[Omnirai]

The Ipod Touch (I use a 3G, but the same applies) is a fairly competent music player - at the very least I won't blame it for the underwhelming sound that the OP seems to be hearing. Stock ibuds to W4 is an extremely big jump and I cannot imagine anyone not hearing a significant difference - the problem could be source (as in, poor quality rips which can easily sound worse on quality gear than it does on ibuds), fit or just that the OP was expecting a completely different kind of sound. 
 
If the W4 still doesn't impress after so long and you are sure it's not a problem with source or fit then it simply isn't for you. That's OK - the W4 are amazing cans but I prefer many other less pricey models to them as well - all preference. I suggest you return them and go a little lower on the chain to find the type of sound you are looking for. Don't give up on this pursuit is what I can say - when you find the sound that is for you the audio heaven is very rewarding. No one who wants to appreciate music should be stuck doing so from ibuds.

 

[Justinicus]

Quote:

The iPod Touch 4g is in the same generation as the iPhone 3GS/ iPhone 4 btw. The equivalent generation for an iPod classic (what you are talking about ) is sometimes called the 7g iPod classic.

But the OP didn't say "iPod Touch 4g." Rabbit said "iPod (4th gen)."  That would be circa 2004-5.  
 
Rabbit, did you mean iPod Touch (4th gen)? Because there's a huge difference in sound quality.
 
 

 

[NA Blur]

The Answer:
 
Return or sell your Westone 4's and purchase one of the following.
 
Here are my suggestions:
 
Xears TD-III
$45
 
ViSang R02 / Brainwavz ProAlpha
$50
 
RadioPaq Jazz
$60
 
Brainwavz M4  ( My personal favorite at the $60 price point )
$60
 
Fischer Audio Eterna 
$67.49 from bugdenaudio.com 
 
HiFiMan RE262
$149 from Head-Direct.com 
 

 

[kiteki]

No he should return the W4 and get the EX1000.
 
 

 

[Rabbit]

Yeah, I meant iPod touch 4th gen. My fault for not being clear.
 
Sorry if I construed this to say I did not hear a difference. I did hear differences in balance, bass response, and the soundstage. However, my biggest disappointment was that the mids sounded no different, and I could detect little clarity improvement, though I found more detail. Mids make up a lot of the music, and I guess I really had high expectations for new clarity and sound there, or I do not know what to look for.
 
This also may be a personal problem, I have trouble telling differences between mids of different IEM's. The apple's mids, the W4's mids, and my friends se210's mids all sounded pretty much the same to me, perhaps I happened to have tried only flat-response/cold cans.
 
It was not a case of thinking "Man, these W4's are not good." I thought they were actually great IEM's. It was closer to, "The Apple earphones are not that bad...." It was a decision to keep something so expensive when I personally felt the improvements were not scaled to the price. I could not justify keeping something like that when I did not feel a large enough improvement.
 
Most of the reason's I sent them back seem personal with so many people giving these earphones respect. 
 
Also, thanks much for the recommendations, I will look into them and start over from there.

 

[kiteki]

The apple earbud IS pretty decent.
 
The W4 and SE210 are both very good balanced armature IEM's, perhaps try a high-end dynamic next time, see here-> http://www.head-fi.org/t/567270/top-3-dynamic-iems

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

The apple earbud IS pretty decent.
 
The W4 and SE210 are both very good balanced armature IEM's, perhaps try a high-end dynamic next time, see here-> http://www.head-fi.org/t/567270/top-3-dynamic-iems

 
Really? You liked it? I found SE210 very recessed in the treble.
 
 

 

[kiteki]

Honestly I think there's different versions of the SE210 including fake ones.  The ones I heard were mid and treble focused and had no bass whatsoever, the most bass light IEM I've ever heard.

 

[navmau]

If the OP wants coherent sound and timbre, they should be very pleased with the Atrio's.
 
In my trials of multiple-BA IEM's, I also was sensitive to crossovers and hated the un-natural, incoherent sound with no decent sub-bass.

 

[Raguvian]

Quote:

Yeah, I meant iPod touch 4th gen. My fault for not being clear.
 
Sorry if I construed this to say I did not hear a difference. I did hear differences in balance, bass response, and the soundstage. However, my biggest disappointment was that the mids sounded no different, and I could detect little clarity improvement, though I found more detail. Mids make up a lot of the music, and I guess I really had high expectations for new clarity and sound there, or I do not know what to look for.
 
This also may be a personal problem, I have trouble telling differences between mids of different IEM's. The apple's mids, the W4's mids, and my friends se210's mids all sounded pretty much the same to me, perhaps I happened to have tried only flat-response/cold cans.
 
