazing, everything sounds.. clean and controlled. If you want to hear what your SM3s can do with edm, just play  Victoria R - Cosmos and Solee - Aragorn from CD2 

Went on a bike ride this morning, wind noise was minimal, isolation is top.. a little scary at times actually. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by shotgunshane 

Nice impressions and agree with much of them.  The new earsonics biflanges are really nice with the larger sound bore.  Treble doesn't sound so recessed and bass response is good.  Plus they are really comfortable, as I normally don't like bi or tri flanges and best of all, no modification.  They work best for me on the SM3's.  Personally I like the W4 better.  It places me in the front row audience rather than on stage like the SM3; and I think it offers more detail and clarity throughout.  Anyway the SM3 is a nice addition.  Congrats.

Thanks shotgunshane. As it turns out the Monster tri-flanges were a bit of a letdown. What i thought was a veil being lifted off the highs was nothing more than my excitement getting ahead of me. Then again, they're not original Monster tri-flanges but knock-offs, so dunno if that has anything to do with it. Theyre really soft, does anyone know if the original Monster tri-flanges are like this too? Anyways, the highs were not 'unveiled' just a tad louder but they seemed to have lost that gorgeous timbre the SM3 naturally has. Plus the bass seemed to have gotten bloaty as well.So I'm back to the stock bi-flanges now (not that i ever had a problem with these, jst wanted to try the tri-flanges, is all) and I've also just ordered a pair of the new bi-flanges off of Earsonics' website. Yay! They do deliver to Malaysia. Thank God!

The UM3X is meant to be a universal0fit musician's monitor so I would expect it would put you on stage with music / band and it does, but not quite as well as the SM3 does, IMO. The W4 is not meant for the same use, hence the different placement I suppose? Neither is wrong / bad i guess,,,just serving different purposes. Now...if only i can sell off some crap to the get the W4....hehe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heret1c 

Hi all,

 

Long time lurker, first time poster here! .

 

Just wanted to put up my 2 cents on the SM3s, if that's ok. I suppose i should preface this saying that this is all based on my own ears and there practically no scientific data to back it up. i'm still new to headphilia so i will stay away from terms I've no proper understanding of.

 

To me the SM3s represent the sound signature I didn't realize I've been longing for all this while. I always felt something was missing with my other IEMs before the SM3 but could never quite put my finger on. And to me its the perfect IEM for the music I listen to. Tool, Opeth, Mudvayne, King Crimson, Dredg, Pink Floyd all never sounded better to me than on the SM3s. I've auditioned the SE535s, W3s, W4s and UM3Xs extensively at Jaben before i finally settled on the SM3. All the units had at least 50hrs on them so burn-in (crossover, cables) should have settled in, if you believe in that sort of thing. Also, i used only silicon tips and not Complys. I don't know why but i just DO NOT like Complys. Feels like they steal something from an IEM's signature.

 

Easily eliminated were the 535s and W3s. The Shures for some reason never sounded good to me and despite having forced myself to give all the above IEMs equal auditioning time, I still couldnt get 'into' the Shure sound. This even applies with their SRH840 cans. Go figure. The W3s while nice reminded me too much of my TF10s and while its fun, it just wasnt what I was looking for. The 3 which were battling for my hard earned cash were the UM3Xs, W4s and SM3s. Out of the plethora of tips Westone provides, i still preferred the stock double flanges that come with the SM3s. Am I weird? Anyways, i used this same tip for all 3 when auditioning.

 

To me, the SM3s were warm, yes but also detailed and balanced. The bass was tight and controlled and went deep enough for me. The mids were lush and 'creamy' as some have said but detailed at the same time. I never found it lacking.It does seem forward, but coming from recessed mids of the TF10, I couldnt tell if it really was forward vs the rest of the spectrum or just in comparison to what I'd been used to. And while the treble extends pretty high, it did sound a little 'veiled' in comparison to the UM3X and W4. But it was not lacking for details. I do admit I just needed to listen a wee bit harder for details than I did with the UM3X.

 

Soundstage-wise, the SM3 was excellent. Good depth and width, altho like someone said earlier, not as wide as the W4. I think I saw somewhere on head-fi someone had posted a illustration of where the SM3's soundstage places you in relation to the music / band. Cant remember if it was an SM3 thread or something else. Anyways, that illustration showed where other IEMs (IE8 was one of them) place you away from the band / music, in the audience, whereas the SM3 pretty much puts you on stage with them. i guess that sorta explains the smaller width and the forward mids? Doesn't matter, cuz thats how I like it apparently. I found i preferred this presentation as opposed to be being in various rows of the audience.

 

I'm not too sure what speed or dynamic range is but I found it handled the music i threw at it (especially some FLACs of a live TOOL show, taken straight of the soundboard) just as well if not better than the UM3X and W4. Again, i think its soundstage and presentation had a part to play in me liking it more. That's not to say the UM3X and W4 weren't great themselves. I could only afford to get one of them and the SM3 was the one which won me over ultimately. The UM3X, I 've had a little more time with as my colleague has one and I've auditioned it quite a number of times before doing so again at Jaben. In fact, i was pretty sure i'd be coming out with it but the Sm3 bowled me over, really. The UM3X's highs don't extend as high as the SM3 but they didn't seem veiled either. Maybe the Sm3's highs seemed that way cuz its balanced across the spectrum? I dunno. I'm spitballing here. As for the W4, they were really nice and while they're a totally different beast from the W3, they weren't too alien compared to the UM3X and SM3. In fact, IMO the W4 sounded like a refined, improved version of the UM3X. The W4 might be next on my list of acquisitions..not so much the UM3X. But by the time I can save up for the the W4, there might be something else new in the IEM world...X-jays, perhaps? Oh what have i gotten myself into?? LOL.

 

I'm just trying out modded Monster tri-flanges (w/olives or comply p-series cores) with the SM3 and already the veil seems to have lifted off the highs somewhat. Will need more time with it to determine if I prefer this over the stock double flanges. Oh, and how does the new stock double flanges (with the wider bore) sound? Can anyone advise? I would have tried Sensorcom bi-flanges but they dont ship here and I cant be arsed to jump thru hoops to get it somehow.

 

BTW, I have the SM3 v1s and I like its look better than the v2s. Just like how I think the UM3x looks better than the w4. Something bout its uilitarian, stripped down looks really gets me. I know the v1's build quality isn't the best but it aint all that bad either (my CK10's are by far the best in that respect). And I baby my IEMs anyhow so I dont foresee any problems.

 

Wow, that was a really long first post / 2 cents. Sorry...hope i didnt bore anyone!

Bingo!!! Thanks for your time and sharing. This to me is perfectly written, and of course you like the same music as I do. Now i get to ask you some specific Questions. Speed doesn't mean much to me. I own the W3 and the 535. Can You tell me on "PROD off LD 50, Are the Cymbals apparent (especially towards the end) I ask because while I love the Mids on the 535's, they tend to drown out the Cymbals on this particular recordings. (W3's are perfect). Man that Drummer really really kicks! And.... Tool's Guitars sound Pretty good with the Sm3's?? Is there a good balance between the Bass and Guitars, (Jambi) Thanks for your help!!