It was not a case of thinking "Man, these W4's are not good." I thought they were actually great IEM's. It was closer to, "The Apple earphones are not that bad...." It was a decision to keep something so expensive when I personally felt the improvements were not scaled to the price. I could not justify keeping something like that when I did not feel a large enough improvement.
 
Most of the reason's I sent them back seem personal with so many people giving these earphones respect. 
 
Also, thanks much for the recommendations, I will look into them and start over from there.

Maybe you're looking for something closer to the mid-centric Shure sound? Vocals and the midrange will be much more prominent there. I'd suggest either the SE315 or SE425, although the 315 didn't impress me personally when I tried it.
 
It also sounds like you're looking for more coloration in your sound, from the way I'm reading your posts. The W4's are supposed to be pretty neutral, without an emphasis in any one particular area so you might think that they don't really improve on your stock Apple earbuds. I would read up more reviews and see what sound sig you'd like and what headphones match that sound sig. In your price range, as stated before, I'd probably try the EX1000 or FX700. If you want to save some money and go cheaper, either the GR07 or TF10, or the Shures, depending on what you want out of your IEMs.

 

[feNcheL]

Exactly the reason why I would never recommend such a big jump.. it's hard to appreciate the difference in sound. Rather than trying to get the 'best' sound by doing such a big jump and then expecting the ultimate in sound reproduction, it's all about the journey. Try different sound signatures, picked the one you prefer and then upgrade. Sound signatures may change over time too. Also never upgrade if you feel fully satisfied already. It's actually pretty simple: audition as many IEMs as you can (or even full-sized cans to find out your preferred sound signature), and you will either have found IEMs that satisfy you or you will have gathered enough information to ask on the forums and get a detailed response.
I feel that a lot of the need to upgrade for me arises from hearing other phones, noticing their strengths and trying to find a phone that combines the characteristics I prefer the most. I'd be happy if I could just stick with my first mid-fi purchase, the super.fi 3. Actually the sound signature is similar to the UE 600 and in some ways even the e-Q5. I swear there are already many days where I wouldn't care about the difference in sound, when I'm more listening to the music than the sound reproduction

 

[jjmai]

Yeah, I agree.  Sound signature trumps sound quality.  Just ask any basshead to try etymotic - no matter how "good" it may be, the enjoyment factor won't be there.

 

[QuantumXL]

I don't know. It is hard to say. I jumped from Apple buds to TF10s and I was impressed. However, I jumped from TF10s to SE535 and completely HATED it at first. Gave up on my 535s, picked up my TF10s again. I got a pair of reshelled TF10s (with 6 drivers total) and it was the sound sig of the TF10s with a mix of highs and mids. I picked up my SE535s and started to appreciate what the 535s had to offer. I think it is a matter of the journey. If you get something you don't like you won't appreciate it until you realize what it has to offer.
 
I always say that your ears are like steaks. If you marinate your steaks for a short period of time you don't taste the difference. However, if you marinate it longer it tastes better. You add more flavors to it it gives it diversity. Your ears are the same way. You expose yourself to one sound sig for a while and once you get used to that pick up something new that will add new flavor to your repertoire. Then you start to appreciate what one set of headphones had that the other one didn't have to offer. I never appreciated mids or highs, it was all bass kicks. Then I started to realize how important those frequencies are. Listened to 'phones that were appreciated for in these ranges and loved it. For example Vocals dominate on the 535s, but are shot in the TF10s. (Just to name the two popular flagship headphones). There are many more so keep looking. Appreciate it and start marinating.

 

[Pianist]

Quote:

If the OP wants coherent sound and timbre, they should be very pleased with the Atrio's.
 
In my trials of multiple-BA IEM's, I also was sensitive to crossovers and hated the un-natural, incoherent sound with no decent sub-bass.

 
For best timbre, I would also recommend FX700 and RE272. FX700 is a bit on the warm side and sounds very musical and natural. RE272 is a tad on the lean side of things perhaps and doesn't exactly sound warm and cozy like the FX700 does, but has jaw dropping clarity and a really clean sound while also producing a very realistic timbre that is perhaps even better than what you get with FX700.

 

[navmau]

Quote:

 
For best timbre, I would also recommend FX700 and RE272. FX700 is a bit on the warm side and sounds very musical and natural. RE272 is a tad on the lean side of things perhaps and doesn't exactly sound warm and cozy like the FX700 does, but has jaw dropping clarity and a really clean sound while also producing a very realistic timbre that is perhaps even better than what you get with FX700.

The FX700 was not as "fun" for me anyway as the sub-bass was not as present as the Atrio's. Plus, isolation on the Atrio's is slightly better too. Not to mention nearly half the cost of the FX700 but I don't think this is a factor for the OP who purchased the W4 right off the bat.